S05.E04: Honestly

[PRgal]

16 minutes ago, memememe76 said:

With Covid and me not wanting to go to the gym, I will run near my workplace and change in my office. I don’t dance around, however. 
 

I also like the casual Asian representation on the show. The grandfather and granddaughter, Jae-Won, and the actress who played Mulan on Once Upon a Time playing Kevin’s costar. 

Yeah.  Asians doing normal things.  So unlike the children’s books I’ve been buying for my son, which are almost all about holidays.  I get them and tell him that’s not what we do in our household.  And that’s okay.  

[buttersister]

Quote

The director should have told Kevin what he was looking for.  You know, direct.

Almost as annoying as sending the basket and the "atta boy" note. Hey, Foster, or JMF, or asshat, thanks for putting the big ! on Kevin's backstory. Aw, Show. At least you triggered something good for Kev.

His non-directing style reminded me of a NYC commercial director who, years ago, had a stable of actors (many were/went on to be TV character actors). His direction? Act betta!

 

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

In the flashbacks, it seemed like the opposite to me - that we saw Randall becoming aware of Kevin struggling (with studying/memorizing).

IIRC we've seen Randall teasing Kevin about his grades before but I have no idea where in flashback-time that was. 

When Randall told Kevin that he needed to be the best in his school, Kevin glanced at him in a way that made it clear to me that he knew what Randall had left unsaid. YMMV.

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, memememe76 said:

the actress who played Mulan on Once Upon a Time playing Kevin’s costar. 

Ha, to me she is Jamie from The Real World. (I didn't watch Once Upon a Time but she just had a role on Lovecraft Country that I did watch.)

[bichonblitz]

Did they even have over the counter ovulation tests 25 yrs ago? 

I continue to love Kevin this season. His convo with Kate while they were in their cars was so real. Wrong or right, Kevin always felt the parents favored Randall. I can see how a sibling would feel that way.

Kate's face while listening to the Chloe story was amazing. 

Beth making fun of Randall's dancing as he walked through the door and his reaction was funny. 

Toby with the melting baby observations. 

These actors are killing it this season and I usually don't like any of the Pearsons!

Malik, though. He can leave any time. His baby daddy story has no place on this show.  

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by bichonblitz

[gonzosgirrl]

57 minutes ago, buttersister said:

Almost as annoying as sending the basket and the "atta boy" note. Hey, Foster, or JMF, or asshat, thanks for putting the big ! on Kevin's backstory. Aw, Show. At least you triggered something good for Kev.

His non-directing style reminded me of a NYC commercial director who, years ago, had a stable of actors (many were/went on to be TV character actors). His direction? Act betta!

 

It still seems like there was something personal about his attitude toward Kevin, when he was so OTT effusive over the female actor. In the last episode Kevin said something like he had the part pending a good meeting with the director, and then the director made a point about saying how he insisted on having this female lead - wouldn't have done it without her, in fact. So maybe Kevin was foisted on him? I'm just not buying the whole 'trying to make you a great actor' thing. Repeating a mundane line like 'Why do you think they called me?' over and over does not require 'greatness' IMO, if that was the point he was trying to make.

(I think that's what the line was anyway)

[JudyObscure]

I had to FF through the baby crying.  The "let them cry it out" thing always seemed cruel to me.  Just how is baby Kevin going to learn to "self-sooth?"  Read?  Watch nature shows?  Count sheep?  All the baby is going to learn is that life sucks and nobody cares.

Now, Malik, on the other hand,  must have had way too much coddling, because he can screw up big time and yet clearly expect instant forgiveness plus a job offer, after a quick, "I have a child and I had to get up early" story.  

[hookedontv]

Kevin has always been my favorite character since the beginning and he's just killing it this season. There's been a lot of good material written for him. 

[Neurochick]

1 hour ago, bichonblitz said:

Wrong or right, Kevin always felt the parents favored Randall.

That's why I always felt Kevin was spoiled and entitled.  Kevin became famous as a "good" actor.  But a black man has to be more than just good.

