S04.E05: Storybook Love

[kili]

Quote

(example: Kevin asks Cassidy's ex-husband why he bothered to come to the event and ex-husband starts rambling how he met Cassidy at 15 when she bumped into him in the hallway and blah blah blah blah...).

It sounds like Cassidy's marriage very much parallels Kevin's own. It can't be a coincidence that we learn that they were high school sweethearts in the same episode that Kevin comes home married at 18 to the girl he had liked since elementary school.

While many high school relationships do last, it can be very hard because who you are at 15 is very different than who you are at 18 and even more so at 25.  Add in living months at a time apart as she went into the marines and that relationship would need a lot of work to be sustained. He blames the job for the break up of his marriage and there is no doubt that the job changed her, but the marriage may have crumbled even earlier if she had been at home all the time. He proposed to her while she was deployed and on leave.

As long as he focuses on blaming her job and her for the break-up, that marriage is not going to be fixed. He needs to recognize that he is not married to the 15 year old girl he bumped into and decide if the person she know is is the person he wants to be in a relationship with. It will require recognizing also that he is not that 15 year old boy and his personality/worldview has also changed since then.

Kevin getting married at 18 after such a traumatic event was unlikely to succeed.

If Kevin had disapproved of both of his sibling's dates, that would indicate he is just overprotective. That he approved of one and disapproved of another is probably significant. Plus, he has approved of boys dating his sister in the past when he insisted on going to the haunted house so she could meet a boy (and Kevin collected candies for her). Plus, he warmly welcomed Toby into the fold. Okay, he did disapprove of Miguel for many years.

I remember when Cornish game hens were a thing. They were considered the ideal part of a sophisticated dinner, but it's hard to look sophisticated when ripping apart an entire animal and strewing the bones about. I knew that dinner was doomed as soon as we learned about those hens.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, Haleth said:

Why not her?  I do all those things and I’m a lot older than Rebecca at that time. 

I know many single women are homeowners who take care of everything, but I just do not see this in Rebecca based on what we have been shown.  She was also married to Jack who I cannot see as every allowing Rebecca to help do anything "manly" around the home.  We have seen Jack out shoveling snow while sick (yes he had an ulterior motive).  Jack is the type of husband/father who would teach his sons how to do something while his wife and daughter just watched.  

[SunnyBeBe]

7 hours ago, Mommaj said:

Thanks, @ElectricBoogaloo.

So even when Jack was alive Kate was going to apply to just one very competitive music school and that was it? No plan B? You'd think Rebecca would have insisted she enroll at least part time in community college just to engage in life in some fashion.  Some time must have passed since Jack's death for Kevin to have met and married Sophie and for Randall to have established a relationship, but Kate has just been hanging around doing nothing but mourning and watching tv? Ugh, they've made her character so unappealing in so many ways right to the present. I guess there's at least some consistency there!

I thought some time back, Kate mentioned having some community college work......it was when she applied for a school music teacher, but, didn't have the credentials.  Someone else may recall the details.

For Rebecca to be such a devoted homemaker, she sure does have more than her fair share of mishaps with food. lol  

How did Nicky get home from the hockey game?  Isn't the arena inside the city and he lives way out in country?  Even then, cabs were pricey for long fares. 

WHY oh WHY do people resist mental health treatment so much?  Randall is being so stubborn.  If he had learned anything about his condition, he wouldn't be in such denial.  People who suffer with full blown anxiety attacks not only impact themselves, but, their entire family! It's very disruptive and painful to watch a loved one go through those episodes.  So, to avoid treatment when you know it's on the horizon.......very selfish choice, imo. 

[Kdawg82]

42 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I found Rebecca's insistence of buying another single-family home at this stage in her life to be selfish.  This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion here.  I can't see her taking care of all the house related things that Jack would have.  That lawn is going to need mowed regularly, leaves need raked, things are going to break down, etc.  Yes, she has Randall nearby and Miguel to help out, but I don't think she should be depending on others.  Randall needs to be living his life, not spending his weekends doing Mom's yard work.  Eventually Kate will move out so she will end up alone.  She cannot expect Miguel to always be there to help her out.  

