S07.E02: The Happiest Place on Earth

[Athena]

Quote

Claire makes a startling discovery about Roger and Brianna’s newborn daughter. A familiar face returns to the Ridge with explosive consequences.

Reminder: This is the No Book Talk topic. No discussion of the books is allowed including saying "in the books..." Posts may be removed without warning.

[jenn31]

Just starting to watch the episode but had to stop to say I’m so sick of birthing scenes. And now Lizzie looks like she’s ready to pop. We’ll see her shrieking next. Joy. 

[ch1]

4 hours ago, jenn31 said:

Just starting to watch the episode but had to stop to say I’m so sick of birthing scenes. And now Lizzie looks like she’s ready to pop. We’ll see her shrieking next. Joy. 

Same.  I fast forward through those scenes now.  

[cardigirl]

I thought it was a great episode, although it seemed to cover a lot of time, very quickly. I always enjoy time travel talk and there was lots in this episode. Some of Sam's best acting on view as well. 

That Wendigo, I didn't figure him for a straight-up idiot. I get being desperate to return to his own time, but threatening Claire and Jamie is not the way to go about it. 

Looking forward to the next episode, too.

[Lola82]

It’s funny that Bree and Roger always leave right before disaster happens. Third time by my count.

[DoctorAtomic]

I'm pleased to see that they finally remembered about the fire in the previouslies.

When Allan said 'flower bud' the closed captions had [uneasy music plays]. Looks like we were right about the baby.
I think it's kind of a cop out that Allan killed her (not that the bairn was his because we all knew that) in the sense that Mr. Christie seems to have gotten a retcon this season. I'm not calling foul on the plot; I'm glad it's done, but I'm not sure it played out logically. It's done though.

Lord John in his burgundy coat is most welcome on my television screen.

This season is low key on wrapping up plot. They made a huge deal on the fire and it's just a gas explosion.

13 hours ago, cardigirl said:

That Wendigo, I didn't figure him for a straight-up idiot. I get being desperate to return to his own time, but threatening Claire and Jamie is not the way to go about it. 

I get his point of view, he asked Roger for help. The main characters are kind of condescending to everyone else. If he just walked up and asked for a gem and explained himself, Claire might have been ok. On the other hand, I get why Claire was wary. Mediation is not coming from Claire either though. 

So the house blew up. It's not like they didn't survive. I don't get why the 'future' thinks they're dead. 

This was a good episode until the last 10 minutes. 

I like how last season they couldn't go through the stones, but now they can. The show isn't even pretending at this point. 

[sas616]

27 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I'm pleased to see that they finally remembered about the fire in the previouslies.

When Allan said 'flower bud' the closed captions had [uneasy music plays]. Looks like we were right about the baby.
I think it's kind of a cop out that Allan killed her (not that the bairn was his because we all knew that) in the sense that Mr. Christie seems to have gotten a retcon this season. I'm not calling foul on the plot; I'm glad it's done, but I'm not sure it played out logically. It's done though.

Lord John in his burgundy coat is most welcome on my television screen.

This season is low key on wrapping up plot. They made a huge deal on the fire and it's just a gas explosion.

I get his point of view, he asked Roger for help. The main characters are kind of condescending to everyone else. If he just walked up and asked for a gem and explained himself, Claire might have been ok. On the other hand, I get why Claire was wary. Mediation is not coming from Claire either though. 

So the house blew up. It's not like they didn't survive. I don't get why the 'future' thinks they're dead. 

This was a good episode until the last 10 minutes. 

I like how last season they couldn't go through the stones, but now they can. The show isn't even pretending at this point. 

Wonder why Wendigo thought Claire would have a stash of gems just lying around.   Sure he met Roger, but that's only 2 people he's come in contact with that are travelers.   And Roger and Claire didn't give him any indication that they were intending to return to their own time.

[ferjy]

55 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I like how last season they couldn't go through the stones, but now they can. The show isn't even pretending at this point. 

I think the thing is that the first time they tried to go back they didn’t have a good enough reason for returning. Their hearts were more with staying in the past. This time they had a strong reason to go… their daughters life. As Claire said to Donner, you have to focus on something or someone on the other side. 

