This ‘And Just Like That…’ Season 2 Scene Needed Samantha

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for And Just Like That Season 2, Episode 4When it was announced that a Sex and the City sequel series would be going forward without the addition of Kim Cattrall’s iconic Samantha Jones, fans were apprehensive to embrace the new show. After all, how can you reboot Sex and the City without the one who put the “sex” in the city? Of course, And Just Like That explained her absence by simply saying she had a falling out with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), and thus Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as well. And she was still incorporated into the story in other ways, like in passing conversations, through texts with Carrie, and when she sent the flowers for Big’s (Chris Noth) funeral. But there’s still a Samantha-sized hole that no amount of text messages or name drops can fill, and the fourth episode of the season, titled “ALIVE,” made that vehemently clear.

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Samantha Was Sorely Missed at Brunch in ‘And Just Like That’

Season 2, Episode 4 saw the parents of the show celebrate as they send their kids off to summer camp. Charlotte and Harry (Evan Handler) celebrate by having sex, and since it’s a special occasion, Charlotte tells him he can “finish” on her chest. Excitedly, he does just that. Only, there’s nothing to show for it. Charlotte recounts this to Miranda, Carrie, and Anthony (Mario Cantone) in a gut-busting conversation. In the scene, we’re treated to many conversational gems, like Miranda calling Charlotte a “cum-slut,” Carrie comparing “jizz” to an old friend, and Anthony coining Harry’s condition as “dust balls.” There’s also the gag of Miranda saying that “jizz-free sex” sounds like an upgrade, and Carrie firing back by saying, “Guess that should have been our first clue about you,” in regards to her coming out. Honestly, the fact that Carrie is as much of a presence in the conversation as she is really brings the scene up a level. She’s been so prudish lately, and it’s felt so out of character, especially since she used to engage in these conversations all the time in the OG series, and was even the star subject for a few.

But you know who would have really loved this conversation? Samantha. We all remember when she dated “a guy with the funkiest tasting spunk” — it’s an iconic moment and an unforgettable one at that. She would have been all over this conversation, proclaiming her love for jizz… we can almost hear it now. Plus, with the way Charlotte reacted to her story, imagine the delight Samantha would have gotten hearing Charlotte initiate such a raunchy topic. She would have been thrilled. As great as the scene was and as funny as it was, it just missed that specific flare that only Samantha can bring to the table. In these conversations, Charlotte was the shy and awkward one, Carrie and Miranda were the jokesters, and Sam was the one who kept it real and encouraged the open floor discussion. Anthony sort of filled those shoes in the scene, but if he and Sam had teamed up it would have been comedic gold.

Samantha is always missed, but there was just something about this scene, and honestly, the episode as a whole, that made her absence feel all the stronger. Like when Charlotte was teaching Harry how to do kegels, you know who taught her? That’s right, Samantha: Miss “I’m doing mine right now” in the middle of lunch. She would’ve been on it, offering genuine advice to help. It’s what we love about her. She may have been brash and unfiltered, but she was as real as they come. She never judged her friends for anything — even when Carrie revealed her affair to her and asked if she wanted to judge her, even a little bit, Samantha simply said “Not my style.” Seriously, And Just Like That… we miss her!

The Brunch Talks Were the Best Part of ‘Sex and the City’

As funny as the scene and storyline as a whole is, it’s also incredibly nostalgic. During it, it feels as though we’ve been transported back to 1998 when sex talks over brunch were a staple to these friends. Back in Sex and the City’s original run, these women would talk about sex loudly and unabashedly, as if there weren’t a single other patron in earshot. And Just Like That simply doesn’t do that. Like ever. It seems as though the series has forgotten that one of the best parts of Sex and the City was those talks. Of course, things are more modern now, and the show reflects that, with text conversations and phone calls often taking the place of in-person meetings. For example, the episode in which Carrie is on the phone with Che (Sara Ramirez) while Miranda is trying to figure out how to wear a strap-on would have made for peak brunch conversation. We would have gotten an absolute gem of a scene with Miranda bringing it up, Charlotte reacting in her typical flustered and confused fashion, and Carrie making a punchy quip. Instead, while the scene was still comical, it fell a little flat and missed a great opportunity. In fact, that’s the case with a lot of moments of the show. Sometimes it feels like Miranda, Charlotte, and Carrie are living so separate from one another, and granted Miranda was in Los Angeles for a bit, but even when she wasn’t, we rarely got classic scenes of the three of them.

The show should be leaning into nostalgia, not away from it, and giving us more scenes like the “jizz” conversation at brunch. Open talks about sex and the many awkward and wonderful that come with it are what the foundation of Sex and the City was built on. We loved hearing about Samantha’s latest sexual escapade and watching Charlotte blush. We loved hearing Carrie make a joke about it and getting a classic sarcastic comment from Miranda. Seeing the ladies live their lives and go about their day-to-day doings is fine and dandy, but part of what made Sex and the City so great was how unapologetically raunchy it was. It was dirty, and funny, and quirky. But above all, it was real and unashamed, and for that, it was lovable.