 

28 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

Now, Malik, on the other hand,  must have had way too much coddling, because he can screw up big time and yet clearly expect instant forgiveness plus a job offer, after a quick, "I have a child and I had to get up early" story.  

He did screw up big time.  I think Randall understood that many young white men screw up big time and get second and third chances, yet when a young black man screws up it's "Get the fuck out of here NOW."  

[chocolatine]

26 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I had to FF through the baby crying.  The "let them cry it out" thing always seemed cruel to me.  Just how is baby Kevin going to learn to "self-sooth?"  Read?  Watch nature shows?  Count sheep?

Apparently that's exactly what he learned to do, with the help of a sheep mobile. And then Rebecca heartlessly threw it out when the Big Three transitioned to big kid beds. There was a flashback about it last season.

Joking aside, I also felt terrible about the crying baby. I have a much younger brother, and when he was 3-4 months old and still not sleeping through the night, my parents also wanted to let him cry it out. But my bedroom was right next to his, and when I heard him cry I always went to pick him up. I got into all kinds of trouble for that, but little brother learned to sleep eventually without the barbaric practices.

[Liefiestew]

16 hours ago, bettername2come said:

I think the only complaint I've had about casting is that I'm pretty sure Kid Kate is taller than Teen Kate. 

I did not call the pregnancy. And I immediately assumed this ep that she had an abortion, because of her conversation with the baby's mother, and that would make sense with her insistence on getting pregnant with Baby Jack, but now I'm wondering if she didn't tell anyone that she did have a baby and gave it up for adoption because in a family that has adopted, they wouldn't think that was the right choice for her because she would have support or they'd be upset that she gave away a child that had "a piece of Dad" as she called it in season 3. And it'd be totally in this show's wheelhouse to have a secret Pearson out there.

I can't wait for the viral video to pick up that the stripping city councilman is the brother of movie star Kevin Pearson. 

That Foster guy seems like a jerk. Genuinely don't know what to think of the "atta boy" basket. I did like Kevin making a connection to the material when he asked Kate "Honestly?" and didn't realize until this thread opened that it was the name of the episode. 

 

The ovulation test she used - and the box WAS an OVULATION test, not a pregnancy test - also had the brand name “Honestly”. 

[marceline]

I liked this episode. I felt like it was kind of perfectly balanced and if we have to wait for more then it was a good one to end on.

I kind of love the idea of Randall's video going viral. It makes perfect sense in the age of COVID. Goodness knows I keep crawling social media for feel good vids. I'm just sorry we didn't get to see Kevin discover that video. Randall is The Manny's brother. There's no way the entertainment press lets that connection go. And yes, the fact that it didn't trigger his anxiety is a real victory.

The stuff with Kate and Ellie was nice. Character development without over-the-top drama. I'm going to wait to see what comes of Kate's pregnancy. I'm tentatively guessing miscarriage perhaps one caused by Mark on purpose.

I like how the fight between Randall and Kevin is still just sitting there. The way family blowups do.

I had to pause the show to laugh when Annie asked to see the video of Randall's livestream and Beth says, "Annie, baby, there are some things you just can't unsee!"

[geauxaway]

21 minutes ago, marceline said:

I'm just sorry we didn't get to see Kevin discover that video.

I thought it was going to be Kevin, not Asian grandpa, watching at the end.

[gonzosgirrl]

4 minutes ago, geauxaway said:

I thought it was going to be Kevin, not Asian grandpa, watching at the end.

I wonder how Kate and Kevin feel about him telling the entire world how he upended his entire life and the lives of his family to honor his birth father and made no mention of the man who actually raised him to be the man he is.