I’m glad they did make it this time. It should be interesting. I guess we’ll be seeing Bree and fam living in the 20th century. I always liked Bree and Roger better in that time. Bree at least never seemed to fit in the past to me, like Claire and Roger did. I hope they don’t rush back to the past once the baby is better.

When Jemmy was frolicking about near the stones after they successfully got through, I wanted to shout at Bree and Roger to grab the tot before he inadvertently toppled back through the stones! Hi Grannie and Grandda! 😄

A good episode but certain parts sure were rushed, like with Allan… the scene’s only purpose was to wrap up that storyline. He confesses he was the killer, Young Ian pops an arrow into him, and we’re done. 

 

[BitterApple]

Seeing the footage of Disneyland after the intro was so jarring. It's been a while since the modern timeline has been part of the show. It threw me for a loop, but I'm looking forward to having it back. 

I liked the episode, but man, they are barreling through the plot. When Young Ian shot Allan with the arrow, I damn near laughed. I was like, whelp, that's done and dusted, moving on...

Did anyone else think the reunion with Lord John felt really abrupt? I guess that was the intention given that the Frasers and John/Willie are on opposite sides, but they haven't seen each other in what, four or five years? I expected a bit more emotion than what we got. 

With regards to the Stones, I've always believed they take you where you need to be. The first go-back for Roger and Brianna didn't work because their hearts weren't in it. Now they're desperate to save their daughter, so they're 100% committed to returning to their own time. 

Boy, Wendigo is turning out to be a real dick. I can't believe he was stupid enough to light a fire with a flammable liquid spilled all over the floor. 

[Glade]

This was a fascinating episode that finally moves the plot forward after getting bogged down with the Christies (who as Claire said, were a terrible waste of all of our time); while I didn't need Alan's villain monologue, I'm glad Ian dispatched that storyline and we can move on now.  Right on to the end of the Frasier's Ridge homestead!  I felt sorry for Wendigo last episode, but not anymore; he could have at least tried to apologize to Claire and just ask her for help finding a gemstone before breaking in with his gang of idiots. 

Jaime touching on traveling to the future in his dreams ala the first episode was thrilling!  Willie has certainly grown up; it's too bad he won't inherit any of Lord John's genes which have kept him so young and lovely despite the decades.  I loved their scenes together, and it's great that since Tom is gone, they can talk about Murtaugh being at Ardsmuir again.  And I loved that Claire mentioned the loss of Fergus and Marsali; I really hope they do come back to the show this season.  But I guess I didn't intuit that this really could be forever; that Bree and Roger would never even try to travel back again, or Claire forward seems unlikely.  I lol'd when Jamie was describing Mickey as a giant rat; and I was relieved that they were only talking about Disney Land, i.e. the California location.  The fireflies were amazing.

[CarpeFelis]

3 hours ago, ferjy said:

When Jemmy was frolicking about near the stones after they successfully got through, I wanted to shout at Bree and Roger to grab the tot before he inadvertently toppled back through the stones! Hi Grannie and Grandda! 😄

He’d have to have another gem on him for that to happen since the gems disintegrate.

What kind of idiot lights a match near ether?!

[nara]

A slow paced but good episode.

We called it on Allan, but I would have preferred it if Malva was a willing participant vs. a molested little sister. I am glad that chapter is over…

How has William grown up when no one else has aged a say? The youthful looks of Jamie and Lord John are jarring. Also, he should look more like Jamie.

Poor little Amanda. Glad they made the choice to go to the future rather than Claire miraculously operate.

Disney product placement! I can’t believe they went every year! I guess the Randalls were wealthy!

Scenes with meeting baby Amanda and the goodbyes were all well done. I don’t know why everyone here seems to hate the Brianna actress—I think she has done a good job. 

So now we have the fire. I hope all of our friends survive. But have the Bugs been stealing? That would be sad. But if the Fraser’s hold them accountable they could reveal where a certain body is.

i don’t recall any mention of Brown. I guess it will come up later

[DoctorAtomic]

13 hours ago, sas616 said:

Wonder why Wendigo thought Claire would have a stash of gems just lying around.

