S06.E16: Family Meeting

[CdrJanny]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

So Rebecca dealt with the kids when they were were crying at night. And Jack woke Rebecca up from desperately needed sleep when Kevin crapped the bed - instead of cleaning it up himself.

Not at all surprised.

That's how you become an iconic saint in PearsonLand.

[anniebird]

1 hour ago, Arcadiasw said:

Baby Kate falling out of bed when Rebecca fell asleep reminds me of the story my Mom told me of when I slid out of her arms when she held me in the rocking chair. She never forgot that thump of me hitting the floor. 🤣🤣

I think every mom has dropped at least one of her children on the floor.

[CdrJanny]

1 hour ago, Eureka said:

I think every parent of an infant has been there, done that. (Nodded off in the rocking chair and jerking awake)

I’m guessing in the five (ish) year time jump between when she got divorced and remarried, she at least got her bachelors, which would have only been a couple of years more if she went full time. Many masters programs are one to two years, but then you actually need experience on the job before you’re doing a top level job like that. 🙄

I got my Master's in education in California 40 years ago, and it was 32 credit hours, or 2 semesters + summer school full-time.  But she couldn't have been working full-time and going to school full-time.   And if she was working for the State to design curriculum, realistically she would have been working at least some of the time in Sacramento, the state capital.  

But, I have to remember, this is PearsonLand, where northern NJ is a 20-minute drive from Philly, which is a 20-minute drive from the Poconos, which is a 20-minute drive from Pittsburgh, where it doesn't snow in the winter.

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

She went from teacher's aide to the pinnacle of childhood education in 10-15 years, and got two degrees, all the while raising two children (one of whom has special needs).

All of which is totally consistent with the character we've seen. 😆

I await the revelation that Randall's bio mom designed the vegetable farming curriculum for all of Louisiana's universities before she passed away.

In PearsonLand, all things are possible.  😉

[Mrs Shibbles]

15 minutes ago, Shermie said:

 

Several posters comment on the nerve of “newbie” Philip commenting on Beth and Sophie’s opinions. How is Philip more of a newbie than Sophie? She came back into the picture at Kate and Philip’s wedding, so he was there around Rebecca and her dementia a few years before Sophie. Yes, Sophie was there in the early years, but there were many years between. 

 

Sophie made a comment agreeing with Beth when she had talked about  her 30 years with the Pearsons like she, too had been a part of the family all along.  It took me out of the scene a bit.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’ve seen dementia in various stages.  I agree that not many act like Rebecca.  She responds to questions, understands what is being said, co-operates with her caregivers, doesn’t resist care, walks with good balance, ……….that’s incredible. 

[Domenicholas]

So Randall goes from a stocks forecaster to a congressional senator and Kate goes from Kevin's assistant having a master's degree and creating programs for California? The Pearsons are really the prime example of falling up.

I love how when Phillip tried to criticize Beth and Sophie making fun of the Pearsons for their theatrics, Beth told him that he was years too early for that conversation. Could you imagine how funny the conversation would be if Kate was still married to Toby?

If I were Rebecca and Jack woke me because of a poop emergency, I would have rolled back over to sleep.

Edited May 11, 2022 by Domenicholas

[Goldfish77]

I guess that I am a jaded veteran teacher,  I find it totally realistic that Kate could rise up the ladder so easily.  I have seen way too many incompetent people go from teacher to admin to the central office positions because they were new or different or Pearson-like

[bichonblitz]

So they all move up north (Randall and Beth already there) and Kate stays in LA? Exactly how much time did she have to visit across country to see Rebecca between studying for her Masters, working full time and caring for 2 kids? I can't believe she agreed to that. In the end, she was not the one to make the decision about Rebecca, everybody else made it for her. 

Edited May 11, 2022 by bichonblitz

[CdrJanny]

23 minutes ago, Shermie said:

Yes, never mind Saint Jack. It’s always been Saint Rebecca, and I mean that in the best way.

I really liked the juxtaposition of Rebecca caring for the Big Three over the years, and now it’s their turn to care for her. She can care for 3 kids pretty much by herself for 20 years, and it takes 3 of them to care for her for a few years. 

It is true that an advantage of a dementia patient being in a good nursing home is that they have interaction and activities with people their own age, and they’re surrounded by professionals 24/7. And it’s not so demanding on the family.

