This article was written during the SAG and WGA strikes. The work talked about here would not be possible without all of their talent and hard work!

Happy And Just Like That season finale day! I can say “season” with confidence, because this absolutely delightful trainwreck of a show has already been renewed for season 3. Despite that, the writers gave an absolute masterclass on how to end a series in a way that feels good if it gets canceled but still keeps the door open for renewal. Nobody relapsed and got into a car accident or threw a vial of sperm on the floor. Instead, we ended with an incredibly hot sex montage and the promise of friendship. 

But before we get there, back to the beginning.

The episode opens with Carrie on the phone with Aidan. She double checks to make sure that Wyatt is doing okay, but it’s clear even from this short interlude that Aidan is eager to be off the phone with his long distance wifey.

Then Carrie gets another phone call, and it’s from Samantha! She answers it with the ease of old friends, saying “hello London, what’s shakin’ lady!” and I’m confused. Did we somehow settle the Carrie/Samantha feud far more than I thought we did? Either way, I’m happy because KIM CATTRALL AKA SAMANTHA MOTHER FUCKING JONES IS BACK ON OUR SCRENES. Yes, that did require all caps. Samantha was the heart and soul of Sex and the City, and while bad working conditions (especially her relationship with Sarah Jessica Parker) prevented Cattrall from returning to the reboot, I miss her dearly.

Unfortunately, her time on the show is all too short. Samantha says she was planning on surprising Carrie for the Last Supper, but her flight was delayed three hours, and as she was only planning on coming for the night she won’t see her at all. This was such a clever way of talking to Carrie without ever actually having to see SJP! Samantha has a British accent now and she’s delightfully fashionable. I love her. 

Then her scene ends, and we’re back in New York. 

It’s the day after Charlotte’s drunken bender, and she’s struggling to get up. Harry comes in to wake her up because Anthony arrived. He has plans to discuss losing his “ass virginity”, but Charlotte can’t deal right then and tells Harry to go away.

Harry’s still having trouble adjusting to his larger parenting role. He tells Charlotte that he got the kids all ready for the day and out the door that morning, but that he “can’t do it all!”. This causes even a very hungover Charlotte to break, and I have to quote nearly her entire rant here because it’s so good.

“I can’t talk loud, so please just listen. You are not doing it all. I know, because you made a few breakfasts and you ran a few errands that it feels like you are. But in fact, you are doing the bare minimum of what I, and other women, have been asked—no, expected, to do around the house for years and years and years. And now I am asking—no, expecting, you to help out with part of it, not all of it”.

A couple years ago, I started writing an article about why I thought Charlotte was a lesbian on Sex and the City. Despite the fact that most people considered Miranda the queer one (especially given she’s played by queer actress Cynthia Nixon), something about Charlotte’s attitude felt queer to me, and the way she hated blow jobs felt like it may even be lesbian. 

In reality, she just embodied choice feminism in a way that so deeply defied the way her friend’s practiced feminism that she was set apart. She made the decision to be a wife and mother because that was the life she craved in spite of what other people wanted for her. While that’s not queerness, it resonated with me in a way that Miranda’s work-hard-and-win mindset never did. And now, she’s once again making an active choice, and fighting for her right to choose work if that’s what she wants. As an adult it’s so clear that Charlotte is the coolest.

But speaking of Miranda! She finally took the trip out to Coney Island to visit Steve at his new place. They have a good talk about being friends in the present, not just the past, and Steve seems happy that Miranda brought it up. He engages in some light bisexual erasure by confirming she won’t “loop back around to straight”, and Miranda affirms how right Steve always was about their life. 

It’s adorable, and they put their arms around each other in casual comfort. Brady is arriving at that moment, and when he sees his parents together he grins. This scene truly made me cry! I am soft! There is nothing that makes me cry quicker than true love, even if that love is a friendship. And Miranda and Steve are soulmates, even if they aren’t meant to date forever. 

