I didn’t hate And Just Like That… season two as much as most people
Throughout the entire run of And Just Like That…, the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. I don’t think it’s been perfect but I have enjoyed spending time with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and co these past 11 episodes.
*SPOILER WARNING*
Sure, some of the writing has been hit and miss, some of the character decisions haven’t been in line with who they are, and some of the acting has been dodgy (hello John Corbett), but I tuned in every week for the latest update on my girls and I had fun.
For me, the most consistently hilarious character this season has been Charlotte (Kristin Davis). At the start, she was this pushy wannabe momager and the one with the fluffy comic relief storylines. She was funny, particularly with Harry (Evan Handler), but she didn’t have anything substantial to do. This changed when she went back to work and started to put herself first again. Her drunk rant to her family is my highlight of season two.
A lot of people have been complaining about Miranda’s ‘personality change’ but I think she’s getting back to who she was after her detour in LA with Che (Sara Ramirez). I loved her conversation with Steve (David Eigenberg) and Che in the final episode, I’m glad she’s back doing meaningful work and her final scenes felt hopeful. I would like her to get her own place though because sharing with Nya (Karen Pittman) has run its course. Cynthia Nixon has given the most emotional performance this season and helped put the sex in Sex and the City.
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) hasn’t changed much. I don’t think she’s been a particularly good friend to Miranda or Seema (Sarita Choudhury) and she shouldn’t have sold her apartment. I’m also not that bothered about her staying with Aidan (Corbett). Five years is a big ask and their rekindled relationship always felt like more of a fling than one for the long haul. I was never the biggest Aidan fan in SATC and he didn’t change that with AJLT.
Of the new additions, Seema (Chaudry) remains my favourite – she is fabulous and her conversation with Carrie about needing space was beautifully written and acted. It felt really honest, relatable and accurate.
Meanwhile, I love Nicole Ari Parker as Lisa, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker on a career high when she discovers she’s pregnant again. Her handling of that subject was sensitive and nuanced. I would have liked more Nya and for her to do more than mourn over her estranged husband. I’ve learned that Pittman was shooting The Morning Show at the same time so she wasn’t available for more scenes which explains her lack of screen time. Hopefully, that’ll change for season three.
Then there is the issue of Che. I don’t have any problem with them from a performance perspective but now they’re not with Miranda, I don’t think they need to be in it, especially after that awful standup routine. I don’t really buy their friendship with Carrie so for them to remain with the show, Michael Patrick King has to create something new for them to do to make them worthy of our attention and investment.
It’s a shame Kim Cattrall‘s cameo was spoiled and overhyped because it would have been a lovely surprise, especially as it appears so early in the episode. I hope people don’t get their hopes up about her return as Samantha because Cattrall has made it very clear she is done with the show.
Overall, I agree that the writing and the character decisions could have been stronger at times but it still makes me laugh, get emotional and excitedly tune in every week for more. I cannot wait for season three.