This Is Our Spoiler and Speculation Topic

[ChromaKelly]

I am predicting that Randall's birth mother is not dead. We never saw a body. Plus it's always made no sense that there was not any news of a dead woman who recently gave birth and connecting that woman to Randall. Randall should not have been adopted to the Pearsons until next of kin of his birth mother could be located. If they declined to take him, then the Pearsons could adopt him. This has never been mentioned.
I don't know if this makes his birth mother the "her" in the flash forwards or not, but I am guessing that she will appear for The Dramaz.

[ShadowFacts]

5 minutes ago, ChromaKelly said:

I am predicting that Randall's birth mother is not dead. We never saw a body. Plus it's always made no sense that there was not any news of a dead woman who recently gave birth and connecting that woman to Randall. Randall should not have been adopted to the Pearsons until next of kin of his birth mother could be located. If they declined to take him, then the Pearsons could adopt him. This has never been mentioned.
I don't know if this makes his birth mother the "her" in the flash forwards or not, but I am guessing that she will appear for The Dramaz.

We speculated about this back in the first season -- it seems impossible to have happened the way William said, either that, or he gave an incomplete account.  The only problem I have with the theory is that I do not think William would have gone to his grave not telling Randall the full truth, not with the bond we saw them forge.  And I think the her is Rebecca almost for certain.  Toby for one wouldn't really have much connection to Laurel.  But I do think if the show goes on a few more seasons it might be interesting to see more of her story, how she got through pregnancy; I remember Randall's baby blanket being apparently hand-knitted, it may have been a gift.  Baby Randall might have been warmly anticipated.   I don't know how it would tie in organically to the present, but it might be interesting. 

[PRgal]

According to co-showrunner, Isaac Aptaker, "her" is, indeed, Rebecca.  He'd be a bit more secretive if it's someone else.  We'll likely spend the rest of the season (or maybe even part of next season (has it been renewed?)) guessing whether Rebecca is on her deathbed or is already dead or whatever.  

[ChromaKelly]

4 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

We speculated about this back in the first season -- it seems impossible to have happened the way William said, either that, or he gave an incomplete account.  The only problem I have with the theory is that I do not think William would have gone to his grave not telling Randall the full truth, not with the bond we saw them forge.  And I think the her is Rebecca almost for certain.  Toby for one wouldn't really have much connection to Laurel.  But I do think if the show goes on a few more seasons it might be interesting to see more of her story, how she got through pregnancy; I remember Randall's baby blanket being apparently hand-knitted, it may have been a gift.  Baby Randall might have been warmly anticipated.   I don't know how it would tie in organically to the present, but it might be interesting. 

In my made-up prediction, I think William didn't know she was alive either. He panicked when he saw she was unconscious, scooped up baby Randall and took him to the fire station. Then later, she came up to and wandered off.
I see from the other post she's definitely not the "her", but I do think it's possible the showrunners will throw in his birthmom just because.

[AriAu]

Quote

I see from the other post she's definitely not the "her", but I do think it's possible the showrunners will throw in his birthmom just because

After the twist that Nicky is alive, anything is possible!

It is amazing how few spoilers get out for this show, altho I guess in that case Milo was possibly the only cast member to know all along.

With Toby alone and wearing no ring, is it possible that Kate and the baby died in childbirth. For a show that piles on the agony, that would just about take it to 11.

Edited December 4, 2018 by AriAu

[Lady Calypso]

2 hours ago, ChromaKelly said:

I see from the other post she's definitely not the "her", but I do think it's possible the showrunners will throw in his birthmom just because.

For a show promoting family and that Randall being adopted is no big deal, they sure are throwing in a lot of biological family members into the mix (even if his bio mom reappearing isn't for sure yet). Now, bringing in William made sense (though not keeping him on the show this long). Having Deja's mom as a presence makes sense too. But I cannot handle another biological family member of Randall's. If they bring in his bio mom, then their whole message gets thrown out the window. And I say this as an adopted child myself. So I'm hoping that she stays dead. However, I've been speculating his bio mom coming back since we've never seen Randall's birth scene and only know what happened through William's retelling of it.