There’s good news at work for Nya. She was elected to the American Law Institute! It was supposed to be a long process, but Nya is so impressive that the board unanimously voted her in just a few days after she submitted her application.

I’m delighted for her, but upon hearing the news all Nya wanted to do was call Andre. She returns home to Miranda pouting about not having a man to share her life with. She’s so sad that she wants to skip Carrie’s party that night, but Miranda talks her out of it with the mention of a Michelin chef. 

Carrie plates the table in And Just Like That theme colors, and then everyone starts to arrive!

Everyone is dressed to impress, and while I expect that from the show I can’t help but think that if my friends were to host a Michelin chef in our home, we’d all be wearing pajamas.

Charlotte notices Lisa drinking and points it out in surprise. Lisa tells her she miscarried, and when Charlotte’s eyes fill with sympathy, Lisa tells her not to do it there.

Harry shows up with a new iPhone that he bought just for Charlotte, boasting of how proud he is of her.

Giuseppe and Anthony arrive still bickering about Anthony’s walls. They’re so high that Giuseppe is considering moving back to Rome just to escape them. Giuseppe states that NYC publishing is “impenetrable”, and Charlotte’s face is comical. When Anthony hears this, it prompts a deep discussion about all the ways Anthony is holding back, and Anthony admits that he loves Giuseppe, which he’s never done before. The two get on better terms and I’m happy for them and their May/December romance.

Lisette and Che also have a cute conversation. Lisette was a huge fan of Che’s podcast, and when she hears that Che might be taking a break from comedy, she takes it in stride. She also went through a transitional period when she first moved from LA to NYC, and it’s okay for Che to be doing the same thing. This seems to have a positive impact on Che, who’s happy to meet Lisette. 

Nya and Miranda arrive and run into the chef on their way upstairs. The chef happens to be Toussaint, the man Nya ran into at Bar T’s a few episodes ago. They hit it off once again, and Nya sends Miranda upstairs alone so that she can flirt. 

Without her wingwoman by her side, Miranda decides to go chat with Che right away. She tells them that they can’t ruin Carrie’s party, and they decide to hash out what happened the weekend before. I must say, Miranda looks hot tonight. Lately, she’s been dressing for revenge. 

Che apologizes to Miranda for their jokes, and promises they’ll never make a joke about their relationship again. Miranda brings up that she thought they left on good terms, and Che says they did too and then Miranda ghosted them, so they’re a bit confused. That being said, they just made the jokes because they thought they were funny!

The two agree that their relationship, while a trainwreck, was the “good” kind of train wreck where nobody dies and everyone gets where they want to go. It’s cute, and I’m glad Miranda is getting closure on all of her relationships this episode.

Seema and Ravi arrive and then Seema proceeds to promptly ignore him. She tells Carrie that she’s stopped putting energy in because ever since she said “I love you”, Ravi has been on his phone all the time again. Carrie points out that maybe Seema is the one putting up walls because she’s scared and Seema looks stressed, which is a sign Carrie is right.

Before dinner begins, Carrie introduces everyone to her cat and then announces that she has to put her “baby to bed”. This is out of character for Carrie and was put in the show just to get a reaction out of Lisa. It works, and Lisa runs into the bathroom, brushing past a very-much-reconciled Anthony and Giuseppe to do so.

Herbert follows her, and is the best husband in the world as he comforts her. She’s worried she wished the baby away, and he assures her she didn’t. I want to give Lisa a hug!

The appetizer is served, and Nya and Toussaint flirt as it’s rolled out. Before they can even finish eating the three bites of food, Egypt calls and Ravi darts off. As the main course rolls around, Seema goes out to find him. He’s pissed at him for always being on his phone and implies that he’s flirting with Instagram and TikTok models.

