GSMHvisitor

I think nobody would say anything, if it wasn't literally the entire Pearson clan (in-laws not included) who got their award nominations at this point. Milo, Mandy, Sterling, Chrissy - they all got the recognition, except for Justin Hartley. I can't help but find that a little disappointing too. As for Beth, I still think she's awesome. She's definitely one of my favs. I just wish they'd give her more than just the snark and the sass and the attitude. Last season that seemed much more balanced IMO.

God, I can only hope that won't be the case. This would be the absolute last thing I want. And I say that as someone who's actually very invested in the Kevin/Sophie relationship. Yes, she sort of came out of nowhere and they've had minimal actual screentime together, but I want to learn more about their story, past and present. But not now, not for a while. This story should be about Kevin only. Considering Alexandra Breckenridge just had a baby a month ago, I don't expect her to be back on set any time soon anyways. They're filming ep. 2x15 right now, so she might be back for the last 1-2 episodes, if we're lucky, but I don't expect much. It doesn't sound too promising right now, but the minimum I want for Kevin's story is - that it doesn't get wrapped up in just one episode. - that his family takes his issues seriously and make him and his well-being the top priority just for once. - that Kevin is honest to himself and gets to the root of his issues to get better.

That's exactly what worries me too. That part of the article doesn't really sound like Kevin wants to go deep and actually deal with his feelings and his issues. Idk if I want to see a lot of therapy, but I do want to see Kevin confront not only his family, but his own issues. Guess I have to see how it all plays out, but some things from this article have me worried about the next episode. I thought (or had the secret hope) they might go the full high-functioning depression route with Kevin, but they seem to keep it at surface level by just addressing his addiction. But the immense self-loathing that came out in 2x08 was kind of always there. From the beginning of the show it's been apparent that Kevin has these self-doubt issues and actually thinks very little of himself. It's subtle, but it's always been there. And who could blame him really? He's constantly belittled. People didn't take him seriously as an actor and they showed and told him that countless times. Not even his agent believed in him. His parents loved him dearly, there are no doubts about that, but it's also a fact that they cared more about making sure his siblings were fine. All that coupled with the fact that he lost his football career, the one thing where he drew most of his confidence from and losing his father at the same time - it's not hard to believe that that would mess a person up. But Kevin's life's been pretty good regardless, so he kept on going, kept on functioning and buried his feelings, until they started crashing down on him like an avalanche. Anyways, I think there's a lot that could be explored with Kevin, but I don't think most of it will be happening anymore.

Here's a very spoilery article about the upcoming episode: http://www.screenspy.com/articles/this-is-us-episode-2x11-the-fifth-wheel-scoop-photos/ Looks like we're in for a time jump after all. I kind of expected it, but I still don't like it. I wonder if Tess' issues will be addressed at all or if the only purpose was to create more tension between Randall & Beth and Kevin. I'm looking forward to Kevin dishing out some brutal honesty, but I hope they don't do this so he ends up looking bad (again). I also hope they don't write this in a way so that Kevin comes off as playing the victim. IDK what to think exactly, but I'm still very much excited for this episode.

Well, that's interesting. And sad too. No kid should ever have to feel like a fifth wheel in their own family. I keep saying, This Is Us is the perfect example of how not even good parents are beyond messing up their kids, or at least playing a part in it. Can you give away if we're actually gonna see something of the direct aftermath of Kevin's arrest? Like Beth and Randall's anger, Kevin's remorse and how Tess is doing? Or is there a time jump and we start the episode in rehab?

Yeah it's clear that some parts will take place during Kevin's rehab and I expected as much, but I will be very disappointed if they skip the immediate aftermath of the DUI/arrest. I wanna see Kevin being devastated and apologetic and beating himself up about what happened, Randall/Beth furious but ultimately understanding. Tess sad and upset, but explaining that it wasn't all Kevin's fault. IMO those things are very important and I'd hate if we didn't get to see them. But I have a bad feeling we won't :/. That's what Grey's Anatomy was doing more often than not in the last couple of seasons, especially when my favourite characters were involved, and I still have a trauma from that. I also wonder if it will even be addressed that Tess is unhappy at home? I feel like that shouldn't be swept under the rug either.