I don't totally disagree with you. As someone whose spouse spends every weekend doing things around his parents' home- it can be frustrating. At least they compensate him for all his hard work and are fair with us.

These issues are seldom addressed on TV & in movies. So far, the kids reaped all the advantage having help from grandparents by way of babysitting etc. Not so much the adult children supporting elderly parents in various ways. I try not to complain TOO much. But there are weekends when i just want to ditch.

[bybrandy]

4 minutes ago, Kdawg82 said:

That lawn is going to need mowed regularly, leaves need raked, things are going to break down, etc.

She has a clearly unlimited supply of money, she can hire people for all that.

[gonzosgirrl]

21 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

It is puzzling how she could have afforded a house, with no job. Mortgage loans aren't given to someone with no income, so she would have had to have bought it outright with insurance proceeds, which is possible but probably not very wise. We didn't see her father at Jack's funeral, maybe he died and left her a good amount (she was his whole world as he said in the first episode of this season). Either that, or the contrivance fairy was feeling really generous.

Ha!

Not to mention paying for Kevin in California NYC, Randall in college, and Kate (up until very recently) at home with no job.

Corrected thanks to @bros402 🙂

Edited October 24, 2019 by gonzosgirrl

[SunnyBeBe]

Yeah, right after Jack died, she and the kids would not be in the most secure financial situation.  Even with life insurance, it only goes so far. 

[Ohiopirate02]

7 minutes ago, Kdawg82 said:

I don't totally disagree with you. As someone whose spouse spends every weekend doing things around his parents' home- it can be frustrating. At least they compensate him for all his hard work and are fair with us.

These issues are seldom addressed on TV & in movies. So far, the kids reaped all the advantage having help from grandparents by way of babysitting etc. Not so much the adult children supporting elderly parents in various ways. I try not to complain TOO much. But there are weekends when i just want to ditch.

I live with my widowed mother and part of my rent is paid  in yard/house work.  There are some weeks when it is a lot.  My front yard needs mowed once a week from April until October, and then the leaves fall, and fall, and fall until January.  Throw in usually one hurricane a year, and the yard work seems endless.  And then when something goes wrong in the house, I'm googling the problem, running out to Lowes, and watching YouTube videos to fix the problem.  Sometimes it feels like it is never-ending.  I do wonder if Rebecca really knows what she is getting into with her new house.  

1 minute ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Ha!

Not to mention paying for Kevin in California, Randall in college, and Kate (up until very recently) at home with no job.

Now that Kate has a job, it's probably a part-time minimum wage job.  She would be making a whole $5.15 an hour, barely enough to keep Kate in eyeliner.

[PRgal]

I'm wondering if they aged Tess.  She's supposed to be about to turn 11, based on the timeline.  Based on the classes she's taking, it sounds like she's at least in eighth grade.  I know the actress is older (I think she's 14 or 15), so it could be deceiving.  Or did she inherit her dad's genius genes?

[Kdawg82]

I wish we could see Rebecca taking a job at JCPenney or somewhere (in its prime)...Bradlee's, anyone? Caldor? And having bad bangs (which I believe Jack even referenced in one of his monologues to her). I'm dying to see those early 90s teased/fanned out bangs on Kate or Rebecca. Some neon & triangle sprinkle pattern? Why is all the clothing so "normcore" & fitting for all eras? Hair is the same.  Sensible long layers on Rebecca in the 70s, 80s, 90s & 2000? Please throw us a bone,  show. The best they could do is a "Care Bears" swimsuit ans "Madonna" b-day getup for Kate.

Rebecca may also be able to take a job as an administrative assistant at a major corporation. Then we can have flashbacks to her retirement dinner many years later. She has to make a decent living realistically. 

