Are we sure it’s jacks brother? I thought the cars looked so old in that flashback that maybe the kid was jacks father or something? But I guess jack is of the age to have a brother who died in vietnam?
I can’t believe Rebecca had never met her FIL before. Have we seen Jacks mom at all?
I don’t know what anyone liked so much in this episode, except maybe for Randall and Deja’s conversation at the end. I am really tired of the inconsistencies in Kevin’s character, and, yes, the ripped-from-the-headlines prescription painkiller addiction story is bo-ring.
Speaking of inconsistencies: Randall was so oblivious, he didn’t bother to tell Kevin they were calling him back in the ballroom? I’m not clear on exactly how old Jack is supposed to be – he can’t be any younger than I and had his Vietnam experience, but he can’t be more than 5-6 years older than I and still have been a young parent in 1980. So he must have been born sometime around 1951-1955. So what’s he doing at 10 years old driving around with his father in Walker Evans sepia, in what sure looks like a pre-WWII car? I grew up in a place not at all unlike Pittsburgh, and I never saw a car like that in real life other than at an antique car show.
And I really hated the cheesiness of popping a significant character out of the back seat in the last minute of Season 2, Episode 4. Just another reminder that this isn’t a show about real families at all. (The sibling-out-of-thin-air trick worked for Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but they did a great job of emplotting how she got there.)
That was definitely Jack and his brother in the car and in the Vietnam photo.
Mixed episode. Toby in the coffee shop was cringe worthy and not loving the Kevin addiction scene and yes it made no sense that nobody went and brought him back to the ballroom. OTOH, loved the camping scenes with Kevin beginning to be aware of how his actions were hurting Randall. And the scenes with Deja star struck and then with Randall were great as well.
One thing that I don’t get, hopefully this was explained and I missed it. How is Beth suddenly able to immediately go back to work at a status which keeps them at the same economic comfort level? What does she do? Randall had to work long and hard for his position and earning power. Beth is able to get a job with similar earning power after being out of the job market for I don’t know how many years?
The only character on the show that doesn’t seem a “type” was William, Toby, and Rebecca.
Yeah the cars really seem weird. At one point Jack’s father said something about him being a “28 year old unemployed child” so I am guessing he didn’t have kids till 30?
I thought Beth may have been working while Randall was working? Also, he may have had a job with significant bonuses and so forth that allow them to live off investments for a while. But she definitely is dressing like she has a big job.
@JHS I believe Jack was born in 1944. He turned 36 in the premiere, and that was 1980. He would have been in his 20s in the mid- to late- '60s.
As I often have to tell my FIL: It’s pretend. It’s not all going to make sense if we apply normal logic. The cars might be the wrong year, but that is a relatively minor thing. The fact that big issues get resolved relatively quickly is a bigger thing to me … but again, it’s make-believe. Real life doesn’t fit in a half hour segment or in an 18-episode arc. Resolutions come about more quickly or easily as a result. For example, it’s probably not possible for a teenage foster child who grew up in an abusive environment to adjust to a new home (no matter how nice) the way Deja has. But in the interest of time, the story line is moved along. Plus, it’s probably a bit more satisfying as a viewer to watch things move quickly.
(My kids used to wonder why everyone on TV seemed to have such nice homes. I figure it’s because most of us would prefer to watch a show situated in a nice environment - seems the only time a less-attractive home is used is when it’s central to the story line. If the story isn’t about being poor, the setting is generally much nicer - and tidier - than my house. TV is an escape, and people probably want the escape to be as pleasant as possible within the boundaries of what will work for the show.)
Jack turned 36 in the premiere? (So the idea was that he was the same age his kids are today?) Which means he’s supposed to be in his 50s in all those scenes where they are teenagers?
(It also means Miguel, who was clearly Jack’s contemporary, is supposed to be in his 70s. This show clearly has a very forgiving view of what men look like as they age.)
I think that timing is right. I’m pretty sure the idea was that Jack shown in the premiere and the Big Three currently were the same age. That means Jack would have been about 46 on the camping trip and 53 when he died.
Interestingly, I’m just realizing that since I was 36 when DD was born, I’m on the same time line (only 17 years later). Luckily, I have made it past 53.
“This show clearly has a very forgiving view of what men look like as they age.”
Women, too. How many of you look/looked like Mandy Moore does in Rebecca’s 40s? She’s only 33 in real life.
@kelsmom I also think that about the way people dress. I remember watching Everybody Loves Raymond when my kids were the same age as the show kids, thinking why doesn’t Debra wear yoga pants and t shirts? She’s always in a cute little skirt and heels or something.
We saw Jack’s mom briefly last season.
I can’t tear the show apart each week like some of you do!
But I have one question - I didn’t quite get how Deja’s foster “dad” was abusing her with the magazines - I couldn’t quite understand her words. I replayed it over and over. Did he hit them with the magazines? I feel foolish, but I’m clueless here.
According to Glamour’s recap:
tvline.com says
http://tvline.com/2017/10/24/this-is-us-recap-jack-brother-nicky-season-2-episode-5-brothers/
“Didn’t bruise much” - that’s what she was saying. I just couldn’t make the words out no matter how many times I rewinded. Thank you @jonri - even thought that is just awful.
So…anyone watch tonight? I missed a bit because of a phone call.
We found out more about how Rebecca and Miquel got together.
We learned that Miguel came back into R’s life after 8 yrs.
We still do not know how Jack died. Or Why.
The rest was sweet.
The make up and clothes and such just did not do it for me.
AND I seriously never ever had such a “HALLOWEEN” decorated neighborhood and such.
I enjoyed last night’s episode the most this season. Its amazing how they take Rebecca through the decades, it was neat to see her in her 40s last night. She appeared to either have too much foundation on or rosacea, not sure where they were going with that look.
Interesting to find out that Rebecca & Miguel did not get together right after Jack died. I noticed that she was wearing a wedding ring, and wasn’t sure if she was married to Miguel in 2008, but doubted it since they never mentioned him. Now we know she continued to wear her wedding ring from Jack 11-12 years after he died.