S05.E14: The Music and the Mirror

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Beth navigates her career path; Kate and Toby face unexpected issues; a run-in with someone from his past gives Kevin pause.

Promo:

Original air date: 5/11/21

[mtlchick]

Thoughts: 

Since they had already established Beth was a dance studio owner in the future, I knew that they would need to have her moment about losing hope with the studio, try to pivot back to corporate only to have a kismet moment to say “Nope! Can’t do this again.” (At least we got the pretty of Goran Visnjic for a moment.)  And she got with Randall actually reading the room for a change and wanted a dance.

 

So Kevin now has a crap movie with De Niro? So does tons of actors in Hollywood. Mentally tuned out seeing Zoe on screen. 

 

And about the preview….Kevin do not mix it up with Sophie. Madison appreciates pockets in a wedding dress! MARRY HER. 

[PepSinger]

This is one of my favorite episodes -- if not my most favorite episode -- of the season. Everyone's storylines were well done. I related to so many of the little moments -- Beth finding the last clover; Madison's EXCITEMENT about her wedding dress having pockets (What woman can't relate????) -- and then the icing on the cake was the KC and JoJo at the end. Loved it.

[Spartan Girl]

The opening with Beth trying to keep up the ballet school during the pandemic broke me. As did the end with her and Randall dancing.

Toby’s dad! It’s been a while. While he didn’t get off to a great start, assuming Toby got fired because he was off his meds, but he made up for it by helping with the leak and giving good advice.

Loved Madison’s dress! But now I’m worried about the wedding. Dammit Kevin. Running into his exes before a wedding is not a good thing.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[cardigirl]

7 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

 and then the icing on the cake was the KC and JoJo at the end. Loved it.

Huh?  

 

Never mind, figured it out. They're singing the song at the end. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by cardigirl

[mtlchick]

Just now, cardigirl said:

Huh?  

The song was “All My Life” by K-Ci and Jojo.

[tennisgurl]

Good thing Randall was in full supportive husband mode, because Beth was really not doing great. That laughter after her failed zoom interview sounded like she was one vat of acid from becoming the Joker. 

[DoubleUTeeEff]

The Good:

I love Uncle Nicky and I am glad he is around to make me laugh. "Why don't they make shows like Bonanza anymore?" And buying Godfather I and Godfather II onesies!

Nicky: Don't I look ready?

Kevin: ....eh

Randall asking Beth to dance was very sweet. Glad he finally shut his pie hole and was supportive.

The Bad:

Poor Kevin can't even watch an episode of Bridgerton after a rough day. Which I guess is his own fault for not speaking up and asking for what he wants. He didn't even think about it until after agreeing to the Great British Baking Show (or whatever it's called) and only because of what Zoe said to him. He was so into getting married and having kids a year ago but maybe he just picked Madison for convenience and not because he was really into her. I honestly can't tell if he truly loves her or not. I'm going to feel bad for her if she gets dumped right before the wedding especially after finally feeling like she's got a family with Kate and Rebecca and Randall. I don't see this ending well unless Kevin figures it out fast. Which might happen. Sophie might set him straight.

The worse:

Deja spending so much time and energy of her young life worrying about Malik and Jennifer. Ugh.

 

[phalange]

The dress Madison chose is really pretty, and I, too, get excited when I find dresses with pockets. And of course she’s excited for the wedding just in time for Kevin to be having a crisis after a conversation with Zoe. I assume it’s just for the sake of drama before the finale, but ugh.

I felt really bad for Beth as she slowly had students drop lessons until she had to close the studio. Randall and Beth dancing to All My Life in the present and in college was very sweet, and Randall was just supportive, not trying to fix it.

Toby is bottling up his emotions instead of talking to Kate and this is definitely not going to end well. I did have to laugh at his comment about the Pearson bat signal, though. He’s not wrong about that. 

[BuckeyeLou]

Randall coming in to dance with Beth, at the end, had me in tears.  For once, Randall didnt "speech-ify", he just was a husband comforting his wife.  Beth is still one of my favorite characters.   The Mother-Daughter moments between Kate & Rebecca had me teary-eyed too, and Rebecca was so sweet to Madison who revealed that her Mother had left her as a child.  Uncle Nicky is a Hoot...what about "Bonanza" lol.

[Evie]

Nice Kate and Rebecca scenes. Good to see Toby and his dad as well.

The ballet school drama, while timely, was a little flat since we know Beth is running it in the future. Randall and Beth dancing was lovely though.

