S01.E09: No Strings Attached

[gorgy]

I think that was the first episode I really enjoyed. I mean other than having my weekly dose of Cynthia Nixon character assassinating Miranda Hobbes, but that's a given at this point.

• Anthony's reaction to the Holocaust denier was pitch perfect. First thing I've laughed out loud at this entire series. (lookin' at you, Che)
• the whole world of tampons is a mystery to me, but Charlotte's tutorial felt in character. Kristen Davis tends to play the character really broad at times (maybe it's because of the writing) so it was fine. It is weird she herself, didn't feel her own period in that painter's outfit, but that seems to be a thing on this show. One week it was projectile vomiting, the next week it's Penis! Penis! Penis!, and this week it's period blood. I'd go back and rewatch the other episodes to recall that week's shock value, but I don't want to really watch this show over again.
• The Che/Miranda hallway scene was painful. I don't know what the hell either one was talking about with the whole rules/no rules/non-heteronormative relationship bullshit either one was going on about. I literally said "Fuck off, Miranda" at least two times this episode.
• It was nice to finally see the POC characters interact for once. They almost felt important instead of plot contrivances for the main trio.
• I really like Seema. I can see why men wouldn't want to stay with her longterm, because she's kinda full of herself, but I'd go dancing with her. Plus, I'm the same way about my birthday. I don't like making a big deal about it, but I will go out with a close friend without them even knowing. 

[TooMuchRealityTV]

So no consequences for Miranda's behavior. She's in a rom com now. Che loves her and totes wants to be with her in a completely non-girlfriendey way. And being a girlfriend is like society's conditioning anyway.

Steve gets to be sad and refuse to take off his ring, but only because the writers needed Carrie to take her ring off. Steve is now a cautionary tale about what happens when you don't let go. I truly hate what this show has done to Steve. They have murdered one of my favorites from the series because apparently CN wanted to act out her real life.

I didn't get the whole tampon anxiety thing. My mother doesn't use them and I have no sisters. I didn't have help the first time I used one. I didn't realize this sort of thing usually requires a coach. I saw the Charlotte not being done yet thing coming...I mean it was pretty damn obvious the smug vibe she was giving off was going to come back and bite her in the butt.

[Shermie]

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But hey, this is the dignified way we are going to deal with the ladies being in their 50s.  Maybe they can keep going back to the well and have Charlotte shop for some Depends next season. 

 

Sure, let’s have a scene where one of them (yes, probably Charlotte) laughs really hard or jumps or something and then, eyes widening, says, “I peed a little!”

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Again Carrie with the inappropriate heels. Who paints in open-toed high heels?

Painting in heels is dumb, but the open-toe isn’t a big deal. I paint in sandals, garden in sandals, even golf in sandals.

Re: Miranda being so manic and screechy. Cynthia Nixon is on The Gilded Age now, where she plays a placid, quiet, spinster aunt. Maybe, as an actress, she’s role-compensating.

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The whole subplot was totally pointless. I thought, at first, that it was going to be about that lovely trick Mother Nature plays on women - that many of us go through menopause while our daughters are entering puberty ...  And Charlotte feels nothing about the end of her (technically) fertile years? 

If you have your kids in your 20s, then they’re grown and gone while you’re going through menopause.

And I don’t know one woman (outside of tv tropes) who viewed menopause sadly as an end to their fertility. By that time, thoughts of babies are long past.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Shermie

[3 is enough]

Ugh. Miranda. Just ugh.  Poor Steve.

Carrie and the ring?  How long has Big been dead?  Less than a year?  I don’t think she is looking to replace him.  Just wear the ring.  My mother wore hers from the time my father died until she died last October.  Granted, she was older and had no interest in dating, but still.
 

It actually might be nice for Carrie to continue to see the teacher as friends with no expectations.  If nothing else they do have something in common.  If something beyond friendship develops, so be it.

  I am surprised that Lily did not look into a cup.  More environmentally friendly and all.  One would think the writers would be all over that. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm only partway through the episode and I'm just here to pipe up and say that Mario Cantone is a sex god.  As you were.

[RedHawk]

38 minutes ago, Shermie said:

And I don’t know one woman (outside of tv tropes) who viewed menopause sadly as an end to their fertility. By that time, thoughts of babies are long past.

Except the childless woman I know who did IVF in her 50s and had a baby at 53. Totally not the typical story, but it does happen, especially now that some women are waiting longer and longer to have children. I didn't quite think of it as "the end of my fertility" because I never wanted children but it did twinge somewhat that that part of my life was over.

5 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I'm only partway through the episode and I'm just here to pipe up and say that Mario Cantone is a sex god.  As you were.

I laughed when he had to deliver the buns himself. That he looked a bit paunchy and out of shape, aware that he was possibly Not Hot!, was funny. Then his immediate dismissal of the Holocaust denier was indeed pitch perfect. More Anthony, less Miranda!

[Ms Blue Jay]

The Prada Guy is back!

[Ms Blue Jay]

HIT ON HIM CARRIE!  HE OWNS A BAR!  (Does he still?). 

[Scarlett45]

13 hours ago, Rebecca berkowit said:

And no mom is going to go in the bathroom with the kid, they don’t want you in there, that was unrealistic.  Maybe shout through the door.  And she lost the string?  That’s not a thing, is it?  Unless you lose the whole thing up there, or the string breaks off or something?  That seemed like it was just something they put in to make Lily seem more whiny than usual.  Did a female writer write that?  Did it happen to her?  Where did the string go?   I have questions.  