[himela]

Kate had an abortion at 18? This was the huge thing she couldn't even tell her husband 20 years later? Who HASN'T had an abortion at 18? 😛

[himela]

Well at least Randall didn't have SEX on camera like this guy here:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12425569/couple-caught-sex-zoom-call/

[athousandclowns]

I don’t recall ever seeing a kit like that but then I hadn’t been looking for anything in that department for a century. I’m so old when I wanted to get pregnant I went to a Catholic Supply Book store and bought a book on how to know when you were ovulating (calendar ) and tacking that on our bedroom wall.  So when these kits existed perhaps pregnancy tests didn’t by themselves? 
somehow.  I know plenty of girls women have done that but her character doesn’t seem to fit that for me. 
I couldn’t figure out why the director was fawning all over her acting and being a jerk to him, because he can? Yeah it turned out well but I felt that perhaps it was an audition because he was so pissy with him.

i have a tendency to play a word puzzle or read here while watching on DVR so I do not understand  grandpa at all.  Or maybe I watched in bed previously and fell asleep when there was  clearer the connection?  

[mommalib]

7 hours ago, Jeddah said:

Kevin never said he wished Randall didn’t exist. What he said was awful, but it wasn’t that.

Rebecca admitted she gave Randall more attention, and had an easier time raising him. In season one Kevin nearly drowned because his parents were paying attention to his siblings and not him. The show has established that Rebecca favored Randall and Jack favored Kate. Kevin’s not imagining that.

I was paraphrasing but that's pretty much what he was saying. Kevin needs to grow up and stop holding on to petty childhood resentments. So he didn't have 100 percent of his parents attention but as he has said out of his own mouth he had great parents and he was very loved and cared for. Why don't he put himself in Randall's shoes being adopted, not knowing much of anything about where and who you come from, being black surrounded by white people at home and at school, or just being black period. Not to mention Randall's anxiety which is a mental/emotional clinical issue, what's Kevin's excuse?

Edited November 18, 2020 by mommalib

[ams1001]

23 minutes ago, athousandclowns said:

i have a tendency to play a word puzzle or read here while watching on DVR so I do not understand  grandpa at all.  Or maybe I watched in bed previously and fell asleep when there was  clearer the connection?  

I assume you mean the Vietnamese guy...no, all we know is he is somehow connected to Laurel. And he saw Randall's live stream. Though I guess that at least confirms that he is in the current timeline (though he may or may not actually be in the Philly area).

[mommalib]

2 hours ago, Neurochick said:

That's why I always felt Kevin was spoiled and entitled.  Kevin became famous as a "good" actor.  But a black man has to be more than just good.

 

He did screw up big time.  I think Randall understood that many young white men screw up big time and get second and third chances, yet when a young black man screws up it's "Get the fuck out of here NOW."  

Exactly the systemic rules are always different for "certain" people.

[nexxie]

Two thoughts about the full-of-himself what’s-his-name director: he may have been encouraging an up-and-coming actress; and he may have wanted to get into her pants asap.

[txhorns79]

42 minutes ago, mommalib said:

Not to mention Randall's anxiety which is a mental/emotional clinical issue, what's Kevin's excuse?

Randall is also the same person who manipulated his mother into going into a study she had already made clear she did not want to participate in.  My only point being that Randall and Kevin both have their issues.  They both said nasty things to one another, and it's not a contest as to which one has it worse at a given time. 

[Ana88]

What a great episode finally. But WHAT, I can't get over we have to wait til January... And no Thanksgiving episode... This really was one of the best things about 2020 right now, the show coming back and now this.. Ugh! 

Anyways, so this episode contains my favorite part of this show. The flashbacks leading to understanding the actors and their behaviors today. Just love love love, I just find it SO interesting! Also I just love Jack and Rebecca, they just make the best couple and I think tonight's struggle is one that a LOT of moms and dads deal with and find themselves relating to. Heck, I don't even have kids (yet) but I could see myself in that situation so easily. 

