S05.E01: Forty: Part One/S05.E02: Forty: Part Two

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

In the two-hour premiere, the Pearsons gather to celebrate their 40th birthday while musing about the day they were born.

 

[LexieLily]

Randall's bio-mom is alive?!

Also, am I the only one that had the suspicion the majority of the episode that William had purposefully or maliciously given her the drug that (almost) killed her, or overdosed her? Especially when Bio-Mom of Randall (Laurel?) made William promise that he would give Baby Randall a family if she couldn't be the mother he deserved. That was soon after she didn't get the assistant manager job so they couldn't get the apartment with the window.

Edited October 28, 2020 by LexieLily

[chitowngirl]

I love this show-welcome back!! The narrative for this season had to change, but the outline also had to stay the same. I think there was a great balance between the two.  That’s not going to be easy for shows to do this season.
 

Nice twist at the end...I love it!!!

[Armchair Critic]

#Kevison...who knew I would ship them?

oh boy, here we go again....Randall’s mother is alive.

[anna0852]

I am somehow not shocked at all by that ending.

I hope the big 3 find their way back to each other, I really do. They all have so much joy in their lives but it's so fractured at the same time.

[PRgal]

Last scene:  whoa. 

[CleoCaesar]

Aaaand we’re back.

Who I was glad to see: Kevin, Tess and Annie, Beth, even Toby a little

Who I wasn’t glad to see: Young St. William (holy hell let it go), Malik, Randall, young Jack and Rebecca (holy hell let it goOOO)

Randall is still a sanctimonious prick. Good to know some things never change. How do people stand him? Seriously. He’s just unbearable. I have literally no sympathy for him. Are we in for a fifth season of him being coddled by everyone in nauseating monologues?

 

 

 

 

[Laurie4H]

Too many monologues and a little to political in my opinion.

Does Kate work?  Adoption is expensive.  How do they have money?  

Edited October 28, 2020 by Laurie4H

[mtlchick]

"Hanks has the corona."  Oddly enough, that was the turning point for me that this virus became real.  

There's a lot to absorb over 2 hours which I'll have to rewatch but of course Randall wants a year with no surprises.

Only to find out his birth mother is potentially still alive.

Oh show.  Your premiere plot twists never fail in making me say "OH SHIT."

Happy to be back, kids! 

[nexxie]

So happy this show is back - always poignant, but even more so during this difficult, historic year.

[ShortyMac]

1 minute ago, Laurie4H said:

Too many monologues and a little to political in my opinion.

Does Kate work?  Adoption is expensive.  How do they money?  

Toby works in IT.

Holy crap, Laurel might still be alive!

[Spartan Girl]

Well, up until that big fucking twist, this was heavier than usual. In a good way. But I think we all needed that bit with Beth: we fight on.

Also, I think this season might get me to like Randall again. He's finally starting to address his issues.

[ams1001]

They just threw everything from the last 8 months into the first 15 minutes, didn't they?

So Randall was actually born the day before?

I guess baby wasn't allowed on set since little Jack was always "sleeping."

 

 

[BuckeyeLou]

Wow!  I did not see That twist coming at the end!  Kleenex for me!  Some really intense scenes, I think Mandy Moore is So Terrific as Older Rebecca...she broke my heart when she got lost & did not know where she was, and then her & Miguel hugging & he gave her the seeds for a new tree: Kleenex again!  And more Kleenex when Randall & Kate had their Heart to Heart about how Randall felt growing up in a White Household..he was really blunt & honest, but poor Kate felt terrible & I am surprised that Jack or Rebecca did not talk to Randall about his situation.  Kevin & Madison are cute together...I think I am OK with that.  

[Sheggy50G]

As always, Kevin has to make the first attempt at reconciliation. Why? Because no one can be as hurt or as wronged as Randall. I'm over his self-righteous self...truly. He was the most unbearable part of the show. Also, can Daija grow up and move out? I'm not a fan.

 

[Blakeston]

I called the "Randall's mother is still alive" thing a while back - because they cut away from William telling Randall about what she was like - but that doesn't mean I'm not incredibly irritated by it. They already did the "that person you thought was dead is still around" thing with Nicky.

Also, unless Kate and Toby are adopting a baby with severe health problems, I don't buy for a second that they'd be given a child so quickly.

Edited October 28, 2020 by Blakeston

[PepSinger]

Oof. I'm relieved that I like Randall again. 

Randall and Kate's scene outside of the cabin ripped my heart out. I had to cry. I've had that conversation too many times this summer. That is one of the best scenes I've seen on TV in a while.

