And Just Like That...'s 10 Most Cringe-Worthy Moments, From Miranda's 'Woke' Ramble To Carrie's Big Request
And Just Like That... our threshold for uncomfortable situations was seriously tested. HBO Max's Sex and the City revival certainly didn't shy away from forcing its characters (and by extension, its audience) to confront many awkward scenarios, from the sexual kind to racial faux pas.
In TVLine's roundup of the show's most cringe-worthy scenes, the desire to squirm is strong, especially when revisiting moments like Miranda's terrible first impression on Professor Nya or Charlotte's awful mistake at Lisa Todd Wexley's dinner party. Carrie was also not immune to the trend, asking Big to perform a special request for her, then finding herself in the middle of someone else's intimate moment.
And for the most part, the cringe factor played out intentionally as part of the storylines, with the characters internally grimacing as much as the viewers. (You know Charlotte is kicking herself.) However, in a couple of cases, we're not so sure that we were supposed to groan in discomfort, but we'll let you try to decipher which of the below selections we're talking about.
Review our list of And Just Like That...'s most cringe-y moments to see what made the cut, then hit the comments to share your top picks!
Miranda Digs Herself Into a Hole (Episode 1)
Miranda's first meeting with her law professor got off to an extremely awkward start when she expressed surprise that Nya was the prof because of her braids. As Miranda explained herself (the hairstyle just looked different from Nya's photo online!) and tried to prove how "woke" she is (she chose the class specifically because Nya is Black!), Miranda only made the rambling interaction even more uncomfortable. Where's a school bell when you need one?
A Big Display of Sex (Episode 1)
After Che told her to step up her sex talk game — OK, those weren't their exact words, but we don't want to be crude — Carrie asked Big to masturbate in front of her, surprising herself and her husband. But it was far from a sexy moment, with Big making light of the situation as he pleasured himself. Throughout it all, we just wanted to say, "Sir, please put it away."
Knockin' Boots Through the Wall (Episode 2)
There's a lot to digest here, starting with the fact that Brady and his girlfriend are totally comfortable having loud sex right next door to his parents' bedroom, which brings us to Miranda and Steve, who can hear every bump of their son's headboard against the wall and just continue carrying on with their TV program. Whyyyy would Miranda and Steve ever allow this situation to carry on under their roof?
Funny Business, This Is Not (Episode 3)
Everyone around Che sure seemed to think their "comedy concerts" (such as the one in Episode 3) and podcast were hilarious, but the forced jokes weren't the groundbreaking laugh riot the show tried to sell us on. So naturally, Che got a pilot deal.
Charlotte's Major Faux Pas (Episode 4)
For all her efforts to make sure her own dinner party guest list was racially diverse, Charlotte still stepped in it when she greeted Lisa Todd Wexley's Black friend and mistook her for another Black woman.
Sex and the Kitchen (Episode 5)
As if Miranda and Che having sex in Carrie's kitchen while she slept in the other room wasn't bad enough, unbeknownst to them, Carrie could actually hear and see them going at it. And it gets worse: Over Miranda's loud moans, they couldn't hear Carrie, who was recovering from surgery, calling out for help getting to the bathroom, forcing her to painfully pee in a bottle, which she then spilled all over the bed.
Carrie RSVPs Herself to Diwali (Episode 6)
Inviting oneself to a friend's Diwali family celebration was one thing. But then wearing the traditional "sari" (which was actually a lehenga) was crossing the line into Sex and the City 2 territory, no matter how much Seema told Carrie that it was cultural appreciation, not appropriation.
Sex and the Kitchen, Part 2 (Episode 7)
Miranda tried to reignite the spark between her and Steve by recreating the circumstances of her passionate encounter with Che. But it was an exercise in futility as this kitchen session culminated in...Miranda loading the dishwasher, while Steve put away the leftovers. We also can't ignore the fact that Steve washed his hands before pleasuring Miranda, but not after as he went to handle the food.
A Sight No One Wants to See (Episode 8)
Poor Lily got quite an eyeful (and a knock to the head) when she walked in on Charlotte on her knees, getting ready to, um, "thank" Harry. (Consider this a lesson to always close and lock the bathroom door.) The one bright spot in this supremely uncomfortable moment: the teen didn't seem to realize what she really saw, believing her mom when Charlotte said she was checking Harry for cancer.
Don't Ever Say That Again, Please (Episode 9)
Sometimes, all it takes is one harmless line of dialogue to make us cringe. Case in point: Miranda telling her new lover that she was "craving me some Che."