And Just Like That.. - Season 2, Episode 4

"I continue to want less Carrie Bradshaw in my new magazine."

"Alive!"
Original airdate: 7/6/2023

Episode summary: Carrie is reluctant to be associated with Enid Frick's latest publishing venture. Brady expresses his frustration at his parents' living situation. Lisa and Herbert throw themselves a badly planned anniversary party.

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Recap: While out for breakfast, Carrie presents Jackie with a personally signed copy of her new book...and he wankingly thanks her for the literary treasure - but a few seconds later gets so gassy that he has to rush off to the men's room. Carrie starts fiddling with her phone just as Enid Frick enters the restaurant and reluctantly shuffles over to say hello, offer belated condolences about Big's death, and bitterly share that she was recently ousted from Vogue. Carrie praises Enid's latest venture, the Ask Enid newsletter, and asks her if she'd be interested in using the newsletter to plug her latest book, and Enid's all 'nope' and condescendingly says that if she plugs her book she'd have to plug everyone's book. She then announces that she's about to launch a new online magazine titled Vivant (Alive in French) and would love Carrie's [unspecified] support. When she explains that it's geared for "women our age" who are underrepresented in the media, Carrie looks taken aback at being lumped into Enid's advanced age category - just as Enid gets a call and has to rush off.

Lily, Rock, and a bunch of other kids are boarding the bus en route to the summer camp that's going to keep them out of their parents' hair for the next four weeks (hurray!). The parents - including Lisa/Herbert and Charlotte/Harry - bid their kids a faux sad farewell before wooting and cheering once the bus is out of hearing range. As Charlotte and Harry immediately race off together, Lisa chucklingly remarks to Herbert that clearly the two are going home to get it on. She then changes the subject and tells him that she invited her dad to their anniversary party, and Herbert looks alarmed and reminds her that her dad and his prickly ma do not get along...and says this as though the wretched Eunice is actually capable of getting along with anyone. 
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Over at Casa Brady/Hobbes, Miranda wakes to the sound of Steve noisily working out with his speed bag. She climbs out of bed, reminds Brady that they're scheduled to be at the therapist's office at 1pm, then lumbers over to the bathroom. She promptly gets a text from Che, who has sent of photo of themselves in Houston decked out in a cowboy hat.

Carrie asks Seema if she presents like a seventy-five year old retiree, then explains that a former colleague recently suggested that the two of them are around the same age. She grumbles about how this person wants her to write for her new online venture - a magazine named Vivant that's geared for older women - and further complains that she has zero interest in attending the lame start-up's kick-off event. Seema tells her to just ignore the sad old lady - until she learns they've been talking about Enid Frick, who she considers a legend. She urges Carrie to negotiate with Enid to plug her latest book in exchange for writing contributions to Vivant...and Carrie chews on that prospect as she checks her phone and looks mystified by the continuous messages and photos from a Marlon Shafer, who texts that "a little birdie" gave him her number.

"Am I in the same general age group as a seventy-five year old retired editor?"

"If Enid Frick says you are, then yes."

Over on Park Avenue, Charlotte and Harry are vigorously knockin' boots while calling each other "fucking hot". As a special treat, Charlotte invites Harry to jizz all over her chest, and he's like, "Hmm...can do" and directs his jizz boobs-bound - but ends up having what looks like a completely dry orgasm. 

The next day over lunch, Charlotte needlessly recounts Harry's jizz-less climax to Carrie, Miranda, and Anthony. Miranda wryly tells Charlotte that she should consider jizz-less sex to be an upgrade, Carrie decides she'd personally miss the presence of ejaculate if it were suddenly gone, and a bored Anthony makes it clear how tiny of a rat's ass he gives about Harry's "dust balls". 

That evening, Lisa and Herbert are out for drinks, cackling joyously about having no pesky kids around for the next four weeks. Herbert assures his wife that he handled the invitations for their upcoming anniversary party [though: not], and also announces that he's decided to voluntarily squash his dream of running for City Comptroller. 

