Unpopular Opinions Thread

[MaryPatShelby]

I posted this in the episode topic but I really think it is a UO and wonder what you all think:  Is there a valid reason that the show won't put a chyron on the screen telling us what year the particular scene is happening in?  All these calculations and catching brief glimpses of props that can help us calculate - it's nuts; I don't want to have to do math while I watch or do homework after. A nice "1986" on the screen would enhance my enjoyment of the show and keep me focused on the story

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, MaryPatShelby said:

I posted this in the episode topic but I really think it is a UO and wonder what you all think:  Is there a valid reason that the show won't put a chyron on the screen telling us what year the particular scene is happening in?  All these calculations and catching brief glimpses of props that can help us calculate - it's nuts; I don't want to have to do math while I watch or do homework after. A nice "1986" on the screen would enhance my enjoyment of the show and keep me focused on the story

I see where you're coming from, but I personally love doing math, so it's fun for me. ;)

In all seriousness, I think the show is just keeping their options open in terms of squeezing in other stories later or retconning stuff. They already have a two-season renewal, so they have to leave room for a lot more flashbacks.

[methodwriter85]

3 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I feel like everything else in this show is so spelled out in giant flashing letters, I like the exact year being something you have to ferret out, if you care.  But I like math, too.  

The show definitely wants us to have a guessing game with the year. That's probably a big reason why the episodes set in the late 1980's/very early 90's are incredibly vague and there's very little period detailing. Even with the music- at lot of it is either folk music, or pop music that is a couple years too old for the scene.

They only really into period detail on the 1970's scenes.

[Guest]

On 3/18/2017 at 6:41 PM, Winston9-DT3 said:

The fact that she has no friends or life is kind of pathetic writing.  It's an ensemble show but they've had 18 episodes.  That's about the air time for 6 feature length movies.  They could easily have 5 well-developed characters in the playing time of 6 movies.  

Even just little hints here or there of people we've already been introduced to.  For example, we met a character in "The Pool." She re-appeared in a later episode.  We could have had her mentioned or in a background shot, etc.  We wouldn't have been saying "who's that?" We wouldn't have needed exposition.  But then I guess Rebecca couldn't have told us she has no life unless she gets her way.

[Katy M]

18 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

Right, or why not show Rebecca having a long-running friendship with Shelly (or anyone), like Jack and Miguel have?  Shelly and her kids dropped off the earth.  Rebecca's own mother did, too, though we got somewhat of a reason, at least.  And of course Jack and Rebecca are both only children so there are no aunts and uncles or cousins around.  

I thought Rebecca had a sister.

[xtwheeler]

On 3/27/2017 at 4:27 AM, MaryPatShelby said:

So much this ^^^.  The Rebecca hate here just astounds me, as well as the Miguel hate. In fact, it seems like the only thing viewers aren't mad at Rebecca about is marrying Miguel; that seems to be all on him.

This reminds me of another of my unpopular opinions. I am not bothered by Rebecca and Miguel being together, at least not yet. We have some hints that he was into her while Jack was alive, but nothing indicating he was at all inappropriate. Nothing indicates he moved in on her offensively quickly after Jack's death. The objection seems to be simply that it is disrespectful to Jack's memory to marry his widow, and I disagree. First, I don't believe it is possible to disrespect a dead person. Second, I suspect if her children object, it has nothing to do with his identity or timing, it has everything to do with the fact that their mother remarried after the death of their sainted father, period. Many adult children have a hard time with their parents moving on after losing their spouse regardless of with whom or the timing. So without some evidence he swooped in or something, I have no problem with it. (His attempts at acting like the patriarch and taking over Jack-specific things are separate issues.) 

Many times after such a terrible loss, those who share that loss find love and comfort together. Perhaps Miguel and Rebecca fell in love while sharing their grief. My grandparents were lifelong friends with another couple for 40+ years. My grandpa died, as did the wife in the other couple, just a few years apart, when my grandma was in her 60's. She and the other husband ended up marrying--it was a great comfort to them both to be married to their best friend. I have no idea if it was a great passionate love, but it certainly was a relationship of great respect and affection, and I got a bonus grandpa out of it, which was wonderful. I always believed his wife and my grandpa would have been happy to know they were together and happy, not apart and lonely.

My UO is that with the information we have so far, Miguel & Rebecca have done nothing wrong in starting a relationship after Jack's death, and finding love and companionship after loss and grief is a wonderful thing. (Again, Miguel overstepping is a separate issue. I think he's really insecure.) 

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, xtwheeler said:

My UO is that with the information we have so far, Miguel & Rebecca have done nothing wrong in starting a relationship after Jack's death, and finding love and companionship after loss and grief is a wonderful thing

I think a lot of the Miguel/Rebecca hate (Migecca? Reguel?) is that Miguel has been depicted as a bit of a.... I don't know.  A bit off. In the current day scenes.  From not wanting to go see Hamilton to Rebecca skipping dinner because he has gout, him begging to wear the Thanksgiving hat - he just seems like a little bit of a loser.  Plus, given the triplets' apparent discomfort with him, and it almost seems the writers are trying to paint him as "something is wrong here."  Maybe they aren't though.