[ShadowFacts]

36 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

For a show promoting family and that Randall being adopted is no big deal, they sure are throwing in a lot of biological family members into the mix (even if his bio mom reappearing isn't for sure yet). Now, bringing in William made sense (though not keeping him on the show this long). Having Deja's mom as a presence makes sense too. But I cannot handle another biological family member of Randall's. If they bring in his bio mom, then their whole message gets thrown out the window. And I say this as an adopted child myself. So I'm hoping that she stays dead. However, I've been speculating his bio mom coming back since we've never seen Randall's birth scene and only know what happened through William's retelling of it.

It would be a bit much to have someone else (besides Nicky) who was purportedly dead turn out to be alive in present day.  Retread.  But it wouldn't be as repetitive if they somehow worked in what happened to her after Randall was born.  To me that wouldn't throw their whole message out the window.  Randall was looking for his biological mother way back as a teen, now he thinks she died in childbirth because that's what William told him, but William's memory of it was compromised.  It just seems like it would be hard to write a believable way for Laurel to appear in flashbacks now that William's gone.

[ChromaKelly]

3 hours ago, AriAu said:

After the twist that Nicky is alive, anything is possible!

It is amazing how few spoilers get out for this show, altho I guess in that case Milo was possibly the only cast member to know all along.

With Toby alone and wearing no ring, is it possible that Kate and the baby died in childbirth. For a show that piles on the agony, that would just about take it to 11.

OMG, would that mean we would get Ghost Kate? Or Flashback Kate? No one can just freaking die in this show.

[doodlebug]

13 hours ago, ChromaKelly said:

In my made-up prediction, I think William didn't know she was alive either. He panicked when he saw she was unconscious, scooped up baby Randall and took him to the fire station. Then later, she came up to and wandered off.
I see from the other post she's definitely not the "her", but I do think it's possible the showrunners will throw in his birthmom just because.

It would kinda make more sense than William's version.  She was in an apartment building.  Surely someone would be calling the police within a few days as the body began to smell.  Once her body was found, the coroner would have discovered that she'd recently given birth and, of course, there was that baby that turned up at the fire station right around the same time she would've given birth.  No way baby Randall wouldn't have been linked to her.  We had the ability to do that back then and, if nothing else, their blood types, etc. would've been matched and the authorities would've known she was Randall's mother which would've led to a delay in his adoption as her family was located and questioned as to the identity of the father.  Had someone in her family wanted custody, off he would go to them.  If nothing else, Rebecca and Jack would've been informed that she'd been found, told about the drug abuse and that they weren't able to find any relatives or whatever.

[debraran]

I think they left it open for a possible return but why would she never have talked to William again or found Randall? It was odd though in all his trip down memory lane, Randall never asked more about her or wanted to see where she might have ended up. IDK, but this show is too Lifetime lately to not leave it in an open plan they still have with the more concrete time lines.

[Kirkydee]

About Randall's birth mom...

Randall hired a private investigator and found Willliam.  I'm sure at some point he tried to find his birth mom.  I believe it would've been easier to find a birth mom than the dad IMO.  So if she was alive he wouldve found her 1st

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, Kirkydee said:

About Randall's birth mom...

Randall hired a private investigator and found Willliam.  I'm sure at some point he tried to find his birth mom.  I believe it would've been easier to find a birth mom than the dad IMO.  So if she was alive he wouldve found her 1st

And what is also interesting about that is I don't think we know how the investigator found William.  Given the circumstances I think it would have been really difficult 36 years later. 

[TwoGrayTabbies]

53 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

And what is also interesting about that is I don't think we know how the investigator found William.  Given the circumstances I think it would have been really difficult 36 years later. 

