The Carrie Diaries - Recap: Catfight of the Titans
The Carrie Diaries continued Season 2 tonight with an episode that brought out the Zen in our Castlebury crew only to find Carrie’s two favorite Manhattan mamas, Samantha and Larissa, nearly coming to blows.
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Carrie and Walt had survived an entire summer living in one of the most dangerous cities around. Of course, petty street thieves were no match for the looming terrors to be brought forth by Sebastian (Austin Butler) and Maggie. I love that Walt had a favorite bicycle horn, and I loathe whoever stole it. Larissa arrived home from her journeys in the Far East with a new “Zen” perspective. I’m not sure Larissa will ever be as calm as a rock in the hustling and bustling NYC stream, but she’s certainly always been quite confident and unflappable.
Carrie, along with Walt and Bennet (Jake Robinson), would accompany Larissa to Japanese themed garden in Manhattan to christen her arrival home. Carrie, looking to inject her messy social life with a dose of Zen if only to get some answers in her struggles with Sebastian, took a special liking to a flower on display. The gardenia, floating calmly in a clear glass case, represented purity and stillness in life. Carrie found her Zen, while Larissa went on the hunt for some sake. Walt and Bennet subsequently took a quiet stroll through the garden, as Walt began to open up regarding his fears of heading back to Castlebury and, of course, back into the closet. Bennet suggested that Walt look to the performing ninjas for inspiration, as they’re the experts in sneaking in and out of places like shadows. Walt sees his senior year as one last hurdle to jump before he can live as an out and proud gay man in New York, yet there was no telling at this point what the folks back home actually knew. Was everyone whispering? Was everyone clueless?
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Carrie, meanwhile, took their day in the Zen garden as an opportunity to introduce Larissa to Samantha. Of course, there isn’t a worse fit for the peace and serenity of a Japanese garden than the always vivacious yet sometimes volatile Samantha, who spends her typical NYC nights bar hopping and crashing with the flavor of the week. On the surface, Samantha and Larissa might have appeared entirely compatible as girlfriends, yet it seemed what they had in common, the freedom of their sexuality as young women, was completely counteracted by the fundamental differences in the way they see the world. Samantha is detached from the superficial, while Larissa enjoys the finer things in life. Funny, though, how Larissa's new approach to life somewhat opposes her taste for luxury. Carrie, who seems to be a blend of the two with the volume turned down a bit, thought about stepping in to diffuse the catfight, but Walt intervened to remind her of her new Zen approach to things. Samantha was inevitably distracted by an attractive, and mysteriously masked, ninja, while Larissa would fixate on more avant-garde ensembles. The titans clashed! The titans got over it. Walt and Carrie would then head back to Castlebury.
As the duo would bid adieu to their summer home, their friends in Connecticut were busy with their own teenage crises. Maggie, who’d initially been touched by Mouse’s offer to help her pave the way to a future out of this town, seemed unwilling to truly put in the work, refusing to believe that a legitimate path of substance could be waiting. Mouse was frustrated, having basically applied to colleges for Maggie, while her friend had trouble even focusing enough time to put a pen to paper in order to scribble down her home address. Simon (Josh Salatin), the crooked cop we’ve come to sneer at, rolled up to Maggie just before she could reach the library, pressuring her to give in to his charms rather than to waste her time dreaming up a future that could never exist. Maggie, true to form, would cave.
Sebastian, meanwhile, has a new lady eyeing a spot in his love life. Vicky Donovan (Molly Sims), not to be confused with Matt Donovan’s sister on The Vampire Diaries, is a cougar on the prowl, and she has her claws ready to sink into Sebastian Kydd. Carrie, the girl Donna (Chloe Bridges) dubbed “the living doll” two episodes back, better watch out for this one. Kydd initially thwarted the married woman’s come-on scheme at the diner, but things might have changed by the close of Episode 3.
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Harlan (Scott Cohen) returned this week with an offer Tom could barely refuse. Remember, Tom gave up his job as an New York “barracuda,” a cutthroat lawyer with an affinity for the work at hand, to work his own small practice in Connecticut once Carrie was born. Bored and uninspired, Tom was initially drawn to the offer to work for his friend, yet the idea of sacrificing time at home would cause him to decline. Deb (Nadia Dajani) would be the one to convince Carrie’s pop to take the plunge back into the work force. He’s done a great job setting his girls on the right track, and the two are thriving. Perhaps the time had come to return to the work he loves. By the close of Episode 3, Tom would come to accept Harlan’s offer on his own terms, refusing to sacrifice too many dinners at home with his girls or the power to make his own hours. Of course, the man’s dream job will be forever tainted by the image of Harlan and Larissa getting it on inside his new corner office. Luckily, bitchy Barbara (Kate Nowlin) returned this week with an offer to incinerate the jacket Tom left in their prior. Just an aside, but Larissa and Harlan as an item are my guilty pleasure on Carrie Diaries.