My other favorite part about this show is Kevin. I don't know if it's simply because I relate to him the most or Justin's acting but I just can't get enough. Especially (pre)teen Kevin really fascinates me. He is so raw somehow and I just love to follow along and to discover how he became how he is today. It was really heartwarming to see how Randall ended up helping him in this episode and how overhearing his dad pushed him to do better. It's really so interesting how even these things said when you think people can't hear you can affect their lives this much. Always gotta be careful of your words esp around kids. The acting scene was really tough but I sensed such a huge wanting for approval from Kevin and the old jealousy towards Randall coming out with this girl the director loved easily. Honestly was hard to watch and Justin did an amazing job depicting the emotions with no words. I did tear up a big when he received the note in the end although he might still be a jerk. But Kevin really needed that. 

Randall's storylines lately have been hella boring. The only thing that was good about tonight was Beth's reaction to the video.. I literally lol'ed. She is probably the best part of Randall. 

Please no more Malik. 

I'm also kind of effy about Kate's adoption story. It's been done way too many times before and at this point I just don't even care or have any belief that it will work out. 

What I do care about, however, is teenage Kate and what went down with Mark. The pregnancy thing caught me off guard and I am a bit disappointed to be honest. So cliché.I hope it doesn't just end there. I feel like that Mark really was vile and I want to see the whole thing and how they all deal with it. 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Ana88

[Boo Boo]

So despite Jack's heroic efforts, Rebecca just can't stop trying to make her whiny little bitch baby a quitter!  I cannot stand Jack scenes, especially when they always seem to make Rebecca be a terrible mother -- from her wanting to comfort her baby, her supposed favoritism of  Randall, Kate's apparent jealousy of Rebecca for daring to be thin and pretty,  then there's Rebecca's hiding the father info from Randall.  Do writers hate women?  

Finally, a likeable scene with Randall.  My God what a body on him.

While I like the actor who plays Malik, I really hate when writers make the kid say things an adult would.  I really find it hard to believe a kid his age would talk about Michelin rated restaurants and a lot of the other things he says or the romantic things he does.  

The Kate and the birthmom story.  I do feel like they'll be heartbroken in the end and the mom will decide to keep the baby.  Then I bet Kate miraculously has a bio-baby miracle.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Boo Boo

[athousandclowns]

2 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I assume you mean the Vietnamese guy...no, all we know is he is somehow connected to Laurel. And he saw Randall's live stream. Though I guess that at least confirms that he is in the current timeline (though he may or may not actually be in the Philly area).

Yes sorry I did mean him. I checked out the cast list and his picture is pretty darn young for bring grandpa but look at what they do to Mandy Moore age wise.  Sometimes I have trouble with flashbacks so found it bewildering the infant crying then the boys are 14.  
I don’t know what theory is now now about picking up babies when they are crying but it was the start of the period of let them cry when I was birthing babies but I’m more the babies don’t cry for no reason mom.  
I second the dismay that we have to wait for January to this puzzle come together. 

[Bulldog]

As for the jerk director, I thought Kevin had already achieved a level of "prestige" as an actor.  I know he got his start on The Manny, but didn't the war movie he filmed with M. Night Shymalan (sp?) elevate his status.  Wasn't there supposedly award discussions?  Wasn't it the premiere of that movie that he took Rebecca to that led to the big fight between him and Randall at the end of last season? I was thinking he was at a point in his career where he could more or less pick and choose his projects.  Unless this director was supposed to be on the level of Scorsese or Tarantino, I would have walked out in Kevin's place.  And is this supposed to be the movie where he was to play the lawyer (Glass Eye)?  If so, I was half expecting the director to ask Kevin if he had slacked off on his workouts. 

As for the Ellie storyline, it seems so obvious that Ellie is going to change her mind and pull the rug out from under Kate and Toby, that I actually think it would be a more surprising story if she went thru with the adoption and everything was smooth sailing. 

I did like Randall's acknowledgement that those watching his livestream would take bets on whether he cried or not.  And kudos for him taking the shirtless broadcast in stride.  Maybe his new therapist really is helping him.  No way old Randall would not have obsessed over that for years. 

[buttersister]

Quote

It still seems like there was something personal about his attitude toward Kevin, when he was so OTT effusive over the female actor.

