'This Is Us' -- Season 4 (and others)

[ClarkKent_DC]

Over in the "TV Shows I Am Binging" thread, I noted that I got hooked on This Is Us, which led to a quick discussion over the show's merits and a pledge to talk about the latest episode. We threw out the idea of having that conversation in the "What Are You Watching Right Now?" thread, but I decided to start one dedicated to the show. Although I titled it "Season 4," I'm not going to limit my observations to that season alone,

So far, it's just been me and Jeff, but I welcome anyone else to join in -- especially Tracy! We've seen too little of you here in the Comics Cave!

[ClarkKent_DC]

Let's try this again ... 

ClarkKent_DC said:

And there's the bachelor and bachelorette parties. One odd thing about TV shows is that bachelorettes never seem to have any friends to participate in these things. As noted elsewhere, on The Flash, when Iris had her party, the guests were her fiancé's friend Caitlin, her fiancé's friend Felicity, and her future father-in-law's father's girlfriend.

Oy. I am filled with shame.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"Wild Run!"

"Quite  Terrible!"

(Oh, wait. Wrong discussion.)

"It's likely because of those interruptions that our discussions here have fallen off."

No doubt.

"I felt bad for the guy"

I felt so bad about those snow globes!

"...clinical trial in St. Louis..."

Yeah, I didn't think they'd do it, either, but a part of me was pulling for seeing some scenes in my old stamping grounds. COVID was fortuitous for that plot thread (as you noted) as well as for Beth's (as you also noted).

"And there's the bachelor and bachelorette parties."

Forget the parties... where were the guests at the wedding?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how I feel about Kevin and Madison's wedding as well as the flash-forward surprise ending. It's going to be a long wait until "early 2022."

[ClarkKent_DC]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"And there's the bachelor and bachelorette parties."

Forget the parties... where were the guests at the wedding?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how I feel about Kevin and Madison's wedding as well as the flash-forward surprise ending. It's going to be a long wait until "early 2022."

Hmmm ... that didn't even register with me. I just figured that, even though Kevin rented that giant space, it was still going to be a family-only affair.

As for the wedding, I can never understand why people get so wound up over it being "perfect." Why? It's a happy occasion (most of the time) and people bring a lot of good will toward the couple (most of the time), and that buys a lot of forgiveness if anything does go wrong. So why sweat it? Since nothing else in your life is "perfect," why does the wedding have to be? But then, I'm from the school of thought that it's the marriage, not the wedding, that's important. (Did I mention we celebrated 32 years on Thursday?) 

Anyway, Madison did the right thing in calling it off, I thought, rather than settling. Now, she didn't hear Miguel's comments at the bachelor party that not all stories are made in the stars and some stories you make together, which does make a certain amount of sense. But Kevin did, and it seemed that was where he was coming from when he said he loves what he and Madison have and could build on it. So I think they could have made it work, but it's better that they didn't. I do appreciate that Kevin said that, and didn't just tell her what she wanted to hear.

Speaking of work, there's Kate and Toby, on the train to Splitsville. I'll bet anything that once Toby really gets into that job, he's going to be worn out commuting from Los Angeles to San Francisco, no matter what way he travels, and he's going to want to stay in San Francisco more than three days a week. Plus, I don't think he's fully accepted that his son is blind. 

I also have the sinking feeling Deja and Malik are also on the train to Splitsville. His baby mama is weaseling her way back into his life, and now he's been accepted into Harvard? Oh, well, Deja; please know that your first love doesn't have to be the only love you'll have in your life.

We should mention angsty Tess. I get she's got her gender identity issues, but ... she was at her uncle's wedding, not hers, and it's not about her. She needs to show the kind of understanding she's been demanding of Beth. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

And the flash-forward surprise ending! Which told a lot, but not everything!

• We're five years into the future, and Kate's getting married? Wha' hoppen?
• Kate's getting married to Phillip? 
• Kevin does have a woman in his life (as evidenced by the bra lying around his hotel room), but we don't know who.
• Kevin is pretty friendly with Madison; could she be that woman in his life? Just because they called off the wedding doesn't mean they couldn't have found their way to being together.
• Uncle Nicky makes a crack about "the wife." He's got a woman in his life?
• Randall gets a profile in The New Yorker calling him a "rising star." At what? He's moved beyond being a mere city councilman, but to what? Mayor? The state legislature? Governor? The House? The Senate? A Cabinet post? Inquiring minds want to know!

[ClarkKent_DC]

Vulture updates its running This Is Us timeline through the end of Season 5: "Everything That’s Happened on This Is Us, in Chronological Order"

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"Did I mention we celebrated 32 years on Thursday?"