I have wondered about that too.  I suppose the investigator would start with court records to establish a group of men with substance abuse and vagrancy issues in Pittsburgh due the relevant time period.  We saw a flashback with William speaking in court about the terrible time he was having, including, IIRC, his girlfriend’s death.  If the investigator read that transcript, that would have been an important clue.  It’s highly unlikely, however, that the PI would have told Randall that he was 100% certain William was his father.  Randall confronted William with 100% certainty, but that might have come from Randall’s own Randall-centric, Pearson-influenced mind.

[Pallas]

William might have registered at a reunion registry, leaving it to an adult Randall to make the connection.  In his ambivalence -- and what were then his zealous career pursuits -- Randall might not have wanted to do any of the work himself. Or if William had registered many years ago and not updated his contact information, Randall may have felt he needed to hire the detective to locate him, after Randall made the match. 

[ShadowFacts]

14 minutes ago, TwoGrayTabbies said:

I have wondered about that too.  I suppose the investigator would start with court records to establish a group of men with substance abuse and vagrancy issues in Pittsburgh due the relevant time period.  We saw a flashback with William speaking in court about the terrible time he was having, including, IIRC, his girlfriend’s death.  If the investigator read that transcript, that would have been an important clue.  It’s highly unlikely, however, that the PI would have told Randall that he was 100% certain William was his father.  Randall confronted William with 100% certainty, but that might have come from Randall’s own Randall-centric, Pearson-influenced mind.

I don't even understand how an investigator would have glommed on to addiction/vagrancy though.  I think all Randall could have known was the firehouse drop-off.  Rebecca of course hadn't told him anything and she found William by the serendipity of observing him outside the hospital and getting on the bus and asking people.  Decades later none of that would have been possible, and I don't think the drop-off was captured on camera, but details for me are fuzzy about the first season. 

2 hours ago, Pallas said:

William might have registered at a reunion registry, leaving it to an adult Randall to make the connection.  In his ambivalence -- and what were then his zealous career pursuits -- Randall might not have wanted to do any of the work himself. Or if William had registered many years ago and not updated his contact information, Randall may have felt he needed to hire the detective to locate him, after Randall made the match. 

Maybe, but it seems like William pretty much steadfastly kept his word to Rebecca.  I suppose I shouldn't sell a dedicated searcher short, what with cold cases recently being solved with ancestry-type DNA matches.  William was in the justice system so that's possible. 

[Blakeston]

In the pilot, Randall said that the investigator told him that his mother died in childbirth. If she didn't, then the explanation would have to be unbelievably convoluted.

There's something very strange about how little we've been told about Laurel. When William told Randall about her, music drowned him out. I wouldn't be surprised if they're leaving the door open for her to be alive, just in case they need yet another shocking twist.

I can easily picture Randall in turmoil, realizing that William lied to him, because he decided it would be better for Randall to believe that his mother was dead than to realize the truth - that she didn't want anything to do with him.

Edited December 5, 2018 by Blakeston

[Pallas]

2 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

Maybe, but it seems like William pretty much steadfastly kept his word to Rebecca.

He did, and very honorably. But leaving his name on a registry where an adult Randall could find him if he came looking, doesn't seem to me to trespass on William's decision not to knock on the Pearsons' door. 

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

In the pilot, Randall said that the investigator told him that his mother died in childbirth. If she didn't, then the explanation would have to be unbelievably convoluted.

There's something very strange about how little we've been told about Laurel. When William told Randall about her, music drowned him out. I wouldn't be surprised if they're leaving the door open for her to be alive, just in case they need yet another shocking twist.

I can easily picture Randall in turmoil, realizing that William lied to him, because he decided it would be better for Randall to believe that his mother was dead than to realize the truth - that she didn't want anything to do with him.

Yes, that scene you refer to struck me at the time as very much intended to leave the door open -- we did not hear a word of what William told Randall about his mother, only that Randall was eagerly listening. 

