S01.E12: Whiteout

[secnarf]

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A blizzard forces each Joe to confront the limits of his own control. Music Joe goes full rock star mode while on tour alone. A family secret threatens Cop Joe and Amy. Nurse Joe and Jenny each have cause to celebrate but are unable to be together.

Original air date: Jan 17 2022

[nilyank]

So what kind of wacky concert tour is Rocker Joe on that spans multiple cities zig-zagging across the USA without much sense as he jumped from one city to another. And it has only been a few weeks when it should be a couple of months especially as it seems that Rocker Joe developed a drinking problem in that short/long time.

[KaveDweller]

Rocker Joe sure got to rock bottom pretty fast, didn't he. And he seemed to be driving pretty fast for being in a freaking blizzard. I know he was drunk and reckless, but in my experience you physically can't drive fast on snow. So either Joe has some magic car that lets him speed on unplowed roads, or the road was plowed despite the storm being bad enough to close down the entire city?

The timeline is off though. If Joe has really been touring in all these cities, wouldn't it be a couple of months later? It didn't seem like any time passed in the other universes. 

I don't get why so many people are encouraging Joe to reconcile with Amy in the rocker universe. I mean, they didn't have a little spat, she's having another man's baby. Now, certainly they can tell him to not be a drunk asshole. But he doesn't have to call Amy back if he doesn't want to. Help him get a divorce lawyer.

Still don't like that Cop Jenny hid the baby from Joe, especially knowing that Joe went to see her when she was pregnant. Now, she was under no obligation to be in a relationship with him when he showed up months after ghosting her, but it is not right to hide the pregnancy just because her new boyfriend wanted to be a dad. I mean, good for the boyfriend for stepping up, but they should have given Joe the option. Also, if I was pregnant and the father wasn't returning my calls, I'd text him the words "I'm pregnant." Or send an email with that in the subject. But Jenny sucks in all universes.

[Bumblebee84047]

Who called Rocker Joe driving drunk and crashing the car as soon as he was handed the car keys?  Everyone?  That's what I thought.  

[nilyank]

1 hour ago, KaveDweller said:

Still don't like that Cop Jenny hid the baby from Joe, especially knowing that Joe went to see her when she was pregnant. Now, she was under no obligation to be in a relationship with him when he showed up months after ghosting her, but it is not right to hide the pregnancy just because her new boyfriend wanted to be a dad. I mean, good for the boyfriend for stepping up, but they should have given Joe the option.

As per the wedding ring, Cop Jenny was already married so she didn't wait long before they were married. Also Joe was in the police academy and not sequestered away from the world for 6 months, so if he wasn't returning her phone calls/texts, she could have followed up with Eric or Joe's mom that she needed to speak with Joe about something really important.

Edited January 18, 2022 by nilyank

[LittleIggy]

Rocker Joe’s Uncle Frank has become my favorite character, along with the woman (manager?) who said she was canceling the rest of the tour.

[circumvent]

Best line of the show was when Chris and the assistant said the Joe didn't have a personality. So appropriate for the show, since the main actor has zero personality or appeal. Who is the guy, anyway? I wonder what his agents had to do to get him a lead. He is terrible. Zero personality is right.

On the same line, I don't get why Rocker Joe is such a star. The man has no stage presence, even in the little clips they shoed. No. Maybe they will put him in a coma and we will never have to see that timeline again. I know, I'm a dreamer

The kid is still annoying but all the characters are, so I guess he fits well 

[Lady Calypso]

So, now we add another asshole to the timeline, with Cop Jenny's husband, Ray! Who convinced Jenny to not tell Joe about his own kid (although Jenny also chose to not tell him, so that's on her too). Yet, unlike the Rocker timeline, I kind of sympathize more with Cop Jenny and Ray...but only a tad more. Maybe because Rocker Jenny was more harsh about it while Cop Jenny seems more remorseful. But no, a lie is still a lie.

I still think the Cop timeline is the best of the three. Even if there's shitty people in this timeline too, they're doing a much better job at making them look sympathetic.