I know this post should be on logistics and time period forum...sorry. 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Kdawg82
Rebecca's other opportunities...

[bybrandy]

Rebecca's probably only 45.  She can manage the yard work for another couple of decades, at least.  

[PRgal]

1 minute ago, bybrandy said:

Rebecca's probably only 45.  She can manage the yard work for another couple of decades, at least.  

You mean in 1998.  She's close to 70 in 2019!

[Ohiopirate02]

14 minutes ago, Kdawg82 said:

I wish we could see Rebecca taking a job at JCPenney or somewhere (in its prime)...Bradlee's, anyone? Caldor? And having bad bangs (which I believe Jack even referenced in one of his monologues to her). I'm dying to see those early 90s teased/fanned out bangs on Kate or Rebecca. Some neon & triangle sprinkle pattern? Why is all the clothing so "normcore" & fitting for all eras? Hair is the same.  Sensible long layers on Rebecca in the 70s, 80s, 90s & 2000? Please throw us a bone,  show. The best they could do is a "Care Bears" swimsuit ans "Madonna" b-day getup for Kate. 

On the same note, I wish we could see Teen Kate or Teen Sophie in some of Delia's finest for 1998.  The platform sandals, super wide-leg pants, spaghetti strap tops with a cardigan, all finished with a choker.  

[Kdawg82]

Anyone else feel like teen Kate is sporting a "fat suit." The actress is very pretty IMO & her face is slender (seems to have even lost weight since last yr). But i think they bulk her with bulky clothes & padding. 

[Empress1]

10 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

The platform sandals

Kate really needs a pair of platform flip-flops to be true to the era.

I had a tank top from Delia's that lasted a good ten years, though it got downgraded to workout gear the last few years of its life. It was a basic man's undershirt-style tank in bright orange.

[Cementhead]

2 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Did anyone else think game hens were not the best choice for dinner?  

And she just happened to have made an extra one for Kate's unexpected boyfriend?  Uh-uh, right.  Usually when people make these types of things, they make one per guest, no?

21 minutes ago, Kdawg82 said:

Anyone else feel like teen Kate is sporting a "fat suit." The actress is very pretty IMO & her face is slender (seems to have even lost weight since last yr). But i think they bulk her with bulky clothes & padding. 

Yes, I thought the same thing watching this episode.  I wasn't even looking for it but when she was sitting in the chair in the living room before dinner, it looked like she had padding in her mid-section.

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

How did Nicky get home from the hockey game?  Isn't the arena inside the city and he lives way out in country?  Even then, cabs were pricey for long fares. 

WHY oh WHY do people resist mental health treatment so much?  Randall is being so stubborn.  If he had learned anything about his condition, he wouldn't be in such denial.  People who suffer with full blown anxiety attacks not only impact themselves, but, their entire family! It's very disruptive and painful to watch a loved one go through those episodes.  So, to avoid treatment when you know it's on the horizon.......very selfish choice, imo. 

I wondered the same thing about Nicky getting home.  Do we know where they even are in Pennsylvania?  I think that Nicky's address was something like Songbird Lane, Bradford, PA.  Could be wrong.  That's a small town almost at the New York border, and I wonder if the nearest VA would be in Buffalo.  Anyway, smallish towns often have ice rinks, we do where I live.  It's hard to tell if he is way out in the country or in a trailer park on the outskirts of a town, because they shoot the trailers pretty close up.  He might happen to live close to the rink, walking distance.

As to Randall resisting treatment, he seemed pretty compliant last time after William's death.  I think he may sense more at stake here because he's newly elected and he doesn't want his health status public right off the bat.  Since he's not listening to Beth at the moment, may be Tess or Deja or even Annie will help open his eyes. 