I also can see Randall getting hit with a curve ball about his mother.  As much as I want to think William would have come clean with anything he knew about what happened, he might not have been able to leave him with the knowledge that he had been truly abandoned.  He may have thought that not knowing was the merciful thing.  Seeing that he had a wonderfully close relationship with his own mother, and respecting the close relationship Randall had with Rebecca, he might not have wanted to upset that particular apple cart.  And there I go, giving motives to fictional people. 

[Pallas]

19 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

As much as I want to think William would have come clean with anything he knew about what happened, he might not have been able to leave him with the knowledge that he had been truly abandoned.

Like you, I'd like to think that the writers aren't having William patronize his son. Aren't having William, too, decide that Randall's origin story belongs to other people -- that other people are the better judges of what Randall needs to know. Within the show, William acts as a measured, sensitive and humble man; a poet; a thinker;  a recovering addict; a man of hard-earned insight, and regrets. Nice lies wouldn't seem to be his thing. 

It's possible though that the story is setting up Randall to be forced to revisit his first and inevitably child-like perspective on WiIliam. Forcing Randall to continue to begin to understand him, in the whole. Just as we and all the younger Pearsons are continuing to see more sides of the other older characters. Jack and Rebecca's conscious deceptions with their children were mostly lies of omission -- Jack about Nicky and Rebecca about William. They also came from what we've seen, in other context, is a prominent side of their nature: Jack's aggressive protectiveness, and Rebecca's anxious protectiveness. Jack as well as Rebecca may have felt that he'd always have the chance to undo and explain the lie when the children were grown, or other circumstances changed. 

If William told Randall that his mother died giving birth to him, when she didn't, that would be a big lie of commission. Made when WIlliam knew he had no time left to choose again or make amends. When he, as a recovering addict at the end of days, was facing the truth that he had failed himself the most over the truths he had refused to face.

[PRgal]

I believe Randall's birthmom DID die at childbirth (or soon after), but don't forget there may be birth aunts, uncles and cousins on Laurel's side.  We know NOTHING about Laurel's family and it's fairly easy for Randall to find out by taking a DNA test. 

[ShadowFacts]

2 hours ago, Pallas said:

If William told Randall that his mother died giving birth to him, when she didn't -- that would be a big lie of commission. Made when WIlliam knew he had no time left to choose again or make amends. When he, as a recovering addict at the end of days, was facing the truth that he had failed himself the most over the truths he had refused to face.

I really don't think the William we've been shown would have taken that secret to the grave.  It also doesn't comport with him telling the judge he had lost her and his child, if we're to believe in his basic honesty.  But if he did, I think his motive would have been protectiveness, much the same as Jack.  Randall's having a real big struggle post-William, which might blow apart his pretty great relationship with Beth.  Finding out William didn't come clean about Laurel would be such a big blow that William's attempt at protectiveness (if that's what happened) would have had the opposite effect than what was intended.  I don't see William not realizing that.  It's basically poor writing that it nags at me that she couldn't have died and not been connected to Randall.  If she was gone when he returned from dropping off baby Randall, what did he suppose happened?  What follow-up did he do?  He was in touch with reality enough to go to the hospital and watch Randall go home with the Pearsons, so he wasn't totally out of it.  Just too much that bothers my linear mind. 

[Pallas]

30 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

Just too much that bothers my linear mind. 

Even the story as we know it is far-fetched. And I think that's one of several reasons for the fade-out on the dialogue as William told it to Randall. Too many details that viewers might question, when in fact, it's meant to be taken as truth. Also, too many details that would freeze the scene of Laurel's death and confine the story around it, if these might be shown later. 

And yes. Just as William had relatives in Memphis, so must Laurel, in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. Maybe Laurel's niece now sits on the Pittsburgh City Council, representing her home district.

[Driad]

4 hours ago, Pallas said:

Maybe Laurel's niece now sits on the Pittsburgh City Council, representing her home district.

