Carrie is appalled to see a mocked-up photo of herself all but naked on the proposed cover of her "Sex and the City" book. While browsing for book cover ideas at Barnes & Noble, Samantha offers to help Carrie create a look that says 'smart and sexy.' Charlotte heads for the Self Help aisle but when she sees the lonely desperate looking characters there, she flees. She refuses to identify with such women and opts to buy a book in the privacy of her own home - online.

Meanwhile in the privacy of Samantha's office, a hunky Worldwide Express guy delivers a 'package' that Samantha can't resist opening immediately. While Samantha provides a service of her own to the delivery guy, Carrie walks in and right back out. Back in her apartment, Carrie thinks about 'judgment.' She asks: "Should you judge a book by its cover?"

On a quest to slim down, Miranda, aka "Baby Fat," makes friends with a fellow Weight Watcher, Tom, aka "Big Boned." Post weigh-in session, they indulge in a taboo glazed donut together and then work off the calories in bed. Miranda enjoys Tom's moves until he kisses her with 'her' all over his face. On their second date, she gently alerts him to the problem but he can't handle the criticism and leaves saying he has to concentrate on his diet.

Things get tense between Carrie and Samantha as they disagree on the right look for the book cover. Carrie finds Samantha's selections a little too risque. Samantha accuses Carrie of judging her sexual behavior. A couple days later, Carrie apologizes for being judgmental. Sam relaxes and admits she judges herself too. With Samantha's help, Carrie wears a sexy short suit and holds her laptop for the cover shoot. She looks fabulous.

While out on the town with Stanford, Carrie runs into a woman who identifies herself as the person who went out with Aidan post-Carrie. The woman, Nina Katz, makes a scary face implying Carrie really did a number on Aidan.

Miranda is a sleepless cranky mess. Baby Brady won't stop screaming and crying, leaving mommy Miranda at her wits end. Charlotte's screaming problem comes in the form of her ex-mother-in-law Bunny who is fighting tooth and nail to get Charlotte out of the MacDougal apartment. Charlotte hires a fierce lawyer to get Bunny off her back.

Carrie anxiously reads the New York Times review of her new book. She gets a rave review but she's bothered by the writer's characterization of her having a life "where the men are disposable." She worries that Aidan might also feel that way. She wonders why we only believe the negative things people say about us.

Frustrated mama Miranda is saved by the kindness of a stranger - her neighbor - who brings her a special vibrating baby chair that works like magic. Even more magical is a surprise visit from Samantha who offers to baby-sit while Miranda takes her appointment with a top hairstylist. When the vibrating chair fails to keep Brady at bay, Samantha pulls out her brand-new vibrator, and Brady goes back to happy baby land.

Carrie is obsessing over the bad things Nina Katz might be saying and thinking about her. She meets with Steve and asks how Aidan is doing. Steve says he's fine now but that he was devastated and depressed for quite a while. Carrie runs into Nina again and defends her relationship and break-up behavior with Aidan. Right after she says it, Carrie realizes that the critic she was most afraid of - and the one whose opinion counts most - is herself.