[himela]

The mistake that Randall makes as a parent is that he treats all his kids the same way; sit them down, tell them a story from his childhood that fits the circumstances and let them reach their own conclusions. Sometimes a parent should just hug the kid silently and let them know he/she is just there.

Edited October 23, 2019 by himela

[ams1001]

7 minutes ago, himela said:

The mistake that Randall makes as a parent is that he treats all his kids the same way; sit them down, tell them a story from his childhood that fits the circumstances and let them reach their own conclusions. Sometimes a parent should just hug the kid silently and let them know he/she is just there.

Can I "heart" this several times?

[Crs97]

Didn’t we see Jack buying life insurance for the family?  I think it was then that he made Miguel pinky-swear to take care of Rebecca and the kids.  I know our financial planner suggested enough insurance for five years, figuring it would take us that time to determine how to move forward.

Between his life insurance, the homeowners insurance, and the settlement from the crockpot company 😊 she should be okay for at least a year or two.  We know Mom is still alive; maybe her rich father is gone and left her something there as well.  I guess I’m not too bothered by it.

[himela]

I remember that Kate used to have a relationship with a married man, do I remember correctly? Could it be that this Marc guy is the one who is secretly married?

[Ohiopirate02]

31 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

Didn’t we see Jack buying life insurance for the family?  I think it was then that he made Miguel pinky-swear to take care of Rebecca and the kids.  I know our financial planner suggested enough insurance for five years, figuring it would take us that time to determine how to move forward.

Between his life insurance, the homeowners insurance, and the settlement from the crockpot company 😊 she should be okay for at least a year or two.  We know Mom is still alive; maybe her rich father is gone and left her something there as well.  I guess I’m not too bothered by it.

For me the main issue I have with the different Pearson's finances is the fact that they are inconsistent. I don't need everything to be grounded in reality, I just need the writers to create their own rules and stick to them.  Last season, Randall had enough money to be travelling to California every other episode even though he and Beth were out of work and he was financing the campaign.  He had enough money for this, until he didn't.  This season, they have enough money for a new home and to start a new business.  Last season Kate and Toby were living in an apartment struggling to pay for IVF, and this season they are in a new house.  This episode Rebecca has enough money to buy a new house and furnish it while not having a job.  Most likely, later this season we will see her struggle financially for an episode or two and then this will all be forgotten.  

[ams1001]

5 minutes ago, himela said:

I remember that Kate used to have a relationship with a married man, do I remember correctly? Could it be that this Marc guy is the one who is secretly married?

No, that was later (late 20s I think). She was working in a diner or something and one of her regular customers flirted with her and she ended up sleeping with him, then found out he was married. I don't think it was a "relationship," exactly.

[meep.meep]

13 hours ago, Mommaj said:

My OCD side wants to know how you re-close a carton of ice cream after disassembling it that way. Unless your family typically puts away a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting, that seems to be a problem.

If you haven't torn anything, it should go right back together into a box.  A slightly emptier box than before

5 hours ago, bybrandy said:

I can't speak for everybody but I can guarantee you the one time I moved a piano bench (organ bench?) I looked in there, went "Oh, god I don't have to time to sort through more crap!" tossed some tape on the bench to make sure it didn't open in transit and sent it on its way.

thank god it's not just me!  I have no idea what was in the piano bench I gave to my aunt.  Probably pictures of me and my old boyfriend.  Better check.

I liked the episode because it confirmed my belief that I am not the only person who has birds fly into their house.

[Lily H]

7 hours ago, suzeecat said:

Not sure if they still sell it, but back in the day Tupperware sold a container just for half-gallon ice cream.  It was awesome, kept the ice crystals from forming like, forever. 

We had one of those when I was a kid! The lid was on the side, and it had a pull-out tray. I remember having chocolate + vanilla ice cream in a checkerboard pattern, so you had to slice it to get the proper effect.

[Dakisela]

7 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

His father was using food as a reward.  I imagine if his kids were acting poorly, he would withhold food.  