I thought Charlotte in the bathroom was pretty realistic. And I remember “losing” the string at 13ish (although I didn’t freak out). (Spoiler tagged in case no one wants to read thIs)

Spoiler

Depending on the girl/woman’s anatomy the string can “hide” in the folds of the labia majora. Also it can “bunch up” and you don’t see it or feel it right away at the opening of the vagina. Happens to me all the time.

When Charlotte yelled that it was likely in the butt crack I died because that’s so true!(and didn’t know that at 12/13)

It was exaggerated (for laughs and because it’s tv) but the tampon thing was funny to me because it did feel kind of real. Like Nya, I had friends where tampons weren’t used in their house and the package wasn’t exactly the most descriptive.

 

I still want to be Nicole Ari Parker when I grow up but WHAT was up with that outfit? Seema- I dig. She’s well written. More Seema. AND I say Steve deserves better. He’s such a sweet good man….I think Miranda will regret this at the end of the day. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

14 hours ago, Night Cheese said:

So Miranda gets to be Meg Ryan in a rom-com with a new relationship while Steve gets to never move on, wear his ring until he's dead, forever love Miranda and want her to be happy above all else no matter what she's doing or who she's with?

LOL.  Cynthia Nixon's ego.  I'm sorry but it's absolutely insane.  Remember, she's an exec producer. This is what she wants.

[Scarlett45]

2 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

LOL.  Cynthia Nixon's ego.  I'm sorry but it's absolutely insane.  Remember, she's an exec producer. This is what she wants.

Ha!

I was thinking the same thing @Night Cheese- again, Steve deserves BETTER!

[Ms Blue Jay]

11 hours ago, NotMySekrit2Tell said:

And Curb Your Enthusiasm did it better, funnier, and more economically. Yes, AJLT writers and directors. You're losing to Curb Your Enthusiasm on a storyline about something as feminine as it gets. Take the shame.

I will give SJP credit. I've never been a huge fan, but her acting of a recently widowed person has been one of the best things about AJLT. I really liked her scene with the teacher. Even though getting that done up to go to a restaurant and tell a guy you're not having dinner with him is weird.  

I thought of the Curb scene immediately too.  That scene was adorable.  The Larry on this show never even had 1 child but he was so helpful and sweet.

8 hours ago, Shermie said:

Curious how so many have already seen this episode. Doesn’t it air tonight?

I would also like to understand.  In Canada they air the show on my HBO channel at 9 PM EST on Thursdays.  I assume they like, upload it to HBO the midnight before or something?

Edit:  Thanks everyone, for clarifying this!

Edited January 28, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Scarlett45]

2 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I would also like to understand.  In Canada they air the show on my HBO channel at 9 PM EST on Thursdays.  I assume they like, upload it to HBO the midnight before or something?

I think it’s uploaded to HBOMax Midnight local time on the Thursday. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

8 hours ago, Harvey said:

Can't Andre and Nya just adopt? Or use a surrogate? What is the issue?

I assume that they're doing the storyline of a couple where one person desperately wants a baby and is willing to do anything but the other person will only do it if it's easy and happens immediately.

I was wondering where I saw this before and I realized - Charlotte and Trey.  On Sex and the City.

[Cheyanne11]

So I'm supposed to believe Che, who a. got freaked out when Miranda called herself 'the girlfriend' in front of those fans and b. got turned off when Miranda showed up at her apartment unexpected was perfectly fine with the rom-com "flying into Cleveland" bs that ended the last episode?  Sure, show, sure. 

More Seema, less Che/Miranda.

[Ms Blue Jay]

3 hours ago, Dream Boy said:

I'm saddened that there are no consequences for Miranda's callousness.

I start to breathe really heavy with anger when I read stuff like this, this is how angry this show is making me.

2 hours ago, shouldbedancing said:

That Miranda scene was so… just like Che I didn’t know ever was going on. How come we heard nothing about what happened in Cleveland? Did we?

Yeah.  I wondered that the whole episode.  What city are they in.  Then I realized I don't give a fuck.  Send them to Jupiter.

2 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

I can’t wait until The Primetimer awards. Have never voted, but Che is getting my vote for worst character and I’m sure there’s going to be some category that I can put pod person Miranda

New Miranda is a worse character than Che.  New Miranda is the worst character I've ever seen in my life.  

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, Harvey said:

Can't Andre and Nya just adopt? Or use a surrogate? What is the issue?

Surrogacy isn’t cheap-assuming Nya and Andre can make an embryo, they might have to consider a gamete donor.
(for either one)  Again not cheap, and they are still renting, so while they probably live a nice life as childfree double income couple, those costs might be higher than they can spend.

Adoption is cheaper than surrogacy or buying eggs(sperm is cheap comparatively), but still a cost. And like @Ms Blue Jay said- some people only want to be parents if it’s relatively easy, but aren’t interested in exploring every single ave. 

[luna1122]

21 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I assume that they're doing the storyline of a couple where one person desperately wants a baby and is willing to do anything but the other person will only do it if it's easy and happens immediately.

I was wondering where I saw this before and I realized - Charlotte and Trey.  On Sex and the City.

I thought that very thing. That Nya was Trey, which is one reason I always felt sorry for Trey. Imagine someone who was supposed to love you telling you that you aren't enough, that they're choosing a non existent child over you. 

