‘And Just Like That…’ Unpopular Opinions: Miranda and Steve’s Marital Troubles Make Perfect Sense
And Just Like That… fans are livid over Miranda Hobbes’ treatment of Steve Brady. The HBO Max reboot hasn’t handled all of its chosen serious storylines with grace and dignity. Not by a long shot. Still, the fierce hatred over Miranda’s cheating storyline and her separation from Steve Brady might be a touch misplaced. Miranda and Steve might be one of the old school couples of Sex and the City, but that doesn’t mean they were meant to last forever. In fact, their separation is incredibly realistic. You could argue that it would have been far more unrealistic to see the duo still happy more than a decade after the closing credits of Sex and the City 2.
Michael Patrick King defends Miranda and Steve’s separation
In the complimentary podcast, And Just Like That…The Writers Room, showrunner Michael Patrick King defended the decision to separate Steve and Miranda. King noted that fans seem to have difficulty rectifying Miranda and Steve at the end of the first movie and where they currently are in their relationship. He said that while Miranda and Steve’s reconciliation at the end of Sex and the City: The Movie was correct at that moment, Miranda is in a different place now.
If you think about it that way, the relationship progression actually makes a lot of sense. You could argue that the couple living happily together would have been a more unrealistic plot. Miranda and Steve have battled issues in their relationship in the past. You could say that while they seemed to fall into a routine, things were never exactly perfect. A lot had also changed when fans caught back up with them in And Just Like That…, as well.
The duo had just seen their way through the bulk of a pandemic that forced them to stay in tight physical space for extended periods. Miranda went through a major career change and had likely lost a large social outlet because of it. Brady aging up and needing Steve and Miranda less could have easily led to Miranda’s feelings of dissatisfaction, too.
‘And Just Like That…’ character, Che Diaz, isn’t the only reason Miranda left Steve
Miranda’s new love interest, Che Diaz, seems to get most of the blame for Miranda’s sudden cheating ways. Che, however, isn’t actually to blame. You could easily argue that they weren’t the catalyst for Miranda’s hasty decision and, in some ways, Che was a victim of Miranda’s actions, too.
Miranda noted that she would have “gotten there on her own” even if she hadn’t met Che. Che, for their part, actually had no idea Miranda was in a committed, monogamous marriage when they started hooking up. Openminded Che was, in many ways, completely innocent. You could even call them a touch naive. Che had an honorable moment when they stepped back so Miranda could figure out what it was she wanted. Miranda’s choice to chase Che and leave Steve was entirely her own.