“I have not Tik’d or Tok’d since we met!” Ravi announces. He tells Seema that they need him to switch the dates he’s filming in New York and Egypt which means he’d leave the next day and be gone for six months. He loves Seema, and he wants her to know that, but he has to go to Egypt. Seema pouts a bit, but it seems like him saying the word “love” settled some of her worst fears.

Carrie makes a speech before the food is served and demands that everyone say something they want to let go of, in one word with no repeats. Rather than meme-ing Carrie and this extremely bizarre short notice request, they make it as serious as possible.

Anthony says “control” and Giuseppe says “Rome”

Ravi says “social-media” and Seema says “distrust”

Nya says “yesterday”

Miranda wanted to say that as well, so she changes it to “regret”, and then “guilt” in quick succession.

Lisa was planning on saying guilt, but she can’t find another word so she sticks with it.

Herbert passes, too choked up about his wife, and then we continue.

Lisette says “fear”

Harry says “possessiveness” and Charlotte says “limits”.

Carrie says “expectations” and launches into a speech. She doesn’t want to assume things will go a certain way, and she acknowledges that tomorrow will be better than she ever expected.

Che calls her out on saying more than one word, and they all laugh and then dive into dinner.

As people begin to leave, Miranda gets a call asking her to do a live interview on BBC that very night. She scurries off in excitement! Once there she meets Joy, a hot woman who suggests going out for a drink after, and then delivers a great on-air speech.

Toussaint asks to give Nya a ride home even though he lives in Harlem and she lives in Brooklyn! They’re going to fall in love, I just know it.

Ravi and Seema get ready for bed lightly bickering. He wants her to come to Cairo, but she refuses to give up her career or personhood for a man, full stop. I’m happy she put her foot down, because I can’t imagine there would be much to do in Egypt when Ravi would most certainly be incredibly busy. She does, however, acknowledge how real the relationship is to her, and Ravi promises that he’ll be back.

Carrie is talking to her little cat when she hears rocks hitting the window. It’s Aidan! He comes up the stairs to the apartment, and I’m more in shock that he left his incredibly injured son than I am that he got over his deep fear of the past. The reason he came, though, is essentially to break up with Carrie.

He needs to be there for his kids, especially Wyatt (who was on shrooms and drunk when he crashed). Carrie says she understands and offers to go back to Virginia with him every once in a while, but Aidan refuses. He can’t multitask, and he needs all of his energy to go towards his boys. I understand why he can’t go to New York, but it seems a bit extreme that Carrie can’t come visit on the weeks where Aidan’s ex has the kids!

Carrie says “I can’t believe we’re back here again” and puts her head in her hands, but Aidan says they’re not. He loves Carrie, and he just wants her to wait five years for him. That’s insane. Who’s sitting around waiting for five years!

They kiss, but all I can think is how crazy of a request that is.

To wrap up everyone’s storylines for the season, we get an incredibly hot couples montage set to a song I’m going to have to look up later. Charlotte and Harry hang out in bed giggling and trying to set up Charlotte’s new phone. Miranda gets (non-alcoholic, flirty) drinks with Joy. Giuseppe finally fucks Anthony and we get some lube representation. Che makes out with Tony. Nya welcomes Toussaint into her home. Carrie and Aidan have sex and the camera somehow shows us so much nakedness and simultaneously none at all. Seema and Ravi have sex and then spend time just talking in bed afterwards. Lisa and Herbert cuddle each other to sleep.

The next morning, Aidan and Carrie say their goodbyes. Carrie waves goodbye from the doorway of her new home, holding her cat in her hand, and Aidan gives what looks like a finger heart but is in fact a snap so quick nobody can see it.

Seema calls and tells Carrie she booked a getaway, and the two head to oceanside Greece to drink and reminisce about the too-good-to-be-true relationships they both just put on hold. They’re sad, but they’re also happy to be together.

And just like that… Carrie ordered two more cosmopolitans. Friendship endures. And so does this show. See you all next year (or 3 years from now, depending on whether the studios actually meet worker’s demands) for another round of recaps!