For all we know, Russell's election opponent may be his cousin.

[PRgal]

On 12/6/2018 at 4:29 PM, Driad said:

For all we know, Russell's election opponent may be his cousin.

Or maybe we find out Shauna is actually Randall's half-sister, making Deja his half-niece?  Is this at all possible?  Do we know anything about Shauna's parents?  

[MsChicklet]

So ... Randall won. Which means while he and Beth are good now, the challenges of him putting family first while working for constituents an hour and a half away from home could create new issues. He'll be missing a lot of family dinners if he keeps that promise of helping with snow removal. I can see Randall proposing a move to Philadelphia. Maybe that's how Beth gets into her dance career.

Edited January 16, 2019 by MsChicklet

[CrystalBlue]

How to shut down the Randall political storyline:

Since Randall won the election, his ego has been stroked so now it's time for him to move on to the Next Big Thing.  I think it's a possibility that the show will have Randall decide he's already put his family aside enough and will resign the position, leaving Brown to be able to pick up the pieces in Philly and continue on as usual.  Maybe Randall can help out once in a while.  This way the whole family doesn't move to Philadelphia.

[Lady Calypso]

I've been thinking about the Nicky arc and how that can be resolved. I'm not sure whether they're planning on keeping Nicky around past this season (the show's likely to get renewed for another season), but I can't help but wonder on the different paths they can take. I really only see one of two options happening:

1. They could keep Nicky around in a semi-permanent capacity. Kevin can get him the help that he needs and Nicky can finally live the life that he should have been living if him and Jack hadn't had that falling out. Then, Nicky could show up to family events and to bond with his niece and nephews. That way, the family can also get stories about Jack as a kid and from the war. A fairly happy ending for TIU standards. 
2. Nicky could end up killing himself by the end of this season or next. Maybe the PTSD from the war and the decades he's spent reliving it is too much and it's too late to save him. That could trigger a new arc for Kevin, one that could go really well (him realizing that he doesn't want to be like his uncle and he continues to progress as a person) or really badly (he relapses). 

Obviously I'd like for option one to happen. With this show, though, they could easily go for option two. 

[debraran]

6 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I've been thinking about the Nicky arc and how that can be resolved. I'm not sure whether they're planning on keeping Nicky around past this season (the show's likely to get renewed for another season), but I can't help but wonder on the different paths they can take. I really only see one of two options happening:

1. They could keep Nicky around in a semi-permanent capacity. Kevin can get him the help that he needs and Nicky can finally live the life that he should have been living if him and Jack hadn't had that falling out. Then, Nicky could show up to family events and to bond with his niece and nephews. That way, the family can also get stories about Jack as a kid and from the war. A fairly happy ending for TIU standards. 
2. Nicky could end up killing himself by the end of this season or next. Maybe the PTSD from the war and the decades he's spent reliving it is too much and it's too late to save him. That could trigger a new arc for Kevin, one that could go really well (him realizing that he doesn't want to be like his uncle and he continues to progress as a person) or really badly (he relapses). 

Obviously I'd like for option one to happen. With this show, though, they could easily go for option two. 

I like option one better too. I think he lived long enough with his issues. He will have to die at some point, but at 70, anything can happen. We know Rebecca will get ill, too much of that is overkill and if Kate also has something happen......

Were the postcards real, was Nicky traveling at some point, but I think the actor said he just kept moving, not having a job. What I didn't get with the writing is that Jack loved his brother enough to drive him to Canada, to enlist (which was a crazy thing to do) to travel alone to find him in Vietnam (unbelievable but that's TV) and then he writes him off, psych eval or not. That I can see his dad do,but not him, not long term.

Any chance child was Jack's or was he too old? Nicky said "Did I ruin your life?" I thought that was odd, being attached to the child is natural, to ruin his life, it was a war zone, something didn't make sense, but that is yet to come I think. I am shooting for a William is now Nicky arc but without cancer.