Rocker timeline really sucks. Rocker Joe has spiraled to the point where he's now alone! And probably just killed his fling out of recklessness! And, no, what Joe is doing is not much better than what Amy did to him. Emotional cheating is still cheating. If Joe wants out of the relationship, he better get a divorce lawyer. Not drinking himself into oblivion and flirting with random women. He has no obligation to stay with Amy, and it's fair that he doesn't, but he looks just as bad as Amy does. She cheated and got pregnant, yes. She sucks for that. He's throwing his entire life away by getting drunk, emotionally cheating with random drunk women, and now getting into car crashes. 

If there is a season 2, can they kill Rocker Joe off to get rid of this timeline? Please? 

Nurse timeline? Yep, just as I suspected, one of Jenny/Joe will be starting an affair and I guess it's actually Joe! Since Jenny's guy was smart in not involving himself in anything that would lead to an affair and he smartly got out of there, while Joe and Kinsley look like they're two seconds from making out. Which...I mean, Jenny's looked bad in two timelines now with the lying, so I'd hope they would want to avoid making her look just as shitty in this timeline. 

I'm still on the fence as to whether I'd want this show to be renewed. I actually think its chances of renewal are slim, but I do think I'd be curious to see if season 2 is as much of a trainwreck as season 1 is. 

[magicdog]

Called it that Rocker Joe was given a "drinking problem" out of the blue.  Also called it that Nurse Joe just might end up having an affair with Chris' nurse.

I'm still annoyed that we have yet to see any follow up with Diaz's goings on!  He is paralyzed in the Nurse timeline, and in jail in the Cop timeline but nothing about the investigations!  Who killed the girl who used to work for him??  (I have my suspicions but I would like closure on this).  Did the writers forget that storyline?

[bybrandy]

15 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

 

Still don't like that Cop Jenny hid the baby from Joe, especially knowing that Joe went to see her when she was pregnant. Now, she was under no obligation to be in a relationship with him when he showed up months after ghosting her, but it is not right to hide the pregnancy just because her new boyfriend wanted to be a dad. I mean, good for the boyfriend for stepping up, but they should have given Joe the option. Also, if I was pregnant and the father wasn't returning my calls, I'd text him the words "I'm pregnant." Or send an email with that in the subject. But Jenny sucks in all universes.

Like legit, right?  I would take him off the table for future ever life partner for ghosting me for months (most likely) but I'd have sent him a freaking text/a letter/ a singing telegram/knocked on his mother's door/ or sent him a singing telegram in a public place if that is what it took to get the message that he NEEDED to know to him.  I'd be increasingly angry about it, but I'd do it.  And when he finally turned up I'd totally introduce him to the new partner and tell him that this was where I was at romantically now because I could trust this other person to answer my calls, but that he was the father of my child and he would be given all rights and privledges as such unless he wanted to peace out in which case I would present the step parent adoption angle but not until everybody had had some time with their feelings because hey its a lot.  

[Spartan Girl]

4 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

So, now we add another asshole to the timeline, with Cop Jenny's husband, Ray! Who convinced Jenny to not tell Joe about his own kid (although Jenny also chose to not tell him, so that's on her too). Yet, unlike the Rocker timeline, I kind of sympathize more with Cop Jenny and Ray...but only a tad more. Maybe because Rocker Jenny was more harsh about it while Cop Jenny seems more remorseful. But no, a lie is still a lie.

Ray can fuck right off. I look askance at anybody who hooks up with someone who is clearly on the rebound. And the fact that he was insecure enough to discourage Jenny from telling the truth sooner because he “didn’t want to lose his family”, makes it clear that he’s far from the self-proclaimed “good guy” he wants to be. Granted, he did own up to it to Cop Joe, but still, it reeks of opportunism.

