S06.E14: The Night Before the Wedding

[Marley]

Ew no I hope they don’t waste a whole episode on Jack becoming a star. That would be such a waste of time. This show needs to end it’s time.

[debraran]

8 hours ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

I wonder how Madison and everyone who dated Kevin felt about Kevin keeping a valentine for Sophie in his wallet?

 

I don't know why they did that then except it's been like TIU on speed. They could have showed that at a future wedding clip but it was odd. I thought they would show a clip from him first saying he loved her as cute 8 year old or maybe seeing her mom's ring on her finger and saying something corny about finally earning it, but that tattered card was odd. I don't think it was totally disrespectful to Madison if he didn't say he'd marry her but he never loved her. As someone who reviews shows said on their article, "Just erase that". ; )

I didn't get the full closet of clothes either they showed in the earlier TIU preview of Kevin's hotel room, Sophie could have shopped there OR the makeup in the bathroom. There was quite a bit and Madison oddly said the foundation was hers but the prop dept has messed up a bit this past year. They all had their own rooms. Doesn't matter, but just sloppy.

From writer about Valentine:

Kevin says that he's always carried Sophie with her and shows her the valentine. In your mind, how long has that valentine been in his wallet? I think that's something that's been there for a long time. He loves to put things in his wallet: He put that baseball card in there. I'm sure he's got a motivational quote somewhere in there and a Chinese fortune. That's been Kevin's thing. Like his father, he likes to keep a little box of treasures, you know? Jack had a box. Well, Kevin has a wallet, so it's a little less bulky because he moves around a lot, up until the last few years of the show… He's lucky that Madison never saw it. That's part of the reason they weren't right for each other. Maybe he didn't always realize he had it. I have the one thing that goes from wallet to wallet that I'm like, "Oh, I can't get rid of this" — whether it's a movie theater ticket stub or a picture or something that I can't quite get rid of it. I think that's what this valentine was for him. He just kind of couldn't let go.

Edited April 27, 2022 by debraran

[debraran]

6 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Kevin didn't know Sophie was divorced (not that she gave any sort of good reason why she and her ex-husband divorced) and Sophie asked Kevin how his kids were the way you do when you meet someone you haven't seen in years. If at this point in time Madison/Kevin ironed out a joint custody arrangement Kevin has the kids at least a weekend or two a month, if not every other week. How can Sophie handle Kevin's children when she barely knows the adult, non-addict version of Kevin?

Kevin married Sophie once and dated her again when they were adults, and since then he dated Olivia, Sloane, Zoe, had children with and was engaged to Madison, and then proceeded to date a string of random women before bringing that vapid blonde woman to Nicky/Frannie's second birthday and then the State Farm woman to the engagement party. Kind of hard to believe that it's "always been Sophie" for Kevin. 

How they writers always explained it was his inability to be in love with anyone else, care about but not "in love" was his torch he always held for her. She did the same. He never loved Madison and honestly was going to tell her to forget it happened when she dropped the bomb about the twins. I knew that would never fly as a relationship and they showed hints with his being afraid to call Sophie for pete's sake (counseling might have helped) . I feel and maybe the actress Alexandra can talk after the show ends, when she couldn't film, when they said they'd go around her schedule as much as they could to keep original outline, the Madison debacle happened after Claire's funeral. It was never meant to be. I feel Sophie was supposed to have the twins and they used Madison as a fill in the year VRiver just was too inconvenient. Alexandra stressed she was supposed to film more but when they let her go "recurring" when Kevin was in Vietnam, she found a starring role. They filmed her though at Kevin's cabin when they all came in the future so I knew she was there but she was always coy about how much. It might not be a big deal but I would have liked to see the original plan play out and maybe it would seem more natural than having Kevin hookup with people like a 20 year old. I do feel that story line changed and Kevin would have looked better in some ways if it played out differently. I am glad they didn't get upset and write Sophie out though but they invested too many back stories with her.

Edited April 27, 2022 by debraran

[Arcadiasw]

I am just glad the show will finally move past the wedding setting. The last three episodes I think has focused on something going around the wedding.

Next week looks good.

[Dminches]

The fundamental issue with shows like "This Is Us" is that they spend 5 1/2 seasons trying to be deep and then close things down by swimming on the surface. 

In a 2-3 weeks they have broken up Kate and Toby, remarried Kate, and reunited Kevin and Sophie.  There will be no exploration of the any of the relationships (yes, they did try to show how Katoby wasn't going to work but it felt forced), just a bunch of "this is how things end up."

I just hope they give Rebecca her due since she is not on the best character on the show and the glue to the entire clan, but Mandy Moore has been nothing short of spectacular.

 

[chitowngirl]

6 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

And there’s even a dressing room so you can find your perfect size!

Many cleaners have a tailoring service, so yes, there’s a dressing room.

[CrystalBlue]

Thank heaven that's over.  We got the predictable, sappy cliche storybook ending to the stupid Princess Bride tie-in with a ~35-year-old Valentine thrown in.

