S01.E07: Sex and the Widow

[TakomaSnark]

6 minutes ago, ifionlyknew said:

It's been pretty clear from the start they wanted to show how "woke" they are and have shoved so much into each episode to virtue signal how much they care about diversity and whatever else they are trying to show us that they have forgotten to write good scripts.  There might be a scene that is done well and most of Anthony's lines are great but it doesn't feel like they did storyline arcs.  If you look at SATC each season had a beginning and an end and the episodes in between showed the journey.  But AJLT is failing to do that.  And is it my imagination but there seem to be a lot more scenes with AJLT than there was with SATC?  I realize it's a longer show but still seems like a lot.

This episode really encapsulated what's going wrong with the writing: They have Carrie get pressured into starting to date again, she meets a perfectly lovely man, they vomit on each other and then... The very next night they're coincidentally at the same charity event, all in one episode?

They're not giving any of the stories breathing room. Tenney may show up again but his introduction felt bum-rushed. This is why it feels to me like the better starting point would have been a year after Big died. I get that SJP wouldn't have gotten her 'mourning scenes' but we already got those in the first movie. It would have been a better stretch for her to be past that immediate shock and with only ten episodes, a better path to telling the story of Carrie considering going back out there into the dating pool.

Edited January 13, 2022 by TakomaSnark

[ivygirl]

55 minutes ago, TakomaSnark said:

Right? At this point in career, she's certainly branched out from being the 'sexpert,' as she was somewhat derisively called when she was younger. Why not just 'the writer, Carrie Bradshaw'?

Writer *with a forthcoming new book*! Get a photo for IG and get the scoop on what’s coming from this bestselling author’s new book!

It was practically a PR/marketing opportunity, but it was played as yet another Sad Carrie/Plot Device moment. Too bad.

Edited January 13, 2022 by ivygirl

[tennisgurl]

How does a Sex and the City series have as much bodily fluid humor as an Adam Sandler comedy? 

Edited January 13, 2022 by tennisgurl

[ifionlyknew]

13 minutes ago, ivygirl said:

It was practically a PR/marketing opportunity, but it was played as yet another Sad Carrie/Plot Device moment. Too bad.

If only Carrie knew someone who did PR.

Edited January 13, 2022 by ifionlyknew

[TakomaSnark]

8 minutes ago, Rebecca berkowit said:

The fact that he had to be self deprecating about this at all is the problem.  His Jewishness is being played for laughs.  It’s not the first time. And it grates.  It’s part of the incessant “othering” of people of a different background than the main characters.  

 

 

The show has always had an issue with regard to that storyline. Charlotte literally converted in a matter of weeks, just by being aggressive with the rabbi. Never mind there were red flags everywhere (i.e., she was doing it for a man), one is generally made to wait a year (through a full cycle of holidays) and the first time post-conversion that something didn't go her way, she flipped out on Harry (which is why rabbis and the Rabbinic court would be very skeptical of a convert whose sole motiviation was for a partner). 

Harry is one of the better characters on both shows. I honestly can't get upset over his self-deprecation. The show is mishandling so much else, it's at least true to Harry's personality to play things off like that (whether or not he should have to is another issue, because Charlotte was at fault there). 

Edited January 13, 2022 by TakomaSnark

[ivygirl]

3 minutes ago, ifionlyknew said:

I only Carrie knew someone who did PR.

And just like that… this forum has writers far wittier than the people paid untold amounts to write the show we’re commenting on…

[RedHawk]

Did anyone else expect (the way this show is going) that Harry would say "I think my hip is broken."? 

 

1 hour ago, Conotocarious said:

I had a worse thought. I think Steve taking a timeout to wash his hands was supposed to show how they had no passion or spontaneity as a couple.

Yes, I thought that also, which was terrible writing. Washing his hands fit in with Steve's caring character. He's also a (former) bartender and I assume in that profession you wash your hands often so it's an ingrained habit. All it clarified was that Miranda wanted him to re-enact her scene with Che and he wasn't doing it "right" so she quickly gave up and froze him out. Steve wasn't suddenly in the mood, probably because Miranda has conditioned him to accept no sex and he gave up attempting some time ago. So he's a little rusty, but he was surprised, then uncertain but excited, and trying to go along with her. They could have run up to the bedroom like adults, but Miranda wants hot kitchen risky sex just as she remembered it. Then she shut Steve down (again, for the xx time) and claims she "tried". So selfish. It was so sad when he saw nothing was going to happen. I hope Steve takes her for everything in the divorce! LOL.

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[ivygirl]

That honestly made me sad, @RedHawk. Steve was up for it. And he was trying. 