[scruff]

Ah  Yes  good   ole  Eric    continues  to   be   such a  Great   friend   to    Joe    in   the    music  world  doesn't   he ?      The   way   he  is  "being there'   for    the  innocent,   helpless   victim   amy,   the  way   he is  "supporting"   her,   the  way  he  is  "consoling"   her,    the  way   he  is  being a  "rock"   for   her.    So   touching  isn't  it ?       Completely  RUG SWEEPING any  and  all  of  the   atrocities   that  amy   has   done   to  his   supposed  "best  friend"  to  the  point   now  where  he  was   outright    trying to   glorify   and  Romanticize    her  Shameful   actions.     So sweet  and caring  in  saying  "you  are  not   alone"    and   that  she  has a  "village" ,   what a   Friend  indeed. 

This  is the  same   good  ole  Eric  that    was  supposed  to  be   "  mr  neutral,   mr   I love you   both,  mr  I   cannot  get in the middle,  mr   I  am on  both of your  sides,    mr  I    wont  take  any  side " .   We   should all  have a Friend  like  good   ole    Eric.        I   would  certainly   not  be   surprised  and  be   fully    expecting  at this  point    come the  last    episode   for  good  ole  Eric  to   try  and  " SLEEP"  with  amy   in a  attempt   to   "save"     their  marriage .        I  mean    that is  what  "best   friends"   do    right ?  

Innocent,  helpless,  victim  Amy   acting  all   hurt  and sad  and  mad  and   Outraged  at   Joe's   voicemail   basically     ending   their  marriage.     She   deserves   so  much   Better    doesn't   she,  LOL,  what a   F***ING joke,.    

[tennisgurl]

Cop Verse Ray might have owned up to Joe, but he might be one of the least likable characters in all three timelines, which is pretty impressive since so many characters can be such dicks. What a passive aggressive twat, basically guilting Jenny into not telling Joe the truth about the baby, so while Jenny also sucks for going along with him, he is possibly even more of an asshole then she is. Even if Jenny didn't want to be with Joe romantically, he still had the right to know he had a kid, and while the two of them have a million excuses as to why they hid this from Joe, I don't care, it was an awful thing. Would it have been so hard for Jenny to just send Joe an email saying "I'm pregnant" in the title? 

Rockstar Joe sure didn't waste time on that downward spiral, even apparently developing an alcohol problem in about three seconds. I know that Joe is being a huge dick, and getting drunk and being a jerk is no way to deal with his marriage falling apart, but I don't like how everyone seems to be taking Amy's side in this, acting like Joe needs to forgive and forget right away despite the fact that she was the one who cheated on him. Especially Eric, who is supposed to be Joe's best friend but is about two seconds from throwing Amy a baby shower and declaring her his new bestie. The only people I am really rooting for in that timeline are Uncle Frank and the tour manager, who rightfully called out Joe on his bullshit and cancelled the show even when Joe was being pissy about it. 

I thought for sure Nurse Jenny would be the one to have the affair, but it was actually Nurse Joe! This is all pretty bad, especially considering this woman is his son's caregiver, its going to be a mess no matter what happens. Is Chris so perfect and lacking in flaws that everyone else has to suck extra hard to make up for it?

[KaveDweller]

20 hours ago, nilyank said:

As per the wedding ring, Cop Jenny was already married so she didn't wait long before they were married. Also Joe was in the police academy and not sequestered away from the world for 6 months, so if he wasn't returning her phone calls/texts, she could have followed up with Eric or Joe's mom that she needed to speak with Joe about something really important.

Seriously! Joe has been living with his mom for 10 years, so even without cell phones and the internet, Jenny should have been able to get in touch.

14 hours ago, circumvent said:

On the same line, I don't get why Rocker Joe is such a star. The man has no stage presence, even in the little clips they shoed. No. Maybe they will put him in a coma and we will never have to see that timeline again. I know, I'm a dreamer

It would be more realistic if they had Rocker Joe be a professional musician who does well enough to make a living off his music, but isn't the biggest star in the country or something. That would accomplish giving a third alternate reality and still be somewhat believable.

