248: On Sex and the City: The Caste System

Summary

Every Outfit Podcast – Episode 248: On Sex and the City: The Caste System

Date: November 21, 2025
Hosts: Chelsea Fairless & Lauren Garroni
Series Focus: Fashion, pop culture, Sex and the City deep dives
Episode Focus: Re-examining Sex and the City Season 2, Episode 10: "The Caste System"—a bold look at class, taste, and problematic legacy

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode centers around a detailed, irreverent, and occasionally biting rewatch of the Sex and the City episode “The Caste System.” Chelsea and Lauren dissect the episode’s themes of class, taste, and social mobility, while also highlighting its problematic elements through a modern lens. The episode blends classic SATC fashion commentary with political critique and pop culture anecdotes, all in the hosts' signature witty, outspoken style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Terrifying SJP Wax Figure [00:30–03:12]

• Discovery: Fans alerted the hosts to a life-size Sarah Jessica Parker wax figure being sold by a curiously named New Jersey store, Obnoxious Antiques.
• Reaction: Hosts describe it as "truly terrifying" and agree it doesn’t really look like SJP. They joke about buying the mannequin and updating its outfit for accuracy.
  • Notable moment: “If you showed that to me, it wouldn’t be my first three guesses of who that could be.” – Lauren [01:42]
• Logistics: Comedy about cross-country road trips and shipping impracticalities.

Episode Introduction: Sex and the City’s Overlooked Problematic Entry [03:15–04:09]

• Episode Background: Written by Darren Star, described as “much grittier, meaner, as politically incorrect as some Daddy MPK episodes but, if not more so.” – Lauren [03:23]
• Visual Style: Directed by Allison Anders, noted for distinctive visual flourishes.

“The Caste System” as SATC's Problematic Stepchild [03:58–04:09, recurring throughout]

• Many notorious SATC episodes are often cited as problematic; this one is rarely mentioned despite its egregious class and racial overtones. Hosts advocate for it being part of the conversation.

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Fashion and Emotional Storylines

Carrie + Big: The Unsaid “I Love You” and the Judith Leiber Duck Bag [04:09–09:25]

• Carrie struggles to express “I love you” to Mr. Big; ends up blurting it out when rejecting an extravagant duck-shaped Judith Leiber handbag.
  • “I think she was meaning to lie and say ‘I love the bag,’ but she accidentally said ‘I love you’ because that was on her mind.” – Chelsea [08:50]
• Hosts debate if Carrie would “ironically” love the ugly bag, referencing similar fashionable oddities she later embraces.
• Notable fashion meticulousness: dissection of Carrie’s Dolce & Gabbana corset outfit and Fendi Baguette.

Crimped Hair, 80s Nostalgia, and SATC’s Meme Potential [05:26–06:23]

• Carrie’s crimped hair and 80s callbacks receive affection, with Lauren suggesting a new meme format based on Carrie’s “psychotic energy.”

The Girls’ Brunch—A Cinematic Flashback Flourish [10:12–10:52]

• Praise for Alison Anders’ direction in using flashback within the brunch scene for a “nice cinematic flourish.”

Class, Power, and the Milk Expiry Rule [10:56–11:34]

• Lauren recounts learning from the episode that “if you say I love you to someone, and they don’t say it back, you have about a week before you have to break up” – a social rule absorbed from the show.

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Miranda and Steve: Class Tension in Relationships [12:26–16:47, 35:41–38:13, 47:47–50:26]

• Cheap Dates vs. Law Firm Functions: Miranda, a successful lawyer, is newly dating Steve, a bartender. Their unequal incomes make for awkward social situations, particularly around which restaurants are appropriate.
  • “This man can take her to a restaurant.” – Lauren [13:02]
• The Gold Corduroy Suit: Steve’s outdated suit becomes a metaphor for class and taste disparity.
• Yuppie Guilt and Taste vs. Class: Hosts discuss whether Miranda and Steve’s differences are about class or just taste, arguing that both matter.
  • “I think truly what the issue is is an issue of taste… and that is from their different backgrounds for sure.” – Lauren [20:36]
• Suit Shop Scene [35:41–38:13]: Steve’s inability to easily afford a suit for Miranda’s event leads to embarrassment and a breakup initiated by Steve due to feelings of inadequacy.
  • “You want to break up with me over a suit?” – Miranda [48:38]

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The Nail Salon Scene: Problematic Class Optics [16:53–20:25]

• Hosts scrutinize a scene with the four white leads getting pedicures by women of color, shot to deliberately underscore issues of privilege and social hierarchy.
  • “Four white women are literally lording over these women. I think the way that the scene was shot… is very much on purpose.” – Lauren [17:34]
• Discussion shifts to Charlotte’s open acknowledgment of class divides—a rare explicit mention in the series.

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Samantha’s Problematic Storyline: The “Servant” Named Sum [22:00–23:49, 33:04–34:33, 54:08–57:14]

• Samantha dates a wealthy real estate investor with a “servant” named Sum—depicted with every problematic stereotype imaginable.
  • "A servant makes it seem like she can't leave." – Chelsea [22:10]
• Sum is coded as Thai but portrayed via a jumble of Asian clichés, accent and all, which the hosts lambast as wildly offensive.
  • “Her mannerisms are offensive and sort of more of a jumble of various Asian stereotypes than anything that feels genuinely Thai.” – Chelsea [23:25]
• Pun-laden, racist writing called out: “Samantha realized she wasn't so dim that sum.” [54:24]

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“I Couldn’t Help But Wonder”: Are NYC and New Delhi the Same? [23:25–26:06]

• Carrie’s column draws a spurious (and offensive) parallel between NYC’s social climbing and India’s caste system.
• The hosts explain what a caste system really is, and poke fun at Carrie’s (and America’s) myth of class mobility.
  • “New York City is literally organized by class…” – Chelsea [25:29]

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Charlotte’s Movie Star Interlude [27:57–52:19]

• Charlotte dates movie star Wiley Ford, whose status as “the very highest cast from coast to coast” is discussed and debunked (“Not true at all. Rich, rich people think that movie stars have no money.” – Chelsea [28:16]).
• Wiley Ford asks Charlotte (whom he calls Charlene) to perform a degrading sexual act for his entertainment; this snaps her out of his thrall.
  • “See, if this was a French movie, this would be hot. But this guy is just gross.” – Chelsea [51:39]

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Carrie at the Upper East Side Party [40:15–47:04]

• Satirical take on Park Avenue society, including socialites and bejeweled Judith Leiber bags.
• Carrie’s outsider status is both played up and undermined; she’s “cast out” to smoke on the terrace.
  • Notable line: “I’m not being a bitch. I’m just being myself.” – Carrie [43:30], hosts agree it’s “iconic.”

