Ahhhhh Karma finally comes to get Carrie in this episode and it is MINOR compared to what she put Aidan and Natasha through but she pulls the woe-is-me crap the whole fucking episode as if she is somehow a victim.
We actually open with Charlotte and her in-laws at some mansion in CT. Boring! That whole B story of her and the gardener is wholly unsatisfying and beneath her. But I digress. Carrie is the worst for SO MANY reasons in this episode so let’s break it down, shall we?
#1 – The girls are having lunch together when Natasha and a friend show up to the same restaurant. As soon as Natasha spots Carrie she BAILS. And who could blame her?
The look says it all. But Carrie immediately throws herself a Pity Party because she can’t believe someone could hate her that much. YOU SLEPT WITH HER HUSBAND, MISTRESS MCSUCKSALOT. Don’t you have awareness of other people’s feelings? Oh that’s right, you DON’T.
#2 – After lunch, she gets lost trying to buy more shoes (how it is possible for her to get lost in a city she has lived in for 15 years is beyond me). When asking a random dude for directions she’s ends up getting robbed at gun point. She unsuccessfully tries to beg Mugger Man out of taking her Manolo’s because shoes are just so important to her. WhatEVER.
#3 – She winds up in a salon where no one gives a fuck that she was robbed but they let her use the phone and pace around telling her story to whoever the police sent. Miranda comes to her rescue with a pair of shoes and the detective who is there with Carrie immediately falls for her. Life is so unfair. Not only does Carrie have to walk in ugly shoes that don’t fit her, but she doesn’t land hot detective man either.
#3 – Freaking out about her date with Detective Stevens, Miranda calls Carrie, who is supportive until the end when she reminds Miranda to remind her detective to keep a look out for her stolen Manolo’s. How many times can I say this? EVERYTHING IS NOT ABOUT YOU.
#4 – Samantha has the same name and phone number exchange (or whatever) of a college kid, Sam Jones, who is throwing a party and his calls keep going to Samantha. Naturally, she invites herself, not knowing they are going to a party at a college dorm until she arrives. She drags Carrie with her and is blathering on about cosmic purpose, she was meant to be at this party, etc., and of COURSE Carries asks what the cosmic purpose was for Natasha snubbing her. Um, you fucked her husband? That would be reason enough, but Samantha is sleeping with someone who works at Ralph Lauren so knows that Natasha is back working there and divorcing Big. Carrie can’t BELIEVE she’s responsible for breaking up a marriage. What did she think would happen, exactly?
#5 – The fact that she even ASKED Samantha the reason behind Natasha snubbing her is shockingly obtuse. Was she expecting to be forgiven? Did she just not care UNTIL she got snubbed because she was with her friends and it made her look bad? (All of them defending her is a separate issue for another time).
#6 – When they are leaving the party and some drunk guys rush past them, Carrie gets pushed down some stairs, like two or three of them and hurts her knee but is not BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH LIKE NATASHA WAS. She kicks the Pity Party up a notch.
#7 – Deciding that she’s had enough of the bad karma, Carrie calls Ralph Lauren to talk to Natasha, but can’t get through. I mean, Natasha correctly refuses to speak with her.
#8 – After seven unreturned phone calls, she stalks her down at lunch and issues the following apology:
I love how Natasha shuts her down and puts her in her place. Carrie gets nothing out of the meeting except the realization that her actions contributed to Natasha being single again and will increase the competition for the single men in the city AND she’s a model, so GREAT JOB ALL AROUND, CARRIE.
And lastly, I disagree with part of what Vulture said about this episode:
It is not the first time Carrie shows she is deeply flawed – like, hello? Aidan? Anyway.
SIDEBAR: Samantha sleeping with Sam the virgin is just….weird.
SIDEBAR 2: Charlotte and Trey are separated after only two months of marriage.
Carrie Bradshaw is the Worst 
All I have to say is that Christian Dior dress is fucking incredible and I’ve loved it ever since this episode. However, I noticed how perfect Natasha’s dress is for her as well; I’ve never seen a dress (bodice, anyway, since we don’t see the bottom portion) fit someone’s upper half so perfectly, with the gorgeous deep back and the boatneck which frames her collarbones so well. Costuming was on point this episode for these two ladies in this scene.
Natasha’s speech was one of the best parts of the entire season. You could see Carrie softening briefly when she thought Natasha was actually legitimately sorry for anything to do with Carrie being a cheating lying homewrecking asshole. I guess the only other thing she could have said which would have crushed her is “I’m sorry he wanted to marry me instead of you.”
