mdc3000

To be fair, he said "Haven't you seen Jurassic Park?" NOT "Haven't you seen Jurassic Park NOW PLAYING IN THEATRES?". That scene just had to happen after June 11, 1993.

I'm feeling the same way, they've gotten so far away from any reasonable reality at this point in service of tugging on heart strings...but there are only THREE episodes left this season so I'll at least stick with it until this year is over.

TGM

I think Variety's review of the episode mentioned it.

Goldberg74

mdc3000 and TGM, gotcha.

Spiderbite

Ugh. Watched this episode last night and this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me with this show. Such a telegraphed and dishonest moment. Not true to either character that they have built up. Randall wouldn't have called his brother at that moment and dumbass wouldn't have left the play for him.

And what did he do...have a psychic connection just because of one flashback that we saw from high school? Maybe Randall did this a lot in the past but we also have established that Kevin didn't give a shit. Why would he suddenly give a shit now at one of the most important times for not only him but the entire production? And he didn't even know what was going on?

"Oh, my brother called me on the phone and sounded a little out of it and said he couldn't come to the play. Guess I need to bail and go hug him at his office (and how did he know he was even still at his office?)." Just so fucking dumb.

I am going to stick around for the last few episodes to see Angel Jack die and then bail myself. I did find it ironic that Miguel told Kevin to ask himself, "What would Jack do?" I guess everyone thought of Jack as Jesus.

On more interesting news, I read that Kate's boyfriend on the show wears a fat suit.

dwells

We still enjoying the show and are not going to go so far as to drop it, but I agree 100% with everything you wrote.

I just rolled my eyes at the Kevin leaving the play scene. I guess it is supposed to tug at the heart strings, but as you said, that would have never happened in real life and I just thought it was a stupid scene. Especially when you consider that he left the biggest moment of his acting life without even knowing for sure if Randall was still at work or really was having a meltdown and needed help. For all he knew Randall had already left the office and was home having dinner. Just not a good scene.

I also hated the scene at the club where the old boyfriend just blurts out to Jack "when Rebecca and I were together". I may be wrong but that is another conversation that would never happen in real life.

Right or wrong, I have a bias against network shows- they almost never have the same quality of writing as you see on cable/pay channels. And for the first time I think This is Us is starting to show its "network" status/roots.

stopgap

The ep made me tear up but count me in when Kevin ran away from his opening to check on Randall. I only accepted it due to the power of the two actors.

In reality that was a cheap hook for the viewers. It literally made no sense knowing Kevin as I am not sure he's not that intelegent to make such a conclusion of Randall being in need.

Since I'm ranting... Jack is still really turning into a d-bag. Perfect husband until he found out about Rebecca's past. Jack... get a hobby bro.

Please let me vent as this is my 'soap opera'.

TGM

Kate does too! she's big but not THAT big.

writer106

I get where you're coming from. I'll still stick with this show for the rest of the season. I'll probably watch next season, but I have the feeling that it will hit more of a slump which is pretty common with broadcast dramas.

hdnmickey

Still loving this show overall despite the downer episode, them still making Kate very dislikable, and Kevin looking for a reason to bail on the opening. The other stuff with Kevin has been great and everything with Randall is pure gold. Really feel for him even though it's just fictional TV character.

windom

If you've ever seen her interviewed, you'll see she is that big. She does not wear a fat suit. She did wear one when she was on "American Horror Story: Freak Show" though.

TGM

hm my bad... I thought I read that she wore some prosthetics but I guess I was getting my signals crossed.

DWilson

She was brought on to the show for her size, with the proviso that she'd go along with the weight-loss "journey" of her character. That's what was discussed when the character and the actress was being introduced. Today being Today, the producers have made it clear that they're not "Fat-Shaming" her and she's not being forced to do anything she doesn't want to do.

Goldberg74

The Randall and William "Road Trip"... well done.

I particularly liked the part where William asked Randall if he could pay his respects to Jack. That was a great scene.