Claire would probably give the impression that she's well off. Not that she's arrogant, but I could see that impression. So he thinks she might have some gems. That's fair reasoning. But again, his hostility seems forced for the plot. He certainly should be ticked at Roger for not helping, but he legitimately felt bad about not being able to help Claire. Just apologize and ask for help. I get he's getting desperate and frustrated, but this show sometimes lacks nuance in their characters. 

13 hours ago, ferjy said:

think the thing is that the first time they tried to go back they didn’t have a good enough reason for returning. Their hearts were more with staying in the past. This time they had a strong reason to go… their daughters life. As Claire said to Donner, you have to focus on something or someone on the other side. 

I was mostly being glib. I know it's not a time travel show, but let's face it, the rules are dictated by the plot. It's fine. 

All that said, I'm legitimately having fun with the show. They wrapped up the Christies fast, and, really, they dragged down last season a lot. We got the fire out of the way, and the Revolution is in full swing. I really want them to move to Wilmington and get more active. I think I'm fine with leaving the ridge behind. 

I wonder if Jamie will tell Lord John about the future? 

[Mountainair]

Loved this episode! I like that so far this season seems to be moving the plot along instead of treading water on the same dull storylines season after season. 
 

I have to say though that I was pretty triggered this whole episode and had a hard time holding back tears. We just returned home yesterday after my 10 year old son underwent his 2nd heart surgery in 9 months from a rare undiagnosed heart defect that didn’t present until last summer. He was in fact sleeping in bed next to me while I watched because he had spiked a fever and I wanted to monitor him through the night. 

As a non book reader the practical side of me wonders how Roger and Bri expect to jump through the stones and get medical care with no insurance, no address, no birth certificate or social security number for Amanda but with a lot of stuff on this show I have to suspend reality and just go with it :) 

[Moxie Cat]

12 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Did anyone else think the reunion with Lord John felt really abrupt? I guess that was the intention given that the Frasers and John/Willie are on opposite sides, but they haven't seen each other in what, four or five years?

Jamie and Claire saw Lord John at Flora McDonald's reception last season, and Lord John and Jamie defended a printer from the mob in that episode too. The governor had asked Lord John to talk sense into Jamie about his loyalties. He hadn't seen Bree though since right before Bree and Roger tried to leave the last time. 

5 hours ago, nara said:

But have the Bugs been stealing?

Yeah, I didn't understand that part either.

Edited June 24, 2023 by Moxie Cat

[BitterApple]

34 minutes ago, Mountainair said:

As a non book reader the practical side of me wonders how Roger and Bri expect to jump through the stones and get medical care with no insurance, no address, no birth certificate or social security number for Amanda but with a lot of stuff on this show I have to suspend reality and just go with it :) 

I always think of that stuff too! They just got dropped back into the 1970s with no money, I.D.'s or credit cards. How the heck are they getting back to Boston? And is there still a home in Boston to return to? Did Bree just up and abandon everything? Who's been paying the mortgage and property taxes on the brownstone?  With regards to Amanda, could they register her as a home birth (which is technically true) and apply for a birth certificate and SSN that way? Like you said, I'm sure it will all work out, because reasons, but I hope we get a bit of exposition with regards to the details. Best wishes to you and your son! 

[DoctorAtomic]

I figure they could just go to the ER. 

[j5cochran]

I seem to remember, when Claire left the second time, she worked with her surgeon friend Joe (?), to take care of Bri, in terms of paper work and bank accounts and stuff. Bri was supposed to have plenty of money to finish her degree and get started in life in the twentieth century.

Whether Bri told Joe what she was doing when she left, I don't know. Assuming Joe is still alive and working in Boston, he can help them find a surgeon.

As for the Social Security Number, I didn't get one until I was ready to get my driver's license at age 16. The government started a program in 1987 to automatically get a SSN when the child's birth was registered with the state. It will be easy to register both children as home births, and as American citizens with SSNs. Roger and Bri can claim they've been living on a commune!

[Lola82]

I’m pretty sure Joe is the surgeon that Claire had in mind when she said that she knows someone that can fix the issue. I’m guessing he’d help them without insurance, etc.

