'AJLT’ Showrunner Says Writers Were 'Split' on Charlotte's Bomb Cyclone Parenting Decision (Exclusive)

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Thursday’s episode ofAnd Just Like That…Charlotte York might just receive 2023’s Mother of the Year Award.In Thursday’s episode ofAnd Just Like That…, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) played it cool when daughter Lily (Cathy Ang) announced nonchalantly that she planned to lose her virginity when her boyfriend’s parents went out of town. That happened to coincide with a huge snowstorm hitting New York City.But Lily and her boyfriend each assumed the other brought the condoms, so when they wound up without any protection, Lily called her sex-positive mom to supply some. Charlotte ventured out in the bomb cyclone, convinced a store to open back up so she could make the important purchase and dropped off the condoms to Lily so she could do the deed.James Devaney/GC ImagesAnd Just Like That…showrunnerMichael Patrick Kingtells PEOPLE that unexpected ideas like Charlotte delivering condoms to her teenager during a bomb cyclone turn the show’s writers’ room into “a jury room where every idea is on trial.“King, 68, says the writers were torn on whether or not they’d do what Charlotte did. “We’ve been through this in the writing room and there’s a split, mothers who would get condoms and mothers who wouldn’t,” he says.The storyline represented growth for Charlotte, though.Eugene Gologursky/Getty“The idea [is] exploring who Charlotte is now with so many changes and put as many obstacles in front of her as we always have,” King says. “But a bomb cyclone and condoms for her daughter losing her virginity? That’s a high bar for any mother.”Davisappreciates how Charlotte has changedas a mom of two. “I think that the essence of her is certainly the same, but there’s so many things that she’s learned and grown through her experience,” she told PEOPLE last month. “It would not be fun if she hadn’t grown.”Decades of working together meant Davis, 58, went right along with King’s arc for Charlotte in episode 6.“These actors —Sarah Jessica, Kristin Davis andCynthia Nixon— I’ve been working with for 25 [years], and they have trusted us so much so that when I go to them and say, ‘This is what’s happening,' they’re like, ‘Sure, of course that’s happening,’” King says.The relationship goes both ways.“He’ll say, ‘Let’s try it this way,’ which is the more expected way of Charlotte. And then he’ll say, ‘Why don’t we just go for it and don’t think at all?’ And I’ll do it and that’s what he ended up using,” Davis said of King getting her out of her comfort zone. “That’s the fun of knowing people as well as we know each other and having people that will let you stretch as an actor and let the character evolve. That’s all the joys of having25 years together.”Sarita Choudhury as Seema Patel on ‘And Just Like That…'.Craig Blankenhorn/HBO MaxSome of the actors who joined the franchise forAnd Just Like That…don’t have the same familiarity with the show’s boundary-pushing storylines.“The joy of going to Sarita and saying, ‘Seema is going to have to deal with a penis pump,’ and to watch Sarita go, ‘What now?’,” King says, referring toSarita Choudhurysleeping with a man who used a penis pump in the bedroom duringseason 2, episode 5. “Whereas the other ladies, they’ve been down the penis dysfunction road before.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.And Just Like That…season 2 is streaming now on Max.

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Thursday’s episode ofAnd Just Like That…

Charlotte York might just receive 2023’s Mother of the Year Award.

In Thursday’s episode ofAnd Just Like That…, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) played it cool when daughter Lily (Cathy Ang) announced nonchalantly that she planned to lose her virginity when her boyfriend’s parents went out of town. That happened to coincide with a huge snowstorm hitting New York City.

But Lily and her boyfriend each assumed the other brought the condoms, so when they wound up without any protection, Lily called her sex-positive mom to supply some. Charlotte ventured out in the bomb cyclone, convinced a store to open back up so she could make the important purchase and dropped off the condoms to Lily so she could do the deed.

James Devaney/GC Images

And Just Like That…showrunnerMichael Patrick Kingtells PEOPLE that unexpected ideas like Charlotte delivering condoms to her teenager during a bomb cyclone turn the show’s writers’ room into “a jury room where every idea is on trial.”

King, 68, says the writers were torn on whether or not they’d do what Charlotte did. “We’ve been through this in the writing room and there’s a split, mothers who would get condoms and mothers who wouldn’t,” he says.

The storyline represented growth for Charlotte, though.

Eugene Gologursky/Getty

“The idea [is] exploring who Charlotte is now with so many changes and put as many obstacles in front of her as we always have,” King says. “But a bomb cyclone and condoms for her daughter losing her virginity? That’s a high bar for any mother.”

Davisappreciates how Charlotte has changedas a mom of two. “I think that the essence of her is certainly the same, but there’s so many things that she’s learned and grown through her experience,” she told PEOPLE last month. “It would not be fun if she hadn’t grown.”

Decades of working together meant Davis, 58, went right along with King’s arc for Charlotte in episode 6.

“These actors —Sarah Jessica, Kristin Davis andCynthia Nixon— I’ve been working with for 25 [years], and they have trusted us so much so that when I go to them and say, ‘This is what’s happening,’ they’re like, ‘Sure, of course that’s happening,’” King says.

The relationship goes both ways.

“He’ll say, ‘Let’s try it this way,’ which is the more expected way of Charlotte. And then he’ll say, ‘Why don’t we just go for it and don’t think at all?’ And I’ll do it and that’s what he ended up using,” Davis said of King getting her out of her comfort zone. “That’s the fun of knowing people as well as we know each other and having people that will let you stretch as an actor and let the character evolve. That’s all the joys of having25 years together.”

Sarita Choudhury as Seema Patel on ‘And Just Like That…'.Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max

Some of the actors who joined the franchise forAnd Just Like That…don’t have the same familiarity with the show’s boundary-pushing storylines.

“The joy of going to Sarita and saying, ‘Seema is going to have to deal with a penis pump,’ and to watch Sarita go, ‘What now?’,” King says, referring toSarita Choudhurysleeping with a man who used a penis pump in the bedroom duringseason 2, episode 5. “Whereas the other ladies, they’ve been down the penis dysfunction road before.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

And Just Like That…season 2 is streaming now on Max.

source: people.com