The dementia they’ve shown on this show is not like any dementia I’ve seen. Both my mother (90) and MIL (99) are dealing with it and both are in nursing homes, thank god. There’s anger, crying, 20 phone calls in one morning to come pick them up, repeating the same story 5 times in 20 minutes, weird obsessions with clothes and food, etc. etc. Don’t tell me they wouldn’t be like that if they lived with one of us; our homes aren’t their familiar turf either. 

Several posters comment on the nerve of “newbie” Philip commenting on Beth and Sophie’s opinions. How is Philip more of a newbie than Sophie? She came back into the picture at Kate and Philip’s wedding, so he was there around Rebecca and her dementia a few years before Sophie. Yes, Sophie was there in the early years, but there were many years between. 

So 2 episodes left? I guess one will be Rebecca’s death and them dealing with it. What will the other one be about? 

Phillip is most certainly a neophyte when it comes to experiencing the Pearson family, and that's what I was implicitly referencing.  As Beth said, she'd been around the family for 30 years.  Sophie lived the Pearson experience on and off for longer than that.  In talking as he did with Beth and Sophie, he came off as a newly commissioned military officer or police officer telling the grizzled sergeant with many years experience what he or she is doing wrong.

[shoovenbooty]

Rebecca: "Miguel? Where's Miguel??"

I know, Rebecca. I want him back, too. 😢

I was annoyed by how much everybody kept talking about "the town". Doesn't this town have the best coffee? The best Chinese food? The best people? The best air?? I kept thinking, "Shut up about the damn town."

Edited May 11, 2022 by shoovenbooty

[Artsda]

That was heartbreaking to watch. The tie ins of the big 3 being taken care of by Rebecca versus present them taking care of her. I watched my dad deteriorate in the same house and its so hard. Watching them with their meeting and that ending made me cry more than last week.

 

[LexieLily]

19 minutes ago, CdrJanny said:

Phillip is most certainly a neophyte when it comes to experiencing the Pearson family, and that's what I was implicitly referencing.  As Beth said, she'd been around the family for 30 years.  Sophie lived the Pearson experience on and off for longer than that.  In talking as he did with Beth and Sophie, he came off as a newly commissioned military officer or police officer telling the grizzled sergeant with many years experience what he or she is doing wrong.

Especially when we take into account the fast-forwarding and two timeline jumps we've had this season. Phillip Mean Jerk has been a significant part of the Pearson family for ten years by the time of Rebecca's death, sure, but to the audience he's been around for five minutes. To a lesser extent I feel the same way about Elijah and even Sophie, but at least Sophie has the past history with the teenage/young adult Pearsons.

Beth is the Pearson in-law that's logged the most time by far, especially now that Miguel is gone. 

Edited May 11, 2022 by LexieLily

[maggiemae]

In all the years Sophie and Kevin were not together does Phillip not understand Kate and Sophie were BFF's forever? LOL

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

Why was Kate talking to Toby about what was going on at the cabin? Is Toby is that therapy cat for Kate; just there to be her emotional support animal? I get that he knows the family but still...no.

I didn't have a problem with that. She said she was calling to check on the kids, which is probably true, but having a bit of outside perspective from someone who knows her and the family but isn't in the thick of things day-to-day is probably helpful.

 

12 minutes ago, Domenicholas said:

So Randall goes from a stocks forecaster to a congressional senator and Kate goes from Kevin's assistant having a master's degree and creating programs for California? The Pearsons are really the prime example of falling up.

And Kevin's still doing The Manny...

Another thing I found a little off...teenage Randall waking Rebecca up at 4 in the morning to get his permission slip signed for a school thing when the bus was leaving in a couple hours. Conscientious and ambitious student Randall would have had that slip signed a week ago. (Also, when I was in school, field trip permission slips had to be turned in at least a day or two before the trip. I'm only five years older than them.)

[LexieLily]

6 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Another thing I found a little off...teenage Randall waking Rebecca up at 4 in the morning to get his permission slip signed for a school thing when the bus was leaving in a couple hours. Conscientious and ambitious student Randall would have had that slip signed a week ago. (Also, when I was in school, field trip permission slips had to be turned in at least a day or two before the trip. I'm only five years older than them.)

Are we sure it was a permission slip form? The way he made sure to slide that in when Rebecca was half-asleep still, I was sure it was a detention slip or something. 

[txhorns79]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Beth and Sophie accurately predicting how The Big Meeting would go, right down to the Randall/Kevin pissing contest, is already the best part of the episode.

Beth really is the best.  You'll notice that Randall was proposing his plan to move Rebecca into he and Beth's home before we saw him speaking with Beth about it.  Classic Randall.