[RedHawk]

Worst charity auction ever. Yup, LTW and husband were dying up there. Everyone comes with a checkbook and you can't coax an initial bid on many "items" and give the whole thing some pizzazz? Major fail; they won't be asked to do it next year. But really, there are always people who bid the bottom, especially when the "person on offer" is right there in the crowd so it's not embarrassing. Seeing no other bids, Charlotte did the right thing, and Anthony could have bid as well, and yes, LTW could then have quickly gaveled it down.

I admit it, I really wanted "Peter 53" (or as SATC Carrie would have called him, "Vomit Guy") to see her distress and shout "I bid $500 -- in gold!" as a reference to Rhett's famous bid for Scarlett in "Gone with the Wind", but well, we can't go there.

We can have a bodily fluid joke every 5 minutes though! And we get that (some) gay men have lots of sex and hookups, I'm just tired of hearing about them, Anthony. At their age, it's gauche and not cute, especially in public. Save it for the brunches. Also, I guess we won't hear anything more about Stanford, Anthony occasionally missing him, the divorce and dividing of assets...  I care more about the ending of that relationship than I do the new characters. 

The Widow Preston was looking better this episode, I'll give it that. And the opening time-flow montage was nice. Then she had the meeting with her editor wearing her hair in that severe pulled-back bun that does not flatter her. at. all.

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk
Corrected name of Carrie's date

[Night Cheese]

Che: I've done a ton of weed.

How old are they supposed to be exactly? Because that sounds like something my [long-since passed] grandmother would say, not something that one who smokes weed/THC regularly would say.

I don't know why I wake up every Thursday and watch this show. With all the obligatory checks in the box and self-aggrandizing tone I feel like I'm watching a satire or parody, not a sequel to a show that was once a huge part of the cultural zeitgeist. I don't know what's more frustrating: this hot mess or the fact that I keep tuning in every week expecting it to get better.

[luna1122]

I officially hate Miranda now. 

[NeenerNeener]

I decided to see the reactions here before I watched this episode. I think I'll skip this one.

Edited January 13, 2022 by NeenerNeener

[bobbyjoe]

Quote

Miranda said Che hadn't responded in 3 months, but the opening "time is passing" montage went from falling leaves through snow to the background singer saying that "spring is here," and the outdoors scenes in the episode looked like trees had full leaves again.  It seemed like more than 3 months to me.

Carrie apparently wrote a whole book, edited it, and shipped it off to the publisher with time enough for them to develop professional cover art in those three months.  So the opening scene wasn’t a montage of the times she sat down to write, she must have literally never left her desk all that time.

Another explanation is that regular time is passing for all the other characters, but Miranda is caught in a mysterious time warp where time moves more slowly.  I sort of like starting to think of AJLT as potentially being science fiction:  if Miranda turned out to actually be the Star Trek mirror universe Miranda, her storyline suddenly makes a lot more sense.

[TooMuchRealityTV]

Well, this is the last time I watch this show with breakfast. Seriously, not what I was expecting from this show, in a bad way.

Also, in addition to rewriting Miranda it seems Steve is also a different character. Steve was a nice guy, but he wasn't a bumbling fool, like in the farmer's market scene. If they are going to end that marriage, then just do it already. You've already ruined both of them.

I have liked Anthony in the last few episodes. I'd be able to accept him as the honorary 4th brunch partner.

[Roccos Brother]

Pardon me for sounding like a broken record, but I find myself making the same complaint every week in regards to the lack of growth displayed by these characters. Carrie's behavior upon spotting Pete at the auction wasn't uncalled for, but it was certainly juvenile. I could see myself acting that way in my twenties, less so in my thirties, and I would hope that by the time I'm in my fifties and have had all the successes Carrie has had, that I can be in the same (crowded) venue as someone I had one awkward date with, without needing a friend to cover for me before I attempt to rush out.

I'm glad that Carrie did ultimately decide to give Pete a second chance though. That was sweet that he rescued her from complete humiliation after she had expressed such disdain for him and likely gave zero indication that she was interested in keeping contact. They clearly did not walk away from that first date with the same interpretation.

I never cared for Che's character but I wasn't on that same bandwagon as everyone else who seem to think she's the worst ever - until perhaps now. It seems like she is playing Miranda for her own fun and amusement, with zero consideration for Miranda's feelings and/or situation. Miranda is clearly lost and confused, and Che is taking advantage of that. This is probably going to end in disaster.

Addendum - Minor nitpick, but the CGI from the *changing seasons* montage at the window looked really fake to me.

The publisher/editor was annoying in the over-the-top fake sort of way.

