Hamster Wheels | AJLT S3 E10 Recap
The faux finale to the actual finale
For the last few episodes, I have been writing my reviews as I watch the episode. It takes it take a while, but it is much easier for me. It’s also a funny way to see my reaction in real time.
Today, Deadline announced that this season will be the end of AJLT and thus the Sex and the City universe for good. Sad is an understatement. SATC is my favorite show of all time, and for it to be ending for good feels like a gut punch. I understand that all good things may come to an end, but I wish this could go on forever. All I hope is that Samantha Jones comes back one last time to reunite with the other girls one last time.
I’ve been writing these for free for so long but if any publications want to pay me to review any more shows please dm me!
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Carrie
We open with Carrie completing another chapter of her book, then turning it into Duncan. The final lines of the chapter he just finished were “She had done all she could. She had done all she could. She had done all she could.” Carrie Bradshaw may be an insane person, but she is a damn good writer.
She and Duncan ruminate on what her chapters would have been like if Aidan were still there. They also go bar for bar and we find out that Carrie has seven best-selling books……Seven??? When did that happen? As Duncan leaves, it’s clear that she has feelings for him. Regardless of whether they should be together or not, it’s annoying because this means that Aidan was right.
At drinks, Seema questions if Carrie and Duncan could ever be more. Carrie says that if they were to advance their relationship, it would “make it less.” She says that Duncan really sees her and sees her as smart first. Wow, Carrie discovered that you can be friends with men! Honestly, it was very sweet, I’m just giving her shit. I’m typing this in real time, and I don’t believe for one second that they aren’t going to have sex. But it’s sweet that Carrie believes that.
Duncan is over again and comes up to Carrie’s office to help her with her printer jam. He starts gawking at her closet and eventually invites her to a publishing party. She isn’t enthusiastic about going1, but eventually she gives in.
Later, Charlotte is over to use Carrie’s spare room for her third attempt with the Zoom psychic. She confides in Charlotte that she hesitated to go to the party with Duncan because if she did, then Miranda would be right. Kristin Davis then delivers the most insane yet incredible line delivery of her entire career.
Then SJP gives a very fake and staged response with “wow somebody needs an energy cleanse.
Carrie is about to leave the house wearing a cute suit dress.
Then she changes her mind and wears the Vivienne Westwood dress instead.
At the party, Duncan’s editor is hounding him about his book. When Carrie walks in, she’s gagged and is even more gagged when Duncan says he invited her. That’s how you clear a bitch!
Why is Carrie still asking about this payment? It’s becoming unclear if she realized that was a joke…
Duncan, Carrie, and his editor Imogen are talking, and she reveals that she is his ex-wife. It’s clear that whatever relationship they had is over, and they are just good friends. Duncan admits that he missed his deadline, and Carrie is sweetly concerned about that.
Back at their front door, they’re saying their goodbyes, and Duncan very bluntly asks her to come downstairs. She says no, then immediately changes her mind, shocker. They finally had sex, and I just realized how cute he is. He is very cute and adorable now that he isn’t being all grouchy. However, he is still a man and has to bring up the fact that he is leaving, so there can be nothing more than this night. She clearly understands, and they have an honest and very productive chat about how Carrie’s book is going to end.
Carrie says she wants to kill her off, but Duncan suggests that she is “such a unique character it would be a shame to end her.”2 Jury, his performance in this entire scene was turning me on, I can’t lie. Then he ruins it by saying, “ I may have missed the deadlines, but you’ve given me a new lifeline. ” Carrie rightfully clocked him for how corny that was because what was that??? LMFAO. It occurred to me that this is what her relationship with Berger could have been like if he weren’t a psychopath.
Seemingly, Duncan leaves, and we end with Carrie/ “the woman” sitting in her garden, feeling the lingering touch of a summer come and gone. “How wonderful,” she says.
I can’t lie, I liked this ending. Carrie needed to end up alone. Her true love is New York City. I have been following the creators this entire season and keeping up with the discourse, and there was a lot of talk about Carrie ending up alone. So this didn’t entirely shock me. However, I do think she deserves a healthy relationship for once. Maybe that relationship is New York City after all.
Miranda
Steve is back!!!!!!!!! Annnnndd Brady got someone pregnant.
I did see this spoiler, so I wasn’t that gagged, but still… woah. Also, Brady being 20 years old… yeah, okay, I’m suspending my disbelief.