Maybe, although the basket makes it look like he regretted being an ass. Also, how does that work in the face of his "wanna be good or great" question? Either Kevin unknowingly did something to him in the past (with his girlfriend?) or the whole thing was a giant plot device. Hmm?

[memememe76]

I liken Kevin's movie career to someone like Ryan Reynolds. A popular and well liked and obviously talented actor, but how would a director of a stature like Paul Thomas Anderson or Damien Chazelle view Reynolds? 

 

ETA: Not suggesting PTA or DC or anything like the director depicted on the show. Have no clue, they could be sweethearts. Just in terms of prestige.

Edited November 19, 2020 by memememe76

[marceline]

3 hours ago, mommalib said:

I was paraphrasing but that's pretty much what he was saying. 

 

1 hour ago, Jeddah said:

It’s not paraphrasing to change the meaning of what was said. 

Nobody needs to paraphrase or change anything because we saw it.

Kevin: “Hand to god, Randall, the worst thing that ever happened to me is the day they brought you home.”

Before that came Randall telling Kevin that "He died ashamed of you." "He" being Jack.

They both sank to horrible lows and went for the jugular. They both went nuclear. The irony is that they have been having this same fight since season 1 which makes it a perfect example of sibling rivalry. It's the same fight over and over again forever.

 

[CrystalBlue]

10 hours ago, Jillybean said:

I totally get not having babies on set, but they don't even mention him, at least not in the past couple of episodes. Toby and Kate are out and about and it's like Baby Jack doesn't exist.

They mentioned Baby Jack in the previous episode meeting up with Ellie in the park and having their squabble over who bought/didn't buy the diapers for their baby.

[CrystalBlue]

7 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

Did they even have over the counter ovulation tests 25 yrs ago? 

I continue to love Kevin this season. His convo with Kate while they were in their cars was so real. Wrong or right, Kevin always felt the parents favored Randall. I can see how a sibling would feel that way.

Kate's face while listening to the Chloe story was amazing. 

Beth making fun of Randall's dancing as he walked through the door and his reaction was funny. 

Toby with the melting baby observations. 

These actors are killing it this season and I usually don't like any of the Pearsons!

Malik, though. He can leave any time. His baby daddy story has no place on this show.  

 

Clearblue came out with them in 1989.

[CrystalBlue]

7 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

It still seems like there was something personal about his attitude toward Kevin, when he was so OTT effusive over the female actor. In the last episode Kevin said something like he had the part pending a good meeting with the director, and then the director made a point about saying how he insisted on having this female lead - wouldn't have done it without her, in fact. So maybe Kevin was foisted on him? I'm just not buying the whole 'trying to make you a great actor' thing. Repeating a mundane line like 'Why do you think they called me?' over and over does not require 'greatness' IMO, if that was the point he was trying to make.

(I think that's what the line was anyway)

I got this impression too.  Foster was rude and not warm and welcoming to Kevin when they first met.  I don't know if the Atta Boy Basket was an olive branch offered or backhanded insult flung at Kevin.

[CrystalBlue]

6 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Apparently that's exactly what he learned to do, with the help of a sheep mobile. And then Rebecca heartlessly threw it out when the Big Three transitioned to big kid beds. There was a flashback about it last season.

Joking aside, I also felt terrible about the crying baby. I have a much younger brother, and when he was 3-4 months old and still not sleeping through the night, my parents also wanted to let him cry it out. But my bedroom was right next to his, and when I heard him cry I always went to pick him up. I got into all kinds of trouble for that, but little brother learned to sleep eventually without the barbaric practices.

For the first paragraph: Laugh Like.

For the second paragraph:  Sad Face Like?

[CrystalBlue]

4 hours ago, nexxie said:

Two thoughts about the full-of-himself what’s-his-name director: he may have been encouraging an up-and-coming actress; and he may have wanted to get into her pants asap.

But that doesn't happen in Hollywood!  Said no one ever.

