It’s episode nine of And Just Like That (‘There Goes The Neighbourhood’), and I am shocked and appalled to see Carrie firmly on the isle of Manhattan.
Last episode, we left with Carrie packing her suitcase and heading off to Virginia—all but promising us an episode of Carrie trying (and definitely failing) to relate to the extended Shaw clan. Alas, there will not be a Carrie-in-the-country Part Deux.
This show has robbed us of many things (the foremost being Miranda’s dignity), but this is a new low.
And with that, we’ll just move on to what the episode actually gave us.
Before we get into episode nine, you can find out what happened in previous eps here:
- Episode one
- Episode two
- Episode three
- Episode four
- Episode five
- Episode six
- Episode seven
- Episode eight
Wyatt doesn’t like Carrie
Carrie is being frosted out by Aidan’s youngest, and you know we love to see it. I wouldn’t say I rejoice in Carrie’s misery—but we need some drama to fuel this ship, you know what I mean?
While it’s a shame we didn’t get to see Carrie meeting Wyatt for the first time and being humiliated by his reproach (see aforementioned rant), at least we actually met one of Aidan’s kids!
Currently, here’s what we know about Wyatt: A chicken loves to sleep in his bed, he is 14, he is—per his father’s description—“a little tricky” and he “has a thing about planes”. During the very awkward FaceTime, we see Wyatt is rocking a noughties, emo era side fringe and braces. He’s mad at dad for not calling him after he landed.
Oh, we also have a name for Aidan’s middle child. After speculating it was something wholesome and farm-y, we have confirmation his name is… drum roll please… Homer!
Aidan’s Tighty Whities
This was… weird. John Corbett looks great, no mistake. If my future 56-year-old spouse looks like this, consider me one happy camper. But the tighty whities?!
Firstly, I don’t know if I believe Aidan wears tighty whities. I just don’t buy it. He’s got ‘boxers man’ written all over him—if anything at all.
The second is that the whole scene is framed around Aidan’s junk. The gaze is drawn, and the director knows it.
Carrie’s Apartment/s
Then comes the subject of Carrie’s apartment—which Aidan still, point blank, refuses to visit.
Call me old fashioned, but I think meeting your partner’s kids and committing to your future together before he sees where you live = HUGE red flag.
By the episode’s end, Carrie commits to leasing a Gramercy Park mansion and selling her Upper West Side home of ~40 years, all because her partner can’t bring himself to walk through the doors. I don’t know if anyone has told them this… but you can’t outrun your problems, kids. A new house can’t solve that problem.
Brady Loves Lily
If you’re a Sex And The City fan (and we’re going to assume that’s everyone watching And Just Like That), you’ve endured at least a decade of the show’s brand of double entendre. We are fluent in the lingo!
So, as soon as Miranda asks that Lily “rub off” on Brady—we all knew what was coming.
When Charlotte asks her daughter to “motivate Brady to get back on the college track”, per Miranda’s suggestion, there is a gorgeous throwback to a time when the families went on a joint ski trip when Lily and Brady were 12 and 14.
Then Rock says “Yeah, and he didn’t leave his sleeping bag the entire trip”—and Lily’s face is hilarious.
By the time Miranda catches Lily in her home wearing nothing but Brady’s singlet, I’m already hooked. These two are cute! Can we start the next gen spinoff, already?
Nya is Back
After disappearing from last episode, Nya is back and having sex with some guy who looks 32, at a stretch.
Nya is then thrust into the age-old trope of an “old person” being amazed and enthralled upon discovering “young person” technology: in this case, dating apps. The no-strings-attached sex is a whole new world to Nya, who, if I may remind you, is a college professor.
By the episode’s end, Nya will find out Andre Rashad is expecting with that blonde singer, and Nya is, of course, heartbroken.
While I sympathise with Nya’s plight, this whole plot is still failing to have an impact.
Che & Toby, Giuseppe & Tony
Speaking of folks with very young lovers, let’s get to Che and ‘Tony’ (Anthony). Last episode, I spoke very briefly of Anthony taking up with his baby Italian poet. Meanwhile, this episode, Che flirts with a decidedly younger patron of her vet hospital/animal shelter (Toby) and Nya bangs a surfer-in-the-city prototype.
While this show has a habit of pairing its older cast members with nubile hotties of the moment, I don’t think it’s achieving the age-positive effect it desires. While I’m assuming it wants to elevate the status of its older main characters, in the end it just reinforces the idea that youth and beauty are the ideal, and also represent prizes to be won. That a young, hot partner is something that everyone wants and, at the risk of sounding like a romantic dag (i.e. a Charlotte)… is it?
Given this series drops plot lines like a hot potato—I can’t imagine these ones will last, right?
Carrie Can’t Get A Cat
Carrie doesn’t do ‘living things’ in her apartment, remember? There is no way Carrie is a cat lady. There’s also no way I could tolerate a kitten around that Versace thousand layer gown in her Narnia designer closet. Can you imagine?! The sartorial carnage would be catastrophic.
Carrie Meets Cathy
Well, they meet for coffee. Apparently they’ve met already but—again—the writers robbed us of this drama by making it happen off-screen (boo hiss).
I am, however, delighted by the casting of Rosemarie DeWitt, who Mad Men fans will remember as bohemian graphic designer Midge, and La La Land fans will remember as Ryan Gosling’s sister.
Fun fact: Rosemarie was also in season 6 of Sex And The City as Fern, Miranda’s co-worker who complained about her losing her edge after having Brady. (“Way to have my back, Fern!”)
Another fun fact: Rosemarie DeWitt is married to Ron Livingston. You know who Ron Livingston is? Jack…Berger. Yes, tell all your friends—AIDAN’S WIFE IS MARRIED TO BERGER!
Anyway, Cathy (Kathy?) has the kind of wholesome but artsy/edgy vibe that works with Aidan’s. They’re both designers. They’re definitely that couple who owns a gallery/bookstore in a refurbished barn. She’s wearing a chic kimono, for Christ’s sake. We have Cathy’s number.
Today she’s meeting Carrie to ask her not to write about her kids—which I think is fair. She also delivers a restrained warning that Carrie better not mess with her baby daddy… again.
Honestly, it’s a bit of an odd interaction, but all-in-all, I like Cathy. Fair play, mumma bear.
Aidan meets the Gramercy Park apartment
I didn’t know places like this existed in New York. It’s stuh-nning.
Aidan is floored and Carrie duly tells him she’s going to sell her apartment, to which he responds: “You don’t have to do that for me.”
Ruh-roh!
This is harking back to that time in Season 2 Sex And The City when Carrie offered to move to Paris with Big and he said, “You’d be moving to Paris for yourself, right? Don’t move for me.”
Something tells me Cathy doesn’t have to worry about Carrie hurting Aidan. Methinks Carrie may need to worry about getting her Aidan-related comeuppance.
Where To Watch ‘And Just Like That…’
Season two of And Just Like That… is now streaming on BINGE. You can also catch up on every episode of season one. New episodes of season two arrive every Thursday at 5pm.
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