I really like Madison and Madison and Kevin together so not thrilled about the return of Sophie. Also, Zoe wasn't really wrong about what she said but who responds to wedding news with "You always find a way to make it what you wanted all along." That did not sound like a compliment.

[txhorns79]

I just have to say this.  1) Do not give Madison a scene where she needs to cry because the actress cannot do it, and they didn't even bother trying to fake it.  2) Do not give an actress who cannot cry on cue a scene followed by one where an actress who can do it (Chrissy Metz) has to cry.  It makes it more obvious. 

Also, Toby, you did not get the "win."  Your dad bailed you out and helped cover up your incompetence. 

Moreover, Deja, your relationship with Malik will never work.  You are in high school and he has a baby.  Frankly, it's about a thousand times more important that the baby's mother establish a relationship with her child than whether or not your feelings are hurt. 

23 minutes ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

He was so into getting married and having kids a year ago but maybe he just picked Madison for convenience and not because he was really into her. I honestly can't tell if he truly loves her or not.

I have no doubt that if she was not the mother of his children, they would not be together. 

[memememe76]

Low key but lovely episode. The montage of Beth’s business going under is the first show that I watch that is dealing with how the pandemic is hurting small business. 
 

What I found interesting was seeing Annie part of the dancing, she seemed to really enjoy it. I wonder if Adult Annie helps Beth with the dance studio in the future. 

[Madding crowd]

This episode made me cry for all different reasons. Loved the scene with Beth and Randall. I see a lot of myself in Kevin who is a people pleaser who doesn’t think he can have or deserve what he wants. He likes and respects Madison but he is not in love with her. I honestly don’t know if they should get married or not. 

[nilyank]

I have a feeling that Uncle Nicky is going to find a winner of a script that will make Kevin's career soar.

[Blakeston]

Toby, don't be a macho idiot about the plumbing. You were never going to magically fix it, and even if you had, it wouldn't have made you more of a man.

[ams1001]

 

2 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

Toby, don't be a macho idiot about the plumbing. You were never going to magically fix it, and even if you had, it wouldn't have made you more of a man.

Apparently being able to migrate computer servers (or whatever) makes you a plumber. Who knew?

I liked the neighbor's line about destroying the house so the leak wouldn't look so bad.

[tennisgurl]

Pretty quiet episode, but I thought it was really good. Beth dealing with losing her business to the pandemic was really sad, seeing her going from opening up to ending her last online class, they did a really good job at showing how things went so badly and how much Beth was struggling. At least we know that Beth opens up another studio in the future, and Annie looked like she was having some fun dancing, maybe Annie follows in moms footsteps and goes into ballet? College Randall and current Randall dancing with Beth was really nice, I am so glad he didnt go into problem solving or speech mode and was just there for her.

The Kate and Rebecca scenes were sad in the flashbacks but really sweet in the present day. Kate and Rebecca have always had their issues, so it was really great to hear Kate tell Rebecca what a good mom she is, that must mean a lot to Rebecca. Especially as Madison was crying over her own crappy family. This also cleared up a bit of Kate's backstory, I was always unclear what Kate was doing before she was Kevin's assistant, so this does fill in some blanks. She was so hurt after losing Jack that she stayed at a dead end greasy spoon as a waitress, and that also helped lead her to overeat in her depression which led to her later weight gain. 

I get that Toby is struggling, and losing a job sucks, but him letting his pride get in the way of his family and refusing to talk to Kate about how he's feeling is only going to end badly. The only reason he didnt end up flooding their house was he called his dad to bail him out, and that would have just made things worse. He is so insecure about being unemployed that he cant admit admit to needing help with anything, be it his rich brother in laws money or pluming, a skill a computer repairman would have no reason to have. It was nice to see his dad though, and he had some good advice. Toby hiding his feelings and Kate walking on eggshells around him is just a recipe for disaster. 

I really want to see Kevin's movie and how terrible it is. Is this director the new Ed Wood? I really hope that they aren't heading for Kevin leaving Madison right before the wedding and that instead Kevin will work on his people pleaser tendencies. They did get together for real because of the babies, but I do like them together for the most part, and while Kevin should marry her just to make everyone else happy if he isnt in love with her, it would really hurt her. It was rather funny hearing the agents talking about Kevin's tendency to leave his projects, because they aren't exactly wrong, even if he usually has a good reason. 