[mommalib]

3 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

Randall is also the same person who manipulated his mother into going into a study she had already made clear she did not want to participate in.  My only point being that Randall and Kevin both have their issues.  They both said nasty things to one another, and it's not a contest as to which one has it worse at a given time. 

I don't make excuses for Randall or over look when he's wrong so I don't know why you responded like that. Kevin is the one with the jealousy and resentment issues and that's what I was responding too.

[CarpeFelis]

7 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

It still seems like there was something personal about his attitude toward Kevin, when he was so OTT effusive over the female actor. In the last episode Kevin said something like he had the part pending a good meeting with the director, and then the director made a point about saying how he insisted on having this female lead - wouldn't have done it without her, in fact. So maybe Kevin was foisted on him? I'm just not buying the whole 'trying to make you a great actor' thing. Repeating a mundane line like 'Why do you think they called me?' over and over does not require 'greatness' IMO, if that was the point he was trying to make.

(I think that's what the line was anyway)

That director was being such a jerk! There was nothing wrong with Kevin’s acting in the scene they were rehearsing, and to just keep making him do it over and over and not give any clue what he wanted—even when Kevin asked him to—came across as deliberate nastiness. Add to that his behavior when he came in, being so effusive over the actress and treating Kevin like he was basically invisible, and it made me think he either has a thing for the actress or really dislikes Kevin.

Back in the dark ages when I was in my 20s, I remember being really annoyed that a lot of guys that age (not all of them, but definitely enough to spot a pattern) would pay laser-focus attention to some woman they had the hots for, and everyone else in the room might as well have been invisible. If they weren’t trying to get into your pants, you didn’t exist as far as they were concerned. That was just how this guy came across.

[Jax7917]

The whole episode I kept thinking , “but the director was being an asshole and it wasn’t Kevin’s fault . “ He kept stopping Kevin every time he read the line but refused to direct him on what to do . How was he supposed to know what to change ? I thought it was a bad example of making Kevin out to be the guy who doesn’t put enough effort in but expects praises . He was genuinely curious what the director wanted from him , and you know .. kinda the guys job to share it with the actor . 

[sara416]

13 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Best episode of the season so far. And given how difficult post production must be during pandemic time I appreciate the efforts of the team. 

Randall had a great episode, I loved all his scenes. Him bonding with Malik over Deja's plight was golden. And Annie got some lines!

 

 

I love the dynamic between Malik and Deja. Their scenes last time were also golden. Those two have a great rapport and given that this is Randall's first time dealing with a child's relationship, I think he's doing a great job. 

[Alexander Pope]

4 hours ago, Boo Boo said:

So despite Jack's heroic efforts, Rebecca just can't stop trying to make her whiny little bitch baby a quitter!  I cannot stand Jack scenes, especially when they always seem to make Rebecca be a terrible mother -- from her wanting to comfort her baby, her supposed favoritism of  Randall, Kate's apparent jealousy of Rebecca for daring to be thin and pretty,  then there's Rebecca's hiding the father info from Randall.  Do writers hate women?  

Finally, a likeable scene with Randall.  My God what a body on him.

While I like the actor who plays Malik, I really hate when writers make the kid say things an adult would.  I really find it hard to believe a kid his age would talk about Michelin rated restaurants and a lot of the other things he says or the romantic things he does.  

The Kate and the birthmom story.  I do feel like they'll be heartbroken in the end and the mom will decide to keep the baby.  Then I bet Kate miraculously has a bio-baby miracle.  

 

 

 

 

 

The only thing I liked about Malik's speech is that he out-Randalled Randall! He lectured him and put him in his place.

[Natalie25]

10 hours ago, MissLucas said:

When Randall told Kevin that he needed to be the best in his school, Kevin glanced at him in a way that made it clear to me that he knew what Randall had left unsaid. YMMV.

I agree, and I think it stuck with him. I believe he brings it up during his phone conversation with Kate. He says something like "I know Randall had it tough being the only black kid at that school, but you can't say mom and dad didn't do their best."