You did not. Congratulations!

"As for the wedding, I can never understand..."

You know what bugs me about weddings? That whole "groom cannot see the bride before the ceremony thing." First of all, it's a stupid-stition. Second, it's supposed to be "the groom cannot see the bride in her dress before the ceremony." If someone is going to be stupid-stitious, he or she should at least get the stupid-stition right. What the hell was up with Beth thinking she shouldn't see Randall I have no idea.

"Madison did the right thing in calling it off..."

I suppose, but the time for that conversation should have been before the day of the ceremony. I audibly groaned when I became obvious Kevin was going to f*ck it up. We disagree on that point, but I agree with everything else you said.

"Kate and Toby, on the train to Splitsville."

Agreed. (Good reasoning.)

"Deja and Malik are also on the train to Splitsville."

Agreed. (Good reasoning.) (Don't say "baby mama.")

"We should mention angsty Tess."

Agreed. (Good reasoning.)

"Could [Madison] be that woman in his life?"

I hope so. I had been rooting for Kevin to get back together with his ex, but that was before Madison came on the scene. That ship has sailed. Sophie has moved on with her life, as well (although, there for a while it looked as if Kevin was doing to do something stupid regarding that phone call.)

"[Nicky's] got a woman in his life?"

He was shown trying to get in touch with his one big fling. If not her, I don't know who it could be.

Tracy tells me she read that season six is going to have more time-jumping than they've ever had before.

I had a dream about This Is Us last night and you were in it.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"As for the wedding, I can never understand..."

You know what bugs me about weddings? That whole "groom cannot see the bride before the ceremony thing." First of all, it's a stupid-stition. Second, it's supposed to be "the groom cannot see the bride in her dress before the ceremony." If someone is going to be stupid-stitious, he or she should at least get the stupid-stition right. What the hell was up with Beth thinking she shouldn't see Randall I have no idea.

"Stupid-stition"! What a word! Yes!  

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"Madison did the right thing in calling it off..."

I suppose, but the time for that conversation should have been before the day of the ceremony. I audibly groaned when I became obvious Kevin was going to f*ck it up. We disagree on that point, but I agree with everything else you said.

The time for that conversation should have been any day -- or every day -- between the proposal and the ceremony.

Still, it's better to do it before the wedding than after. There are too many people who believe, know, or even have irrefutable proof they shouldn't go through with the wedding and do it anyway. (But then, I'm from the school of thought that it's the marriage, not the wedding, that's important.)

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"Deja and Malik are also on the train to Splitsville."

Agreed. (Good reasoning.) (Don't say "baby mama.")

True. I should be more respectful.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

"[Nicky's] got a woman in his life?"

He was shown trying to get in touch with his one big fling. If not her, I don't know who it could be.

There's an outside chance that it could be the woman in his PTSD support group whom we haven't seen in forever. There's also an outside chance that she could be the woman in Kevin's life.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

Tracy tells me she read that season six is going to have more time-jumping than they've ever had before.

Bring it on! We still haven't seen Rebecca's wedding to Miguel! And we haven't seen Baby Jack all growed up in forever, too. And this flash-forward means they've got to show us how Toby and Kate separate, and everything else.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

I had a dream about This Is Us last night and you were in it.

Was I in the ghost kingdom with the meteorologist and Randall's teacher? 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

We were both insurance investigators assigned to the Pierson's claim when their house burned down. You kicked around the ashes and discovered Jack's cowboy hat (which he wore in no episode, ever) in surprisingly good condition. You bent over, picked it up and put it on. I told you to take it off because it would compromise your objectivity, and you refused. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

We were both insurance investigators assigned to the Pierson's claim when their house burned down. You kicked around the ashes and discovered Jack's cowboy hat (which he wore in no episode, ever) in surprisingly good condition. You bent over, picked it up and put it on. I told you to take it off because it would compromise your objectivity, and you refused. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

Entertainment Weekly? No, Just Kidding goes to the source about Kate's future: "This Is Us Star Chrissy Metz Breaks Down Kate's Wedding Shocker in the Finale"

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Back to Kevin and Madison... I think (in this case, anyway) that anyone honest enough to admit he didn't love his bride, to her face, on their wedding day, would be sincere enough to make it work. Therefore, counter intuitively, Madison should have accepted him because he admitted he didn't love her. 

Rebecca and Miguel... I don't think we're ever been shown the beginning of their romantic relationship... up until now, that is. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

Kevin never said he didn't love Madison ... he ducked the question of whether he was in love with Madison. 

Kevin does love Madison. He's not in love.