Breaking Down the Biggest Moments in the And Just Like That Season 2 Premiere

Clear your schedule and pour yourself a cosmo because And Just Like That is back and there’s no shortage of drama in season 2. The Sex and the City spin-off series brought Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte back into our lives, along with a bevy of new friends and lots of outrageous predicaments. In season 2, which premiered June 22 on Max with two new episodes, the friends face a new set of challenges and adventures, which range from finding a last-minute look for the Met Gala to making a foray into pegging. While there are still lots of bon mots to look forward to this season, like the triumphant (if brief) return of Samantha Jones and a much-teased Aidan Shaw cameo, the first two episodes of the show gave us plenty to dissect and discuss ahead of the rest of the season’s release.

Read on for the biggest moments from the first two episodes of And Just Like That, season 2.

Carrie has an “exit out of grief” fling

In the season 1 finale, Carrie shares a kiss with her podcast producer, Franklyn, in the work elevator. In the opener for episode 1 of season 2, it appears that the pair have taken their workplace flirtation to the next level, with Franklyn having a sleepover at Carrie’s apartment that includes not only a steamy hook-up, but post-coital cooking video watching. While her friends are both surprised and excited for her affair with Franklyn, Carrie is fairly ambivalent about the whole thing, calling it “exit out of grief” sex and squirming when Franklyn attempts to hang out socially outside of their weekly hookups.

Miranda explores her sexuality

In season 1, Miranda’s storyline centered around her queer awakening. As season 2 begins, she’s exploring more facets of her sexuality—this time, by attempting pegging. In episode 1, Miranda, who’s moved to LA for the summer to be with Che, attempts to configure a leather harness and strap on, while having a conference call with them and Carrie about Carrie’s new relationship. Eventually, Carrie’s call leads to the couple having an intense discussion about their relationship, distracting them from what would be Miranda’s inaugural pegging experience.

The crew goes to the Met Gala

The fashion on Sex and the City was as important as the ups and downs in the lives of the four main ladies, a sentiment that’s carried over to And Just Like That. So it’s fitting that the girls have finally made it to fashion’s biggest night, the Met Gala, for a fabulous outing in the first episode of season 2. That’s not to say that there aren’t hiccups along the way—Charlotte has to manage the emotional outbursts of her husband Harry and her best friend Anthony, after they both assume they’re her date for the night; Seema considers skipping the event to take her relationship with her current partner to the next level; and Carrie has a fashion emergency that results in her digging into her closet archives before resurrecting her iconic Vivienne Westwood wedding gown, last seen in the Sex and the City movie, for the occasion.

The show addresses racism in its most direct attempt yet

While plenty of critiques have been leveled at Sex and the City’s whiteness and And Just Like That‘s clumsy handling of race, season 2 appears to be facing the issues more head-on. In episode 2, Lisa balks at the respectability politics of her mother-in-law, including her digs at Lisa’s outfit and her expectation that Lisa braid her young daughter’s natural hair. Later, Lisa’s investment banker husband Herbert is unable to hail a cab because of racism; after he reacts in anger, he’s reprimanded by both his mother and Lisa, who are fearful that it could lead to further racist treatment or even harm.

Tony Danza addresses cancel culture

Tony Danza makes a cameo as himself in episode 2, when he’s cast to play Che’s father in the sitcom pilot they’re filming in Los Angeles. While Danza and Che have a natural rapport, Danza has reservations about his role on the show—primarily because he’s playing the character of Che’s father, who is written as being of Mexican descent, while Danza is, famously, Italian. As Danza puts it, he’s “come too far to get canceled now.” The show then gets re-written to reflect his background, while sidelining Che’s actual identity.

The podcast bubble finally bursts

As media forecasts have warned for years, the podcast bubble has burst in the world of And Just Like That. Despite Carrie’s success as an on-air audio media personality and her eventual willingness to do a vaginal dryness aid advertisement, there’s nothing that can be done to save her parent company from going bust in episode 2. As it happens, it isn’t just her podcast that comes to an end in the episode—her affair with her show’s hot producer, Franklyn, runs its course after Carrie makes it clear that she’s not looking for anything besides a casual arrangement.

Che is still married

The biggest reveal of season 2 so far comes courtesy of Che, who may very well be the show’s most chaotic (and polarizing) character. After Miranda loses her phone and is stranded at the beach, Che sends a ride to pick her up—but it’s not an Uber or a ride service. Instead, it’s a kind stranger in a purple pickup truck, who also happens to be Che’s former partner—and current husband, since they never bothered to get a divorce.