The latest episode of The Carrie Diaries was all about the holiday blues. Unfortunately "Endgame" wasn't just disastrous for Carrie and company, but also for the audience.

That is, until the final five minutes when the doorbell rang and a certain someone was waiting on the other side. To this I shouted at my television: "Oh Thank God!" So why was Carrie's Thanksgiving such a letdown?

Everything about the holiday episode felt authentic. The old school recipe cards are exactly what my mom had, the ugly 80s apron, the disgusting act of gutting the turkey, and, of course, the stress. Don't get me wrong, holiday episodes of television can be fantastic. Take any of Gossip Girl's Thanksgivings or The OC's Chrismukkahs. It just felt like this installment of The Carrie Diaries was injected with tryptophan.

If I wanted to watch an hour about someone cooking and obsessing over a meal, I'd put on a cooking show and I staunchly avoid those. I'm not dense, I know this episode was about a lot more than food preparation, it was about Carrie trying to recreate something that was always a comfort to her when she was growing up. It was the family's first holiday without Carrie's mother. 

Carrie's in the kitchen cooking dinner and Dorrit hasn't blown anything up yet. These are good signs. | permalink

Oh, Tom, you spoke just a tad too soon. It's always only a matter of time before Dorrit flips out and does something irrational like starts smoking weed in her bedroom. It's become a frustrating pattern for Carrie to always be the one to have to smooth things over. She can't hold it together for everybody. Little sisters do things wrong sometimes too. I felt bad for Tom, for all of them actually.

The episode just moved really slowly. I wonder if it's enough to keep people hooked so the show can get greenlit for a second season. Sure, I love the little references to the future Sex and the City like Carrie saying she's probably going to use her oven for storage one day, but is it enough for everyone else? We need more moments like Maggie kicking the cop out and Sebastian showing up to Carrie's at the end.

As much as I like George, Sebastian just has that it factor that gets your blood pumping, even if he's only there to seek out a friend. When Carrie opened the door I was happy for a little excitement! It also lead to my favorite quote that felt really on point this week.

You can't go back. Choices get made and things happen because of them. | permalink

Young Carrie has her really wise moments. What did you think of the Thanksgiving edition of The Carrie Diaries?