Was it just us, or were some major Sex and the City flashbacks brought on by the Sunday, October 16, episode of HBO’s Divorce? Maybe without the actual sex, but still. With Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Robert (Thomas Haden Church) moving forward with their divorce, SJP is again caught on screen in a dramatic love triangle between two men. And honestly, it is still entertaining as hell.
Even though Divorce is a bit darker than SATC, we’re seeing tidbits that keep the spirit of that beloved early aughts show alive — including awkward interactions with kids, real estate heaven and sexual innuendo. Long live Carrie Bradshaw. And a good sex joke.
Below are the top SATC-est moments from Divorce‘s second episode:
SJP Needs Forgiveness
We got some major déjà vu when Frances begged for Robert’s forgiveness after he caught her in an affair with Julian (Jemaine Clement). In a point blank, very Carrie Bradshaw manner, Frances told him, “I made a mistake. … A series of awful, terrible mistakes. … I want to be with you. … We can fix this.” He was pretty unamused. Was this not exactly how it went down between Carrie and Aidan (John Corbett) after she was caught cheating with Mr. Big (Chris Noth)?
As fans recall, Carrie told Big, “I made a mistake — I am sorry. … I hope that you can forgive me. You have to forgive me.” SJP’s characters want their forgiveness, and they will stop at nothing to get it. And may we point out the similarities between Robert and Aidan? Not only their reaction to infidelity, but their passive-aggressiveness and day jobs (Robert is a builder, and Aidan was a furniture designer). Twinning.
Kids Are Our Friends, Sort Of
Carrie Bradshaw would have no idea what to do if a baby was placed on her lap. She could handle a deadline and a subpar boyfriend way better than a kid — and she knew that. Although Frances has children, it was hilarious seeing her struggle to keep her composure in front of kids … multiple times. First, she jumped on the school bus to preach the dangers of drinking, and then she cursed uncontrollably in front of a family of strangers and their young children. Iconic.
Real Estate Heaven (and Hell)
Frances’s new gallery location may not be Carrie and Big’s “heaven on 5th,” but it was amazing watching her dodge places she didn’t like, just like Carrie would. (Need we remind you of the closet?) Carrie had Big bring her to see a handful of places when looking for their first spot together because nothing was just right. When Frances was iffy about places she’d seen, her real estate agent told her, “Every time we get ready to pull the trigger, you p—y out.” Although, Frances and Carrie’s checklists differed just a bit …
While Carrie needed a closet as big as an apartment in itself (among other things), Frances’ list consisted of the following: “Right on Main St., not too big, not too small, has a toilet.” Heaven on Main St., perhaps?
The Good Ol’ Sex Joke
An episode of these shows without a sex reference is no episode at all. Robert came to the hospital to visit Diane (Molly Shannon) and husband Nick (Tracy Letts), sort of like Big showing up when Charlotte (Kristin Davis) had her baby. Anyway, Robert found himself in the middle of Frances and her crew while trying to comfort his recovering friend, when of course the affair came up. With no censor whatsoever (Samantha, is that you?), he talks about Julian’s manhood and “load” in front of everyone, and asks if Julian’s “granola” is a “euphemism for butt play.” Samantha (Kim Cattrall) would’ve had a ball.
Helping a Young Girl
At the end of the episode, Frances shared a sweet moment with her daughter, lying next to her in bed and comforting her by saying, “Everything’s gonna be OK.”
It totally reminded us of the one time Carrie wasn’t completely scared off by a child and was reading Charlotte’s daughter Lily a fairy tale in bed. And in their moment, Carrie tried to tell Lily that fairy tales aren’t real. That’s some foreshadowing, if we’ve ever seen it.
Tell Us: What did you think of Divorce’s SATC-est moments? And are you rooting for Frances and Robert to patch things up?
Divorce airs on HBO Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.
