Carrie’s Future Is Uncertain in the Penultimate Episode of ‘And Just Like That’

Spoilers below.

The latest episode of And Just Like That… hits a little different today, knowing that the series is coming to an end in a week’s time. It’s possible that, at the time the show was being written or filmed, the team didn’t know that this would be the final season. But it’s unfortunate that the penultimate episode of an iconic franchise that just can’t die has to be this bland. At just half an hour, it makes me wonder whether events were split between this and next week’s finale, rather than crammed into one supersized episode. But once the credits began rolling on season 3, episode 11, I caught myself saying aloud, “That’s it?”

After Carrie finally gets together with her neighbor and writing partner Duncan in the previous episode, he’s nowhere to be found. The show jumps ahead to Thanksgiving, as Carrie is ordering pies at her favorite bakery for the dinner Miranda is hosting. The errand has brought her back to her old neighborhood, which leads her to stroll down her old street and run into Lisette, the stylish jewelry designer who now lives in Carrie’s old apartment. Carrie jokes that she wants her place back, but the closest she’ll get to moving in again (for now) is an invite to a party with Lisette and her friends.

Carrie’s future is a little up in the air at this point. That’s clear in the semi-autobiographical historical novel she hands in. Her publisher loves it, but believes it’s missing a final chapter. Carrie’s protagonist, “the woman,” ends the story alone after the love of her life dies. That might be normal in 2025, but it would’ve been a tragedy in 1846, when the story is set. So now Carrie must write an epilogue that “makes the reader feel good” and reflects her own journey, too. Will she end the series with a new love interest or continue to fly solo? Will she stay in her new apartment, move back, or find a new place that’s just right?

Anthony also finds himself facing a big question. While shopping at Bergdorf’s, Giuseppe gets down on one knee and proposes in the dressing room. Anthony tearfully says yes. It seems like happily ever after for the bread-baking duo, but Anthony later reveals that he’s having second thoughts. He only accepted the proposal because he can’t say no to Giuseppe. Given their age gap, Anthony doesn’t know if he’s supposed to “marry him or mommy him.”

Speaking of moms, Miranda is excited to host Thanksgiving, and gets a little too eager and invites Mia, the mother of Brady’s child (played by Ella Stiller, Ben Stiller’s daughter). After last week’s disastrous encounter at the hair salon, it’s surprising Miranda still wants to forge a relationship with this woman—and Brady is understandably angry at her for inviting Mia behind his back.

Seema is also fretting about her Thanksgiving plans. She’s set to meet Adam’s sister—a big step in their relationship—on the holiday, although Adam tries to downplay the event. (He doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving.) Meanwhile, Harry’s also in his feels and doesn’t want to go to Miranda’s dinner. He reveals to Charlotte that when he was first diagnosed with cancer, one thing he kept telling himself was that he wanted to “make it to Thanksgiving,” and now that it’s finally here, he wants to be able to celebrate it with his family in a more intimate way. Charlotte hears him out and wonders why he didn’t tell her sooner.

Besides, Charlotte is more concerned about her child Rock’s school production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Rock is playing the titular role in the musical, and the first time Charlotte sees them in full costume—makeup, wig, and all—she’s overcome with emotion. Rock is wearing blush and a bright red flapper dress as they step out of the bathroom. They appear before Charlotte in a glowy haze, walking in slow motion. Charlotte later tells her friends that she thought Rock looked so grown-up and “pretty” in that moment, but she didn’t know if she’s allowed to say that to her nonbinary kid.

The night of the play, Charlotte watches Rock sing and dance in awe. (For what it’s worth, Rock makes a great theater kid!) Notably, the number they’re shown performing is “Forget About the Boy,” which mirrors Charlotte’s own desire to forget about Rock’s nonbinary identity. I get that Charlotte probably dreamed of having another daughter, but it feels a little weird to see her impose this feminine identity on her child, wishing they were something they aren’t. After everything both Rock and Charlotte have gone through the past three seasons, shouldn’t Charlotte be a more supportive parent by now?

Herbert is grieving too, as he’s reminded of his election loss with every parent he faces at the school. Well-wishers try to comfort him for losing to a “community activist in bad shoes.” (Interesting timing as this season coincides with another high-profile New York election.)

When Carrie gets to Lisette’s place, she realizes some changes have been made. There is a wall splitting the unit in half (so much for the renovation Aidan did all those years ago), with Lisette living on one side and her roommate in the other. This isn’t the home she once knew.

This episode makes clear that Carrie’s new apartment in Gramercy is now too big for her. She initially got it hoping to start a life with Aidan, but that didn’t work out. And now Duncan has, rather unceremoniously, moved out of the basement unit too—off to resume his life in London. Seema mentions that Carrie should buy the bottom-floor unit because Duncan is not coming back, and she’ll get more for it when she resells the full property. Carrie isn’t sure she’s ready for that yet. But it’s not like she’s going to move back to her old place, which is now unrecognizable. So she keeps writing.

There are a lot of loose ends waiting to be tied up in the finale, like: Seema meeting Adam’s family; whether Charlotte finally comes to terms with Rock’s identity; whether Miranda, Brady, and Mia form a new family unit; and whether Lisa makes any lifestyle changes to embrace better work-life balance. Most of all, the ending of And Just Like That… will reveal “the woman”’s fate, and Carrie’s own.

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