This Is Us- Season two

[jdb in AZ]

I was waiting for the "but" also and it seemed like she was holding it back. It was nice to see Rebecca come through for Kate after her miscarriage and their relationship deepen a bit.

So... I don't see previews for the next week since I watch on amazon. I have to say that reading about the previews here is starting to feel like spoilers to me. I may bow out of the thread and just come on once the season is over or there's a winter break, etc.

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!

I saw an ad on t.v. referring to next week's episode as the fall finale. More and more shows seem to be taking a break for the holidays, but calling an episode a finale when they'll be back in a few weeks is just hype IMHO.

 

[Dentam]

I saw an ad on t.v. referring to next week's episode as the fall finale. More and more shows seem to be taking a break for the holidays, but calling an episode a finale when they'll be back in a few weeks is just hype IMHO.

I ended up seeing the preview ad yesterday while I had the parade and then the dog show on... so I guess I'll be back after the next episode to discuss! And yeah, these fall/winter breaks are annoying but I guess they figure they won't have as many viewers during the holidays. Grey's Anatomy won't be back until January.

 

[mom2rtk]

I actually enjoyed this episode much more than I expected. In fact, I was considering not watching after feeling the episode last week was too heavy. I finally watched yesterday afternoon. That's the reason I watch and love this show. It was a heavy topic, but it was balanced with the uplifting of Toby doing his all to save Kate from a package and Rebecca showing up for Kate.

Usually I am the person who doesn’t nitpick shows and especially not this one since I enjoy it so much but I couldn’t help doing it this week. Maybe because I’ve had a miscarriage? I know everyone’s different but I found her collapse in the bathroom and then boom! I guess she miscarried in that moment to be unrealistic. Unless she had been spotting for days or feeling off or something. And she didn’t appear to have a D&C so I don’t get why 12 hours later she is singing instead of staying home. A miscarriage is a process...mine was like labor and I ended up with a D&C after hours of pain. I get it’s a tv show but it just took me straight out of it. If I were a show writer she would have gone to the bathroom, hollered for Toby because she saw blood, they end up at ER, ultrasound confirms pregnancy loss and she either goes home to naturally miscarry or they do a D&C.

I also don’t understand why Toby had to comb through every package instead of waiting to intercept the package on his doorstep or something. It just didn’t ring true to me.

Kate's loss was early enough that no D&C was required. It was much like a very heavy period. So no reason physically she couldn't go sing. At her stage it's all about the emotional loss. And everyone copes differently. Having been there myself, I totally bought her response. It's like she was trying to will herself not to have the breakdown she knew was coming.

I was also waiting for the "but" after the compliment of the audition tape. When it didn't come, it made me think that Kate has been extremely over sensitive about Rebecca. We've only seen one or two comments that could be construed as critical.

I have wondered all along if Kate has made Rebecca out to be much worse than she is. Her intentions have seemed sound all along regarding her daughter. Sure, she's made some missteps, but I imagine we all have. Regardless, I cried when Rebecca showed up at the door. And I hadn't shed any tears previously for this show.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I can see and understand Kate and Rebecca issues

I could to if she wasn’t 37 years old still Holding onto the past. Maybe if she was a teenager i could give her a pass but she’s a grown woman. Her mother was not a bad mom. She made some mistakes but what mother hasn’t? Her mother was not abusive or destructive. As a whole she was raised by a good mother. She needs to let it go.

 

[Mizzoufan]

I could to if she wasn’t 37 years old still Holding onto the past. Maybe if she was a teenager i could give her a pass but she’s a grown woman. Her mother was not a bad mom. She made some mistakes but what mother hasn’t? Her mother was not abusive or destructive. As a whole she was raised by a good mother. She needs to let it go.

I think Rebecca intentions were good towards Kate. Some of the things that we have been shown haven't been the mother of the year.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well I just got caught up! This will be a long post since I just binged like 5 episodes lol

For Kevin: watching him is cringe-worthy in that way you know it should be. When he was having his monologue at the football field and then with the necklace ugh I wish his relationship with Sophie isn't truly over but I wouldn't blame Sophie if she decided to enough was enough.

For Kate: I think it's totally believable for her to go to her singing thing after the miscarriage. People deal with things differently but for me it seemed like 'busy-work' you know that thing you needed to keep your mind off something...and then wham it hit her and she needed to get out of the singing and away. But she was still just doing 'busy-work' just in a different way with the food. As far as her relationship with her mom--age can change the way you 'deal' with it but it doesn't mean you just get rid of it. I do agree that Kate needs to learn how to come to terms with her relationship with her mom but I don't necessarily think she needs to just build a bridge. Emotional scars have a way of lasting and lasting. To me it seems Kate is one emotionall scarred person who is still coming to grips with how to own that, how to adjust to life with her past. I agree there are times when you're like "umm..that was uncalled for".