Also, Randall and Beth's end scene killed me. "I'm not having a breakdown; I'm just sad." Oh, Randall. That's how I've felt since March. In fact, my birthday was last month, the big 3-0, and I had the same reaction to my birthday as Randall did. I felt I had to fake it, but I was Randall all on the inside. I felt seen. This is us, indeed. 

[Enigma X]

I am glad the show is back.

It hurts me so much that the Big Three are still emotionally strained, however; I am very glad that if 'Rona was going to work its way into the storyline that they are not glossing over the other major event of 2020 (the protests), especially since it affects all of them directly. I am also glad that Randall's birthmother is alive but hope the writers write that story well.

Edited October 28, 2020 by Enigma X

[RedDelicious]

Not at all what I was expecting. I was so looking forward to this premiere and the diversion and now I’m just depressed and disappointed. I didn’t need to be reminded of how much the last 8-10 months have been terrible. If this is how it’s going to be, I’ll find something else.

[wonderwoman]

5 minutes ago, CleoCaesar said:

Who I wasn’t glad to see: Young St. William (holy hell let it go), Malik, Randall, young Jack and Rebecca (holy hell let it goOOO)

yes, please —pretty please — let it go!

[CSunshine76]

That ending was some bullshit. Has this show jumped the shark? I mean come on.

[ShortyMac]

Just now, CSunshine76 said:

That ending was some bullshit. Has this show jumped the shark? I mean come on.

I don't need to see Randall find Laurel, we did it with William.

[Pop Tart]

Did we really need flashbacks to the days they were born. Again? So tired of Randall and all his pain. How many years now has he been processing his birth? And all that time he spent with William and never asked when he was born? Or looked for records about his birth mom’s death? 

First hour went pretty quickly but second just dragged.

And of course Randall was the one who realized about Rebecca’s medication.

[ams1001]

3 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

Also, Randall and Beth's end scene killed me. "I'm not having a breakdown; I'm just sad." Oh, Randall. That's how I've felt since March. In fact, my birthday was last month, the big 3-0, and I had the same reaction to my birthday as Randall did. I felt I had to fake it, but I was Randall all on the inside. I felt seen. This is us, indeed. 

Yeah, I turned 45 on October 1st and I was glad to be working from home that day because it meant I didn't have to see anyone and pretend to be excited. (Thankfully birthdays tend to be pretty low-key in my family, anyway. We celebrated with dinner at my parents' that weekend.)

2 minutes ago, CSunshine76 said:

That ending was some bullshit. Has this show jumped the shark? I mean come on.

Yeah, not sure how I feel about that one. Just feels like a little too much.

[mariah23]

4 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

I called the "Randall's mother is still alive" thing a while back - because they cut away from William telling Randall about what she was like - but that doesn't mean I'm not incredibly irritated by it. They already did the "that person you thought was dead is still around" thing with Nicky.

Also, unless Kate and Toby are adopting a baby with severe health problems, I don't buy for a second that they'd be given a child so quickly.

It happened to one of my cousins.  He and his wife were matched three weeks after they turned the paperwork in.

[ams1001]

Just now, Pop Tart said:

And of course Randall was the one who realized about Rebecca’s medication.

Of course. And instead of just telling Miguel in the first place he has to start with "I need to talk to the doctor."

[bybrandy]

Line of the night was Randall saying of course he knew who Maddison was she was the only friend in the whole family!

[Bulldog]

So, we're supposed to believe that super rich movie star Kevin Pearson uses Pert (not even Pert Plus!) shampoo and not some fancy salon product?  

[MissL]

So Randall’s answer to his family never talking about what it felt like for him is to shut them out completely and not talk about it? Is he punishing them? That’s growth? 
 

And they totally made up for “limited commercial Interruptions” in that first hour in the second hour huh?

[LexieLily]

3 minutes ago, bybrandy said:

Line of the night was Randall saying of course he knew who Maddison was she was the only friend in the whole family!

Kate took the idea of her twin brother one-night-standing-and-knocking-up her best/only friend remarkably well, speaking of Madison. 

[RedDelicious]

2 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

So, we're supposed to believe that super rich movie star Kevin Pearson uses Pert (not even Pert Plus!) shampoo and not some fancy salon product?  

I think that was supposed to be an old bottle from when they were kids - it was the family cabin. We still have a couple things like that in ours ☺️

[topanga]

14 minutes ago, CleoCaesar said:

Aaaand we’re back.

