S06.E10: Every Version of You

[chitowngirl]

Randall and Rebecca embark on a road trip and reflect on their past.

[nexxie]

A road trip seems like a good setup - looking forward to it!

Edit after show: It was a fine ride - beautifully done!

Edited March 30, 2022 by nexxie

[chocolatine]

I'm thankful for the flash-forward that told us that Rebecca gets to live another decade or so, otherwise I would be really worried about this episode's description. We all know what happened the last time Randall took one of his parents on a road trip.

[chitowngirl]

Eat n Park cookies! So PA  😀 I was so sad when ours closed.

[BuckeyeLou]

I dont think Rebecca should be drinking wine after just taking her prescription medicine?  But, I do love seeing young Randall with his Mother, especially when they were brushing their teeth together..

[LexieLily]

Who here had the over/under on Randall making an uncalled-for comment about Kate being chosen as executor at the first two minutes? 

[ams1001]

4 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Who here had the over/under on Randall making an uncalled-for comment about Kate being chosen as executor at the first two minutes? 

Of course Randall wasn't going to graciously accept Rebecca's wishes.

So do we think things came back around and Malik is the father of Deja's baby in the flash forward?

Did Kate just hang up on P. MeanJerk? She said "I'd like to be considered" and then almost immediately put the phone in her pocket.

Edited March 30, 2022 by ams1001

[chitowngirl]

A nice, beautiful episode. They don’t all have to loud and preachy! Justin Hartley did a good job directing.

[Ohiopirate02]

Of course Randall is going to be president. 

[Blakeston]

So everyone apologizes to Randall, but Randall gets to brush off his totally unnecessary dig about Kate making all the decisions? Of course!

And of course he's being wooed to run for Senate, when he's new to the City Council, and only recently moved to the state.

And he wins over the cop with a Pearson speech! And unites the family as a toddler!

I think the writers have really made a bad error in judgment by crawling so far up Randall's butt.

[Jax7917]

2 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Of course Randall is going to be president. 

I liked this episode but I’m very much sick of perfect Randall who is everyone’s hero . He even made the cop change his mind with his speech  🙄 

In the previous episode , Rebecca told Kate that she chose her to make the heavy decisions because she’s  always been her daughter and her best friend .. and now she’s telling Randall that she didn’t choose him because he’s too good of a guy who puts his life on hold for her too often and she didn’t want to do that to him again . What is she gonna say to Kevin next ? 

[Spartan Girl]

Good episode. I was on Deja’s side until that “I’m just the girl you took from her mother” comment. That was uncalled for, even though Randall was wrong for meddling. 

I’m glad Rebecca cleared things up with Randall, even though him being salty that he wasn’t put in charge for once was also uncalled.

Teen Randall talking a cop out of arresting Kate and Kevin? Yeah, only in this shows universe…

Sad that Malik and Deja ended things, even though things were getting too intense too soon. Malik really is a good kid. Don’t know if he’ll be in the future, but I wish him all the best.

Next week. Ugh. I am not looking forward to it.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[Rootbeer]

I have come to the realization that Rebecca is the only main character in this show who I find consistently likeable.  Mandy Moore has been knocking it out of the park this season.

I do find Miguel consistently likeable and I'm glad he's with Rebecca.  They deserve one another in the best way.

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

So everyone apologizes to Randall, but Randall gets to brush off his totally unnecessary dig about Kate making all the decisions? Of course!

And of course he's being wooed to run for Senate, when he's new to the City Council, and only recently moved to the state.

And he wins over the cop with a Pearson speech! And unites the family as a toddler!

I think the writers have really made a bad error in judgment by crawling so far up Randall's butt.

Yeah, I'm not too happy about Rebecca brushing aside Randall blackmailed her to do the clinical trial leading to the fight between Randall and Kevin.  

[LexieLily]

4 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Next week. Ugh. I am not looking forward to it.

I am hoping the show surprises us and doesn't have Kate and/or Kevin and/or assorted other Pearsons blaming Toby for Jack running away and whatever happens with the Big Green Egg.

Edited March 30, 2022 by LexieLily

[CleoCaesar]

I gave myself a headache eyerolling so hard at St. Randall's monologue to the cop. Have this show's writers ever met...humans? No one monologues this much in real life.

[Jax7917]

5 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Yeah, I'm not too happy about Rebecca brushing aside Randall blackmailed her to do the clinical trial leading to the fight between Randall and Kevin.  