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Samantha would pop in on Larissa at Interview, searching for Carrie but eventually entering in on another war of words with Larissa. Larissa, who's pegged Samantha as a commitment-phobe, most likely correctly so, would hand Samantha the phone number to the ninja she'd met during their epic clash at the garden. Samantha, who'd previously slept with the man only to find herself completely disgusted by the idea of casual conversation the morning after, truly had no initial intention of starting a relationship; however, if it meant sticking it to Larissa, she'd try. Of course, in a hilarious scene signature to the Samantha we all know and love from the SATC days, she'd end up confessing all of her fake feelings to another masked ninja later on. This man, who'd remove his mask to reveal the case of mistaken identity, barely spoke english.
The first day of school was nerve-wracking for everybody. Walt, thanks to a suggestion from Mouse, would don a Jets jersey as his “straight armor,” an effort to hide his gayness that inadvertently drew in jocks like a homing beacon. Walt, of course, knows nothing about sports. Luckily, Donna would interject just before he could make a fool of himself. Donna does drama well, but unfortunately for Walt, one of the jock’s curious about his newfound love for football was also Donna’s latest plaything. He didn’t take too well to the idea of Donna cozying up to another man, Walt, inevitably clocking our newly re-closeted buddy square in the eye. Funny thing, Walt was so concerned with hiding the fact that he’s gay that he ended up angering a straight dude by “stealing” his girlfriend. He broke guy code!
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Maggie, still refusing to take any responsibility for her own life, including the spectacle she’d made of Walt, received quite the tongue lashing from Mouse, who is adamantly over Maggie’s “poor me” attitude. That evening, Maggie would confront Walt, and her own insecurities, at the diner in a nice heart-to-heart moment in which she’d finally apologize for nearly outing him last season. Walt, in turn, reminded Maggie that she deserves a guy she can have a legitimate future with. This was exactly what Maggie needed to hear, and on her walk home, she seemed to cut things off with the crooked cop, Simon, for good. She does, indeed, deserve to be with someone who without question believes she deserves a shot at a good life.
The CW "The Carrie Diaries"
Sebastian had enlisted Dorrit’s (Stefania Owen) help in attempting to wrangle Carrie in for a one-on-one chat. Dorrit took advantage of Carrie’s newly discovered Zen way of thinking by luring Carrie into her favorite teacher's classroom. The youngest Bradshaw, pretending to need some help pulling strings in order to change a class on her schedule, landed Carrie straight in Sebastian’s trap. Dorrit still has it! Sebastian, looking to clear the air, would inevitably overcome Carrie’s attempts to drop her emotional connection to him. For Bradshaw, it’s in the eyes. Once The Kydd got too close, it was all downhill from there for Bradshaw. The two would start a steamy make-out session before Carrie’s teacher would eventually interrupt. Kyddshaw were sent down to the principal’s office, Carrie’s personal first trip ever. There, she’d open up to her ex one last time, recalling the magical moment she’d experienced with the gardenia and how Sebastian brings nothing but chaos and turmoil into her life. Sebastian, needless to say, was devastated by his love’s revelation that he'd stolen her sense of peace.
That evening, Carrie would come to the conclusion that all she truly required was a simple sign to take a leap. Her emotions have been muddled and the lines were all blurred, yet it seemed her sister Dorrit’s decision to aid Sebastian in his quest to win back Carrie’s trust was enough to convince Bradshaw to give him another shot. Sebastian, in truth, is not a liar or a cheater. He’s someone who cheated. There is a difference. Then, in the kind of moment Carrie had hoped for, Sebastian arrived at her front door. Carrie seemed nearly ready to take Kydd back, finally coming to terms with the concept of forgiveness, yet Sebastian had other plans. Refusing to stand in her way, Sebastian promised to back off and to allow Carrie the opportunity to spread her wings. Carrie thought about fighting for her former flame for just a second before realizing that he was correct.
Sebastian closed out his arc during Episode 3 by giving in to Mrs. Donovan’s invite to a no-strings-attached relationship. Perhaps that is, in the end, what The Kydd needs for now. Although, yikes... Molly Sims, the actress who plays Sebastian’s new friend with benefits, is 40.
To close the recap, Carrie finished off Episode 3 at the offices of Interview. There, she found a gift from Larissa waiting for her on her desk… it was the gardenia.
What did you think of The Carrie Diaries Season 2 Episode 3, "Strings Attached"? Will Larissa and Samantha ever learn to love each other? Are you happy that Walt and Maggie made amends? Will you miss spending most of our time in NYC? Is this it for Carrie and Kydd?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Season 2 Episode 3 of The Carrie Diaries, “Strings Attached”!