Biggie B

I, as a viewer, would have appreciated one line from one character that mentioned Rhonda's death. Even something like, "What a beautiful service that was," or a quick shot of Cookie or whomever bringing home flowers from the service. That's all the writers had to do - a passing reference - but instead, nothing was ever mentioned. Its absence makes it so conspicuous. Again, not that I cared much for Rhonda, but when a character dies or leaves and we the audience don't see the loop get closed (as we did with Leah, for example), it's not asking too much to have even one scripted line that dispenses with that person. It's almost like on some soap operas where a kid goes up to his room and is never seen again. Yes, we saw Rhonda's physical demise, but we never got so much as one word after that, until Andre had this outburst. Out of sight, out of mind. Perhaps the writers did that on purpose, allowing no mention of Rhonda to serve as a vehicle to create the anger and resentment inside Andre.

Neither Anika nor Rhonda are/were the most sympathetic characters. They both did bad things, willingly. They're both pretty awful people who have, upon occasion, said or done something to momentarily inspire feelings of sympathy among us viewers, but for the most part, I feel like it's a draw. What I do find a bit odd is that, as far as I can remember, there was no acknowledgment by the Lyon family of Rhonda's death, was there? We the viewers never saw a funeral or memorial service. I don't even recall a throw-away one liner by any of the family members about the aftermath of her death. We got to see Naomi Campbell's memorial service, and she wasn't a Lyon family member. So that always struck me as something weird. Even if something was done off-camera, we weren't told about it. So it's quite easy to understand why Andre is so bitter; his own parents and siblings didn't do anything to commemorate Rhonda's death (at least, not that we were shown). It's like she just vanished into thin air. I don't miss her character, though.

Not even a mention of Agnes by name, or even a passing reference to whoever is minding her. If you'd just tuned in, you'd be confused by Tom and Liz referring to themselves as parents. It is bizarre that neither character even has so much as one line about their child. At this point, she might as well be dead. As a life-long equestrian and horse owner, I was actually physically upset by the fire in the opening scene. I know people who've lost their horses in barn fires - it is tragic beyond belief. The fact that that fellow lit up his pipe in the barn is beyond insane - no responsible horse person would EVER light up in the barn - it is just begging for disaster. I had to turn away from my TV - I was seriously shaken. I'm glad Harold lit into Liz. That was moderately satisfying. Yet, she just trotted home and enjoyed a glass of wine with Tom, la di da, no big deal. She clearly didn't seem too upset that Harold was so upset.

I have to wonder why the inner circle at Empire hasn't been told about Lucious' memory loss - people like Becky and Thirsty. They're both shrewd enough not to blab, and would be able to appropriately guide Lucious' interactions when he visits the office or appears in public. And at this point, doesn't Porsha probably know what's up as well? Granted, she might let it slip but on the other hand, she's pretty loyal. I hope this part of the story line begins to resolve soon, as it's getting a bit wearisome. Part of what makes Lucious such a compelling character is his cold-blooded, evil moments. Sort of like Tony Soprano - he was capable of very, very bad things, yet you couldn't get enough of him. I am assuming that at some point, Lucious will regain at least a good chunk of his memory - otherwise, the show will be something very different. Besides - I want a Lucious/Diana show down! Anika looked beautiful throughout this episode.

I liked the tense scene between Rebecca and her mother. That limp "times were different" excuse was sooooo spot-on for that character! And then to say, "I'm trying," was even worse - so glad Rebecca said, "You shouldn't have to." ZING!!! I can't help but wonder if we will see more of Grandma down the road, or if this is it. I'm 55, so there was no chickenpox vaccine yet when I was a kid. I had it twice!!! The first time, it was just a few spots, but the second time was head to toe. My older sister had it at the same time. I'm so old, I remember our pediatrician making a house call for that! I still have a few scars, too. My 21 year old son was vaccinated and never had to go through that ordeal, for which I'm glad. I have some colleagues and friends in the UK who are younger than I am, with small kids, and it seems that vaccinating against chickenpox is not done there, or if so, isn't done on a widespread basis. I could be wrong - I'm just going on the dozen or so people I'm close to who live in the UK. Anyway, it was a welcome break not to have Jack's mysterious (so far) death being rammed down our throats. Kate's pregnancy...seeing as this is a soap opera, it will of course be THE most fraught pregnancy known to humankind, both physically and emotionally, so I'm a bit leery about the possibilities. Kevin's injury and subsequent painkiller-addiction - ugh. Not looking forward to this at all. Certainly his burgeoning career and newly-rekindled relationship with Sophie are potential prime victims. Total downward spiral, here we come! I, too, wondered where Kevin's high school football videos came from, but will go with the already-proposed theory that Kate has them. Maybe a five-second scene in which Kevin roots around and finds them would've been helpful. Beth was great this week.