Yeah I like Rebecca but she always seems so scared of her kids . Tell them when they are wrong and don’t let them speak to you the way they do . When Kate called her a slut , Rebecca was apologizing to her lol . Her kids are out of control and she’s too kind to them .

Anyone else want to slap Randall when he said “ I know if I run , I’m gonna win .” He is so annoying . 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Jax7917

[DoubleUTeeEff]

Poor Golden Child Randall. Always being held back from his true potential whether it be swimming with his siblings or going to the college he wants or running for Senate. Always having to hide his excellency and making his inferiors feel better about their lowly existence whether it be getting his siblings out of trouble by painting them as sad sacks and him as the one holding everything together or staying around for his mom or dealing with Beth and his family getting in the way of his political aspirations. I think I have a tiny violin around here somewhere...

Finally Rebecca realizes his great sacrifice and releases him from duty so he can go and run for Senator. Let's hope this time around he doesn't give Beth veto power and then not honor it. I do want to say, if you are going to run, probably don't choose Chianti for your drink of choice. They always say it's about who you want to have a beer with, isn't it? Gotta get those votes.

Edited March 30, 2022 by DoubleUTeeEff

[gonzosgirrl]

Oy. 

You know it's bad when Deja is my favourite character in an episode. 

[nilyank]

President. Of course, he is going to become fucking President.

Kate? Rude much. Probably she hung up before Philip could tell her that she was unqualified for the position and she shouldn't bother.

[CdrJanny]

39 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

Eat n Park cookies! So PA  😀 I was so sad when ours closed.

Ours in Akron closed, too. 😢 I loved their senior breakfast buffet and used to go every Tuesday after I retired.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Oy. 

You know it's bad when Deja is my favourite character in an 

Miguel was the MVP for me.

[Shermie]

So it appears the Big Green Egg doesn’t burn little Jack, but somehow Toby is so distracted by his new toy that little Jack toddles off while under his watch and then gets hurt. Or something like that.

Rebecca tells the Big Three to go for their dreams or whatever, and for Kevin it means actually parenting by himself, for Kate it means going for a job promotion, and for Randall it means becoming president. Everyone has different goals.

[CdrJanny]

7 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I am hoping the show surprises us and doesn't have Kate and/or Kevin and/or assorted other Pearsons blaming Toby for Jack running away and whatever happens with the Big Green Egg.

Sadly, it probably will.

6 minutes ago, Jax7917 said:

Yeah I like Rebecca but she always seems so scared of her kids . Tell them when they are wrong and don’t let them speak to you the way they do . When Kate called her a slut , Rebecca was apologizing to her lol . Her kids are out of control and she’s too kind to them .

If I had a daughter who called me a slut, there would have been a crack across her face so fast and so hard she would have spun around.  Same thing if my actual son had done that

 

[buttersister]

So Randall is Pretty Woman? They rescue him and he rescues them right back?

Hey, Miguel, stay clear of that green egg.

Otoh, my Mom had boxes for each of us three. And when Justin cued the Cat Stevens song, somebody started chopping onions in here!

[Triviatrish2]

Will someone please tell me where Rebecca and Miguel live at this time.  Do they live in Philly or LA? And, oh, for the record, I hate Kate! My Father worked for 5 years, out of town, and my Mom was home with 3 small children, all under 7 years of age, and she did not drive! He would come home one day a week, and on the weekend. He lived in a hotel for those 5 years, until they both agreed that it would  be best ti move to where HIS work was. I can not fathom my Mom reacting like a spoiled brat(Kate).  Not that Toby is such a prize, but, i thought his talk with Kate, was really frank.  But, she needs to be fulfilled, GMAB!

 

[stonehaven]

I was not looking forward to this episode. I love SKB but the writers have been so busy making him Super Randall that it annoys too often.

Yes, Becca favors Randall but I loved that this episode wasn't as Randallish as it had the potential to be. Yes, the speech to the cop was perfectly this show but the vibe of it seemed to be more of a Becca looks at the lives of her children and tries to savor what she could.

I did like her trying for selfies the day after Randall went all photo-mad. 

I liked this episode more than I thought I would. I still would love a Becca/Miguel centered episode before the show closes out...or hell, just give me a spinoff of their love story...