At least Oliver livened up the pre-wedding party.  Nicky was great.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

6 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Amazing how Sophie happened to find a dress on the unclaimed rack at the dry cleaner's that not only fit her perfectly but also had a color that flatters her skin tone. 🙄

And even though her luggage had been lost (what kind of person checks luggage for a three-day trip?) and she said she only had a pair of on her, a second bra in her size magically materialized for her the next day after she left the one she'd been wearing in Kevin's room, because she was definitely not braless at the wedding.

I kept thinking about that, too, and then wondered if "extra undies" included another bra.

I have been on crowded flights, though, where the airline has made people check their carry-ons due to lack of space in the overhead bins.

Edited April 27, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse

[ItCouldBeWorse]

6 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

Then, instead of pulling the car over to the side of the road for their long walk, he leaves it just sitting in the middle of the road. Pearson!

I thought at first that the car had run out of gas or that the engine had died!

[MissLucas]

I never bought the whole Sophie-Kevin romance and I still don't buy it, but here we are. The Valentine's card was worse than the blue flugelhorn. But the worst thing for me was using Rebecca's AD ravaged mind to make Sophie see the light towards twuluv. I find that insulting.

Well, at least Sophie's husband did not get run over by a bus.

Nicky, Eddie and the ice bucket for the win!!!

 

[Jax7917]

10 hours ago, Evie said:

Yeah, I guess I'm dead inside because that did nothing for me. The Valentine he apparently carried around for 40 years was just too much. All the talk about Kevin finally having grown up didn't really work for me when we saw him with his revolving door of women in the Katoby episode and he immediately tried to get with Cassidy after Sophie rejected him. Seemed like the same old Kevin to me. Sophie and Kevin don't even know each other so how does she know he's finally the man she's been waiting for.

This episode just made me feel sorry for Sophie's now ex husband and how convenient that they divorced between the engagement party and wedding. He never had a chance if she's secretly been waiting for Kevin to grow up all this time.

I feel the same way. For whatever reason, I think I just don't like the actress that plays older Sophie. I think she's very dull and lacks charisma. But I also agree with what you said. They don't even know each other now. They only knew each other as kids. Their best bet was just to agree to date and see where it goes; see if they can fall back in love with who the person is now rather than the kid version of who they were. Kevin shouldn't be making promises that he doesn't know if he can keep or not. He doesn't know that he won't hurt her again. He doesn't know her in present day. She's also a traveling nurse so that will bring challenges to their relationship. I also think the Valentine thing was weird. He kept that card on him for 40 years? lol. Who does that? Only a Pearson. Sophie's ex-husband never stood a chance.

[Lisa418722]

Congratulations to all the Kophie worshippers in This Is Us universe.  

Last night when I turned the TV off I was OK with the ending.   This morning, not so much.  

I did like we found out about the bra, the napkin, and the wrap (and like a couple of comments above, I loved Cassidy's pajamas). I like Cassidy, but as a friend to Kevin.  I am also glad that some of the theories online that Rebecca came to Kevin's room because she thought he was Jack did not come true.  I don't want to know about what Nicky and Edie were going to do with the ice, but I am so happy that Nicky has found love and he's finally happy.  

The wedding singer: I was sitting there saying "huh?"  I know they had to do something to give Kevin a reason to have the napkin, but that part of the story was puzzling.  Then again, we've had the Madison's OB and his daughter and the horse as another "huh" story that I can think of right off the top of my head.  

Sophie:  I have said all along I like Sophie, but as part of Kevin's past.  When she was telling the story of her husband liking to pretend to fast forward through Kevin's show and she realized she didn't like that made me roll my eyes.  They have been divorced for somewhere around 25 years. Maybe if they had a child I could understand, but luckily they never had kids.  I know it happens, but if someone ends up in "love" in elementary school, usually they are not going to marry the person (disclaimer: yes, I know there are stories when it does happen, but usually it doesn't). Conveniently between the engagement party and the wedding she got divorced.  How long had she been a traveling nurse in Berlin???  I know there are a lot of traveling nurses now since the pandemic, but most of them are staying in the States.  The fact the night before the wedding Sophie got upset that Kevin was smelling Herbal Essence shampoo and then the next day after talking to Rebecca, who was thinking Sophie and Kevin were still 20 years old, all the sudden she decided he was supposed to be her forever future.  I don't know, it just didn't feel right.  

I was going to be shocked if Kevin ended up with anyone other than Sophie, but I still didn't really like how it came about.  

Edited April 27, 2022 by Lisa418722

[FnkyChkn34]

9 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Again, aren’t we all just so glad that we got one episode to break Kate and Toby up, a few scenes to establish Kate’s new great love, one episode to get Kevin and Sophie back together, and one meager Miguel episode, and yet we spent approximately thirty years on Deja’s tepid teen romance and a whole damn episode of Randall’s bio mom chopping vegetables? 

It was all the focus on Randall and other characters that I didn't care about that made me stop watching in the first place.  I think I gave up when he went swimming in the lake with ghosts.  I'd had enough.  I've only recently come back to it just to see how it ends.

