'And Just Like That' Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: Big Grief, Fake COVID and One Character's Suicidal Threat

In the third episode of season 2, Carrie Bradshaw confronts her grief again.

Spoiler alert! If you haven't watched the third episode of season 2 of And Just Like That, proceed with caution. 

After a rather subdued start to season 3 last week, the Sex and the City spinoff series, And Just Like That, packed more of an emotional punch this week. As Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is asked to narrate the audiobook version of her book about the death of her husband, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), the fashionista is forced to relive his traumatic final moments. 

Though she'd been proud of seemingly getting out on the other side of her grief, Carrie discovers that she's far from being over the painful loss. 

She runs into returning character Bitsy von Muffling (Julie Halston), who also made a cameo in the spinoff's first season. Bitsy tells her that the second year after a loss is actually the most painful as life continues without that person. 

Not wanting to admit that she's not able to handle narrating the audiobook, Carrie claims to have tested positive for COVID, a move that pal Anthony Marantino (Mario Cantone) quips, "is very off trend for her." 

The fake COVID lie causes a variety of problems for the widower, who gets treats from bestie Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) and unwanted sympathy from her friend, Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), who is living across the country in California. 

Carrie finally is able to admit that she's not over grieving Big's loss, and this breakthrough allows her to make it through the recording of the book. She ends the episode flirting with some Australians at a New York restaurant, with the signature sign-off, "And just like that… I got COVID."

Craig Blankenhorn/Max

Meanwhile, Miranda is struggling to balance her life in California supporting Ché Diaz's (Sara Ramirez) Hollywood dreams when her son, Brady (Niall Cunningham), calls. Brady is distraught saying that his girlfriend broke up with him and makes several semi-suicidal comments that alarm Miranda enough for her to secretly keep her phone on her during a taping of Ché's comedy pilot. Of course, the phone goes off at the worst possible time, leaving the nonbinary comedian upset and thrown off their game. 

Miranda books a flight to New York to comfort her son, but the decision doesn't sit well with Ché, who views the move as an overreaction. But for the first time this season, Miranda appears to have her priorities in check, calling Brady the "most important" thing in her life, which seems to bother Ché. In what's become trademark cringey Miranda wording, the former high-powered lawyer asks Ché not to end their conversation on a "yucky" note, and Ché literally does the bare minimum, saying they hope Brady is OK. 

Craig Blankenhorn/Max

Fans will have to wait until next week to see what happens between Miranda and Ché, but at least the redheaded powerhouse will be back in New York, where all the OGs belong. Lest we all forget what happened when Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) flew to Los Angeles to follow Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis)? Hint: It involved guacamole and spying on her well-endowed neighbor. 

New episodes of And Just Like That stream Thursdays on Max. 

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