S04.E10: Light and Shadows

[LoveLeigh]

I love this show. But it just seems to be moving to the preposterous. The Hollywood Bowl thing was ridiculous. The "monster" with Randall at the end was unbearable and the Toby/Kate marriage troubles are boring. And if Rebecca is developing Alzheimer's well so be it.

I do not know where this show is going. 

[Blakeston]

1 hour ago, kili said:

That was too much for a first date, Kevin. 

Way, way too much. But I liked that he was able to recognize that his father's obsessive need for grand romantic spectacles is driving this behavior.

46 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

I’m kinda shocked that Kate and Toby aren’t already in some support group for parents of special needs kids.  They signed up for that counselor to come “blind baby proof” their house pretty quickly.  Poor baby Jack was thrust into that over-stimulating ‘Mommy and Me’ type music class at a few months old.  They seem to seek out therapy or help for other issues in their drama filled lives, but not for the very stressful case of being parents to a blind child?

I'd love to see them seek out therapy, but I haven't seen it happen much.

Kate has desperately needed therapy ever since Jack's death, if not earlier, but the only time we ever saw it happen was at that weight-loss retreat. And we haven't seen them do couples counseling, which they've needed for a while.

It seems like the show mostly relies on most of these characters never confronting their issues.

[RedDelicious]

9 minutes ago, TOL said:

One more thing- I’m going back and forth on whether the ending with Randall was real or hallucinated.  I’m leaning toward real, but the previews have me wondering...

Me too. I immediately went to The Sixth Sense on that one, when Donnie Wahlberg enters the Philadelphia home of Bruce Willis and kills him. Then we proceed to trippy flashing back and forth and seeing dead people. Coincidentally directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I wonder if that is where we're headed.

[ams1001]

18 minutes ago, bybrandy said:

I use water from the fridge, but also I keep my glasses in the kitchen so I'd have to go into the kitchen to get my glass of water.   

Between watching Toby and Kate's marriage dissolve and knowing that we have Rebecca's decline to look forward to I don't know what upbeat this show has to offer right now.  I certainly don't mind drama in my drama but I need some light moments to counter the dark ones and I suppose Kevin's story was supposed to be that but it was so creepy.   It is a good thing I don't look like Sophia Bush because if some guy took me off to see a private concert at the Hollywood Bowl 12 minutes after meeting him, I'd be weirded out even if he looked like Justin Hartley.  

I keep a glass by my bed so I could just rinse it and fill it from the bathroom (still have to remember to bring it to the kitchen or I'd wind up with half a dozen glasses in my bedroom).

You'd think someone as famous and good looking as Kevin would be just a little wary of women who are too quick to jump into things with him, too. Wouldn't he wonder if she was only there because he's hot/famous/rich/etc?

9 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I am not sure I would have done any better with the drawing of the clock than Rebecca did.

I was thinking the same thing until I saw the screenshot of the clock above (I missed it while I was watching). I can't draw and would probably not have the numbers spaced exactly right (especially in a testing situation which would make me nervous) but the way she had the them far apart at the right and then jumbled up on the left (and I assume didn't realize it) was way worse than my little post-it note attempt I just did.

[RedDelicious]

Also I loved Randall's "I am very happy to be here" when he was talking to Miguel in the waiting area 🙂

 

 

[BuckeyeLou]

I loved Miguel this episode, but I feel like Randall did not treat him with respect...his Is his Stepfather.  Miguel's retort "Randall, you are being Randall" was great!  And I think Mandy Moore is doing a terrific job of portraying an older woman in the beginning stages of memory loss...my heart ached for Rebecca.

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, BusyOctober said:

I’m kinda shocked that Kate and Toby aren’t already in some support group for parents of special needs kids.  They signed up for that counselor to come “blind baby proof” their house pretty quickly. 

They did sign up for the counselor, but then Kate dismissed her five minutes in with a Pearson speech, saying that Baby Jack "is going to live a life without limitations". Which made me really angry because all the counselor was trying to do is make the house safe for him. You know, to maximize his odds of living to adulthood and doing all of those things that Kate wants him to be able to do.

As for the intruder, it didn't occur to me for a second that it was a hallucination. It looks like a junkie was hanging around a nice neighborhood at night trying to figure out what he could steal, saw Randall go into his house without locking the door/arming the security system, and snuck in behind him. That kind of thing is pretty commonplace in cities. I also think it's meant to be a Karmic bitchslap for Randall; he chews out Miguel for not taking good enough care of Rebecca, but it turns out he can't even keep his own family safe.