And Nicole Ari Parker is insanely gorgeous.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Roccos Brother

[ivygirl]

9 minutes ago, bobbyjoe said:

Carrie apparently wrote a whole book, edited it, and shipped it off to the publisher with time enough for them to develop professional cover art in those three months.  So the opening scene wasn’t a montage of the times she sat down to write, she must have literally never left her desk all that time.

Oh geez. Great point. If a book was REALLY REALLY hot, you could or would MAYBE get a book out that fast. But a book like this? They’d take time to put together and market. And there would likely be a big lead time on printing. 

[Rai]

If there's anything cultural Jews can really claim, it's self-deprecating humor. There's nothing new or exaggerated about that. Seinfeld was one long self-deprecating joke, particularly when it came to George. Curb Your Enthusiasm is even more so. I say this with all the self-deprecating love this particular Jew can express: Let Harry own his deficiency in sports or at least claim he has one. It's our thing.

It'd be pretty ironic if in all this distaste for performative representation, we ended up squishing something that's actually authentic.

 

[Rebecca berkowit]

1 minute ago, Rai said:

If there's anything cultural Jews can really claim, it's self-deprecating humor. There's nothing new or exaggerated about that. Seinfeld was one long self-deprecating joke, particularly when it came to George. Curb Your Enthusiasm is even more so. I say this with all the self-deprecating love this particular Jew can express: Let Harry own his deficiency in sports or at least claim he has one. It's our thing.

It'd be pretty ironic if in all this distaste for performative representation, we ended up squishing something that's actually authentic.

 

Depends on who is writing it.

[Rai]

Sure, but a writer's room will have a lot of uncredited work outside of the episode's main writer. I'm really not going to lose sleep over the fact that Harry might have been scripted by a gentile though.

[TakomaSnark]

9 minutes ago, Rebecca berkowit said:

Depends on who is writing it.

I would hope that after all this time, Evan Handler had enough cache with the show to object if something offended him culturally.

Mel Brooks' entire memoir (All About Me) is packed with it. It's a complete delight.

Again, I don't think they were using it to slight Harry but to show him taking the down the temperature from his wife's OTT reaction. I don't think he should have needed to but if he had reacted in anger in before others, it wouldn't have been authentic to the character we know.

[tennisgurl]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I hate how they are throwing Steve under the bus while assassinating Miranda's character all so that they can make Miranda into Cynthia, although I am assuming that Cynthia's coming out didn't involve someone as obnoxious as Che. The show has always struggled with Steve, they made him progressively stupider and more childish as the show went on, but they at least never made him this doddering old man who Miranda can barley stand, which is all clearly happening so that Miranda can cheat on Steve and then dump him guilt free and we aren't supposed to care, and instead cheer on Miranda for embracing finding her sexuality, but sorry, no dice. Cheating on your partner is wrong, no matter if your unhappy or what the gender of the person your cheating with is, if Miranda is so miserable she needs to talk to her husband and either work on her marriage or ask for a divorce, don't sneak around on her poor husband who has done nothing wrong other then loose his hearing, which is somehow being framed as another sign of how lame Steve is and how their marriage is dead. And no Miranda, asking your husband to reenact the fingerbanging you got from someone else and then just laying there looking bored because your side piece didn't DM you back does not count as trying to make more of an effort in your marriage. Its extremely fucked up, and no way do I buy that the two of them have such little chemistry. I've seen the show, I know that Miranda and Steve used to be very into each other, so while I can maybe buy that they grew apart, I refuse to believe that their relationship was never anything. I felt so bad for Steve, he was clearly onboard for trying to spice things up, and when Miranda wasn't feeling it he offered to try something else, but she just wrote it off as final proof that their marriage was dead, even making jokes about it later. That's it? She throws away her marriage of almost two decades without any more of a fight then one bad fooling around session and a few attempts at couple counseling? I really don't think the show gets how bad all of this looks, I don't feel bad for Miranda, I feel bad for Steve, while Miranda comes off as a selfish asshole. 

What makes it worse is that Miranda is throwing everything away for Che, the worst new character on the show by far. The show keeps telling us how hilarious and cool they are, but their humor is pretty unremarkable, and they seem to be trying way too hard to be cool, it comes off as fake. If they had any interest in Miranda after their gross humping session, shouldn't they have gotten in touch? I also find it rather concerning that they do so much pot that half their life seems to blur together, that sounds like they need to chill out with the weed. They're a grown ass person, not a teenage stoner, can they not do anything without getting high? They seem like a player to me, Miranda is putting so much onto this relationship while Miranda is probably just a friend with benefits for them. Plus, for as much as Miranda complains about her lack of chemistry with Steve, I see even less with Che. 