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Do you know where to find Natasha’s dress?? The minute I saw it I loved everything about it, even if it was just the bodice. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
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She DRINKS OUT OF NATASHA’S WATER GLASS. That was such an insult. Like a mini micro-aggression that illustrates Carrie’s personal worldview, perfectly: she thinks she is entitled to anything that she wants/“needs,” even if—especially if—to belongs to someone else. Not only did she feel entitled to Natasha’s husband, she feels entitled to drink out of her glass. And the way it’s framed, like she’s just so nervous and insecure and dreading this potentially humiliating (for her, of course) encounter, and she’s just trying to control her nerves and stall for a bit, is so Carrie. Natasha doesn’t want her there, she doesn’t want to speak to her at all. Carrie knows that. She shows up anyways. Natasha wants Carrie to say her piece and leave quickly and instead Carrie delays by taking the longest drink of water ever. During her apology for taking things from Natasha, she takes something from Natasha!
That’s one of the things the always bugs me most about Carrie: her sense of entitlement. She feels like she’s entitled to her relationships. She feels like she’s entitled to see and/or speak to someone whenever she wants to despite them not wanting to see or speak to her right now. She feels like she’s entitled to SAY whatever she wants to anyone because she “needs” to be honest or get something off her chest to MAKE HERSELF FEEL BETTER. And she thinks she’s entitled to forgiveness. And not just forgiveness, she feels like she’s entitled to understanding and sympathy. She feels like she’s entitled to have all of her flaws justified as not-her-fault. And if nothing is ever her fault, then she feels entitled to go through life consequence free.
And yet she extends none of the same grace to anyone else in her life, ever. She holds grudges forever. She blows things way out of proportion. I don’t know if you’re going to do the SATC movies, but I re-watched 1 last night. She thinks that Miranda, at her lowest point and feeling most emotional, telling Big “you’re crazy to get married,” is on par with Steve cheating on Miranda. She goes on this whole rant about how Miranda is begging for Carrie to forgive her and yet Miranda won’t forgive Steve. Those “indiscretions” are NOT comparable. She is punishing Miranda for what Big did to her, and not for what Miranda actually said. If someone had said to my husband that we were crazy to get married, my husband would not have immediately abandoned me on my wedding day because of it. Because he actually loves me, is committed to me, wanted to be married, trusted our relationship, was excited for the wedding, and would never, ever want to humiliate me like that. Big….obviously didn’t feel the same way towards Carrie if one off-hand comment by an obviously emotionally wrecked woman was enough for him to cancel his wedding to the supposed love of his life.
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I find myself always cheering a little when I rewatch the scene where Natasha gives Carrie that fantastic speech, one of my favourite (but also most cringeworthy) scenes of the show!
But I have to disagree when it comes to your assessment of Vulture’s statement. Cheating is a really horrible thing to do, however in light of how many many people actually happen to do it in their lifespan, I truly don’t think it makes anybody inherently “deeply flawed”. It’s immature, it’s awful, but it’s not neccessarily a sign for a deeply horrible character unworthy of any kind of redemption in the grand scheme of things.
What I find a myriad more off putting about Carries behavior is how she absolutely fails to consider the feelings of any other person except herself and how she genuinely thinks she is the victim in all of this, even *after* all of that Big bullshit happened earlier in the season. Like, there’s literally no self-reflection whatsoever involved. She is chillingly self-righteouss and self-absorbed. I really don’t see any redemption for that kind of character!
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IMO Carrie is deeply flawed, it was established in the first season, then chiseled in stone when she was late as the MOH to a large expensive wedding that been one of Charolette’s dreams/motivation s and maybe q
a core personality trait. Then literally tells Aiden right before the wedding, draws attention back to self.
She could have just broke up with Aiden, let the gals just kick back and be happy Charolette/party. But nope, so Sam, the bride and Miranda had to focus not only on the wedding, but cajole Carrie.
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Vulture has a wildly imaginative take that borders on fantastical fantasy, everything was executed poorly.
1. Carrie spends most of the episode selfishly wanting to apologize so she can feel better.
2. Stalks Natasha then almost can’t comprehend that Natasha did not mean “sorry” in the way Carrie wanted. 3. She spends 2 seconds connecting the dots that her actions can change lives.
4. And because of her Natasha is dating, which might not even be a date to begin with, but of course Carrie forms her own narrative to suit her.
5. Then comes off as thrilled that Douchebag is back on the market and single, so now they can start flirting with better ease of mind.
6. Acts wounded seeing Aiden moving on, and makes it all about her.
I am hate watching this show again, I watched it in my 20s, 30s, and 40s with such a change of perspective. At least this episode Carrie isn’t shaming anyone this episode I think. She probably had one judgemental comment.
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