ETA: I think the issue with Rebecca's clock drawing is that most healthy people would draw the ticks for 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock first, then fill in the rest. That automatically makes the spacing more or less even. Rebecca's approach showed that her brain is not doing the "spacial strategizing" (not a scientific term) that healthy people's brains do. At least that's how I interpreted it.

2nd ETA: Looks like @ShadowFacts and I are thinking the same thing.

Edited January 15, 2020 by chocolatine

[ShadowFacts]

31 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I was thinking the same thing until I saw the screenshot of the clock above (I missed it while I was watching). I can't draw and would probably not have the numbers spaced exactly right (especially in a testing situation which would make me nervous) but the way she had the them far apart at the right and then jumbled up on the left (and I assume didn't realize it) was way worse than my little post-it note attempt I just did.

Yes, it would be easy to run out of room while spacing/numbering. The thing beyond a spatial dysfunction is that she wasn't recognizing where the 3, 6 and 9 should be in relation to the 12. That must have more to do with just memory difficulties of repeating back phrases, etc. She can be mis-judging things. I think it's a good thing that an MRI and other tests were mentioned. Maybe this is where the split between the Big 3 comes in -- Rebecca does something that ends up being harmful in some way to baby Jack. Yet if that were true I don't see them letting her go by herself to buy a cake.

 

[Empress1]

21 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

It looks like a junkie was hanging around a nice neighborhood at night trying to figure out what he could steal, saw Randall go into his house without locking the door/arming the security system, and snuck in behind him. That kind of thing is pretty commonplace in cities.

Philly's opioid problem is severe (Intervention did a season set entirely in Philly last year) so this is very plausible. My friend is a psychologist who does community behavioral health in Philly and she and her department have had Narcan training. She's had patients nod out in sessions with her before, and she's had to administer Narcan before too.

[ClareWalks]

41 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

Maybe this is where the split between the Big 3 comes in -- Rebecca does something that ends up being harmful in some way to baby Jack. Yet if that were true I don't see them letting her go by herself to buy a cake.

It might not involve baby Jack but it might be a situation where Kate and Kevin are in denial while Randall is the lone voice of reason about their mom's issues. So Kate and Kevin would think nothing of letting their mom wander off alone, leading to her getting lost. Maybe that would be the catalyst for reconciliation, if so, because surely having your mom come home in a cop car is a wakeup call? Meanwhile, I am just glad that Rebecca and Miguel seemed to accept this preliminary diagnosis and didn't throw a "we're just getting old" fit in the doc's office.

[buttersister]

The John Legend you-can't-top-this-date-my-future-baby-mama was a swing and a miss. I enjoyed it, sitting at home, liking John Legend, but dudes, just no. Oh. Unless Kevin's alcoholism is manifesting itself in "drunken" escape-from-reality dating methods. Then, I stand corrected.

I don't mind Jack flashbacks. I know where they started and where they ended, this is all filling in the blanks and I kind of like that. Otoh, Rebecca's (uh-oh, I couldn't remember her name) mother's little speech was all kind of bullshit from that character. And as much as I enjoy Jack and Rebecca's story (thanks, Milo and Mandy), they can jettison the "love for the ages" trope right now. Stop it. Seriously. 

The characters' flaws make relating to them deeper, you're doing a good job, writers, you don't need to create a Camelot here. Or a bad soap opera.

[tinderbox]

I like Sophia Bush so, for a few moments, I hoped she would be the future Mrs. Pearson.  Then, as the date/storyline progressed it turned into all kinds of ridiculousness, which included a serenade from John Legend, and I realized the stupidity of it all.  Again, I like Sophia Bush...darn it.

I completely understood the basics of Rebecca's brain function testing and saw she was at the beginning stages of real problems (especially the clock drawing) BUT I think it was ridiculous to suggest that her not being able to think of the word...spatula...was anything more than the natural progression of aging and the lack of quickly recalling common words. 

I think Toby has a lot of explaining to do....both to his wife and himself.

I do believe Randall has a house invader.  I don't think it's a part of his panic issues.