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Problematic Humor and Cancel-able Puns [54:24–55:02]

• The play on Sum’s name is called possibly the show’s “top candidate for retroactive cancellation.”
• “It’s a very well-crafted joke. It’s racist, but it is a classic Carrie Bradshaw pun…” – Chelsea [54:48]

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Episode Resolution: Power, Apologies, and Messy Love [57:19–59:58]

• Big finally calls Carrie to say he loves her—reconciling their earlier drama.
  • “Again, Mr. Big does nothing wrong in this episode. He’s actually a lovely boyfriend in this episode…” – Chelsea [57:31]
• Carrie’s column purportedly muses that “everything before ‘I love you’ doesn’t count,” referencing her wild night with Jeremiah.
• General consensus: Carrie is at her “messiest and realist,” Miranda and Steve’s class issues go unresolved, and the episode is both iconic and deeply flawed.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “If you showed that to me, it wouldn’t be my first three guesses of who that could be.” – Lauren on the wax figure [01:42]
• “This episode never brought up and it really needs to be. Holy shit.” – Lauren on the episode’s neglected problematic status [04:09]
• “I'm not really on her side in this episode in general, although I understand her neuroses have gotten the best of her.” – Chelsea on Carrie [09:57]
• “It's dangerous to tell straight men you love them. First, you give all your power away.” – Samantha [12:16]
• “I want to enjoy my success, not apologize for it. Bravo, honey. Bravo.” – Miranda [18:07]
• “The question has Always been is Steve beneath Miranda. And I don’t think that their backgrounds are that different.” – Lauren [20:36]
• “I'm not being a bitch. I'm just being myself.” – Carrie [43:30], celebrated by both hosts as one of the best lines
• “Samantha realized she wasn’t so dim that sum. Did Carrie write that in her fucking column? Because dim sum is Chinese.” – Lauren [54:24]
• “Big did not one thing wrong in this episode. He’s a perfect boyfriend and Carrie is a woman on the verge.” – Chelsea [62:42]
• “My hottest take: I think Steve and Carrie would have made a great couple.” – Lauren [62:36]

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Timestamps to Key Segments

• 00:30 | Wax figure cold open
• 03:15 | Introducing “The Caste System” episode
• 04:09 | Classic problematic SATC episodes vs. this one
• 10:12 | Brunch scene w/ flashback device
• 16:53 | Nail salon class debate
• 20:36 | Class/Taste in Steve & Miranda’s relationship
• 23:25 | Carrie’s “cast(e) system” question
• 35:41 | Suit shopping/cringe credit card moment
• 40:15 | Upper East Side party; “I’m just being myself”
• 43:30 | Smoking on the terrace, social snubs
• 54:24 | “Dim sum” pun and problematic humor
• 57:19 | Big’s “I love you” and episode wrap-up
• 59:58 | Final ratings & exit survey (MVP, fashion, best quote)

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Exit Survey & Episode Ratings [59:58–63:00]

• Overall Score: 7.5/10 Manolos (“B” episode – strong but weighed down by dated, problematic writing)
• MVP: Chelsea votes for Carrie (“at her messiest and realist”), Lauren for Charlotte (for sparking class conversation and setting boundaries).
• Best Dressed: Chelsea picks Carrie’s Gaultier dress; Lauren highlights Charlotte’s black leather column dress.
• Hottest Take: Steve and Carrie would have worked as a couple; Big did nothing wrong.
• Biggest Trigger: Use of “servant”; Steve’s pain and shame.
• Iconic Line: “I’m not being a bitch, I’m just being myself.” [43:30]

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Conclusion

In their signature style, Chelsea and Lauren blend deep nostalgia, biting critique, and fashion expertise in revisiting “The Caste System”—recognizing its iconic dialogue, signature looks, and so-very-‘90s class politics, while also interrogating its more uncomfortable legacies. Despite plenty of laughs, they argue the episode deserves a place among the most controversial in the Sex and the City canon.

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Next Week: A deep-dive VIP episode on Steve and Miranda’s complete relationship arc, from Season 2 through “And Just Like That.”

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For listeners:
You’ll come away with fresh style insights, retro outrage, and plenty of quotables—even if you’ve never watched an episode of Sex and the City.

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Summary prepared in the style and voice of the Every Outfit hosts, with direct quotes and structured highlights to make the episode accessible for both diehard fans and newcomers.

Transcript

[A]

I spent $40,000 on shoes. What's the matter, Morty? The spring change to my arm.

[B]

Floral.

[A]

The spring break gowns. Beautiful gowns.

[B]

Fashion has changed. No, it hasn't.

[A]

Hi, I'm Lauren Garoni.

[B]

And I'm Chelsea Fairless.

[A]

And welcome back to another episode of the Every Outfit podcast.

[B]

Today we will discussing an iconic Sex in the City episode. But first we have something more pressing to talk about, which is the existence of a terrifying Sarah Jessica Parker life size wax figure.

[A]

Thank you to all of the fuckettes who let us know about this wax figure. It was truly a terrifying DM to wake up to.

[B]

So it is being sold by a company in New Jersey called Obnoxious Antiques, which has quirky old signs, things of that nature, memorabilia from circuses.

[A]

I mean, a very apt name.

[B]

Yes. And they recently acquired a lot of wax figures from some regional wax museum. I can't figure out which one it was. I've done some googling. It seems like a lot of wax museums have closed in recent years in the United States. So I have no idea where they're from.

[A]

They were another casualty of the pandemic.

[B]

Perhaps. But this Sarah Jessica Parker mannequin is really intriguing because. Well, firstly, it's rude. Like it doesn't look like her. It looks like her, but it doesn't look like her.

[A]

Correct. If you showed that to me, it wouldn't be my first three guesses of who that could be.

[B]

The face kind of looks like her, but it's off. She looks young. Like the face looks taut. Although did you see the arms in the hands? No, that was the really rude part. They're like so thin, so veiny.

[A]

I'm understanding how this regional wax museum maybe went out of business.

[B]

Also, the outfit wasn't great, but you can't really blame them for that.

[A]

However, now that you and I could fix Chelsea.

[B]

Well, she's been sold for twelve hundred and fifty dollars. No, I thought that when we posted it on the Instagram account someone might buy it just because it would have received a lot of exposure just for this random antique store. But no one has purchased it. She's still sitting there.

[A]

Chelsea, I think we offer 650 and that is a generous offer to them. And we put it next to our Smith Jarrett Absolute Hunk poster and we get her in a better, more accurate Carrie Bradshaw outfit.

[B]

But here's the thing. I don't know if this wax figure is something that could be shipped. Like she may have to be driven across country from New Jersey, which I'm not willing to do. But I did just remember that Carly just went on a cross country trip to New York and she's certainly coming back. So maybe we could convince her to throw this bitch in her trunk.

[A]

Not know.

[B]

Just a thought.

[A]

Well, guys, we'll keep you updated.

[B]

So we are talking about the cast system today, which is season 2, episode 10 of Sex and the City.

[A]

It is written by Darren Starr and you can really tell that it is written by Darren Starr. It is much grittier, meaner, as politically incorrect as some Daddy MPK episodes, but.

[B]

If not more so.

[A]

This episode is also directed by Allison Anders. This episode, I feel like, has a really interesting visual style to it. And before we get into it, I just want to say when people talk about problematic Sex and the City episodes, we know which ones make the list, right? The bisexual episode, the transgender sex worker.

[B]

Episode, the Samantha dates a black guy episode.

[A]

This episode never brought up and it really needs to be. Holy shit.

[B]

Yeah. It starts on an unproblematic note, though, with a Carrie voiceover where she says, here are some things that I love about New York. That week in spring when it's warm but not hot and the trees are just beginning to bloom. Men in suits, three papers and 12 gossip columns. Is Sex and the City one of those gossip columns?

[A]

Oh, is she referring to herself?

[B]

Is she one of the 12? I couldn't help but wonder. Anyway, Carrie goes on to say that it's easy for her to say I love New York. It's not so easy for her to say I love you, Mr. Big. We are 10 episodes into season two, and she has not yet said I love you to John James Preston.

[A]

Well, to be fair, she only realized that she was in love with Big when he was eating toast.