Uncle Nicky just adds charm to every scene. "Why don't they make shows like Bonanza anymore?"

Edited May 12, 2021 by tennisgurl

[One Imaginary Girl]

I liked the feathery dress. It's Hollywood, so why not? But all the dresses she tried on were pretty.

[Jeddah]

I know the show seemed to be implying that Kate sucked for working in a diner for 9 years, but I respect Kate a lot more knowing she was able to get and keep a job long-term.

I was confused by the timing of the wedding dress shopping. Was it during the workday? Did Kate take Rebecca to her school the same day?

Madison looked beautiful! And it has pockets! I will be so mad if Kevin breaks her heart.

Randall didn’t like the Leonardo DiCaprio/Claire Danes Romeo and Juliet? Add that to the list of things that make me hate Randall. That movie is amazing.

I didn’t think Beth owned a studio in the future. It looked like she was running a company. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Jeddah

[Bulldog]

32 minutes ago, nilyank said:

I have a feeling that Uncle Nicky is going to find a winner of a script that will make Kevin's career soar.

I loved that Kevin not only brought Uncle Nicky with him to the studio, but also let him actually sit in on the meeting with his agent.  I think I would watch a series with nothing but Uncle Nicky critiquing movie scripts. 

I was kind of hoping we'd get a DeNiro cameo for the movie screening.  

I always wonder what is going thru an actor's mind when the script calls for them to basically insult themselves, like when Kevin worried he might have to go back to doing television as if that was beneath him after having a film career.  (And while I know television used to be considered lesser than movies, I'd argue that now there are many television projects that are just as prestigious as film.)

Susan Kelechi Watson is really one of the unsung heroes of this show.  She was definitely the standout tonight.  And for once, Randall took someone's advice and didn't try to swoop in and save the day.  Try listening to people more often, Randall. 

Kate was right about the strawberry dress.   And on a similar note, while I know diddly squat about fashion, even I would know better than to put someone Kate's size in a patterned dress with huge ruffles as trim.  I sometimes think the costume designer must hate Chrissy Metz. 

57 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Also, Toby, you did not get the "win."  Your dad bailed you out and helped cover up your incompetence. 

This.  

[Blakeston]

Did Kate get no professional help at all following Jack's death? Did Rebecca even suggest it?

In the scene where Kate reveals her diner job, everything she said was a huge red flag with "I need therapy" written all over it.

I have to wonder if Rebecca was so caught up in her own grief that she never fully recognized what Kate was going through right in front of her face.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

15 minutes ago, Jeddah said:

I was confused by the timing of the wedding dress shopping. Was it during the workday? Did Kate take Rebecca to her school the same day?

Yes.  Her job is part-time. 

The baby must have taken a very long nap during all the plumbing repairs.

20 minutes ago, One Imaginary Girl said:

I liked the feathery dress. It's Hollywood, so why not? But all the dresses she tried on were pretty.

The feathers would be flying off during the wedding.  They didn't seem very well attached.

17 minutes ago, Jeddah said:

I know the show seemed to be implying that Kate sucked for working in a diner for 9 years, but I respect Kate a lot more knowing she was able to get and keep a job long-term.

If I recall correctly from an earlier season (possibly the first), she had an affair with a married man at some point while she held this job.

[buttersister]

“Bug,” killed me.

[Quickbeam]

I kind of hated that Kate’s students were used as a tool to show off to her mother. It felt really awkward. Props for the show using what appeared to be legitimately vision impaired kids. 
 

Show, please don’t jerk Kevin around with Sophie again. 

[kili]

Quote

I know the show seemed to be implying that Kate sucked for working in a diner for 9 years, but I respect Kate a lot more knowing she was able to get and keep a job long-term.

The red flag, though, is that she's working in the cafe because eating fries there was her last happy memory with her Dad (it was right before the Super Bowl). She stays there nine years because it is one of her shrines to her dad. That's not healthy.

Watching Beth's dream slowly crumble was visceral. Her speech about the mirror was a gut punch (all those years looking for every imperfection and it wasn't enough) especially when you remember that she asked Annie to turn off the mirror on her zoom session because it bothered her to see herself. 

The movie was awful - who is going to tell Foster? Maybe they should pull a "Singing in the Rain" and recut it in the six weeks before it opens. How well can Kevin sing and dance? Kevin does need to work on the people pleaser stuff because he tends to blow up when he bottles it in too long.