I love Milo Ventimiglia and Jack Pearson.  LOVE.  Jack was my favorite character.  However, I think his character has become a bit irrelevant.  Sad to say....but true.  The writers killed him off waaaaay too soon.

I'd give this episode a C-.  Pffffft….. 

Edited January 15, 2020 by tinderbox

[camom]

Quote

t Los Angeles is the second largest city in the entire country so you know there must be all kinds of resources, support groups, play groups, etc. available for families with a blind child.

The Braille Institute in L.A. offers support for families from birth on, specifically about the developmental needs of blind or low-vision children.  You know they would have been there (or someplace similar) the minute they found out about baby Jack's condition.

 

[Dani-Ellie]

19 minutes ago, tinderbox said:

I completely understood the basics of Rebecca's brain function testing and saw she was at the beginning stages of real problems (especially the clock drawing) BUT I think it was ridiculous to suggest that her not being able to think of the word...spatula...was anything more than the natural progression of aging and the lack of quickly recalling common words. 

But it's not just that. That was just the example Miguel used. He said he had noticed some things being off and said that the day before, she couldn't remember the word for "food flipper." He didn't at all say that was the only thing he'd noticed or that that sole incident what he was basing his opinion on.

There have been subtle hints all throughout the season and even at the end of last season. Not remembering what movie Kevin was doing and the extensive note-taking with Kate and the doctors re: baby Jack come to mind. Misplacing her phone. Being unable to recall certain words. Skimping on details when asked questions about things she's done. As isolated incidents, all of these things are not really anything to write home about but taken together, they point to a problem that's all coming to a head now.

I do wish, however, that someone would have made the point that these memory issues can start gradually and can be harder to pick up when you see someone every day. Randall picked it up on it so quickly at Thanksgiving because he hadn't seen Rebecca in a little while so the differences were more pronounced to him.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 hour ago, ClareWalks said:

It might not involve baby Jack but it might be a situation where Kate and Kevin are in denial while Randall is the lone voice of reason about their mom's issues. So Kate and Kevin would think nothing of letting their mom wander off alone, leading to her getting lost. Maybe that would be the catalyst for reconciliation, if so, because surely having your mom come home in a cop car is a wakeup call? Meanwhile, I am just glad that Rebecca and Miguel seemed to accept this preliminary diagnosis and didn't throw a "we're just getting old" fit in the doc's office.

I don't think we have enough information to say Kate, Kevin and Miguel let Rebecca leave the cabin.   Because of the way the previous episode was cut, we don't know how Rebecca left the cabin.   People with dementia wander away from home all the time sadly.  This could very well be one of those instances.   

[funnygirl]

40 minutes ago, tinderbox said:

I love Milo Ventimiglia and Jack Pearson.  LOVE.  Jack was my favorite character.  However, I think his character has become a bit irrelevant.  Sad to say....but true.  The writers killed him off waaaaay too soon.

 

ITA. I love Milo and I do think Jack is an integral part of the show - meaning all of the Pearsons have their purpose and it all works together. However, tptb should've either waited to kill off Jack - or reveal how he died - later in the series, or have done 10-13 episode seasons which would extend what they did produce to 4 or 5 seasons and wrap things up then.  Speaking for myself, things are getting a bit too stagnant. Like, what's the endgame here? 

 

[izabella]

47 minutes ago, Dani-Ellie said:

But it's not just that. That was just the example Miguel used. He said he had noticed some things being off and said that the day before, she couldn't remember the word for "food flipper." He didn't at all say that was the only thing he'd noticed or that that sole incident what he was basing his opinion on.

Forgive me, I am about to be pedantic here...ahem...

Spatula is not actually the name of a "food flipper."  Spatula is the name of the utensil used to scrape food out of things, like scraping cake batter out of bowl.  It's also used to spread things, like frosting.  It is not, however, used to flip food.  A "food flipper" is technically called a "turner."   

[kili]

Quote

Meanwhile, I am just glad that Rebecca and Miguel seemed to accept this preliminary diagnosis and didn't throw a "we're just getting old" fit in the doc's office.

I thought Mandy did a good job of portraying a patient who knew she had a problem, but was hoping against hope that she did't. She had no confidence in the test and seemed to almost be begging with her eyes to the doctor to tell her she was okay. At lunch, she was savouring old memories she may not get to taste again. It's like her story about the baby, she doesn't know when the moment will be gone, but it will inevitably be gone.