[B]

And I love that shot of her peering at him over her newspaper. I'm surprised it hasn't been claimed by the Internet by the same people that have repurposed the image of her in the doorway as the dominatrix.

[A]

I mean, Chelsea. I think now is our time to coin a new meme format for Carrie.

[B]

Bradshaw, because she truly has similarly psychotic energy.

[A]

I think what does it for her is the way that he says thanks, honey to her. And honestly, I felt something when he said that.

[B]

Cut to them walking home from the ballet. Her hair is crimped.

[A]

I was gonna bring this up. Thoughts on Carrie's crimped hair.

[B]

I don't mind when it's crimped and I don't mind these sort of intermittent references to the 80s that happen on this show. This is one of them. Remember that chunk of. Is it season three where she just has white eyeliner?

[A]

Oh, yeah. That might be season four. I was also thinking season two is a crimped hair, heavy season. Maybe not heavy, but we do get another crimped hair reference by Charlotte when she goes to the sex club themed or the BDSM themed restaurants.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And her form of kink is that her hair is crimped.

[B]

But I feel like Carrie obviously came of age in the 80s. That is part of her fashion identity. I think it looks cute, personally.

[A]

And I also wanted to get your thoughts on this Fendi baguette.

[B]

I liked the whole look. I liked the interplay between the sparkly baguette and whatever. Like that fringe on her. I don't know if it's a top or a dress. Whatever she's wearing, it all looks good and it all looks like it belongs in the same world.

[A]

So she says in the voiceover that the first time she feels like telling him that she loves him is when he takes her to the ballet, because he hates the ballet. So he obviously did this for her.

[B]

He does a lot of stuff for her in this episode.

[A]

And then, of course, Chelsea, we have the time that Carrie never thought she would tell Big that she loves him. And that time is approximately 7:20pm on a Friday night.

[B]

She's getting ready to go out with him and he presents her with a shopping bag. And what is in that bag? A little Judith Leiber bag shaped like a. Is it a swan or a duck?

[A]

It is a duck because they refer to it as a duck in the next scene.

[B]

Visually, it does look torn between these two birds. Like, it's not full mallard, but there's black on it, although it's predominantly white.

[A]

I think we're missing the bigger point. And I hate to go against our girl Carrie, but quite like Aiden getting her the MacBook laptop that looks like a handbag. I'm sorry, this would be a bag that Carrie would fuck with.

[B]

Yeah, I understand that she would fuck with it in a semi ironic way. Like she understands that it is a bag for stuffy old rich women that live on the Upper east side, but she would reclaim it as her own, much like Bjork did during the press tour for Dancer in the Dark.

[A]

Can we talk about Carrie's outfit? Because it is quite exquisite. It seems to be a Dolce and Gabbana corset with a flouncy skirt. And she's picking between two pairs of shoes, which is kind of my favorite mini Scene with Carrie, we don't get a lot of them, but her trying to decide on an outfit. I love to see the process is what I'm trying to say here.

[B]

Of course. So she obviously hates this bag. And instead of saying thank you or whatever, she says I love you to Big in this moment and he is really awkward about it.

[A]

I mean, fair enough.

[B]

Yeah, it's a weird time to drop that bomb.

[A]

Well, I guess we're supposed to understand that she lets this slip instead of saying I fucking hate this bag. But, like, there are so many responses in between those two things.

[B]

I think she was meaning to lie and say I love the bag, but she accidentally said I love you because that was on her mind.

[A]

What is your typical reaction when you receive a fashion item that you do not care for?

[B]

It doesn't happen that often. It did maybe when I was younger and I got like, more gifts from, like, adults that didn't know me so well as a person, but it doesn't happen so much now. Also, I believe we discussed this when anxious like that was on the air. But it is very strange that she hates this bag but loves the J.W. anderson pigeon bag.

[A]

Make it make sense.

[B]

I think that if they were going to go the Judith Leiber route, the bag had to be uglier. Like Judith Leiber makes bags that are way uglier than this. Or even just weirder, like the asparagus bag.

[A]

Very true.

[B]

Although in retrospect, that is very Loewe adjacent.

[A]

I don't know. I'm on Mr. Big's side, and I really hate these episodes where I'm agreeing with John James Preston. Like, I want to be on our girl's side, but I'm sorry, she would ironically love this bag.

[B]

I'm not really on her side in this episode in general, although I understand that her neuroses have gotten the best of her.

[A]

Well, yes. I mean, if Carrie is anything, she is someone with an impulse control problem.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And so she's let the L word slip and it smash cuts to a brunch scene. And in this brunch scene, they do something. And I imagine this is an Alison Anders touch that we've never really seen in an episode. Episode before or after, which is we're used to something where there's this kind of cliffhanger. We cut to a brunch scene and they go, well, what did Big say back? And then we cut back to as if it were a flashback back into the scene where Carrie and Big and we see Big's reaction And then cut back into the brunch scene which I don't know, it's just a nice cinematic flourish that has never happened before since.

[B]

Yeah, totally. I didn't even notice that. But true.

[A]

So this is one of those things, watching the show growing up, that kind of shaped me, that I sort of absorbed as well. This is just a rule of dating, which is if you say I love you to someone and God forbid they never say it back. You essentially have a week before you have to break up with that person.

[B]

I think you have a few weeks. But over a month that starts to feel like self harm territory to stay in the relationship.

[A]

So Carrie puts it in dairy product terms that, you know, like milk, it has a week before it. It curdles. So you're saying it's more like cottage cheese. You have about a month.

[B]

So the girls are all trying to unpack what this means. Weirdly, Miranda is the optimistic one about it.

[A]

You're right. She says, wait a minute, time out. Did you ever think that at this very moment the man might be trying to find his way to tell Carrie that he loves her? The only other time we've seen Miranda like this is when she's out in LA and she's under the influence of Hippie Lou. And it's incredibly unsettling each time it has appeared. Samantha also has this great line right where she's like, it's so interesting. You can tell a man, I hate you. You'll have the best sex of your life. But tell him I love you. You probably never see him again.

[B]

True.

[A]

It's dangerous to tell straight men you love them. First you give all your power away. See, if Miranda was getting dicked down by a bartender, that would have been her response.

[B]

Yeah. And she's in this optimistic mood because she's early in her relationship with Steve. She's really into it. They're going on dates, but she's only letting him pay if it's like raised pizza, essentially.

[A]

Okay, I understand that they are in different tax brackets. But like, again, there is a wide chasm between getting dollar pizza in the East Village or whatever and like being taken to Per Se and having a tasting menu.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This man can take her to a restaurant.

[B]

Yeah. Like they can go someplace where there's table service. It's New York.

[A]

So Miranda invites Steve to a law function of hers to be her date. But he does need a suit, which is no problem, Chelsea, because he does have one. It's gold corduroy.

[B]

Yes. And corduroy has come back into fashion recently in fashion as well as in interiors. I feel like it's a very popular upholstery fabric at the moment. But at this point in 1999, corduroy was very passe, very associated with the 80s. And I'm sure that Steve's suit might need some tailoring on top of everything.

[A]

Yeah, I guess you're supposed to get the impression that perhaps this gold corduroy suit, the only suit he evidently owns is, you know, from a buddy from Queen's wedding from six years ago or something.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

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[B]

I forgot how shitty that apartment is though.

[A]

So I got deja vu because if.

[B]

You remember in the following Going apartment hunting with me.

[A]

No, no, no. I got deja vu because in the following season when Miranda and Steve break up and he goes to look for an apartment with Miranda, and it's like, so shitty. She's like, just stay on my couch. It looks disturbingly similar to this apartment.