Agreed, some of the nominations are really baffling. If I'm not mistaken even the guy who played Jesse got nominated last year. Seriously, what the hell?? Yeah, I think Justin was already the one adult main character without a nomination before today. Sterling, Milo and Chrissy had their Emmy noms and Mandy (and Chrissy) had the Golden Globe nomination. It really isn't fair. Everybody gets the recognition except for Justin.

It's always the same actors who get those nominations and I'm not a fan. Sterling is obviously great, but did he really have the material to be nominated this season? Tbh I can't remember a particular s2 episode or scene where Randall really stuck out, even though I really enjoyed his centric episode. But maybe that's just me. Chrissy, I guess, really got to shine in her centric, even though that episode didn't do much for me personally. For me it's actually Mandy's and Justin's season. Those are the two that really moved me several times in s2 and I'm not just talking about the Kevin centric episode in Justin's case. IMO he's doing a very nuanced work all around and I'm absolutely invested in Kevin's storyline. As for Mandy, I'm really glad they don't write her in an "antagonistic" way anymore just to make Jack shine. IIRC Mandy was actually nominated for a Golden Globe last year, but I think this year she'd have deserved it more.

Agreed! I absolutely LOATHE how Grey's Anatomy does that to their actors. They don't tell them anything. They only find out during table reads and then you end up with scenes that look stupid in hindsight and a ton of retcon. And I just think, if it's such a hussle for TPTB to keep up with character continuity, it would be helpful to give their actors a bigger picture, so they can point out when something doesn't make sense. Then again, Grey's Anatomy has thrown "making sense" over board a long time ago, so why do I still care? Back to This Is Us: I'm okay with how TPTB handle the information flow with their actors. They seem to be in on lots of things (they were all told how Jack died apparently). But as was mentioned above, I don't expect the writers to have a character bible with every detail planned out beforehand. I do believe Jack's brother was something that was made up this season, but it's not something that couldn't have existed before, just because he wasn't mentioned before. We're only in s2 and we're still in the middle of getting to know these characters, getting new bits and pieces every episode.

Okay, now I'm actually kind of intrigued. I might have to give this a chance and just block out Kevin Pearson and his misery.

I still like the show, but Rebecca's lack of connection bugs me a great deal as well, especially when it comes to Kevin. I don't even remember 1 adult one on one scene between the two of them. So if anybody remembers if/what/when it happened, please point me towards it. There are actually so many relationships I want explored more and as much as I like the character and the actor, I'd gladly trade William for those. As you pointed out, dead should be DEAD. I wanna know more about Sophie and Kevin. I know they've known each other for a long time, but how did they ultimately end up together? And how did they fall apart? To really be able to root for them as a couple we need way more insight into their history IMO.

I agree about Justin's interviews. I really love that he seems to understand the complexities of his character. I've been reading up on his POV all day.

All in all I liked it. I'm on the fence about the scene with the lawn breakdown. That was very uncomfortable to watch. I guess that was part of the intention with that scene, I'm just not sure I found it uncomfortable for the right reasons. But other than that I think Justin absolutely delivered. What really got to me was the football field "pep talk" of self-loathing. And the moment he conjured Jack in his strung-out and drunken stupor and held on to him just a little too tightly. I'm not sure it was an Emmy worthy performance, but considering that there are many episodes where he moved me before, I think he'd be absolutely deserving. Also because literally every other "Pearson" either got a Golden Globe or Emmy nomination or both last year and I'd be happy for Justin if he got the same kind of recognition. I am pissed the moment where he finally was ready to open up and ask for help got taken away, because of somebody else's tragedy. It's quite ironic that even the one episode that is supposed to be solely about Kevin somebody else got the spotlight in the end. Kevin's always the least important Pearson. Idk maybe they'll do the same with Kate --> Randall, but the way they did it here pissed me off. Given that it's now clear that Kevin did not have a previous history with addiction, the progress of his addiction definitely happened too fast. Which is another reason why I wish they'd flipped the order and ended the trilogy with Kevin. That would have given them 2 more episodes and the story wouldn't be so rushed.