Quote

I do believe Randall has a house invader.  I don't think it's a part of his panic issues.

I agree. I suspect the house invader though will create massive new panic issues for Randall. He will likely become even more obsessive about safety. He may restrict Deja from taking the bus (even the house isn't safe, how could the bus be safe?). He'll get some invasive security system installed. He'll check 25 times the the door is looked. He'll endlessly worry until he has another mental breakdown. Being robbed is traumatic enough - having your house invaded takes it to a next level.  Randall already takes things to the next level - so this will be next++ level stuff.

[Manda317]

9 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Still thinking about Kevin and Sophie. I've been on both sides of the "we've had this conversation a million times; you know I think you should stay away from him" conversation, as a friend whose friend can't stay away from someone who treats her badly, and as the person involved with someone who treats her badly. If I were one of Sophie's friends and I found out she was starting up with Kevin again, I'd be like "Are you serious with this? Again?" I think Sophie even said all her friends hated Kevin.

I wouldn't take that bet. I don't think any of them could fight off an intruder. Deja is a kid. Randall is in great shape but that's not the same as knowing how to fight. (I just watched a video where a male bodybuilder said some sexist shit to a female black belt and she kicked his ass - literally fought him unconscious.) It's a terrifying situation. In his shoes, I'd be trying to figure out how to get the guy out of my house without waking the rest of the house - the last thing he wants is someone running downstairs to see what's going on.

I had the opposite response. When I was thinking about what Randall should do, I was thinking he should make noise so he could alert someone upstairs to call the police, but I think you're right. The intruder may not even know that they are there, and I don't know if Beth or the girls would have a fight or flight response. My response would be to hide and summon help, but I don't know about Beth and the girls, especially if they thought they needed to help Randall. 

[Lady Iris]

Pardon my French but Jesus Fuck that guy in Randall’s house scared the crap out of me.

I was bumming about Rebecca’s rolling tear because you just know she’s terrified of losing Jack in her memories on top of everything else. I wasn’t prepared for an intruder in Randall’s home. 

[Bringonthedrama]

2 hours ago, buttersister said:

The John Legend you-can't-top-this-date-my-future-baby-mama was a swing and a miss. I enjoyed it, sitting at home, liking John Legend, but dudes, just no. Oh. Unless Kevin's alcoholism is manifesting itself 

I think it's more Kevin's insecurities are manifesting. He idolizes the memories of his parents "grand love story" as well as the memories of Jack as a father. Now the Big 3 are all 30 somethings and Randall and Kate are both in what he sees as loving marriages. They are both parents now as well. So he is concerned about 'catching up' to them and is also trying to live up to the memory of his father as a romantic. 

There are men IRL who go over the top way too early in a dating situation due to insecurities and/or what I've read is called dating fatigue (men older than 35). I experienced this myself when a guy older than the character Kevin is asked me out during a fairly brief, friendly conversation. I figured, why not. During that date, he called me honey, made a comment about us being a couple, kept trying to pressure me into kisses and was trying to make some moves. While I was doing my best to end the evening/get him back on public transit to go home, he spoke about "your side of the bed" in his bedroom at his house!!  That guy wasn't looking to start dating someone, he was looking for what I think of as an 'insta-wife'. The scenes involving Sophia Bush came off to me as Kevin looking for an immediate serious relationship resulting in marriage (and possibly kids) in the near future.

[ShadowFacts]

16 minutes ago, Bringonthedrama said:

I think it's more Kevin's insecurities are manifesting. He idolizes the memories of his parents "grand love story" as well as the memories of Jack as a father. Now the Big 3 are all 30 somethings and Randall and Kate are both in what he sees as loving marriages. They are both parents now as well. So he is concerned about 'catching up' to them and is also trying to live up to the memory of his father as a romantic. 

There are men IRL who go over the top way too early in a dating situation due to insecurities and/or what I've read is called dating fatigue (men older than 35). I experienced this myself when a guy older than the character Kevin is asked me out during a fairly brief, friendly conversation. I figured, why not. During that date, he called me honey, made a comment about us being a couple, kept trying to pressure me into kisses and was trying to make some moves. While I was doing my best to end the evening/get him back on public transit to go home, he spoke about "your side of the bed" in his bedroom at his house!!  That guy wasn't looking to start dating someone, he was looking for what I think of as an 'insta-wife'. The scenes involving Sophia Bush came off to me as Kevin looking for an immediate serious relationship resulting in marriage (and possibly kids) in the near future.