Edited January 23, 2019 by debraran

[ShadowFacts]

2 hours ago, debraran said:

Any chance child was Jack's or was he too old? Nicky said "Did I ruin your life?" I thought that was odd, being attached to the child is natural, to ruin his life, it was a war zone, something didn't make sense, but that is yet to come I think. I am shooting for a William is now Nicky arc but without cancer.

The boat child?  Was already on the scene when Jack arrived to the unit Nicky was in, I'm pretty sure.  That boy must have been 3 or 4 and the Vietnam tours of duty were usually a year, so he couldn't have been Jack's. 

[Captain Asshat]

9 hours ago, debraran said:

Any chance child was Jack's or was he too old? Nicky said "Did I ruin your life?" I thought that was odd, being attached to the child is natural, to ruin his life, it was a war zone, something didn't make sense, but that is yet to come I think. I am shooting for a William is now Nicky arc but without cancer.

I'm pretty sure the "Did I ruin your life?" refers to Nicky being the reason Jack was in Vietnam to begin with. Jack had a doctor sign off on his physical ability to enlist, and then enlisted, just to out for his brother. 

[MsChicklet]

10 hours ago, debraran said:

Nicky could end up killing himself by the end of this season or next.

Nicky's diabetic. And if he's been drinking heavily and smoking all those years, there may be other health complications. Maybe Kevin gets to do for Nicky what Randall did for William -- make peace as much as he can with what was and make the end less painful.

[ShadowFacts]

31 minutes ago, MsChicklet said:

Nicky's diabetic. And if he's been drinking heavily and smoking all those years, there may be other health complications. Maybe Kevin gets to do for Nicky what Randall did for William -- make peace as much as he can with what was and make the end less painful.

He has survived for decades in self-imposed solitary confinement, basically, smoking and drinking, and hasn't succumbed to anything yet, so my hope is that he doesn't die soon, commit suicide or otherwise.  It would be fitting if he got in some type of treatment, half-way house or such, and have his remaining years be different than the last 40 or 45.  He has punished himself mightily.  I don't need him to go the full William route, becoming a beloved family member, but just some deliverance from his hell.  And please, not be the only possible bone marrow donor for Kate's sick baby or something melodramatic like that. 

[chocolatine]

13 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

And please, not be the only possible bone marrow donor for Kate's sick baby or something melodramatic like that. 

Please don't give the writers any ideas!

[Lady Calypso]

I found this article detailing what's coming up for this season and implying about future storylines

Some things noted in the article:

• The timelines are going to get even more complicated (I guess meaning more future stuff)
• There's an episode that's apparently almost done completely in real time (so the full hour....or, I guess, probably in a couple of hours span). It's implied it has to do with Beth/Randall in episode 15, but it may not be.
• Beth's backstory episode is episode 13
• Beth/Randall will also get their own episode to explore their relationship in episode 17
• The team is planning for the next three seasons. With how well this show does do, it probably will get to a sixth season. It's implied that the show will end at season six.
• The interesting part that they never expand on is that they do confirm that Kevin will relapse, but the articles doesn't state when.

[chocolatine]

5 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I found this article detailing what's coming up for this season and implying about future storylines

When showrunners give up so many spoilers, it looks like they're desperately trying to keep the show relevant.

[ShadowFacts]

4 hours ago, chocolatine said:

When showrunners give up so many spoilers, it looks like they're desperately trying to keep the show relevant.

Yes, there's really quite a lot in that article.  I read recently that the show is still the top-rated network drama, though the viewership has dropped fairly substantially from last season.  Maybe the Vietnam aspect hasn't really worked they way they hoped and they're emphasizing Randall and Beth more. 

[ZeroDiscipline]

On 1/23/2019 at 3:53 PM, chocolatine said:

Please don't give the writers any ideas!