I didn't know that the Klingon who tortured Lorca was L'Rell until reading this thread. An episode or two ago, I'd asked here if L'Rell was female but never got a response. I guess I know now! But she was so different - in prior episodes, she seemed so meek and subservient. No so here! I must have missed an early scene or scenes. What happened between the scene in which Lorca was having a discussion with the Admiral (when she entered the room and inadvertently turned on the lights, to Lorca's discomfort) and the scene in which Lorca was captured and the other person killed? This is the first episode that I liked Stamets. He was great. I really like his pairing with the doctor, they are very good together, even though they certainly have very different personalities. I'm afraid for their relationship, though - that whole mirror thing is scary. So glad that Ripper was able to be free, poor thing. I also liked Tilly a lot more than I have. She may be a bit quirky and/or socially awkward but everything she says is really quite correct and logical. I totally loved her excitement and commitment. I find Saru very whiny and annoying but I give him credit for realizing his shortcomings and trying to deal with them. He really had a huge chip on his shoulder about his lost opportunity but I'm glad he told Michael about it. I was dismayed that he was so ruthless towards Ripper but I get where that was coming from, and he sort of made up for it. I hope that receiving the telescope marks a positive turning point in his relationship with Michael, and that he now feels more confident and secure. After being yanked off her prison transport and suddenly being put to work on a weird, mysterious ship with a crew who pretty much hates her, the last thing she could possibly be thinking about is finding a lover!

If so, even more reason to add a quick throwaway line as to who's minding the kids.

Still, it would be so easy for Meredith to have a one-liner that dispenses with any question as to the kids. When Meredith was woken up in Amelia's room, having spent the night, she could've said, "Thanks for waking me, lemme just check in with my nanny before I go shower." I agree that it's understood that the three children are not ever left at home alone by themselves, and that we don't necessarily need to be assured of that, but...mentioning the nanny/caregiver once in a while is something that most of us would probably do ourselves. It might serve to make Mer even more relatable to viewers, as childcare is something so many of us have dealt or are dealing with. Mentioning it is a small detail, to be sure, but it's sometimes like a pebble in the shoe - annoying but easily resolved.

Farouk is Riggs' possible stepson - if he and Megan end up marrying. April and Arizona are indeed already friends and have supported each other various times. That's why, if it goes to a romantic level, I'd be OK with it. They are good together, whether it's as friends or possible lovers. Either way is good by me.

What struck me about Amelia's president response was that it's not October 2017 on the show, is it? I know the Grey's timeline is rather wacky - I've never really paid attention to the many discussions about it, but after Derek died, and Mer went into seclusion and had her third child - wasn't that a leap forward in time? If so, it's hard to say what month and year it is in the Grey's universe, but to rebut myself, the current person in the White House is there for a few more years (assuming he's not removed?!?!?!?!?), so even if it's 2019 or early 2020 in the Grey universe, the person in office is likely the same as it is today. Anyway - I enjoyed much of this episode. Random thoughts: - I liked Catherine's casual look at home...leggings, cute little sneakers - she looked like a "regular" person. - As Megan, Farouk, Owen, and Riggs were reveling in their good fortune, Mer quietly walked out of Megan's room and looked skyward for a brief moment, which to me was as if she was acknowledging Derek somehow (and I'm not a person of faith and don't believe in a heaven, but that's how it struck me). - Riggs' little scruffy, salt-and-pepper beard looked really good, and I don't even like facial hair on most men. - Jo's husband is SO going to make an appearance [not a spoiler, just what I think]. - I absolutely think April and Arizona are heading towards a relationship, and I'm all for it. I don't really care for Arizona much, but I like her with April. - The various interviewees were such over-the-top caricatures that it wasn't comical at all; the only halfway normal candidate was the one who decided to become a doctor after having been wounded in service. Still, none of them seemed mentally capable of being physicians! - I actually made an audible expression of amusement each time Maggie asked if there was more wine. - As rapidly as both Amelia's tumor and Megan's reunion with her son were handled, I'm afraid that Amelia and Owen's marital status is going to draaaaaag out. Where is Teddy?? She's vanished.