[B]

I need to go back and cross reference, but I'll take your word for it.

[A]

But his reasoning of why he lives in this apartment is that it's cheap and it's near the bar.

[B]

And to be fair, he's like, you never have to come here again. Which is all that matters.

[A]

And presumably they have sex on his bed or futon. It's hard to tell in that apartment. She sees the corduroy suit, which. I don't know. Maybe I'm looking at it with 20, 25 eyes. Doesn't look that bad.

[B]

You are looking at it with 20, 25 eyes. I would not be surprised if Michael Ryder's Celine goes in this direction in the near future.

[A]

And we hear Carrie's voiceover that this was the first time that Miranda feels the pangs of yuppie guilt. Which I didn't realize in the late 90s we were still using phrases like yuppies. Like, my parents are yuppies. I don't associate Gen X as yuppies.

[B]

Yeah, I think it's just shorthand for her class in this instance. Cut to another scene with the girls.

[A]

At a nail salon.

[B]

They're all sitting on a couch together and getting pedicures. I actually think this is a revolutionary concept.

[A]

Oh, that instead of individual chairs.

[B]

Yes. Think about how many people go to nail salons with a friend. Or, like, mothers and daughters and shit. There should at least be a love seat option if not a full couch, like the couch from friends or something.

[A]

While I agree with you, the optics of this scene are problematic and very purposely so. Right. They are sitting high above getting pedicures from presumably women of color.

[B]

We don't actually see their faces, but we assume this based on their hair.

[A]

And these four white women are literally lording over these women. I mean, this is the point of the episode. I think the way that the scene was shot and the. The construction of it is very much on purpose.

[B]

Oh, for sure. Also, the Asian women have zero dialogue. And they're listening to them having this whole conversation about class.

[A]

So Charlotte, of course, ever the optimist, is like, well, you know, plenty of artists were bartenders at one point. And Miranda's like, no, no, he's not a bartender who does something on the side. He's just a bartender.

[B]

So Samantha asks about the sex, of.

[A]

Course, and Miranda says, there are no words. Sounds like a dream relationship to me.

[B]

Yeah. He can make you come, and then.

[A]

He can make you a Cosmopolitan. Honestly, I don't know how you can get serious with a guy whose entire.

[B]

Future is based on tips. Wait a minute.

[A]

Rich men date not so rich women all the time. I mean, come on, look at me and Big. It's not about money.

[B]

It's about computer incompatibility. Yeah, but it's normal for the guy to have more money.

[A]

Oh, come on.

[B]

I know lots of women who make.

[A]

More money than their husbands. You're all missing my point. None of this matters to me. I just don't want it to matter to him. It's like, when single men have a lot of money, it works to their advantage. But when a single woman has money, it's a problem you have to deal with. It's ridiculous. I want to enjoy my success, not apologize for it. Bravo, honey. Bravo. This episode, I forgot until I rewatched it, has given us some of the more iconic Sex and the City lines. One of which being, I don't want to apologize for my success.

[B]

Yeah. This scene also reminded me that Charlotte is a monster. Charlotte is a gold digger, and she is completely shameless about that fact. And as we see her life play out, it proves to be a correct assumption about her.

[A]

That's interesting. I actually have a totally different take because after this clip, Charlotte makes the point that we're talking more about a difference in income. We're talking about a difference in background in education.

[B]

Education. That's something that she's speculating.

[A]

This is true. She says that you're dating someone working class. To which Carrie's like, it's the millennium. I don't think we say things like working class anymore. Which is like, we do.

[B]

When did we ever not say working class? And, like, what was the politically correct term for working class? Like, differently Salaried.

[A]

Yeah. Unfortunately, we have to use phrases like working poor now. But Charlotte says, you're trying to pretend we live in a classless society and we don't.

[B]

Okay, so she makes one good point. But a broken clock is right twice a day.

[A]

Well, that's what I was gonna say. The girls are shitting on Charlotte. But I commend her for bringing up class consciousness.

[B]

For sure. But she's also saying shit like it's normal for the guy to make more money. And instead insinuating that she wouldn't want to be in a relationship dynamic where that wasn't the case.

[A]

Which is fine for her. I have always found this argument about Steve and Miranda bizarre because the question has Always been is Steve beneath Miranda. And I don't think that their backgrounds are that different. We can assume based on things we see in future seasons that Steve grew up lower middle class in Queens. But Miranda and I get this from the episode where her mother passes away. Grew up in a blue collar middle class family in a suburb of Philly. It's not like it's Charlotte and Steve dating. True, Steve and Miranda are in different tax brackets. But I think truly what the issue is is an issue of taste. I think the gold suit, the gold corduroy suit, I should say represents the difference in taste that Miranda and Steve have. And that is from their different backgrounds for sure.

[B]

But it's also class because the suit is outdated because it was bought years ago because that's the one suit he has and he hasn't bought more sense because he has no need to buy them because he's a bartender. Two things can be true.

[A]

Absolutely. All right, let's get into the most problematic and the storyline that I hate maybe the most in Sex and the City history, which is Samantha is dating a man with, and I quote, a servant.

[B]

I'm pretty sure we called them housekeepers even in 1999. Like what is she doing that is outside the scope of work of a normal housekeeper today?

[A]

Yeah, because a servant makes it seem like she can't leave.

[B]

Right. Like she is a live in full time housekeeper.

[A]

But I suppose that this man would have basically an indentured servant, it seems, because his name is Harvey Turkle. He is a real estate investor who made a killing in the market by turning Chelsea's sweatshops into luxury co ops for the upwardly trendy. This is Darren Starr at his best. Because this is so cutting, so gross, but also so true of the time.

[B]

Oh, incredibly so.

[A]

Like this is a real person who existed in New York then and exists in New York now.

[B]

So the servant in question has a name. It's Some. Some is presumably Thai because Harvey says you won't eat better Thai food in Bangkok. Although people on the Internet have been quick to point out that her accent not good, not accurate. A lot of things about this character, the mannerisms offensive and sort of more of a jumble of various Asian stereotypes than anything that feels genuinely Thai.

[A]

Well, before we can feel too uncomfortable with that, we get into the I couldn't help but wonder which might be the most brief I couldn't help but wonder in Sex and the City history.

[B]

I wondered, was New York really any.

[A]

Different from New Delhi?

[B]

Had our class system been replaced by A caste system system. And if so, can we date outside our cast?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Well, yes to the New York is different than New Deli thing.

[A]

For starters.

[B]

Let's start there.

[A]

Letter to the editor. Dear New York Star, I had many issues with this week's Carrie Bradshaw's Sex and the City column.

[B]

But, like, yes, in New York, of course you can date outside of your class, although a lot of people don't want to for a host of reasons.

[A]

Also. Again, we've watched these episodes a hundred times. All we have in these rewatch episodes is playfully picking them apart. But every time we do these rewatches, I become hyper focused on what Carrie's column must have been for that week, because she's talking about how dating is like a new version of the cast system. But also, presumably, she discussed the fact that she declared her love for Mr. Big and he did not say it back.

[B]

Lot going on this week.

[A]

So, to break this down further, a caste system is a rigid social hierarchy based on birth and hereditary, where one social status, occupation, and opportunities are determined by their family background.

[B]

Is that the exact AI Answer?

[A]

Excuse you, I Googled that.

[B]

Yeah, but it's all AI now.