Jack giving out ice cream as a reward to his kids probably contributed to Kate's issues with food.

I was totally waiting for the dad to whip the ice cream away because Jack and Nicky allegedly did something bad and was really surprised it ended up being a somewhat sweet moment.

[TheLotusFlower]

18 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

I love Kevin and Nicky’s relationship! Kevin DOES have strange relationships with people!

Also love pissed off Rebecca!

Oh Beth, why didn’t you tell Randall about William’s panic attacks?? Does anyone tell Randall ANYTHING about his past? When that’s the one thing he craves?

I couldn't agree more with your comment about Randall!  I don't know why in the world Beth would keep that from him.  She knows how much he desires some kind of biological connection to his past.  Someone he can look at and at least see a little bit of himself.  It broke my heart when Tess said she didn't want to be anything like him. He's such a good dad, and a good man in general.  He was just trying to connect with her and let her know she's not alone.  I have anxiety, and I've struggled with it for decades.  When I was a kid I would have loved for either of my parents to even remotely understand what I was going through.  I know she has the whole angsty teen thing going on, and now she's anxious about how she's going to come out at her new school.  But I think she should have more consequences for talking to her dad that way than just a little chit chat over some seltzer water.

[Ohiopirate02]

10 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

The dude has heart issues and needs to exercise.  He is also working. 

I assume Kate is home with the kid all day, she has plenty of time to walk at anytime.

She was waiting for Randall's surprise to be delivered.  She had no idea what it was nor when it would arrive.  The piano did not arrive until later that evening California time when Toby was already home from work, so Kate spent all day at home waiting for a delivery.  There are so many asshole delivery drivers out there, so I get why Kate did not want to leave the house even for 20 minutes.  I had a delivery last year for work that was a nightmare.  We paid for him to bring the item into the building, and he technically did.  He took 2 steps into the building one step to the right and dropped it there.  The rest of the shipment came 2 weeks later and that driver refused to bring the boxes into the building.  He left it right at our door and I had to find help to get it inside.  Kate ran the risk of the driver leaving the piano on her porch if he even left it at all.  

[ams1001]

3 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

The only question I have about the Crockpot is that it was a second hand Crockpot wasn't it?  They weren't the original owners.   Wouldn't that affect any settlement?

Yeah, and it was also about 20 years old. I doubt they'd get much, if anything. (And almost certainly not in a matter of months that it's been since the fire.)

[DrSparkles]

4 hours ago, Mrs Shibbles said:

False.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralthouse/funniest-moments-from-the-dinner-party-episode

I’m 43, and my parents got the boxed ice cream blocks in Cleveland Ohio and served it sliced.   It’s especially handy for Neapolitan https://images.app.goo.gl/cbGGvzR6KxBBhJkT6

Wellllll.....  https://bigfatboxofshit.tumblr.com/post/67952536761/bbdinnerscene

[Pallas]

19 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Hmmm... so what happened with Mark? Also what do I know that actor from?

The Gilmore Girls, when Milo Ventimiglia played Jess. 

[LadyNebula]

19 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I love mint chocolate chip, but Breyer's was always my favorite because it wasn't green! (But I think they changed the chips; now I go for Turkey Hill All Natural.) I remember cartons with real squared corners but we never sliced it.

Yummy...

Another PAer. I love everything Turkey Hill, especially that natural mint chip (and their tea... I'm addicted). I was actually just at the Turkey Hill Experience, which was pretty neat. And I loved Breyer's because it wasn't green!

I remember the boxed ice cream but don't remember seeing it recently. Never thought of slicing it though. For reference, I'm in my late 30s, about The Big Threes' age. 

To make this about the episode, I'm kind of hoping Kevin and Cassidy stay platonic. Her being his future baby mama is too easy. And I'm actually really liking Nicky. 