[kitkat343]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

She went from teacher's aide to the pinnacle of childhood education in 10-15 years, and got two degrees, all the while raising two children (one of whom has special needs).

All of which is totally consistent with the character we've seen. 😆

 

As terrible as this will sound, there are many universities where one can earn a degree online (or in person) fairly easily.  Kate could have completed her bachelor's degree online at a less competitive or for-profit university, and there are a lot of online for profit master's degrees in education that offer lots of courses asynchronously or during the summers or evenings when teachers are free.   I had tuition reimbursement from a state university system and earned an online master's degree in education, and it was literally just something I did while watching television.   I could believe that someone like Kate could earn a bachelor's and master's degree from a less competitive university, and it also seems reasonable for Kate to be chosen to create a music curriculum for visually impaired students.  According to my cursory search on the internet there are 3 schools for visually impaired children in California, so there probably isn't a huge pool of people competing to create a curriculum to study music for visually impaired children.  I would find it very difficult to believe that Kate would be chosen to create a general education curriculum in music for the entire state, because unlike Toby I do not have a particularly high opinion of Kate and believe there would be far more successful music teachers in California.  Her students seem to really like her, which is great, but the showrunners need to stop  trying to sell her so hard.  Phillip turning from hypercritical boyfriend with his ex to a puppy dog who chases after Kate is totally unbelievable.  Toby talking about how wonderful Kate is and "joking" about their getting back together is ridiculous (I'd be happy to see them getting along, but that phone call was totally over the top given their relationship). 

Edited May 11, 2022 by kitkat343

[SunnyBeBe]

30 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Beth really is the best.  You'll notice that Randall was proposing his plan to move Rebecca into he and Beth's home before we saw him speaking with Beth about it.  Classic Randall.

And Randall doesn’t realize, you need ramps, doors widened to accommodate wheelchairs, bathroom grab bars, etc. when you have a person who’s dementia is increasing.   I know money is no issue for them, but around the clock care for someone with advanced dementia is incredibly expensive.  It’s 2-3 shifts of people. 

[bros402]

3 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Kate got her Masters in education and is designing an arts curriculum for the state of California? Okaaaaay.

 

I laughed so hard at that. Since let's say she started working on her Bachelors in 2023 after she divorced Toby. She had, minimum, 3 semesters (assuming she did winter and summer classes, too) to get a bachelors & teacher certification - since there's no skipping student teaching, and you typically cannot be paid to do student teaching (but since she's a Pearson, she's magic and just be able to get paid without doing her actual job). So that'd be roughly Fall 2025 that she would graduate. Let's say the wedding is sometime 2026. So she'd be working as a teacher then and let's say she can magically apply for a Curriculum PhD right away (even though you usually have to be teaching for 2-5 years to get into a lot of education masters or PhD programs) and gets into the program Fall 2026. Let's say she finishes her PhD in 2 years because Kate wrote her dissertation on The Amazingness Of A Pearson Speech and How It Improves Student Effectiveness In The Learning Environment. It's just a blank piece of paper, but she gives the Pearson Speech to end all Pearson Speeches. It's about how her son is blind and her mother has dementia. Probably also a bit about how her neighbor had a stroke, too. So, that's Spring 2028 that she graduates. Rebecca dies ~2032.

The Family Meeting was probably 2030? There is literally no way she is designing an ARTS curriculum for the state by then. If they had said for the school, sure, it's a private school - they do all kinds of hinky stuff. If they had said she was working on it - yeah, she could be part of the committee or helping out with it. Oh right, she didn't do a PhD, she did a masters... so yeah a person with a masters would never be developing a curriculum for the entire state.

Best case scenario, Kate is going for a PhD and is working with a professor who is actually designing the curriculum.

So, are the next two episodes just gonna be watching Rebecca die, or are we gonna get a whole bunch of Rebecca flashbacks? I think they might get a bit more... discordant and less connected - especially if the flashbacks are from Rebecca's POV. That would be an interesting way to handle it, IMO.

[funnygirl]

Sophie and Kevin may have not been together for 20 years in the middle there, on and off for some of it, but Sophie was around the Pearson's first. Before Beth, before Jack died. She was around when Jack died, saw first hand how the family dealt with it. 

Say what you will about her, but she is not a newbie. 

[chocolatine]

So the state that had Richard Feynman design their science curriculum is having Kate Pearson design their arts curriculum. Because Kate Pearson is to the arts what Richard Feynman is to science. 🙄

2 hours ago, DoubleUTeeEff said:

It strained credulity to me that Rebecca could tell Randall that she's the tooth fairy and he wouldn't tell Kate and Kevin. I mean, he was what, 6 years old for crying out loud? No six year old is that mature, not even perfect Randall.