Speaking of which, Toby's dad gave good advice for Toby, Kevin and Beth. Toby also needed to hear that his dad struggled with unemployment too. Sometimes, it is easy to think that you are the only one going through something like that even though you know you are not. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by kili

[MBayGal]

2 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I know diddly squat about fashion, even I would know better than to put someone Kate's size in a patterned dress with huge ruffles as trim.  I sometimes think the costume designer must hate Chrissy Metz

If I were the costume designer, I would have a nervous breakdown trying to think of something that looks good on Chrissy.

[MBayGal]

That looks like a different child playing Jack than before.  And this one does not appear to be blind.

Edited May 12, 2021 by MBayGal

[Jeddah]

31 minutes ago, kili said:

How well can Kevin sing and dance?

When I saw the title of this episode was “The Music and the Mirror,” I was really hoping for a scene of young Kevin auditioning for Chorus Line. That would have been hilarious.

[chocolatine]

If Ben Affleck's career was able to recover from Gigli, Kevin's should be able to recover from Foster's Fanciful Film. The scenes at his agency going through scripts with Uncle Nicky was fun until he ran into the video call with Zoe, who even via Zoom sucks the fun out of every room she's in. She never missed an opportunity to say something condescending to Kevin and make him feel bad about himself even when they were together. Screw you, Zoe!

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but Beth's dance studio storyline did nothing for me. It was completely unrealistic that she would open a studio after not dancing for 20+ years and with zero teaching experience. Her dance at the studio opening last season was terrible both in terms of choreography and technique, so I was never able to take that story seriously. Also, she loved her urban planning job during the early seasons and was very good at it. Her being completely disinterested in that career now feels like a retcon.

11 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Apparently being able to migrate computer servers (or whatever) makes you a plumber. Who knew?

Typing commands into a terminal is just like plumbing, didn't you know?

A few episodes ago Madison said the her parents grew apart because her dad traveled so much. They had one great family trip to Japan before her parents divorced. This episode she said her mom walked out on her dad and her when she was eight. Sloppy writing (Occam's Razor), or foreshadowing of Madison being a pathological liar?

Edited May 12, 2021 by chocolatine

[Quof]

You don't patch drywall then tape, mud and paint it in a few hours. 

[Ana88]

Omg what an episode... Left me crying multiple times. 

First though I really hate how they incorporated covid into the show. I really wish I could forget about it while watching my favourite show instead of getting reminded of it every few mins ugh. Also I wanna see what they originally had in store, it sure feels like they changed A LOT of the original storyline. 

I really liked this episode since it found a really awesome way to include relevant flashbacks with the now. Those are truly my favourite episode. And finding out more about how Kate fared after Jack died was way overdue. Teenage Kate really gets to me as it's heartbreaking to see how easy it is esp for teenage girls to be SO hard on themselves. I remember those feelings all too well. Thank god she has an amazing mom there to watch her and had a supportive dad. Imagine what teenagers go through without that.. 

No no no no to Kevin's ex - HUGE waste of time. And SO random he was able to just walk right in and talk to her... LOL come on now. 

It was good and interesting to see Toby's dad. Really good lesson esp for men to not bottle in your feelings. 

Beth and the ballet... It really got to me as well as I have similarities in my own life. Just wow.. I feel so sad for her and know exactly how it feels even more lonely because no one else will understand all those little major moments that happened in a field you were dying to be in for the rest of your life. And although you want to be able to share it feels almost impossible. 

The Madison storyline feels a bit forced - like yes we get it, she comes from a really broken family. She has to have other stuff going for her though. Do we even know what her job or other passions are yet? 

Hope the next two episode will live up to this! 

 

[Ana88]

4 hours ago, chocolatine said:

If Ben Affleck's career was able to recover from Gigli, Kevin's should be able to recover from Foster's Fanciful Film. The scenes at his agency going through scripts with Uncle Nicky was fun until he ran into the video call with Zoe, who even via Zoom sucks the fun out of every room she's in. She never missed an opportunity to say something condescending Kevin and make him feel bad about himself even when they were together. Screw you, Zoe!

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but Beth's dance studio storyline did nothing for me. It was completely unrealistic that she would open a studio after not dancing for 20+ years and with zero teaching experience. Her dance at the studio opening last season was terrible both in terms of choreography and technique, so I was never able to take that story seriously. Also, she loved her urban planning job during the early seasons and was very good at it. Her being completely disinterested in that career now feels like a retcon.

