Ed Marinaro, too, And Stone Phillips. And Michael Strahan. And Alex Karras. And Burt Reynolds. And Kris Kristofferson. And for that matter Bruce Lee, Dwayne Johnson and Arnold Schwarzenegger. There’s lots of charismatic athletes who have had success as actors. I was wrong.
Just watched it. Whew, that was tough to watch. Brought back memories on several different levels. DH said he doesn’t think he should watch it anymore because it drains him so much.
I was also unsure about the episode and was wishing all week that the first episode of the three would not be focused on Kevin. It was better than I expected and had much truth to it IRL. I can relate, agree that it was draining and sometimes difficult to watch. Will be interesting to see how they get below the surface on Kate and Randall.
I thought it did share a little more about why Kevin is the way he is. And of course it’s TV so you have to suspend your disbelief. Having said that:
There’s no way any school would have alcohol on the premises, especially if students were present!!!
I was confused about locations. Last we saw Kevin in present day he was being a jerk to Sophie at her door. I thought that was on the East Coast. But then he was in CA when the big school called him?
Smart thinking on the fuse scene.
Well, Kevin might not be too desirable to some, but remember how many felt last year about Rebecca (myself included) - wasn’t such a fan. This season we see more of her character, more of her depth…let’s see where this all takes Kevin.
I wonder if he will tell Randall.
I, too, was so relieved when he woke up with the doctor. Was so worried he’d woken up with the high school student and REALLY didn’t want to see where THAT went.
And I was so glad when he indicated he was going to tell Randall and I hope he does. I truly have no desire to watch him continue to spiral downward.
Compared to what else we have to watch these days, I think this is an excellent show. Of course we have to suspend disbelief and Kevin is hard to take at times but, as others have said, it’s a TV show and I’m really enjoying it.
I thought it was a great episode with so much insight into Kevin and the guilt/pain he carries. So now we know the house burns down in an electrical fire soon after Kevin’s knee injury - he walks again in time for the funeral. He loses both his father and his football career/college scholarship within a pretty narrow timeframe - think how that would impact and damage a teen.
But what kind of doctor does not recognize him as an addict? She seemed rather clueless. So caught up in bedding her hs crush that she does not see the signs?
I’d like to see a more upbeat episide though, this was quite depressing.
I mostly just hope he gets the necklace back. 
Yes, that was very sad. And he needs rehab. Assuming Randall will help him.
Sterling K Brown (Randall) said in a tweet last night, “And with the news of Kate, and in an absolute daze, his problems take a back seat. For now.” - so I suspect we won’t know anything until after the first of the year (with #2, Kate and #3, Randall shows coming up next)
Oh, my, DH was so down after watching the episode yesterday afternoon that he was in a HORRIBLE mood the rest of the day. Reminds me why we don’t get season tickets to our local professional theater any more - he just can’t “let go” after he sees something heavy.
One of my problems of the episode was the worship the doctor confessed to Kevin. As a fellow nerd, we did not admire or have crushes on the athletes. Of course, he would have increased in my esteem if he did protect me from someone too “handsy.”
Oh, my BFF is about as nerdy as you can get (as am I), and she had a major crush on our HS QB. She was quite happy when he danced with her at our 25-year reunion! When I later danced with him, I said, “Wow, it would have been great if you had danced with BFF back in high school!” I couldn’t help myself.
I was/am a huge nerd myself and had quite the crush on the basketball star at my HS (he also went to my college so my infatuation went on for years). He was a really great guy, very polite and kind to everyone, so it went beyond his seriously good looks.
For those of you who really don’t like Kevin, I’m wondering if you have anyone in your life like him. I do. My brother is a lot like Kevin. He is aging now, but he was a 6’4" jock in high school. He was a golden boy that always landed on his feet, just like Kevin. He was (and can still be) terribly cocky. He and I haven’t always gotten along (putting it mildly). But he’s a real person with real pain and real fear of failure underneath his swagger. He’s had his struggle with substance abuse as well and was able to come back. He lost his first love (very serious, engaged but she broke it off), and I don’t think he’s ever gotten over it. Maybe because I can see my brother in Kevin, I really hurt for him. I don’t like his womanizing and yes, his tendency is to be self-absorbed, but he has shown his capacity to care very deeply for others. In the last couple of episodes he’s also shown his desire to shed his shallow existence, which is not an easy thing for him to do.
I’ve always liked him. He has such a deep love for his family and is generally a good person.
I have disliked the Kevin character since the beginning. In this episode, it showed that he was a jerk even as a teenager.
^Agreed. I knew/know far too many kids like him that grew up just like his character is evolving…they still have bar stools in the local bar with their names on them. Sure, life threw him some curveballs, whose life hasn’t?, but he never rallied back, instead he built on each tragedy until the sum of all overtook his life.
We all see things so differently. 
This episode had me thinking about how my half brother and half sister lost their father at around the same age as Kevin was when he lost his. And they also adored their dad. Plus they additionally had to cope with their mother’s remarriage to a guy they didn’t like and who didn’t much care for them (my dad) while they were still teens. And they still managed to get on with life without abusing drugs, becoming morbidly obese, becoming workoholics subject to mental breakdowns, or wrecking relationships. Good on them I guess?
^ Yes, be thankful that your family managed through the heartache.
However, remember, this is a tv show and if everyone had no issues and life was a beautiful rainbow there would not be a plot! Perhaps at the end of the series the rainbow will come for this family. But that’s what makes it a drama - that there are trials and tribulations!
For every family that gets the rainbow there is one who does not. In real life.