<i>And Just Like That...</i> Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Mommy Issues

Spoilers below.

Some of my favorite sounds in the world are birds chirping on spring mornings, the squeaking of sneakers on TV as my dad watches basketball, and Steve Brady saying “HEYYY, MIRAAHNDUHH!” in Sex and the City. David Eigenberg’s signature, at times cartoonish, but undeniably New York accent brings me joy. So imagine my delight when I suddenly heard the Long Island rasp of Miranda’s ex-husband for the first time this season on And Just Like That… It was like hearing the theme song to your comfort show come on—you can’t help but know you’re in for a treat. But soon after the surprise entrance, on season 3, episode 10, Steve’s voice quickly goes from charming to uncharacteristically aggressive.

That’s because his son, Brady, drops two bombshells on him and Miranda at family dinner: He’s going to culinary school (Miranda is supportive while Steve laments losing Brady as his personal chef), and he got someone pregnant during a random hookup (both parents are stunned here). Brady doesn’t even know much about the woman, just that her first name is Mia and that she’s “very” pregnant. Miranda isn’t convinced that the baby is Brady’s, but Steve blows up at the dinner table, scolding his son for being irresponsible just as he was about to get his life together. He describes Mia as “someone who’s having your baby who doesn’t want to be with you, isn’t that fucked up?” (Hmm, is he actually talking about his situation with his ex-wife here?) He even threatens to get violent, and that’s when Brady storms out of Miranda’s apartment. Just when I thought I was missing Steve’s voice, I got an earful of it. Miranda the processes the chaotic evening and her future as a grandma on a three-way call with Carrie and Charlotte.

Speaking of Carrie, now that she and Aidan are over for good, she has much more time to write… with Duncan. He seems impressed with this repeated line in her latest draft: “She had done all she could. She had done all she could. She had done all she could.” As if this couldn’t be more reflective of Carrie and Aidan’s breakup, the man in her story returns home from war safely, but dies from the untreated wound from the previous battle.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Giuseppe (with his mother now out of the picture) are getting it on in Anthony’s apartment when a neighbor knocks and says they have to evacuate for safety reasons. It’s finally time for Anthony to stay over at Giuseppe’s humble two-bedroom. But the next morning, they are awoken by his strange roommate: a middle-aged puppeteer whose latest creation looks just like Giuseppe. Giuseppe says there’s nothing to worry about because his roommate is asexual. Anthony later suggests that they move in together, but Giuseppe wants to take things slow. However, when he finds his roommate jerking off to his puppet clone, he takes Anthony up on his offer.

Seema also goes to Adam’s apartment for the first time, and it’s a total jackpot: a light-filled, spacious, and rent-subsidized flat for only $900 a month. He inherited it from his mother, who died of breast cancer when he was 20. Seema wishes she could meet her, so he introduces her to a sprawling plant on his windowsill, which he describes as “my mom in a nutshell.” Over drinks with Carrie, Seema shares her fear that Adam has mommy issues. But later, Seema puts those issues to the test when she accidentally knocks the potted plant out of Adam’s window while trying to smoke. She feels terrible (“I killed your mother,” she says), but he was able to re-pot some of the surviving vines. Mother lives on.

On the topic of moms, Miranda is desperate to learn more about the woman Brady got pregnant. So, she goes undercover at the salon where Mia works and requests an appointment with her, only to find out Mia is just a shampoo girl. With her head in the sink, Miranda tries to get more info out of Mia, who has a visible baby bump and can’t stop farting. Miranda is not impressed when Mia admits she was going to get an abortion until she realized her baby “would be a double Libra.” When Miranda asks if she knows whether Brady is the father of the child, Mia gets offended. Miranda comes clean and reveals her identity, and Mia responds by splashing her in the face with water. Miranda hopes she can have some sort of connection with the mother of her grandchild, but that doesn’t seem likely. When she asks whether the baby will be a “little boy or girl,” Mia looks at her in disgust for being “so binary.” She walks off and passes gas on the way out.

Also having mother-daughter issues? Lisa. When her daughter loses her pet hamster in the walk-in closet, Lisa scolds her for letting the rodent out of its cage. But her daughter gets her back by saying Lisa is “never here.” Her mother-in-law also judges her for yelling at her child. Lisa is angry with herself for focusing too much on her work instead of her family, but her husband, Herbert, comforts her. “You’re human,” he says. And oop! There goes the hamster running out the bedroom door. Later, the family gathers to learn the election results of Herbert’s big race for city comptroller. The Wexleys are one enthusiastic bunch as they pile into the elevator, but they quickly return home defeated. Herbert lost the race. He’s beside himself, but Lisa tries to lift his spirits with the same advice he gave her: “You’re human.”

Charlotte has been dealing with a bit of chaos of her own. She’s been trying to meet with an “energy healer” on Zoom (respectfully, diva, why not a therapist?), but there’s too much noise around her home with renovations taking place and Rock tap dancing. After rescheduling the appointment several times, Charlotte finds some peace and quiet at Carrie’s apartment. Here, she lets her walls down and says she’s still harboring feelings from Harry’s cancer diagnosis, especially the strain of carrying the news alone. Empathizing with Charlotte, the anonymous energy healer turns her camera on to reveal her face—it’s the great Susie Essman!—and begins a guided meditation.

Carrie has realized something about her dynamic with Duncan: “I’ve never experienced a man seeing me as smart first,” she says. It’s limiting to be seen as primarily stylish or sexy, she explains. But the English writer “respects my thoughts” and “sees my me-ness,” she tells Seema. Still, Carrie believes their relationship is limited to just work and writing; but Duncan challenges that boundary by inviting Carrie to a glamorous publishing party. She arrives wearing Vivienne Westwood and sparkling heels, turning the heads of the amused guests, including Duncan—and his ex-wife. Imogen is a chic publisher with a blonde bob, who teases Duncan about missing his deadlines and forgetting their anniversary. Even Carrie finds their dynamic messy.

When they return home, Duncan asks Carrie to come back to his apartment—not for writing purposes this time—but she declines. They say goodnight and go their separate ways, but before Carrie can put her key in her door, she turns to chase Duncan and kisses him on his doorstep. They do end up spending the night together and talk about writing even more. He tells her, “I may have missed a deadline, but you’ve given me a new lifeline.” She cringes at the line; it’s “too purple,” she says. But Carrie loves it. In the closing scene, she’s in the garden wearing a dress in that very color.