A party that seemed doomed from the start somehow led to a classic Sex and the City moment, and finally, And Just Like That showed a pulse. After the bizarre blunder of killing off a background character twice (and then claiming we misunderstood—more on that later), it was about time.

It was doubly surprising to hear that Carrie might be writing a genuinely good historical romance bestseller. But if Duncan Reeves—a respected author—liked it, then I guess it’s a fact, however odd.

But first, let’s break things down by group. Anthony is nervous about meeting his future mother-in-law, Gia, who serves as an excuse to bring Patti LuPone into the cast. Of course, she doesn’t like him, but something feels off. She speaks fluent Italian, but according to Anthony, it’s fake. The chic, overbearing psychiatrist is actually from Buffalo, NY, and has invented this persona. Strange all around. Still, she loves Anthony’s friends, especially Carrie, who tries to help by singing his praises.

Miranda and Joy are in a great place, which is a relief since chaotic Miranda was getting exhausting. While chatting with Carrie—who’s planning a birthday party for Charlotte—Miranda starts to suspect something is wrong with Harry. But Carrie lies and says it’s poor Richard Burton, the dog, who’s not doing well. So the two team up to throw an unforgettable party.

Meanwhile, Charlotte catches Harry with another woman. Calm down: it’s the personal shopper who helps him always nail his gifts. The real issue is that she knows Harry has cancer, which frustrates Charlotte because she still has to keep the secret from friends and daughters—at his request. But Harry is so perfect that we let it slide.

At home, Lily is heartbroken after being dumped by her dancer boyfriend and has to be dragged to the party—which is tacky and childish in the name of fun. Yes, clueless Miranda is still alive and has taken over as host and party starter, complete with a karaoke machine that’s mortifying everyone.

If it weren’t for Lisa’s son grabbing the mic and belting out Broadway hits with full commitment and enthusiasm, the moment would have been a total flop. But Miranda won’t quit, and the gaffe parade keeps marching.

Yes, Carrie and Duncan—the brooding writer-next-door—continue to exchange literary compliments and are growing closer. He’s invited to the party and shows up. Together, they mock the music and flirt without flirting. Miranda is watching, eagle-eyed.

And of course, it’s Miranda again, blurting something out to Harry, thinking they’re talking about the dog, leading to the ultimate mix-up about who’s actually dying. At last, the truth comes out—to Carrie, Miranda, and Lisa—confirming Harry and Charlotte as the most solid couple in the entire franchise. And that Miranda still can’t stop putting her foot in it.

Seema, our de facto Miranda replacement, is adjusting to a non-glamorous life in NYC. That includes getting her lashes done at a cheap salon and ending up with an eye infection—another unexpected gem of the episode. Still, she’s openly flirting with Adam the gardener, who’s also at Charlotte’s party. She shows up wearing an improvised eye patch, but Adam isn’t fazed one bit. The best moment of the night comes when he, with perfect timing, sings Bette Davis Eyes to Seema. Yes, it finally looks like we might have a new romance.

As the party ends and Carrie is cleaning up, we see Miranda in Carrie’s kitchen—and we just know it’s about to go south (she lacks basic social awareness, after all). Sure enough, she cracks a weather joke to Duncan, triggering a furious and reactive Carrie: “I’m with Aidan, Miranda!”, as if trying to convince herself and remind us. Yes, technically, she’s still in this bizarre long-distance/open-ish relationship with Aidan, but the fact that she tells Miranda their story is 20 years old—and clearly still going badly—says it all.

The two make peace, Miranda pretends to believe everything’s fine, but the closing credits song says:

So even if I could, I wouldn’t go back to where we started,
I know you’re still waiting, wondering where my heart is,
Praying things don’t change,
But the hardest part is you realizing maybe I, maybe I’m not the same.

Yes, The Hardest Part by Olivia Dean spells out what we’ve known all along. Aidan’s on his way out.

And about Lisa’s dad?
Incredibly, the previous And Just Like That… episode showed Lisa reacting to the news of her father’s death. Though we had a funeral and a whole grief arc, sharp-eyed fans pointed out that in Season 1, Lisa had already said her father was dead. Then in Season 2, he appeared very much alive, played by Billy Dee Williams. The official explanation? According to someone from the production team, Lisa was actually referring to her stepfather in that Season 1 moment.

Fan reactions—like the show itself—are all over the place, and that’s the strange charm of the series: once beloved, it’s now a hate-watch hit. But it is what it is.