The Charlotte plot was weird, why is her apologizing to Harry for knocking him down such a big deal? I feel like its pretty normal to apologize when you accidently hurt someone (especially your damn husband!), I don't really think its a standing up for feminism to die on this ridiculous hill. 

I was not happy with Carrie's editor, its not alright to try and force someone to date when they aren't ready, especially when its just for a book, but I did like the guy that Carrie went out with. I cant say I love the idea of watching Carrie date again, but I am glad that she gave the math teacher another shot, he seems like a nice guy, very different then Big. She acted like an idiot trying to hide from him at the auction, because every character has somehow managed to regress in maturity by about forty years in this show, but she did at least admit to her mistake, which is more then Miranda or Charlotte did. She was being hilariously dramatic acting like her date getting sick after drinking too much is the "worst date ever" when I've seen the show and know for a fact that Carrie has had worst dates. 

[TheOtherOne]

4 hours ago, Rebecca berkowit said:

Did Cynthia Nixon once have her mind blown by digital penetration?  And, yes, Che could’ve called Miranda.   Did Miranda not learn anything from the “he’s just not that into you,” episode OF THIS VERY SHOW?   

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but funny enough, this episode was written by the writers of that very episode. Evidently they couldn't be bothered to remember either.

[Trillian]

6 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

First of all I don't believe Miranda loves Che.  She is definitely infatuated but love? No.  And if Che was really into Miranda like you said @ivygirl she would have DM'd her. When I was "dating"  I could always tell if a guy was with me or if he was with someone and it just happened to be me.   I think Miranda just happened to be the one Che was with that night.

 

Considering that “he’s just not that into you” - phrase and the delightful book - was inspired, not only by SATC, but by a Miranda plot line, they’ve really missed the mark there.  Another way they’ve rewritten Miranda from the original recipe. 

[luna1122]

I didn't understand the Charlotte stuff either. Is this supposed to be indicative of greater probs in the relationship, or was it just to parallel the fight the Wexlers were having later, or was it just meant to be funny? It wasn't very funny. I can't see Charlotte talking to Harry like that, for basically no reason. 

How weird is it that Carrie was, by far, the most likable of the women this ep? She looked good too, and I liked most of her outfits. She IS playing the "Big died" card a lot, but that seems normal, and Anthony telling her she only got one more of those was funny. Her memoir made me think of Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking, tho no way is Carrie the caliber of writer that Didion was. 

I'd read her book tho.

I didn't think she was looking down on her date when she was trying to dodge him, tho maybe I missed some dialogue. I  just thought she'd seen it as a disastrous date she didn't want to be reminded of. And ugh, that auction was also disastrous, and humiliating. Nice that he bailed her out. Its funny how many people, when we first saw leaked photos of the date, thought that guy was Berger. I don't see the resemblance myself. 

Ugh, Che. Ugh, Miranda. Ugh, how they've destroyed Steve and the entire history of him and Miranda. I never thought I'd loathe Miranda, but this did it. She's gross. Che is a smarmy player and I hope she treats Miranda horribly, which is not how I should be feeling about a character I once liked. And its bad that its also influencing my opinion of Cynthia Nixon. 

I have a feeling this might all be leading to Aidan, and much as I love John Corbett, I hope I'm wrong. We don't need Aidan's character assassinated too. 

 

[chediavolo]

3 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

Honestly I was more grossed out that Che didn't wash their hands afterwards.  They just left. So that means they touched Carrie's door handle. And then the door handle of the door to go outside and then who knows how many things afterward.

 

🤢

[SailorGirl]

I will say, reading here before watching and finding out there were Che and bad Che/Miranda Miranda/Steve sex scenes made this a much better episode as I knew when to hit the 15-second advance button. 

I thought the intro was showing the passage of at least a couple of seasons as she was writing, not a few months. Having worked in publishing (humanities and scholarly texts, but still publishing), I can tell you that three months from first draft to publication roll-out and promotion is unrealistic. Just the editorial review and production process typically takes longer than three months, let alone artwork and marketing. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by SailorGirl

[slowpoked]

4 hours ago, mikem said:

Miranda said Che hadn't responded in 3 months, but the opening "time is passing" montage went from falling leaves through snow to the background singer saying that "spring is here," and the outdoors scenes in the episode looked like trees had full leaves again.  It seemed like more than 3 months to me.

My best guess is that Miranda texted her again, off-screen, after the last message she sent to her that was shown on the earlier episode. That montage at the beginning look like a year's worth of time passing to me. 