 I agree his insecurities are being highlighted.  He has a plan, he wants to accomplish it pronto, and he's faced with the normal awkward/hellish first dates, and then the "hall pass" scenario.  I think it's hitting him that his fame is going to be a real hindrance, and if this Sophie phone call leads anywhere, it will be because he feels only someone who's known him forever is free of all that other relationship drama and testing if someone could really love him for him. I think Cassidy fits that description of knowing him and not just fawning over his public persona, but she may really be out of the picture trying to repair her relationship with her husband.  (And oh man, what an uncomfortable date for you, Bringonthedrama.)

[PRgal]

Regarding memory tests.  I had one of those executive checkups recently where you basically get EVERYTHING checked, including mental well-being.  I took a test which included memory and attention where I DID NOT do well compared to other women my age.  I just don’t do well in these tests to begin with (I joked about failing my LSAT before even taking it (flunked the logic section in a practice test)).  I don’t think ADHD people do, period. 

[tennisgurl]

I feel like Kate and Toby are coming at Jacks blindness from opposite ends of the spectrum, and neither of them are going to work in the long term. Toby only sees Jacks blindness and how thats going to limit what he can do in the future, while Kate tries to basically ignore Jacks blindness and refuses to think about his limitations. There has to be some kind of middle ground where they can acknowledge that he will have struggles and limitations, but can also have a wonderful and full life and get to do many great things and things that any sighted person can do (as we see him do in the future), I would like to see them go to some more therapists or doctors or groups that specialize in helping blind children and their families and get some support. Without Kate getting all pissed off and defensive or Toby running for the exit. The retreat is a good start (if maybe not the best birthday gift) but it needs to be something more long term. 

[SuzieQ]

21 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

That test that Rebecca took is the actual MOCA test commonly used to test for cognitive impairment or dementia.  I recognized it right away- my mother took it recently.  I must admit it was a bit difficult to watch. My mother is 15 years older than Rebecca, and her decline has been much more rapid, but it still hit a little too close to home.

 

I hear ya! My mom had bad dementia for 7 years before she passed.  I am really dreading this storyline.

[woodstock]

My favorite moment was Kevin walking out on his date after her ignorant, racist comment about Ethiopians.

That final scene spooked me. I too am wondering if it was real or Randall hallucinating.

This episode felt like a setup for the rest of the season. 

[Jeddah]

9 minutes ago, woodstock said:

My favorite moment was Kevin walking out on his date after her ignorant, racist comment about Ethiopians.

That was my favorite part of the episode too.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Jeddah

[deirdra]

My mother had mild impairment after falling and hitting her head, and I was there during the test.  When the guy asked her to draw a clock she said - "there's a clock right there - can't you tell what time it is?"  He had her doing long division in her head and she was faster than I was. The one thing about the lists of random words or sentences is that I don't pay attention to words I don't care about.  I do remember words that are important in my life.

Edited January 16, 2020 by deirdra

[athousandclowns]

12 hours ago, Mldh598 said:

A collective WTF was heard across the country in that last 10 seconds....LOL

Thanks to you all I’m not watching the ending, at least tonight.  I fall asleep with ear buds in so would I hear the break in? Never mind .  
Also thanks to the poster for the sample memory test and link about dementia.  I’m a tad relieved about my loosing stuff and forgetting why I walked into a room. 

[bros402]

20 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It's pretty anti-climactic/non-mysterious when we see things like Jack breaking up with Rebecca. We know they're going to end up together so this angst filled flashback seems unnecessary.

Thanks to Rebecca's cognitive assessment, now we know that her birthday is 2/12/50 and that this episode takes place on 1/11/20 so yay for that?

On a shallow note, Sophia Bush's voice drives me crazy (and not in a good way).

It's a real test. I used to administer it to patients who'd had strokes. You don't need a previous visit/baseline to compare to in order to assess cognitive impairment or memory loss. There are several tests used to assess cognitive abilities and you can administer more than one to a patient during a session so it's very possible that this is the only one we saw on screen but that the neurologist also used some of the other available tests.