[ams1001]

10 hours ago, BoogieBurns said:

I thought the bully at the pool was Sofie, purposely spelled different. She signed her lil name. I figured there were 2 Sophie/Sofies in their class 

Anyone else wonder how five-year-old Kevin knew how to spell her name? Unless he knows another Sophie, if there's a "Sofie" in the class already whose spelling he knows, he'd likely write it that way, otherwise he'd spell it phonetically, like "Sofee" or something. Because that's how little kids write when they're just learning how to spell. I doubt many five-year-olds know "ph" sounds like "F" and there are two common spellings of this not-that-common name (it was #803 of most popular girl names in 1985, and #1,535 in 1980 when they were born, according to babycenter.com).

10 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

That wasn't Kevin's fault. He and Sophie were sitting alone off to the side in the room.  Blame the rest of the Pearsons for making it a big deal. 

I blame Beth because she's the one who overheard him and Randall talking and ran off to blab to Madison.

Edited April 27, 2022 by ams1001

[txhorns79]

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

And even though her luggage had been lost (what kind of person checks luggage for a three-day trip?)

I've checked luggage for a three day trip.  It all depends on the purpose of the trip, and how much you need to carry.  For something like a destination wedding, you may end up packing even more than usual.   

6 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Randall is already a Senator at the wedding, isn't he?

Yes.  I believe a few people referred to him as Senator in the last episode. 

[FnkyChkn34]

1 minute ago, txhorns79 said:

I've checked luggage for a three day trip.  It all depends on the purpose of the trip, and how much you need to carry.  For something like a destination wedding, you may end up packing even more than usual.   

Yes.  I believe a few people referred to him as Senator in the last episode. 

Plus, some people just don't like to schlep a carry-on through the airports.  Personally, I'd pack a carry-on for a week overseas if I could, but everyone is different!

I was wondering why they couldn't go back to the shops in town in the morning?  I realize that the wedding was 12 hours and started early, but Sophie could have just been a little late.  She wouldn't have missed anything important.

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, txhorns79 said:

I've checked luggage for a three day trip.  It all depends on the purpose of the trip, and how much you need to carry.  For something like a destination wedding, you may end up packing even more than usual.   

 

I always have to check a bag.  My size 11 feet require shoes that do not play well with a carryon.  Then there's my bras with their underwires that cannot be stuffed into anything. I also don't believe in using rolling luggage as a carryon in order to circumvent fees.

Sophie was also flying back from working in Europe.  She may have had to bring everything with her especially if she was finishing her stint in Berlin.  

[AriAu]

Quote

I think of the three main options over the course of the series - Sophie, Cassidy, Madison - Madison was the best choice of romantic partner for Kevin. They were written together versus written in the stars.

Maybe the retconned Madison we see today....the one who appeared when the showrunner decided to make his real life wife have a decent character to play!

While I am happy with the result, I have a couple of issues 

1. Wow, that was a boring speech from Sophie.

2. Wow the whole interaction was slow moving and boring and frankly, uninteresting. If not for knowing the history, there is no way I would have been interested in seeing that relationship, let alone clap for it.

3. Other than love at first sight, I am not sure that we ever truly saw them in a good relationship. YMMV

4. Finally, Sophie said that she wanted a relationship based on who they are now, but there is no way she saw something in the 24+ hours that leads her to reach that conclusion....we as viewers did not!

5. Randall's speech made no sense at all!

[FnkyChkn34]

11 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I always have to check a bag.  My size 11 feet require shoes that do not play well with a carryon.  Then there's my bras with their underwires that cannot be stuffed into anything. I also don't believe in using rolling luggage as a carryon in order to circumvent fees.

Sophie was also flying back from working in Europe.  She may have had to bring everything with her especially if she was finishing her stint in Berlin.  

Good point about Berlin!  I think most people thought she was coming from New York (and maybe she was, as a layover) because she talked about both.

The other thing that I didn't understand about the luggage situation, is why did she only just realize that her luggage was lost when she got to the resort???  Wouldn't she have realized that it was missing right away at the airport baggage claim??  And, whoever is missing their pink bag with floofy luggage tags is still looking for it at the airport?

If there is a service that will get your luggage at baggage claim for you and deliver it to your hotel all so that you have to do nothing at the airport, then sign me up, but I've never heard of that.  Even if there is, wouldn't the luggage have been on the same shuttle as her?  Or did she take a car and someone put "her" luggage in the trunk before she verified it was hers so she never saw it?

Sorry, I just thought of this rant now.  More bad writing, I guess.

[buttered toast]

I think Kevin will be reading the napkin lyrics from the wedding singer at Rebecca's eulogy.  The words sound very much like Jack waiting for Rebecca in the afterlife . . . 

You shift unsteady in your seat, your sightline at the door

You sip your drink, deepen your breath -- who are you waiting for?

No, I would never leave you, lost on this uncharted ground

With just one glance I take my chance, and let us both be found

Edited April 27, 2022 by buttered toast
Edited to add said lyrics -- hope I heard the entire poem correctly

[Haleth]

Yeah, well, that was sweet but people don't change, especially if they have a looooong and rocky history.  IRL they would revert to their old behaviors and habits and once again decide they can't be together.  In this show of course they'll grow old together, holding hands as the sun sets.  Isn't it a teeny bit concerning that after Sophie left him Kevin almost immediately turned to Cassidy?  (Good for her for not risking their friendship.)  Kevin and Sophie tried to be together numerous times and it just.doesn't.work for them.