[PBnJay]

A music tour needs to be planned AGES in advance so Rocker Joe knew he was going on the road, and for how long, and where. Tickets go on sale months in advance. So for everyone saying he's "running away" made no sense to me. What, because Amy wasn't with him? If he were running away he would have taken off for Canada or Mexico or anywhere other than his scheduled tour where people knew exactly where he was.

I'm on his side for dumping Amy. I also can't figure why Amy was all about telling anyone she's pregnant since she's never carried any baby to term. Well, except you know she will THIS one, because drama.

And meet the only hospital in the universe with no backup generators when power goes off. Even small office buildings have emergency generators. It was pretty funny that the entire wing was dark but the light was on over the kid's recovery bed. I guess it was a battery/solar/magic light.

[Jul 68]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I thought for sure Nurse Jenny would be the one to have the affair, but it was actually Nurse Joe! This is all pretty bad, especially considering this woman is his son's caregiver, its going to be a mess no matter what happens. Is Chris so perfect and lacking in flaws that everyone else has to suck extra hard to make up for it?

Crap like this is why I gave up on A Million Little Things.

[JKL845]

9 hours ago, magicdog said:

 

I'm still annoyed that we have yet to see any follow up with Diaz's goings on!  He is paralyzed in the Nurse timeline, and in jail in the Cop timeline but nothing about the investigations!  Who killed the girl who used to work for him??  (I have my suspicions but I would like closure on this).  Did the writers forget that storyline?

I was thinking the same thing. What happened to Bobby? He was a big part of the show and now he's completely dropped. It's just the first season and it feels like a different show than it was in the beginning. 

[FnkyChkn34]

Anyone else bothered by the shot of the road when he was driving at the end?  It's a blizzard, yet the road was already plowed (days ago, by the piles on the shoulders) and the road was nearly perfectly clear.  I guess it was a "relief" to see that they didn't make him crash because of the weather, because that road was nearly perfect.  

[absnow54]

On 1/18/2022 at 11:57 AM, Lady Calypso said:

If there is a season 2, can they kill Rocker Joe off to get rid of this timeline? Please? 

I was hoping the blizzard crash would off him. It's definitely my least favorite time line.

I'm bored to tears by the Nurse!Joe timeline. The only one I like is the Cop!Joe timeline, but I was annoyed that after he yelled at the hospital receptionist about the power outage, he never apologized for his outburst. Like it's understandable to lose your cool during stressful situations, but he never seemed to recognize what an ass he was being to her, and she had no control over the situation.

[Whimsy]

On 1/17/2022 at 11:40 PM, KaveDweller said:

I don't get why so many people are encouraging Joe to reconcile with Amy in the rocker universe. I mean, they didn't have a little spat, she's having another man's baby. Now, certainly they can tell him to not be a drunk asshole. But he doesn't have to call Amy back if he doesn't want to. Help him get a divorce lawyer.

Still don't like that Cop Jenny hid the baby from Joe, especially knowing that Joe went to see her when she was pregnant. Now, she was under no obligation to be in a relationship with him when he showed up months after ghosting her, but it is not right to hide the pregnancy just because her new boyfriend wanted to be a dad. I mean, good for the boyfriend for stepping up, but they should have given Joe the option. Also, if I was pregnant and the father wasn't returning my calls, I'd text him the words "I'm pregnant." Or send an email with that in the subject. But Jenny sucks in all universes.

I agree with both of these.  The way that the people around Joe are trying so hard to get him to forgive Amy or get back together with her is baffling to me.  She CHEATED on him and is now having that other man's baby.  Who cares if she did it because she thought Joe was also cheating?  That was just a shitty thing to do to somebody.  I'm not saying they can never work it out, but everyone else needs to just butt out and let them work on it on their own, if they even want to.

And then Jenny in the cop timeline- that was atrocious.  I hate that this is the way they are showing she kept it from him.  I thought he literally disappeared forever and never reached out to her.  The fetus was still in her womb when he tried to connect with her!!  There is NO excuse to not tell him. 