This episode just felt, clumsy to me. Most of you are right about the pacing. It went all over the place. The montage at the beginning seemed to indicate a year, but everything else that happened, from the women's dinner, to the tennis match, to Miranda and Steve at the kitchen, to the fundraiser - it all seemed to happen in a span of a few days. Maybe the writers are really just that bad, but in the original series, Carrie's narration ties everything together, even with the time jumps. 

And thank God for Anthony telling Carrie she only has one more "But my husband died.." pass to use. I know she's always been insufferable, but my God. While widows may never really forget and move on, I don't think a lot of them always brings up their husband's death to get out of something or to curry a favor. 

This series is limping to its finish. With all of the controversies it has had - Noth's issues, Samantha's lack of presense, etc. - it doesn't look good for a renewal.

Edited January 13, 2022 by slowpoked

[RedHawk]

36 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

The Charlotte plot was weird, why is her apologizing to Harry for knocking him down such a big deal? I feel like its pretty normal to apologize when you accidently hurt someone (especially your damn husband!), I don't really think its a standing up for feminism to die on this ridiculous hill. 

She was so angry that I thought it could be written as an example of "menopause rage" due to her hormones going out of whack, but apparently they're not going to write these gals as if they are real women in their mid 50s. 

As for Carrie's book, if it's not even been a full year since Big's death, then what exactly is she writing about that would be interesting to anyone? We haven't seen much...

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[ifionlyknew]

16 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

And its bad that its also influencing my opinion of Cynthia Nixon. 

I'm right there with you.  Cynthia agreed to do this reboot with the understanding this (her) story be told.  Now I assume she had a lot of say in what was written and what we are seeing.  So I doubt we are supposed to dislike her or cringe a lot.  I'm still just baffled that there was not one person, a writer, a producer, an actor that read these scripts and didn't say maybe this isn't the way to go.  They really trashed Miranda.  Charlotte last night didn't fare so well. And Carrie is.....well Carrie.  But to elaborate on what another poster said, when Carrie is the least troublesome character you know they have taken a wrong step.

[Harvey]

26 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

I didn't understand the Charlotte stuff either. Is this supposed to be indicative of greater probs in the relationship, or was it just to parallel the fight the Wexlers were having later, or was it just meant to be funny? It wasn't very funny. I can't see Charlotte talking to Harry like that, for basically no reason. 

 

 

I'm very curious about this. If you pay attention in the scene where Harry convinces Charlotte to invite the husbands to play tennis, the actress playing Charlotte is clearly and very intentionally doing these slightly nervous, slightly annoyed facial expressions, and playing dumb, just going along with whatt Harry says.

She clearly didn't want him to come to Tennis (why though?). But if we look back at previous episodes, she and Harry have been getting along just fine, no serious problems have been foreshadowed before this.

Maybe it's just that she is nervous around LTW and wants to keep her all to herself without any distractions or worries that Harry might say the wrong thing. It would be nice to get an answer to this in the remaining 3 episodes.

[luna1122]

The way they're trashing Steve, I would no longer be surprised if everybody winds up single again at the end of this, so maybe Harry's next in the trash bin. Charlotte was definitely treating him with some disdain this episode, for no apparent reason 

[belladonna77]

7 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

Yes.  None of that made sense.  If Charlotte had knocked down a stranger she would have apologized right? Guess mansplaining was another box they needed to check.

First of all I don't believe Miranda loves Che.  She is definitely infatuated but love? No.  And if Che was really into Miranda like you said @ivygirl she would have DM'd her. When I was "dating"  I could always tell if a guy was with me or if he was with someone and it just happened to be me.   I think Miranda just happened to be the one Che was with that night.

I think the show wants us to think of Steve as doddering.  

Yes.  Miranda didn't want to have sex with her husband. She wanted to fantasize about her hook up with Che.  The Steve I remember would have caught on that something isn't right.  And I don't even like Steve but I feel sorry for him.

I don't think the writers (and Cynthia Nixon) see this a midlife crisis. And to be fair a woman awakening to a new sexuality doesn't have to be a midlife crisis but the way Miranda has behaved does seem like a crisis.  For me she has become so unlikable.   I notice when she is talking to Nya her voice has a higher pitch. When she ran into Nya and her husband Miranda almost screeched. Are we supposed to still think she is nervous or something?

 

 

There were a couple episodes she barely acknowledged her husband was dead and now she is going to bring it up all the time.

 

Not a spoiler,  just my speculation.

 

  Reveal spoiler

I feel like they are leading up to her reconnecting with Aiden.  She is going to be on a bad date or having a bad day and she is just going to magically run into him.  And cut. Scene. See you next season.

 

It would be interesting if Seema ended up going on a date with/dating Aidan.  

