You must make time for this mini-marathon.
And just like that… a new season is upon us. On Thursday, June 22, And Just Like That Season 2 drops on Max. Even if you had mixed feelings about Season 1, you know you’re “abso-f*ckin-lutely” tuning in for Season 2, because real Sex And The City fans are loyal to our gals, no matter where their stories go. While the Season 2 trailers have kept us thirsty for more, it’s nice to prepare ourselves by going back to the OG days of Sex and the City. (You know, in the BCC era — “Before comedy concerts.”) As a person who falls asleep to Sex and the City every single night (this took a minute for my boyfriend to get used to), I felt compelled to recommend five episodes of Sex and the City that I think are worthy of a rewatch before the launch of And Just Like That Season 2.
Although I consider myself to be a Sex and the City enthusiast, I think some of my choices may surprise you. A fun fact about me is I don’t identify as one of the fab four, but more as a “Steve.” (Maybe you’ve seen my videos online of me searching for “…Miranda?!”) Because as we all know, #JusticeForSteve has not yet been served in this new chapter. So, here are the five episodes of Sex and the City that I’m rewatching before Thursday’s premiere. I couldn’t help but wonder… are you joining me?
“Was It Good For You? (Season 2, Episode 14)
This episode is a game-changer in the Sex and the City-verse. Our girl Samantha has one of the most influential lines of the entire series that not only predicts the future, but gives And Just Like That a clear path to explore.
Her iconic line is beyond its years: “Wake up. It’s 2000. The new millennium won’t be about sexual labels, it’ll be about sexual expression. It won’t matter if you’re sleeping with men or women. It’ll be about sleeping with individuals. Or in your case, twos or threes. Soon everyone will be pansexual. It won’t matter if you’re gay or straight.” And this was Season 2! Luckily And Just Like That took the note and is more inclusive with its characters and storylines than the original series. This episode also gives us a ton of action like the girls attending a tantric sex workshop, Carrie dating an alcoholic, and Charlotte trying to figure out if she’s bad in bed after the guy falls asleep. So to answer the question in the title, yes, this episode was good for me!
“Just Say Yes” (Season 4, Episode 12)
If there’s one surprise we already know about And Just Like That S2, it’s the return of Carrie’s ex — and fan favorite — Aidan. While some of us are still mourning Big (yes, I’m on Team Big), there were some shiny moments in the Carrie and Aidan fairytale. In this episode, Aidan proposes to Carrie in the simplest of ways: At night, in the middle of the street, with a gorgeous ring. Though reluctant, she responds with a “Yes.” It’s a very sweet moment that makes me question if I should switch over to Team Aidan.
This episode shows Aidan’s commitment to Carrie — which Big didn’t truly have. Plus, the other storylines foreshadow where their lives end up: After struggling with reproductive issues, Charlotte looks into adopting a baby from China, and Miranda tells Steve she’s pregnant with his child. Though we’re only getting a brief cameo of Samantha in the upcoming season, this episode shows an amazing side of her character when she starts to fall for her boss, Richard, one of the more significant relationships she has in the series. It’s an episode of big life changes, and that’s why it’s my favorite.
“The Big Journey” (Season 5, Episode 8)
This episode is random and hilarious because everyone’s out of their comfort zones. Carrie and Samantha take a cross-country train from New York to San Francisco for Carrie’s book signing. Charlotte falls for her divorce lawyer, Harry, and they spontaneously hook up. This episode is empowering for Charlotte because it’s one of the first times she follows her instincts and doesn’t calculate her future. And she’s right: Here we are — multiple movies and TV seasons later — and they’re still together. It’s an adventurous episode, both geographically and sexually.
“One” (Season 6, Episode 12)
You didn’t think I was going to make a list of my go-to rewatch episodes and not give you the most romantic moment ever between Miranda and Steve, right? While it may be my job to continue Steve’s storyline on Instagram and TikTok, this episode will remind you of how great the he and Miranda were together. At Brady’s birthday party, they end up in the laundry room, where Miranda confesses her love for Steve (after a few breakups) and he instantly reciprocates. It’s so touching it may even make you forget about her new obsession with Che Diaz.
Also in this episode, Charlotte deals with an emotionally painful miscarriage, Carrie meets future lover Aleksandr Petrovsky, and for a more comedic storyline, and Samantha dyes her hair “down there.” If there’s any episode to rewatch, it’s this “One.” (Had to!)
“Splat” (Season 6, Episode 18)
OK, I allowed myself a fun one for this list, and I’m recommending it for the comedy alone. This episode is one of my favorites because of the unforgettable performance of Kristen Johnston. While Sex and the City was full of incredible cameos, Johnston’s Lexi Featherston is the one to top. As a former party girl and friend of Carrie’s, she brings the drugs and fun to a boring apartment party before claiming that, “New York is over. O-V-E-R.”
And then she falls out of the window — splat — on the city streets. It’s shocking! We had never seen anything like this on the show before. But it’s a solid reminder that just when you think a show is mellowing out in its final episodes, a wild performance like this can make it to a list almost 20 years later. Praying we have some iconic guest stars in this new season of And Just Like That! I’d take the ghost of Lexi Featherston.