I liked that it was a limited story.

Sterling K. Brown is one hell of an actor.

mphtrilogy

yes, excellent ep, back to its core roots of storytelling and great acting, I will miss William, and Brown might be the best actor on TV right now. He is stellar.

great song btw, those were wonderful flashbacks.

MikahC

The most emotional ending montage set to music I can remember since the ending of Philadelphia.

That episode was Emmy worthy for me.

hdnmickey

Only thing that I didn't like about this episode is that is well was so telegraphed. It was clear from the moment they showed him as a baby that William would not survive the hour. I was really hoping they would that as just some random event or him passing in his sleep. But the episode was just so well done I can't fault them too much for going for the emotional send off. Of course it partially worked because the best two actors on the show were the focus of the road trip.

Now I'm left to wonder if anything about William will be included in the series after his funereal. I hope so, even if it's just more showing young William and how he and the mother had contact with the the adoptive family while the kids were young.

hdnmickey

I don't watch enough of it's likely competition to know for sure, but it seems like it would be hard to beat. Can't imagine the two actors are not going to be nominated on their own for acting. One of them already won an Emmy (Darden on OJ), right?

chowderhead

Finally saw this episode but I could imagine Kevin bailing on the play to go to Randall.
His phone conversation with Randall was weird/alarming
Kevin: you called me...
Randall: I can't come to your play
Kevin: but you will see it eventually....??
Randall: ....

We don't know any backstory/history with suicide but Randall had that scene (real or imagined?) with this co-worker early in the season and how he talked down from the ledge. We saw Kevin as a teenage fail to comfort Randall when Randall broke down in front of his computer. We saw Miguel pay Kevin the best compliment by saying he is his father's son and he saw a lot of Jack in Kevin. What would saint Jack do, he would have known something was wrong with Randall and gone to him. It was believable in that context that Kevin would have done what his father would have as a growth arc.

Geofferson

Watched this week's road trip episode last night. Fantastic and yes, heartbreaking stuff. Yeah it was predictable, but also so well done it's hard to give it fault. I really enjoyed the flashback scenes with young William. I trust there is more story there to tell.

A couple observations:
- I lost it when "old William" hugs his younger mom in the living room after he passes
- Great to see Brian Tyree Henry (FX's Atlanta) show up as William's cousin

GatorDeb

I bought the first season on impulse since it was on sale at amazon video and family had mentioned it, but hadn't seen an ep until a post on FB days ago (I bought it weeks ago) and I've been binge-watching, on ep 10, I LOVE this show.

So many lines that make me "I just sat in something called Frontier" (having flown it), and "artnerships," every episode has a line that makes me laugh out loud.

davidh777

Just watched last week's episode ("Memphis") and noticed they reused a song from earlier in the season ("Blues Run the Game") but by a different singer. The first use was in ep 3 as originally recorded by Jackson C. Frank, and I remember it because I bought it afterward . Apparently that was when William told Randall about meeting his mom on a bus, and this one was for his flashback to that meeting. Nice subtle touch.

DJariya

Finally caught the Randall/William "Memphis" episode from a few weeks ago. Really well done.

Liked the backstory about William and also their bonding during the road trip. I almost felt like they had enough story here for 2 hours. William's deathbed scene was really poignant.

Anyways, it was sad, but a really well done hour of TV. Would not surprise me if Sterling K. Brown gets an Emmy or Golden Globe Nomination for this show next year.

Raul3

So, after having closure with William, I think the part where he has a male partner had no value.

I am extreme left, and all of that, but watching the show, watching William's story in the show, it was really great story telling, but he having a male relationship didn't added at the end. Maybe I missed something. Or maybe the should have added more to that.

Maybe I missed something.

TGM

or given the time jumps that the show is known for, maybe it will be fleshed out more in the future.

hdnmickey

I would like to see more young William and Denis O'Hare showing up as Randall continue to learn about his father's past.