Especially not Randall. He would have used that information to lord it over them that Rebecca thought he was more mature than them.

[Racj82]

3 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Yes, his self-righteous speech to Beth and Sophie.  If he and Randall spend too much time in the same room together I assume the smug factor will cause the earth to explode.

Beth and Sophie know who their spouses are but you can excuse any rational feeling that maybe this isn't the time to essentially mock people who are trying to deal with how to handle their mother that they are slowly losing.

I feel like if Phillip is hated for his react, one already doesn't like him, so any reaction he had would of been bad somehow.

[buttersister]

I’m happy for Mandy Moore, the actress and Kevin Pearson, the character.

[3 is enough]

I liked the end montage, and all of the scenes of Rebecca caring for the kids.
 
As someone who lost a parent to dementia I have to say this is nothing at all like the experience I had with my mother.  Not even close.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the relief on Randall’s face when Kevin said he and Sophie would be moving into the house full time. 

Edited May 11, 2022 by 3 is enough

[Bumblebee84047]

“Hey! Should we get back together?” Man I love Toby.

[CdrJanny]

3 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Are we sure it was a permission slip form? The way he made sure to slide that in when Rebecca was half-asleep still, I was sure it was a detention slip or something. 

What??? Randall get a detention or even a demerit??? Not possible!  🤗

2 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

Beth really is the best.  You'll notice that Randall was proposing his plan to move Rebecca into he and Beth's home before we saw him speaking with Beth about it.  Classic Randall.

But she knew it was coming!

Edited May 11, 2022 by CdrJanny

[ItCouldBeWorse]

5 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

So they all move up north (Randall and Beth already there) and Kate stays in LA? Exactly how much time did she have to visit across country to see Rebecca between studying for her Masters, working full time and caring for 2 kids? I can't believe she agreed to that. In the end, she was not the one to make the decision about Rebecca, everybody else made it for her. 

Toby may have the kids half the time and would likely watch them when she travels east to visit Rebecca (and she already has her master's), but both her brother and her best friend are moving across the country at the same time (along with her nephew and niece.) Between that and her mother's decline, it wouldn't be surprising if she experienced some depression. 

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Shermie said:

Yes, never mind Saint Jack. It’s always been Saint Rebecca, and I mean that in the best way.

I really liked the juxtaposition of Rebecca caring for the Big Three over the years, and now it’s their turn to care for her. She can care for 3 kids pretty much by herself for 20 years, and it takes 3 of them to care for her for a few years. 

It is true that an advantage of a dementia patient being in a good nursing home is that they have interaction and activities with people their own age, and they’re surrounded by professionals 24/7. And it’s not so demanding on the family.

The dementia they’ve shown on this show is not like any dementia I’ve seen. Both my mother (90) and MIL (99) are dealing with it and both are in nursing homes, thank god. There’s anger, crying, 20 phone calls in one morning to come pick them up, repeating the same story 5 times in 20 minutes, weird obsessions with clothes and food, etc. etc. Don’t tell me they wouldn’t be like that if they lived with one of us; our homes aren’t their familiar turf either. 

Several posters comment on the nerve of “newbie” Philip commenting on Beth and Sophie’s opinions. How is Philip more of a newbie than Sophie? She came back into the picture at Kate and Philip’s wedding, so he was there around Rebecca and her dementia a few years before Sophie. Yes, Sophie was there in the early years, but there were many years between. 

So 2 episodes left? I guess one will be Rebecca’s death and them dealing with it. What will the other one be about? 

"Us" the last episode is about what happens to them after her death, more happy things. I never watched 6 feet Under show but many think it will end the way their did, showing each person and how wonderful their life was. ; )

I felt for Philip, it did seem crass if he wasn't subjected to their squabbling for years. Why TIU forgot Sophie is a nurse or didn't mention it after she said she tired of traveling nursing etc. I don't know. Would have seemed fine to say she'd help out a bit.

One fan was upset Nicky mentioned showering, etc but I'm glad there was some mention, even if it's TV, the hardest part is trying to get someone with sever dementia clean, sometimes they wear diapers, it's not pretty. Just touching on it even in a somewhat lighthearted way I liked because I thought, they are making it seem much easier than it is usually. I remember my roommates mom moved in with us before a facility and it was constant redirecting, feeding, cleaning up messes, anger, yelling, disorientation. This is TV but it's not just watching Rebecca sleep or taking walks. I have a feeling we might see a little more next week.