I know that's an oversimplification of the issue, and though I never wanted kids, I'm not negating the import of wanting them. But we were always supposed to be on Charlotte's side in that situation, and just think Trey was weird and selfish. They weren't ultimately a good couple but it wasn’t all Trey's fault. 

Here, though, I do think we're supposed to be sympathetic to both Nya and her husband. But imagine being with someone 15+ years and then having this impasse. It really seems Nya doesn't want kids at all. I'm guessing they're heading for a breakup too?

Yeah, what was with LTW's outfit??

@27bored, you made me lol, for real. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by luna1122

[Scarlett45]

9 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

I thought that very thing. That Nya was Trey, which is one reason I always felt sorry for Trey. Imagine someone who was supposed to love you telling you that you aren't enough, that they're choosing a non existent child over you. 

I know that's an oversimplification of the issue, and though I never wanted kids, I'm not negating the import of wanting them. But we were always supposed to be on Charlotte's side in that situation, and just think Trey was weird and selfish. They weren't ultimately a good couple but it wasn’t all Trey's fault. 

Here, though, I do think we're supposed to be sympathetic to both Nya and her husband. But imagine being with someone 15+ years and then having this impasse. It really seems Nya doesn't want kids at all. I'm guessing they're heading for a breakup too?

Yeah, what was with LTW's outfit??

 

I never thought Trey was weird or selfish- but I’m childfree. I thought he was bad for Charlotte because of this issue and I’m glad they broke up. 
 

I selfishly want more childfree black Hetero couples on my screen (yes I am selfish- I NEVER get to see that), and I would’ve loved for Nya and Andre to decide kids weren’t for them and watch them have escapades/more hot sex. They are so attractive as a couple (their sex scene a few episodes ago was pretty hot). 
 

I feel a certain type of way about seeing them disagree on this. I don’t think Andre is a bad guy or anything but damn it can’t Nya have a fabulous life with a hot husband?? 
 

Edited to add- taking this more in-depth to the Compare/Contast thread. 

[ByaNose]

I actually liked this episode. I don’t know how to react. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

13 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I actually liked this episode. I don’t know how to react. 

Don't be a Smug Charlotte about it!  (Totally kidding)

Without Che/Miranda I could see this being a show I looked forward to every week.  Not exactly LOVED but definitely enough to watch, somewhat satisfied, saying "That was kinda nice" when it was over and then not much think of it again.

I think that's about as positive a spin I can put on it.

As an ENORMOUS fan of Samantha Jones I am just glad she didn't come back, and that shows you how poorly I think of this show.  Because at first I was devastated she didn't sign on.  What the show has done to Miranda is so much worse than Samantha not being on it.  So much worse.  

Edited January 28, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[BrindaWalsh]

I am willing to cut poor Lily some slack.  I, for one, have lost the string.  Sure you find it but, then first time it happened I remember the panic.  And while I figured out a tampon in a non-tragic manner (mirror, instructions, tampon), I remember it took a friend of mine 3 hours the first time she needed one.  She got caught off guard on a beach vacation.  She was 14.  

That said, if Lilly doesn't want to wear a tampon just buy her a Ruby Love bathing suit and be done with it.  But as a mom of an 11 year old, i appreciated the humor, especially with Charlotte's demonstrating tampon positioning, and going from "slide it in like butter.." to "just shove it in!!!" I laughed.

I am sorry but Miranda does NOT deserve Steve wearing his ring forever.  Is CN writing what she wished had happened in her own life?  Or was she that insanely oblivious in her own life that she thinks this is really how it goes?  I know there are plenty of couples who split and do great as coparents and friends.  But that takes time and work and communication and consideration (ahem...looking at you MIRANDA).  Not 3 weeks.

I love Seema.  Give her a show.  And bring Samantha back for that one because that formula right there would be amazing.

[chocolatine]

So this show has decided to be "woke" about race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, but antisemitism is still played for laughs.

Not only do I hate everything about Miranda's behavior, I also hate that Che, who is supposed to be "non-traditional" and is apparently universally known for sleeping with many people, became sexually exclusive with Miranda, because Miranda is just *that* special.

I hope Steve's "til death do us part" stance is just because he hasn't fully processed the separation yet. There must be hordes of women in Brooklyn who would kill for a man like him.

The tampon storyline was not entertaining and took up way too much time. In real life, Lily would have been much more likely to ask a friend for help and/or done some internet research.

[violet and green]

I thought Charlotte ended it with Trey ultimately because he was (a) married to his mother and (b) could not maintain an erection. 

[movingtargetgal]

10 hours ago, Shermie said:

Re: tampon strings. Yes, they can disappear. If you use O.B. brand and you’re tired or had a few, you might insert it backwards (string first). Or it just gets scrunched up in there and you can’t find it. It happens. And I can see some people, especially teen first-timers, being nervous about tampons. In my generation, or maybe my culture, tampons weren’t discussed. You got your period, you were presented with a giant box of thick Kotex pads. 

When I started my first period my mother presented me with a big box of Kotex pads.  I asked her why I could not use tampons like she did, mom was horrified by my question.  She told me that I was too young and that tampons would damage my "insides" if I used them before I got married.  One day I ran out of pads and took one of my mother's tampons.  It took me a few tries but after that I never used pads again. I did not dare tell my mother that I was taking such a medical risk.  My grandmother found out and being the coolest grandma ever, she would buy them for me and hid them for me in my room.