On 1/18/2022 at 12:44 AM, nilyank said:

As per the wedding ring, Cop Jenny was already married so she didn't wait long before they were married. Also Joe was in the police academy and not sequestered away from the world for 6 months, so if he wasn't returning her phone calls/texts, she could have followed up with Eric or Joe's mom that she needed to speak with Joe about something really important.

I missed the ring.  Wow!!  That's insane. And yeah, Joe was in the academy, so it wasn't REALLY like he just took off.  I'm not fully defending him.  He had every opportunity to reach out, but he also had no idea there was a baby or that there was a serious relationship potential.  It really sounded like they were both treating their relationship like FWB. 

On 1/18/2022 at 11:57 AM, Lady Calypso said:

So, now we add another asshole to the timeline, with Cop Jenny's husband, Ray! Who convinced Jenny to not tell Joe about his own kid (although Jenny also chose to not tell him, so that's on her too). Yet, unlike the Rocker timeline, I kind of sympathize more with Cop Jenny and Ray...but only a tad more. Maybe because Rocker Jenny was more harsh about it while Cop Jenny seems more remorseful. But no, a lie is still a lie.

 

21 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Cop Verse Ray might have owned up to Joe, but he might be one of the least likable characters in all three timelines, which is pretty impressive since so many characters can be such dicks. What a passive aggressive twat, basically guilting Jenny into not telling Joe the truth about the baby, so while Jenny also sucks for going along with him, he is possibly even more of an asshole then she is. Even if Jenny didn't want to be with Joe romantically, he still had the right to know he had a kid, and while the two of them have a million excuses as to why they hid this from Joe, I don't care, it was an awful thing. Would it have been so hard for Jenny to just send Joe an email saying "I'm pregnant" in the title? 

Ray is a total dick.  What an asshole move to play that "I want to be a father" card when she 1. has pregnancy hormones raging, 2. Joe is at the door so there's no time to process and 3. taking away a child from the biological parent who has no idea is a really asshole move.  Step-parents, adoptive parents, etc, can be AMAZING but none of them should take the decision away from someone for their own personal gain. 

[KaveDweller]

8 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Anyone else bothered by the shot of the road when he was driving at the end?  It's a blizzard, yet the road was already plowed (days ago, by the piles on the shoulders) and the road was nearly perfectly clear.  I guess it was a "relief" to see that they didn't make him crash because of the weather, because that road was nearly perfect.  

Yes! That drove me crazy. It is supposed to be this terrible storm that closes down the city and was bad enough to call off the whole tour, but the road was insanely clean. But he wouldn't have been able to be speeding with snow on the road, so I guess they had to be illogical.

[JKL845]

Now for a very special Ordinary Joe finale, all three Joe's meet. NurseJoe saves RockerJoe and then CopJoe arrests him for extreme DUI and/or killing his passenger. But it's all a dream and Joe wakes up and realizes any way he goes, his life sucks. Luckily, he just graduated high school and decides to go to college out of state. Away from family and friends (Eric, Jenny, Amy) and starts a whole new life with interesting people in it. If only we had a do over for this show. 

[JKL845]

On 1/17/2022 at 10:44 PM, nilyank said:

As per the wedding ring, Cop Jenny was already married so she didn't wait long before they were married. Also Joe was in the police academy and not sequestered away from the world for 6 months, so if he wasn't returning her phone calls/texts, she could have followed up with Eric or Joe's mom that she needed to speak with Joe about something really important.