5 hours ago, anniebird said:

I think every mom has dropped at least one of her children on the floor.

True or something similar. Was she alone? I was confused. Where were the other kids at night or Jack?  Did I miss a scene where he took the boys somewhere as babies? She said "I am alone".

Edited May 11, 2022 by debraran

[Chatty Cake]

7 hours ago, BC4ME said:

This show is killing me lately.

Also, I dislike Phillip.

I didn’t like Beth going on about the Pearson process but Phillips an even bigger asshole. They threw him into the mix too late and I believe it was all for the sake of a shocking season finale last year. 

 

7 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Kate got her Masters in education and is designing an arts curriculum for the state of California? Okaaaaay.

 

They just had to shove it down our throats that Kate turned out damn near perfect.  It was totally unbelievable.

[Lisa418722]

I did enjoy Sophie and Beth imitating Kevin and Randall because even before you had seen Kevin and Randall talking, you knew it was what was happening. Beth knowing Randall was going to want to move Rebecca to Philly before Randall talked to her about it. But now I'm wanting some Chinese food for breakfast.  

Kate and her Pearsonness. Maybe she will lead California's Department of Education by the final episode. I would say governor, but it seems she is going to be education's savior.  But I was glad to see her talking to Toby and that they seem to better as friends than husband and wife.  

Randall - I know there are many people on here who prefer Randall, but I don't know how many times I just did not like him last night.  He didn't want Kevin to get full time aides, but it was OK if he was moving Rebecca to their house in Philly.  And as far as the house, is there a bedroom on the first floor?  I know there are steps to get in from the front, is it more accessible from the back?  Also, as some said above, he might have brushed his daughters’ hair, but Rebecca’s hair is a different texture.   I have always felt that Randall thinks everyone should do what he wants simply because he is Randall. 

Kevin – he has grown up the most I think of any of the Big 3 during the last six years.  He knows he needs to complete the final episode of The Manny, but then he is able to move to Pennsylvania.  From the way he talked, Big 3 Construction is his new career.  I was surprised that Madison was OK with moving to Pennsylvania, but then they said Elijah had family in NJ and that he works remotely.  In today’s world, that seemed like a reasonable explanation. 

Rebecca – seeing how differently she treated the kids as they were growing up.  But as far as Kate sliding out of her arms and hitting the floor. My mom said when I was a few weeks old, I flipped myself off the bed while she turned around to get a diaper.  But it was sad to see the parent taking care of the child changing to the child taking care of the parent.  I’m at the age now where people in my life are taking care of their parents and I know that change is hard.  

Edited May 11, 2022 by Lisa418722

[Ana88]

This show has me in RUINS. I don't even know if I will be able to watch the last 2 episodes.. Those flashback scenes together with current time scenes really messed me up.. So beautiful but sad at the same time. Seeing it first hand in my own life with my mom and grandmother, who might not have a lot of time left, is just killing me. Missing the person she used to be and scared to lose those memories to how she has been the last few years and finally scared to lose her period. 

Also the sibling relationship is so spot on with this show. How you seem to be stuck with how you were when you were younger or in an important time of your life with them and how hard it is to have these difficult conversations with SO much baggage to your relationship weighing in. 

This show is the best show I've ever watched. 

[circumvent]

9 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Kate got her Masters in education and is designing an arts curriculum for the state of California? Okaaaaay.

 

Why would it be surprising? There is nothing in her story that negates this possibility. We don't see all the steps of the time jump. 

I will not quote because more than one person made the same comment about how fast Kate got her degrees, taking are of two kids and working. I know someone who got her degrees after divorcing, taking care of two kids and working full time. It is not impossible, but it can happen. 

For more context, in prisons that have programs that allow inmates to get college degrees, the ones who are allowed to join do dedicate themselves. They do this while in prison, no privacy, not special time for reading and writing, they still have to work whatever job they have in the prison grounds, and some of them graduate Summa cum laude. Real stories and those were in a way less advantage place than Kate. Maybe most here don't like Kate, but her story is not an impossible dream. For more on the prisoners stories, it is on the book Our Class, by Chris Hedges, and he speaks of those students often in interviews (he was the one teaching them in prison)

Edited May 11, 2022 by circumvent

[Dminches]

I do hope that Rebecca's end happens in the next episode and they use the finale to do a "Six Feet Under" closing.