 

I had a feeling it ws a real test - I just hadn't taken it before. I'm usually given the good old classic Weschler Memory Scale or whatever it is called, alongside that regular neuropsychological battery of testing, I'm surprised they didn't just do a full neuropsych battery on Rebecca.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

1 hour ago, bros402 said:

I had a feeling it ws a real test - I just hadn't taken it before. I'm usually given the good old classic Weschler Memory Scale or whatever it is called, alongside that regular neuropsychological battery of testing, I'm surprised they didn't just do a full neuropsych battery on Rebecca.

Usually the first appointment is a short test to assess if the patient has any major/noticeable cognitive issues. Some of the neuropsych tests take a lot longer and they can be tiring, especially for older people, and we don't want to put people through hours of testing if it isn't necessary.

[debraran]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Usually the first appointment is a short test to assess if the patient has any major/noticeable cognitive issues. Some of the neuropsych tests take a lot longer and they can be tiring, especially for older people, and we don't want to put people through hours of testing if it isn't necessary.

Yes our practice gives similar tests for concussions. The "young" assistants usually say they couldn't do them well and sometimes will take a shorter one on their own. If you have ADD which many kids it's hard to get through them but it does give a guide. After the great movie "Still Alice" came out about a young professor (50) with early onset Alzheimer's they had so many news shows saying the audiences were too busy taking the tests with her to really enjoy the movie, was scary for some and docs got many calls with questions. So much memory loss is normal especially hormonal later in life, but education is lacking at times. TV shows are just entertainment but I hope Rebecca has something different and that the earlier years when she meets Miguel are shown and their wedding and happy times. Going from Jack dying to this depressing subject is not spaced well to me, I liked it better when the mixed up the ages better. Less of before marriage Jack years and more of the kids young or after he died. 

Looking at the clock picture again, Rebecca did rock that box next to it. ; )

 

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by debraran

[JudyObscure]

8 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Toby only sees Jacks blindness and how thats going to limit what he can do in the future, while Kate tries to basically ignore Jacks blindness and refuses to think about his limitations.

Yes! I can sympathize with both of them, but they both need to take a little from the other's point of view and help each other deal, instead of Kate judging Toby for not being positive all the time or Kate setting unrealistic goals for their child that will make him feel like a failure.   I don't want them to break-up, I think their different attitudes, with a little buffering, could make for a good, complimentary parenting team.

Is this "hall-pass" thing real?  Married people get to sleep with their favorite celebrity if they get the chance?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

Is this "hall-pass" thing real?  Married people get to sleep with their favorite celebrity if they get the chance?

 

[debraran]

9 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

 

I never heard of it. Seems a bit silly and it elevates celebrities but this is TV.

[nexxie]

10 hours ago, woodstock said:

My favorite moment was Kevin walking out on his date after her ignorant, racist comment about Ethiopians.

That final scene spooked me. I too am wondering if it was real or Randall hallucinating.

This episode felt like a setup for the rest of the season. 

Hope Randall is dreaming or hallucinating - don’t want to see violence here.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 minutes ago, debraran said:

I never heard of it. Seems a bit silly and it elevates celebrities but this is TV.

There was another tv show where someone met a celebrity on their freebie list on a plane. I can't remember what show it was and this is probably going to drive me crazy until I figure it out!

[gonzosgirrl]

On 1/15/2020 at 6:16 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It wasn't just that the clock was sloppy. As the doctor explained, the way that Rebecca wrote the numbers shows some spatial dysfunction.

She also stressed that there were other possibilities, with a range of prognoses, and more testing was needed,  but they (mostly Randall) insisted she tell them right now. I really want to smack Randall sometimes. 

Lordy, I felt bad for Kevin. A freebie? Really? And sorry, if I sent my SO a text saying I'd actually met my freebie celeb and they said "go for it!"??? Not gonna lie, I'd be worried.

The whole Legend thing was just weird. I mean, I can buy that Kevin might be friends with John (or Chrissy) and John might agree to sing them a song,  but a whole concert, long enough that he needed a break? Even for a Pearson Grand Gesture, that's a stretch.

[ams1001]

45 minutes ago, debraran said:

I never heard of it. Seems a bit silly and it elevates celebrities but this is TV.

I've heard of it, but only on TV/movies.

[gonzosgirrl]

5 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I've heard of it, but only on TV/movies.