Charlotte and Harry pay a visit to their family doctor, who assures them that Harry's dry orgasming can easily be remedied with some regular Kegel exercises. Later, at home, Charlotte presides over Harry like a drill sergeant as she barkingly tells him the best way to strengthen his penile region. OMFG.

Over at the therapist's office, Brady says he's sooooo done talking about his breakup with Luisa, and would much rather focus his energy on his parents' confusing living situation. He add that he hates being in the middle of their separation-in-progress and not knowing if they're ever going to fully split. The therapist asks Miranda and Steve whaddup with them not finding a more permanent housing situation now that their marriage is 100% kaput, so Steve amiably says that Miranda can keep the apartment while he finds a place that's closer to his bar. Brady then chooses this moment to announce that he's not interested in starting college in the fall...and Steve says he's A-OK with that, while Miranda stares into space with an ashen expression while weakly insisting that she has nothing to say about what she clearly thinks is a monumentally stupid life decision.

"I'm totally fine with you being uneducated and unemployable."

"I'll pretend that that sounds good to me too."

While heading over to Che's apartment, Miranda tells Carrie she has sooooo much to say about Brady not attending college, and is incensed at Steve for being so chill about this disaster-in-the-making. When Carrie asks her why she didn't interject with her very strong opinion on the matter, she says she doesn't feel entitled to have one 'cause of how dicktastically she blew up their lives last season. A few seconds later, the two arrive at Che's doorstep and are greeted by Che and Lyle (who drove them to New York). As Miranda and Che start smooching and then rudely rush off to the bedroom, Carrie asks Lyle what his story is, so he tells her he was married to Che for two years and used to be a Beverly Hills hairstylist. The two then wander over to the couch, which breaks as soon as they sit down on it...and when Che and Miranda rush out to see what the crashing noise was, they chuckle heartily at the sight of the broken piece of furniture.

Charlotte and Harry arrive at the Wexley's anniversary party (being held in a swanky restaurant they rented out for the evening). They politely say hello to sourpuss Eunice, and are introduced to Mark Kasabian (Lisa's art dealer friend). Shortly afterwards, Lisa's dad arrives and gushes about how impressed he is by the venue, while Eunice haughtily chastises a waiter for the crime of walking around with a plate of hors d'oeuvres. Lisa asks Herbert whaddup with most of their guests being no-shows...so he checks his phone and realizes that - oops - he stupidly forgot to hit the send button. An annoyed Lisa blurts out his screw-up to the guests who did show up (who, she bitchily points out, are only there 'cause she invited them the old fashioned way), and a dismayed Mark covertly tells Charlotte he's definitely not going to be able to sneak out early like he was planning.

Che and Lyle tell Miranda and Carrie the story of how they first hooked up and got married, and blah blah...I don't care. 

Back at the party, Eunice insists on sitting at the far end of the very long table 'cause the temperature is most pleasing in that part of the room. Charlotte urges Harry to be nice and keep the miserable old lady company, then starts chatting it up with Mark. She offers advice on how to deal with his prickly daughter, who smuggled her phone into camp and is now begging him to pick her up...and when he's tempted to text back, Charlotte grabs the phone away from him and warns against showing his spawn any kind of weakness.

When Lyle falls asleep in the bed, Che tells Miranda they're too tired to wake him, prompting a look of deep annoyance from Miranda. 

