And Just Like That…- Apples to Apples

Let me start by saying that I don’t watch And Just Like That… for a realistic portrayal of, well, anything. These extremely rich people navigate a fantastical New York while wearing beautiful clothes. If I chuckle once or twice or nod in agreement, then that’s a win. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) had some good moments, reminding her loved ones that she was a person before becoming a wife and mother, and Anthony’s (Mario Cantone) vulnerability has been welcomed. I’m not watching this show for a portrayal of how divorce impacts children or the messiness of trying to blend families. The scene at Aiden’s (John Corbett) country house was so uncomfortable and jarring that I had to pause and double-check what I was watching. 

I’m not opposed to watching realistic portrayals of life (although, do we really need this right now?), but this show, deciding suddenly that it’s going to get real, is misguided. I blame Michael Patrick King, who can’t decide what he wants this show to be. Is it a celebration of these beloved characters? A treatise on being over 50? A loving nod to Edith Wharton? The writing doesn’t support any of this.

Back to the episode…

Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) gets her wish when Aiden asks her to stay at the farm. This is a chance for her to bond with his kids and see what life’s like with chickens and house painting. Carrie already has a great relationship with Homer (Corbin Drew Ross) although I’m not sure when this happened, but Wyatt (Logan Souza) continues to give her the stink eye. Because Carrie left her luggage in the rental car Seema (Sarita Choudhury) destroyed, she needs to ATV into town to buy some clothes (totally realistic). She looks great in Homer’s clothes, so there is no need for her Little House on the Prairie dress. Carrie then gets the idea to take the boys zombie hunting through VR, which goes about as well as you would think. Wyatt bonks her on the head with his gun, and she’s done. Was it on purpose? Not sure, but Aiden’s reaction of essentially telling Carrie to suck it up and not make Wyatt feel bad is troublesome, and there’s a sense of pressure intensifying within this dynamic. 

Things come to a head at Tate’s (Jason Schmidt) 21st birthday celebration. Stop calling this kid Tater Tot, I beg you. Kathy (Rosemarie DeWitt) brings her boyfriend, bland Bob (J. Anthony Crane), a man who does not get involved with any of the family dynamics. Bob is smart enough to warn Carrie that after four years, Aiden does not want him to have an opinion. Bob lets the cat out of the bag that Kathy is for the Adderall, and Aiden is against it. Carrie is horrified that she went against Aiden’s wishes, even unknowingly. She tries to apologize, but Aiden shuts down any further conversation. I get that having this conversation while Aiden’s lighting birthday candles is bad timing, but the way he shuts her down makes me want to give Kathy a big hug. He’s awful. He has this picture in his head of how his life should be, how to fix his kids, how to manage Carrie, and he’s wrong on all fronts. Wyatt is deeply troubled, and Aiden’s idea of therapy is to have him work on the farm and limit electronics. I don’t love Carrie, but I want her out of there. The two have an honest conversation, and Carrie admits she didn’t understand why he needed to be in Virginia, but she gets it now. He needs to focus on his family without trying to perform in front of Carrie. Aiden thinks Carrie is breaking up with him, but instead, she gives him a key to the house. It’s a nice gesture that I firmly believe will come back to haunt Carrie.

Elsewhere, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) becomes meme-worthy by accidentally saying “wild see-you-next-Tuesday” live on the BBC (this is really Joy’s fault for telling Miranda to stop and take a breath if she’s feeling nervous. Can’t really take a break when saying countryside). Miranda is mortified, and Brady shares that she’s famous. It’s nice to see a witty Brady in this scene. Joy (Dolly Wells) cancels their planned drinks, and Miranda becomes paranoid that she’s blown her chance with Joy, but Joy admits that her distancing behavior is what she does when she finds someone attractive. Cut to Carrie watching their first kiss on her Ring camera. I’m a sucker for this type of trope-the character who says the scary thing early rather than stretching it over numerous episodes. Please stick the landing on this one. 

At Goldenblatt Manor, Harry’s (Evan Handler) father, Morris (Harris Yullin), is visiting and is delightfully crusty. Give this man his cream soda! Harry references his father as old and feeble, but all signs point to the contrary. Morris has a game and makes a move on Marilyn Scholl (Annie Golden), the banana borrower who puts barbeque sauce on Charlotte’s perfect brisket. Morris and Rock (Alexa Swinton) get a few sweet moments as they both agree that being nice and generous with the neighbors is the way to live. Also, Rock is tasked with cleaning up Pop-Pop’s IPad and finds that he’s been trying to download porn. We also find out that Diego has a boyfriend as well and is polysexual. I love that Morris looks to Rock for a definition. Wow, do I now like Rock and Lily (Cathy Ang)? Later, in bed with Charlotte, Harry experiences erectile dysfunction. Between this and the pee jeans incident, I’m really worried that they’re setting us up for Harry being seriously ill, and I am seriously worried about how they will handle this drama. 

Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker) is driving Herbert (Chris Jackson) crazy by talking in her sleep and yelling out, “Hey, hey.” She’s stressed about choosing a new editor. Her nightly talking drives Herbert from the bed, and he sleeps in the guest room, which Lisa hates, calling it a sleep divorce. Lisa interviews Marion Odin (Mehcad Brooks) for the role. Marion says all the right things about Lisa’s previous work and understands the challenges of the new project. Herbert is not going to be pleased once he sees Marion.

Seema has to make a choice. Ryan Serhant has made her an offer to stay, but she turns it down, so he tells her it’s time to leave. I think we’re supposed to see this as a dick move, but it actually seems reasonable. Yes, he’s cocky and assuming, but if she doesn’t want to be a part of the new business, she should leave. 

Did you feel like you were watching a different show this week? 

Parting thoughts:

Carrie has a favorite bathing suit from Target? 

No way Carrie flies coach. 

Am I so jaded? Why is Homer so nice to Carrie? He laughs at all of her stupid puns.

Carrie does look like she’s in a Summer’s Eve commercial in that white dress. 

Aiden and his air guitar made me tense up. So much cringe.

Meredith Howell

Meredith lives in Chicago where she and her husband made sure their two boys were fluent in all things pop culture. She loves talking about all things GG- Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, and Golden Girls and indulges in a yearly viewing of Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth version is the only one recognized).