I don't know about that. I mean, Tiana certainly would absolutely never do anything inappropriate to little Bella, but judging from Tiana's facial expressions, I don't think she'd mind terribly if the baby went to live with Anika full-time either. When Hakeem, in the effort to keep Anika from taking Bella, said he needed to bring Bella to see Lucious, Tiana was quick to point out that Lucious had just seen her yesterday. As much as Tiana truly cares for sweet little Bella, I think she would be (not so) secretly relieved to be the center of Hakeem's attention.

I thought the First Lady's parents were Russian. Yet again, her mother has no accent and has a very un-Russian name, as does/did her husband (their names escape me...was the last name Booker? It was something rather bland). I guess that's being forgotten. I don't like Seth's beard.

What was up with that scene of Andre out on his balcony? Does he live next to the police station?? Very weird. I really don't like Andre at all right now.

Some of the bloom is off the rose. Last season, it was all so new and novel. Every flashback revealed some new nugget of information about how this family was formed. We were shown the current-day characters very fully-formed but only given small, incremental glimpses to their past, and we anxiously awaited those scenes from the past, hoping they'd flesh out and answer questions about the present-day characters. Well...that gimmick has faded for me. I don't even care how or when Jack dies, because I already know he's going to die, and I already know that his death was utterly traumatic and has reverberated through the decades into almost every aspect of each character's life. I think I am still watching because I appreciate the actors themselves (well, some more than others). I vastly prefer the current parts of the show and my interest in the flashbacks has receded greatly. In this episode, I actually fast-forwarded through Jack and Rebecca's scenes during their date. Because truly, what did it matter? He still dies - no amount of re-connection between Jack and Rebecca is going to change that. I realize that each character's past has influenced how he or she is as an adult - I get that - but it's sort of wearing thin. The show is called "This Is Us," not "This Was Us." How many different times can we be shown or told that Rebecca and Jacks' marriage wasn't perfect, that Kate had weight/insecurity issues, that Kevin was sort of the odd child out, that Randall was a driven perfectionist seeking to be made whole? I'm more curious about what is happening now and what's going to happen. I want to see if Kate and Toby actually get married. I want to see what happens with Kevin's career and with Sophie. Certainly I want to see what happens with Randall and Beth and their family. As for Rebecca - she's the least compelling character to me. I wouldn't mind knowing how she and Miguel got together, but honestly...I'm not that interested and rarely think about it. This is just my subjective view of the show right now - it could change. I found this one episode to be moderately uninteresting and nowhere near as compelling as others have been for me.

Yes, if you drive an automatic car, you use only your right leg for both the brake and the gas. The left leg does nothing. However, unless you are incredibly limber, if your right leg was broken and in a cast, it would be just about impossible to use your left leg to drive. You'd have to snake it under your broken right leg, which, if in a cast, would pretty much be impossible, not to mention incredibly painful for both legs. Depending on how the cast is set on the broken right leg, you might not even be able to get in behind the wheel. It's painful even just thinking about it!

I was happy not to see Toby in this episode. I'm glad for Kate that she has a person in her life who adores her beyond measure, but it's also nice to see the two of them apart from each other for a minute or two. Each story is just a set up for more pain and heartache....Kevin: the damage being done by his bottled up/suppressed feelings, and his forthcoming pill addiction; Jack: yeah, well, we've known since day one that's he's a dead man walking; Randall & Beth: struggling with Deja (especially as evidenced by the previews for next week), and as another poster mentioned, it wouldn't be a shocker if they all do bond just in time for Deja to be removed once again; Kate: not sure what lies directly ahead, based on this particular episode, but whether it's her struggle to establish a singing career or dealing with Kevin's addiction, I don't see much positivity down the road for her. So it was kind of a downer for me, in some ways. The young man playing TeenKevin has captured some of the same facial expressions and mannerisms as AdultKevin. When the three siblings were heading off to school or wherever, and Randall mentioned he had to "run an errand," followed by Kevin's flip remark about Randall becoming their mom, and then Randall divulged where he was going and why, TeenKevin had a quick expression on his face that completely mimicked his older counterpart - that of "You're going WHERE to do WHAT?" coupled with him slightly drawing his face backwards like a turtle withdrawing into its shell. He truly looked like AdultKevin for that split second. It was so quick and subtle but really well done. Kudos to that young actor and/or the director for enhancing a small but meaningful detail.