Jenny wasn't wearing a wedding ring, wrong hand, wrong finger. I do have a bit more understanding for CopJenny and Ray. Joe was her best friend and she was dealing with her mom dying. She tried for MONTHS to get ahold of him. To her it seemed like he abandoned her at the very worst time of her life. She felt like he used her and couldn't even return her call. On top of that, going through the grief, I can see her just thinking, forget you then. Also from Ray's point of view, Joe was a total asshole. Using Jenny for sex and never calling her again. I'm sure they both knew plenty of guys like that in college. Ray was there for her when her mother was dying too. Since he fell in love with Jenny, I could see how he couldn't understand how any guy could treat Jenny as badly as Joe did. He was young and in love and didn't think Joe was a decent person, probably scared of losing Jenny too. I liked that he told Joe the truth in the hospital and took accountability for it and had Joe go with them to see Lucas. I know everyone deals with death differently, but my mom died when I was a little younger than Jenny and it really can mess you up for awhile, you don't always think clearly and make the best decisions. 

For RockerJenny, I don't see how the baby could be adopted without the father's approval. 

[KaveDweller]

2 hours ago, JKL845 said:

Jenny wasn't wearing a wedding ring, wrong hand, wrong finger. I do have a bit more understanding for CopJenny and Ray. Joe was her best friend and she was dealing with her mom dying. She tried for MONTHS to get ahold of him. To her it seemed like he abandoned her at the very worst time of her life. She felt like he used her and couldn't even return her call. On top of that, going through the grief, I can see her just thinking, forget you then. Also from Ray's point of view, Joe was a total asshole. Using Jenny for sex and never calling her again. I'm sure they both knew plenty of guys like that in college. Ray was there for her when her mother was dying too. Since he fell in love with Jenny, I could see how he couldn't understand how any guy could treat Jenny as badly as Joe did. He was young and in love and didn't think Joe was a decent person, probably scared of losing Jenny too. I liked that he told Joe the truth in the hospital and took accountability for it and had Joe go with them to see Lucas. I know everyone deals with death differently, but my mom died when I was a little younger than Jenny and it really can mess you up for awhile, you don't always think clearly and make the best decisions. 

For RockerJenny, I don't see how the baby could be adopted without the father's approval. 

I agree that from Jenny's perspective, Cop Joe was a total ass and she has every right to hate him. But, when kids are involved you sometimes have to rise above and deal with your asshole ex.

About Rocker universe, I actually looked this up when the show started. In New York State a woman does not need a father's approval to give her child up for adoption.

[JKL845]

3 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

 

About Rocker universe, I actually looked this up when the show started. In New York State a woman does not need a father's approval to give her child up for adoption.

Interesting. Thought father's had more rights. 

I agree that Jenny should have found a way to tell Joe, just can understand a little more how it happened. I think she felt an obligation to Ray stemming from how her father is and how he raised her. 

[bros402]

1. Cop Jenny's husband has to be the worst character, holy crap - how could he do that?
2. They need to get rid of Rocker Joe - if this gets renewed, just do Cop and Nurse timeline.
3. Maybe it'll end up that neither cheats in Nurse timeline.... please?
4. Reemphasizing it, Jenny's husband in cop timeline is horrible.

[theschnauzers]

I’m hoping for a season two because it’s James Wolk in this show, and even I was surprised to learn he could really sing. 

But, the writers’ room did an absolutely atrocious thing in the Rocker Joe timeline in this episode. I immediately recognized the rip-off of Matthew Aucoin’s legendary spur of the moment duet with Bruce Springsteen of “No Surrender” in Philadelphia in 2016, even down to Matthew’s homemade sign.

I hope the show bothered to get permission as the performance is posted by Matthew on You Tube. 

 

[Camera One]

This episode wasn't much fun watching 2 of the 3 Joes and 2 of the 3 Jennys (one in the present and one in flashback) making frustratingly wrong life choices.  

Ray seemed like such a nice guy but he was making himself indispensable to Cop Jenny.  I still don't accept her lame excuse of not being able to reach Cop Joe, and I don't buy why he ghosted her for so long.  I did feel really bad for him though when he slipped out of the hospital room of awkwardness.

Rock Star Joe was so out of control that it was painful to watch.  Hopefully he didn't hurt the people in the car he might have driven into.  If we had gotten Season 2, would it have been Prison Joe instead?

The Nurse Joe and Jenny temptation with adultery show was equally painful to endure.