 

[Eliot]

7 hours ago, Shermie said:

It is true that an advantage of a dementia patient being in a good nursing home is that they have interaction and activities with people their own age, and they’re surrounded by professionals 24/7. And it’s not so demanding on the family.

The dementia they’ve shown on this show is not like any dementia I’ve seen. Both my mother (90) and MIL (99) are dealing with it and both are in nursing homes, thank god. There’s anger, crying, 20 phone calls in one morning to come pick them up, repeating the same story 5 times in 20 minutes, weird obsessions with clothes and food, etc. etc. Don’t tell me they wouldn’t be like that if they lived with one of us; our homes aren’t their familiar turf either. 

100% this. It annoyed me how unrealistic this portrayal is. We saw a little anxiety about Miguel, but other than that, Rebecca was sweet and docile and un-demanding and that is NOT what it is like. Where’s the rage, the violence, the sexual impropriety, the cruel words, the irrational fears? I realize the disease is not the same for everyone, but these Pearsons have it pretty easy compared to other families. They make it seem like it’s just a relaxing getaway. 

The one thing I liked was the way they showed how an illness like this can either bring a family together or tear them apart. It was the same for my sisters and me. We are closer now than we ever were, and that was the *only* good thing that came out of it.

[Jillybean]

Kate's new "baller" persona reminds me of Christina on Parenthood starting a new school despite her only credentials being having a son with autism.

I really liked the scene with Beth explaining to Randall that he's seeing former versions of Kevin and Kate rather than who they are in the present. Randall has an enormous savior complex.

From the original deathbed flash-forward, it was clear Rebecca had stayed at the house and that Kevin lived there. So, no big surprise that they ended up with that plan. But interesting how they arrived at it. 

I do think there's probably a reason Kate and her crew are the last to arrive (even Toby beat them there). I just don't know what it is.

I read an interview with the showrunners saying we'd see more of the ugly side of Rebecca's Alzheimers. So those who like a heavy dose of realism in their entertainment may be getting their wish.

 

[Trillian]

7 hours ago, Mrs Shibbles said:

Sophie made a comment agreeing with Beth when she had talked about  her 30 years with the Pearsons like she, too had been a part of the family all along.  It took me out of the scene a bit.

 

6 hours ago, funnygirl said:

Sophie and Kevin may have not been together for 20 years in the middle there, on and off for some of it, but Sophie was around the Pearson's first. Before Beth, before Jack died. She was around when Jack died, saw first hand how the family dealt with it. 

Say what you will about her, but she is not a newbie. 

I had the same thoughts and ended up agreeing with @funnygirl on this one.  Sophie knows the family dynamic so well because she was around while it was being formed.  The same way your cousins or - if you are blessed with still being in touch with a childhood friend - know your family intimately even if you’ve lost physical proximity to them over the years. The groundwork for that family meeting was laid back when Sophie was around and even before Beth came on the scene. I’ll buy it. 

[absnow54]

7 hours ago, ams1001 said:

And Kevin's still doing The Manny...

Hey, he went from being The Manny to The Dad on The Manny. That’s growth!

 

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

And Randall doesn’t realize, you need ramps, doors widened to accommodate wheelchairs, bathroom grab bars, etc. when you have a person who’s dementia is increasing.   I know money is no issue for them, but around the clock care for someone with advanced dementia is incredibly expensive.  It’s 2-3 shifts of people. 

I think he mentioned they live in a townhouse too? That’s a lot of floors for someone with limited mobility and fall risk. 

[Haleth]

Kate was driving me crazy, being so wishy washy.  She finally gets the courage to speak up and then immediately caves to Kevin's (better) idea.  

So Kevin is not going to work again until Rebecca is gone?  It's totally ridiculous that Madison and Elijah agreed to move to PA with Kevin and Sophie.  NJ relatives notwithstanding, it's too contrived.

Leave it to Randall to make a unilateral decision about moving Rebecca to his house without discussing it with Beth.  It's a good thing she knows him so well and anticipated this.  Clearly he had not thought it through though, given all the structural changes that would be needed to accommodate Rebecca.

6 hours ago, bros402 said:

So, are the next two episodes just gonna be watching Rebecca die, or are we gonna get a whole bunch of Rebecca flashbacks?

I have a feeling we will see a parade of characters saying their goodbyes.  With flashbacks.  It's already making me cry.

Mandy Moore deserves all the awards.

[pennben]

40 minutes ago, Haleth said:

She finally gets the courage to speak up and then immediately caves to Kevin's (better) idea.  