It was not until college that I understood why my mother was so afraid of me "damaging my insides".  She was worried that using tampons would cause me to break my hymen and I would not be a virgin on my wedding night.

[Glade]

This was a great episode, things are really coming together and I hope for season 2.

[buckboard]

Hello, Cleveland!  I kept waiting for the scene where Miranda surprised Che in Cleveland.  Or a flashback to the scene where Miranda surprised Che in Cleveland.  Or at least a mention about the time Miranda surprised Che in Cleveland.

Like, when Miranda showed up unexpectedly at Che's apartment.  Miranda likely figured that since Che apparently was happy that that Miranda just flew to Cleveland to surprise her, of course Che would be welcoming to a surprise visit back home.  Wouldn't this at the very least have been a good time for Che to say, "Oh, here you are again, popping up unannounced just like you did in Cleveland"?   Wouldn't the visit have been a topic of discussion among Miranda and her friends?  "So, how did the trip go?"

Maybe they dropped the Cleveland scene for whatever reason and substituted it with the tampon scene.  At any rate, there was such a build up about Cleveland and it just disappeared.

[Amethyst]

I think I enjoyed this episode, for the most part.  Nowhere near as good as the original, but I think it's finding its groove.

I wanted a plot about Lily so I guess we got one.  I don't find her being so upset about tampons as a problem, I know I hated them when I was her age and never got used to them.  That said, I thought she did overreact, and her swearing in the house felt unnecessary.  Was it supposed to be hormonal?

I'm sure it's not the intention of the writers (or Cynthia) to have Steve's brief scenes to be the most emotional and moving of the show so far.  His discussion was Carrie was so sad, but I respected that he tried not to badger her about it.  Even with the stupidity of Miranda and Che, it doesn't make sense.  Are Miranda and Steve still living in the same house?  Sharing a bed?  

Miranda's compliment of Steve being "impressive" confused me at first, but I get it.  She honestly doesn't see anything wrong with her behavior, awful as it is.  Miranda wants to have her cake and eat it too; she wants to be with Che, but also have Steve be OK with them getting a divorce. 

The petty side of me wanted the Brooklyn thing to blow up in Miranda's face.  But clearly, they don't want to show this relationship crashing and burning.  It's enough to have Miranda chasing Che all over New York or Cleveland or wherever her feelings take her.  

Like many posters, I was hoping that Carrie would talk to Miranda after her discussion with Steve.  I was glad to see Carrie try to move on with her life, but seeing Steve so unhappy and willing to stay in that sham of a marriage is really sad.  He deserves better.

I loved Seema's plot and finding a potential romance with the club owner, but I don't care about Nya's fertility issues.  She and her husband are just too grounded and removed from the story.  Felt bad for her, though.  It's a lot of pressure for her to try to have a baby, considering how they've failed with in-vitro.  They need to start looking at other options to have children, or have a serious discussion about them being enough as a couple.

[Roccos Brother]

So, let me get this straight --

Steve is struggling with his wife cheating on and leaving him, yet Carrie still makes their interaction mostly about her because she is a special kind of stupid and immature; the kind that tells you it's a good idea to wear stripper heels and your dead husband's wedding ring while painting for community service.

Dear god, this show is unsalvageable. Please just give us the Seema spin-off already.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Roccos Brother

[bobbyjoe]

Here’s what I’d like to see on next week’s finale:

[Scene: darkened room.  We hear someone groaning, fumbling to turn on the light.  Finally, they manage to do so.  We see it’s Miranda, in a hotel room, surrounded by many empty liquor bottles.  She finds her phone]

Carrie’s Voice:  “Miranda?!!  Where are you?   We haven’t seen you in days, we're worried sick!”

Miranda:  “Oh, Carrie, I let my drinking get way out of control.  I’ve been having the most horrible dreams.”

Carrie:  “Like what?”

Miranda:  “Well, there was this person named Che…”

Carrie:  “Who?”

Miranda:  “Che.  Che was this comedian who… oh, it was all just ridiculous.  Che was on your podcast…”

Carrie:  “That’s weird, you know I do my podcast alone.”

Miranda:  “I know, I know.  And I dreamed I acted like a total crazed jerk.  Thank god none of it was real.  Carrie, I need serious help.”

Carrie: “I’ll call rehab.”

[ferjy]

19 hours ago, violet and green said:

Wtaf. Opening scene, not Cleveland. Nothing happened. Again. All the plot potential, all the meat of the storylines, is just left on the floor unused.

When I started watching, I paused, to look up the episodes list. I thought I’d missed one! No Cleveland, no whatthefuckhappened when Brady found out about the breakup... he was all happy and smiley as if it had been quite a while after, with everything resolved. (I half expected Brady to be married to the gf with a baby in tow!) The powers that be obviously forgot to air an episode. Only explanation. 😛

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Because Cynthia wants Miranda to have zero consequences for her love for Che and for Steve to pine after her forever.  It's disgusting.  I'm never going to stop being baffled by this.

Brady is a whole other angle that I'm glad everyone is pointing out, because they keep making Brady this background character that I keep forgetting.  Yeah, no ramifications from your mother suddenly walking out on your family after 17 years.  Brady's fine!  Fiiiiiiiiiiiiine with the whooooole thing!