Who I was glad to see: Kevin, Tess and Annie, Beth, even Toby a little

Who I wasn’t glad to see: Young St. William (holy hell let it go), Malik, Randall, young Jack and Rebecca (holy hell let it goOOO)

Randall is still a sanctimonious prick. Good to know some things never change. How do people stand him? Seriously. He’s just unbearable. I have literally no sympathy for him. Are we in for a fifth season of him being coddled by everyone in nauseating monologues?

 

 

 

 

I agree with your entire post—but I did get on his side when he had the conversation with Kate about the fact that he’s been dealing with race and racism his entire life—but no one in his family ever talked about it. 
 

7 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

Did we really need flashbacks to the days they were born. Again? So tired of Randall and all his pain. How many years now has he been processing his birth? And all that time he spent with William and never asked when he was born? Or looked for records about his birth mom’s death? 

Agreed. Randall never researched his mother?

[ams1001]

1 minute ago, LexieLily said:

Kate took the idea of her twin brother one-night-standing-and-knocking-up her best/only friend remarkably well, speaking of Madison. 

I was all set to be annoyed when I saw that clip in a preview because I was totally expecting her to make it all about herself somehow.

[gonzosgirrl]

Now that St. Randall saved Rebecca he will be even more insufferable. Blech. 

I'd watch an episode with just the outsiders, Toby, Miguel and Beth.

And I know I'm a sap, but I love Jack and Rebecca flashbacks. 

[Pop Tart]

4 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

So, we're supposed to believe that super rich movie star Kevin Pearson uses Pert (not even Pert Plus!) shampoo and not some fancy salon product?  

I thought that was the shampoo in the cabin’s bathroom so it was his mom’s?

Oh and was that a different actress playing Madison?

[bybrandy]

With Rndall's mom being in so much pain post birth I thought the twist was going to be another twin.   

I liked the scene with Kate and Randall.  I'm glad Randall was able to express that he's been alone with this his whole life and Kate was in a place of privilege that didn't have to see it.   Because yes.   But I wish when he was like, "in the past I I would have tried to make it okay for you" I wish Kate would have said that it was okay if she hurt too sometimes so long as they were communicating.   They don't have to stop having tough conversations avoiding the tough conversations in the first place was a problem.

I found Miguel leading the charge to save One Day at a Time both awesome and I wondered if the people who actually lead that charge were like step off Miggie, this was our win.

[Madding crowd]

I knew Randall’s mother would be still alive but I feel that’s going to further divide the family where we have one show with Randall and his family and another with Kate and Kevin. And it looks like Toby and Kate were potentially selected by a birth mother and that happens.

I don’t know what I thought overall except I’m in the middle of a big family argument and seeing the Pearson’s so fractured made me sad. Have to settle with this for a bit.

[t7686]

I totally get Randall’s, “I just feel sad.” I hope he connects with his family again but I get the just wanting to pull away for a bit and just ... check out a little. I think he’s tired of thinking, caring etc. starting to like him again, I actually liked all three this episode and I liked seeing young William and Jack. Good stuff. I saw it coming and don’t really like that Laurel could be alive (I thought it was good writing to have something he just wouldn’t know about because that’s life unfortunately) but I’m willing to see where it goes. 

[Bulldog]

2 minutes ago, MissL said:

So Randall’s answer to his family never talking about what it felt like for him is to shut them out completely and not talk about it? Is he punishing them? That’s growth? 

I know they are trying to be topical, but they have seriously had four seasons of race conversations on this show.  So, this "race was never talked about" storyline doesn't seem to be rooted in what we've seen on screen.  In fairness, the race discussions did usually involve Jack and Rebecca and not Kate and Kevin. 

3 minutes ago, topanga said:

Agreed. Randall never researched his mother?

He was too busy memorizing drug interactions. 

5 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Kate took the idea of her twin brother one-night-standing-and-knocking-up her best/only friend remarkably well, speaking of Madison. 

I was shocked, SHOCKED, at how well Kate handled it.  

 

10 minutes ago, bybrandy said:

Line of the night was Randall saying of course he knew who Maddison was she was the only friend in the whole family!

My opinion of Madison immediately shot up when she wasn't aware of Grey's Anatomy.  If only we were all so lucky. 

 

24 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

"Hanks has the corona." 

[ams1001]

Jack's promise to never have a mustache/goatee. 😆

[Toonces464]

At first I was put off by them bringing the pandemic in so fully.....after all, there was no pandemic in the finale last season when we first saw a lot of those scenes.....but I quickly came to appreciate it and it made me remember how much we've all been through in these past six horrible months and how we got to where we are. 

