Podcast Summary: Are You A Charlotte?

Episode: Stolen Manolos, Hottie Detectives, and a Charlotte Makeout! (S3E17 "What Goes Around Comes Around")

Date: March 5, 2026
Host: Kristin Davis (Charlotte York from Sex and the City)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode takes a deep dive into Sex and the City Season 3, Episode 17 (“What Goes Around Comes Around”), a fan-favorite installment featuring Carrie getting mugged in Soho, Samantha’s encounter with a much-younger man, Miranda’s romance with a dreamy detective, and Charlotte’s pivotal, emotional visit to the McDougall estate in Connecticut. Kristin Davis reflects on filming the episode, behind-the-scenes memories, and how its themes still resonate today.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene and Kristin’s Memories

• Episode Details:
  • Directed by Alan Coulter, written by Darren Star
  • Original air date: October 8, 2000
  • Main plotlines for Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte
• Kristin’s Confessions:
  • “I always thought the episode where Carrie loses Aidan's dog was called ‘What Goes Around Comes Around,’ but I was wrong." (04:04)
  • Kristin admits to forgetting much of the Charlotte storyline, saying re-watching it “was like watching the whole thing for the first time.” (05:14)
  • Filming memories: The purple Dolce & Gabbana dress and matching “grape” color nails, noticing Sarah Jessica Parker’s banter about it (05:29)
  • Dog on set: Kyle MacLachlan’s small dog in Connecticut scenes (05:50)

2. Carrie's Mugging, Karma, and Iconic Fashion

• Carrie’s Ordeal:
  • Mugged in Soho, loses her Manolo Blahniks, ring, and watch (04:56)
  • The mugger knows the shoes are “Manolo Blahniks”
  • “She’s barefoot and very, very concerned about her feet…and that she’s going to get trichinosis” (07:17)
  • Miranda clarifies: “You only get that from pork.”
• Carrie’s Emotional Arc:
  • Carrie’s guilt and questions about karma from her affair with Big:
    • “She’s not really driving her storyline, but towards the end…she pursues Natasha to apologize, which I think is fantastic and a long time coming.” (09:22)
    • “Is karma out to get her because of her affair with Big? I don’t think karma really works that way, but it’s a valid question.” (09:07)
• Fashion Trivia:
  • The iconic Dior newspaper dress:
    • Intensive behind-the-scenes discussions with Molly (costume designer) about whether there was one or two versions of the dress. "If you happen to have $245,000... you could have it." (20:40)
    • Sightings and re-wearings of the dress by Sarah Jessica Parker and Jenna Ortega (20:40)
• Memorable Scene:
  • Carrie’s apology to Natasha:
    • “I'm sorry you felt the need to come down here. Now, not only have you ruined my marriage, you’ve ruined my lunch.” (22:10, Natasha’s line)
  • Carrie's reflective walk in the newspaper dress:
    • "Possibly the most beautiful shot ever on our entire show... and she's thinking about how out there somewhere, Big is alone again." (23:31)

3. Samantha’s Hilarious NYU Storyline

• Dorm Party Antics:
  • Samantha gets mysterious invites to a party, discovers “Sam Jones” is a 17-year-old NYU student
  • “She walks away, which I think is the right thing to do… then he pursues her. She gives him the first experience she never had.” (11:24)
  • Carrie’s quip: "That would be statutory rape, because the character’s supposed to be 17." (11:35)
  • Alan Coulter’s creative, humorous directing style in these scenes
  • The aftermath:
    • "He leaves her like 35 voicemails about how he's obsessed with her and can't live without her." (12:53)
    • He shows up yelling "I love you, Sam Jones!" outside her door
• Reflections:
  • Kristin’s amusement at not remembering Jacob Pitts (the actor), and desire to bring him on the podcast (10:48)

4. Charlotte’s Connecticut Makeout & Marital Heartbreak

• Emotional Disconnect with the McDougalls:
  • Kristin expresses surprise at Charlotte’s storyline:
    • “I had literally kiss Abe Gardner, which I thought had been a dream. I did not remember that I actually did this in the storyline of the show.” (05:12)
  • Describes the McDougalls as “a very sad, sad bunch. Really sad, sad bunch… and we're up there and they're all in their, their preppy, preppy lives." (25:11)
  • Cocktail hour “goes from 5 until the last person standing," per Carrie’s voiceover (25:26)
• Affair with the Gardener:
  • Charlotte kisses the “handsome, handsome gardener” and is caught by her sister-in-law (25:45)
  • The family’s reaction is muted—“no one looks that upset.” Bunny’s comment: “Now you’re really a MacDougall,” which Kristin notes is “chilling” (26:06)
• Turning Point:
  • Charlotte admits to Trey, “I'm really sorry I kissed the gardener,” and he responds with indifference. She asks to separate when they return to the city (26:37)
  • Observation: “The fact that she’s not just crying hysterically, I don’t understand.” (26:39)