I think Cynthia is trying to right whatever damage she may have caused to her own first marriage.  Kind of writing her own fantasy of how she wished it went down instead, with absolutely no issues and everything great, and her being Meg Ryan with awful purple grey hair instead.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Kreegah]

5 hours ago, shouldbedancing said:

That Miranda scene was so… just like Che I didn’t know ever was going on. How come we heard nothing about what happened in Cleveland? Did we?

Looking at that, makes me root for Che.. for getting out of this mess as soon as possible! Why are they even trying? What is so attractive about *this* Miranda? She acts like an obsessed idiot

[WendyCR72]

20 minutes ago, bobbyjoe said:

Here’s what I’d like to see on next week’s finale:

[Scene: darkened room.  We hear someone groaning, fumbling to turn on the light.  Finally, they manage to do so.  We see it’s Miranda, in a hotel room, surrounded by many empty liquor bottles.  She finds her phone]

Carrie’s Voice:  “Miranda?!!  Where are you?   We haven’t seen you in days, we're worried sick!”

Miranda:  “Oh, Carrie, I let my drinking get way out of control.  I’ve been having the most horrible dreams.”

Carrie:  “Like what?”

Miranda:  “Well, there was this person named Che…”

Carrie:  “Who?”

Miranda:  “Che.  Che was this comedian who… oh, it was all just ridiculous.  Che was on your podcast…”

Carrie:  “That’s weird, you know I do my podcast alone.”

Miranda:  “I know, I know.  And I dreamed I acted like a total crazed jerk.  Thank god none of it was real.  Carrie, I need serious help.”

Carrie: “I’ll call rehab.”

YOU'RE HIRED.

[qtpye]

17 hours ago, T Summer said:

Were I Che, I might relocate undercover of night if someone new I was seeing showed up acting  and sounding as unhinged as Miranda did.

 

Is Steve's jaw wired shut? WHY is he talking like that? Does no one on this show speak like a normal person? Seema is very stilted with her one liners, Charlotte is manic most of the time. I do not get it.

No  next episode promo when I watched

 

I watched a promo. The only thing I remember is a giant bejeweled turban and no, it was not on Seema.

16 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

He was actually the Prada salesman from season 5! Carrie brought Berger and tried to get him to buy a red shirt that she later picked up with her big advance from France. Carrie actually tried to set that guy up with Charlotte during the time she was apart from Harry.

Anyway, since they chose not to acknowledge this (a la Justin Thoreaux), I tell myself this guy got out of high-end retail and opened a club. I think he looks good for Seema (whom I love), though I kind of want Steve to get Seema - BIG upgrade from horrible Cyn-randa. 

The scene between Carrie and Steve was well done - it was something that actually FELT like Sex and the City. All the writers did this ep, besides making me vomit with the Che and Cyn-randa moments, was make me root for Steve harder, hate Cyn-randa more, and despise this crap storyline more.

Brady has zero reactions to these developments in his life? Mom and Dad not together, Mom now queer (or at least experimenting, I hate to put a label on it right now because it's new), and dating someone new who's non-binary - but he's just going along as if nothing happened. That's not fucking realistic, I do not care how "woke" they think they've set up Brady to be. He'd have at least some comment. 

When Cyn-randa said "This HAS to work" in the stairwell, I don't know if it was an accident, and damn I don't want to give the writers one kudo, but maybe this is the clue that taking C-4 to her life wasn't really a great move, and Che is just a new addiction to distract from some deep-seeded self-loathing that Cyn-randa is dealing with? Because yeah, if she has to leave the Che bubble and let the dust settle, she's gonna see some gruesome carcasses in her wake. She needs the distraction. Truth is, in real life, folks don't often stay with the person they blew up their life for. That was just some sort of red herring that quickly runs its course and then the person has to sift through the rubble at rock bottom and start fashioning a real, sustainable life for themselves again. 

I finally figured out why I like Dr. Nya's husband so much despite only like 4 scenes - he's Shy Baldwin on Mrs. Maisel, and his voice is BUTTER!!

Last week Steve said he was too old to rally for them again, and now he won't ever remove his wedding ring? Ok, not buying it. Sure he's not ready, but Carrie basically told him he's deserving of someone way better than the alien who invaded his wife's body, and I hope we see that in the finale.

It's true hate-watch for me now, because Carrie is mysteriously a supporting player since ep 2 with Cyn-randa's affair taking center stage for most of this season and all good moments have been overshadowed by that lazy, stupid abomination foisted on us, but there are good moments here. Most of them include anything with Seema and Carrie. Cynthia and Kristen cannot act anymore, but SJP and Mario Cantone are still fucking hilarious, and Choudhry is a masterpiece (loved her since she was Saul's wife on Homeland).

ETA: Carrie's scene with the teacher was rough on me. I still have every old voicemail from my mom, who passed in April 2020. I will never delete them, and will in fact avoid ever getting a new phone for fear of losing them. My heart broke for both of them. Letting go is hard; there is no timeline.

Also, FWIW: I feel like one of the writers, or maybe all, read Untamed by Glennon Doyle and fell in love with it like I did. Miranda's plotline is straight out of Glennon's real life. Glennon's life is hugely inspiring, and I love her for being a real, bad-ass truth-teller. However, her situation was not the same as Miranda Hobbes', and Miranda was with us for 20 years, learning and growing in a way that does not support this 180 plotline.