[Scarlett45]

On 6/24/2023 at 12:28 AM, BitterApple said:

Did anyone else think the reunion with Lord John felt really abrupt? I guess that was the intention given that the Frasers and John/Willie are on opposite sides, but they haven't seen each other in what, four or five years? I expected a bit more emotion than what we got. 

I get what you’re saying but the actors sold the hell out of it. Lord John is still in love with Jamie (who wouldn’t be?!!) and he’s worried for William (who’s the only son he will ever have). I mean there were real feelings there!

[ch1]

I need someone to tell me who thought this season’s theme song sounded good.  It honestly sounds like Sinead is in pain singing it.  The more I hear it the worst it sounds.  

[FnkyChkn34]

On 6/24/2023 at 1:30 PM, Mountainair said:

As a non book reader the practical side of me wonders how Roger and Bri expect to jump through the stones and get medical care with no insurance, no address, no birth certificate or social security number for Amanda but with a lot of stuff on this show I have to suspend reality and just go with it :) 

Claire said that she knows someone who could help them.  So somehow they will make it to Boston with no money or modern clothes, and find her friend who will just help with no questions asked.  Right?  Seems to be this show's MO...

1 hour ago, ch1 said:

I need someone to tell me who thought this season’s theme song sounded good.  It honestly sounds like Sinead is in pain singing it.  The more I hear it the worst it sounds.  

And the end where the singer whispers is the absolute worst!!

[Lily H]

I thought it was kind of funny when Jamie and Bree were talking about whether the upcoming war would be worth it, in terms of all the death and destruction that is to come, and Bree said that it would. Because really, if you think about it, the U.S. without the war of independence would just be.......Canada.

[greekmom]

On 6/23/2023 at 9:33 AM, cardigirl said:

 

That Wendigo, I didn't figure him for a straight-up idiot. I get being desperate to return to his own time, but threatening Claire and Jamie is not the way to go about it. 

Looking forward to the next episode, too.

I understand going to Claire for information but why wouldn't he just rob a goldsmith who would most likely have gems instead of taking a chance on Claire? 

Seems that gemstones are rare in America. 

[Scarlett45]

8 minutes ago, greekmom said:

I understand going to Claire for information but why wouldn't he just rob a goldsmith who would most likely have gems instead of taking a chance on Claire? 

Seems that gemstones are rare in America. 

Wendigo isn’t so bright. I can understand why he didn’t help Claire, he was afraid he would be murdered, but he’s such a dick. No one forced him to go back into the past and he’s pissing off all the people who could help him!

[Hanahope]

I'm guessing that Bree and Roger hoofed it to the nearest town and called Joe collect (Clair probably had his phone number), asking that he wire them some money to travel back to Boston, where they could get back into the house where Bree at least has all her info.  then they can get Roger's info somehow (maybe contact someone in Scotland to mail his passport).  Remember back in the early 80s (or maybe we are in the late 70s), there wasn't as much emphasis placed on having an ID on your person at all times.  I don't think they even needed an ID to travel domestically by plane, and certainly not by train.  

I got the impression that Claire/Bree had a decent amount of money that they could probably afford whatever was needed for their baby, and Joe can probably get the hospital to discount the fee too (and its always possible that whatever pension Claire had from the hospital provided medical insurance for descendants).

Agreed that Claire probably would have given Wendigo the small gem Jamie had, had Wendigo not announced he hired thugs to ransack their house.  i'm guessing  Claire/Jamie dove outside the door into the breezeway and somehow avoided the worst of the explosion.  Since this is just Ep2, clearly they aren't dead.  its a different time frame, so maybe the original story was true, but Bree and Roger being on the scene changed some things, but they still couldn't avoid Wendigo burning the house because of events that happened regardless.

Definitely glad we got rid of the whole Christie family saga.  moving on....

 

 

[taanja]

On 6/23/2023 at 8:33 AM, cardigirl said:

I thought it was a great episode, although it seemed to cover a lot of time, very quickly. I always enjoy time travel talk and there was lots in this episode. Some of Sam's best acting on view as well. 

That Wendigo, I didn't figure him for a straight-up idiot. I get being desperate to return to his own time, but threatening Claire and Jamie is not the way to go about it. 