[CrystalBlue]

11 hours ago, bybrandy said:

It doesn't feel like "kindness" to show up someplace he wasn't invited because he looked up her address in her employee file (creepy!) and and then introduced himself as her boyfriend after Kate had introduced him as a friend.   These are alarm bells here.  And I can see how daughter of big gesture Jack doesn't see that.  And I can see how she likes having her boyfriend there when Kevin is with Sophie and Randall is with Beth but yeah, there are already disturbing signs.   Showing up uninvited to a place you should't have the address for?  Not a kindness.

Plus Mark stole the neighbor's daisies!

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, LadyNebula said:

Another PAer. I love everything Turkey Hill, especially that natural mint chip (and their tea... I'm addicted). I was actually just at the Turkey Hill Experience, which was pretty neat. And I loved Breyer's because it wasn't green!

I remember the boxed ice cream but don't remember seeing it recently. Never thought of slicing it though. For reference, I'm in my late 30s, about The Big Threes' age. 

I'm a Jersey-ite, but I went to college in Lancaster County. Haven't had TH iced tea in years. I used to love the peach tea. (I'm not too much older than you; just turned 44 a few weeks ago.)

[Joana]

21 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

Plus it felt like Shonda Rhimes wrote so many of the weird speeches. That is not a compliment. People just don't just stand there and monologue at each other (example: Kevin asks Cassidy's ex-husband why he bothered to come to the event and ex-husband starts rambling how he met Cassidy at 15 when she bumped into him in the hallway and blah blah blah blah...).

OMG, totally this. I swear for a moment I though I was watching Grey's Anatomy (especially when the "you're my person" line popped up - REALLY?), although I did like Rebecca lashing out at the kids. 

I think the reason Beth didn't tell Randall about William's anxiety issues is that she didn't even know he had them until the writers remembered they needed to somehow insert William into the story again through his little pearls of wisdom to Beth, which seems to be their go-to choice. I must say I'm not really a fan of that particular storytelling technique.

It does seem like something bad happened between Kate and her boyfriend, but I'm wondering how bad it must have been if she still kept their photos. Plus, while Rebecca looked upset/sad, I didn't think she had the face of a woman who had just seen a picture of man who had abused or otherwise deeply hurt her daughter in some way. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by Joana

[Bulldog]

The general consensus seems to be that Kate was likely abused in some way by Marc.  And, I'll admit that was my first thought as well.   I really hope they don't go that route as it just seems too predictable.   I think a stronger storyline would be Kate doing something that caused something bad to happen to him.  An accident resulting in serious injury?  Maybe even death?  Guilt over something like that could certainly trigger the over eating that would lead to the weight gain.

Kevin and Randall not liking Marc, I can wave off as brotherly over protectiveness. 

But, it will probably be abuse.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Bulldog
I actually can spell.

[momma2seven]

5 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

How did Nicky get home from the hockey game?  Isn't the arena inside the city and he lives way out in country?  Even then, cabs were pricey for long fares. 

It doesn't matter haha, Bradford County doesn't have a hockey team or an arena of any sort. The only buses we have run on a very set daytime schedule and there's only one taxi company with just a handful of cars. The whole thing was a very tv fantasy world, so Nicky's camper might as well be across the road from the pretend arena. Which...if we did have an arena, would probably actually be likely for as rural as we are!

[debraran]

26 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

The general consensus seems to be that Kate was likely abused in some way by Marc.  And, I'll admit that was my first thought as well.   I really hope they don't go that route as it just seems too predictable.   I think a stronger storyline would be Kate doing something that caused something bad to happen to him.  An accident resulting in serious injury?  Maybe even death?  Guilt over something like that could certainly trigger the over eating that would lead to the weight gain.

Kevin and Randall not liking Marc, I can waive off as brotherly over protectiveness. 