Mark tells Charlotte he'd love for her to join his gallery, says he's quite familiar with her past art-related accomplishments, and totally digs her taste and tenacity. Charlotte moans that she hasn't been employed since Season 4 of Sex and the City, and insists that her children need her at home every minute of every day despite them being teenagers. Mark just kind of shrugs at that and tells her to let him know if she ever changes her mind. Herbert, meanwhile, announces that dessert will now be served - but Lisa hastily interjects with her own announcement that dessert is cancelled 'cause she somehow forgot to order the cake. Eunice sanctimoniously says that when she was a young mother she baked her own cakes, and Lisa points out that she's a busy career woman who has far different priorities than a simple homemaker might. Her dad chimes in and applauds his daughter for being the kind of artist who puts ideas and beauty into the world - unlike her soulless shitwad of a husband, who's fixated on making money. [Seems like an unusual complaint coming from a father-in-law, but OK.] Lisa responds to that idiotic insult by fibbing to everyone that her non-soulless husband is running for City Comptroller...and everyone cheers while a confused Herbert's all, "Wha-a-a-a?"

"I'm pleased to announce that my husband is running to be the city's next chief financial officer."

"I'm doing what now?"

Miranda and Che are getting it on atop the bed...and a few seconds later, Lyle wakes up and joins in by spooning Che. Che looks totally into it and asks Miranda if she's up for an impromptu ménage à trois and Miranda admits that her overwhelmed reaction to that question prolly means she's not - but that she's willing to give it a half-hearted try. She continues to smooch Che and reaches out to grab Lyle's ass - but is forced to stop threesoming when she [conveniently] gets a severe muscle cramp in her leg. She urges them to carry on with their sexing before hobbling out of the room - but a few seconds later, Che opts to follow her out to canoodle her atop the broken couch.

Carrie arrives at Enid's kick-off event while on the phone with Seema, who coaches her on how to not be afraid of being coldly transactional about getting her book plugged. Carrie enters the luxury residence, notices that Gloria Steinem (!) is there, and politely greets Enid. She's about to bring up the issue of wanting her book plugged in exchange for her writing services when Bitsy Von Muffling suddenly shrieks, "Carrrrrrie!" from across the room...and Enid wryly tells Carrie she only invited the bothersome twit 'cause of her deep pockets. Bitsy giddily asks Carrie what she thinks of Marlon Shafer and reveals that she's the one who's been trying to set them up for a sexy rendezvous. She strongly urges Carrie to hit the sheets with him 'cause he's super great in the sack...which apparently she knows first-hand 'cause she routinely cheated with him on her gay husband [which I guess finally puts to rest the non-mystery of dead Bobby's sexuality]. A weirded out Carrie assures Bitsy she's feeling far less lonely these days, then hastily excuses herself. 

Gloria Steinem addresses the guests with a short speech about the magazine world's new frontier - aging - while Bitsy texts Carrie a Marlon Shafer dick pic. As Carrie glares at her in visible annoyance, Bitsy obliviously responds with an enthusiastic thumbs up...lol.

Charlotte is giving Harry's pecker a vigorous hand job...and he rewards her efforts with a jizz-filled orgasm, which she happily mops up with a tissue.

Carrie gushes to Gloria Steinem about devoting her entire life to advocating for women's rights. She remarks on how she almost didn't attend this event 'cause she was worried that she didn't belong...which she confesses is part of a deep-seated ageism. 
 
Carrie tells Enid she'd be delighted to write for Vivante...and Enid stares back at her blankly before explaining that she wants a 100K investment for her magazine, not her clunky 'I couldn't help but wonder' written musings. Carrie looks taken aback for a few seconds, then cheekily points out that if she gives her 100K she'd have to give everyone 100K. Heh. Gloria Steinem suddenly interrupts to say bye, then poses for a quick photo with Carrie and Enid...and when Enid grabs Carrie's phone to make sure that the photo is to her liking, she's aghast to see several dick pics of Marlon, aka her current boyfriend. That's fairly awkward...and also really contrived. Carrie sheepishly explains that someone was trying to set her up with him, and snidely adds that she'd never be interested in dating a man that old. Enid debates whether or not she should be offended at being indirectly referred to as old, but then shakes it off and says she's ready to barter a 100K Vivante contribution in exchange for plugging Carrie's latest book.

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