I look forward to and dread next week's episode.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Haleth

[peeayebee]

10 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

Although 6-year-old Kevin seemed to be giving every girl in his class the same valentine, so maybe Sophie was just the only one that responded positively?

We saw a bunch of the girls in his glasses smiling at him, so I would think they all circled "Yes." BTW, I thought little Kevin was sooooo cute. In his other eps I didn't really think that, but all of his smiles, and esp his walking hand-in-hand with Sophie (I assume) was adorable.

 

9 hours ago, Domenicholas said:

I do wonder if they will make Kevin and Sophie have a baby. It's possible, but with Sophie more than likely trying in her late 40s, it would be much more difficult. Unless they adopt, although I believe that most places don't let you adopt unless you or your partner are 45 or younger.

I hope they don't go down that route. Sophie is a traveling nurse, and she said she loves who she is now, so I don't see why she would opt to adopt (or try to get pregnant).

 

9 hours ago, AriAu said:

I don’t know why I felt the need to look it up, but when I saw The characters talking, I found out that Mandy Moore is actually one year younger than Alexandra Breckenridge!

As they sat together on the bench, I was wondering about the actress's ages, so thanks for looking that up!

 

8 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

My one burning question: How did 5-year-old Kevin know to spell Sophie with a “ph”? That’s pretty sophisticated spelling for a first- grader. I would have accepted “Sofy”, but now I just think Kevin is some kind of stunted genius. Who knew? (I blame the pool drain. Must have sucked all the brains out of him.)

It would have been cute and accurate if Kevin had written 'Sofy.' I wish the show would have done that.

 

Like others here, I don't get how Sophie can get upset about Kevin referring to her past shampoo and then get bowled over by his having that old Valentine in his wallet.

I, too, hated everyone applauding Kevin and Sophie kissing. Bleech.

I did enjoy their conversation in the hallway just before going into his room. 

If Sophie flew back from Berlin for the wedding, I wonder where she came from for the engagement party. I had been thinking that maybe she and her husband were living closer to CA at that time. Who knows. :shrug:

I like Phillip better when he was a mean jerk.

Edited April 27, 2022 by peeayebee

[GeorgiaRai]

The happy coupling of Kevin & Sophie is no more believable to me than the sad uncoupling of Toby & Kate.

I wish I'd stopped watching the show just before the wedding flash-forward in Season 5.  I should've learned my lesson after Felicity, but noooo; I let another series draw me in just to be disappointed at the end.  

[gonzosgirrl]

Eh, there's enough harsh reality in the world. This Is Us has always been a bit of a fairy tale, and honestly, I'm here for it. I love that Kevin and Sophie found their way back to each other.

[qtpye]

25 minutes ago, AriAu said:

Maybe the retconned Madison we see today....the one who appeared when the showrunner decided to make his real life wife have a decent character to play!

Makes me also think the showrunner was also a little sick of watching his wife have love scenes with an extremely handsome male lead. That is why he probably stuck Madison with King Dork. 

At least she is happy.

Edited April 27, 2022 by qtpye

[GeorgiaRai]

4 minutes ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Eh, there's enough harsh reality in the world. This Is Us has always been a bit of a fairy tale, and honestly, I'm here for it. I love that Kevin and Sophie found their way back to each other.

I normally feel this way, too!  But this fairy-tale ending felt out of place after the "harsh reality" of Toby & Kate.  The show gave us a "love conquers all" story line for 2/3rds of the Big Three, and I'm a Bitter Betty about the other third! lol

[Quickbeam]

I did like that Kevin saw the wedding singer come on for what it was. It showed he had developed enough emotional intelligence to discern that. 

Those kids were wallet-photo beautiful.

[Jax7917]

Can someone explain the letter thing to me that the wedding singer gave him? I think I was on my phone for that part.

[gonzosgirrl]

22 minutes ago, GeorgiaRai said:

I normally feel this way, too!  But this fairy-tale ending felt out of place after the "harsh reality" of Toby & Kate.  The show gave us a "love conquers all" story line for 2/3rds of the Big Three, and I'm a Bitter Betty about the other third! lol

They have damaged Kate irreparably for me - but every fairy tale has its villain, right? I know Kate has her champions for what she did, but I'm not one of them. As long as Toby is happy in the end, Kate can suck it. 

[ams1001]

8 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

Oh yeah, and next time I need a fancy dress, I’m going shopping at the dry cleaners’. Good to know that’s an option! And there’s even a dressing room so you can find your perfect size! The things I learn from this show…

Not surprised there's a dressing room, since dry cleaners often do alterations. More surprised she found a wedding-appropriate dress that fit perfectly and even didn't look half bad with the boots that were her only shoes. I hope the dry cleaner was at least charging for the abandoned clothes and not giving them away so he'd get something for his overtime (because you know they didn't leave until past closing time).

1 hour ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Plus, some people just don't like to schlep a carry-on through the airports.  Personally, I'd pack a carry-on for a week overseas if I could, but everyone is different!