I don’t see it as caving, rather it was the mature thing to do to accept what was the best arrangement. And I do believe it was her prompting the two egos to actually look at their mother & touch her & accept her, that got them all on the track of getting to the best solution. 
Kate has a lot of things, but she did nothing wrong here. Indeed, she facilitated coming to the best resolution for Rebecca.  

[BC4ME]

6 hours ago, Racj82 said:

Beth and Sophie know who their spouses are but you can excuse any rational feeling that maybe this isn't the time to essentially mock people who are trying to deal with how to handle their mother that they are slowly losing.

I feel like if Phillip is hated for his react, one already doesn't like him, so any reaction he had would of been bad somehow.

Well, you are absolutely right about that for me. I hate this character. I don't care if he's considered a newbie or not. IDK if it's the writing or the acting but I've disliked everything WRT Phillip and it's not believable to me. I feel like I need to see this actor in something else to see if I just don't like the actor.

But also, if all is complete somberness and dread all the time, one can't get through these situations. I had no problem with Sophie and Beth mocking their spouses because it actually was a scenario set up to show these exact personality traits that these spouses knew so well and how the they would be resolved as the sibs found a way to come together and find a workable solution they could all agree on.

Edited to add. Beth and Sophie's mocking of Randle and Kevin's back and forth actually helped accentuate how they would predictably be butting heads so that when they came to an amicable solution it highlighted how much they had personally matured.  

Edited May 11, 2022 by BC4ME

[Rootbeer]

10 hours ago, gonzosgirrl said:

Kate got her Masters in education and is designing an arts curriculum for the state of California? Okaaaaay.

 

When that was said, my first thought was, "I wonder how big a campaign contribution Kevin had to make to buy that job for her?"  Because that is way more likely than that sour Kate, who didn't even have a bachelor's degree in education just a few years earlier, now, not only has a Master's, but is considered qualified to actually develop an entire educational program for California students.  I try to imagine her sitting in a committee meeting, as all these things are done by committee and pouting and whining and complaining when the other members don't do things her way.  I guess they're right when they say public education is failing these days.  I will concede it is possible that Randall called in a favor with one of his senator friends to get her the job; he got a California rep's lazy brother in law hooked up with some political lackey job back in PA in exchange for a gig for his unqualified sister in CA.

Also, Kate had far more romantic chemistry with Toby in their 2 minute phone call than she has had in all of the scenes she's had with Philip put together over 2 seasons.  Explain to me again why their divorce was inevitable while Philip is her soulmate.

[Ana88]

3 minutes ago, Rootbeer said:

When that was said, my first thought was, "I wonder how big a campaign contribution Kevin had to make to buy that job for her?"  Because that is way more likely than that sour Kate, who didn't even have a bachelor's degree in education just a few years earlier, now, not only has a Master's, but is considered qualified to actually develop an entire educational program for California students.  I try to imagine her sitting in a committee meeting, as all these things are done by committee and pouting and whining and complaining when the other members don't do things her way.  I guess they're right when they say public education is failing these days.  I will concede it is possible that Randall called in a favor with one of his senator friends to get her the job; he got a California rep's lazy brother in law hooked up with some political lackey job back in PA in exchange for a gig for his unqualified sister in CA.

Also, Kate had far more romantic chemistry with Toby in their 2 minute phone call than she has had in all of the scenes she's had with Philip put together over 2 seasons.  Explain to me again why their divorce was inevitable while Philip is her soulmate.

Yees, I kind of hope there is a crazy twist where Toby ends up with her... They are much better for each other. She has absolutely NO chemistry with Philip and it makes zero sense. 

[Violetgoblin6]

3 hours ago, debraran said:

never watched 6 feet Under show but many think it will end the way their did, showing each person and how wonderful their life was. ; )

Six Feet Under finale in 05 (been so, so long) was actually mostly sad for me. Ugh, the Echo Park scene with David seeing Keith destroys me. I get chills thinking about it.

This episode, Family Meeting, had me hysterical. The juxtaposition of healthy, vibrant Rebecca and old Rebecca. 

Time wise, Beth said, "I've known this family over 30 years". So, 2028? Beth and Randall met in 98. 

[Ohiopirate02]

10 hours ago, One Imaginary Girl said:

Shout out to Knots Landing, which wasn't even an NBC show. *off to see if it's available anywhere*

I had no idea which 80s primetime soap Rebecca was watching, thank you.  That scene did crack me up with Rebecca filling baby Kate in on what was happening.  It also reminds me of a picture my dad snapped of my mom and I when I was a few months older than Kate.  In it, I am on my mom's lap similar to Kate and Rebecca and she is reading a paperback novelization of Dallas.  I looked as engrossed as my mom with the words on the page.