[luna1122]

I'd feel bad if Aidan's divorced but I guess it wouldn't be shocking if he is. 

[belladonna77]

3 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

I'd feel bad if Aidan's divorced but I guess it wouldn't be shocking if he is. 

The dumbest thing, which I am now sure would happen, is making Aidan available again for Carrie to date because there was such a hubbub about Aidan vs Big.  I would hope Aidan has more dignity than that, but who knows?  

[Keywestclubkid]

3 minutes ago, belladonna77 said:

The dumbest thing, which I am now sure would happen, is making Aidan available again for Carrie to date because there was such a hubbub about Aidan vs Big.  I would hope Aidan has more dignity than that, but who knows?  

I mean if they have no new ideas and are gonna just regurgitate people because they have no idea what to do why not bring in burger … 

[RedHawk]

I re-watched the opening montage and first the leaves are green, then they turn brown and fall, then we get rain, then snow, then the snow is gone and the song about "spring" is playing. So early October to early March? That's still five months, and the time jump after Carrie's hip surgery was three months, right? So at minimum nine months have passed? 

Answering my own question about what's in Carrie's book. Since it's "Loved and Lost" I guess it's supposed to be an account of her married years with Big and then the months following his death. I'd like to have some scenes of what happened in that first part, all that we skipped over between the last movie and this show, but we won't be seeing any flashbacks now. :-(

Seems like Carrie wrote at least one other book in the interim, hence the "firing" of Samantha and subsequent break in their friendship. I doubt Carrie wrote about her (relatively boring but happyish?) married life, so what is in that book? Did she and Big solve crimes in their building?

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[NeenerNeener]

Only Marital Affairs In The Building

[Lethallyfab]

There has been a real uptick in movies and tv shows being more explicit with vomit scenes and I am decidedly NOT here for it.

I thought Charlotte and Harry’s fight made no sense, from top to bottom.  I’m not sure if the object was to make Charlotte or Harry look bad or…what exactly?  I have no idea as to why refusing to apologize after knocking down your husband is a feminist issue? The thing I think they were maybe *trying* to go for was tennis time was the only time and place where Charlotte could rage out and not worry about being presentable and Harry was taking that away from her?  Either that or she just wanted her own special LTW time.

Which, I thought LTW was supposed to be perfect?  What was with that auction debacle?

The sex scene between Miranda and Steve was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve had to witness.  All she wanted to do was masturbate again thinking about Che, just using Steve’s hand to do it.  
 

Speaking of, I thought Lily and Rock’s school was a fancy private school, what are they doing hiring edgy (sorry “edgy” ) non-binary shock jocks who have podcasts about sex to do a five minute set?  That room was SO not Che’s target audience, it was such a contrivance to get Miranda in the same room as Che.  It would have been actually funny (and not in the sense Che is “funny”) to see them bomb.  But no, Che is the best comedian to have ever lived.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Lethallyfab
Coherence

[Trillian]

3 hours ago, RedHawk said:

I admit it, I really wanted "Steve 53" (or as SATC Carrie would have called him, "Vomit Guy") to see her distress and shout "I bid $500 -- in gold!" as a reference to Rhett's famous bid for Scarlett in "Gone with the Wind", but well, we can't go there

They really missed their chance.  It almost fits: “For what lady, sir?””Mrs John Preston”. “Mrs Preston is in mourning, sir…”. Could’ve been epic.  
 

In fact, the whole scene could’ve been made funny. Instead, it was totally cringeworthy, as no one seemed to know what to do - I’ve seen high school students more poised at a mic. And why would these high society people invite the crassness that is Che onstage? Horrible contrivance to get Miranda and Che in the same room.

ETA:  seem to have posted at the same time about the same thing as @Lethallyfab.  Oops - sorry - I swear I wasn’t copying your work!

Edited January 13, 2022 by Trillian

[Cementhead]

1 hour ago, luna1122 said:

Ugh, Che. Ugh, Miranda. Ugh, how they've destroyed Steve and the entire history of him and Miranda. I never thought I'd loathe Miranda, but this did it. She's gross. Che is a smarmy player and I hope she treats Miranda horribly, which is not how I should be feeling about a character I once liked. And its bad that its also influencing my opinion of Cynthia Nixon. 

I die a little bit inside every time I think of Cynthia Nixon's ex-husband.  I have never felt so sorry for a complete stranger like I do every time I am subjected to yet another chapter of Coming Out; The Cynthia Nixon Story: starring Miranda Hobbes.  Because if this is her story than this is his story, too.  And how fun for him to get to see it played out on television after having lived it for real.  If I am watching the cringe fest that is Che & Cynthia Miranda through my fingers with my hands over my face hoping that I sink into the couch and disappear imagine how THAT guy feels!  😬

[ifionlyknew]

1 minute ago, Trillian said:

Horrible contrivance to get Miranda and Che in the same room.