I was wondering why they couldn't go back to the shops in town in the morning?  I realize that the wedding was 12 hours and started early, but Sophie could have just been a little late.  She wouldn't have missed anything important.

My parents have rolling bags that are sized for carry on bins (though they bought them like 20+ years ago so I don't know if that's still the case), with a separate shoulder bag that has a strap that slips over the extended handle of the bigger bag so you don't have to carry it while walking. And if you do end up having to check the larger bag you can just separate them. My mom and I used them for a 5-day trip to Key West but I don't think they're big enough for a much longer trip. They did have to go into the cargo bin on the plane from the mainland to the island, but that was only a 20-seater. (Our travelling companions had 8 checked bags, plus carry-ons, between six people. I have no idea what the hell they all brought.)

And yeah, there really was no reason she shouldn't have been able to go find a dress and some shoes in the morning. The wedding itself wasn't until later in the day. All she would have missed is maybe a winery tour or something.

40 minutes ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

The other thing that I didn't understand about the luggage situation, is why did she only just realize that her luggage was lost when she got to the resort???  Wouldn't she have realized that it was missing right away at the airport baggage claim??  And, whoever is missing their pink bag with floofy luggage tags is still looking for it at the airport?

If there is a service that will get your luggage at baggage claim for you and deliver it to your hotel all so that you have to do nothing at the airport, then sign me up, but I've never heard of that.  Even if there is, wouldn't the luggage have been on the same shuttle as her?  Or did she take a car and someone put "her" luggage in the trunk before she verified it was hers so she never saw it?

Sorry, I just thought of this rant now.  More bad writing, I guess.

I had the same thoughts about the luggage; I even wrote something about it in my original collection of thoughts and deleted it because it was getting long. Plus I wondered if there was such a service that is commonly known and I don't travel much (haven't flown since 2001 and I certainly don't stay at fancy wineries) so I would look dumb. 😄

4 minutes ago, Jax7917 said:

Can someone explain the letter thing to me that the wedding singer gave him? I think I was on my phone for that part.

She likes to people watch and write song lyrics at bars. That's why they were written on a napkin. She was watching Kevin, who was watching the door (presumably hoping someone would come in), and wrote some lyrics about wondering who he was looking for.

---

On a side note, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought there's no way Kate would have been able to ride in that car. I felt mean thinking it, but seriously.

[Ohiopirate02]

4 minutes ago, Jax7917 said:

Can someone explain the letter thing to me that the wedding singer gave him? I think I was on my phone for that part.

Arielle was writing her impression of Kevin on a cocktail napkin.  She likes to observe her surroundings and write what she hopes becomes song lyrics.  It was pretty nonsensical, but she was describing Kevin impatiently waiting for Sophie to arrive.  One thing that bugged me with this episode was the show using Arielle and Cassidy in two different roles--possible love interests for Kevin and their presence plus conversations pointing Kevin towards Sophie being the answer.  I wish the show would have done away with them being love interests for Kevin and just focused on the latter.  

 

10 minutes ago, gonzosgirrl said:

They have damaged Kate irreparably for me - but every fairy tale has its villain, right? I know Kate has her champions for what she did, but I'm not one of them. As long as Toby is happy in the end, Kate can suck it. 

And I'm at a table for one just glad not to have Toby on my screen anymore.  Toby irked me.  I wasn't necessarily a fan of Kate before this season, but I was always against Toby.  

[perkie1968]

Wow, I'm clearly sitting at a different table than everyone else.  I loved this episode.  Still getting over the fact that Kate and Phillip are together in the first place or that they are having this ginormous wedding seeing as it's their second time getting married.  Or the fac that the "family" photo last week, didn't have Kate's kids or Randall's girls but had Madison's idiot husband.  This was much, much, much better and I enjoyed watching it unfold to the inevitable that Kevin and Sophie are endgame.  

 

 

12 hours ago, LexieLily said:

and then her speech at the end made it sound like she's been holding college-aged Kevin's behavior against him for decades and only now that he's 'grown up' will she entertain the idea of being with her again.

 

That makes sense to me.  Plus Rebecca has just talked about how much of an idiot twenty year old Kevin "is" but that she's certain he'll change into a better man.  

 

12 hours ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

I wonder how Madison and everyone who dated Kevin felt about Kevin keeping a valentine for Sophie in his wallet?

How would she know about it, unless she's been rumaging through his wallet.  

 

11 hours ago, OhSarah69 said:

 I do wonder, as someone upthread just asked, why Nicky hasn’t interacted much with Randall or Kate since he’s seemingly become besties with Kevin.

Wasn't Kevin living with Nicky for awhile and helped him deal with the alcoholism.  And then Nicky moved in when the babies were born to help out.  Plus one of the twins is named after him so yeah, I believe that nicky' relationship with Kevin is WAY different than anything he might have with Randall and Kate.  

 

 

[tunajune]

9 hours ago, bros402 said:

Yeah, I didn't fully get it either - I know that they send the clothing of the losers to other countries, since they don't just destroy it I guess - so because of that, people who get those clothes think the Bills won a lot so they have a totally different view than the Americans?

That's how I took it--  as a comment on perspective.  The closer you are to a happening, especially with first-hand knowledge, the more likely that you will know the truth.