[Eureka]

9 hours ago, Mrs Shibbles said:

Sophie made a comment agreeing with Beth when she had talked about  her 30 years with the Pearsons like she, too had been a part of the family all along.  It took me out of the scene a bit.

So Beth has been in the family for 30 years, which makes her at least 48 (probably more likely into her 50s) in that timeline since they met in college. Which means Rebecca was what, late 70s, early 80s on last night’s timeline depending on how much “30 years” was a ballpark figure. So, the last montage was how much later? From Kevin’s beard I’m thinking we’re supposed to think years rather than months, right?

[Laurie4H]

9 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’ve seen dementia in various stages.  I agree that not many act like Rebecca.  She responds to questions, understands what is being said, co-operates with her caregivers, doesn’t resist care, walks with good balance, ……….that’s incredible. 

My dad was diagnosed about 5 years ago with dementia.  He is 78 now and hasn’t changed much.  Still has his own routine, has normal conversations etc....the only noticeable changes are anxiety and getting angry easily.  
 

I am just so sick of Kate’s quiet frown face.  
And I might be in the minority but I am not a fan of Beths quirky, clever dialogue. I mean who says capiche?  
 

[Ohiopirate02]

When it comes to Kate's education, I have always gotten the feeling the writers gave her a bachelors degree when she went back to school right before Jack was born.  I know in the real world no one gets a bachelors degree from a community college in the matter of months after not attending that institution previously and having decades old credits.  In the TIU universe, it can happen.  I do believe the writers conflated what a community college does with programs some universities have created to bestow degrees on students that for whatever reason were unable to finish their degrees years before.  In the writers' minds, Kate got her bachelors degree right before she gave birth to Jack.  

Kate going for her masters degree in education or music education is something she could accomplish while working full-time and raising two kids.  There are many programs available that allow for online classes.  Kate can even receive a degree from an university in another state with the influx of online classes.  I just looked it up and the local university for me has a program for a masters in music with a concentration in teaching that is entirely online.  It could happen.  

[MamaBird]

Quote

It also reminds me of a picture my dad snapped of my mom and I when I was a few months older than Kate.  In it, I am on my mom's lap similar to Kate and Rebecca and she is reading a paperback novelization of Dallas.  I looked as engrossed as my mom with the words on the page.

I have one of those pictures too, with my firstborn.  I'm leaning on a pillow on the arm of the sofa, and my son is on the pillow in the curve of my arm and shoulder.  Both of us have our eyes focused on the magazine I'm holding, which the name in the margin clearly identifies as "Playboy".  I captioned the photo, "Wow, Playboy's got some good articles! Daddy just looks at the pictures."

[ams1001]

3 hours ago, debraran said:

True or something similar. Was she alone? I was confused. Where were the other kids at night or Jack?  Did I miss a scene where he took the boys somewhere as babies? She said "I am alone".

IIRC, she said in her message to the doctor that Jack was away on a site visit in New Jersey. The boys were sleeping and Rebecca was trying to get Kate to sleep but she wouldn't, so after reading Goodnight Moon (for probably the umpteenth time) she sat on her bed with her watching Knots Landing (going by comment above; I didn't know what show it was - I would have been about 5-6 at that time) and telling her all the characters' names and who they were having affairs with. Rebecca fell asleep sitting on the bed and Kate presumably slipped or crawled off her lap and fell off the bed.

3 hours ago, Lisa418722 said:

And as far as the house, is there a bedroom on the first floor?

I was just about to write a comment along the same lines. Unless they plan to keep Rebecca in her bedroom 24/7, having to navigate stairs multiple times a day is probably pretty unsafe for her at this point, even with someone to help her (and she could easily wander off on her own at night, unless they're also going to lock her in the room.) At least Kevin's house seems to be all on one floor, with lots of space to move around.

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by ams1001

[Good Queen Jane]

Okay, Show, I give up. You win.

Up to last night I kept thinking of the many ways that the show is unrealistic. The successful careers, the good relationships with exes, the perfect children, recovery from trauma/addiction, even distance between places are things I have often criticized as being a fairy tale and not real life. But last night I realized I want a fairy tale. I want good people having good things happen to them. Realism is full of COVID, inflation, war in Europe, lost jobs, messy divorces, and damaged children. So I'm good with forgetting realism. Give me a happy ending, Show (with just a little bit of snark). I want it. I NEED it.