They have made Brady into a giant chucklehead who only wants to fuck. It is almost as bad of a character assassination as what they tried to do to Steve.

Speaking of which, the scene between Carrie and Steve might have been the best moment in the whole series.

Oh Steve, Miranda blithely dumped you for Che. She does not deserve your lifelong devotion.

[Ms Blue Jay]

4 minutes ago, Kreegah said:

Looking at that, makes me root for Che.. for getting out of this mess as soon as possible! Why are they even trying? What is so attractive about *this* Miranda? She acts like an obsessed idiot

Exactly IT'S NOT BELIEVABLE

Out of all the people that Che has slept with or supposedly could sleep with in New York and this married person with a teenaged son is who Che falls in love with?!?!?!?!!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?  It HAS to be the married person?  

Edited January 28, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Surrealist]

2 hours ago, BrindaWalsh said:

 I love Seema.  Give her a show.  And bring Samantha back for that one because that formula right there would be amazing.

I'm here for this to become a reality.

[RealHousewife]

The scene with Steve and Carrie moved me to tears. Steve was so hurt but his usual sweet, gentle self. David did beautiful work.

Carrie is indeed very charming and likable in AJLT. 

Charlotte's flash period reminded me of her pooping her pants in Mexico. 

 

15 hours ago, greekmom said:

Actually did laugh at the stupidity of the scene with the dude who said that thing about the holocaust in front of Harry.  Anthony needs to screen these guys more!!

Best character in this dumpster fire is Seema, Anthony, Harry and Steve. Even Lilly's anxiety was grating on my nerves.

Yes! I know I'm too closed off and have my own issues, but I like to know who I'm getting involved with. I will never be the person who could sleep with a stranger because the idea of someone racist, antisemitic or bigot of any kind putting their hands on me repulses me. 

And agree. I want a Harry or a Steve. I'm really enjoying Seema. Anthony needs to be careful who he brings around, but I enjoy him and his humor. 

The tampon storyline was a lot, but I was also very freaked out by tampons. Even though it sounds like Lilly's been menstruating for awhile, your first period can happen at 15. That's when I got mine. (Yep, late to start, late to use tampons.) I never had outbursts like Lilly, but I can relate to her anxiety. I just used pads for the longest time. It took me some attempts to learn how to use tampons. I wish it were as easy for me as it was for the girl in that hilarious Curb Your Enthusiasm scene. I was afraid of forgetting to take them out and scared of TSS too. My mother never helped me though. I was 10-11 when I first tried contact lenses, and those freaked me out as well. I was like yeah I'll stick with glasses. Some of us are just anxious types. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by RealHousewife

[TheBride]

You would think that Cynthia Nixon has the money to cap her front teeth. 

[TheBride]

Once again, David Eigenberg delivers the only moving and believable performance in this totally bizarre series. Steve may be a mumbler (as others have implied here), but Eigenberg has captured a heartfelt emotion interpreted through a not-so-sophisticated, New York, middle class guy. That scene between Steve and Carrie was good. The writers experienced an rare moment of good material.

[SFoster21]

18 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

He was actually the Prada salesman from season 5! Carrie brought Berger and tried to get him to buy a red shirt that she later picked up with her big advance from France. Carrie actually tried to set that guy up with Charlotte during the time she was apart from Harry.

Anyway, since they chose not to acknowledge this (a la Justin Thoreaux), I tell myself this guy got out of high-end retail and opened a club. I think he looks good for Seema (whom I love), though I kind of want Steve to get Seema - BIG upgrade from horrible Cyn-randa. 

The scene between Carrie and Steve was well done - it was something that actually FELT like Sex and the City. All the writers did this ep, besides making me vomit with the Che and Cyn-randa moments, was make me root for Steve harder, hate Cyn-randa more, and despise this crap storyline more.

Brady has zero reactions to these developments in his life? Mom and Dad not together, Mom now queer (or at least experimenting, I hate to put a label on it right now because it's new), and dating someone new who's non-binary - but he's just going along as if nothing happened. That's not fucking realistic, I do not care how "woke" they think they've set up Brady to be. He'd have at least some comment. 

When Cyn-randa said "This HAS to work" in the stairwell, I don't know if it was an accident, and damn I don't want to give the writers one kudo, but maybe this is the clue that taking C-4 to her life wasn't really a great move, and Che is just a new addiction to distract from some deep-seeded self-loathing that Cyn-randa is dealing with? Because yeah, if she has to leave the Che bubble and let the dust settle, she's gonna see some gruesome carcasses in her wake. She needs the distraction. Truth is, in real life, folks don't often stay with the person they blew up their life for. That was just some sort of red herring that quickly runs its course and then the person has to sift through the rubble at rock bottom and start fashioning a real, sustainable life for themselves again. 

I finally figured out why I like Dr. Nya's husband so much despite only like 4 scenes - he's Shy Baldwin on Mrs. Maisel, and his voice is BUTTER!!

Last week Steve said he was too old to rally for them again, and now he won't ever remove his wedding ring? Ok, not buying it. Sure he's not ready, but Carrie basically told him he's deserving of someone way better than the alien who invaded his wife's body, and I hope we see that in the finale.

It's true hate-watch for me now, because Carrie is mysteriously a supporting player since ep 2 with Cyn-randa's affair taking center stage for most of this season and all good moments have been overshadowed by that lazy, stupid abomination foisted on us, but there are good moments here. Most of them include anything with Seema and Carrie. Cynthia and Kristen cannot act anymore, but SJP and Mario Cantone are still fucking hilarious, and Choudhry is a masterpiece (loved her since she was Saul's wife on Homeland).