[Crs97]

If I were Rebecca and Jack blocked the door to prevent me from getting to my crying son, the cause of his death would not have been heart attack by way of faulty crockpot.

[Marley]

Another boring lame episode. This show is falling fast for me.

Oh what a shock they end it with some weird cliffhanger with that guy who I guess was with Randall’s mom.

Malik and his speech? Lol fuck off. What a joke.

Kate prob has a long lost kid out there. Shows never do abortions. Plus then they can bring in another Pearson. Bleh. I don’t know how they would do it so no one knew but hey Randall’s mom came back from the dead so this show doesn’t care.

[willco]

10 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I had to FF through the baby crying.  The "let them cry it out" thing always seemed cruel to me.  Just how is baby Kevin going to learn to "self-sooth?"  Read?  Watch nature shows?  Count sheep?  All the baby is going to learn is that life sucks and nobody cares.

Now, Malik, on the other hand,  must have had way too much coddling, because he can screw up big time and yet clearly expect instant forgiveness plus a job offer, after a quick, "I have a child and I had to get up early" story.  

I don't know. I do agree that it seems cruel to let the kid cry & cry, but my sister did that with my nephew ( this was back in the 80's ). I was staying with her for a while while I was at a new job, the nephew was around 1 - 1 1/2 then. I mean, it would go on for ( what seemed like ) hours. But now he's probably one of the most level-headed, responsible guys one could ask for ! So maybe it works ?

 

On the other hand, I can see myself in Malik's actions. When I was that age, I'd always have all kind of excuses when I messed up, especially at a job. I started working when I was 9 and worked clear thru high school. It wasn't until my job when I was a senior, so 17-18, that I started seeing that adults just wanted a job done, not to hear all the excuses. Hopefully, it will be a lesson learned for him.

[txhorns79]

5 hours ago, Bulldog said:

 

As for the Ellie storyline, it seems so obvious that Ellie is going to change her mind and pull the rug out from under Kate and Toby, that I actually think it would be a more surprising story if she went thru with the adoption and everything was smooth sailing. 

I do feel like someone from the adoption agency would be serving as some kind of intermediary here.  They would be there, if for nothing else, than to try and help keep everyone's expectations in check.  Maybe that is not normally the case (I've never been involved in an adoption), but it feels like that is needed here. 

[Jeddah]

9 minutes ago, willco said:

On the other hand, I can see myself in Malik's actions. When I was that age, I'd always have all kind of excuses when I messed up, especially at a job. I started working when I was 9 and worked clear thru high school. It wasn't until my job when I was a senior, so 17-18, that I started seeing that adults just wanted a job done, not to hear all the excuses. Hopefully, it will be a lesson learned for him.

What bothered me about the scene was that it’s not his job. He didn’t work there. He was a kid shadowing for a school project. They should never have given him any amount of responsibility. If I left some kid to cover for me at my job and then he screwed up, that’s on me.

[Cathy Santoni]

On 11/17/2020 at 8:15 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I have no doubt that Malik is a great dad and works very hard, but he could have ironed a shirt and made his lunch at night, after the baby went to sleep.  (He could probably have made some of her food for the next day, too.)  No need to get up extra early in the morning.

Also, he could have let his phone go to voicemail when the stakes were so high for the ONE task he was asked to do. His mom was looking for a teether — it wasn’t exactly an emergency. Had that been an actual job, he would have been fired and then his daughter is worse off. Putting your kids first doesn’t mean you push everything else to the side the moment they need something. Have some common sense.

[chocolatine]

21 minutes ago, Jeddah said:

What bothered me about the scene was that it’s not his job. He didn’t work there. He was a kid shadowing for a school project. They should never have given him any amount of responsibility. If I left some kid to cover for me at my job and then he screwed up, that’s on me.

