The third episode of HBO’s ‘Sex and the City’ revival explores the perils of unspoken expectations, high-stakes career pivots, and the chaos of post-40 clubbing.
In the latest installment of And Just Like That…, HBO’s continuation of Sex and the City, viewers are once again transported into the richly layered—and increasingly unpredictable—lives of Carrie Bradshaw and her circle. Episode three, titled “Carrie Golightly,” focuses on themes of unspoken needs, power shifts, and a dash of fried-chicken-fueled reflection in a Virginia hotel room.
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Carrie Takes Flight—Literally and Figuratively
In this week’s episode, Carrie Bradshaw exchanges Manhattan for the cobblestone streets of Williamsburg—not Brooklyn, but Virginia. The ostensible reason? A memoir conference. The actual motivation? A chance to lunch with Aidan, her on-again, off-again romantic entanglement. What was pitched as a casual getaway quickly unravels into a tangled web of unvoiced expectations.
Carrie, characteristically hesitant to speak her emotional truth, finds herself perturbed when Aidan fails to invite her to stay the night at his house—despite their apparent rekindling. This comes after her previous anxiety over his “cool” texting habits. Though she never communicates her desires aloud, her disappointment simmers just beneath the surface. It’s Seema Patel—Carrie’s friend and now the de facto voice of reason—who cuts through the tension with a pointed mantra: “You don’t ask, you don’t get.”
Seema Reclaims Her Power
Seema’s presence in Virginia is more than a narrative convenience. Professionally blindsided by her business partner’s sudden retirement and the sale of his shares to a man named Ryan, Seema is forced to rethink her role at the real estate firm she helped build. Over greasy KFC in Carrie’s hotel room, she flirts with the idea of breaking away to start her own venture.
The episode’s pivotal moment comes when Seema literally stops the car en route to lunch and dials Ryan to demand equity and leadership. When denied, she momentarily submits—until a set of tire spikes prevents her from reversing out of the parking lot. Taking the mishap as a cosmic message, Seema doubles down on her decision: she’s starting her own firm. The Patel Group is in motion.
Aidan’s Guest House and the Baggage of the Past
Eventually, Aidan invites Carrie to stay over—though she’s placed in the guest house to avoid surprising his sons. The delay in invitation and the physical separation raise deeper questions: Why didn’t he plan for this earlier? Why does he continue to hold Carrie at a careful distance?
Adding more layers to the dynamic, Carrie delivers a bag of Adderall—medication for Aidan’s youngest son—on behalf of his ex-wife, Kathy. The gesture triggers a subtle, emotionally loaded reaction from Aidan, leaving viewers to wonder: is Carrie inadvertently stepping into a maternal role, and is Aidan truly ready for that?
Miranda’s Dating Life Stabilizes—Maybe
Back in New York, Miranda is on cat-sitting duty and tiptoeing into a new romantic prospect. After several dating disasters, she invites Joy—a poised BBC producer—for drinks under the pretense of seeking on-air speaking advice. Joy’s tactile coaching—hand to chest to guide Miranda’s breath—momentarily renders Miranda speechless. It’s a scene laced with tension and promise. Joy seems interested. Miranda appears hopeful. Time will tell.
Charlotte and Lisa Face the Working Mom Crunch
Charlotte York, meanwhile, confronts the generational divide at her art gallery job. Her millennial coworkers land sales through after-hours socializing—a strategy Charlotte cannot match while juggling motherhood. In an effort to prove her relevance, she hits “da club” with husband Harry and ends the night in chaos: Harry has a bathroom mishap, and Charlotte finds herself kissed by a Dutch buyer. Morning light—and construction workers—signal an epiphany: not all jobs are 24/7.
Lisa Todd Wexley, too, navigates the cost of professional ambition. Her longtime collaborator Grace announces she’s leaving their docuseries for a high-profile opportunity. Though initially hurt, Lisa recognizes Grace’s loyalty—eight years of dedication while Lisa raised children—and offers a heartfelt farewell.
Episode Verdict: Speak Now, or Suffer Silently
Episode three of And Just Like That… is a character-driven exploration of agency—emotional, professional, and romantic. While Carrie remains trapped in cycles of ambiguity, Seema strides into independence. Miranda flirts with new beginnings, and Charlotte learns that after-hours hustle isn’t always worth the hangover.
The episode closes on a quiet yet unresolved note, with Aidan and Carrie physically close but emotionally distant, separated by a guest house and unspoken fears. One thing is clear: in this world, you don’t ask, you don’t get—and sometimes, asking is the bravest thing of all.