Agreed. As a hardcore Kevin fan, I was looking forward to this episode like never before. But as soon as the OTT twitter praise started, I knew I needed to take a step back as not to set myself up for disappointment. It's just too much. I liked the episode, not my fav exactly, but good. I thought Justin was good too. He didn't sell me on every scene, but I did find him great in some. However, the episode was not THAT amazing, Justin was not THAT amazing. Frankly, I don't think it's humanly possible to be that great to warrant this amount of gushing. On the one hand I think it's nice the cast, crew and TPTB are so supportive of each other, especially of the actors, but OTOH I wish they would turn it down a notch. Or ten. I agree. Especially about the Randall parts. I like the character, but the OTT Randall glorification in the writing needs to stop already. It makes me like him less. Also I can't believe they're apparently bringing William back again for his episode. I liked him a lot in s1, but like with so many other things on this show, they're overdoing it.

Yeah, that's why I have zero intention of watching that movie haha

I don't know if it's an unpopular opinion, but it kind of annoys me that the Big Three trilogy ends with Randall. I wish they'd flipped the order and ended it with Kevin instead, so that we go into hiatus with a big Kevin episode. Randall's already had so many big episodes. But Kevin is somehow always the most underrated/unimportant Pearson, both on the show and for TPTB apparently too. I like Randall, but this season his story doesn't work as well for me. I'm not saying Kevin's is that much better, but personally I'm much more invested and I wish it was used to let Kevin step out of the shadows of Randall and Jack for once.

What is up with the lack of present day interactions between Rebecca and Kevin anyways? I don't think they've shared a single scene where it was just the two of them? I could see that they're not that close, because as Kevin said himself in s1, Randall was more important to her. But wouldn't that be something to address in the present day scenes, much like Kate's issues with her mother? Or are Kevin and Rebecca just fine, albeit not so close and Kevin projected all his frustration, hurt and anger towards Randall and doesn't feel any resentment for his mother?

Krista sure seems to be. She's been shading the writing on twitter quite a bit and it's not even that subtle. I wonder how her co-writers and her co-showrunner William Harper feel about that.

Speaking of spoilers, does anybody know where one can find press releases and promo pics in advance? The site spoilerTV always has both + sneak peeks but only for the next episode and nothing beyond that. I know from other shows like Grey's Anatomy that official press releases as well as promo pictures are published 2-3 weeks in advance. Is this just something that's not happening for this show or am I looking in all the wrong places?

Like I said in the episode thread, I really like all your observations about this scene. Makes me want to rewatch it again, so I can catch all the little details. I may be in the minority, but Kevin is by far my favourite character. While the painting scene is my favourite of his and the whole show, the scene that actually completely sold me on Kevin was the one in 2x03 when he called Kate to apologize and then got choked up when he explained he couldn't talk about Jack. The way his voice broke when he mentioned their father and how he then was in such a hurry to end the conversation, before he really would end up crying just really got to me. And who can not relate to a situation like that? I think Justin Hartley did a very fine job in that whole scene. I also love how he displays the utter affection Kevin feels for his sister Kate in the way he talks and looks at her. Never fails to make me smile. Their relationship is definitely one of my favourites. Justin is, IMO, very underrated on this show. Everybody keeps talking about Randall and Jack, but for me it's Kevin who hits me right in the feels most times and given that most times I don't tend to fall for the pretty, seemingly superficial, more lighthearted characters who might also seem to be a bit full of themselves (then again who is not full of themselves on this show?), that says a lot. Before This Is Us I only knew Justin Hartley from Revenge and while I liked his character there, I wasn't overly invested. But I think he does a great job with Kevin, especially if you consider that he does not get those big, epic moments that make him outshine everyone else. Not in the way Jack and Randall get them anyways (or Rebecca in 2x06). Not that I want Kevin to burst out into grand speeches, but I do hope they do something great with his current storyline, as cliche as it might seem so far. I want the writers to really explore his character.