Typing commands into a terminal is just like plumbing, didn't you know?

A few episodes ago Madison said the her parents grew apart because her dad traveled so much. They had one great family trip to Japan before her parents divorced. This episode she said her mom walked out on her dad and her when she was eight. Sloppy writing (Occam's Razor), or foreshadowing of Madison being a pathological liar?

Couldn't it still be? If that trip happened right before she turned 8 and then the mom decided to leave cause of the dad just working instead of being with his family? Obviously kind of weird and horrible for her to just leave her daughter with a man that doesn't have time for her. But the stories could still fit together. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Ana88

[debraran]

I think This is Us is trying to show all ex's and then having Kevin move on. I think a more interesting script will be having Kevin NOT talk to Randall who will tell him to "step up and do the right thing" but to really take a moment post birth, and see what he wants. He of course can be part of the babies lives, live near them, even live in another room, but to make himself love Madison isn't real. He is in love with the babies. He was leaving Madison and not being with her again when she told him of the miraculous pregnancy. I think the writers always had Sophie as end game (maybe Covid/other show derailed a bit) but having Kevin figure it out later, seems lame. His face on the couch seemed contemplating and and awkward as Madison slept watching a show he didn't want to watch but stuck in a sense, holding a baby and her on his lap. Time will tell, but it's corny to have them all connect with him when Sophie was the one he always loved and put in his time capsule. 

We know Beth gets her studio back at some point but still sad. So many business's couldn't make it and some people got help, some lied to get it but that's part of human nature that isn't nice. I loved also how Randall kept his mouth quiet and just was there. She needed that.

I loved the last dress and we all love pockets but I just couldn't feel this marriage. Maybe it's Madison's acting but it seems "off" to me. I don't feel a connection with her and Kevin even now. The whole scenario with Kevin having one night stands with everyone it seems and not using birth control and then a miracle happens with Madison and he's having twins, seems over the top. I'm surprised not one Pearson said, you did this, you both did, step up, but don't' make 2 mistakes. I still only see he's in love with the babies and cares for her. Long term marriage, IDK. Maybe because of all the interviews in the past before Covid, maybe just the acting, I just don't feel it and I hope the last show of this year isn't a wedding with a few mishaps etc because it's been done so many times before. We never saw Miguel's story yet and Rebecca and only two shows left for this season.

They need something for fans to look forward too for next season and with things tied up in a bow this year, I don't see it. We know Kevin makes it, they felt the need to show us that and Beth's future, no surprise, all stars have bombs, he's not washed up at his age. No angst, no surprises, so they need to find Sally for Nicky and show Miguel and Rebecca more.

I feel Nicky will find Kevin's Oscar movie...he had enough scripts and no reason for him to be there really.

Edited May 12, 2021 by debraran

[circumvent]

7 hours ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

The worse:

Deja spending so much time and energy of her young life worrying about Malik and Jennifer. Ugh.

 

7 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

Moreover, Deja, your relationship with Malik will never work.  You are in high school and he has a baby.  Frankly, it's about a thousand times more important that the baby's mother establish a relationship with her child than whether or not your feelings are hurt. 

C'mon guys! Haven't you been teenagers once? Teens are intense, not really rational, they live every experience as if it was the most important thing in the world and yes, most of them are just self-centered who believe they know all the answers. It doesn't matter it will not work, they will fight with every cell in their bodies for the love of their lives - which sometimes last a couple of months, sometimes longer, but they believe in the love they live in that moment

[greekmom]

8 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I loved that Kevin not only brought Uncle Nicky with him to the studio, but also let him actually sit in on the meeting with his agent.  I think I would watch a series with nothing but Uncle Nicky critiquing movie scripts. 

I was kind of hoping we'd get a DeNiro cameo for the movie screening.  

I always wonder what is going thru an actor's mind when the script calls for them to basically insult themselves, like when Kevin worried he might have to go back to doing television as if that was beneath him after having a film career.  (And while I know television used to be considered lesser than movies, I'd argue that now there are many television projects that are just as prestigious as film.)

Especially with streaming services now.  Alot of famous movie actors are doing Netflix, Prime and Hulu projects. 

7 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

Show, please don’t jerk Kevin around with Sophie again. 