Friends has a whole episode built around it, although I'd never heard of it referred  to as a hall pass. Not sure where that came from 🙂

Edited January 16, 2020 by gonzosgirrl
Link

[Empress1]

49 minutes ago, debraran said:

I never heard of it. Seems a bit silly and it elevates celebrities but this is TV.

There's an entire movie called Hall Pass. I didn't see it but I don't think it involves sleeping with your favorite celebrity - I think it's just that a couple removes their restraints and gets to sleep with other people for a period of time.

[ShadowFacts]

2 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Yes! I can sympathize with both of them, but they both need to take a little from the other's point of view and help each other deal, instead of Kate judging Toby for not being positive all the time or Kate setting unrealistic goals for their child that will make him feel like a failure.   I don't want them to break-up, I think their different attitudes, with a little buffering, could make for a good, complimentary parenting team.

I agree, they can do this together if they get some third-party guidance.  Toby in particular does seem like he's sliding toward depression/checking out of the relationship.  He said as much.  What he doesn't see is that he went and got himself some help by joining Cross Fit, which was a positive thing (mostly), but he's not doing the same where his baby is concerned.  Come on, Tobes, it's doable.

12 hours ago, PRgal said:

Regarding memory tests.  I had one of those executive checkups recently where you basically get EVERYTHING checked, including mental well-being.  I took a test which included memory and attention where I DID NOT do well compared to other women my age.  I just don’t do well in these tests to begin with (I joked about failing my LSAT before even taking it (flunked the logic section in a practice test)).  I don’t think ADHD people do, period. 

It seems like Rebecca's test, like many, has the potential for false positives.  I'd probably do ok, not great, but I know I'd fail any field sobriety test even if I had zero alcohol, because I have terrible balance.  Luckily there would then be a breathalyzer which I would pass, and as the doctor indicated, there are other tests that could reveal more about Rebecca's abilities.  As debraran mentioned, she was able to replicate the cube drawing, so her spatial abilities aren't 100% off.  But she maybe shouldn't be driving . . .

[Jeddah]

Entourage had the same storyline. Vince meets a girl he likes, hooks up with her, and then finds out she’s engaged but he’s on her list.

[JudyObscure]

Thanks @ElectricBoogaloo.  Those Friends clips had me rolling!

[Jadzia]

On 1/15/2020 at 6:10 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

On a shallow note, Sophia Bush's voice drives me crazy (and not in a good way).

I honestly have no idea who Sophia Bush is, but as I watched the show I thought "That actress sure is pretty but I can't imagine she will get very far with that voice." I had no idea she was a known quantity already and I'm kind of shocked really because I found her speaking voice so annoying.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

19 minutes ago, Jadzia said:

I honestly have no idea who Sophia Bush is, but as I watched the show I thought "That actress sure is pretty but I can't imagine she will get very far with that voice." I had no idea she was a known quantity already and I'm kind of shocked really because I found her speaking voice so annoying.

I'm surprised that her manager/agent/team never told her to see a vocal coach. It's SO bad.

[qtpye]

17 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

It might not involve baby Jack but it might be a situation where Kate and Kevin are in denial while Randall is the lone voice of reason about their mom's issues. So Kate and Kevin would think nothing of letting their mom wander off alone, leading to her getting lost. Maybe that would be the catalyst for reconciliation, if so, because surely having your mom come home in a cop car is a wakeup call? Meanwhile, I am just glad that Rebecca and Miguel seemed to accept this preliminary diagnosis and didn't throw a "we're just getting old" fit in the doc's office.

I think Kevin and Kate love Rebecca  but they have both always been kind of self absorbed and in their own "twin world". Randall has always been the one to look out for Rebecca and probably feels it even more since Jack's death. Both Randall and Rebecca are not part of the "twin world" of Kate and Kevin and probably naturally leaned on each other, so not surprising that Randall is the first to notice the decline. 

That being said their was no justification for Randall's smug attitude towards Miguel.

16 hours ago, tinderbox said:

I like Sophia Bush so, for a few moments, I hoped she would be the future Mrs. Pearson.  Then, as the date/storyline progressed it turned into all kinds of ridiculousness, which included a serenade from John Legend, and I realized the stupidity of it all.  Again, I like Sophia Bush...darn it.

I completely understood the basics of Rebecca's brain function testing and saw she was at the beginning stages of real problems (especially the clock drawing) BUT I think it was ridiculous to suggest that her not being able to think of the word...spatula...was anything more than the natural progression of aging and the lack of quickly recalling common words. 