This is exactly what is going to happen. They did that trope on Nashville too. Deacon needed a liver, and his horrible abusive estranged sister gave him some of hers, redeeming herself, then she died. Classic.

[chocolatine]

9 minutes ago, ZeroDiscipline said:

This is exactly what is going to happen. They did that trope on Nashville too. Deacon needed a liver, and his horrible abusive estranged sister gave him some of hers, redeeming herself, then she died. Classic.

Yes, and that show was dropped by ABC, its star left, and it died a slow death on CMT. I hope Dan Fogelman et. al. use Nashville as an example of what *not* to do.

[ShadowFacts]

46 minutes ago, ZeroDiscipline said:

This is exactly what is going to happen. They did that trope on Nashville too. Deacon needed a liver, and his horrible abusive estranged sister gave him some of hers, redeeming herself, then she died. Classic.

Awhile back, and I cannot find it now, I read an interview with Chrissy Metz where she said her character would be doing something that's never been done on television before, words to that effect.  At the time I was thinking maybe surrogacy via a family member like Beth, but now of course she is pregnant, and it's probably been done anyway.  So I wonder what she was referring to and how soon we'll see it.  Maybe some cord blood stem cells for Rebecca who could be about to find out she has leukemia.  But that's been done, too.  These people are prone to exaggeration, though, so perhaps never in her memory.

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, ShadowFacts said:

Awhile back, and I cannot find it now, I read an interview with Chrissy Metz where she said her character would be doing something that's never been done on television before, words to that effect.  At the time I was thinking maybe surrogacy via a family member like Beth, but now of course she is pregnant, and it's probably been done anyway.  So I wonder what she was referring to and how soon we'll see it.  Maybe some cord blood stem cells for Rebecca who could be about to find out she has leukemia.  But that's been done, too.  These people are prone to exaggeration, though, so perhaps never in her memory.

Very often when people say that something has never been done, they mean it hasn't been done to their knowledge. Unless Chrissy watches every TV show, she doesn't know everything that's been done.

[debraran]

2 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Very often when people say that something has never been done, they mean it hasn't been done to their knowledge. Unless Chrissy watches every TV show, she doesn't know everything that's been done.

She was talking about the baby and parenting. I have no clue, he stays home, she stays home has been done before. Not sure what else it could be or I'm just not that intrigued.

It seems Kate is finally having Toby’s baby. And though pregnancies are strictly joyous life events for some small-screen families, nothing is that easy for the Pearson family. Chrissy Metz, who plays Kate, says she and Chris Sullivan (Toby) are about to show America something they have never seen before with this baby — at least on network TV. Toby and Kate are going to have a bit of an unconventional parenting situation,” Metz told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. “Not unconventional in that people aren’t doing it, but not what I think either of them ever had in mind.”

[ShadowFacts]

5 minutes ago, debraran said:

She was talking about the baby and parenting. I have no clue, he stays home, she stays home has been done before. Not sure what else it could be or I'm just not that intrigued.

It seems Kate is finally having Toby’s baby. And though pregnancies are strictly joyous life events for some small-screen families, nothing is that easy for the Pearson family. Chrissy Metz, who plays Kate, says she and Chris Sullivan (Toby) are about to show America something they have never seen before with this baby — at least on network TV. Toby and Kate are going to have a bit of an unconventional parenting situation,” Metz told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. “Not unconventional in that people aren’t doing it, but not what I think either of them ever had in mind.”

Thanks, that was what I was referring to.  I guess "network" TV is a qualifier, too. 

[debraran]

So do you think Nicky will notice his bottle is empty? I would if on limited income and knew I had some. Does he have a phone? Jack never called and I assume most people do, but no mention of it when "keeping in touch".

I can see an episode with both trying to stay dry but it's also something you need to do alone but with support.

Also anyone think the box he was staring at next to bottle just has to have something in it that triggered Kevin? It seemed like a deliberate placement and I can see a flashback coming.