This is the a dumb idea show. Why is it Kevin always regresses back to Sophie? I know she was his first love but seriously show, let Kevin move on.  I don't see Kevin as much as a people pleaser as Zoe made him out to be. There were times he said what he wanted.  And I didn't realize giving into an activity from time to time is considered a people pleaser activity. I hope this is a fakeout by show and she's just calling to congratulate him on the wedding.  Hasn't Sophie herself moved on last time we saw her?

I wonder what show was going to do with Beth's studio if covid didn't happen. I mean were they going to use another excuse to close it down so Beth can have this set back or was it going to succeed (thus the scene in the future).  

Just an observation, did Chrissy Metz look slightly bigger in this episode? I just noticed it when she was in the bathrobe.

Madison looked lovely in that wedding dress. I hope the marriage happens. She really completes Kevin.

[Jodithgrace]

So, unless the wedding is tomorrow, how did Madison's father manage to conjure up a job "emergency?" That's like saying, I can't attend your wedding in 6 weeks because I'll be having a headache. 

Be funny if Kevin's movie was a surprise hit, while being a critical failure. Happens all the time. 

Also, in these days of streaming everything, why couldn't they watch Bridgerton AND the Great British Baking Show? Why did it have to be an either or situation? Yes, Kevin is a people pleaser...he hates to let down anyone. Having Zoe point that out, however, is not helpful this late in the day. They did promise a big wedding finale, so somebody will be getting married...or leaving someone at the altar. 

Toby's "sitting on a powder keg and giving off sparks," to quote Bonnie Tyler. There's only so long Kate can walk on eggshells around him. 

Yay, for Randall taking Deja's advice and just letting Beth grieve her studio. 

Rebecca seemed in very good form during the whole wedding dress excursion and choir performance. I know that people in her situation can have good days and bad days. She seemed to be having a good day and was really there for Madison and Kate. That will be a good memory for both of them to have, when Rebecca's condition declines. 

[tennisgurl]

10 hours ago, nilyank said:

I have a feeling that Uncle Nicky is going to find a winner of a script that will make Kevin's career soar.

Time for a Bonanza reboot? 

[cameron]

2 hours ago, greekmom said:

Especially with streaming services now.  Alot of famous movie actors are doing Netflix, Prime and Hulu projects. 

This is the a dumb idea show. Why is it Kevin always regresses back to Sophie? I know she was his first love but seriously show, let Kevin move on.  I don't see Kevin as much as a people pleaser as Zoe made him out to be. There were times he said what he wanted.  And I didn't realize giving into an activity from time to time is considered a people pleaser activity. I hope this is a fakeout by show and she's just calling to congratulate him on the wedding.  Hasn't Sophie herself moved on last time we saw her?

I wonder what show was going to do with Beth's studio if covid didn't happen. I mean were they going to use another excuse to close it down so Beth can have this set back or was it going to succeed (thus the scene in the future).  

Just an observation, did Chrissy Metz look slightly bigger in this episode? I just noticed it when she was in the bathrobe.

Madison looked lovely in that wedding dress. I hope the marriage happens. She really completes Kevin.

Totally agree about Chrissy's appearance.  I've noticed that since they started up again.  She actually waddles when she walks.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I am glad that Deja talked some sense into Randall so that he didn't show up at the studio with a list of 100 suggestions for Beth. If you believe all the magazine articles, a common problem in M/F relationships is that women just want someone to listen and commiserate but men think they are supposed to provide solutions. In this particular case, Beth just wanted Randall to comfort her, not throw a bunch of grant ideas at her. She wasn't looking for a problem solver. She just wanted some emotional support so she could mourn the loss of her dream. Again I say A+ to Deja for steering Randall in that direction. And A+ to Randall for the K-Ci and JoJo.

How soon is the wedding? Timeline-wise, it makes no sense that Madison is just now shopping for a dress which normally means that the wedding is not in the immediate future, but her dad said he couldn't come because of a business emergency which makes it seem like the wedding is in the next few days. One of my friends had a wedding dress with pockets. She said she knew it was the dress for her when she reached down and discovered it had pockets. And this was back in 2008 when it was even rarer for wedding dresses to have pockets so I'm pretty sure it was the only dress in the entire store that had them!

Ha, loved Toby's description of the Pearsons as people who talk about their feelings, cry about their feelings, and then talk about crying about their feelings. ACCURATE. But I hate how Kate and Toby are keeping things from each other. Kate, you can tell Toby the details when you have a good day at work. Toby, you need to LISTEN when your wife tells you about her triumphs. Toby, you can tell Kate that being a stay at home dad is not what you want to do. And you can tell her that you didn't fix the leak on your own. Give credit to Kevin Arnold's dad, damn it!