[Empress1]

32 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

I’m just the girl you took from her mother” comment.

That was brutal.

9 minutes ago, Triviatrish2 said:

Will someone please tell me where Rebecca and Miguel live at this time.  Do they live in Philly or LA?

LA. Remember Kate said last episode that she didn’t want to move to SF away from her sick mother. Rebecca goes to PA eventually - the Poconos, where the cabin is and where Kevin is building the house. That’s where the deathbed flash forward is. Rebecca and Miguel never live in Philly.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Empress1

[Evie]

I'm so tired of Randall. Of course he'll become President and have a worldwide platform to speechify. Ugh. He'll bring about world peace with a Pearson speech. Thank God the show is ending and we won't have to see it. 

I'm guessing Malik and Deja get back together in the future. They've spent too much time on that relationship for it to be completely over and Deja is pregnant in the future. 

I did like some of the Randall and Rebecca moments but the focus on their relationship annoys me for the same reason the Randall and Deja relationship does. Rebecca and Randall both have two other children. 

 

 

[tennisgurl]

Look on the bright side Deja. Your parents might be interfering with your dating life, but at least they want to know where you are. Annie could be in Amsterdam by now and no one would notice. 

[ams1001]

2 minutes ago, Evie said:

Rebecca and Randall both have two other children.

When Deja said that Annie and Tess were his daughters, I wanted Annie to pop out and say, "yeah, remember me?"

[txhorns79]

I just rolled my eyes at the idea of Randall being on any kind of shortlist for a Senate seat.  He's been on City Council, what, two or three years?  Does he have a big base of voters he could mobilize to support him?  Is he a good fundraiser?  Can he talk about issues that matter to voters in central and Western PA?  Does he even have a profile outside of Philadelphia?  

And I so wish Rebecca had mentioned, politely of course, in response to Randall's nasty comment to her about not being put in charge, that the last time he was making decisions about her care, he bullied her into doing what he wanted, and it led to an estrangement between Randall and Kevin. 

I was also surprised that Rebecca's "Randall" box didn't fill an entire room.  I've always found it interesting that the show does not even pretend there is a question as to who is Rebecca's favorite child.       

[Crs97]

2 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Does he even have a profile outside of Philadelphia?  

 

Don’t forget YouTube.

[Bumblebee84047]

I want to see what's in the Kevin, Kate, and Randall boxes, but I know it would unleash waves and waves of sobbing.

[CdrJanny]

16 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I was also surprised that Rebecca's "Randall" box didn't fill an entire room.  I've always found it interesting that the show does not even pretend there is a question as to who is Rebecca's favorite child.       

I wish Rebecca had opened Kate's box.  Kevin's was near to overflowing, Randall's was fairly full, and Kate's looked empty.  Was thinking it may have been nearly empty.

One this that bugged me about Kate's pool scenes in this episode is that her face had no prettiness to it.  Her face just looked like a huge lump of clay with zero expression.  Just my observation. YMMV

[30 Helens]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

Did Kate just hang up on P. MeanJerk? She said "I'd like to be considered" and then almost immediately put the phone in her pocket.

People on TV always say something and then hang up abruptly, with no goodbye. Drives me nuts. 

1 minute ago, Bumblebee84047 said:

I want to see what's in the Kevin, Kate, and Randall boxes, but I know it would unleash waves and waves of sobbing.

By the looks of things, the Kevin and Randall boxes were full. You could see something behind the finger hole in Kevin’s, so it was at least as full as Randall’s. But behind the hole in Kate’s box was… nothing. Was Rebecca so busy filling up Randall’s and Kevin’s boxes that she neglected Kate’s? I picture a sad graduation tassel at the bottom. Oh well. Maybe that means some day Kate will get the family Porsche.

Also— How much of her kids’ stuff does Rebecca tote around at any given time? How convenient that she had Randall’s flyer handy. Does she also have a big scrapbook of “The Manny” press clippings in that magic purse? 

[tennisgurl]

I liked this episode, especially more of the teen Big 3 bonding, but holy crap did they go hard on the Randall the golden child stuff. He fixes every problem in every part of the timeline, he’s apparently going to be a senator after only being a councilman for about a minute (and going viral for his stripper video), Rebecca can’t even slightly pretend that he isn’t her favorite, and his expertly deployed Pearson speech manages to keep him and his siblings out of jail. I know that every single person does more monologues than a supervillain, but Randall really takes the cake.  