Looking forward to the next episode, too.

Ha! He doesn't realize he is a character on the Claire and Jaime show! So he doesn't know that he has no real agency and that threatening them is a bad idea!

The time travel thing just trips me out. Like -- HOW does it work????? So this time Roger and Bree and the kids went through the stones just fine but last time they went nowhere?

And when Claire was explaining things to that dude from the future -- she said something like -- just "think" of the place you want to go and the stones will take you.

Say what????

I am glad they are moving the plot along quickly. Seems to me Jaime and Claire should look a LOT older than they do. But it was cool to see John Grey. And that young man is Jaime's son and Bree's brother. Right? Oh and fighting on the wrong side of history! 

[taanja]

On 6/24/2023 at 12:30 PM, Mountainair said:

As a non book reader the practical side of me wonders how Roger and Bri expect to jump through the stones and get medical care with no insurance, no address, no birth certificate or social security number for Amanda but with a lot of stuff on this show I have to suspend reality and just go with it :) 

Thank you!

I forgot to mention that in my post. They haven't been to their own time -- in what? years? They basically have no family so... how do they have money? Insurance? Credit cards? A home? Anything??? (and just a side note -- what year was it when Bree decided to go back in time to find her mother? because before 1972 -1974 a single woman couldn't get her own credit card. 

[Ziggy]

3 hours ago, Hanahope said:

I'm guessing that Bree and Roger hoofed it to the nearest town and called Joe collect (Clair probably had his phone number), asking that he wire them some money to travel back to Boston, where they could get back into the house where Bree at least has all her info.  then they can get Roger's info somehow (maybe contact someone in Scotland to mail his passport).  Remember back in the early 80s (or maybe we are in the late 70s), there wasn't as much emphasis placed on having an ID on your person at all times.  I don't think they even needed an ID to travel domestically by plane, and certainly not by train.  

That is exactly how I assume it happens. I don’t remember if we saw Clair tell Joe about time travel, but I definitely got the impression she told him the whole story - where/when she was going.

[DoctorAtomic]

If they get to Wilmington, Bree and Roger could get some money from Joe via Western Union and take a train to Boston. There's no TSA or anything. No one is really going to bother a white family on a vacation.

[domina89]

I wish they would stop trying to kill poor Adso.  First the house was shot up last season and now there's an explosion.  If he survives this, that poor cat needs a new family! 

[ch1]

3 minutes ago, domina89 said:

I wish they would stop trying to kill poor Adso.  First the house was shot up last season and now there's an explosion.  If he survives this, that poor cat needs a new family! 

He really should take his chances in the woods with the wild animals. 
 
 

[taanja]

11 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

If they get to Wilmington, Bree and Roger could get some money from Joe via Western Union and take a train to Boston. There's no TSA or anything. No one is really going to bother a white family on a vacation.

To bring a child to a hospital for a major operation - even in the 1970's one still needed some form of ID. and back then -- emergency rooms could out right refuse to help if you didn't have money/insurance.

and sure payphones on every corner. But they required a dime/quarter to make a call. and sure -- you could make a collect call - assuming Claire remembered Joe's telephone number and it hasn't changed in all the years they have been gone. but the person on the other end not only has to answer -- they have to accept the charges.

Perhaps they will address the details in the next ep? 

[Ziggy]

1 hour ago, taanja said:

To bring a child to a hospital for a major operation - even in the 1970's one still needed some form of ID. and back then -- emergency rooms could out right refuse to help if you didn't have money/insurance.

and sure payphones on every corner. But they required a dime/quarter to make a call. and sure -- you could make a collect call - assuming Claire remembered Joe's telephone number and it hasn't changed in all the years they have been gone. but the person on the other end not only has to answer -- they have to accept the charges.

Perhaps they will address the details in the next ep? 

You bring up good points, but I don't think they're planning to just go to the hospital like a normal patient.  I'm pretty sure they are going to call Joe specifically.  If he brings them into the hospital, paperwork and insurance become formalities.  And, realistic or not, the scenes we saw of Frank and Claire in Boston give the impression that the family was very well off.  I think we are to assume that Bree has more than enough money in the bank to cover Mandy's surgery.