Why did Nicky have to skip the tour just because Kevin wanted to have an emergency meeting? He could have let Nicky stay for the tour and then come back to pick him up afterward (or let him take Lyft home). I really hope Kevin takes Nicky back so he can go on the tour because he seemed pretty excited about it. Love that he bought Godfather onesies for the kids.

I like that Rebecca and Kate are letting go of some of their issues. It's nice to see them being honest and communicative with each other.

Timeline alert! Bridgerton was released last Christmas so we know it's some time past that. I know, not very helpful but I take whatever scraps I can get.

10 hours ago, Jeddah said:

Randall didn’t like the Leonardo DiCaprio/Claire Danes Romeo and Juliet? Add that to the list of things that make me hate Randall. That movie is amazing.

Hahaha, SAME. I still love that version!

10 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I loved that Kevin not only brought Uncle Nicky with him to the studio, but also let him actually sit in on the meeting with his agent.  I think I would watch a series with nothing but Uncle Nicky critiquing movie scripts.

I would too. Make it happen, NBC! Or at least give us a montage of Uncle Nicky summarizing the pile of scripts he took him and why he likes or dislikes them.

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but Beth's dance studio storyline did nothing for me. It was completely unrealistic that she would open a studio after not dancing for 20+ years and with zero teaching experience.

My sisters and I took ballet from the time we were tiny through college, but none of have taken ballet since our 20s. I'm pretty sure that any of us could teach a ballet class now with almost zero preparation. When you do barre, center, and across the floor several times a week for the bulk of your life, it sticks with you. Just off the top of my head, every class starts with pliés, tendus, and rond de jambes. Then you throw in some frappés and battements. All of that perfectionism and criticism that you take in during class is what allows any decently trained dancer to watch someone else and give corrections. Even if you don't have great technique, you can spot when someone isn't turned out from the hips or isn't spotting correctly. And people are always trying to sell or rent out their dance studios because it's hard to make ends meet, so Beth finding a space was unsurprising. Of all the unrealistic things on this show, Beth opening a dance studio after such a long hiatus didn't make me blink.

9 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

Also, in these days of streaming everything, why couldn't they watch Bridgerton AND the Great British Baking Show? Why did it have to be an either or situation?

That made no sense to me either. I would have said we could watch one episode of Bridgerton and then one episode of GBBO. It's not like you're only allowed access to one show!

[camom]

I loved Deja telling Randall, more than once, to NOT try to fix things.  And he listened!

I think the biggest threat to Kevin's career isn't one bad movie.  It's his reputation for walking out on projects.  It's about time that came back to bite him.  I'm not the least bit interested in seeing him with any of his exes.  

Rebecca was so supportive of Madison and Kate, both of whom needed it.  I hope Toby is honest with Kate soon or he's going to blow it completely.

[Jax7917]

I don’t think Kevin is going to leave Madison . This show wouldn’t do that after her telling Rebecca that she’s so grateful she’s part of their family now and them having that moment together . They are teasing it because the finale is coming up and they need some drama , but it won’t happen . 
 

If anything , I think Sophie is the one Kevin’s been running back to because of convenience rather than being in love . He cheated on her initially , then broke her heart a couple more times . I think he wanted to still hold on to what they once had especially because in his mind , the Pearson’s need to have an epic romance . I think he’s just unhappy with how his story is turning out in terms of not being what he expected . I think he and Madison will end up married , no doubt after a long speech about how much he’s grown to love her despite not being the love story he expected . 
 

Also , have we ever heard them say “ I love you” yet ? I don’t recall hearing it . 

[Cheyanne11]

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

. The scenes at his agency going through scripts with Uncle Nicky was fun until he ran into the video call with Zoe, who even via Zoom sucks the fun out of every room she's in. She never missed an opportunity to say something condescending Kevin and make him feel bad about himself even when they were together. Screw you, Zoe!

VERY passive-aggressive of her, complete with the "that was a compliment" line,  If I recall correctly, she's the one who ended their relationship because they wanted different things, so for her to make digs at him for getting what he wanted?  Not cool.

Why couldn't Toby "take the win" by telling Kate "hey, I realized I'm better at project managing and outsourced my dad?"  Still a win--he got it fixed.  