I think Toby has a lot of explaining to do....both to his wife and himself.

I do believe Randall has a house invader.  I don't think it's a part of his panic issues.

I love Milo Ventimiglia and Jack Pearson.  LOVE.  Jack was my favorite character.  However, I think his character has become a bit irrelevant.  Sad to say....but true.  The writers killed him off waaaaay too soon.

I'd give this episode a C-.  Pffffft….. 

 

15 hours ago, funnygirl said:

ITA. I love Milo and I do think Jack is an integral part of the show - meaning all of the Pearsons have their purpose and it all works together. However, tptb should've either waited to kill off Jack - or reveal how he died - later in the series, or have done 10-13 episode seasons which would extend what they did produce to 4 or 5 seasons and wrap things up then.  Speaking for myself, things are getting a bit too stagnant. Like, what's the endgame here? 

 

Jack was great during the first seasons but he is no longer needed. The Pearson's need to get over his death and so does the show.

Also, Jack and Rebecca have a really lovely story but it is not some mythological romance. I guess they are setting up Kevin to realize that real love is "Hollywood romantic tropes" but being their for someone through good and bad?

People who are hopeless romantics are often very bad at marriage because once the excitement wears off (as it always will) they lose interest in the relationship.

Does anyone else think that sometimes American TV and movies like to make light of financial differences because "good people do not care about money"?

I mean it was great that Rebecca loved Jack and did not mind the financial limitations of their early life but is that realistic for a girl that really grew up privileged? It never seemed like Rebecca had any practical plan for her life.

Her goals seemed like either make it as a big singing star or marry a well off guy and live as a "lady of leisure". Jack's working class background would have been a bit of a shock for her.

Also, in real life, money issues are often the main cause of divorce.

[luna1122]

The clock test thingy is just making me miss "Hannibal" all the more.

I liked Sophia Bush, I don't really know her, but I'm guessing this is a one and done for her.

So the hall pass thing: I joke about a laminated list ala Friends with my honey (my top three: Mads Mikkelsen, David Duchovny, Adam Driver) but if I were to actually meet one of them, and they expressed any interest (not that they would), I would still consider it a joke, and so would my BF. I wouldn't REALLY call him up and say I ran into whoever and he asked me out, can I go? Is that what Bush's character supposedly did? I mean, some folks would be okay with it, I suppose. Clearly her husband, even if he was initially trying to be...was not.

Kevin's Hollywood Bowl date was...over the top, even for a Pearson.

[MaggieG]

32 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I'm surprised that her manager/agent/team never told her to see a vocal coach. It's SO bad.

I've never seen Chicago PD or One Tree Hill so I actually thought she was getting over a cold and that's why her voice was like that. No idea that that's how she usually sounds.

Isn't Sophie currently dating someone else? I too am wondering why she is calling Kevin. She never bothered me when she was on, but I hope she doesn't turn out to be Kevin's wife/baby mama. I feel like their story is over. I wouldn't mind if it's Cassidy.

[Bringonthedrama]

13 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

(And oh man, what an uncomfortable date for you, Bringonthedrama.)

Thanks, and yes it was. I told a guy friend about it and he was taken aback that a guy would behave so aggressively/presumptuously on a first date. He said something like, "Yikes, he would be proposing in a month." Yup, pretty much. 

I agree with everyone that the John Legend private concert was ridiculous (would never happen) as a first date, and probably a single guy of celebrity status would not go that far to impress a fan he finds attractive/with whom he feels some chemistry. However, my point is there are non-celebrity men in the world who have issues with depression or insecurities or are getting "older" and are fed up with dating. They go way over the top or may behave inappropriately upon meeting an attractive woman, in an attempt to achieve a goal/"settle" their personal lives. Here's another example: I had a friend who was taking some college courses when she was finishing high school, and a TA/assistant professor for one of the courses paid her a lot of attention. He felt they really "connected" and I thought umm you're close to 30 years old and coming off as desperate (not to mention obnoxious when I spoke with him). I was a college student at the time and told her, I've interacted with professors and TAs on a daily basis and none of them put on the airs of importance that he does. When she turned 18, he strongly pursued her and she told me "He's getting older and he's alone and he wants a wife."  She wisely moved on with her life.