Season 3, Episode 6: ‘Silent Mode’
I didn’t think it was possible for the relationship between Carrie and Aidan to become any more disconcerting. But wow, in this regard, the writers have succeeded.
Toward the end of this week’s episode, Aidan drops a bomb: He slept with Kathy. He and his ex-wife were both upset after a failed attempt to send their troubled son Wyatt off on a wilderness trip, and somewhere in between sobs, they fell into bed.
Carrie is stunned at this confession for all of about 45 seconds. I know because I counted while watching this scene for the fourth or fifth time. In less than a minute, she bypasses any pain and skips completely ahead to grace and empathy. “I understand how that could happen,” she says.
I’ve written before that I think Aidan has become, or maybe always was, a covert narcissist. His behavior is, unfortunately, not very surprising. But is Carrie really so far under his thumb that she doesn’t even spare a second for her own hurt?
Or, perchance, is she feeling a sense of karmic relief? After all, in another life known as the original “Sex and the City” series, Carrie cheated on Aidan with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) — whom she subsequently married. She also cheated on Big with Aidan when they shared a kiss in Abu Dhabi in the movie “Sex and the City 2” — all of which is to say, maybe Carrie really can see how that could happen.
A few things about this plot point, though, are a little tough to square. First, nothing we have seen this season would suggest that there is any compassion, let alone physical passion, left between Aidan and Kathy. They’re not just exes, they’re at odds. They disagree, to the point of contempt, on how to handle Wyatt, as we saw in the blowup just two episodes back. It’s difficult to imagine them finding comfort in each other over yet another Wyatt debacle.
But even suspending that disbelief, Carrie is well within her rights, despite her past, to be gut-punched by this. It doesn’t have to be the only reaction she has, or the most important or longest-lasting. But only minutes later we see Carrie and Aidan back in bed together, making love as if absolutely nothing happened. It feels off that Carrie basically doesn’t care.
Maybe Carrie was more mentally prepped for this than we knew. Apparently, she never expected Aidan not to sleep with anyone else during their five-year relationship hiatus. On the flip side, Aidan expected complete abstinence out of Carrie. Who is right? What makes sense? Who has the wrong idea?
If nothing else, the writers have given us, the audience, a gift here, because even after about a half-dozen viewings of this moment, I still have no idea whose side I’m on. I’m pretty sure I could host a happy hour at a local pub, divide the patrons into sides and have a full-scale debate over whether Carrie or Aidan was more delusional — and even then, I’m not sure we would come to a conclusion.
So thank you, “And Just Like That …” for finally giving us some solid water-cooler material.
Meanwhile, Lisa is served a gut-punch of her own that lasts all episode when she finds out her father has died suddenly of a stroke — and that she missed her chance to say a final goodbye because she had set her phone to silent.
On top of her grief, Lisa finds herself in a battle of wills with Lucille Highwater (Jenifer Lewis), her father’s longtime manager at the Newark Free Theater, who bullies her way into organizing the funeral services. Lisa wants tasteful; Lucille wants theatrical; and despite the demands Lisa lays out as the two spar over chicken and waffles and bad Key lime pie, Lucille wins out. The funeral is an over-the-top production, in which Lisa is allotted only a few minutes to eulogize her dad.
It’s difficult to get invested, as a viewer, in this power struggle between Lisa and Lucille considering that, while the two clearly have a long, contentious history, this is the first we’ve seen of Lucille. We’re also only barely acquainted with Lisa’s father, who has made mere cameos in seasons past. It’s a lot of back story to absorb in one episode.
Still, it serves ultimately to enrich our understanding of how deeply Lisa is struggling with balancing life and career, considering the only reason she silenced her ringer was to block out the work distractions.
We also witness a tender moment when Herbert steps up for his wife: When Lisa can barely finish her eulogy, Herbert steps in to prop her up, reminding loved ones in attendance how connected Lisa was to her father and how much they showed up for each other. It’s a refreshing antidote to the central romantic relationship that is Carrie and Aidan, which seems to grow more toxic by the week.
Behind the scenes, Charlotte is sent spinning over the death of Lisa’s dad. Doctors said her father was in good health, Lisa tells Charlotte — which is exactly what Harry’s doctors have said should increase his chances of beating prostate cancer. After weeks spent covering up his diagnosis and bottling up her fear, at Harry’s request, it all comes pouring out of Charlotte in the adult diapers aisle of the corner pharmacy, where Charlotte bumps into Carrie and simply loses it, heaving sobs into her friend’s shoulder.
The dam finally breaks. But Carrie assures Charlotte: “You can tell me anything, any thought, big or small … I’m your vault.”
It was a touching nod to the long history and deep friendships that have always been the heart of this franchise. More of that, please.
Things still taking up space in my brain
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Possibly the funniest thing we’ve witnessed on “And Just Like That …” this season is the way Seema’s driver does not care at all about her dramatic goodbye.
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At long last, in this episode, Miranda finally finds an apartment, thanks to Seema’s prowess. It is not without drama, though. At first, Miranda refuses to offer the $150,000 over the asking price that Seema knows the sellers are after, citing Manhattan’s already overpriced real estate and not wanting to be “part of the problem.” But offering over ask is not just a Manhattan thing. People do that everywhere, every day. This manufactured self-righteousness just seems silly.
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The neighborly friendship between Carrie and Duncan is seemingly blossoming, as they have agreed to read the first chapters of their respective book drafts. A curious moment occurs when Duncan stops upstairs to drop his galley and encounters Aidan for the first time. Aidan is aware of who Duncan is, but Duncan seems largely unaware of who Aidan is. Has Carrie never mentioned her “boyfriend”? (Yes, I’m still using quotes around that word.)
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Aidan also indicates through some uncomfortable face twitches that Carrie, perhaps, never mentioned how ruggedly handsome her neighbor is. When Carrie spots the chapter on that fugly table, she appears to have an uncomfortable realization that Duncan and Aidan have met. Why so uneasy, Carrie?
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