[pennben]

Perhaps there will be a flashforward of an elderly Sophie going through Kevin’s things after he passes & she will open up a shoebox & within it will be a box full of ‘grand gestures’. All the other old valentines where the girls circled yes & other trinkets from first dates, just in case Kevin fell for someone else & needed to pull out a big move! She will just sigh—-‘that scamp’. 

Also, took me awhile to remember where I’d seen something similar, but finally recalled that it was The Gilmore Girls—Luke & Lorelei’s first date where he had pulled something out of his wallet that he had kept since they first met. 

[Blakeston]

55 minutes ago, Haleth said:

Yeah, well, that was sweet but people don't change, especially if they have a looooong and rocky history.  IRL they would revert to their old behaviors and habits and once again decide they can't be together.

I may be hopelessly naive, but I think this could be a rare case where a couple could avoid the mistakes of the past.

Kevin has changed a lot since his breakup with Sophie four (?) seasons ago. He was a raging addict when they were married (booze), and when they gave it another go (prescription pills). 

He's now sober, and has done a ton of work on himself. He was a pretty awful person when he was college-aged, and he was a dumpster fire of messiness in the first two seasons. He's still messy, but he's become a good guy, who's made a ton of progress.

What I don't buy is that Sophie is in any position to see how different he is now.

[Jillybean]

I, too, loved this episode. Kevin is my favorite of the Big Three and he's the one who has done the most growing IMO. He deserves a happy ending. I like present-day (well, 2027) Kevin and Sophie together. And I now realize that the Kate-Philip wedding was simply a plot device to bring Kevin and Sophie back together, which makes it slightly more palatable.

SKB's delivery of "Manny say whaaaa?" was so perfect! I busted out laughing and woke up my dog. I immediately rewound to watch it again.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Jillybean

[Scout Finch]

9 hours ago, bros402 said:

Yeah, I didn't fully get it either - I know that they send the clothing of the losers to other countries, since they don't just destroy it I guess - so because of that, people who get those clothes think the Bills won a lot so they have a totally different view than the Americans?

LOL, at first glance I thought it said "I know they send the clothing to losers in other countries," and got a bit indignant! Just because someone lives in another country it automatically makes them a loser?! 🌎

[Crs97]

Did we know that Sophie doesn’t want children and never did?  Otherwise it seems kinda sad that in getting over him she missed some big opportunities, and now they are back together just in time for her to help him raise his kids and take care of his mother.

I can’t help but think of Joey’s line from a Friends episode that would be perfect for Kevin:  “Don’t you know how many women I had to sleep with to get over you?!?”

[Patricia07]

Maybe Phillip plays a mentoring role in young Jack's musical development. 

[Pallas]

12 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Wouldn't she have realized that it was missing right away at the airport baggage claim??

Yes. But if the bag were lost/on a flight arriving many hours later, the airline would have said they'd send it on to the resort, when found. Ask me how I know.

[CountryGirl]

As a Kophie shipper, I am over the moon with happiness that they are, in fact, end-game.

I knew all of the bread-crumbs had to be leading to something and if I had any doubt, the fact that Sophie was in most of last night's episode vs the barely-there Cassidy and Arielle clinched it for me.

For me, I see this episode as Kevin and Sophie finally getting the timing right, where both had grown, particularly in being single and on their own (Kevin dating, but nothing all that serious). For me, it was obvious from the beginning that they never, ever stopped loving each other and had that foundation and I appreciated that it wasn't just Kevin chasing her but that she carried him with her all these years. But Kevin's addiction (alcoholism their first go-round, pain meds their second go-round) definitely eroded that foundation and, for a time, it seemed they would never find stable ground. Until Kevin got clean and sober and grew up and finally became, at 45, the man Rebecca (thinking she was in the past but her giving advice is nothing new for her) predicted he would be. Dementia or not, Rebecca was spot-on when she said "I love my son, but he is an idiot." But also this "when the timing's right, he's going to be great." They finally arrived at the right place in their lives at the right time, giving them the best shot they've ever had to make the 3rd go-round the lucky one, the one that sticks.

And Kevin has shown growth and has discussed with Sophie and she has rekindled her friendship with Kate. I would think as a result she knows that he's addressed his alcoholism and pill addiction (their biggest hurdles), that he's a very good, involved dad to the twins, he started Big 3 Homes as a non-profit to benefit veterans.

I also think the path to where they are now is more realistic than it might seem on the surface. It wasn't exactly smooth, their divorce, their break-up because of yet another addiction, Kevin almost marrying Madison after having the twins, Sophie's divorce. 

I also liked seeing those moments of Sophie second guessing herself and Kevin in his hotel room. 

As an aside, I love the friendship with Kevin and Cassidy and how they have evolved to being true friends and they both knew the FWB hint was a non-starter at the wedding as well as at the cabin during Thanksgiving. They both knew he didn't mean it, but was just feeling a little lost in that moment. How refreshing to see a opposite-gender friendship. Just as I appreciate the healthy, co-parenting relationship between Madison and Kevin. 

I also liked seeing a little bit of Phate with Phillip (finally got the spelling right!) noting "Moonshadow" was the song Rebecca was singing the night Jack walked into a bar and fell for her. 

