***Warning: This blog post contains spoilers for episode seven of the HBOMax series, And Just Like That…***

Poor Steve. That’s really all I can think right now… poor, poor Steve. This revival is making his formerly goofy, lovable, sweet character so… blah. This poor guy. I guess the actor, David Eigenberg, is suffering from hearing loss, which is why they’ve incorporated it into the storyline. But still… since when does that make you lose your personality? Forget how to get your wife off??? I don’t buy it.

As episode seven begins, we view a whimsical passing of seasons outside Carrie’s window as she writes and writes and writes. It’s quite lovely, and brings us back to her regular column days a bit.

When she emerges in the spring, we discover Carrie has written another book about love found and lost. Her editor is very pleased with the book, but she wants Carrie to give it a more hopeful ending. She suggests maybe she even go on a date just to show readers that the hope of finding another love is still alive. “Just a suggestion of a brighter future…”

Carrie is understandably hesitant. Her editor would like her to do this in the next couple of weeks and revise the ending as she’s trying to get the book out by Christmas.

Charlotte meets up with Lisa to play tennis doubles. Later on, Harry tells her he can play, too, and would be interested in teaming up for doubles with LTW and her husband.

Next, Miranda and Steve can’t find each other at the farmers’ market. She runs into Nya and her husband, and Nya confides in her that she’s still not pregnant but hasn’t told her husband yet. Steve finds them but then heads off again as he left his wallet at another food stand. Steve’s helpless storyline continues…

Carrie meets with her editor again and says now she’s worried the book is too dark, based on the covers she’s seen. She almost wants to back out of publishing it, but her editor thinks it’s going to be a success.

Later with Miranda, Charlotte and Seema, Carrie announces she’s going to go on a date. Charlotte predictably perks up and starts spouting off about setting her up with single fathers she knows from school, but Carrie is quick to say she’d rather date someone no one knows. Seema reveals she’s already listed Carrie on a dating site, with positive results. (This was odd to me. I would not want a friend doing this without me knowing!!!!)

We find out that Che never responded to Miranda’s text from the last episode, and it’s been about three months. Ouch. She also tells Carrie her and Steve’s sex life continues to be lifeless. Carrie tells her maybe her sex life with Steve is just in a coma.

Apparently Miranda’s attempt to address this is to come on to Steve in the kitchen, when he’s in the middle of a stressful text situation. Now, I’m all for trying to shake things up. But it sounds like these two haven’t been intimate in years, and you can tell he’s just a little caught off guard. It doesn’t go well.

But… are we supposed to think OK, Miranda kinda sorta tried once to have sex with Steve in the kitchen, and the dolt can’t find his way around a farmers’ market, so to hell with it! Kick him to the curb! Cuz I ain’t buying it.

I think many relationships go through sexless phases. And sure, sometimes that can lead to cheating. But this whole Che affair just doesn’t quite fit into Miranda’s established personality on SATC. First of all, in the first movie, Steve cheats on her after they don’t have sex for something like six months, and she’s completely betrayed, gutted and almost leaves him over it. Yes, they’re older now. But since when does getting older result in sudden risky behavior (other than mid-life crises, which is not what I think is happening to Miranda). I mean, in SATC, this woman didn’t even want to deviate from her favorite Chinese takeout place.

And while the men of the show have always been backdrops to our female protagonists, in the past Steve wasn’t this lifeless. In SATC, he alludes to having had sex with more than 100 women. (“I’m a bartender! And I’m cute.”) Isn’t it kind of like riding a bike?

Harry also appears to be a victim of the show’s writing, as all he and Charlotte seem to do lately is bicker with each other. After playing tennis doubles, and winning, Harry seeks an apology from Charlotte for knocking into him during competitive play, and she’s completely put out by the suggestion she has anything to apologize for. The bickering continues through the rest of the episode (who’s Demi Lovahhhhhhhhhhto?! Ha)… super fun for us.

Meanwhile, Carrie goes on her first date since losing Big. He’s a cute, seemingly nice guy named Peter, who recently lost his wife. They’re both on their first date since they lost their spouses.

Indeed. And drink they do! We cut right to both of them outside the restaurant, drunkenly laughing and then suddenly puking. This made me laugh. I totally get it! All the pressure of this date for both of them, plus dealing with their grief. I’d probably get hammered, too. I think it’s a funny first date story, but Carrie is embarrassed and never plans to see him again.

But fate has other ideas. At a fundraiser for Charlotte’s kids’ school, Carrie spots Peter and is mortified. She tells Anthony to let her know when he’s left.

Miranda tells Carrie she “really tried hard” with Steve, and there was no response. “It was like dead people trying to have sex.”

Whoa whoa whoa… we were all there, unfortunately. Once she gave up, Steve even said she got him going and wanted to try, but she was ready to move on to ice cream. This is bullshit!

It turns out Che is at the event as well, performing. Miranda completely ditches Carrie — mid-sentence no less — to talk to Che. She finds out that Che never saw her DM — they get a lot of them — and the two of them take off somewhere to have sex. I’m still not sure where, but I’m guessing Che’s apartment. Miranda tells Che she thinks she’s in love with them, but Che says Miranda more likely is in love with how she is with Che. Hmmmm. I think she’s dragging Che into some existential mess, and hurting Steve in the process.

Back at the fundraiser, LTW’s husband is now auctioning off “a date night with sex writer Carrie Bradshaw!”

“Come on… it’s for the kids!” … spoken in nearly the same sentence.

Carrie stands up there as no one bids, except Charlotte, until finally Carrie bids $1,000 herself just to end it.

But then… one last bid of $1,050 — from Peter.

Yes! I love it! He didn’t leave after all. Carrie offers to pay him back and skip the date, but he says he’d like to try again. “We have so much to talk about… like how did I get home?!”

I like this guy!

They agree to do it… “for the kids.”

Back at home, I think Carrie has her happier ending for readers as she says, “And just like that… I found a glimmer of hope.”

Hell yes. My glimmer of hope is something in this show that doesn’t involve Miranda or Charlotte, so… stay tuned. I’m here for this. #TeamPeter