@oldmom4896 , thanks, I could not recall that.
I watched the short āaftershowā pieces for the last three episodes (Kevinās, Kateās, Randallās) For those who are a little rough on the Kevin storyline might benefit from watching his aftershow. Randallās (no surprise!) was quite touching - even in real life Sterling K Brown breaks you down!!!
We have the aftershows on our cable āon demandā - you can also watch them on the NBC website and/or the NBC app.
Just a reminder that the show is starting up again tonight.
Iām ready!!!
Canāt wait!
sigh Another good one.
Wow, that one hit close to home. I could see my middle kid saying the same stuff as Kevin. DH and I have commented in the past that Kevin reminds us of middle kid.
Iām the Kevin in my family.
Iāve already stated that Rebecca isnāt my favorite character so I was glad to see some of her weaknesses discussed. I canāt believe that they didnāt go to how just perhaps it was lying to Randall all those years that made him her favorite. Guilt is powerful.
Also, as my familyās ābad guyā I sure wish Jack could see how unfair always getting to be the fun one is. But, yeah, I donāt like Jack as much as most of yāall do on here either. lol
Mandy Moore really isnāt convincing as older Rebecca, IMO.
i think thatās one reason that I donāt care for her character very much. i think a better actress would have helped.
This episode reminded me of an Erma Bombeck piece. H and I often talk about our three kids and wonder what the ātake awayā will be for them from their childhoods. Iām glad the show is finally addressing the family dynamics, including Jackās death.
http://myinspiredworld.blogspot.com/2007/05/my-favorite-child.html?m=1
I agree that Mandy Moore is not entirely convincing as 60-something Rebecca, but I think she hits it out of the park as 20-something and 30-something Rebecca. And I loved the moment last night where she blurted out about Kevin recoiling when she touched him.
Someone also ought to mention Sterling Brownās Golden Globes win and fabulous acceptance speech.
@JHS I agree. Sterling Brownās acceptance speech was superb.
I just wasnāt all that into this episode and have been liking Kevin less and less. I just canāt work up much sympathy for him.
I loved the episode and am very happy it is back!
I agree I like Mandy Moore as young Rebecca, but donāt really buy her portrayal of old Rebecca. I feel for her having to have been the ābad guyā to āsaintā Jack.
I loved the new ābig threeā in the bar.
I thought the therapy session was interesting. Loved that the scene after the therapy session with the Big Three making up with each other.
I did tooāespecially the concept of the āPierson no fly zone.ā
Itās kind of interesting that Kevin feels left out because as grown siblings, he seems to connect more with Kate and Randall than they connect with each other, e.g., Jack and Kate are close and Randall and Jack interact even if they arenāt all that close but the show has never given me the sense that Kate and Randall react much at all with each other. Toby resents the relationship between Kate and Kevin and Beth resents the fact that Randall gets annoyed with her bashing his ājackass brother.ā Nobody seems to resent Kate.
Some parts of the therapy session hit home. ( I come from a family with mixed bio/adopted kids, soā¦) .One thing thatās always bothered me is Randallās name. Kevin, Kate and Kyle (the infant who died) all start with a K. Randall comes out of left field and āstyle wiseā doesnāt āfitā with Kevin and Kate, IMO.
I do think the fact that Sterling K Brown is far and away the best actor of the 3 kids is impacting the story line. As Iāve mentioned before, Kevin just doesnāt āworkā as a character for me. Heās supposed to be this āgolden boyā but heās about as deep as the proverbial ādeep dish apple pieā and then has these amazing insights into other people.
One thing I wondered how other people felt aboutāthe part where Randall says that Kevin isnāt an addict; he just craves attention. I had a work colleague who was an alcoholic in recovery and she says that the addictās mind set is āIām the piece of s*** at the center of the universe.ā So, Iāve always thought that the need for attention is part of the addictive personality.
I think Jack IS an addict and I think heās right that Kate is too. Randallā¦Iām not so sureā¦
@jonri Rebecca and Jack initially named Randall Kyle. Rebecca was having trouble bonding with the infant Kyle. Rebecca visited William and he encouraged her to āgive him his own name.ā. She found out Williamās favorite poet was Dudley Randall and that William would read Dudley Randallās poetry to Kyleās biological mother. Kyle became Randall.
@sevmom Thanks!
MIL had that Erma Bombeck piece framed in her kitchen. DH is the middle child and he felt ignored at times too, altho in HS he was OK with the diminished attention.
Iāve also been the bad guy in our family, and know that Iāve complained to DH about it as the kids were growing up. He wasnāt as sainted as Jack - heād explode at them, but they knew that Dadās bark was worse than his bite so they knew they could ignore his threatened consequences.
āI agree I like Mandy Moore as young Rebecca, but donāt really buy her portrayal of old Rebecca. I feel for her having to have been the ābad guyā to āsaintā Jack.ā
Does she really need to play that role, though? She chooses to but did any parent? I found it as different parenting styles and Jackās was more effective, not really that he was a saint except for his death.
Of course, she didnāt HAVE to take on that role, but invariably someone becomes the heavy ā¦ otherwise itās all cupcakes and ice cream for breakfast every day. She is wound too tight, but Good Time Jack makes her feel like sheās the only one trying to hold the line on various things. I was pretty appalled that she let young Kevin yell at her like he did. She came across as a bit of a doormat ā Kevin runs over her, Jack ignores what she says. I feel a bit sorry for her.
ETA: I have a friend who is a therapist, and one time I was complaining about dh not doing enough housework. She basically said because I overperform it allows him to underperform. I think the same thing is happening with their parenting. She needs to not allow herself to always be the heavy so that Jack has to step up some.