‘And Just Like That’ Season 2, Episode 4 Recap: Carrie and Aidan’s Blended Family Storyline Is the Most Realistic One Yet

Thank you for saying that. Also, my favorite thing about the writing in this episode is that Carrie says to Aidan at the end, “I didn’t believe you. Now I do.” That line gives us more grace for Carrie and Aidan to continue. But also, when he says, “Are you breaking up with me,” and the fact that she doesn’t and instead gives him a key…it just feels complicated and grown up and uncharted. So I’m glad you responded that way, because it was a big risk to create a family.

We often see the troubled, spoiled, or irresponsible teen on screen, but more rare is a teen with a real, serious behavioral issue and how that impacts the entire family. There’s still so much shame in talking openly about the challenges that comes with that.

Also, on top of that, very deep feelings about a divorce. If you add that all to the mix, you can see Wyatt acting out; you can see Homer, the middle child, being so loving and wonderful; and then you see the older child, Tate, sort of halfway out the door. It’s a very complicated, authentic look at something that I think needed to be authentic. And you’re the first person who mentioned it.

That astonishes me, since I feel like so many parents will respond to this storyline. I responded to it, and I don’t even have kids, but my friends’ kids are part of my life.

Well, the interesting thing is that we always knew in the writing room that there’s a split. There’s parents with children who will respond a certain way, and then there are people without children, including me, who would respond a different way, which is, “Should they, shouldn’t they? Should Carrie fix it? Shouldn’t she fix it? Can they fix it, can’t they?”