Back to Kophie. I loved the Valentine.

My take is that Kevin liked Sophie from afar since she showed up in his classroom at the tender age but really fell for her at Kate's 8th birthday party. And I think the Valentine is a testament to why he and Madison weren't right for each other. 

Justin and Alexandra have amazing chemistry - just those quiet scenes in the car after her mother's funeral alone where words simply aren't necessary. The looks between them when Sophie arrived at the wedding venue. How Kevin was totally absorbed in a conversation with Randall and yet the moment she barely comes through the door, he immediately spots her.

And she, him.

Call me a cock-eyed optimist, romantic sap, or lovefool, but I have been waiting for this since S1. I love that Kevin and Sophie got their happy ending with the grown-up best versions of themselves. 

I was clapping right along with the rest of the Pearsons, so if that makes me ridiculous, I'm okay with that. And I think it was giving them a moment because I doubt we will see their wedding #2. 

Kophie remind me of one of my favorite poems "Equilibrist" by May Swenson, particularly the last line: Fiercely taking aim, my body is a sharpened dart of longing, coming toward you always.

The song at the end, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" was perfection.

Looking forward to Miguel's episode next week, except I know it's gonna tear at my heart.

13 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

Did we know that Sophie doesn’t want children and never did?  Otherwise it seems kinda sad that in getting over him she missed some big opportunities, and now they are back together just in time for her to help him raise his kids and take care of his mother.

I can’t help but think of Joey’s line from a Friends episode that would be perfect for Kevin:  “Don’t you know how many women I had to sleep with to get over you?!?”

I thought of another line in Friends, from Phoebe to Ross (about Rachel):

[CdrJanny]

1 hour ago, perkie1968 said:

Wow, I'm clearly sitting at a different table than everyone else.  I loved this episode.  Still getting over the fact that Kate and Phillip are together in the first place or that they are having this ginormous wedding seeing as it's their second time getting married.  Or the fac that the "family" photo last week, didn't have Kate's kids or Randall's girls but had Madison's idiot husband.  This was much, much, much better and I enjoyed watching it unfold to the inevitable that Kevin and Sophie are endgame.  

 

 

 

That makes sense to me.  Plus Rebecca has just talked about how much of an idiot twenty year old Kevin "is" but that she's certain he'll change into a better man.  

 

How would she know about it, unless she's been rumaging through his wallet.  

 

Wasn't Kevin living with Nicky for awhile and helped him deal with the alcoholism.  And then Nicky moved in when the babies were born to help out.  Plus one of the twins is named after him so yeah, I believe that nicky' relationship with Kevin is WAY different than anything he might have with Randall and Kate.  

 

 

If I recall correctly, only Kevin seemed to be interested in establishing a relationship with Nicky when they all went to Bradford PA to meet him, Kate and Randall not so much.  I may be misremembering, but those two acted as if traveling to meet Nicky was a huge imposition on them.  Only Kevin genuinely reached out to him.

[PRgal]

Maybe Kevin figure out how to spell Sophie from a class list by process of elimination.  A few years ago, I found a list of kids in my class that the teacher sent home back in the 80s.  My son’s preschool class also sent home a list, a generation later. 

[Tango64]

29 minutes ago, Pallas said:

Yes. But if the bag was really lost/on a flight arriving many hours later, the airline would have said they would forward it to the resort, when found. Ask me how I know.

Sometimes that can take five days. Ask me how I know. 🙂

[Jax7917]

6 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Maybe Kevin figure out how to spell Sophie from a class list by process of elimination.  A few years ago, I found a list of kids in my class that the teacher sent home back in the 80s.  My son’s preschool class also sent home a list, a generation later. 

Yeah if the kids were writing all the other kids valentines cards in the class , I’m sure the teacher wrote the students names down for the kids to copy . I don’t think the teacher just had them write the cards with no guidance 

[kili]

Quote

The other thing that I didn't understand about the luggage situation, is why did she only just realize that her luggage was lost when she got to the resort???  Wouldn't she have realized that it was missing right away at the airport baggage claim??  And, whoever is missing their pink bag with floofy luggage tags is still looking for it at the airport?

Every time I've lost my luggage, the airline has delivered my luggage to my hotel even if the hotel is in a different city than the airport. I assumed she reported it as missing and this is what the airline delivered to the resort. You fill out a description of the luggage (brand, colour, size, flights) and they try to find it. 

If she was coming from Berlin via New York, she would have cleared customs and immigration in New York. At that time, she could have noticed her bags were missing (rules are forever changing, but you sometimes have to retrieve your bag and then recheck it in your first port of entry) or she could have reported it missing at her local airport. Quick or changing connections are usually what send my luggage on a different vacation than me.

Pink floofy bag owner is hopefully at home wondering when their luggage will arrive.  If they are on vacation moving about, good luck.

As for why she packed her clothes - perhaps she used her carry-on allotment for a breakable wedding present and her laptop.