Technically Malik was covering for Jae-Won, not for Randall. Apparently it's Jae-Won's job to film the daily bulletin, but he had a scheduling conflict. Having said that, I don't understand why it was anyone's job to film Randall. It looked like he has the webcam already set up on his desk and connected to a laptop, so all he has to do is click on the record button at the beginning of the livestream, and then again at the end. Surely a CMU graduate and former Wall Street prodigy should be able to handle that much technology.

[SunnyBeBe]

It’s unfortunate, but, I didn’t enjoy this episode nearly as much as most here. What I got was more of annoying Jack, who is a know it all based on his opinion that his dysfunctional dad was brilliant. Not.  I’ve grown to dislike the actor because I dislike the character so much.  It’s hard to believe, like a lot of things on this show. 
 

I like Randall, but why did he derive so much joy from annoying Deja?  I don’t get it.  Glad, he’s upbeat otherwise.  And , the boy looks so childish....I can’t believe he is playing a teen father or a guy that Deja is attracted to.   He’s too immature for her, imo. 
 

I can’t believe bio mom had no issues with the morbid obesity of perspective mom...she’s 100% sure of Kate and Toby...just hard to swallow.  And lunching after the appointment? Where? Outside dining is still risky, especially for pregnant woman.  Bio mom is still hung up about a girl in school who claimed she had a blemish on her breast, so much so that she tells the long story to Kate....I struggled to follow or believe it. Still struggle to believe she doesn’t want a sibling for her only child. 
 

I’m sick of the silly game of Figure Out Who These Characters Are, as they show the older man in a picture when he’s younger with Randall’s mother. Instead of trying to show off how clever you are as a writer, just do it and stop with the mystery scenes, questionable implications, etc.  I already don’t believe this is a master plan from the beginning.  I think they throw a bunch of stuff out there to see what might work.   I don’t mind waiting until January. Lol 

Edited November 19, 2020 by SunnyBeBe

[PepSinger]

4 hours ago, CarpeFelis said:

12 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

It still seems like there was something personal about his attitude toward Kevin, when he was so OTT effusive over the female actor. In the last episode Kevin said something like he had the part pending a good meeting with the director, and then the director made a point about saying how he insisted on having this female lead - wouldn't have done it without her, in fact. So maybe Kevin was foisted on him? I'm just not buying the whole 'trying to make you a great actor' thing. Repeating a mundane line like 'Why do you think they called me?' over and over does not require 'greatness' IMO, if that was the point he was trying to make.

(I think that's what the line was anyway)

That director was being such a jerk! There was nothing wrong with Kevin’s acting in the scene they were rehearsing, and to just keep making him do it over and over and not give any clue what he wanted—even when Kevin asked him to—came across as deliberate nastiness. Add to that his behavior when he came in, being so effusive over the actress and treating Kevin like he was basically invisible, and it made me think he either has a thing for the actress or really dislikes Kevin.

And:

4 hours ago, Jaclyn88 said:

The whole episode I kept thinking , “but the director was being an asshole and it wasn’t Kevin’s fault . “ He kept stopping Kevin every time he read the line but refused to direct him on what to do . How was he supposed to know what to change ? I thought it was a bad example of making Kevin out to be the guy who doesn’t put enough effort in but expects praises . He was genuinely curious what the director wanted from him , and you know .. kinda the guys job to share it with the actor . 

I completely agree with these posts. As an actor and director myself, I found the director totally out of line. The actor's job is to be in the moment. An actor shouldn't have to watch themselves act; it's the director's job to be the outside eye and help the guide the actor in their performance. I hated that the show tried to tell us that Kevin wasn't working hard enough. It would've been one thing if the director had been asking Kevin questions such as, "What does your character want in this? What tactics are you going to use? What's your objective?" and Kevin had no answers. That's basic homework any actor should be doing, so I would've understood the director's annoyance in that case. However, that's not what we saw.

[CarpeFelis]

The director also came across as a patronizing asshole when he asked Kevin if he expected an “Attaboy”, especially after the way he fawned over Ava.