The Most Underrated Part of ‘And Just Like That’ is Charlotte’s Friendship with Nicole Ari Parker’s LTW

Over the years, And Just Like That… has caught a lot of flak for the new additions the MAX show made to the main Sex and the City cast. With Kim Cattrall (initially) refusing to reprise the role of Samantha Jones, showrunner Michael Patrick King concocted a quartet of new pals to fill that space and expand the horizons of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). Now, three seasons later, only two of those characters remain. While the sassy and sensuous Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury) rightfully gets her fair share of love on social media, Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) remains an under-rated addition to the larger SATC franchise.

One of the best parts of And Just Like That… right now is watching the friendship between Charlotte York Goldenblatt and Lisa Todd Wexley deepen as they each navigate darker chapters of their lives. It’s not only great to see And Just Like That… continue to explore how women show up for each other during trying times of our lives, but it also feels vitally important that Charlotte has someone she can share her everyday wins and losses as a working mom with. Charlotte and LTW’s friendship is high key one of my favorite parts of And Just Like That… and I don’t care who knows it.

Lisa Todd Wexley was first introduced all the way back in the And Just Like That… series premiere as essentially Charlotte’s girl crush. Charlotte gushed about the stylish and sophisticated documentarian to the gals over brunch, noting that she yearned to be friends with someone she considered one of the coolest moms at her kids’ school. Charlotte and LTW quickly struck up that friendship, bonding over fashion, art, and raising kids in the city.

Now, the reason I love Sex and the City so much to this very day is that it’s a show that originally sold itself as a sexy romantic comedy, but was ultimately a celebration of female friendship. The bond that Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha shared was more profound than any marriage or one night stand. They uplifted each other, held one another accountable, and stayed loyal to one another through and through.

What I love about LTW and Charlotte’s friendship is that it’s a continuation of this, but for working mothers. Lisa gives Charlotte an outlet to vent frustrations that Carrie (and even empty nester Miranda) wouldn’t totally understand. Because of this, the two women have become sweet echoes of each other, teaming up to land their teens Ivy Whisperers, bonding over their ambitions, and organizing family outings together. (Like, sure Miranda has a son, but do you think she understands the stress of juggling charity work, designer sales, party-planning, and making your kid’s science project? LTW and Char do all those things and more!)

Now, LTW and Charlotte’s antics as harried Upper East Side moms are certainly light-hearted fun, but their recent storylines dealing privately with cancer and death are definitely not. Charlotte is currently carrying the burden of being sworn to secrecy about husband Harry’s (Evan Handler) prostate cancer diagnosis. Meanwhile, Lisa learns that her father died in a manner that leaves her absolutely guilt-ridden. Watching LTW gently comfort a closed off Charlotte or seeing Char rally the group to stand with Lisa at her father’s unconventional funeral was incredibly touching. The women emotionally understand on each other on a level where they just show up for each other without being asked.

And Just Like That… has made a lot of mistakes over the years in its quest to modernize its original cast of privileged characters, but Lisa Todd Wexley is not one of them. She’s a really great addition to the franchise, reflecting not only what makes Charlotte great, but ambitious women striving to have it all.