That's some nice insight. I'm gonna move this discussion to the Kevin thread.

I feel very similar about this. I was thinking, the writers just have to give Jo the focus she so desperately needed and then I would be totally on board with everything, but so far I'm not completely invested sadly. But I am glad they stopped writing Jo like she's the loser resident, but now they go overboard in the other direction. She's a star resident and possibly future Chief resident? That's nice I guess, but I can't get too excited about it, because we haven't seen enough of Jo as a doctor to say she's earned that, although what we've seen this season is already a huge improvement to the last 3 seasons. Plus she's obviously competing against "invisible" residents, because soon she's gonna be the only one left of her class. On the one hand I'm extremely glad Jo decided to take matters into her own hands regarding her husband and that her decision didn't have anything to do with a man. However, part of me is disappointed that years of being with Alex - knowing he wanted to marry her and wanting to marry him in return - did apparently nothing to give her the courage and the desire to get pro-active about the situation. Instead she gave Alex non-answers to his proposals and avoided the issue entirely. I hate to say it, because I like Jo and I want to like her story, but so far I'm still not completely sold on the DV plot. I want it to move me, I want it to get to me, but so far it's just... there. Maybe I'll get more invested once husband shows up. I sure hope so. I remember that scene from s9 between Alex and Jo when the tree crashed through the window and I think that's the moment Jo's character has evoked the most emotion in me. I absolutely love that scene for both characters. It was so raw and honest and full of tension and unsaid things hanging in the air. I love that sort of head-on confrontation between any two characters if it's well done. Which is also why, I'm bummed we never got something like that after Jo's secret was spilled. I guess the writers were too afraid it could be dangerously close to victim-shaming, so that never happened. But I wish Alex and Jo had at least been granted an actual talk about everything that happened. Alex just being okay with all the lying and secrets doesn't feel right. But I know we're way past the point of getting a real conversation about everything that happened.

Mine too. I absolutely loved that scene. I pride myself on barely crying when I watch this show (and not because I wanna be tough, but because the whole emphasis of TPTB, actors etc... that this show WILL make you cry is seriously annoying), but this scene got me. I definitely teared up watching it.

You mean give Jo more to do. I don't expect Alex to be anything more than a supporting character to her story. And that's how it should be, I guess. This is an important and delicate topic and it would be wrong to put the guy she's dating too much in the center. Besides, Jo has barely ever had her own story in all her 5 years on the show. Still, I can't help but be extremely bitter that Alex's feelings and his POV on everything that happened in s13 with him and Jo are being completely and utterly ignored. Guess we're supposed to just accept he's not hurt at all by Jo's lies and secrets, because she had valid and tragic reasons for those. Guess he's completely over the marriage topic too. Where do he and Jo actually stand right now? What does he want for their future together? Who cares? What matters is that they got a rushed reconciliation and cute scenes in every episode, before the appearance of Paul Stadler will bring all the drama and sadness for them.

I don't take that scene as contradicting Kevin's current struggles. I always took it - and of course that's pure speculation on my part - that what's haunting Kevin now is not so much the mere fact that his father is not there anymore, but that there's more to it, like they had a big fight right before and and maybe he said ugly things to his father and he can never undo that anymore or apologize for it and has to live with the fact that their last encounter ended badly. Like I said it's pure speculation, I have nothing to base this on, but Kevin's delayed strong reaction to Jack's death does seem a bit out of nowhere considering certain scenes from s1, so that's the theory I'm going with for now.