And if I were Randall, I would have been upset that the sisters didn’t tell me that Deja had left the cabin in the middle of the night!
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LOL. I was going to post about that too, but I seem to always be posting about their unbelievable transportation/geographic plot lines and they never do anything about it. One comment I read on social media asked if there was a special Pearson Remote Cabin to Boston bus line. I guess they are soooo good with the emotional stuff that they just fluff over the other details.
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I have one kid in Pittsburgh and one in Philadelphia.
When I tell people where I live in Northern Michigan where the kids live, I get how nice that they live close. I remark that it’s 5+ hours away and the remark is “oh yeah, Pennsylvania is a big state”.
So I think that for a large percentage of watchers, they don’t know and don’t really care about the distance.
But pretending that distance doesn’t exist moves the plot along.
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Article on the episode trilogy. One each directed by Milo, Mandy and Justin. Input they had in each and working together on the overlaps. No spoilers.
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I didn’t really connect to this Randall episode on any level - and I’m actually disappointed about that.
Tomorrow is my Paleyfest sneak preview of the upcoming episode and cast panel discussion - no spoilers I promise. I’m excited for it.
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I have to agree with you on this. I just didn’t feel it with this episode. I loved the Kevin episode (even though I cringed during parts of it). Felt frustrated and annoyed with Kate and Toby during that episode. But this one somehow didn’t do anything for me. Not quite sure why.
Looking forward to the next episode but also sorta dreading it …
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I thought the Kevin episode was the best, Randall second, Kate third. I am just not feeling Kate at all and hope she does something positive and I can feel more invested in her character before it’s all over! I’m guessing it will all be wrapped up neatly at the end, but who knows.
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The whole geological debacle has been ridiculous, IMO. Real writers should know better and do better.
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As a general rule, I think one’s understanding of geography, distances, etc of any given location decreases as the distance it is from where you live/travel/know people closely who live there increases. So I think there are large numbers of people don’t know the geographical magic in terms of time travel on the show. And more people who just don’t care (its a TV show).
Show could have made everything fictional which wouldn’t have changed the
substance of the show. Then the time travel issue wouldn’t exist. But you pick your battles. I remember people being upset that the stars in the sky the night the ship sank in the movie Titanic were not correct for that location/time of year/etc. Vast majority of people never noticed or at least didn’t care.
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Pittsburgh to Philadelphia = 305 miles.
Los Angeles to San Francisco = 380 miles.
So I guess it’s that last 75 miles that makes it worthy of its own story arc. 
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There are repeated and apparently quick and easy trips between Pittsburgh and Philly (often in cars). That really didn’t happen with LA to SF, did it? Toby complained about flying back and forth each week. But there were no quick drives back and forth.
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Right. It’s no easy trek between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, except for the people on This Is Us. And now, they’re building a house for Rebecca near Pittsburgh when she’s already in decline, when none of her children even live there. What if Miguel dies before her, what if Miguel leaves her, or declines himself. I guess her kids will just easily beam in from LA or Philadelphia if they need to .
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This show and it’s writers have set it up from the very beginning that viewers need to suspend belief! So the geographic stuff is just one of many things. You lose one of your triplets, no problem, we’ll just send this other baby home with you though. No home study, no consideration about racial issues and trans racial adoption, an issue that was being discussed at that time. Nothing about the loss of a child and the need to process that. Instead, they waltz out of the hospital with the three kids they thought they were having. I may very well be not remembering these early episodes but I’m sure someone here will set me straight!
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Yea, at times you need to suspend disbelief. I figure if we can watch Outlander with time travel storyline we can go with the flow elsewhere. What makes it a bit hard to do with TIU is that so many of the details actually are intended to be realistic.
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Or you could look at it as Randall and Rebecca traveling by car to track down Deja. And in the process reconnecting, having something of an adventure, talking about future plans/concerns, etc. Not focused as much the logistics of getting from point A to point B in terms of the locations involved.
And focus on Rebecca and Jack adopting a baby of another race after having lost a triplet at birth. And concepts of other doors opening when one closes. And less on the logistics of the adoption itself. Probably could have had multiple shows running through that process itself with application process, home inspections, court hearings, etc. To me I think the show is better and more interesting by having skipped over those elements of the process and of travel. Others will differ though.
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I liked the episode, but when Randall found out Deja was missing, he went right to his car and Rebecca said she was coming with him. But then at the motel she had an overnight bag complete with toiletries and a nightgown. Didn’t see them putting any luggage in the car when they left. That seemed wonky for her to have a packed suitcase.
I think all the family members were all packed up and leaving the cabin to head to their respective homes that day anyway. I do remember someone (Miguel?) handing her a bag of some sort. I think instead of going home with him, she just hopped in the car with Randall and then Miguel took Beth and the other two girls home.
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Rebecca actually asked Miguel to please get her bag - yes, I think they were all packed, and getting ready to head out, and Rebecca just went with Randall and Beth and the girls went with Miguel.
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I’m probably more sensitive than some would be about the whole beginning of the show because I actually was in graduate school at Pitt in social work during the time this initial beginning with Randall would have taken place. Just not realistic at all. I’m guessing that people that are doctors, nurses,engineers, lawyers, etc. would be confused if a whole show is built around something that should never have happened to begin with. But, hey, that’s probably happened but is probably called out as not being representitive of standard practices. And , yes, it’s a TV show!
Despite not doing a great job on the distance between Pittsburgh and Philly, they tend to do a great job sprinkling in authentic Pittsburgh references. There were a couple in the most recent episode, including the mention of Eat n Park and the smiley face cookies! Oh, and Froggy’s!
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