S01.E12: Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

[Bella]

 

Miranda's lover always showers afterwards, as he's a Catholic. Carrie discovers Mr. Big takes his mother to church on Sundays. Samantha falls in love with a perfect man, but he doesn't measure up to her requirements. Charlotte consults a series of soothsayers about whether she will ever get married. Carrie breaks up with Mr. Big.

 

[Maherjunkie]

I really hated Carrie in this one.  In fact this was the pinnacle.  You stalk your boyfriend at church, he mysteriously forgives you, and then YOU get pissed he won't say I love you on cue just to get you to go on  a trip?  Bitch, Please.

[Hanahope]

Miranda needed to try different positions.  Maybe her on top?  She have could slowed down shower-boy.  He's going to have a problem with any woman, unless she feels as he does.

 

Loved Charlotte rating churches.  Miranda - 'great bread, disappointing wine.'

 

At first I was thinking, hmm, Charlotte asking about marriage getting cards for prosperity, independence and new awakening.  That could actually work for how she married money with Trey, and found independence and a new awakening with her divorce, before marrying Harry (who also had money and had another awakening with becoming Jewish).  Yup, that psychic blew it.  Loved that she blew off the second psychic who was clearly shaking her down.

 

Carrie really should have respected that Big wanted to do the church thing for his mother and leave it at that, meet another time, in another situation.  And why she would think he would be telling his mother all about her?  Especially since after getting divorced its unlikely he talk to his mother about any woman until he decided to remarry again, just as he said, because he's had a lot of "girlfriends"  and didn't want to disappoint his mother with another "girlfriend" again.  Most men, that I know, aren't quite so chatty with their mothers telling them about every detail of their lives (or who they're dating), unless its finally "the one" (or the second "one"). 

 

It does make you wonder why he puts up with her.  She did the same thing with his ex-wife, pushes in where she's not really wanted and then makes it all about her and how she's feeling "minimized" because Big isn't professing undying love and asking her to marry him immediately.  Just because you're dating a few months doesn't mean that he's ready for the family introduction or making the big love declaration. 

 

And blowing the Carribean trip, what a moron.  He's taking you to the Carribean, idiot.  He obviously cares about you, give him some time.  That said, Big should have said to her something along the lines of "Carrie, you know I care about you deeply, and maybe it will be love, but I need a bit more time before I make that big of a commitment again.  When I next tell a woman 'I love you', I do want it to be forever."  He should have said something at least.  I get that she needed some sort of validation, though I would think a trip to the Carribean, that he's paying for, was certainly a sign in that direction.

 

And Miranda just went through that whole re-united with Skipper thing a couple episodes ago.   He looked good because she hadn't been dealing with him all the time (and compared to recent boyfriend break up), then she realized how obsessive he would get.

 

Charlotte was funny with "how is he with his tongue" to Sam and then the looks by Miranda and Carrie.  Poor Samantha, finally finding someone she cares about, or at least could talk too before jumping his bones, and he has a small dick.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Hanahope

[Maherjunkie]

Now SHE should have been on top for that.

[Inquisitionist]

And why she would think he would be telling his mother all about her?

 

Two seasons later, she didn't even want to meet Aidan's parents when he first invited her to breakfast with them, as she feared things were getting too serious too fast.  Oy.

[Mini-Mart]

Finally a lovely outfit from Carrie without insane accessories.  That last get-up with the white boatneck top and full navy skirt... just charming.

[Inquisitionist]

Marian Seldes, who played "Mrs. Big," has passed away at age 86.

[WendyCR72]

Marian Seldes, who played "Mrs. Big," has passed away at age 86.

 

Aww, but at least she had a good long life.

[izabella]

And blowing the Carribean trip, what a moron.  He's taking you to the Carribean, idiot.  He obviously cares about you, give him some time.  That said, Big should have said to her something along the lines of "Carrie, you know I care about you deeply, and maybe it will be love, but I need a bit more time before I make that big of a commitment again.  When I next tell a woman 'I love you', I do want it to be forever."  He should have said something at least.  I get that she needed some sort of validation, though I would think a trip to the Carribean, that he's paying for, was certainly a sign in that direction.

Carrie truly was a moron about that trip.  Go have some fun in the sun and water in the Caribbean!  Isn't that the fun part of having a boyfriend?  You can go to fun places and do fun things together?  Make some memories; build a relationship.

 

I felt like she was always trying to rush Big into more and more commitment, or she distrusted his interest in her and always needed him to prove it and define it.  Carrie was very insecure about Big in this season.  Throughout the series, I guess, too.

Edited October 8, 2014 by izabella

[Sun-Bun]

Carrie truly was a moron about that trip. Go have some fun in the sun and water in the Caribbean! Isn't that the fun part of having a boyfriend? You can go to fun places and do fun things together? Make some memories; build a relationship.

I felt like she was always trying to rush Big into more and more commitment, or she distrusted his interest in her and always needed him to prove it and define it. Carrie was very insecure about Big in this season. Throughout the series, I guess, too.

Yessss!!!

This "breakup" was my least favorite and most hated of them all, because Carrie totally created its purpose in her head and acted like such a crazy, commitment-obsessed freak that it's a wonder she didn't scare Mr. Big away forever with all that creepy, pushy behavior.

