Dreamboat Annie

Beth knows. https://variety.com/2018/tv/features/this-is-us-season-3-sometimes-melanie-liburd-zoe-kevin-past-interview-1203027703/ If Zoe is a victim of a heartbreaking past, would it have not made more sense that Beth would want to protect Zoe by warning her about Kevin rather than want to protect Kevin by warning him about Zoe? Yes, I know she was warning Kevin about Zoe's maneating, however under these circumstances, I think Beth would feel for Zoe, knowing why she maneats. I agree that that's a lot to give one (new) character - she's not looking for a serious relationship - she's concerned about embarking on a mixed race relationship - she was abandoned by her mother - she was abused by her father. And yet still I get the impression there's more to this story.

A little confused here. Did we just see, in this episode, the scene shown to us at the end of the S2 finale, in March, when on screen it said "one year later" - the scene where Kate tells bedridden Toby that she called his doctor about his meds? Is it a year later now? I have no problem if now it's one year later (the magic of television etc.), and I get that the show jumps all over the past and into the future, but I always thought the present played out in real time (as much as possible). For example, Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes are timely. This was the right episode to remind me how much I love the Teenage Big Three. The kids who play them - wow those kids can really act. I may not have liked how Miguel was treated but I was blown away by the acting. Teen Randall conveys so much through his expressions without having to say a word.

I think there's a reasonably good chance Kevin's quest will result in the soap opera clichéd discovery of offspring. Although very brief, it looked to me like there was an exchange of a somewhat meaningful glance between Jack and the little boy's mother.

Oh, I totally agree with you. I don't care either. I have seen the two things I ever needed to see about him. 1. The black eyes on Jack and Nicky's mom. Eyes. Plural. 2. Jack getting her the fuck out of there.

Not an exciting episode, but solid on insight and backstory. "Christ's sake clean up your toys." That's all the abusive son of a bitch had to say to his kids when he got home. Yeah, hope you trip over one of them in the dark and fucking kill yourself. I don't care why or when he started drinking or why or when he became abusive. Easy to see why Jack feels so responsible for Nicky.. and others, all his life. And we see why Jack died suddenly. His poor heart couldn't handle the high levels of smoke inhalation. Those old white men in the white office, announcing the young men they would send off to war. May it never happen again.

She doesn't have to do anything physically violent to be a sociopath. I don't think those whose lives have been adversely affected (or completely destroyed) by one would agree with you in general.

I think you may have just described in a nutshell the clinical definition of the term "female sociopath".

No. I just think she sees a source of supply for a while.

I'm aware of the difference. I don't know that Beth would have bothered to sit someone down to warn them about someone who is simply self involved or somewhat selfish, especially if the person she's warning is somewhat selfish too. Beth's concern seemed to go a little beyond that. I disagree that Kevin is selfish. While selfishness is a trait of an addict, I don't think sober Kevin is selfish. He's a sweet guy, and that makes him a target.

That could very well be. However, my point was that she wasn't on board for anything related to this monumental event in Kevin's life until something came up that was of interest to her and could possibly benefit her. She even seemed to brush it off when he talked about it - not even looking at him. She is dating Kevin, seemed uninterested, and was refusing to be there for him for any of it*. After saying no to everything, she also said no when invited to accompany him to his radio interview - until learning exactly whose radio show it was, then suddenly she was all in, which made me think that she cares only for herself (self interest without concern for others - a sociopathic characteristic). I think it is possible to be supportive of someone else without losing yourself. She certainly does not strike me as the type that would allow herself to "get sucked in" to being anyone's Girlfriend and not being her own person. If she really doesn't like what he does to the point that she feels unable to be slightly supportive, she can get out at any time. As much as Rebecca wanted to be her own person, I don't believe she would have completely snubbed events in Jack's life that were of great importance to him. Beth warned Kevin about her and that's just my take on it. * Yes - I know she was "busy" and "couldn't make it", but she sure freed herself up quickly when there was something of interest to herself.

Rebecca walking, most likely with conviction, from the home ec class to the shop class. That was cool. Wish they had shown us that - and a guy passing her in the hall, also walking with conviction, from the shop class to the home ec class. But that was the 70's. Baby steps. But it was cool that she did that. It wasn't that she had a talent for either one - she just didn't want to become her mother.

I agree - and I almost said exactly that -that he needs to stick with what he does choose. But what stopped me was (and I was speaking of not only career but interests and hobbies as well) - I hope I'm correct in assuming he does stick to his decision to adopt a child*. That's just something Randall doesn't get to be all-over-the-place about. *Thankfully, we didn't see any Deja stuff in this episode. I'm not on the Deja bandwagon (if there is one). But I do fear that any Tess and Annie we see will be tied to everything Deja and I am hoping not.

At first tonight, I thought Beth's cousin could be a full on sociopath. She wasn't interested in anything until it was something that could possibly benefit her. Then, she did seem interested in helping Kevin to understand his Dad's time in Vietnam, appearing supportive and even suggesting he contact the men in the pictures. But.. alas, I think she sees an opportunity for herself to produce a documentary. Beth does love Kevin and did warn him about her.