[buttersister]

Quote

And I so wish Rebecca had mentioned, politely of course, in response to Randall's nasty comment to her about not being put in charge, that the last time he was making decisions about her care, he bullied her into doing what he wanted, and it led to an estrangement between Randall and Kevin. 

I think she's too kind to say it, but Rebecca did mention that if she put Randall in charge, he'd move heaven and earth to get her better, so yeah, I heard her referencing that loud and clear--if only to herself.

And I may be wrong, but Future Randall didn't strike me as Sen. Pearson. So when he said he couldn't disrupt Beth and her job, and Deja needs support, and when he remembers he has two other daughters, I think he'll tell the current senator no thanks and double down as a dad. And councilman.

[Domenicholas]

I predicted after the rising star profile in the Kate's wedding flashforward that Randall was going to be president in the future, more than likely in the Jack Damon flashforward. I can already picture it:

It's Inauguration Day. All of the living Pearson family members are there: Jack and his family, Hailey, Little Nicky and Frances (one of them being queer or genderqueer) and their partners, Deja and Malik and their children (since they hinted heavily that they will get back together in the future), Tess and her wife/partner along with their adopted children (due to her father's and sister's experiences along with being a social worker), and Annie's there too. The oldest generation will all probably be gone (although Nicky seems stubborn enough to be alive in his 100s), and for extra tragedy, one of the other two Big Three will be deceased at this time (given their complicated relationship, I would guess Kevin).

His constant companion and loving wife Beth holds the Bible as he's sworn in. Then he gets on the podium and spends the next several minutes about how his family led him to being the man and president he is today, ending it by pointing to his entire family and saying "This is Us." End series.

---

It wouldn't be Randall if he didn't get personally affronted about not being in charge of Rebecca's care.

How did Deja get to Boston anyway?

Finally, I just read Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi recently. It explores the descendants of two Ghanaian half-sisters through both the European colonization of Ghana and Slavery and Racism in the United States. I definitely recommend reading it if you have the chance.

[bros402]

With Randall, I could understand if he was on the shortlist for a state level seat given the coverage he had for his city council seat... but for a congressman? Yeaaah that's a bit too much. Maybe he's really popular with the establishment or his former finance co-workers are big donors to the party?

Also, I cannot believe the smoker has just arrived and Toby wants to use it for a party! You need to try it out, test out some recipes, learn the quirks of your smoker, figure out if you need any accessories (cough cough instant read thermometer and maybe a bluetooth probe because they have the money cough cough) then you can use it for a party! What's next, is he gonna smoke a brisket in two hours and it'll be perfect with amazing bark? If that happens, Toby bought a smoker that gives Pearson speeches to food - even food wants to get away from those, so it cooks quicker than possible.

[CdrJanny]

1 hour ago, Domenicholas said:

His constant companion and loving wife Beth holds the Bible as he's sworn in. Then he gets on the podium and spends the next several minutes about how his family led him to being the man and president he is today, ending it by pointing to his entire family and saying "This is Us." End series.

Don't forget, he'll have to start by saying he was abandoned at a fire station. 🤧

[buckboard]

I certainly get why Randall is opposed to Deja quitting high school to go and live with Malik, but why are the only choices 1) they living together or 2) they completely stop seeing each other?  She only has a year left, they can keep in touch electronically and can get together at vacation time, etc.  Randall thinks the kid is great.  Why is he pushing them apart? 

[chocolatine]

Phew, I was so relieved that kid Randall was with his swim instructor and not just left to his own devices by Jack and Rebecca.

Teenage Randall saying he will be president some day is a massive retcon. When the show started, 36-year-old Randall was working on Wall Street. He was all about money and status; one of the first things he told William when they met was that his car had cost $140k and that he'd paid for it in cash. It wasn't until after William died that Randall had a breakdown and started making radical changes, and even then he said nothing about being president, until now.

And yes, huge eyeroll to Randall being so special after two years in his first political office that a senator is chasing him around trying to get a meeting with him.

Deja and Malik, still don't care. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by chocolatine

[voiceover]

2 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

But behind the hole in Kate’s box was… nothing. Was Rebecca so busy filling up Randall’s and Kevin’s boxes that she neglected Kate’s? I picture a sad graduation tassel at the bottom. Oh well. Maybe that means some day Kate will get the family Porsche.