Canceling a big Carribean getaway with your boyfriend just because he wasn't dishing out the "L word" and future plans quickly enough for you??

I'm sorry, but that's pure stupidity in action!

Your rich boyfriend is taking you on a damned fabulous vacation, which is a huge relationship-builder for many new couples---enjoy yourself, have some good times and great sex, and maybe he'll be ready to say how much he loves you *after* he realizes what an awesome traveling companion you are!

See, that's what made me so upset about Carrie and question her sanity/intelligence at that point: she never stopped to think that maybe Mr. Big was taking her on that trip as a test and to see if maybe *he* was finally ready to take the relationship to the next level.

I actually learned a great life lesson that way and thanks to that episode:

My new boyfriend of 3 months((at the time I'd watched that episode)) was taking me on a glam wine country getaway and I *really* wanted things to go farther with him. But like needy Carrie, I wasn't sure if I was ready to go on a getaway with someone who didn't make me feel like he was 100% sure about me...yet.

Then I realized how ridiculous I'd look to miss out on a free vacay with a good man!

Turns out he was just as nervous about things as I was, but we had such an amazing time on that trip together that he was all but shouting his love to the heavens after our return.

Five happy years of marriage to him later and I am sooooo glad I didn't pull a Carrie and went ahead on that vacation with him!

So yeah...Carrie was kind of an idiot and often created her own relationship/romantic messes. This episode firmly proved it.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Sun-Bun

[Hanahope]

Yes, Carrie, the character definitely blew it with Big.  That said, we all know why the writers broke them up, they wanted Carrie to "play the field" more in Season 2.  I just thought it was bad writing that had them breaking up in this way.

[Inquisitionist]

Was there also some uncertainty about whether Chris Noth would sign on for a 2nd season?

[Sun-Bun]

Yes, Carrie, the character definitely blew it with Big. That said, we all know why the writers broke them up, they wanted Carrie to "play the field" more in Season 2. I just thought it was bad writing that had them breaking up in this way.

Ahhhhh, now that makes complete sense in retrospect---it may have been really piss-poor writing to create such a pointless reason for their big breakup, although it does really display the acting chops/immense charm of Sarah Jessica Parker to have played it off in such an oddly believable, infuriating manner, eh?

[sunrisepink]

Speculating on the plans of the writers is always confusing to me. For instance, when they had Miranda name her son Brady they obviously hadn't planned yet for her to marry Steve the next season. Although she may not have taken his last name anyway, it would have been an interesting plot point around the time of their wedding for that to be an issue.

[lucindabelle]

Wait so is Brady's name Brady Brady? I never caught that before.

Sun-Bun, congratulations. That's a great story. And shows how tv sometimes really can be useful!

[WendyCR72]

Wait so is Brady's name Brady Brady? I never caught that before.

Sun-Bun, congratulations. That's a great story. And shows how tv sometimes really can be useful!

 

No, Brady's name would still be Brady Hobbes as that was on his birth certificate. His parents marrying doesn't change that unless they file the paperwork to do that, and I doubt they'd do that to the kid. Besides, Miranda, as far as I knew, didn't take Steve's name, so nothing changed name-wise, except Miranda married her kid's daddy.

[sunrisepink]

In the second movie, Miranda's butler at the suite in Abu Dhabi called her Miranda Hobbes. So yes, their names are Brady Hobbes and Miranda Hobbes.

[Inquisitionist]

Miranda's butler at the suite in Abu Dhabi called her Miranda Hobbes.

 

Blergh.  Miranda would never change her name.

[MulletorHater]

I really hated Carrie in this one.  In fact this was the pinnacle.  You stalk your boyfriend at church, he mysteriously forgives you, and then YOU get pissed he won't say I love you on cue just to get you to go on  a trip?  Bitch, Please.

 

I know, right?  Any other man would have run screaming into the night because of her obsessive and stalkerish behavior.  Boo, the man told you point blank that church is something that he does with just his mother.  Carrie couldn't take what Mr. Big said at face value and decided to insinuate herself into Mr. Big's relationship with his mother only to get her face cracked when "the mother" didn't recognize her.  I won't even touch on the fact that she only went to church to get a glimpse of "the mother"--not to worship.  Most men will introduce you to their parents when they feel that the relationship has evolved to another level.  Mr. Big not wanting his mother to meet yet another girlfriend is understandable.  Miranda was a much better friend than I could have been in this situation.

 

Instead of blowing $400-plus on a pair of Jimmy Choos, Carrie should have invested some of those coins into buying herself a clue.  

[Gothish520]

On 8/25/2014 at 12:28 PM, Hanahope said:

Charlotte was funny with "how is he with his tongue" to Sam and then the looks by Miranda and Carrie.  Poor Samantha, finally finding someone she cares about, or at least could talk too before jumping his bones, and he has a small dick.

I guess if size is truly that important to you, then I could understand Samantha's dilemma. But, at the risk of venturing into TMI territory, a small one would not be a concern for me. Now, the answer to Charlotte's question would be a concern. If things are a-ok in that area, then I'm not seeing a problem!