Well, it definitely wasn't Logan, and I for one thought that was obvious when we first saw him last week.

Yes! I can't disagree with anything you've said. But I will extrapolate - I know this is an age where people change careers - but I think Randall takes changing careers to a whole new level, as well as interests and hobbies.

He seems to have ADD. I'm quitting my job! I'm foster-parenting! I'm buying an apartment building! I'm adopting a young teenager! I'm running for city council! I've said it before and I'll say it again. He needs to go back to that job he liked and was good at before he talked himself out of it. You know, the one with the corner office and nice views! And with Beth's firing announcement, he just might have to. But I really hope he does not blame her for it.

Is it weird that I wish we could see all the adult Pearson kids interact with Jack and have it not be a dream/hallucination?

Jack and Rebecca. Wow. I would not have guessed that's how they got together. I loved their respective backstories. Jack a hero for his mom. Rebecca, similarly, not liking as a child seeing her mom a servant to her dad. Seeing a real man cleaning up, rolling up his sleeves and doing the dishes. She could then see a life with him - and then without hesitation, he said yes to a trip out to L.A. with her. Not just his dream, but hers, too. Both of them wanted to live in a house nothing like the one they grew up in.

"Hi Katiegirl." The way he said it. The way he was looking at her. His eyes twinkling. His smile. I think I melted.

That wasn’t the daughter of William’s friend. That WAS William’s friend and her daughter is Skye. The one Deja was introduced to. She just didn’t look like she aged much. Thank you. Yes, I realized that later when reading the comments here. What threw me off (in addition to the many distractions at our house while watching lol) was that with William's black hair and beard, I thought it was closer to the time that he dropped baby Randall off. I won't edit my original post, but I will say now: I daresay I do believe William's beautiful friend has caught Randall's eye. And I will also take the opportunity to say that I noticed several times in this episode how Randall struggles to be "one of them". He seems frustrated in that regard and appears to have something to prove there - perhaps only to himself? - and it makes me think he's not going to back away from the challenge. I think his mission to do so could get him into some trouble along the way. It could also lead to him realizing he is accepted as "one of them", but he won't be satisfied until he achieves what I believe he's really seeking, which is self acceptance.

I daresay I do believe the beautiful daughter of William's friend has caught Randall's eye. Do I smell trouble in the Randall and Beth paradise? Not only that, but I think she's challenged him. What - he says? I'm not one of you? Well, now that I've heard I'm not passing down any of Jack, I'm setting out to prove I am one of you. As if Deja wasn't enough of a challenge. Memo to Randall - get your butt back into that job with that nice corner office with those spectacular views!

Oh, Randall, Randall, Randall. And all this time I've been thinking it's Kate who needs to get her head out of her ass (and she probably still does). Although, I am loving teen Randall right now. Wondering if he takes a year off to uh.. help at home? Help at home = Win Beth. Rebecca could be of some help here, since at some point she obviously chose Jack over anyone else - and they showed him again this episode. And he may not have been just anyone. I think it was very predictable that someone like Rebecca would not have been completely unattached when she and Jack met. It almost looks like she was in the midst of a breakup, since she told Jack that she didn't know "he" was going to show up.

Yes, what a strange tactic. Especially after a sophomore slump. Oh well. I assume this thread will be open for those of us who would like to discuss. Goodness knows, there's more than plenty to discuss. Madison and Kevin - that looked great until Kevin looked uninterested. And I knew something better must be coming. Beth's "baby cousin" is crazy beautiful. In all the ways that matter. It has been teased that a main character becomes ill. I don't think it's Toby (please don't put Kate through another major loss again). Why would they show us the real things happening a year from now if they still want us to watch? Yes, hypocrite here - because I am delighted to see Kevin and Beth's wonderful cousin together on that plane. Those endearing, caring and real looks and the real kisses. I don't know why they're going to Vietnam, but it looks like they're not going as just friends. Fuck off Deja.

Mandy and Milo hit it out of the park. Again. I didn't miss the adult kids. I think we got the story of the tree. It was the closest one to a pay phone ;). Anne was Dr. K's kind neighbour who cared about him. I cried (through this entire episode actually) when he introduced her to Rebecca "this is my wife, Anne". I think this episode showed they were all in a horrible state of shock. I don't think Kevin was purposefully left out of hugs; rather, he kept his distance as he saw fit at the time, although none were in any shape to be held accountable for their actions. I was waiting for the mention of the child they lost. And we got that from Dr. K. Their loss of Kyle is something that has been touched upon but not explored. I for one would welcome more Kyle. I have been dreading this time in the series even though I always knew it was coming. Yes, we got answers, but about certain things, I think I was okay not asking questions.

Ugh. Horrible episode. I actually did see it coming with Tess. And I tried to care but I didn't. Any flashbacks post fire will be without Jack and I'm just not so sure I will care about these characters any more. Deja, no thanks.