But, it will probably be abuse.W

With all the talk and discussion on this show with writers and producer, Kate's weight was always about Jack and indulgence.  Kevin mentions her sitting outside old house every year eating, she was shown as herself, in her 20's one year, already large. I know they had to switch actress's at one point but the weight gain was great from 18-25. They seemed to want it to be Jack's death but it seems now they want to throw a curve ball in. It will add a dimension to her life, still having Jack's death be the core of her issues, but not just Jack.

My friend thought they were padding her a bit to show weight loss later and maybe she was trying to lose but I hadn't seen that on talk shows etc. Time will tell. I look forward to learning more about their 20's

Edited October 23, 2019 by debraran

[Crs97]

Crockpot settlement was a joke. 😊

22 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

  I think a stronger storyline would be Kate doing something that caused something bad to happen to him.  An accident resulting in serious injury?  Maybe even death?  Guilt over something like that could certainly trigger the over eating that would lead to the weight gain.

But doesn’t she already blame herself for her dad’s death?

I assumed Rebecca came over to help with the piano, which seemed to be easy to deliver and move around.  Once she arrived, Kate could have gone around the block while Rebecca waited for the delivery.

[KaveDweller]

13 hours ago, Mommaj said:

Thanks, @ElectricBoogaloo.

So even when Jack was alive Kate was going to apply to just one very competitive music school and that was it? No plan B? 

There were several episodes last season or the season before about the teenage big three making college plans. Kate didn't want to go at all, then pick music school, then when Jack died just declared she wasn't going. 

10 hours ago, suzeecat said:

Not sure if they still sell it, but back in the day Tupperware sold a container just for half-gallon ice cream.  It was awesome, kept the ice crystals from forming like, forever. 

We had one of those. I remember after grocery shopping we would open the box of ice cream right away and flip it into the Tupperware. Then we each got one spoonful to taste.

2 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

As for how he got out of there, we will never know.   That is, unless the woman he wanted to marry was driving the transportation vehicle he used to get home.

Uber? We know he has a cell phone because he was texting Kevin.  Or maybe he called a taxi? It's not like he was out in the wilderness.

30 minutes ago, Joana said:

It does seem like something bad happened between Kate and her boyfriend, but I'm wondering how bad it must have been if she still kept their photos. Plus, while Rebecca looked upset/sad, I didn't think she had the face of a woman who had just seen a picture of man who had abused or otherwise deeply hurt her daughter in some way. 

The pictures seemed like something that had been stuck in that bench soon after they were taken, never to be thought of again. Even if Marc was terrible, they could easily have forgotten the pictures were there. by the time they figured that out.

[kili]

Did people use polaroid cameras to take selfie style photos back in 1998? It seemed a little odd when Beth just raised the camera above her head and snapped that perfect selfie picture of her and Randall. I recall those were the days when you had to ask people to take your picture, you couldn't be too close or your camera lens couldn't focus and if you did what she did, you would probably get a photo where only part of you appeared in one corner. Even when cellphone pictures became a thing, the first selfies were mirror pictures and it took people a while to learn they looked best when the picture was taken from above.

Speaking of polaroids, those have been sitting in the bench for the last 20 years? Nobody shuffled through the bench looking for music, noticed the pictures and tossed out the one of Marc?

They just lost most of their stuff in a fire. You would think that Rebecca would want to keep track of these new photos especially since they are the photos of the "wedding reception" and she only had 4 photos from the actual wedding.

Quote

Kate ran the risk of the driver leaving the piano on her porch if he even left it at all. 

If you do it properly (and Randall would), you get a piano mover and the piano should be tuned after the move.  I don't think movers Randall hired would leave them on the porch.

It would have been nice if Miguel had been there for the piano arrival. He originally gave that piano to Rebecca to make the apartment feel more like a home after Jack died.  It's kind of full circle with it now coming to Kate in her new home when she needs support.

[debraran]

This was a staple in my home and yes, they do sell the Tupperware ice cream holders. (ratings are so so)

[Enigma X]

I am from Chicago, and I was 5 before I realized that ice cream came in something other than a box.