Now, Brady, a girl, Mia, is pregnant after hooking up with her “two, maybe three times.” He also doesn’t know her last name. Oof. Not gonna lie, Brady, Miranda, and Steve’s reactions to this were kind of warranted. Now, Steve threatening to punch him in the face…that was wild….and kinda sexy. Anyway, Miranda slut shaming her was wild but also not surprising.
To be fair, Brady has a point; lots of people have babies, and he will figure it out like the rest of them. I do think it’s interesting that Mia doesn’t want Brady to be a part of her life. I do think that she should at least ask him…geez.
Then we have to see Miranda work her way through setting up a three-way call lmfao. Miranda and Carrie both look insane. They’re in their house so i’ll leave it alone.
Charlotte and Carrie have predictable reactions. However, I was proud of Charlotte for recognizing that she was about to make the situation about her. That’s growth! Carrie should take notes. That being said, Carrie had a point, too. If Mia doesn’t want Brady involved, that means Miranda, too. It sucks, but ultimately that’s what that means. I’m interested to see how Miranda handles this.
Miranda is venting to Charlotte about Brady’s baby mama, and they both look like lesbian detectives from the 70s. What the hell do they have on? Let’s start with Charlotte. The coat is very cute, and I believe Charlotte would wear it. However, the entire outfit put together makes her look so formal. Too formal to just be walking down the street gossiping with your girlfriend. She also just looks like a lesbian here. I can’t explain it; she just does. Maybe it’s her proximity to Miranda. Which brings me to the hat.
What the fuck is this hat? Why is Miranda wearing a cameo hat with a tweed bomber jacket? With a long scarf and grey pants. This outfit is styled terribly. Charlotte’s outfit is out of character, but it is objectively a well-styled outfit. Miranda’s is an abomination and makes me wonder how two such different outfits can come from the same costume department. They clearly have favorites because seesh.
Phew, okay, now that’s out of the way. Miranda is complaining to Charlotte about Brady moving out of his room with Steve and moving in with her. Then we find out that this walk is actually an undercover mission to go see who Brady’s baby mama is……..Oh my god, they’re dressed like detectives on purpose.
Miranda lies and says that Mia’s services are highly recommended. The receptionist is confused because they don’t have a stylist named Mia. Mia overhears and is very pregnant. The receptionist reveals that she is actually “the shampoo girl” and is confused why her services are recommended, but ultimately takes the compliment as an excuse to talk about her pending wellness app……I can see Miranda’s gears turning. Miranda tries to ask about the baby, and then goes too far when she asks how she knows who the dad is. Miranda, what the fuck was that? You can’t just ask a stranger that! No matter if she is carrying your grandchild. All she had to do was be normal and ask normal questions, Jesus.
Now, I love Mia. Mia is a fucking G. She sprayed that water in her face like a fucking badass. Because how dare you? Charlotte in the background was killing me. That was just whack all around. Mia accusing her of being a Taurus was wild because she is a Capricorn, but she did eat her up with the “you’re so binary” because she is. Her delivery of that line was incredible. I am going to be thinking about that for a while. Mia walking away and farting!!!!!!!! A queen. I need a guest Emmy nomination. That was fucking hilarious. Mia, I see you.
Brady is going to be pissed when he finds out. Side note: I think the actor that plays Brady is so cute.
Charlotte
Charlotte won an energy reading at a silent auction. However, she is renovating her hallway, Harry is watching some game, and Rock is practicing for the lead in Thoroughly Modern Millie3, so she can’t focus. It’s weird that the psychic wouldn’t turn on her camera. Although the best psychic I went to said that she only does virtual sessions over the phone, so maybe there is something to it. The psychic eats her up about rescheduling the session when it was only $40 to begin with. No shade, Charlotte, just put on some noise-cancelling headphones and you will be fine. I know you can afford it!
When she finally gets to talk to the psychic, she finally gets to let out her emotions about Harry’s cancer scare. The psychic finally turns her camera on and gives her probably a very healing guided meditation. It’s ironic that she’s a psychic but couldn’t see that Charlotte was clearly going through something very serious. This is why these services should always be in person.
Anthony
I should have been doing this the entire time since he’s clearly been bumped up to a part of the core friend group. Anywho, while Anthony and Giuseppe are having sex, they learn that there is a gas leak in their building and they have to vacate. Anthony assumes they’re going to a hotel, but Giuseppe says they can stay and their place. Anthony admits he never wanted this to happen, fair. But Giuseppe insists it’s not that bad.
Reader, it was kind of that bad. Besides his room being very small (I mean that’s the Upper West Side for ya), his roommate is an older man who makes puppets.