[Hanahope]

2 hours ago, taanja said:

The time travel thing just trips me out. Like -- HOW does it work????? So this time Roger and Bree and the kids went through the stones just fine but last time they went nowhere?

And when Claire was explaining things to that dude from the future -- she said something like -- just "think" of the place you want to go and the stones will take you.

Say what????

so, the last time Bree and Roger tried to use the stones, they said they just vaguely "thought of home" and the stones apparently interpreted that to mean with the same time/place as with Claire and Jamie, they considered that 'home' at that time.  It sounds like they needed to more forcefully concentrate on a specific time frame.  so this time i'm assuming Bree and Roger focused on a year, or 'i need to be 200 years in the future' (which would put them in 1973? 74? 75?  something like that),  and I'm assuming all of them holding hands helped keep them together with the kids (likely when Wendigo went back, he and his group weren't holding hands).  

2 hours ago, taanja said:

what year was it when Bree decided to go back in time to find her mother? because before 1972 -1974 a single woman couldn't get her own credit card. 

I'm fairly sure Claire had set up some sort of trust for Bree, which as a surgeon, she surely had some legal help doing and plenty of money.  I'm assuming there was a trustee set up who took care of the house, managed the money, and i would presume Bree told this person she was 'going away for awhile and may not be in touch'.  so now, Bree just has to contact the trustee and get access to the money.  and Joe at least knows some of the story, so he'll be able to help.  

and again, back in the 70s, they could get things like marriage and birth certificates created a lot easier.

Unless Joe had moved, he almost certainly had the same phone number (including area code).  people didn't change their numbers back then.  there was also 411 you could call (for free) and ask for the phone number of a certain person in a certain city.  

[taanja]

4 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

You bring up good points, but I don't think they're planning to just go to the hospital like a normal patient.  I'm pretty sure they are going to call Joe specifically.  If he brings them into the hospital, paperwork and insurance become formalities.  And, realistic or not, the scenes we saw of Frank and Claire in Boston give the impression that the family was very well off.  I think we are to assume that Bree has more than enough money in the bank to cover Mandy's surgery.

I suppose the book explains things better? In the show - I feel we are supposed to take it on faith that they just go back to the future and will have no issues with finances or any little pesky details like getting to Boston from Wilmington in cloths from the 18th century. 

[Ziggy]

24 minutes ago, taanja said:

I suppose the book explains things better? In the show - I feel we are supposed to take it on faith that they just go back to the future and will have no issues with finances or any little pesky details like getting to Boston from Wilmington in cloths from the 18th century. 

I (and I'm sure many others) would LOVE to tell you how it plays out in the book, but you need to ask in the Book Thread.

[taanja]

51 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

I (and I'm sure many others) would LOVE to tell you how it plays out in the book, but you need to ask in the Book Thread.

I expect the show to show me or tell me.

As far as I have seen -- there has NEVER been mention of Claire or Frank setting up a trust or bank account for Bree. And when she decided to go back in time to find her mother and father -- she did it on the spur of the moment. She didn't even take the time to get proper clothing. That Joe guy was never mentioned. And since she left so suddenly it didn't seem as if she informed anyone (didn't they even show her roommate or wondering what happened to her? 

The show made it seem as if they were just going to pop back to the future and voila! they are back in the modern world like they never left. The actual logistics are treated with a handwave.

 

[cardigirl]

1 hour ago, taanja said:

I expect the show to show me or tell me.

As far as I have seen -- there has NEVER been mention of Claire or Frank setting up a trust or bank account for Bree. And when she decided to go back in time to find her mother and father -- she did it on the spur of the moment. She didn't even take the time to get proper clothing. That Joe guy was never mentioned. And since she left so suddenly it didn't seem as if she informed anyone (didn't they even show her roommate or wondering what happened to her? 

The show made it seem as if they were just going to pop back to the future and voila! they are back in the modern world like they never left. The actual logistics are treated with a handwave.

