And Just Like That… unearths a classic Carrie rivalry

Fortunately she’s extremely beautiful, and rich, and successful, otherwise we might feel just a little bit badly for And Just Like That…’s Natasha Mills (formerly Naginsky, formerly Preston), played by Bridget Moynahan. She fell in love with Big as a twentysomething in Paris, married him, only to have him cheat on her with Carrie in her own apartment. She catches Carrie in her home, chases after her, falls, and breaks a tooth and has to have her husband’s mistress take her to the ER. Then, after Natasha and her husband break up, Carrie tracks her to a restaurant to apologize, interrupting her lunch in an attempt to alleviate her own guilt over her role in destroying Natasha and Big’s marriage. At least Natasha didn’t let Carrie get away with that without one of the great SATC cutting remarks of all time: “Now, not only have you ruined my marriage… you’ve ruined my lunch.”

That’s the last the SATC universe has seen of Natasha until this episode, when Carrie discovers that Big left her a cool million in his will. Naturally, given her previous obsession with Big’s wife number two, the revelation sends the already grieving widow in to a tailspin, unearthing her previous guilt and insecurities related to the stunning statuesque brunette.

It’s sad that Carrie hasn’t learned much in oh, twenty-or-so years, as she immediately starts stalking Natasha again, a methodology that we know isn’t likely to work, since of course she wants as little to do with Carrie as possible (now, Natasha can just block Carrie on Instagram). Once again, Carrie is all about Carrie, but maybe a bit more understandably so this time: All she had to cling to was her and Big’s “happy sad ending” and now she doesn’t even have that. But what she doesn’t get is… what would Natasha likely get out of any interactions with her? Just a reminder of one of the worst times in her life.

Still, I am willing to suspend disbelief that in all of Manhattan, Carrie would somehow walk in on Natasha in a cafe bathroom. Basically because the conversation that followed was so good, and again, an excellent callback to the history of the show. There’s now a tooth for a tooth (well, a hand for a tooth) in Carrie burning herself, and some needed closure on both sides. Natasha, of course, is now a happily settled mom with a posh new job, and Carrie rightly surmises that the money in the will was Big’s own guilt talking. There was even that nice moment at the end—when Natasha wisely points out that they really didn’t need to follow each other on Instagram—where you could see that in an entirely different universe, they could have been friends. So long, Natasha. May you have an excellent life and never have to run into Carrie Bradshaw Preston ever again.

In the category of friends that Carrie actually has, Miranda’s after-school special continues when Charlotte finds empty mini-Tito’s bottles in her backpack, which to me seems less plausible than Carrie walking in on Natasha in the bathroom. Why would someone walk around with empty mini Tito’s bottles in their backpack (wouldn’t they clink?) Why would Miranda offer her backpack up to Charlotte knowing those were in there? Why won’t Miranda just throw those away? Is this all a misguided cry for help? Charlotte tries to bring this up to Carrie at the end of the episode, but her only other evidence of Miranda’s drinking problem is that she had two glasses of wine before the comedy show. I mean, where I come from, that’s just known as a pre-party. Not to worry, this saga will undoubtedly continue! I do like how they’re not depicting Miranda to be, like, a falling-down drunk, just someone who leans on alcohol a little too much, frantic for her second glass of cabernet at lunch.

After all, Miranda has a lot going on: starting school again, her son’s girlfriend practically living at her house, a lackluster relationship with her husband, and a burgeoning fascination with Che, Carrie’s podcast host. Yes, everything Che was saying at their comedy show was great, but also seemed to veer into the preachy? Nevertheless, it was a good reminder to, you know, change your life if you don’t like your life, something that clearly rang a gong inside Miranda.

Che’s coming-out story was undoubtedly heartwarming for Charlotte, as she deals with her own issues with Rose. Honestly, I see the concept of gender fluidity come up a lot in kids my kids’ age, probably a lot more than it would have, say 20 years ago, which is only a good thing. But I think I liked Anthony’s advice best of all: Your kid’s a sourdough starter. See what happens and through it all, to Che’s point, just support them no matter what.

Miranda and Che’s connection could be spied a mile away, and it’s not too surprising that Miranda’s journey into exploring her sexuality would mimic Cynthia Nixon’s own. But I think I’m more interested in what this experimentation signifies for Miranda and yes, again, women of this age group: Your life is not settled just because you’re in your fifties! Sure, from a twentysomething perspective you would think that things would be pretty wrapped up by now. But by the time you reach this decade, hopefully, you will continue to keep learning and exploring and changing. If you’re lucky. So who knows: Miranda’s path on And Just Like That… may turn out to be the most interesting of all.

Stray observations

• “The Danish show that everyone says is confusing but worth it.”
• Carrie’s going to find something else in the Big stuff, like on his phone or his computer… right?
• Why not just ask Big’s brother about Gogi, jeebus.
• Best outfit: I think I would have liked Carrie’s ensemble at the beginning if not for the satchel she had strapped to her chest? So will have to go with Miranda’s chic burgundy jumpsuit at the comedy show, she looked amazing.
• Speaking of, the show kept the tradition of dressing Natasha in the blandest colors possible, to highlight her supposed “beige” personality. And she still looks great.
• I rewatched SATC season three’s “What Goes Around, Comes Around” for this (“Running With Scissors,” the episode where Natasha breaks her tooth, is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series). Carrie tracks Natasha down at lunch because Natasha gave her and her friends a dirty look at a restaurant, and Carrie can’t handle knowing that there’s someone in New York that hates her that much. Honey, you slept with her husband, she’s never going to like you!
• Next week: All the girls branch out with their new friendships. Which is good, because right now Lisa Todd Wexley is my favorite character on this show.