[A]

Oh, God damn it. Then yes. Sorry, guys, Google forced me to use AI but what's funny about this is the idea of, well, America in general, but specifically in New York, is that you can go there as a nobody and make something of yourself. So inherently, what she is asking is untrue.

[B]

Yes, that is true, but New York City is literally organized by class. Middle class people live one place, upper class people live another place.

[A]

I mean, literally the Upper east side.

[B]

But the good thing about New York is that you are forced to coexist with people from different classes in a way that I don't think that's true in Los Angeles even. You can really stay in your own bubble if you choose to.

[A]

Oh, my God. Yeah. There's neighborhoods of Los Angeles I've never been to as someone who's lived here for 35 years.

[B]

So in that sense, New York is good and bad with regards to class.

[A]

Very true. But again, this episode swings wildly from this discussion to, like, does Big love me or not? Because immediately after this, I couldn't help but wonder. We are thrust into a restaurant scene with Carrie and Mr. Big, and she is convinced that he is going to say I love you to her. And instead, what does he say?

[B]

Chelsea, if you don't like the purse, you can return it. Which I think was nice of him. He has enough emotional intelligence to sense that she didn't actually like the bag, so he gave her an out.

[A]

Can we be honest? Mr. Big's assistant bought that bag for Carrie?

[B]

I don't know. Based on the party scene that we'll get to in a minute, it just seems like Mr. Big thinks that's just the bag that women want.

[A]

See, I think that that Judith Leiber bag is more offensive than the engagement ring that Aiden initially gives Carrie or not gives, but the initial gold pear shaped ring. She's like, I can't be with a man who doesn't know me. I feel like instead of Carrie desperately wanting Big to say I love you, she should have been like, this man doesn't understand me. On a fundamental level, we are not meant to be together.

[B]

But I would argue that he does in both instances because as we know, Aiden returned the initial ring and got her a ring that she really liked. And Mr. Big, while this Judith Lieber bag maybe didn't gel with her fashion Persona in 1999, it anticipated where that fashion Persona would be in 2024.

[A]

But honestly, unanswerable question. We don't know if she returned that bag or not.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

So this is where Carrie's like, this is the first night that I ever wanted to tell Big, I hate you. I call bullshit on that.

[B]

Meanwhile, in Charlotte's World, she has a high profile guest at the gallery, the actor Wiley Ford.

[A]

Which Carrie notes that an actor is the very highest cast from coast to coast, rich and poor, everyone defers and is honored by the movie star. Is that true today?

[B]

It's not true at all. Because like rich, rich people think that movie stars have no money. I think it depends who the movie star is. Like obviously Brad Pitt, George Clooney, obviously.

[A]

Well, now that's interesting because we're talking about the difference of people who have money and then people who have money and fame. Because I feel like the Real Housewives franchise answers this question. Because many of the franchises, specifically New York and Los Angeles or Beverly Hills, I should say, these are women who are rich, but they don't have fame. And that is why they will debase themselves on reality television.

[B]

So he wants to buy the gallery's fire extinguisher, mistaking it for a piece of conceptual art.

[A]

I have always been on Wiley Ford's side. That is a fair assumption. To think that that is a piece of art that it's giving Jeff Koons.

[B]

Given the time period, maybe. Well, I don't know. When did Jeff Koons do those vacuum cleaner sculptures?

[A]

Oh, those were like some of his first pieces in the 80s.

[B]

Yeah. So maybe it's a little outdated by those standards, but, like, I don't know, is this guy a dumb actor or is he the Marcel Duchamp of his time? Like, is this fire extinguisher art just because he says it is?

[A]

I think so. And look, Charlotte is willing to sell it to him, and I bet you that her boss, who owns the gallery would be like, yeah, if you can sell him that fire extinguisher for $35,000, do it.

[B]

Yeah, we'll install it in his loft. Great.

[A]

The question I want to ask you is, do you think Wiley Ford is a good fake actor name?

[B]

Not really. It's a good pseudonym for an actor. Like if he was checking into a hotel under that name, for example.

[A]

But Wiley Ford is giving Glen Powell.

[B]

Well, I guess it's a combination of Harrison Ford and Noah Wiley, if you think about it in that way.

[A]

Very true. So somehow Wiley Ford and just the charisma of being a movie star, which I guess he's not even that charismatic. But the idea that he is this rich and famous movie star puts Charlotte in such a spell that he convinces her to not just leave the gallery early to close it in the middle of the afternoon so that they can go make out in his limo.

[B]

And they're making out in the limo, and then he has to go like, piss in an alley. So he gets the limo to pull over, and Charlotte, of course, calls Carrie to brag about the situation that she's in. And Carrie acts like she's Liam Neeson in Taken or something. She's like, charlot, you are going to be taken.

[A]

I was gonna say she's Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, where she's like, girl, you're in danger.

[B]

She's like, just get out now while you can. I don't know what rumors Carrie had heard about Wiley Ford in one of the 12 gossip columns that she reads.

[A]

Oh, Wiley Ford was definitely got scooped up in the MeToo movement. But of course, Charlotte does not listen. Uncommon Goods takes the stress out of gifting with thousands of unique, high quality finds. You won't see any anywhere else. I've discussed my love of uncommon goods before. It is the perfect place to find unique gifts for those hard to shop people in your life, especially kids. They have high quality, often handmade or made in the US Gifts. Many are crafted by independent artists and small businesses, making every gift feel meaningful and truly one of a kind. You know what? Uncommon Goods is great for stocking stuffers. I Always find myself shopping last minute for creative little gifts to fit in those stockings. But with Uncommon Goods, they have you covered. They have stuff like massage and bounce fidget magnets, which honestly is perfect for tat. Okay, actually I am getting that for her for Christmas. Or the poorly explained holiday movies game. Or the mini weird and wild animal build kit, which honestly would be perfect for my nephews. When you shop at Uncommon Goods, you're supporting artists and small independent businesses. Many of their handcrafted products are made in small batches. So shop now before they sell out this holiday season. So don't wait. Cross those names off your list before the rush. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UncommonGoods.com outfit that's UncommonGoods.com/outfit for 15% off. Uncommon Goods were all out of the ordinary.

[B]

Now back at Samantha's boyfriend's house.

[A]

This is beside the point, but this man is not hot.

[B]

No, he's disgusting.

[A]

And it is not in Samantha's usual type of man. I'm going to assume that he is just so rich and powerful that is what she's attracted to. But this man is ugly. No offense to this actor. No, but he is giving Michael chickless.

[B]

And this is a morning after scene. This guy's going to work. He's like, you know, stay some will make you breakfast and enjoy yourself, whatever. Then the second he leaves, blows up Samantha's spot. Throws her out of the apartment practically.

[A]

Look, she has work to do.

[B]

But here's the thing. When this guy is gone, when her employer is gone and it's just her and Samantha, she has a completely different voice. Voice. There is no like heavy accent in the way that there was in the previous scene. Which leads me to believe, like, are we supposed to think that this character is a little bit of like Rachel Doziel vibes and is like playing it up because of the perceived value that would have to her employer? Or is it just like a really inconsistent accent thing with this actor? Because it's a little like ambiguous, I think.

[A]

I think what we're supposed to understand is that, well, yeah, she's code switch twitching that she has this very demure voice with her boss who she's being subservient to. And then, yeah, when there's someone that she feels is not above her and is frankly beneath her, which is Samantha, she can talk to her just person to person. But I don't think that some is playing Harvey just for the fact that like, if she's being referred to as a servant I don't think she's making a market rate for her services.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Also something to think about. I doubt Darren Starr put this much thought into it. It's the late 90s.