Kate spending 9 years at that diner was not a ding at being a waitress, but the 'why' behind it--well done, show.  I teared up when in response to Kate saying she was difficult as a kid, Becca telling her she was never difficult to love.  The progression of their relationship has been one of the high points of the show over the years.

Quote

I think the biggest threat to Kevin's career isn't one bad movie.  It's his reputation for walking out on projects.  It's about time that came back to bite him.

Yes!  The look of "oh, crap' on his face when he realized what his agent saying was true was long overdue.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Cheyanne11

[ECM1231]

8 hours ago, chocolatine said:

This episode she said her mom walked out on her dad and her when she was eight. Sloppy writing (Occam's Razor), or foreshadowing of Madison being a pathological liar?

Ooh, good catch. I've grown to like Madison, so I hope they're not making her out to be a pathological liar.

[ECM1231]

7 hours ago, Quof said:

You don't patch drywall then tape, mud and paint it in a few hours. 

YES!!! I don't know why, but this bothered me a whole lot more than it should have. To the point that I was screaming at the TV. Lol

It's a really slow process.

 

 

 

[Goldfish77]

Just now, ECM1231 said:

YES!!! I don't know why, but this bothered me a whole lot more than it should have. To the point that I was screaming at the TV. Lol

It's a really slow process.

Funny because I would have no idea how to do the work they did, BUT, I do know it is not a couple  hour job start to finish

Just now, ECM1231 said:

 

 

 

 

[MBayGal]

3 hours ago, greekmom said:

Just an observation, did Chrissy Metz look slightly bigger in this episode? I just noticed it when she was in the bathrobe.

Yes, even bigger I thought.

[txhorns79]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

 

Why did Nicky have to skip the tour just because Kevin wanted to have an emergency meeting? He could have let Nicky stay for the tour and then come back to pick him up afterward (or let him take Lyft home). I really hope Kevin takes Nicky back so he can go on the tour because he seemed pretty excited about it. Love that he bought Godfather onesies for the kids.

In fairness, Nicky doesn't seem to do well when dealing with something he hasn't done before without having someone there to help him. 

Were we supposed to think Kevin had no idea the movie was bad until he saw the final cut?  I was a little confused on that.  Did he not watch any of the dailies, or speak to his co-stars about their feelings?  Did none of his representatives see anything until the final cut was released?  I am not in film production, but I always thought that people knew a movie was bad long before filming was done.

1 hour ago, camom said:

It's his reputation for walking out on projects.  It's about time that came back to bite him.  

This.  I always thought his public meltdown and storming off the set of his sitcom should have caused him real problems with his career, as in the producers suing him for breach of contract, his having difficulty getting parts, etc., but the show never really went there.  It's nice to see the show remembered that and suggested it actually was an issue.    

 

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

But I hate how Kate and Toby are keeping things from each other. Kate, you can tell Toby the details when you have a good day at work. Toby, you need to LISTEN when your wife tells you about her triumphs. Toby, you can tell Kate that being a stay at home dad is not what you want to do. And you can tell her that you didn't fix the leak on your own. Give credit to Kevin Arnold's dad, damn it!

Is Kate really keeping things from Toby?  I thought she stopped talking about her job because it was clear he wasn't listening. 

[Ohiopirate02]

7 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

 

Is Kate really keeping things from Toby?  I thought she stopped talking about her job because it was clear he wasn't listening. 

Kate isn't keeping any big secrets from Toby, she is dampening her joy because she knows it upsets Toby.  Toby is the one who is making everything about him right now.  I guess being married to a Pearson has started to change him.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

38 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Is Kate really keeping things from Toby?  I thought she stopped talking about her job because it was clear he wasn't listening. 

Kate told Rebecca that she isn't talking about her job because she doesn't want him to feel bad. At the end of the episode, she just said she had a good day and completely left out the part where she took her mom to school to have her students sing one of her favorite songs for her. When he asked how her class went, all she said was, "It was good. No big deal." She's not lying to him or keeping secrets from him, but she isn't telling him things because she doesn't want to upset him so she IS keeping things from him.

Rebecca: How's work? Are you settling in?
Kate: Mom, it has been incredible. It's so rewarding working with these kids. And then I get so excited just imagining that that's going to be Jack one day and oh, there was this girl who - she was having trouble with a song and I - I'm word vomiting.
Rebecca: No.
Kate: Yeah, I am. I'm sorry. I just realized I haven't been able to share this with anyone. With Toby being out of work, he's hurting. And gushing about my job, it just, I don't know, just doesn't feel right.