 

Bree did try to dress appropriately for the time, by wearing boots and a Gunny Sax dress, etc. She knew what was needed because she watched her mother prepare (raincoat dress with pockets!). And Bree and Roger gave Claire old Scottish coins to use when she arrived. But she absolutely was in a hurry, because she was trying to save her mother and Jamie from dying in a fire.

Claire also told her that everything was in her name when she gave Bree the pearls.  So the show has shown that. 

I was a little surprised when Bree and Roger and kids went back that they didn't try to dress a little more modern. Tricorn hats weren't used much in Boston in the early 70s, unless you were a Revolutionary War reenactor. 

Edited June 26, 2023 by cardigirl

[DoctorAtomic]

The only rule on the time travel has been the 200 year window, back or forth. That's been it. I don't think tugging on that thread is going to yield much more. 

One of the reasons I'm not particularly concerned with (or interested in) Bree and Roger riding a train is that I don't want whole swathes of plot on them versus the Revolution up in full swing now. 

[MrsR]

Well if Bree and Roger come back in 1976. they come back during the Bicentennial celebration which went on ALL year. People dressed in Colonial garb would not have been out of place anywhere on the Eastern seaboard during 1976.

I'm a woman of a certain age. If I landed in Ocracoke in 1976 with the right phone numbers remembered, I could be on a train to Boston the next day.

[Shermie]

On 6/24/2023 at 1:30 PM, Mountainair said:

As a non book reader the practical side of me wonders how Roger and Bri expect to jump through the stones and get medical care with no insurance, no address, no birth certificate or social security number for Amanda but with a lot of stuff on this show I have to suspend reality and just go with it :) 

That stuff was a lot more casual in the 70s. I don’t know about the U.S. but in Canada few people got a Social Insurance Number for a baby; that’s something you applied for when you got your first job. Otherwise, getting paperwork was just easier; you said it was stolen or lost and if you could be found in some register, you’d get new ID. 

The real issue with time travel is that everything someone does when they go back in time affects the future. People who died or didn’t die because of Claire, Bree or Roger. Hell, anyone they interacted with could alter the future, but that’s never addressed.

[Scarlett45]

5 hours ago, taanja said:

As far as I have seen -- there has NEVER been mention of Claire or Frank setting up a trust or bank account for Bree.

In season 3 Claire details to Bre before she time travels that she’s set up all of the accounts and the house Bre’s name so that Bre would be ok. Claire fully expected to never see Bre again, she wasn’t going to leave her college student daughter with no way to eat or pay tuition. I’m sure Bre had her own bank account before that- she was an adult (a young one but an adult); and I know Frank left her money when he died because if anything Frank wanted BRE to be okay. 

4 hours ago, cardigirl said:

Claire also told her that everything was in her name when she gave Bree the pearls.  So the show has shown that. 

Yup. 

2 minutes ago, Shermie said:

That stuff was a lot more casual in the 70s. I don’t know about the U.S. but in Canada few people got a Social Insurance Number for a baby; that’s something you applied for when you got your first job. Otherwise, getting paperwork was just easier; you said it was stolen or lost and if you could be found in some register, you’d get new ID. 

Yes it was like that in the USA. It wasn’t until I was born in the mid 80s people started applying for Social Security numbers at the birth of their child. 

[Ziggy]

6 hours ago, taanja said:

I expect the show to show me or tell me.

As far as I have seen -- there has NEVER been mention of Claire or Frank setting up a trust or bank account for Bree. And when she decided to go back in time to find her mother and father -- she did it on the spur of the moment. She didn't even take the time to get proper clothing. That Joe guy was never mentioned. And since she left so suddenly it didn't seem as if she informed anyone (didn't they even show her roommate or wondering what happened to her? 

The show made it seem as if they were just going to pop back to the future and voila! they are back in the modern world like they never left. The actual logistics are treated with a handwave.

 

I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to imply that you needed to read the books or that the show didn’t need to explain it. I thought I was responding to your comment, “I suppose the book explains things better?” I just meant that if you were curious, I would be happy to tell you.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Ziggy

[Cdh20]

1 hour ago, Shermie said:

 

The real issue with time travel is that everything someone does when they go back in time affects the future. People who died or didn’t die because of Claire, Bree or Roger. Hell, anyone they interacted with could alter the future, but that’s never addressed.