[Joana]

24 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

The pictures seemed like something that had been stuck in that bench soon after they were taken, never to be thought of again. Even if Marc was terrible, they could easily have forgotten the pictures were there. by the time they figured that out.

Yes, but since that was probably the first time the family was reunited (and for a joyous occasion, at that) after Jack died and the boys moved out, and they weren't going to have a lot of such moments again, I'm pretty sure Rebecca in particular would cherish those pictures (minus those with Kate's BF, obviously, if he did something awful) instead of instantly forgetting about them and letting them languish in the piano bench like that.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Joana

[Neurochick]

15 hours ago, Lily H said:

Maybe Tess had a panic attack because she finally realized how ugly that hairstyle is.

What's wrong with the hairstyle?  I think it looked nice on Tess.  Better than flat iron or relaxed.

7 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I think we have to assume that Jack had some serious insurance policies for both home and life.  How much money Rebecca ended up with is anyone's guess.  This show is definitely wonky when it comes to the Pearson's finances.

Sometimes I feel this way too.  Then I'm like, "shit let's just enjoy this show and not worry about things like finances and how do these people have money to do blah blah blah...it's TV, not a documentary."  

At first I thought that Kate's reaction to her former boyfriend's picture was because he might have been abusive to her in some way.  But the show likes to mess with our heads because so many of us are hypersensitive to abuse these days.  

Sometimes I think anxiety isn't so much a mental illness as a reaction to the world around you.  Bad stuff has gone on since the beginning of time but most people never knew about it unless it happened either to them or someone they knew.  Today, we're aware of all types of horrors, that's why when I saw Kate's reaction t her boyfriend, the first thing that came into my head was, "he probably raped her."  

[ShadowFacts]

26 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

At first I thought that Kate's reaction to her former boyfriend's picture was because he might have been abusive to her in some way.  But the show likes to mess with our heads because so many of us are hypersensitive to abuse these days.  

Sometimes I think anxiety isn't so much a mental illness as a reaction to the world around you.  Bad stuff has gone on since the beginning of time but most people never knew about it unless it happened either to them or someone they knew.  Today, we're aware of all types of horrors, that's why when I saw Kate's reaction t her boyfriend, the first thing that came into my head was, "he probably raped her."  

I put a little theory about this on the Speculation thread. 

[Quickbeam]

I’m 64, grew up in NJ and boxed ice cream was standard, even from the local dairy.

I felt like they tried extra hard not so show the Sophie character clearly. I don’t think I ever saw her full face.

[theatremouse]

I want to know that Jack got rabies shots after the bird incident.

And I want Randall to STFU. Not only did you blow off the councilman you already blew off, you shared details that were not yours to share. Tell him the school called and you have to go get your kid. No more info! Boundaries, Randall. So rude.

[NYCFree]

Not all anxiety issues are genetic, but some definitely are, if my family is anything to go by. My dad had it, but it wasn’t really talked about or addressed. My brother and I have it, and now my son has it—I apologized to him while we were watching the show together.

Of course I can’t say for sure, but I believe my anxiety would be the same without the 24/7 information flow. It would just choose it focus on the weather, or the crops, or “consumption” or whatever there was to worry about at the time. An anxiety disorder isn’t just over worrying, it’s thinking of the worst possible outcome if your kid is five minutes late; it’s having obsessive thoughts about ways your life is going astray, it’s not being able to function because your mind is racing.

Randall is being selfish and ridiculous. How can he even square the logic that a therapist is great for Tess, but completely unnecessary for himself?

[ams1001]

12 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

And I want Randall to STFU. Not only did you blow off the councilman you already blew off, you shared details that were not yours to share. Tell him the school called and you have to go get your kid. No more info! Boundaries, Randall. So rude.

Thank you! That bugged me so much. There was no reason to tell the guy the specific reason he had to pick her up. At most he should have just said she was sick and needed to go home.