I already mentioned that since Carrie Bradshaw became a widow and a millionaire, her obstacles have been reduced and we are feeling her apathy. More so, literally, we miss her voice. When she led us by the hand in Sex and The City, the theme of what we were going to see was always placed in the first scenes – something maintained – and she, off-camera, asked us the question, but this was discarded in And Just Like That. One would imagine that a ‘mature’ audience might think for itself, of course, but the show’s charm began with the inflection of the question, followed by circumstances leading the characters to change their minds or solidify a position, and finally, with the conclusion of ‘and just like that’s making us invariably smile and agree with them. Apparently, this was in the dated field and was discarded.

To make matters worse, for some reason, the sex on And Just Like That has also always felt dated. There is no intimacy, no boner, or even humor. We arrive at the fourth episode of the season where the main theme is basically the same: Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) tries to move on post-widowhood, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve (David Eigenberg) still dealing with the end of their marriage, Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker) and Herbert (Christopher Jackson) deal with their family’s bad moods, and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Harry (Evan Handler) have healthy, active sex lives. Put them all together and it still doesn’t have one iota of the fun that a scene with Samantha (Kim Cattrall) always guaranteed. And I don’t like dwelling in the past, but dealing with Harry’s lack of enjoyment for 30 minutes was yet another unnecessary metaphor for fans of the series. Do we fake our orgasms every episode maybe?

But what is clear is that in each episode you can see the team’s response to criticism. It’s not subtle to bring Enid (Candice Bergen) back to once again run errands. I haven’t seen Candice Bergen in ages, but I hope her mobility isn’t as challenging as Enid’s. I have octogenarian parents who, while decidedly slower on the move, are as nimble as teenagers close to what the show has prejudicedly exaggerated with everyone over 60. I agree that the criticism of calling the actresses ‘old ladies’ in the first reunion was exaggerated, but it didn’t quite hit the spot. For example, in the first season, we lost a lot of time with Miranda ‘confused’ about how to speak or act, as they all seemed alien and attached to the pre-digital world that was left behind for over 20 years. This contributed to their being seen as ‘old’.

So Carrie’s shock at finding Enid starting over with a digital magazine after 34 years at the helm of Vogue was awful. The problem wasn’t showing the market discarding people who still contribute, but trying to point out to millennials that there’s a two-decade gap between a 50-year-old and a 70-year-old. Enid is old, isn’t Carrie? Dear ones, in binary times both (and I) are old, the question you try to address is between them who is more and millennials don’t care. The opportunity is doubly lost here because young people who don’t like Carrie continue to think she’s outdated, but now she reinforces prejudice by looking at Enid as an alien. Carrie only questions herself when she meets Gloria Steinem, also walking with difficulty, taking a stand against ageism. A missed opportunity for an ultra-sticky theme on And Just Like That.

Enid is a controversial character because she has always openly envied Carrie and has always put her down. She was irritated when Carrie hooked up with Alexander Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) or put her on the cover of “40s Brides” when she hooked up with Big (Chris Noth). She was never someone Carrie could count on and this relationship deserved to be explored. After all, Enid’s initiative to reinvent herself and create a magazine aimed at a generation in the middle of social discard is not different from what And Just Like That is doing. A more interesting topic than Harry’s ejaculation problem. Or Miranda sleeping on the couch. Or anything that comes from Lisa and Herbert, who are overly clumsy and not even remotely funny.

Having said all that, the second season is already halfway through and it’s better than the first, but the arcs are still unclear. Carrie – without material challenges – is on autopilot in her personal life as well. And remember, she’s only been a widow for a year and they’re treating her like 10. As we know from Aidan’s (John Corbett) comeback, it’s her path, no worries. Miranda must now overcome the pain she inflicted on Steve and make amends with Che (Sara Ramirez), Charlotte will apparently have to deal with the decision to go back to work or remain a 24/7 mom. I don’t even mention the new characters because the goal is even shallower. That’s why I’m sorry to see the most interesting topics being desc ripped so easily. And Just Like That should embrace ageism as an agenda. Grace and Frankie have held Netflix for years moving us and making us laugh. Let the love questions stay with Emily in Paris. In Manhattan, nobody shines brighter than Carrie Bradshaw. We want her back.

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