[B]

Also something to think about this character in the way that she's written and acted. Problematic in a lot of ways, but she's really, really major. When she hates Samantha. She has a sort of BPD vibe that is like reminiscent of like a John Waters heroine in these scenes when her boss is not around. That I think is really campy and fun.

[A]

Yeah, because she shits on Samantha and is amusing to watch. I mean, the way that Samantha is flipped out of the bed when some pulls the covers is very funny.

[B]

And it's subtext in this scene. It's text in the next scene. But like this sort of inference that Samantha is a whore also and beneath her for that reason.

[A]

Well, we can get into this in the latter scene, but I feel like some's ultimate plan plan is to be the wife of Harvey.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

Okay, now we are in the scene with Miranda and Steve buying a suit.

[B]

They're at what looks like not a super fancy designer store, but what looks like a very nice little men's boutique in New York.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know why I always thought they were at Hugo Boss. There's nothing about this scene that makes it seem like it's Hugo Boss. I agree with you. It seems to be.

[B]

No, it seems like they're in some sort of West Village atelier of some kind.

[A]

So it isn't until Steve and Miranda decide to get the suit that Steve looks at the price tag. It is an eighteen hundred dollars suit, which. Don't worry, Chelsea. I put this in the inflation calculator.

[B]

Oh, so did I.

[A]

In $1999, or I guess in 20, $25. An $1,800 suit would be $3,509.

[B]

Well, to be fair, he bought the shoes also. So it wasn't just the suit. Although as established on Sex and the City, shoes in that period were like 300, $400.

[A]

This is too much for a suit. Even with shoes.

[B]

It's too much for a suit. Just like without the inflation aspect. Like $1,800 now is a lot of.

[A]

Money, as we have said. And unfortunately, the RealReal is not a sponsor this week. But men go to the RealReal. You will get a deal on a beautiful suit, a beautiful designer suit for probably under a thousand dollars, for under.

[B]

$200 if you really put some time into it.

[A]

So Miranda offers to pay for the suit. Steve won't let her. What ensues is a very awkward scene where his card gets declined. He then puts some of the suit on one credit card, then puts some of it in a check, and then he gives, I assume, the tax in cash.

[B]

See, this is something that they needed to talk about ahead of time. If Miranda was planning on buying this suit, she needed to say that on the outset, like, hey, I'm taking you shopping, like I want to get you a nice suit. And if he was like, I won't let you buy something, she should have taken him to the men's warehouse.

[A]

Or if being on Miranda's level and having a suit that would be appropriate for her for this law event was important to him, then he should have gone to an Upper east side charity shop, gotten a suit, gotten it tailored, could have got it done for a couple hundred bucks, and we could have avoided all of this.

[B]

We could have really avoided all of this if she just let him wear the suit that he had.

[A]

Well, she'll rue the day later in this episode. But yeah, we once again have the pleasure of discussing Lola blankets. Chell, you're on record as being a blanket person. And on these colder nights, what's your wind down ritual with your Lola blanket?

[B]

I've been spending a lot of time under my Lola blanket because it's been so rainy here. And honestly, I'm under it most of the day because I often sit on the couch and work on my laptop. And then at some point I just close my laptop top and start watching television.

[A]

So your Lola blanket is really a 247 lifestyle for you?

[B]

It's becoming one, I fear.

[A]

You know who really loves their Lola blanket in my household? My son, Morty. His favorite place to do tummy time is on our large Lola blankets. You know what tummy time is, right, Joe?

[B]

Vaguely. Anyway, one day Morty will understand that Lola is the world's number one blanket. Crafted with ultra soft luxury vegan farm faux fur in a signature four way stretch that sets it apart.

[A]

And as a new mother, more importantly, it's machine washable. Double hem for durability and stays flawless. No pilling, no shedding, even after repeated washes. And trust me, that blanket has been washed many a times, thanks to baby Morty. Wow.

[B]

See, I've never washed mine. Not once. You heard it here first. And I'm still figuring out what I'm getting everyone this holiday season. And who doesn't love a blanket. And did you know that Lola also makes we needed blankets I think that's what I'm getting you this year. You seem a little stressed.

[A]

Oh, you think? I could use some calming, therapeutic vibes. What are you trying to say, Chelsea?

[B]

I'm not saying anything.

[A]

All right, guys, Give the gift of softness this holiday season with Lola Blankets. For a limited time, our listeners are getting a huge 40% off their entire order at Lola blankets.com by using code outfit at checkout. Just head to lolablankets.com and use code outfit for 40% off off. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them that we sent you.

[B]

So Carrie and Big are now uptown at a fancy Upper east side party.

[A]

Again, they're acting as if Uptown is a world that Carrie is not familiar with. As we have previously spoken about, Cari is a downtown girl. However, she lives uptown.

[B]

Yeah, like, she's in her own neighborhood practically.

[A]

So they are at a party for a woman named Serena Bush. She is an Upper east side hostess famous for her husband's money and her close friendship with Tina Brown. But it's not like Carrie is a stranger to the Upper east side or even this woman, because Carrie notes, I knew her 10 years ago when she was famous for her father's money and a close friendship with her drug dealer. I want to know this Carrie. Like, the lore we learn about Carrie in this scene makes her seem to be a much cooler person.

[B]

Also, Carrie looks super cool because she is in this very chic color block Gaultier tube dress from the Cyber Baba collection. But, like, it's very Miranda coded. You know, it honestly makes me wonder if, like, it was taken from Miranda's rack and moved onto Carrie's rack because she's the one that usually gets these sort of quote unquote tribal Gaultier dresses.

[A]

Yeah, that's interesting.

[B]

And we never see her wear anything like this ever again.

[A]

I think you have a point that this could have been an outfit pulled for Cynthia and then they pulled it for Sarah Jessica because they needed an outfit to illustrate how out of place Carrie is in this world, for sure.

[B]

But even, like, the color scheme of it is incredibly Miranda. But it's a great dress.

[A]

Would have loved to have seen it on end just like that, but whatever. So Carrie refers to Park Avenue as being in a foreign country. And even though, as we've just noted, she lives in this part of town, I think what she's really referring to is as she walks into the party, she sees all the other older rich women with their Judith Leiber bags There was a bejeweled swan, a kitten and an asparagus.

[B]

See, that's what I'm saying. She needed the asparagus one.

[A]

I mean, knowing what we know about Carrie Bradshaw. And just like that, I think the kitten would have been perfect for her.

[B]

So she has a brief but interaction with her former friend who fairly tells her that she can't smoke in her apartment. I feel like that's a reasonable request, even in 1999.

[A]

Well, I feel like at this point there were no smoking in bars or that was beginning.

[B]

No, you can still smoke in bars then.

[A]

You say that with such conviction. Well, I.

[B]

When I moved to New York, you could still smoke in bars for like the first year that I lived there. That was in 2000, 2003.

[A]

And I don't know why Carrie suspects that she could smoke in this woman's apartment. But we get this amazing exchange between Carrie and Big. I think we've just encountered a mutant strain of Upper east side anal. She's a little strange. I've known her for years. She's okay. Oh, yeah, I'm sure she's fabulous until you spill something. It's like she's consciously trying to cultivate an eccentricity so people won't notice that she's compulsory.

[B]

Completely devoid of personality.

[A]

Well, don't be a. I'm not being.

[B]

A. I'm just being myself.

[A]

Another iconic Sex and the City line that I did not realize came from this episode. I'm not being a. I'm just being myself.