Sarita Choudhury got naked with Denzel in Mississippi Masala.  Apropos of nothing.

[Hana Chan]

It's pretty obvious from the media push about this storyline (including an interview with CN about how she loves this storyline for Miranda) that the powers that be are very aware of the backlash that the show is receiving. Specifically about Miranda's behavior.

It is striking (and others have pointed out) that it's one thing for Miranda to be so dismissive about Steve's feelings (since she apparently never loved him). But her behavior with her son is really appalling. She isn't considering him at all. Most parents put a lot of effort into ensuring that their children and loved and that their security will not be impacted by a separation. Brady might be in his late teens, but he's still living at home so a conversation between him and his mother is something that should happen since she's the one walking out on the marriage.

But then, the show has gone out of their way to paint Brady as a jerk and that he doesn't seem to have much of a relationship with his mother at this point so I guess that's just another excuse for Miranda to have her head totally up Che's cooch and not have any consideration for anyone other than herself.

And it's really sickening that for a show that wants to be so "woke" and explore every 'ism possible that they have no qualms about mocking Steve's hearing loss (especially since DE has had hearing loss). It just seems especially petty and meanspirited.

[Hana Chan]

3 hours ago, qtpye said:

Oh Steve, Miranda blithely dumped you for Che. She does not deserve your lifelong devotion.

I think that Steve is still somewhat in shock over Miranda's request to split and is in the denial part of the mourning phase. He still loves her so accepting that the relationship is over (and in Miranda's POV never was what Steven thought it was) is going to be difficult. He's going to need some time to come to grips with having his life upended.

[27bored]

Oh, and of course, the show continues it’s trend of White Man Minstrelsy. Oh, Anthony met a tall, handsome, well-read, “conservative” (not necessarily politically but personally as in “I can’t find his dick online”) man that he might see himself dating beyond some random hook-up? Of course he turns out not only be a Holocaust denier, but he has no problem blurting that out in the home of his date’s Jewish friends. Because that’s what white men do…yes, including the gay ones. They up and leave their husbands and friends and move to another country, freak out and confront drivers while walking in the crosswalk with their babies, they start randomly hooking up and getting handjobs at school fundraisers a few months after being abandoned by their husbands, and they deny the Holocaust in the homes of Jewish people. /sarcasm

And like I predicted: Dr. Nya’s husband was going to do something to hurt her and make us hate him. He came so close! Tell your beautiful, educated, ambitious, hard-working wife who has already tried multiple times to get pregnant that, you know, you — her husband, with your “I play the guitar” ass — aren’t ready to throw in the towel. While painting a room in a women’s shelter. Because you saw Black Ward Cleaver with his kids. Toootally the right time to lay all that on her. And the fact you’re painting a room that is likely going to be occupied by women and their children who have no man around because he left them or they left him because he was abusive to them adds a nice bit of tone deafness to his plea. I guess they gave poor Steve a break from acting 80 and gave some of that to Mr. Nya. 

I really feel like he could’ve given me the moment where he totally breaks her heart had they not had to revisit newly annoying Lily and Charlotte playing the Do Not Press The Red Button game in her pants. 

Oh, and y’all take a break to eat gassy Mexican food? Why couldn’t they be more en trend than that? Why not have them eating birria tacos and Consommé rather than refried beans? Or, I don’t know, how about order some pizzas? It is New York and you do have a bunch of kids running around.

I’m refraining from giving much commentary on Them-la and Louise but I will say, it is absolutely shitty to bring someone cookies then when you realize you’re being kinda nuts you take their cookies and go home to preserve some dignity. YOU SHOULD’VE JUST DYED YOUR HAIR! RED! RED LIKE CHARLOTTE SAID! SHE WAS EVEN NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL AID!

I would’ve been mad for real about the cookies, though. Like “Miranda? No, seriously. It’s just me and you in this hallway. Give me my damn cookies.”

Edited January 28, 2022 by 27bored

[27bored]

8 hours ago, TheBride said:

Once again, David Eigenberg delivers the only moving and believable performance in this totally bizarre series. Steve may be a mumbler (as others have implied here), but Eigenberg has captured a heartfelt emotion interpreted through a not-so-sophisticated, New York, middle class guy. That scene between Steve and Carrie was good. The writers experienced an rare moment of good material.

 

6 hours ago, Hana Chan said:

I think that Steve is still somewhat in shock over Miranda's request to split and is in the denial part of the mourning phase. He still loves her so accepting that the relationship is over (and in Miranda's POV never was what Steven thought it was) is going to be difficult. He's going to need some time to come to grips with having his life upended.

I’ve said and I think some other people have said elements of the actors have seeped into their characters. If I had to just venture a guess with no facts, I’d say one of the reasons David Eigenberg’s acting has been so affecting is because Steve’s reaction is probably how he would react if his own wife left him.

David Eigenberg‘s birthday is May 17, which makes him a Taurus. Taurean men tend to be all about consistency, routine, reliability, and above all else: loyalty. Taureans are known for being stubborn, bullheaded, and that means that once he falls for you, he probably isn’t going anywhere. That’s why Steve said to Carrie his ring was never coming off. Because it would go against who he is as a man. So wounded, confused, betrayed, maybe even a little exhausted — it’s never coming off. 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by 27bored

[luna1122]

7 hours ago, violet and green said:

I thought Charlotte ended it with Trey ultimately because he was (a) married to his mother and (b) could not maintain an erection. 