5. Miranda’s Detective Romance and the “Deleted Vomit Scene”

• Romance with Detective Stevens:
  • “She thinks right away…that he is out of her league.” (32:02)
  • Miranda’s insecurity has her changing outfits, calling Carrie for advice, ending up drunk to calm nerves (32:05)
  • After a successful first date and a kiss, at dinner Miranda gets jealous of the attention the detective receives from other women
  • “She’s so incredibly drunk that [originally] she was going to be…straddling him and she was going to throw up all over him, which they filmed.” (33:35)
• Behind-the-Scenes Story:
  • The infamous “vomit scene” with "chunky Campbell’s soup" was filmed but cut as it was considered “too much to do to Miranda.” Instead, they use the now-famous “hungover walk” meme with Miranda (33:35-34:24)
  • “I don’t know if I saw the dailies or if it was just described so much, but it lives in my mind.” (34:25)
• Takeaway:
  • Kristin finds Miranda’s storyline “really, really enjoyable” and “relatable,” especially the interplay of confidence and insecurity (35:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I painted my nails kind of a grape color… Definitely questionable, I would say, but whatever, that's what I did.” — Kristin (05:29)
• “She’s barefoot, and she’s very very concerned about her feet and that she’s going to get trichinosis.” — Kristin, on Carrie (07:17)
• “Is karma out to get her because of her affair with Big?... It’s a valid thing to ask yourself when you’ve done something that isn’t necessarily good to other people.” — Kristin (09:07)
• “We need to find this guy, Jacob Pitts, or anyone who knows him. We need to find him to be on the podcast. He’s really funny.” — Kristin (10:48)
• “He leaves her like 35 voicemails about how he's obsessed with her and can't live without her…So sad, you know, we’ve all been there, I guess.” — Kristin (12:53)
• “If that doesn’t send chills down your spine, I don’t know what is.” — Kristin, on Bunny’s “now you’re really a MacDougall” (26:06)
• “The fact that she’s not just crying hysterically, I don’t understand.” — Kristin on Charlotte’s muted reaction (26:39)
• “They had this whole rig with the chunky Campbell’s soup…and then they decide when they watch it that it’s just too much, that they can’t do this to Miranda.” — Kristin, on the deleted vomit scene (33:35)
• “We didn’t even know how good that show was when we were filming it…When I watch it back, it's like really good." — Kristin (24:16)

Important Timestamps

• [03:50] — Introduction to episode and why it’s memorable for Kristin
• [04:56] — Breakdown of Carrie’s mugging and its impact
• [07:17] — Discussion about Carrie's feet and health paranoia
• [09:07] — Carrie wrestles with karma and guilt about Big
• [10:48] — Samantha and the NYU dorm story, actor trivia
• [11:35] — Statutory rape gag and Samantha’s romantic “first”
• [12:53] — Aftermath of Samantha’s tryst: voicemails and public displays
• [17:36] — Carrie’s guilt and decision to apologize to Natasha
• [20:40] — The Dior newspaper dress: authenticity, trivia, and fashion history
• [22:10] — Carrie and Natasha’s confrontation and Natasha’s list of grievances
• [23:31] — Carrie’s iconic walk in the Dior dress ("most beautiful shot ever")
• [24:55] — Charlotte’s time in Connecticut, tennis, and makeout with the gardener
• [26:06] — Bunny’s chilling line: “now you’re really a MacDougall”
• [26:37] — Charlotte’s confrontation with Trey and decision to separate
• [32:02] — Miranda meets the “hottie detective”; insecurity and drunken date
• [33:35] — The deleted vomit scene
• [35:18] — Kristin’s closing feelings on the episode

Themes & Reflections

• Karma, Guilt, and Consequences: Carrie’s storyline drives home questions about cause, effect, and taking responsibility.
• Self-worth & Insecurity: Miranda’s arc explores how we sabotage our own happiness.
• Identity, Belonging, and Sadness: Charlotte’s storyline with the McDougalls is “tragic,” exploring the loneliness of living up to others’ expectations.
• Humor & Melancholy: Even the funniest moments are tinged with sadness or longing—a trademark of the series.
• Legacy and Impact: Kristin realizes on reflection how groundbreaking and well-made the show was, both in writing and production.

Conclusion

A quintessential episode capturing the wit, emotional depth, and realism of Sex and the City, as refracted through Kristin Davis’s intelligent and humorous commentary. This podcast covers favorite scenes, fashion history, and engaging reflections on friendship, love, regret, and why Sex and the City still resonates decades later.