Is L'Rell male or female? I hope that's the right name - the Klingon who is Voq's right-hand person.

I actually really enjoyed this episode. It didn't even strike me until about 45 minutes in that it had been entirely in 1968 - no back and forth between centuries. I agree with everyone who was aghast at the Sandy scene at the reception. That was awful. Claire definitely showed restraint in not punching her in the throat! But yes, it made the point - time is of the essence. I have to say, that when i read the books, I never much cared for Roger. Sometimes I felt as if he was just this huge liability. It's been many years since reading the books, and I'm the first to admit that I don't remember much of the details, but I definitely recall everyone having to care for Roger all the time. I know he almost died - and that was horrible - but he just always seemed like a burden. However, this version of Roger - so far - I find utterly endearing. I don't even know if Bree deserves him! The look on his face as he watched her open his present was enough to melt my very cold heart. I also think the actor is very handsome and I love his accent. He is a real mensch. I'm sort of sorry we didn't get to see how Claire went through the stones, but I guess since this is her third time through, it might have been repetitive. There's only so much that can be included per episode. I loved all the jewel tone colors that showed up in this episode - the Christmas decor, Bree's purple tights and purple watch. I liked the way the hazy, out of focus Christmas lights appeared in the background when Bree was looking over Frank's pipe and the pictures of herself as a baby, and then also later, when Claire and her colleagues were watching the moon broadcast and she looked out the window up at the moon. The whole show is so beautifully shot. I watch it on a big screen TV and always either dim or turn off the lights, and it's like being in a movie theater. It's truly a sensual experience.

I, too, wondered where Teddy was. Not only do I dislike DeLuca's over-the-top sister, but her nose bothers me, too! /shallow/ She needs to go ciao-ciao sooner rather than later, because she really brings nothing to Arizona's story line. Sure, it's great that Arizona has this sexy woman pursuing her - an ego boost for sure - but I'd like to see Arizona get into a more serious relationship (not that there can't be great sex as well). I don't feel as if DeLuca's sister is interested in anything but the here and now, and would drop Arizona without a second thought as soon as her study/grant ends. I have no interest in the Jo-Alex relationship. It's nice for their fans, but now what? Will her husband continue to part of their arc? I guess so, if she and Alex want to pursue a marriage. Regardless, I am not invested in them as a couple (I do like Alex as a physician with medical story lines, though). Add me to those who are very relieved that the news of Amelia's tumor was handled with expediency. Everyone knows - it's going to be dealt with - and I loved her Johns Hopkins professor! It was such a relief to hear him just SHUT HER DOWN - no more operating, no more secrecy, no more anything but dealing with the situation at hand. Who knows if they'll jerk us around with the surgery itself and/or Amelia's recovery, but at least this part was done quickly and efficiently. I did chuckle at DeLuca's attempt to "tell" Maggie about it, though - using the words "ameliorate" and "shepherd" while gesturing wildly to the displayed images of Amelia's brain was lame but funny. Meredith and Riggs - I actually like them together and would be OK if they circled back to each other. It's a triangle, despite Meredith's protestations. Megan turned down Riggs' proposal, claiming Riggs is still in love with Meredith - whether Riggs is or isn't in love with Meredith, Megan used that as the reason to say "no thanks," so the three of them are tangled up no matter how much they each say they're not! Alternatively....if Riggs and Megan do manage to get back together, there is now a child in the mix, so there's a triangle for them, too! It's one thing to pick up with Megan where they left off, but Riggs will need to love Farouk as well - not negotiable! And who's to say that Farouk will welcome Riggs so easily? The two of them are total strangers, and Farouk may even see Riggs as a competitor for Megan's love. So that's a very challenging scenario as well that both Megan and Riggs need to deal with, should they decide to reunite.