I'm glad Rebecca showed up at the door-I don't think that means "Kate stop blocking out your mom" but it does show that sometimes even if your relationship isn't the best with X doesn't mean you can't go to them for comfort.

I do think Toby will help be that mirror in essence for Kate so she can see how things she says impacts others or at least I hope the writers continue building their relationship as it has been growing.

For Toby: I don't know what my husband would do but I do know that for Toby he felt the best thing for Kate was to not see a package arriving for a baby that was no longer going to be there. But I also think looking for the package became his 'busy-work' thing. I did appreciate though how he let Kate know that they were pregnant and now they were not (rather than Kate was pregnant and now Kate was not--the we part is what I'm talking about). He has really become this balance for Kate, this push that she needs. Emotionally they were both in this pregnancy and now they both need to emotionally handle it. I loved that Kate was like we're not going to let this get us (paraphrasing as I don't remember the exact wordage) at the end of her episode.

I do like though that Kevin and Kate's relationship seems to be changing. It used to be that they relied on each other soooo much but now it seems like they are trying to work out some things without the other. Like how Kevin avoided Kate's phone calls when he was in the hotel and how Kate called Kevin after her miscarriage but ended up not saying anything on the phone in a message. I could have interpreted that all wrong it just seems like they are adjusting as time goes on.

For William: I loved loved loved seeing him (please more of him) . I liked the full circle aspect of his story where they showed him looking towards the empty seat and seeing the judge but deciding due to his illness it was back to square one like he was before meeting the judge....and then knock knock his son shows up on his door changing the remainder of his days from one of likely desolation to one of love.

The Randall episode should be an interesting one but I can't guarantee that we will watch it immediately after it's on. We tend to binge this show and I feel it works for us. The emotional rollercoaster the show has become works much better for us to watch multiple episodes one after another.

ETA: I did think she would miscarry just the vibe I got. But I do hope either in this season or the next one they get pregnant again (maybe after more time has gone on)

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Kate definitely has emotional scars but IMO they aren’t all from her mom. Yet she takes it all out on her Mom and her mother takes the brunt of it. Kate is like a moody teenager who always has an attitude. She reminds me of my 17 year old son.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Kate definitely has emotional scars but IMO they aren’t all from her mom. Yet she takes it all out on her Mom and her mother takes the brunt of it. Kate is like a moody teenager who always has an attitude. She reminds me of my 17 year old son.

Of course they aren't all from her mom. They are from her weight, they are from her abilities compared to her siblings, they are from her inner issues too . I wasn't suggesting it was Rebecca's fault. What I was suggesting is the relationship is a complex one rather than a 'kiss and make up' thing and bygones be bygones--their relationship will take time not a wake up one morning and all is peachy.

What I do see is that Kate is getting the pushback from Toby to start owning up to her life. I guess I don't see her age and think she should just be over it. I see her as an individual who is slowly growing. I've seen some older people who for whatever reason in their lives just didn't quite get over something. Heck my mother-in-law is in her early 60s still festering over how her brother's wife treated her 35 years ago. My sister is in her early 30s and hasn't spoken to our mom in over 16 years and I would expect that at 37 she'll still probably haven't spoken to our mom at that point.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Of course they aren't all from her mom. They are from her weight, they are from her abilities compared to her siblings, they are from her inner issues too . I wasn't suggesting it was Rebecca's fault. What I was suggesting is the relationship is a complex one rather than a 'kiss and make up' thing and bygones be bygones--their relationship will take time not a wake up one morning and all is peachy.

What I do see is that Kate is getting the pushback from Toby to start owning up to her life. I guess I don't see her age and think she should just be over it. I see her as an individual who is slowly growing. I've seen some older people who for whatever reason in their lives just didn't quite get over something. Heck my mother-in-law is in her early 60s still festering over how her brother's wife treated her 35 years ago. My sister is in her early 30s and hasn't spoken to our mom in over 16 years and I would expect that at 37 she'll still probably haven't spoken to our mom at that point.

Oh i didn’t think you meant they were all Rebecca’s fault. I just think she takes it all out on her Mom.

My grandma still cant get over things from her childhood, her marriage, her divorce, etc. It is honestly draining when she brings it up or makes indirect comments. She’s 75 and she has wasted so much of her life festering over things. She lets it affect her entire life. If Kate doesn’t get a grip on this it’ll dictate her entire life. For your own well being you need to just move past things. I couldn’t imagine giving someone that much power over my life. And i never had a perfect life or childhood. I’ve had my fair share of effed up things happening to me but if i dwell on them i miss out on so much. So i moved past it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh i didn’t think you meant they were all Rebecca’s fault. I just think she takes it all out on her Mom.

