The scene with the black soldier under Jack’s command where he held Jack’s face and told him to breathe is where Jack learned how to do that and he did it with Randall.
I enjoyed the show. My guess is that Jack’s dad starts drinking after Nick starts having health problems.
There is a rumor out there that the Vietnamese woman with the little boy is wearing the necklace that Jack eventually gives Kevin.
That 50 year old could have had children.
The black man who had his lower leg blown off is the black man who Kevin contacted in the episode before this one. They panned down to his leg and you can see the prosthesis.
^^Wow, all these details - good thing we have this thread to compile all our observations!
For some reason I don’t remember Kevin contacting someone though…maybe have to rewatch!
@abasket The episode before the Vietnam episode. At the end, Kevin’s girlfriend (forget her name) was helping him research Jack’s old war buddies. (I think that’s why they wrote her as a documentary filmmaker, so it’s plausible that she knows how to do this kind of research.) They showed an email that Kevin wrote to him (Dear Mr. XXX – I am Jack Pearson’s son.) Then they showed an older black man reading the email with a look of shock on his face, then they panned down to prosthesis on his lower leg.
I thought that was the councilman that Randall talked to! Not the same guy?
@abasket - different guy. No prosthetic for the councilman.
@JHS Thanks! I was utterly baffled by the timeline. I too didn’t “get” how Jack could be home when his mom read the letter about Nick being Article 15-ed and end up going to see Nick in the same place.
Moreover, as a military brat, I know that Article 15s are conducted for minor offenses. The punishment is unlikely to involve a sentence greater than 30 days. So, for Jack to tell his commander that his brother was “in trouble” at least a year later made no sense…at all!
That scene in the hospital maternity ward when Jacks dad says “And all these babies have the same birthday as your brother!” was such a punch to the gut for me. Such a waste of young life.
And one other nit picky thing from the previous episode. You can’t buy champagne in a grocery store in PA!
Also where was the movie premiere? I was so confused, they were all together there but then Kate was in LA for the procedure but then Randall flew out there. And now Randall is running for Phila council? But he lives in NJ? No way he’d ever find a suitable house in the ward where that housing project is.
@jonri, every week Vulture has a recap of This is Us. This week’s recap was organized around timeline, so it might be helpful as well.http://www.vulture.com/2018/10/this-is-us-recap-season-3-episode-4-vietnam.html
I liked the episode and appreciated the break from the Kate drama. While all the characters are flawed, they don’t get under my skin like she does.
The shot in the hospital of all the babies almost took my breath away. 2 minutes.
I think the overarching theme that Jack’s one job is to take care of his brother is interesting. Of the 3 Pearson kids, Randall is the one who took that on. He gave up going to Howard University to be home with his siblings. Kate was like this in seasons 1 and 2 in the way that she was always protecting Kevin from himself. But, I feel like the motivation is somehow different. Randall gave up a dream to stay home. Randall is more like Jack than his siblings are.
I also wondered about the young Vietnamese woman as the camera shot of her seemed longer than it needed to be.
I forgot about the soldier who lost his foot showing up in the previous episode. I’m glad I can read this chain to help me make connections.
I have always been confused by the geography of this show, having grown up in Philly. How did Randall’s dad get from Pittsburgh to Philly? It seems coincidental that Randall and his dad, who he didn’t know, both ended up in the Philly/NJ/NYC area. It seems the apartment he lived in always looked the same. But, we first see him in Pittsburgh. He can’t be feeding his cat in Pittsburgh and living in NJ. Maybe these all important questions will be answered this season.
I’ve said it a bunch of times, but I love this thread discussion - so many viewpoints! - like a tv “book club” - thanks for that!
So many people have commented on the whole Philly/NJ/NYC situation - I wonder if that bothers some more than others because you live or know the area really well. Not from that area and that part of any inconsistencies does not bother me or cross my mind.
A friend of mine is an RN and on staff as a writer for a current medical tv drama. They also have a MD on staff–they are hired for their technical knowledge as much as for their writing–but she admits the story almost always trumps actual medicine. As a viewer, if I’m really invested in the story I’ll overlook some fudging of reality, but it can be difficult. I’m re-watching Gilmore Girls with my 14-year-old daughter and the college application plot makes me cringe.
^ lol - yes, Rory and Paris seem to easily gain acceptances to every (except Paris undergrad) prestigious school in the country! I love that show but just laugh at that part.
Randall just said he lives in Alpine, NJ. Mystery solved! But that still doesn’t explain how William got from there to Philadelphia every day to feed his cat 
That’s at least a 2 hour drive each way.
Tonight’s episode was much better…lots of variety, learning a lot more about each of them. Difficult to see Beth falling apart though, first Randall, then Toby, now Beth. The time flew by tonight.
Great show tonight! Miguel is an angel. VMI is right about the Vietnamese woman. I missed a few minutes of the show. Was Randall throwing his campaign signs in a dumpster? Has he given up?
It sounds like the writers heard all my questions last week and answered them!
Randall lives in Alpine NJ. At least two hours from philly. (Sure, Berh would drive two hours and back just to watch him. And where are the girls?)
He’s gonna run for Council because his name is on the lease? Wait’ll the paper gets wind of that! Sorry I can’t suspend my disbelief on some of this.
I really liked the episode even tho some storylines were cliche and telegraphed from a mile away.
Randall’s prom date? Parent is racist, check.
Kevin doesn’t understand issues black women face, check.
Miguel lives up to promise to deceased Jack, check.
Does Chrissy Metz do her own singing?