So glad the show is back!

 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

32 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

So Randall was actually born the day before?

I wonder why he didn't ask William what his actual birthdate was.

[txhorns79]

5 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

I know they are trying to be topical, but they have seriously had four seasons of race conversations on this show.  So, this "race was never talked about" storyline doesn't seem to be rooted in what we've seen on screen.  In fairness, the race discussions did usually involve Jack and Rebecca and not Kate and Kevin. 

I was thinking this as well.  They made a big deal of the black families that came into Randall's life when he was young, and explored how racial issues were dealt with by both he and his parents.  Do I honestly believe a teenage Randall hid his feelings concerning the Gammage shooting from his family?  No. 

As for Laurel, if she is still alive, I'd advise her to seriously consider suicide because the last thing any person needs is to become a Pearson family member project.    

[ItCouldBeWorse]

27 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

And all that time he spent with William and never asked when he was born? Or looked for records about his birth mom’s death? 

 

[KaveDweller]

I am kind of annoyed they are going there with Randall's birth mom being alive. It just feels like contrived drama when there is so much already going on. Also, Randall is not the only character on the show.

And I am too lazy to go back and rewatch the pilot, but I swear when Randall met William he referred to his PI tracking down that his birth mother must have been a woman who died from a drug overdose the day he was left at the fire station.  So there were actual records of a dead woman, it wasn't just WiIlliam's word. I guess I should reserve judgement until they explain it, but it still feels like a retcon.

I felt nothing in that scene where Jack was praying. I guess because we already know Rebecca doesn't die giving birth and have seen that scene a million times already. It just felt boring to me.

Other than that I really liked it, and it was so good to see new stuff on TV. The COVID stuff felt pretty natural, I liked Kevin/Madison, and that Toby/Miguel scene was great.

[Bulldog]

On another forum, folks are pointing out that during Rebecca's "lost" episode, nobody - not the people in the park, the restaurant, or the police -- were masked or socially distancing.  Now, of course, I understand the logistics being that last season was shot prior to the pandemic and this season wasn't.  But, yeah.   

[Runningwild]

They should just change the name of the show to This Is Randall. Ugh. 
 

I like Kevin, Madison, Toby and Miguel. The others are just too annoying. Oh poor, poor Randall. Could have been raised by drug addicts in a tenement but instead was raised by a loving family who seemed to have enough money and a mother who seemed more interested in the baby she adopted than her two surviving children, went to private school, went to college and has lots of money. He’s so oppressed. 

[phalange]

Holy crap, that ending. As soon as Randall told Beth he wanted a year with no surprises, I knew there was going to be something.

That conversation with Randall and Kate needed to happen, because he's right that he shouldn't have to pretend like everything is fine to make his white family members comfortable. He even started to say "I'm fine" when he called his therapist and it's good he'll be finding another therapist he can be more open with. I liked his conversation with Malik too, and that they check up on each other. He and Kevin still need to have a serious talk, though, and I understand his annoyance that Kevin was basically asking for advice without making any attempt at an apology.

I'm glad nothing happened to Kevin and Madison's twins; I was worried there for a moment, even though I know we saw them in the flash-forward, simply because you never know with this show. LOL at Kevin's Grey's Anatomy reference and also at Randall saying of course he remembers Madison because she's the only friend anyone in the family has. Toby's reaction to the news at the very beginning was also hilarious.

The scene with Randall and Rebecca was hard to watch, especially when she asked a second time about Beth and the girls because she didn't remember that she already asked. 

Jack and William unknowingly passing each other twice in the hospital also got me. I guess Randall was technically born the day before? It wasn't totally clear. 

[RedDelicious]

Plot twist, Laurel is rescued, begins recovery in rehab and is Randall’s future therapist.

[MissL]

1 minute ago, Bulldog said:

On another forum, folks are pointing out that during Rebecca's "lost" episode, nobody - not the people in the park, the restaurant, or the police -- were masked or socially distancing.  Now, of course, I understand the logistics being that last season was shot prior to the pandemic and this season wasn't.  But, yeah.   

Yeah I noticed that but decided I’d need to let that go. It’s also jarring that Randall goes to sit by her on the bed and they Both talk about how “safe” they are and I’m thinking... she just ate INSIDE a restaurant and walked around a grocery store without a mask.... she’s not safe now. Giving them a pass though.