I have always felt that they don’t change history, they are where they are all supposed to be- it’s their fate! Everything is happening exactly as it should. Brianna went to the past to warn her parents about a fire, created matches, & low & behold, a match started that fire😉.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Cdh20
Added a thought

[zoey1996]

On 6/24/2023 at 3:01 AM, CarpeFelis said:

He’d have to have another gem on him for that to happen since the gems disintegrate.

What kind of idiot lights a match near ether?!

At that time, ether wasn't well known and wasn't yet used medically, so the idiots didn't know ether was flammable.

Unpopular opinion, but I like the different treatment of the opening music.

I really don't care about the practicality of time travel, what they'll do for money, ID, clothing. There's too much going on in the Colonies and I'd prefer to focus on that. 

[domina89]

11 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes it was like that in the USA. It wasn’t until I was born in the mid 80s people started applying for Social Security numbers at the birth of their child. 

I was born in the US in 1976 and I had a SSN at birth.  Maybe each state was different... 

I do agree that things were much more relaxed back then as far as proving your identity, so it isn't impossible to think that Roger and Bree could work the system a bit in order to get her treated.  I would think they would have a harder time with Roger being in the US and not being a citizen, since Roger and Bree can't prove they are actually married.

[DoctorAtomic]

11 hours ago, Cdh20 said:

I have always felt that they don’t change history, they are where they are all supposed to be- it’s their fate! Everything is happening exactly as it should.

That's a good a take as any. We've had discussions that Claire et al., don't really talk about time travel and implications nearly as much as you'd think they would. It's just not a time travel show. To be fair to the show, the 'big things' are going to happen regardless. We've seen that in the Scotland seasons. Jamie still fought and still went to prison. He still met Lord John. 

It's not like they're going to alter the fate of the Revolution either. 

Would the Christie's have met the same fate? Possibly. Allan was already abusing Malva; the whole family was a mess before they met the Frasers. 

10 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

At that time, ether wasn't well known and wasn't yet used medically, so the idiots didn't know ether was flammable.

Didn't the 1970s guy light the match though? He would have known when Clair said it was ether. 

1 hour ago, domina89 said:

I would think they would have a harder time with Roger being in the US and not being a citizen, since Roger and Bree can't prove they are actually married.

Would they need to prove that they are married in 1974? You buy train tickets in Wilmington, "oh, going on vacation?" "Yes, I'm taking my family to visit a friend of the family in Boston." That's basically it. 

[domina89]

41 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Would they need to prove that they are married in 1974? You buy train tickets in Wilmington, "oh, going on vacation?" "Yes, I'm taking my family to visit a friend of the family in Boston." That's basically it. 

I wasn't thinking of travel, specifically.  I was thinking of how they would prove Amanda was a US citizen to get her a birth certificate, SSN, etc. - things she would need to have medical treatment.  Plus it won't help their situation if Roger gets deported.  I'm sure I am thinking about this WAY more than the writers will.  Lol

Edited June 27, 2023 by domina89
clarification

[Hanahope]

20 minutes ago, domina89 said:

I wasn't thinking of travel, specifically.  I was thinking of how they would prove Amanda was a US citizen to get her a birth certificate, SSN, etc. - things she would need to have medical treatment.  Plus it won't help their situation if Roger gets deported.  I'm sure I am thinking about this WAY more than the writers will.  Lol

I'm sure once the family got to Boston, Roger to contact a family/friend in Scotland to mail him his passport, so at least he would have it, but i doubt he'd need it in the US at that time, unless they tried to travel outside the US. No one is really looking to deport white men who speak English.  

Plus, many states use  (or at least used) common law marriage, and all Bree and Roger would need is someone making an affidavit that they were married and again Joe might be willing to do that (or they could just do it now 'officially' anywhere in the US if they had to).  Same with birth certificates for home births (which honestly just might require an affidavit from the mother and obviously she can name Roger as the father).  

Almost everything was a lot more lax back in the 1970s.  i don't think they needed a SSN for medical treatment, i didn't get a SSN until I started working at 16 in the 1980s, and i certainly got medical treatment as a child.