Yes.

There have been more blatant plot contrivances in these seven episodes than the entire run of SATC.

[belladonna77]

How is Carrie's date ready to burn $1000?  He's a teacher at a private, correct?  I hope he's in a reverse Carrie and Big situation because he's not making big bucks, but he's willing to spend them.

[RedHawk]

10 minutes ago, Trillian said:

They really missed their chance.  It almost fits: “For what lady, sir?””Mrs John Preston”. “Mrs Preston is in mourning, sir…”. Could’ve been epic.  
 

In fact, the whole scene could’ve been made funny. Instead, it was totally cringeworthy, as no one seemed to know what to do - I’ve seen high school students more poised at a mic. And why would these high society people invite the crassness that is Che onstage? Horrible contrivance to get Miranda and Che in the same room.

Exactly! "Oh yes I will! . . . go on a lunch date with him." 

I know in 2021 the show couldn't make a reference to "GWTW" (these are trying times) but it would have been a clever way to show more of his personality and have them be willing to try another date. 

I figured he would step up and be the white knight but it was sooo awkward. Adding only $50? (I know, he's a school teacher.) She really should hand him a check for $1,000 at that luncheon. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[TV is my friend]

3 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

Why is it so hard for this show to show good hygiene?  Especially since we as viewers are still in the middle of a pandemic.

At the beginning of the first episode, Carrie indicated that the pandemic was over.  I figured that AJLT was taking place in the future.

Quote

 

She clearly didn't want him to come to Tennis (why though?). But if we look back at previous episodes, she and Harry have been getting along just fine, no serious problems have been foreshadowed before this.

Maybe it's just that she is nervous around LTW and wants to keep her all to herself without any distractions or worries that Harry might say the wrong thing. It would be nice to get an answer to this in the remaining 3 episodes.

 

I thought that Charlotte enjoyed playing with LTW and did not look forward to playing against her (and her husband).

I hate how Carrie looks when her hair is pulled back in a bun.  I had no idea why she wore it that way on her date with Peter.  And I, like others here, was surprised that he had $1,050.00 to spend to go on a date with her.  I guess math teachers make big bucks.  Or maybe his late wife had a huge life insurance policy.

[slowpoked]

9 minutes ago, Trillian said:

And why would these high society people invite the crassness that is Che onstage? Horrible contrivance to get Miranda and Che in the same room.

There's the flimsy explanation that because Carrie was invited as an auction item, she invited Che to come along. As for the stand-up act, who knows why they got a spot. But there's a couple of parents who were gushing fans of them, and it is my experience previously that those high-faluting fundraisers of so-called high society do not necessarily look down upon loud, brash acts. Some of them secretly enjoy those. 

[RedHawk]

22 minutes ago, TV is my friend said:

At the beginning of the first episode, Carrie indicated that the pandemic was over.  I figured that AJLT was taking place in the future.

I thought that Charlotte enjoyed playing with LTW and did not look forward to playing against her (and her husband).

I hate how Carrie looks when her hair is pulled back in a bun.  I had no idea why she wore it that way on her date with Peter.  And I, like others here, was surprised that he had $1,050.00 to spend to go on a date with her.  I guess math teachers make big bucks.  Or maybe his late wife had a huge life insurance policy.

Yes, I think Charlotte likes being aggressive with LTW and Harry isn't up to her level of competitive play and she also doesn't want to be sooo aggressive in front of him. Which is a reference back to how she chose him over the hot divorce lawyer. It kinda fits her personality.

Did Carrie wear her hair like that on the date!? I missed it and I thought I was looking for it. Geez, someone needs to tell her. "Anthony!"

 And, if you are in your mid 50s and meet a handsome guy on a dating app who is two years younger than you, you don't intentionally make yourself look older for the first date. Whatever, he's out for her money.

Also, yes, the show takes place in the future, in a world where these women watched a show (and two movies) called "Sex and the City" when they were young and laughed about and enjoyed how it was so similar to their own lives. Actually, that explains a lot. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, greekmom said:

And Just like that.... two of my favourite characters are ruined beyond repair.

Miranda has not spoken to Steve at all but decided to try and have sex with him to recreate the sex she had with Che.  At least Steve washed his hands. But why couldn't they take it to the bedroom?  And in the end, Miranda in bed with Che.  I am very disgusted at her character and they way they have assassinated Miranda.  I don't care if Cynthia is a lesbian, bi, pan or whatever.  I don't care if Miranda herself figures out she is lesbian, bi, pan or whatever.  What she has done to Steve and the major disregard for him and their marriage of 15 years or more is disgusting especially when she chewed him out and treated him like crap for a one night stand he had.