[AzraeltheCat]

13 hours ago, Evie said:

Yeah, I guess I'm dead inside because that did nothing for me. The Valentine he apparently carried around for 40 years was just too much. All the talk about Kevin finally having grown up didn't really work for me when we saw him with his revolving door of women in the Katoby episode and he immediately tried to get with Cassidy after Sophie rejected him. Seemed like the same old Kevin to me. Sophie and Kevin don't even know each other so how does she know he's finally the man she's been waiting for.

This episode just made me feel sorry for Sophie's now ex husband and how convenient that they divorced between the engagement party and wedding. He never had a chance if she's secretly been waiting for Kevin to grow up all this time.

 

12 hours ago, ProudMary said:

So, Sophie stops Kevin from speaking and gives him the Pearsonesque speech about how she needs him to love her for the woman she is now. Kevin searches his wallet and pulls out a ~35 year old valentine, cementing the idea that he's been in love with his idea of her from the past for decades and THAT'S when Sophie decides he's grown into the man she wants. 

Seriously, what are they smoking in that writers' room?

 Blech, I agree with ALL of this.  I didn't actually watch the show... I quit after Ep. 3 I think, when it was clear that Mads was getting engaged...or something that made it obvious it was gonna be Sophie.  HAAATE the whole "epic luuuuve" childhood love is your one true soulmate.  Doesn't help that S hasn't been around in ages (and she finally appears with a hubby that she conveniently gets rid of in time).  I really, really wanted Kev and Madison to be together.  Agree with those that don't see the chemistry of Sophie and Kev, or basically, any personality out of Sophie. The 40-year-old Valentine is so treacly and, as others noted, show that Kev is hung on the old version of Sophie.  Usually, when I've stuck with a show til the last year, I stick it out til the bitter end, but I'm glad I quit watching. I just read the recaps. 😄  Might watch Miguel ep, but I really, really don't want to see all the sad stuff with Rebecca, having dealt with similar issues older family members (now deceased) and the fact that my own folks are getting up there.

[hookedontv]

I'm sitting at the table of those who have hoped for a Kevin and Sophie ending. Call me crazy, but this episode made me smile. Kevin has always been my favorite of the original Big 3 so I'm thrilled he got the happy ending he wanted. Perhaps it's because I myself have been known to reach back into the recyclying bin (as I call it when I revisit an old flame) and hope for the best.

Pulling out the Valentine card also brought me back to the ending of the Jennifer Garner / Matthew McConaughey "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" where Matthew pulls out an old photo of Jennifer as a child on a swing. I really liked that ending moment too, so when Kevin pulls out the Valentine it spoke to my cold, black heart. 

The hallway scene with Nicky, Kevin, Cassidy and the ice bucket made me roar and I rewound to watch it again!

And I'm going to hell with a couple of you for my laughter and puzzled expression when Kevin said he rented that little sports car convertible for Phillip and Kate. I am not a small girl but nowhere near Kate, and I don't think I could fit into that car comfortably. Kevin should have rented a Bentley and called it a day. 

I'm so looking forward to learning more about Miguel next week!

[mishap]

Kevin and Sophie at the dry cleaners, promising they will hurry, then they proceed to take their sweet time.  lol   I don't think they took that long  to find the perfect dress, but they were not in any kind of hurry, looking through.  The person wanting to close up at the dry cleaner would have been seething at their chit chat.  

 Randall's sports speech was like this stupid thing they do on Survivor where a contestant has to say some weird thing, hoping someone else will say their weird thing, so they get immunity or something.  I don't really know but it's dumb because they are supposed to work it into the conversation but they are  such random , dumb things.    Like Randall's speech.  lol  

This episode was boring to me. So tired of scenes from Kate's wedding, engagement party, rehearsal dinner.....   

Hopefully we are done with that.  Probably not .  😐

[drafan]

OMG...make this show end.

Stupidity as follows:

Six year old Kevin did not write out that Valentine as Sophie walked into the room. He was never shown to be any genius...hard name to spell correctly. And there were hardly any little Sophies in the mid-80s...it was an Eastern European granny name back then.

Speaking of 80s names....nope, no Madisons either. Cassidy , nope.... only after Kathy Lee named her daughter, which I think was later.

5/6 year olds do not walk around holding hands. Only if parents force them.

That Valentine was not in his wallet for 40 years. Ugh. Writers are morons.

Cassidy's dress did not need the buttons undone at the top of the back...it was the zipper that was stuck. Kevin's zipper has needed to get stuck throughout the whole 6 seasons..

I can never remember what  grown-up Sophie looks like until they show her again.

My friend told that Phillip was (surprise, surprise) a stuffy Brit professor on Modern Family...she thinks he dated both sisters. Ugh.

If Kate sees St Jack, who stifled her singing career, as she arrives at the pearly gates, I will be laughing so hard....I'm sure Mandy Moore does not want to be reunited with her ex, who she claimed stifled her singing career, when she dies. (I, personally, love her ex...well, his music, so don't skewer me to the wall. Please.)

MM does not play any instruments. She has said so herself.

Griifin Dunne is one of the best actors on this show.

Maybe Milo suggested the Luke/wallet/Gilmore Girls idea. Or the writers just troll around for rehashed plots.

Looking forward to Miguel's story. Hope they don't Ken Olin it up.

 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by drafan