[B]

So she is then cast out onto the balcony so she can smoke, where she runs into the caterer who she also knows. Carrie actually knows everyone at this party. She acts as if Mr. Big has dragged her to some. Some horrible place, but she goes way back with the bitch whose house it is.

[A]

Yeah, it's funny, this scene to me felt very reminiscent of in season six when the girls go to Jennifer Coolidge's house for the bag party. And then Samantha runs into Smith Jarret because he's the cater waiter for that party. Yeah, we do get an end just like that. Did you notice? And just like that, I was cast out of the fancy party. And it's like, girl, you weren't asked to leave. You were politely asked to go onto the terrace to smoke. She's not even telling you to not smoke.

[B]

Yeah, like you're a full blown monster.

[A]

And given that this woman doesn't allow brown food or drinks in her house. No smoking. Be thankful that you were allowed to keep your Manolos on because as we know, you have some friends who won't let you wear shoes in their own apartment. So.

[B]

So she starts talking to this cater waiter who she knows as a prominent downtown performance artist. Okay, I'm sorry. He's way too hot to be one of those. Like, you become a performance artist because you're not traditionally hot. And that's not even shade. That's just a fact.

[A]

O.C. i believe that he could be a performance artist. What I don't believe is that his survival job is a cater waiter. Because that man would be doing random modeling gigs.

[B]

Yeah, he looks like he's, like, out of a J. Crew catalog, which, again, makes it hard for me to believe that he's a performance artist.

[A]

By the way, his name is Jeremiah, and Carrie and him have had a mild flirtation for years. Again, so much lore about Carrie that makes her seem like a much cooler person. Honestly, the downtown it girl that we think of when we think of Carrie.

[B]

Bradshaw, well, she was incredibly cool. At this point in the show, we're not talking about Sex and the city 2 Carrie.

[A]

So here's a thing that's sort of impossible that happens, which is Jeremiah's like, hey, I got this new tattoo. Do you want to see it? And the tattoo is on his lower abdomen that goes down, presumably to his crotch. Carrie is bent over looking at it. And from a distance, the bitchy hostess sees them. And by the way, understandably, is like. Like, I think the woman Big brought is blowing the cater waiter right now.

[B]

But she's such a narc for going to Big and immediately telling him that.

[A]

You are correct. Because I feel like if that happened even in the richest of Upper east side homes, I think that the hostess would keep it to herself.

[B]

She should.

[A]

She would then tell all of her friends that Big's girlfriend was blowing a cater waiter. But I. Yeah, I don't think she would immediately go to Big.

[B]

Well, she wasn't. Right. Also, she was lying. She was spreading misinformation.

[A]

Also, the man's underwear was not even below.

[B]

Exactly. That's exactly what I'm saying.

[A]

So when Carrie goes back into the apartment, she knows she's fucked. Shouldn't Big just be like, I know you weren't just blowing a waiter. So what happened?

[B]

Yeah, but he's like, girl, did you blow that guy? I don't know why Big is gay in this. This retelling of the episode.

[A]

Your dramatic reading, a Biggs delivery of this line. I mean, again, Carrie is doing no favors for herself because instead of answering the question, which I agree with her is offensive. She's like, he's not a caterer. He's a well known performance artist. Like, Big could give a shit. Again, I'm kind of on Big side, which is, please stop doing whatever you're doing. You are embarrassing me. And more so you're embarrassing yourself, Carrie.

[B]

And so he's like, let's just go. And she's like, you go. I'm having a great time.

[A]

Which I don't believe. Carrie should have left that party.

[B]

She's staying out of spite and because she'd rather just be hanging out with Jeremiah. Clearly.

[A]

So now we cut to Miranda getting ready for her law function. Steve knocks on the door and he is not dressed in the suit. He is dressed in his street clothes because he returned the suit.

[B]

And he's standing her up. But he's coming in person to tell her that he's standing her up.

[A]

He's standing her up in person, which is a real rare move.

[B]

Yeah. Like this is one instance where a phone call would have actually been the more generous, more sensitive thing to do.

[A]

Well, I guess he wanted to break up with her in person. Miranda, you need to be with a.

[B]

Guy who's more on your level.

[A]

Steve being in that store with you.

[B]

I didn't feel good about myself. Look, I think you're an incredible lady.

[A]

You want to break up with me over a suit? Fuck the suit. It's not just the suit.

[B]

There's always gonna be things out of my reach.

[A]

So I'm being punished for being successful?

[B]

That's not how I mean it.

[A]

Got it. Well, thanks for the info and standing me up. And it's been nice knowing you. So we should say that we are specifically doing this episode this month because on our VIP channels, we will be dropping an episode that is a deep dive of Steve and Miranda's relationship. And this fight is emblematic of basically their entire relationship. This has been the central issue between these two from the beginning, which I did not realize until re watching this episode.

[B]

And then the issue became that he cheated. And then the issue became, Chadia is. Anyway, whose side are you on in this breakup?

[A]

Or.

[B]

Yeah, I can't decide personally, because with Steve, you understand that all of this comes from a place of pain and a place of shame, which is horrible. It doesn't make me feel good when Steve is sad. But I also understand Miranda's point because, yeah, it does seem like she is being punished for being successful. Although I do not think that that is Steve's intention.

[A]

No. And these are the Things that we are gonna break down in this deep dive. Well, clearly Miranda has regrets because in the following scene when she is alone at that law function, in Carrie's voiceover, we hear that Miranda goes, what's so wrong with corduroy anyway? And that's what we're saying.

[B]

He was just really ahead of his time, if you look at it through a different lens.

[A]

So meanwhile, Charlotte, still dating the actor, has a day gone by. Have they just been on one of those crazy 24 hour dates?

[B]

Yeah, I think it's been like a bender. But she's in some restaurant with his entourage.

[A]

Carrie's voiceover says that Charlotte had gone from girlfriend to groupie within one evening. I think that's generous to call Charlotte this actor's girlfriend. Oh, we should also say that this man, however long their dating bender, has gone on for 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours. He is not calling Charlotte by her name. He keeps calling her Charlene.

[B]

Yeah, she corrected him at some point. But he's like, I like Charlene better. And then I don't want to have to relay what he says here.

[A]

Oh, my God. I don't either.

[B]

You have to tag your it.

[A]

So the bridge too far for Charlotte or Charlene, should I say, is that Wiley Ford wants Charlene to go into the ladies room, stick her finger in her pussy. That is a quote. And come back and let him smell it.

[B]

See, if this was a French movie, this would be hot. But this guy is just gross. His delivery of that line is really gross.

[A]

I'm also grossed out by the fact that, like, she has to come back to the table, of which there's a group of people to then. I mean, he wants her to play Smell my finger.

[B]

Yeah, it's the in front of his friend's nature of it that's creepy. It's not like they're on a date, one on one.

[A]

Or like, if he went to the bathroom with her, honestly, he should be the one fingering her and smelling it in the confines of a private bathroom. And then they come back to the table. That's my counter offer to Wiley Ford. Take it or leave it.

[B]

Well, it's a bridge too far for Charlotte or for Charlene? She is like, sure. And then leaves.

[A]

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[B]

And then some comes in to serve her asparagus. I love the through line of asparagus in this episode.

[A]

Asparagus as a class indicator. Yeah. And she gives Samantha the shittiest like I'm fucking with you smile. That's pretty brilliant.

[B]

And then we get the Carrie Bradshaw line. Samantha realized she wasn't so dim that sum. Did Carrie write that in her fucking column? Because dim sum is Chinese.

