‘And Just Like That’ Season 2, Episode 4: Kegels, penis pics and Gloria Steinem
Could HBO’s “And Just Like That” get any more ridiculous?
In the fourth episode of Season Two, the ladies — Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) once again test the limits, cramming sperm jokes, penis size jokes, off-the-wall fashions and a Gloria Steinem cameo into 40-ish absurd minutes of screen time.
We catch up with the gang in a state of flux, dealing with Miranda’s crumbling marriage, Charlotte’s husband’s crumbling pelvic floor, and Carrie’s struggle whether or not to lean on former Vogue mentor/fashion industry legend Enid Frick (Candice Bergen) for a much-needed book endorsement.
But first, sex stuff. Carrie’s day begins promisingly, with silver fox Marlon mysteriously sliding into her DMs. But Carrie is in need of a plug of a different sort, and manages to run into Enid, who invites her to a party to celebrate her post-Vogue venture, a new magazine named Vivante. (It’s for “women our age,” the septuagenarian Enid tells a 50-something Carrie.)
Later, at the party, the mystery of the virtual appearance of the handsome man is solved, when beloved screwball Bitsy Von Muffling (Julie Halston) confesses to having sent Marlon — who, apparently, is known as “The Human Tripod — Carrie’s way. “The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else,” von Muffling promises.
Seeing that Carrie is still not convinced, Bitsy passes her a penis pic, which Enid accidentally sees while pumping Carrie for a $100,000 investment in her magazine. And just like that, Marlon is revealed to be Enid’s beau. Awkward!
Let’s just say, cats may always land on their feet, but Carries are known to stumble on occasion — she finds a way to smooth over the situation, but the solution proves expensive. Less sex, more six figures.
Meanwhile, in Miranda-land, the high-powered lawyer’s son Brady (Niall Cunningham) drops a bomb in family therapy — he won’t be starting college in the fall.
Apparently, Brady would rather marinate in the excruciating home life of his separated parents, including a couch-sleeping Miranda and revenge-body Steve (David Eigenberg), who has installed a punching bag in his room in lieu of actually confronting Miranda for leaving him. You know what they say: If you can’t get even, get shredded.
But that’s all okay, because Che’s (Sara Ramirez) back in New York, and Miranda is looking forward to some much-needed alone time. But while visiting her partner’s new apartment — “page 42 of the IKEA catalogue” — Miranda is surprised to find Che’s ex-husband, Lyle (Oliver Hudson), still in town. After a cozy night spent reminiscing about Che and Lyle’s polyamorous marriage, the ex-lovers initiate a threesome.
The sexy scene lasts for about two seconds, before Miranda gets a leg cramp, freaks out and flees.
“You should carry on!” Miranda yells to Che and Lyle, while stumbling to the living room couch to catch her breath.
And what’s with Charlotte? This week, Mrs. York Goldenblatt stars in the mystery of Harry’s (Evan Handler) missing jizz. When her hubby’s orgasm doesn’t leave any physical evidence, Charlotte decides to teach her husband how to keep his downstairs region tight, by leading him through a series of Kegel exercises.
This plot line sparks a lunch conversation between Miranda, Carrie, Charlotte, and longtime pal Anthony Marantino (Mario Cantone) about the merits of jizz — a callback to the many raunchy brunch conversations between the ladies in the original series.
“To me, jizz is like an old friend that gets on your nerves,” Carrie muses. “I think I’d miss it if it were gone.”
Happily, Harry’s doesn’t stay away for long — with Charlotte’s help, the couple find greater enjoyment during their alone time while the kids are out of the house on a school trip.
The final subplot from this week gives us Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) and her husband, Hedge Fund Herbert (Chris Jackson), grappling with their poorly planned anniversary party, when they realize that Herbert forgot to send the invitations and Lisa forgot to order the cake.
After both of them are berated by their in-laws for their respective failings in party-planning, and also in life, Lisa shuts everyone up by announcing that Herbert is running for city comptroller.
“He is?” asks Lisa’s delighted mother-in-law. “I am?” asks the bewildered Herbert.
The highlight of the scene, however, is Lisa’s handbag — a pink, jellyfish-like purse that swims its way right into our hearts.
