Remember, Jack also came from a very unperfect home. And was the product of an alcohol abusive father right? Not an excuse but just pointing out the cycle.
I really enjoyed this episode, especially when Miguel defended Jack.
This is a shallow comment and I might have already shared this opinion - so I apologize in advance if I already said it.
I like Jack, and I loved Milo Ventimiglia on the Gilmore Girls, but I hate his greasy hair. Iām feeling now that maybe they style his hair like that to make his character seem a little āless than perfectā. And now since Miguel made that comment about Jackās āporn starā mustache, that makes his appearance even less attractive to me, lol. Milo can look MUCH better than that!
I dislike Kevin and donāt think he had it as rough as he thinks he did. But sibling resentments are real and often irrational. My BIL resents his younger siblings because they got to put steak sauce on their steaks after he left for college (8 kids in the family - I guess steak sauce was only for Dad). He was probably about 55 the last time he brought that up in a family discussion.
Hahahahaha ^^^ My 62yo sister is still mad about childhood things. Get. Over. It. Sheeesh
Iām excited because ds2 started binge-watching it today!
Loved the episode, bit getting tired of Kevin. The talk of the favorite child reminds me of my kids; one of them is my motherās favorite grandchild. During Thanksgiving my daughter was talking about how she was the favorite, and we all started laughing. Everyone knows my son is my motherās favorite, which use to irritated my sister in law, as she had 3 kids. My mother just had a different relationship with my son as we lived in another city from the time he was born until he was 3. My parents would visit often, as well as us visiting them and staying in their home. They would also keep him if we went out of town, so got to spend longer blocks of time with him. I donāt think my daughter or the other grandchildren will be in therapy over this, but it was funny that my daughter all of a sudden thinks she is the favorite! She is well loved by her grandmother, which is why she may have gotten this into her head recently, but the rest of us know who stole my motherās heart!
Ds2 is on episode 10 
He says that he can barely keep watching itās making him so emotional.
^Aw!!!
Oh boy!! Looks like next week we will need lots of Kleenex!! Boy do I love this show!
Ugh. I got a phone call right when Kevin asked Miguel whether he loved Rebecca while they were married. What did Miguel say???
He said that would have been impossible because when Jack was alive there was no Jack or Rebecca there was only Jack and Rebecca. Or something like that.
I continually celebrate the Randall & Beth relationship above all others, both here and in talking with friends about the show. So, no surprise that my favorite moments centered on them last night. I loved that Beth is a strong, independent woman and they depicted that by having her in the driverās seat, but that Randall came around the car to still open the door for her. For me that showed such a contemporary partnership composed of respect and manners. I also loved Randallās vision of buying the building. I had kind of figured that out when the super told him to spend some time in the apartment, but I just loved how it played out and how he had found his spark and would share it with Beth.
It may be that the therapist is pushing for reasons to explain Kevinās addiction, but agree that he didnāt have that rough of a childhood (as he says to his mom later in the show)ā¦ However, with both he and Kate as addicts in their own way, it makes sense that something in the family or genetics plays a role. Was interesting to see Randall defending Rebecca so strongly.
I actually am not annoyed by Kevin, but am getting a bit annoyed by Randall. He refuses to work unless the job is perfect and meaningful? I donāt think Kevin was entirely wrong when he talked about Tess getting in the car to avoid the Randall show. Beth was very clear that he needed to work. I think finding your passion is great, but it all depends on Beth working to keep the family solvent (even though Randall made a lot of money before this).
Rebecca absolutely was the less fun, more work parent and Jack was mostly all fun. Yes, he got mad at Kevin for his attitude with the coaches, but the sit down with Jack, Miguel and Kevin also showed him dismissing Kevinās devastation at a career ending injury.
I read an interview with one of the writers and he said that his idea was to show Kevin and Randall as both displaying parts of Jackās character. Kevin has Jackās propensity to bottle up everything inside and then kind of implode plus his struggles with addiction. Randall has his focus and love for his family and the strong connection he had to his wife. (Yes, both couples have rough spots, but there is a really strong connection.)
The sit down with the 3 illustrates Jackās refusal to let anyone just āwallowā in their misery. Heās kind of teaching Kevin that when stuff goes wrong āa manā just powers through it.
My own experience in life is that it is usual for most teens to feel closer to the opposite sex parent. I think Kateās closeness to her dad /squabbles with mom is typical of teenage girls. Randall had a stronger bond with Rebecca. I also think his struggles giving up Deja made him understand Rebecca better and so now he doesnāt like her being criticized by Kevin.
Gotta feel sorry for Miguel!
Clever the way they worked in the forgotten battery and the smoke detector.
I usually love Randall but didnāt love him as much in this episode. Who takes a call during an interview? Who even has their phone on?
I am very appreciative we didnāt need to endure a lengthy plot line with Kevin as an (active) drug addict, I will say that when he said to Miguel something along the lines of, āMy dad was her (Rebeccaās) husbandā or something like that, I found it wholly unconvincing. His dad died when he was 17 and I keep forgetting how old they are but that was something like 1/2 his life ago. Miguel wasnāt trying to be his dad and they married 8 years after Jack died. A person in his 30s might say something else revealing resentment but not a denial that Miguel is Rebeccaās husband.
I think the show has done a great job showing the depth of the characters. Of course Kevin didnāt have a āterribleā childhood; we can see, though, how he felt he was the least favorite or no one parentās favorite. My own kids get along beautifully but if we peel back a few layers, each of them has some thoughts (could call them resentments) about this or that. Very normal, I believe. Thatās one of the things I love about this show.
Itās interesting that no one has mentioned Kateās storyline. Lots of things about it struck me close to home. I think it pointed out how many women have a disordered relationship with food and how we sabotage it. How she got skinny but it wasnāt enough. Maybe I interpreted it wrong.
I found myself wool gathering during Randallās story. Usually the actor and storyline are interesting but I wasnāt into it last night.
@travelnut I must have missed that. When did they talk about batteries?
It was the last scene. Beth says to Jack, I think we forgot something at the mall but I canāt remember. Then they have a long view to the smoke detector, missing batteries
As for Kevin not feeling / not getting the love from his parents, I think that often the parents will de-emphasize the child who is most popular in school, the one with the most friends, the ācoolā one in favor of the one(s) that seem more vulnerable.
I hope all the clues theyāre throwing at us about Jackās death arenāt red herrings. That last shot in the episode was pretty telling, but who knows.