[A]

It's also just, it's such a groaner to rewatch this episode and be like her fucking name is some so that they can do that goddamn line.

[B]

Look, it's a very very well crafted joke. It's racist, but it is a classic Carrie Bradshaw pun and I do think that she is ripe for a retroactive cancellation because of this line in particular.

[A]

Honestly, if we think about past Carrie columns, this goes to the top of my list of potential Carrie cancellations. So cut to the next morning. Once again, another post coital scene between Samantha and Harvey. We do see Harvey's ass, I must say. I must speak as Samantha Jones. A little flabby. I don't see my girl having having sex with a man like that.

[B]

But to each their own. So he leaves the room and some comes in and Again, is in, like, full John Waters mode and basically finds a condom, picks it up, shoves it in Samantha's face, and then starts calling her a dirty whore.

[A]

Which. Do you think that Some was just waiting for that moment so that you could call her a whore? Because wouldn't you rather they're having safe sex? Isn't she more of a whore if they don't use a condom? Or is Some under the impression that Harvey is not having sex with any of these women that he brings home because he's saving himself for her?

[B]

Some only believes in sex for the purposes of procreation.

[A]

So I know this is beside the point, but given the way that the room is decorated, the fact that Harvey has an Asian servant, don't you think it's weird that he has plaid sheets?

[B]

Didn't even notice the sheets. Lauren. I'm going to be real.

[A]

I mean, Samantha is tossed out of that bed onto those sheets twice during this episode. So I did notice them.

[B]

So they get into a physical altercation. Harvey then comes in and some pretends like Samantha hit her.

[A]

I mean, honestly, good move.

[B]

Yeah. And obviously he sides with his housekeeper.

[A]

We can't call her a servant anymore. Again, I think that Some's ultimate goal is to be Mrs. Harvey Tesler. I've forgotten his last name, but I think that's what she is trying to do.

[B]

Yeah. And I think that she fully, like, doesn't have that accent and is also engaging in some form of performance. Truly her. It changes too much during these scenes where the man is out of the room.

[A]

You think that she knows Jeremiah downtown because they're both performance artists.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

So cut to the next morning. Carrie is in bed with Jeremiah and Big calls, and he finally declares that he loves her in a very Sweet way.

[B]

Again, Mr. Big does nothing wrong in this episode. He's actually a lovely boyfriend in this episode. He's taking her to the ballet. He's taking her to fancy Upper east side parties. He's buying her handbags. He's, you know, giving a very understandable explanation as to why he didn't immediately say I love you back.

[A]

And his explanation is that it has gotten me in trouble before.

[B]

For sure. Once you say I love you, the stakes are higher. It puts a label on things.

[A]

Evidently, cheating counts once you say I love you. This is my favorite Maxim from the world of Sex and the City. Carrie will invoke this yet again when she cheats on Aiden, which I always thought that Carrie sleeps with Jeremiah, but there's an exchange between them when she Gets off the phone with Big because obviously she was blackout drunk and doesn't remember if she slept with Jeremiah or not.

[B]

Yeah, relatable queen. She's like, did we again?

[A]

What is Carrie's column this week? And is her message everything before I Love youe doesn't count?

[B]

Look, she didn't fuck him. We didn't see them kiss. So I don't think it's, like, a huge moral transgression that Carrie didn't tell him. Like, it's not good behavior, but in the scheme of bad behavior, it could be a lot worse.

[A]

This is very true.

[B]

And like I said, I mean, not that Big should understand this about Carrie so early in a relationship. But, like, this is Carrie's demons, like, like, making her do crazy shit. She just had, like, a really neurotic moment. Like, she had a rough night.

[A]

The devil on her shoulder made her be a crazy bitch. We've all been there.

[B]

Yeah, sometimes that happens. Sometimes you just have an off night or an off week or. What are they saying, friends, when it.

[A]

Hasn'T been your day, week, or month, or even your year? Honestly, it wasn't her week. And frankly, I mean, that may apply to us. 2025 has been rough. Yeah, and that's where the episode ends. So, Chell, how many Manolos would you give this episode? Ooh, it's rough because as stated, it's given us two of the more iconic, memeable, quotable Sex and the City lines. You know, I don't want to have to apologize for my success. And I'm not being a bitch, I'm just being myself.

[B]

And. And she was not so dim that sum.

[A]

But that's the bitter Chell is the overarching, problematic nature of this episode. I gotta take it down a few notches.

[B]

So what are you giving it?

[A]

A seven and a half?

[B]

Yeah, I think that's fair.

[A]

A C Above average.

[B]

Well, I wasn't really thinking of it in terms of a C plus. It's definitely a B. Sex and the City episode.

[A]

All right, on to the exit survey. Who is the MVP of this episode?

[B]

Carrie. This is Carrie at her messiest and realist.

[A]

I'm gonna go with Charlotte. She owned her privilege, pushed the girls to have a conversation about class consciousness that they've wholly rejected. By the way, dated an actor and set a solid boundary with him.

[B]

Well, that's one way to look at it. Who are you voting off the island of Manhattan?

[A]

Serena Bush. That's the Upper east side hostess, by the way.

[B]

I'm going with Charlotte. Because she has no interest in mingling with the lower classes and doesn't think that Miranda should either. Who is the best dressed?

[A]

You're gonna hate to hear me say this, but I had a fondness for that black leather column dress that Charlotte wears when she's a groupie with Wiley Ford with the pink flowers on it and the pink flower bejeweled necklace. Because I feel like I had a wet seal version of that that you're.

[B]

Gonna pick that over. The best Gaultier look that Carrie Bradshaw ever rocked.

[A]

I also know that you were gonna probably pick that outfit. And I like to give the audience, you know, some different answers.

[B]

Who are you in the episode?

[A]

I gotta say, not Charlotte. Surprisingly, I am Miranda. Because the way that she cuts off Steve completely once, he breaks her heart. I definitely saw myself in that. I probably have done that once or twice in my 20s, for sure.

[B]

I'm going with Carrie because I've definitely done every single thing that she did in this episode.

[A]

Wait, you pantomime blowing a performance artist at a cocktail party?

[B]

Okay, Almost everything. Best line.

[A]

Oh, shit. Are we doing that again?

[B]

We should. We took it out for the end just like that. Recap. So then we forgot to put it back in. So I'm bringing it back in.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I'm going with nasty. Nasty girl. You dirty cock sucking whore.

[A]

You know what? When you say it, it has a sort of Julianne Moore and Magnolia Fl flavor to it. I think I gotta go with I'm not being a. I'm being myself. It's honestly, it's my mantra.

[B]

What is your biggest trigger?

[A]

Oh, just every time the word servant is used in this episode, I was.

[B]

Gonna say Steve being sad. I don't like Steve being sad. Oh. Hottest take.

[A]

I think Steve and Carrie would have made a great couple. And I think she would have with his gold corduroy suit.

[B]

My hottest take is that Big did not one thing wrong in this episode. He's a perfect boyfriend and Carrie is a woman on the verge.

[A]

Here's the thing. Charlotte and Big Steve Carey, Aiden Miranda.

[B]

Makes a lot of sense.

[A]

All right, we've come to the end of the episode.

[B]

It's time to pack up our Fendi baguettes and leave.

[A]

As we said, we're gonna do a full deep dive on the Steve Miranda relationship starting in season two and. And taking it all the way to season three of In Just like that.

[B]

Holy.

[A]

We hope you will join us then, and we'll be back next week. Bye. Bye.