Oooooooo!!!  A Friends reference, I love it!  And it fits!

[Marley]

We get it show. Randall is the most perfect guy in the world and will probably not only be president of the US one day but will prob somehow be president of the universe.

Malik will somehow be in the future I’m sure. The show is obsessed with him and Deja for some reason.

Please Randall acting neglected during the swimming..he was constantly favoured.

Randsll somehow winning over the cop. What a joke.

I feel like we don’t need 18 episodes in this final season.

Still not liking stupid Kate.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Marley

[chocolatine]

BTW, why did Kate call PMJ to ask for the retired lady's job? He's just a teacher, not the principal. He's technically Kate's boss because she's an aide in his classroom, but he doesn't get to make hiring decisions. In fact, he was initially against hiring Kate, but was overruled by the principal, which shows just how little say he has. The most he can do is put in a good word for her.

Edited March 31, 2022 by chocolatine

[Jillybean]

5 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I just rolled my eyes at the idea of Randall being on any kind of shortlist for a Senate seat.  He's been on City Council, what, two or three years?  Does he have a big base of voters he could mobilize to support him?  Is he a good fundraiser?  Can he talk about issues that matter to voters in central and Western PA?  Does he even have a profile outside of Philadelphia?  

I'm pretty sure Randall said it was a state Senate seat, not a U.S. Senate seat. He'd be repping the district he lives in at the Pennsylvania State Senate. 

[Chewy101]

I despise Randall. He comes off as sensitive, but he Gaslights as needed to gain control, leaves his family in the rear view mirror when he finds some new way to win his mommy's approval or compensate for his abandonment issues, and I hate watching a wife be put through his tidal waves of drama and his need to prove himself. 

 

[debraran]

16 hours ago, CdrJanny said:

I wish Rebecca had opened Kate's box.  Kevin's was near to overflowing, Randall's was fairly full, and Kate's looked empty.  Was thinking it may have been nearly empty.

One this that bugged me about Kate's pool scenes in this episode is that her face had no prettiness to it.  Her face just looked like a huge lump of clay with zero expression.  Just my observation. YMMV

I always felt Kate was underdeveloped as a kid/teen. Everything was about weight. Randall was very smart, Kevin great in sports...Kate? She loved to sing, what else? Did she do things she felt better about?  My 3 kids were different of course. One loved art, playing instrument, I tried to hone that until she grew bored and went to something else, one always loved making things, singing so she started choir and doing plays at school. she was insecure so started doing background things and worked up to small roles, etc.  My son loved basketball but also loved chess so joined a chess club. Kate was such a void in all the flashbacks, I bet her box was half full. They never showed her loving anything but music and singing but never pushed her a little to even join a school activity, choir, camp etc. Everything was food, not eating, eating, bathing suit issues, fear of water, etc. Kate was much more than that. What did Rebecca do with her? Kevin had the show about baseball cards, Randall had his outings, Jack took Kate for ice cream but Rebecca and him hone anything to give her confidence? Just so odd. My daughter thinks they didn't because it would be harder to explain her being so heavy and insecure later. But still odd.

I liked how Deja was in a way because it was like a lot of teens and she came into the Pearson world later. Whether she see Malik again or not, I'm glad that is over and we will see what happens later. I had a feeling she wasn't married because she seemed to be hiding pregnancy but again a happy occasion I'm sure.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by debraran

[debraran]

4 hours ago, CdrJanny said:

Don't forget, he'll have to start by saying he was abandoned at a fire station. 🤧

That will be part of the spinoff or movie. lol I know the article that Kevin found in hotel room (another reason I think it wasn't his room) when blown up was his history, which I'm sure is repeated in many speeches. ; )  A bit much but I can see Rebecca saying he would go far, she always saw him doing that but the other kids? I remember Kevin saying only Claire, Sophie's mom had confidence in him, told him he'd make it, was honest about his talent and said "Never settle" He thanked her at her tomb stone with autographed pic which he quickly realized was too weird. ; )  That is sad though but happens. I talked to a neighbor more than my mom because she was stuck in 60's thinking about what I should do with my life but the heavy emphasis on Randall, I don't get. He was an adorable kid though and seemed to always know he was different in more than one way. I think he liked it being a fav and hated it because it made him uncomfortable at times. Staying with his mom was wrong though and I think Rebecca admitting it was good but a little late.