I don't care if Cynthia woke up one day in midlife to realize she was a lesbian either, whatever floats her boat, but if making Miranda over in her image was the goal she/the producers could have gone about it in a much more flattering way.  Do they even realize that in creating the parallel between Cynthia's life and Miranda's they're not making Cynthia look that good if in the process she treats Steve like crap?  Is that also a parallel with how it went down in her own life?  Did she treat some man like crap on the way to finding herself?  Are we supposed to cheer for her or be sympathetic because this "new" Steve is made to look so pathetic?  How freaking narcissistic if so.  I'm sorry but I'm not narcissistic enough to be on board with that.

[b2H]

I took the montage to be a full year (was it Carly Simon singing??), but then the three months with the text didn’t make sense.

In the Jewish faith, Jahrzeit is the observation of the end of one year of mourning in the death of a loved one.  It is possible that Anthony and the others are about done with ‘Big’s dead’ as Carrie’s pry to get someone to do something.

I would have liked to have a little more of that first date.  

The auction was a total embarrassment for Carrie.  She was the wrong ‘product’ for that venue, though it would have helped her get this date she needed for the book.  They sold her all wrong, as Charlotte tried to help correct but failed miserably.  And Carrie trying to leave before her time was really rude.

Charlotte and Harry.  Have to wonder if the thing with her girls and/or the pressure to ‘fit in’ with the school parents is getting to her.  There is no other explanation for chewing into Harry like that.

Miranda and Steve?  It’s all been said and the story sucks on all levels.  

[RedHawk]

35 minutes ago, b2H said:

I took the montage to be a full year (was it Carly Simon singing??), but then the three months with the text didn’t make sense.

In the Jewish faith, Jahrzeit is the observation of the end of one year of mourning in the death of a loved one.  It is possible that Anthony and the others are about done with ‘Big’s dead’ as Carrie’s pry to get someone to do something.

I would have liked to have a little more of that first date.  

The auction was a total embarrassment for Carrie.  She was the wrong ‘product’ for that venue, though it would have helped her get this date she needed for the book.  They sold her all wrong, as Charlotte tried to help correct but failed miserably.  And Carrie trying to leave before her time was really rude.

Charlotte and Harry.  Have to wonder if the thing with her girls and/or the pressure to ‘fit in’ with the school parents is getting to her.  There is no other explanation for chewing into Harry like that.

Miranda and Steve?  It’s all been said and the story sucks on all levels.  

I also would have liked another minute or two of the first date before the not-funny fake hilarity turned into a vomit fest. What the hell was so funny?

There's no internal logic sometimes. No one bid on Carrie because all the men at the auction were married. So where were the pack of divorced dads Charlotte was so eager to introduce to Carrie? Did only the divorced moms show up at the auction? And as @Baltimore Betty commented, Carrie said loudly and clearly that "it's not a date!" so it could have been a luncheon with perhaps one of the moms who was a fan, even from her younger days. If none of them cared enough about Carrie the (not Sex!) Writer to bid on the lunch, I guess they're either not the Oprah's Book Club target audience or that book is going to bomb.

How convenient for the story that Peter, 53 works at that school. "Of all the school charity auctions on the Upper East Side, you had to walk into mine." And that Che was wrangled into "performing" (was that what it was supposed to be?) for a few minutes so Miranda could see her again, and Carrie is still in such a post-Big daze that she didn't think to inform Miranda who has asked her if Che ever mentions her! These gals still live in a very small world, just a more diverse one.

Edited January 13, 2022 by RedHawk

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, greekmom said:

I forgot to mention I don't understand why Carrie had an issue being touted as a sex writer.  Wasn't her tag line in the Post: "Carrie Bradshaw knows good sex*" *and isn't afraid to ask. " ???

I took it that she didn't want the room to think that it was going to be a sex date.  But of course she came off awkward as if the entire situation wasn't awkward enough.  The "old" Carrie would have laughed it off and made some witty joke about how being a writer about sex didn't mean the date was going to include sex that I am not up to writing myself.  It's once again part of the trend to make these characters look about as fusty and marmy as they possibly can when they never were when they were younger.  What did they do, become old Puritans in the 15+ years we haven't seen them?

4 hours ago, Rebecca berkowit said:

The fact that he had to be self deprecating about this at all is the problem.  His Jewishness is being played for laughs.  It’s not the first time. And it grates.  It’s part of the incessant “othering” of people of a different background than the main  woke characters.  

FIFY.