[ShadowFacts]

50 minutes ago, debraran said:

So do you think Nicky will notice his bottle is empty? I would if on limited income and knew I had some. Does he have a phone? Jack never called and I assume most people do, but no mention of it when "keeping in touch".

I can see an episode with both trying to stay dry but it's also something you need to do alone but with support.

Also anyone think the box he was staring at next to bottle just has to have something in it that triggered Kevin? It seemed like a deliberate placement and I can see a flashback coming.

Yes, I agree the box was deliberately placed.  I also think the mention of going to a meeting might come back in some kind of way, maybe Kevin gets involved with the cause of veterans while struggling with sobriety.  With suicide in general and especially among veterans so large in the media, I hope Nicky does not kill himself. 

[Lady Calypso]

Here's a post-episode interview from Justin Hartley about Kevin's relapse.

First off, I always find myself loving Justin's interviews because he interjects his own insightful opinions and I always love reading what he thinks. It goes to show how much care he puts into his character. He's always willing to call Kevin out on his flaws, and that's a nice change of pace for actors to do with their characters.

It does sound like Kevin doesn't attend meetings or really takes the necessary steps to stay sober besides not drinking, or that's how Justin interprets it (and I fully agree). Which means his relapse hits even harder. He does compare Kevin with Jack and how neither thought they really needed other people to stay sober and they just didn't deal with it.

I do worry that Kevin IS going to just retreat again and keep it from his family due to his humiliation of slipping. With the episode ending on Kevin looking absolutely lost, I think he's definitely not running to tell anyone, which sucks. However, I stand by my point that Kevin's best arcs are these personal ones so I do want to see how this differs from his addiction storyline last season. I don't think he'll also be taking pills this time around, so it should be a different route.

[debraran]

This spoiler but not really, was from Justin Hartley, about Kate and baby I think. It might also be about what Chrissy said about "unconventional" baby episodes for TV.

We asked Justin Hartley for some season finale scoop, and he didn’t disappoint. “The third season’s finale sets up Season 4 — which we haven’t been picked up for, by the way — better than I think Season 1 set up 2, and Season 2 set up 3,” he said. However, he was quick to point out, fans of the NBC drama should prepare for some serious, capital-F Feelings by the time the finale fades to black. (And maybe they won’t be the emotions you’d expect.) “People are going to be so frustrated with the questions that it leaves you with, but also satisfied with what it leads to,” he teased. “It’s that typical This Is Us thing that we do, where we just keep people wanting more.”

The writers said they wont be masochists (yea!) but they have to make the high risk pregnancy of Kate's realistic. It doesn't mean the end result is bad but they do a disservice if they ignore any issues. I agree with that, they have done that before but this is so glaring, if they made it smooth all the way through, they felt it wouldn't be truthful.  They called it "baby Damon" for the interview.

They also said there will be a show with everyone together, maybe after birth?

Edited February 19, 2019 by debraran

[LoveLeigh]

I was not sure where to put this but there will not be a new episode until March 5th. Why the second two week hiatus?

[chitowngirl]

7 minutes ago, DakotaLavender said:

I was not sure where to put this but there will not be a new episode until March 5th. Why the second two week hiatus?

World of Dance has a 2 hour episode next week.

[PRgal]

I wonder if Kate has some sort of placenta-related issue which causes her to have to be rushed to the hospital in the next episode (it looks like it could be her shower?).  I'm not sure it's premature labour.  That's been done before on various shows. 

[debraran]

15 hours ago, PRgal said:

I wonder if Kate has some sort of placenta-related issue which causes her to have to be rushed to the hospital in the next episode (it looks like it could be her shower?).  I'm not sure it's premature labour.  That's been done before on various shows. 

They said some "high risk issue" so it could be that or high blood pressure or many other things. Bottom line is it will be okay but I agree with writers, having her sail through isn't accurate in her situation. Many things on show might not be, but they felt probably that was glaring.