Sex and the City season 5, episode 5
Original air date: August 18, 2002

(The title and first 10 minutes of the episode were eaten, due to VCR suck. Apologies all around.)

Basically, as they're getting ready for Carrie's book party, everyone's thinking about who their "plus-one" date will be. Miranda's dating a guy who doesn't realize she's got a baby, and Charlotte's dating a guy who doesn't realize she's still married. They're both debating whether to tell their plus-ones their secrets, or whether it's better to keep hiding the truth and ensure that they even have a plus-one. Carrie wonders "why does 1 minus a +1 feel like it adds up to 0?"

Carrie's editor sets her up with Jack Berger, a fellow author, to show her the ropes and give her an idea what to expect at the book party. They spend the day together having "the kind of first date you can only have when it's not really a first date," and Carrie's feeling some definite sparks. He's cute, charming, quirky, funny, and he picks up playing cards he sees lying around the city, hoping some day to assemble a full deck. But, at the end of the day, Carrie invites him to her book party, and he says he can't come because his girlfriend's parents will be in town. Big disappointment.

Meanwhile, Samantha allows her plastic surgeon to talk her into a chemical peel on the morning of the party when she goes in to get her regular botox injection. When she walks out, her face is grotesquely blotchy and bright orange. She comes to the party in a black hat with a wide brim and a veil, which Carrie begs her to keep down all night. Charlotte and Miranda have each been dumped when their plus-ones find out their secrets. As Carrie's getting bored with the party, Jack Berger shows up and says hello. He doesn't say that anything in his situation's changed, just that he didn't want to miss the party. He's sans girlfriend, though, so Carrie can't help feeling the sparks all over again.

As Carrie gets ready to go home in the limo the publisher's hired for the night, the chauffeur asks what occasion it is. Carrie explains that she's just had a book published, and the chauffeur insists that they go celebrate. They go to a hot dog stand, where the chauffeur very proudly announces that Carrie's just had a book published, and the hot dog vendor gives them each a free hot dog. Getting back in the cab, Carrie spots a Jack of Hearts on the ground, which she picks up as she gets in.