Kim Cattrall Is Back Playing Samantha—Just Not in ‘And Just Like That’

This week:

• Give Charlotte York the credit she deserves.
• Wait, Kim Cattrall has a new series, too?
• I have seen the Britney Spears musical.
• It’s very fun to read a celeb’s diary.
• Very important casting news.

Kim Cattrall’s Series Has Wild Timing

I hate giving oxygen to the so-called feud between Sex and the City stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall. It’s sad and exasperating, and any coverage of it doesn’t so much veer towards misogynistic as it does barrel toward the offensive, like a Mack truck with a brick tied to the gas pedal. Rehashing it all earlier this month, when reports came out that Cattrall will cameo in the And Just Like That Season 2 finale—after both the actress and the creatives involved in the series expressed mutual lack of interest in her returning—was exhausting and unpleasant enough.

But…

There is one little detail that—even though I am trying to swear off giving this “scandal” any more energy, I promise—I can’t stop obsessing over. Cattrall currently stars as a fabulous, self-confident New York City fashion maven, in a new Netflix series called Glamorous, and the show dropped the same day Season 2 of And Just Like That launched on Max.

I refuse to believe that Cattrall orchestrated this as some sort of strategy for knocking the AJLT ladies’ stilettos down an inch or two. And it would be wild if Netflix incorporated an actor’s pettiness into its release strategy for a big new show. But it’s impossible not to greet the news with a raised eyebrow—as Twitter’s disbelief and snark about the two series’ premiere dates illustrated.

It’s a shame, because neither series needs this gossipy salaciousness. As we’ve said, AJLT is great this season. And, much to my surprise—I had originally thought I’d be writing a bitchy take about a cringey series—Glamorous is absolutely delightful.

Cattrall plays Madolyn Addison, a former model and head of a successful beauty company. Convinced that the brand needs a modern, edgier refresh, she hires a department store beauty-counter rep, a gender-nonconforming queer person named Marco (Miss Benny). Marco guides her through risky decisions that herald a more inclusive future for the company.

Glamorous is one of the most queer-positive shows I’ve seen, which is long overdue for a series like this one. In the vein of Younger, Emily in Paris, and The Bold Type, the show is a fantasy portrayal of glitzy cosmopolitan life, the kind that has been embraced by LGBT+ audiences. The show’s Ugly Betty-like vibes warm my millennial heart. And there are times when I felt like Glamorous was more reminiscent of old-school SATC than AJLT is.

It’s also, regardless of tabloid drama, a treat to watch Cattrall in another role as suited for her as Samantha was on SATC. Madolyn isn’t outwardly sexual in the way that Sam was, but she wears the same assuredness as a mask for her vulnerability; that Madalyn heads a successful makeup company, then, is an apt metaphor. There was a moment when Cattrall, as Madolyn, raises her arms, tilts her head, and smirks, while raising her shoulders. It was so Samantha to me, and it made me so happy to see it that, truthfully, I was taken aback by my own reaction.

Glamorous is fun and sexy, while also being laughably predictable—each plot announces itself like a pair of pumps clopping down a long, tiled hallway. Which is to say, it’s the kind of show you’ll cue up on a Sunday afternoon and wonder how, by dinner time, you’ve watched the entire 10-episode series. That’s a streaming-age niche, but it can also be a rewarding one.

Once Upon a Gay Ol’ Time

One has to imagine the decision to officially open the musical Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway the same week as New York City Pride was intentional. Otherwise, it would rank among theater’s best accidental marketing wins.

The show, you see, is a jukebox musical featuring all songs from Britney Spears’ music catalog. That on its own would warrant its status as a queer hotspot, but then there is the plot: A slew of fairy-tale princesses, led by Cinderella, are radicalized after reading Betty Friedan’s The Feminist Mystique. Does it make sense? Very little. Is Britney Spears actually mentioned in the show? Not once. Is it the gayest time I’ve ever had in a theater? I saw one of the last performances of Mamma Mia! on Broadway, so it’s close.

More importantly, should you see it? There’s an (arguably) better jukebox musical featuring modern pop songs—including Britney’s—just down the street in Times Square, &Juliet. But who cares! Once Upon a One More Time is not “good,” per se. (Read my colleague Tim Teeman’s review here.) But you can still drink a bucket’s worth of margs beforehand, and then join tipsy hands with the rest of the gays at the theater, gleefully delighting in a glorified Britney Spears’ cover concert.

Every Celeb Should Publish Their Diary

I’ve made about as much progress on my desired reading list as I have on my summer beach bod. (I started last weekend; that should be enough time to get abs by Sunday’s Pride parade, right?) But I did finally read Andy Cohen’s latest book, The Daddy Diaries. As the title suggests, it’s a diary-style account of a year in his life—in this case, the year he welcomed his second child.

I came for the dishy Bravo anecdotes, of course. (There are some really good ones about the firing and hiring of certain Housewives and shameless, good-natured recounting of batshit texts he’s received from cast members.) But I was also touched, as I was when reading his other two diaries, by Cohen’s honest account of being a gay man grappling with what he wants from life, love, and his career, as he gets older and his priorities change. It’s full of excitement, resentment, anxiety, and fun—relatable for this aging gay. (Even though I do not have two kids. Or a reality-TV empire, for that matter.)

Someone in Casting Deserves Some Marmalade

Every time I’m feeling exasperated and jaded by the entertainment industry, there’s an update on the third Paddington movie, and my faith is restored. Clever bear.

What to see this week:

And Just Like That: Even Che Diaz is tolerable this season! (Now on Max)

I’m a Virgo: There’s a lot of ideas here. But mostly in an exciting way. (Now on Prime Video)

The Bear: TV’s most stressful show finds a wonderful groove in Season 2. (Now on FX on Hulu)

What to skip this week:

No Hard Feelings: No hard laughs, either, in this R-rated Jennifer Lawrence comedy. (Now in theaters)

Secret Invasion: Another Marvel letdown. (Now on Disney+)