My grandma still cant get over things from her childhood, her marriage, her divorce, etc. It is honestly draining when she brings it up or makes indirect comments. She’s 75 and she has wasted so much of her life festering over things. She lets it affect her entire life. If Kate doesn’t get a grip on this it’ll dictate her entire life. For your own well being you need to just move past things. I couldn’t imagine giving someone that much power over my life. And i never had a perfect life or childhood. I’ve had my fair share of effed up things happening to me but if i dwell on them i miss out on so much. So i moved past it.

I do agree she takes it out on her mom though I think she does on Toby as well. I think she also internalizes stuff too which impacts how she sees the world.

I do agree on moving past but I do think that looks different on different people. For some it's completely mending the bridge, for others it's completely severing the bridge, for others it's a civility towards the person but not necessarily the love and the warmth, etc.

I do think at least at this point Kate's not yet there. But like I said I think Toby is that push, that mirror. If he can still be supportive as a whole for her and yet be frank with her it would help. Up until now I think people have sorta just let her be and at least for me that makes it seem like they enabled her. Though for her mom it would be a precarious situation since she can't just be like "get over it" as that would only make it worse.

I totally get what you mean about your grandma. I think if Kate kept up with it instead of growing and owning up for her life she could end up like your grandma.

*Sorry your grandma has let it get to her especially so much

 

[AustinTink]

Well, I finally broke down and watched the Kate episode today. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I think that's because I don't connect with her character very much. If I liked Kate's character more I think I would have been a mess watching her go through it. The scene where she lays into Toby made me so angry. I can't imagine speaking to my husband that way after either one of our miscarriages. I'm glad he stood up for himself.

And the bit about going out and singing right after is believable. I miscarried at 14.5 weeks while on Christmas vacation in Paris. I had to carry on. I had a 7-year old in tow and a full two days left before we flew home. You bury the pain and keep moving. I didn't deal with my feelings until weeks after. I couldn't.

I'm hoping the Randall episode is better. This one felt off.

 

[lorimay]

I'm so annoyed with this show right now.
I knew they were going to take the storyline this way, ugh.

 

[anniemae]

What did we think tonight? I liked it. I love how they went back to that one day for the younger three of them, then went to present day. They are all facing difficult times, Kevin with addiction, Kate with the miscarriage, and Randall losing Deja.

I liked Deja's character, but it looks like they will be getting that little boy.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

This one got to me the most because some of it hits too close to home. I lost it when Deja left and have only just stopped crying. I thought it was really well done, and I appreciated the parallels shown between William and Randall and Randall and Deja. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the little boy, but I will miss Deja.

I had a feeling Kevin would not be alone in the car as soon as he said to tell Randall he had to leave. Thank goodness nothing worse happened. Hopefully everyone will now realize Kevin is in serious need of help.

I really love Jack. That is all.

 

[NAB]

This show was good. Nice to see William again and Jack talk a bit about the war. More of that story to come I'm sure.

I too think that little boy is coming there way.

I gasped again when that little girl was in the car and Kevin was driving crazy thought he was going to be in an accident just before that but too see the girl I thought oh no.

It's going to be a long wait for it to come back in January.

 

[AustinTink]

I really thought Kevin was going to be in an accident. Hopefully, now, people will realize what kind of pain he is in.

I cried when Deja left. I was just starting to enjoy her storyline. I feel like she will be back though.

These last three episodes made me realize I like their regular show format better. Having all the stories so masterfully intertwined the way they do is a lot of what makes the show special to me. Having these episodes focusing on one of them only didn't have that same impact on me.

 

[wenrob]

Add me to the list of people who cried when they said goodbye to Deja. So bittersweet. The whole episode was really well done. I knew as soon as Randall started looking for Tess she was in the car with Kevin. My heart just about beat out of my chest!

On the aftershow Sterling says we will see how Jack dies in 2018 before the end of this season. Honestly I’m not sure I want to know.

 

[anniemae]

I loved the Deja story. I really wanted her to stay. The bond she shared with Randall was so well done and the actress that played Deja was really good. I was so sad for Randall when he said he would take the girls over to visit Deja sometime and possibly help out with homework and the mom was like, "we"re all set." Ouch.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I thought the episode was really good. I loved the line in the car when they were coming back from Howard that Jack said “You’ll make the right decision, you always do” and how it paralleled him deciding to not get an attorney involved to help them keep Deja.

I also boo hooed when Deja left and Randall took off his glasses to wipe his own tears.

 

[wenrob]

I thought the episode was really good. I loved the line in the car when they were coming back from Howard that Jack said “You’ll make the right decision, you always do” and how it paralleled him deciding to not get an attorney involved to help them keep Deja.

I also boo hooed when Deja left and Randall took off his glasses to wipe his own tears.

Oh, best line in the car: I didn’t hesitate because you’re white. I hesitated because you’re old. These teen actors really nail their adult counterparts.