I thought the President's in-laws were Russian (hence him having learned Russian) - yet his mother in law sure had no accent of any sort. Was the little daughter played by a different actress?

I don't have anything new to add - everyone's already made great observations. I'll echo the sentiment that this is the most tolerable I've found Toby yet. Doesn't mean I love his character, only that in this limited instance, I was OK with what he said and did. Maybe if I'm really splitting hairs, I might've preferred that he not leave to go see Kate sing. Although she ended up doing well, Kate was clearly taken aback to see Toby and her mom walk in. But that's neither here nor there, since without their presence, we wouldn't have had the resulting "I am Team Kate" scene between Toby and Rebecca. Absolutely agree with this!! It was relief not to have that shoved down our throats for once. I liked Kevin a lot in this episode. He did what needed to be done, as per Sophie's advice and encouragement, and had a positive interaction with Beth. Right now, I feel as if he's the only sibling moving forward in his life, rather than sideways. I'm sure that will change...this is a soap opera, after all...but at least for a moment, there is one character for whom things are going fairly well. I am dreading the foster child arriving. It's going to be awful, and perhaps it will all end up wonderfully, but we the viewers are going to have to see a lot of bad stuff first. When Randall first mentioned adopting last season, I was dead against it and I haven't changed my opinion on that. Another poster here pointed out all that Randall has been through recently, almost none of which has he truly processed and dealt with (or if he has, I don't feel like I'm confident he's in a good place with it all). I love his character, but I'm not looking forward to this particular story arc. I guess Kate has no job and earns no income? I'm not terribly observant - did she move in with Toby, did Toby move in with her, or did they get a new, neutral home? Wherever they are living, I guess Toby supports them both. I'd like to see Kate working while still pursuing her singing, but I guess that's not happening. I was not moved in any way when young Kate put her hands to Jack's face to comfort him, and found it a bit creepy.

It's odd that there is no vice president after a whole year has passed.

I seriously hope Lucious regains his memory sooner rather than later. I like the ruthless, horrible Lucious a lot more than the uber-sensitive version. Besides, with Mother DuBois coming after Cookie with a vengeance, Cookie's going to need all the help she can get. Becky indeed looked great. I love how she rebuffed Shine's offer to grab a drink together. I can't stand Claudia. The sooner she's gone, the better. And I think Demi Moore doesn't look so great. I know the frumpy hair and glasses are intentional but still - she looks old, thin, and a bit haggard. What about what Rumer Willis said to Tiana? That she had a dream that she was sucking Tiana's toes...that was hilarious! I'm a little tired of Jamal's misadventures in love. Enough already - we get the drift - he's a sensitive, vulnerable guy who's a horrible judge of character and ends up getting hurt every time. I get it...this is a soap opera and no one wants to watch happy characters...but it's a bit tiresome to see the same thing over and over. I suspect this latest guy, the DuBois son, will end up actually falling for Jamal and then be caught between a rock and a hard place: the wrath of his mother vs. the pure, unadulterated love of Jamal. Good luck with that. Hakeem - how much longer until he cracks and lets it slip to someone that he's being extorted by Mrs. DuBois? It's only a matter of time before the whole things comes to light, and it's going to be awful!

I have yet to cry over this show. I've had moments when I've felt moved, but never to the point of tears. I'm not sure that advising your viewers that they're going to cry is a selling point. Then again, the show is wildly popular, so clearly, I know nothing about marketing. But it seems pretty weird - "Tune in each week to cry! It'll be great!" I watch because I am invested in some (not all) of the characters and I want to see what is going on with them. If their situations make me glad, that's good...if their circumstances are rough or sad, that's OK as well, because I appreciate good, strong story telling and compelling characters. But let me decide if or when I might be emotional enough to cry. Why did Kevin rent out the entire restaurant? He's not such a giant star that he needs the privacy in public. Was it just to impress Kate and Toby? It seemed uncomfortable to be in an empty restaurant; one of the interesting parts of dining out is the atmosphere, and other patrons are a big part of that (and I don't mean dining out at your local neighborhood pizzeria).

At the very start of the show, when Randall was giving his daughters their breakfast, the younger one asked why Mommy was going to work and Randall staying home - and then she (the daughter) said something else, but I missed it - Randall replied, "I can't even believe you said that!" What did the younger daughter say?