I'm sure none of that helped, and those were the reasons they separated the first time. But they got back together. she dealt with Bunny, and miraculously Trey's dick began to work pretty well. The final breakup was because he didn't want to keep trying for a baby. 

I too want to know what the Hobbes-Brady living situation is now. Miranda should have been the one to move out, but of course its probably Steve who had to. Unless they're still sharing the brownstone while Miranda gets her groove on wherever with Che. 

 

[TeeMo]

I thought the scenes between Carrie and Steve were lovely and the scene where Carrie cancels the date with Peter also felt authentic and believable for Carrie’s storyline at this point. 
 

Seema is fabulous and the only one of the new characters who seems to make much sense on this show. The auxiliary characters on this show have always swung in and out in orbit of the main four. It was rare that anyone not named Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda had a story that wasn’t directly related to one of the main four (except maybe Anthony and Stanford). Even the eventual husbands were mostly treated as accessories with storylines that existed to create relationship storylines for the women. Until this week all of Seema’s scenes have included Carrie which makes sense in the structure of this show. Finally this week she has a solo scene flirting with the club owner but even that ends with her and Carrie at the club. Again, makes sense. But as someone else posted earlier, Nya and her husband feel like they are on an entirely different show than everyone else. Why am I supposed to care about their story line? Having the dinner scene a few episodes back where Miranda and Nya talked about motherhood made sense as it harkened back to Miranda’s own conflicting feelings about it which we all watched on the original show. Everything else about Nya’s storyline has felt out of place. There isn’t enough time in these episodes for me to want to spend such a big chunk of time watching these two characters I barely know hash out their family planning. They’ve had a ton of their own scenes disconnected from anyone else and it is always jarring. LTW and Seema exist mainly as adjuncts to Carrie and Charlotte and that works - they are friends of the main characters so they float in and out. Nya and Miranda’s friendship feels less believable than the other two and other than the initial introduction of Nya as Miranda’s professor, all the other attempts to get her into the larger storyline have felt forced - the farmers market run in with bumbling Steve, Miranda’s idiot voicemail in the car. Even the painting in this episode felt a little shoehorned. It’s weird.

Also Miranda continues to be the worst. Why does she generally look polished and well put together in her scenes with Charlotte and Carrie and then look so ragged and unkempt in her scenes with Che? Che has a casual but sleek style so it is not like Miranda is trying to match their vibe with her sloppier looks in their scenes together. It is like watching two completely different people in these scenes. She also looks way older in most of the scenes with Che which is weird as well. 

[Scarlett45]

9 hours ago, BrindaWalsh said:

I love Seema.  Give her a show.  And bring Samantha back for that one because that formula right there would be amazing.

YAAASSSS I love this idea! 

I want MORE Seema. More of Seema and Carrie. 

7 hours ago, Roccos Brother said:

Dear god, this show is unsalvageable. Please just give us the Seema spin-off already.

I co-sign.

[RedHawk]

8 hours ago, Amethyst said:

I loved Seema's plot and finding a potential romance with the club owner, but I don't care about Nya's fertility issues.  She and her husband are just too grounded and removed from the story.  Felt bad for her, though.  It's a lot of pressure for her to try to have a baby, considering how they've failed with in-vitro.  They need to start looking at other options to have children, or have a serious discussion about them being enough as a couple.

I get that a man Dr. Nya's husband's age can change his mind and feel the yearn for kids, and that he can start another discussion in a bad moment/inappropriate situation. It reminded me of the second movie(?) where Carrie and Big discuss that they won't be having children, and she gives him the watch with the inscription "Me and You, Just Us Two" [or was it "Just We Two"?].

Anyway, it was an issue that a childless couple their ages would have discussed and it was ok how they handled it. (I didn't exactly buy that John James Preston wouldn't want at least one child but I guess he gave up that life when he got bored with Natasha. Or he knew he could dump Carrie and still have a kid even if he was in his 50s or 60s.) Now we have a peripheral couple going through the have or not have kids story and while it's realistic to me that it's becoming a serious problem between them, I'm not invested in this couple and their lives, so it seems like more wasted time (and checking the box on an issue) when I'd rather see what's going on with our principal characters.

ETA: And how natural would it be for Miranda to set up a conversation between Carrie and Dr. Nya about how she and Big had a happy marriage without children? Also, Charlotte could talk to Dr. Nya about adoption. At least those scenes would pull the character into more interaction with our main characters.

Edited again to add: I think they may be setting up Dr. Nya and her husband to divorce so she will be "single" again like Carrie and Seema for Season 2. Which reminds me that I totally hope at the end of this season Miranda and Che ride off into the Netflix comedy special spotlight and are never heard from again. I have zero interest in seeing more of either character, alone or together.

Edited January 28, 2022 by RedHawk

[Surrealist]

18 minutes ago, RedHawk said:

And how natural would it be for Miranda to set up a conversation between Carrie and Dr. Nya about how she and Big had a happy marriage without children? Also, Charlotte could talk to Dr. Nya about adoption. At least those scenes would pull the character into more interaction with our main characters.

You should write for this show. The scenarios definitely would have worked.