This is Us

This week's episode was much better. And tighter. The subject matter interesting. Beth was hilarious.

The season is done. The finale was good but it still pointed out for me the weakness in a show I still like a lot but which also frustrates me to no end.

The weakness? The big three as adults. I'm tired of them. They do the same dance. They sing the same song. Over and over. Now in the finale there was a great conflict/argument between Kevin and Randall (and Justin Hartley actually stayed in character the entire time). I like Randall way more than Kevin but I side with Kevin on this one. Randall basically manipulated Rebecca. And that brought out all sorts of drama. Kate seems muddled by the whole experience. I wish she would have said: Mom what do you really want? But of the three, Kate seems most in tune with her present life. I wish she'd dismiss her extended family and focus on her kid like all the time. As for Rebecca, she is disappearing long before her cognitive disorder will ultimately take hold. I wish she'd tell all her kids to zip it and bond with the grandchildren instead.

What brought out the weakness ever more in the finale was how interesting all the other so-called minor characters were in comparison. The doctor and his daughter on the horse farm. A great scene. Jack and Lucy also: so wonderful together. Why can't an entire episode be just about them? Or two or three? Even Madison who has always been flaky in the past apparently had a come to Jesus moment and was actually grounded in perspective and reality. Hopefully though Kevin won't be hovering around her too much! And of course during the year I was always thankful to see the Big Three younger actor versions. Those actors are clearly grateful for the screen time.

So what should the should do next year? They won't do this as much as I want them to do, but it should shift focus more to the future and employ the current big three more as flashbacks and less as the dominant triad. I want to see Randall's kids grown up, Kevin's new kids grown, Kate's son and daughter-in-law and their child. But I am interested in a lot of scenes with Kate and Toby helping young Jack interact with the world. And Tess's being gay but also her career development. And of course Annie and Deja. Annie doesn't seem to get a lot of purposeful screen time. But I am tired of the triple neurosis show! How about some solid normal people for a while??? Okay?

david - now that I'm home and not driving kids around, I'm finally catching up, so I just skipped over your last post about the finale. I'm at Episode 10 - Light and Shadows when Kate throws the Jimmy Buffet party for Toby. I realize my complaint about This is Us is the same as last season - why are none of these people in therapy? Having a special needs child is incredibly challenging and it is 100% normal for Toby to be mourning the loss of all the things he won't be able to do with Jack. If you don't mourn, you can't be open to embracing the child that you do have. Argh!! And what idiot doesn't tell his wife he's changing gyms? He doesn't have to be fully truthful, but he could make himself look like a great guy and say, "I'm changing gyms because I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Also Avocadogate was ridiculous - that *was* a case where a little lie never hurt anyone. What Toby didn't know, wouldn't hurt him. A friend of mine once told me, "Those daycare workers are so smart - they always say, 'I think Susie will be crawling soon!' which is code for - she crawled today."
Anyway, I'll be interested in how the rest of the season plays out. I did think Kevin being the hall pass was hysterical. I did not see that coming.

brdmom:

My problem with the episode you reference is that the writers were relying on two perhaps common but in terms of a story cliched tropes. One is that men don't express their feelings adequately. And two men have to be tough and not allow themselves to process their feelings sufficiently. I did not like the way they handled Toby and his feelings, as in through Kate's perception as though Toby as is puzzle to be solved. But this is a common trope for both of them towards each other. What I would have preferred was your idea: therapy. Why can't Toby be tough as a parent and in the meantime process his feelings in therapy---without Kate. I think the episode lacked a certain amount of imagination.

I await to hear about your opinions on subsequent episodes.

I'm creeping up on the end of the season. Aside from some irritation about how they all need therapy, I think the last five episodes I watched - all three parts of Hell of a Week, The Cabin and Clouds were really good episodes, especially The Cabin and Clouds. Madison was great giving Kate a little slap upside the head about maybe she could be more supportive of Toby, and I loved seeing Rebecca and Kevin spend the day together. I also love how the writers have had Rebecca share with each of her children her special memories of them. They will need to hang onto those nuggets as she starts to deteriorate. The end of The Cabin with Jack's tape was classic TIU - where are my kleenex??? I'm glad I've come back to the season. I wasn't too impressed at the beginning of the season, but it has definitely improved.

I think it's improved from the beginning too. I like when the focus has been Rebecca, as you allude to in your comments. I think the writers did well there at promoting her in the irreversible face of disappearance. And not just by the disease either. By her own kids who are more or less supplanting her.

In spite of my misgivings, there are some really good moments and concepts this year.

I am almost at the end - just watched the second to last episode - After The Fire - which I found a little irritating. I don't love "what if" episodes. However, by the end, I felt that it worked. I like Randall's therapist and the writing of that whole scene was very strong. I don't know what I think about Randall begging his mom to do the trial. She is so vulnerable; it seems like there needed to be more discussion. I'm going to try to carve out time to watch the last episode tonight. I think I should rewatch the first episode of the season before hand.
How's your quarantine going?

I liked Fire pretty much. Young Randall got an extra chance to shine. Older Randall perpetuates his own fear that everything will be taken away from him. He needs to give up control. Maybe he does at Kevin's house when Rebecca passes. But of course she continues to disappear. I suppose that was just going to happen.

Here things seem both normal and unnormal. A mix of the two.

I mostly agree with David, especially about focusing, at least somewhat, on other characters other than 'The Big Three'. However, I don't find Jack & his wife all that interesting. Maybe focus more on Randall's daughters or Kevin's newfound kin, or maybe some of the other interconnected people in their lives?

Anybody still watching this?  BTW - on latest episode (5X3) and paused on scene where Randall is auditioning therapists, and guy just went to pick up a toddler. Just had a thought. What if Randall's new therapist winds up being his biological mom? If so get bragging rights for calling that one right.    

Thought the winter return was a solid episode.