If you know me, you know I love puppets. I’m actually going to a puppet museum in Atlanta on my birthday this year. But waking up to a man who made a puppet of my boyfriend would freak me out, too. Anthony, you ain’t wrong, king.
Giuseppe keeps trying to convince Anthony that there is nothing to worry about with his roommate, Andrew. Then, Giuseppe goes to pee and sees Andrew jerking off the puppet he made of him. Saw that one coming. Thankfully, that made Giuseppe want to move in with Anthony.
I hope the series ends with them getting married.
LTW
I am becoming very bored with her storyline. As the last Black woman standing, i’m gonna need them to up the ante a little bit. Also, I miss Nia, Miranda’s emotional support person of color.
Anywho, LTW is late for a meeting for her docu-series. Herbert (I still can’t believe his name is Herbert) is once again making everything about him and trying to distract her. Also, their daughter is making LTW spend time with her hamster, Shirley, because it misses her. It’s clear that it’s the daughter who misses her mother, but she is projecting it onto her hamster. Either way, it’s sweet that LTW actually decided to spend time with the hamster. My mom would have told me to leave her alone, and that would have been that. Actually, my mom wouldn’t have let me have the hamster in the first place. So her daughter needs to count her blessings.
So LTW’s daughter’s name is Gaby, interesting, when did that happen? Well, Gaby let Shirley out for “a walk” in LTW’s closet. Gaby says Shirley was bored because she wasn’t in there to spend time with her. Again, this is such an obvious metaphor for what Gaby is feeling.
LTW yells at her, and Herbert’s mother scolds her. Herbert actually said something helpful for once and let her know that she’s human and that it will be okay. Someone get this woman a cocktail.
LTW’s parts always feel like I am watching a different show. I don’t know if it’s because her stakes always feel higher or because she only really interacts with Charlotte. LTW needs to be at the dinners and lunches with the girls. I just noticed that she’s never there.
Herbert loses the election for city comptroller.
Womp womp. LTW tries to comfort him with the same advice he gave her, and it doesn’t work. He's being a big baby about it, per usual. His mother is not being helpful by saying, “Why would you enter a race when there was a chance you could lose?” What an insane thing to say to your son.
This docu-series better be over by the time this season is done I swear to god! Hopefully, we get a Michelle Obama cameo!
Seema
Seema is visiting Adam’s apartment, and she is shocked that he rents. Seema….he’s a gardener, not a venture capitalist. He was raised in this apartment with his sister, named Marley.4
He reveals that his mother passed away when he was twenty. A fact that is sad, but not a red flag. However, Seema makes it a red flag because Seema always has to self-sabotage. And who else loves to “yes, and” self-sabotage? Carrie.
But before we go there, can someone explain to me if his mom is literally the plant, or if she just kept it alive for this long? I thought he was gonna say her ashes were in there or something.
Now, Seema does have a point about his mother being a saint now that she’s dead. However, I still think it’s self-sabotage.
Seema goes to the kitchen for a smoke and smokes in front of his pants. She then….leans over and knocks the plant out the window????????????? I had to take a video because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
She just…..leaned on it. I know that this woman can act better than this. That is probably the funniest shot in this entire season. That was insane!!!!!!!! What???? God, I love this show.
Adam shows up at her job because Seema hasn’t been responding to his calls or texts. We also learn that her assistant can afford to sign a two-year lease and a Birkin bag. Once the assistant leaves, that leaves them to talk about the incident in front of two other people. Shockingly, Seema admits that she didn’t know what to say about “killing” his mother. Adam is very level-headed about it and shows her that he saved some of the clippings and put them in her office. She is nervous that she is going to kill the plants again, and he says, “That's what you have me for.” I’ll admit that was very cute. I’m warming up to him. I hate his facial hair and the hair on top of his head, but I like his personality.
Ugh, I’m sad that this season is the last, but I’m happy that wasn’t the last episode. I hope we get two movie-length episodes for the finale.
I get it
Now that I know the series is ending this feels like a meta conversation about what to do with Carrie Bradshaw
Never seen it
My best friend’s name is Marlee and that is the superior way to spell it. Along with my other best friend’s name Reilee. Lol
I’m so sad it’s ending!! Agreed on the plant window scene. I was speechless. Also don’t know if it’s actually his mum or not… couldn’t work that out. Miranda’s styling has been so not on the same level as everyone else’s and this episode was the possible worst of it. BUT i think my favourite episode so far.
Was patiently waiting for this recap all day and it did not disappoint. Thank you as always for your service. 💌