It would appear that we’ve hit a wall, gang. Or at least, I’ve hit a wall. Up until now, there was an element of fun in seeing just how absurd the second season of And Just Like That could get. Truly, we went pretty far with it! But I started to get a feeling the fun was running out, and that the show’s doddering formula was never going to change.
And, in the end, that’s what happened. The formula in question sees the show continually hitting plot beats that are meant to be bombastic and “AH!”-worthy, only to end up going nowhere. This is fine when contained and character-driven like the original Sex and the City would do. But AJLT seems to be prioritizing these kinds of open-ended shenanigans that leave us with even less attachment to the cast and plot than we’d feel otherwise.
The result is just a complete yawnfest, in which we expect nothing and get nothing. The predictability of the show’s tone-deaf nature was initially (at the very least) funny because it was just so unbelievable to witness over and over again. But it simply goes nowhere, except to fulfill strange fantasies that feel like they’d belong better in a direct-to-TV romcom than a high-budget Max exclusive (whatever that even means anymore).
Case in point: Carrie is responsible for a bike accident in which the cyclist breaks his hand. He ends up paying for it himself, and at no point does she offer to help aside from getting him to the hospital. And this is after she goes on and on and on and on about how she’s just had the craziest day and it’s not really her fault, oh geez, oh gosh. And while this is a classic Carrie move, the scene just didn’t know when to end. This is New York City we’re talking about. Do you mean to tell me the cyclist just sat there and let the woman who’s responsible for breaking his hand go on and on?
And of course, the two end up hooking up, after she both refuses to pay for his medical bills AND makes fun of his card getting declined. There are no rules in the game that is AJLT. If anything, it’s our fault as viewers if we don’t get it. This mentality is what gave us an uncomfortably meta scene in which a focus group critiques Che Diaz’s show, Che Pasa (I know). The harshest blow came from a nonbinary person who criticized the show’s portrayal of the nonbinary experience, and Che is visibly crushed. In the next scene, Che and Miranda get into it, criticizing the audience of their show in turn. What makes all of this wildly uncomfortable is the fact that these very critiques are clearly inspired by queer critiques of And Just Like That. Once again, we are reminded that Sara Ramirez and Cynthia Nixon are wedded to their characters, to the point where any criticism whatsoever is wrong, and it’s the audience’s fault for “not getting it.”
This is the kind of attitude that’s made the show insufferable. And it’s this insufferable nature that’s ultimately made it so boring. If you want to make people care about your characters and their stories, you need to put in the effort to make them care. Good writers don’t just go around throwing their books in peoples’ faces and shouting, “Care about this, because I do!” Good writers listen to feedback and establish a team that’ll help them elevate their work to the best possible level.
If you want a comparison, just look at The Idol. It was initially going to be a very different show, up until The Weeknd removed its “female perspective.” Instead, the series became a circlejerk between himself and Sam Levinson that ultimately resulted in a show more boring than titillating. Consequently, it won’t be renewed for a second season. I think the only reason AJLT got renewed is because it’s still carrying the devoted fan base of Sex and the City.
And you know what made Sex and the City so successful? It was FUN. The series knew how to make us care about its cast and their stories, with tight, well-rounded expositions and arcs that kept us invested. By comparison, AJLT has already given us too many characters and plot threads to keep track of, with little follow-through. Remember Charlotte’s problems with Lily, and how that was set up to be a big deal? Or Carrie’s relationship with her downstairs neighbor? What about Brady’s straight-up refusal to go to college? Nothing whatsoever has come of these plot threads, and these are just three of many!
I’m TIRED of the Che and Miranda drama, I’m TIRED of Carrie flitting from this and that, and I’m TIRED of Charlotte’s boring family life. I don’t care about any of it! There’s no reason to! I get more enjoyment out of rewatching all one season of Freaks and Geeks for the umpteenth time! It hasn’t even been 24 hours since I watched the most recent episode of AJLT, and I STILL struggle to recall everything that happened, because none of it matters!
The real rub is, these plot snacks could have been interesting if the writers left their echo chambers and actually gave them due consideration. Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman) has so much potential that’s just getting squandered, a sentiment I see echoed about the other “emotional support women of color” in the show. Miranda’s queerness could have been handled with so much more care and grace, Carrie’s grief could have been explored without constant male validation, and Charlotte could have been … I don’t know, anything. I truly hope Samantha’s cameo is worth it, but something tells me the only winner is Kim Cattrall’s bank account. And that paycheck better be massive.
(featured image: Max)
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Madeline Carpou
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