[xtwheeler]

Just now, deaja said:

I think a lot of the Miguel/Rebecca hate (Migecca? Reguel?) is that Miguel has been depicted as a bit of a.... I don't know.  A bit off. In the current day scenes.  From not wanting to go see Hamilton to Rebecca skipping dinner because he has gout, him begging to wear the Thanksgiving hat - he just seems like a little bit of a loser.  Plus, given the triplets' apparent discomfort with him, and it almost seems the writers are trying to paint him as "something is wrong here."  Maybe they aren't though.

I think that's some of it, and some is him specifically co-opting Jack's special things, but there's a very vocal contingent of folks who believe Miguel marrying Rebecca is disrespectful to Jack's memory period, regardless of his actions otherwise. 

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I think they're trying to paint him as "definitely not SuperJack".  

Honestly, nothing about him bothers me or did.  I read something in the media where Fogelman (I think) said we'd begin to really like him after the scene of him counseling Kevin, or something.  I was fine with him before it and I guess more fine on him after?  I have no strong feelings about the sanctity of marriage or the bro code or any of that, though.  

The way the kids have treated Miguel and Rebecca comes across petty, childish and selfish, to me.  

I definitely believe in the sanctity of marriage, but not beyond the grave.  However, if you have kids, and it's going to bother them, IMO, you should wait a year before remarrying.  Note, I didn't say forever.  But, sometimes the kids find it disrespectful, and if your spouse has died that recently you might want to take a step back from your feelings for a minute anyway.

[MaryPatShelby]

Did I miss something?  Do we know how long after Jack's death that Rebecca and Miguel were married?

[OtterMommy]

3 minutes ago, MaryPatShelby said:

Did I miss something?  Do we know how long after Jack's death that Rebecca and Miguel were married?

We don't know.  It seems that they were married before Tess and Annie came along, as they refer to Miguel as Grandpa.  It also seems that Miguel and Rebecca were married when Kevin was married to Sophie, which was--I forgot, 14?--years ago.

[MaryPatShelby]

1 minute ago, OtterMommy said:

We don't know.  It seems that they were married before Tess and Annie came along, as they refer to Miguel as Grandpa.  It also seems that Miguel and Rebecca were married when Kevin was married to Sophie, which was--I forgot, 14?--years ago.

Ok, thanks.  With the discussion above of "people should really wait at least a year to get married" I was afraid there was yet another clue that I had missed!!

[OtterMommy]

@BoogieBurns wrote in the Jack thread...

Quote

Well the kids are babies, 8-10 year olds, and teens. So we haven't seen any flashbacks from them at say 3-5 years old. That can be newly cast kids in the season where the others have visibly aged. Also, the 8-10 year old Big Three can play 12 year olds in 2 years. The current teens could play their same age for 4 years, they are mostly done growing. There is more to work with than nothing. We may start to see a lot of toddler year flashbacks in season 5. Or just Jack, Rebecca and Miguel flashbacks in season 6. 

I see what you're saying.  However, I still think that if they keep going the way they are going, that they are writing themselves into a tough corner.  Let's say the 8-10 kids are old enough to be playing the 12 year olds now....that's fine, except they've now basically recast the the 12 year olds.  That's possible, of course...but in a show that relies so heavily on flashbacks AND reuses the same flashbacks for several episodes, you now have a continuity issue.  Yes, they could just start going to an "new" age for the kids...or maybe just rely on the oldest not-adult Big Three kids, who would probably have more flexibility (but, at the same time, at what point would they be too old and then Hartley, Brown, and Metz themselves start appearing in the flashbacks?).  

Perhaps Fogelman has a plan and has it all mapped out.  It's possible...yet unlikely.

[maddie965]

Loving the discussion about Toby. I can see everyone's point of view. I guess the only thing that bothers me is when people assume boundaries are the same for everyone. They're not. What is pushy for you might not be pushy for me. Everyone is different. And context matters.

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I don't hate anyone on this show. I love Jack and Rebecca equally and with all my heart. I like Miguel a lot. I love Sophie. I just adore this show and all its characters, flaws and all. They feel real to me. I believe them. And that's all that matters to me.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, maddie965 said:

Loving the discussion about Toby. I can see everyone's point of view. I guess the only thing that bothers me is when people assume boundaries are the same for everyone. They're not. What is pushy for you might not be pushy for me. Everyone is different. And context matters.

 

I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't think boundaries are the same for everyone.  And, yes, as people get to know each other there is some subconscious "testing" of boundaries...that's normal.  What bothered me is that when Kate made any indication that something was a boundary, Toby plowed right through it.

I don't hate anyone on this show (except for Olivia when she was on....).  There are characters that I find less compelling than others, but no one that I actively dislike.

[SlackerInc]

14 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't think boundaries are the same for everyone.  And, yes, as people get to know each other there is some subconscious "testing" of boundaries...that's normal.  What bothered me is that when Kate made any indication that something was a boundary, Toby plowed right through it.

I don't think I actually agree with what I am about to say, but just to play devils advocate:  I think some people would say that you ignore the stated boundaries and keep plowing through, up to the point where the other person says "get away from me, or I will call the cops" or whatever. Then if you still keep pushing after they get the restraining order, then and only then is when you are out of line.  :-)

Edited April 4, 2017 by SlackerInc

[ShadowFacts]

8 hours ago, SlackerInc said:

I don't think I actually agree with what I am about to say, but just to play devils advocate:  I think some people would say that you ignore the stated boundaries and keep plowing through, up to the point where the other person says "get away from me, or I will call the cops" or whatever. Then if you still keep pushing after they get the restraining order, then and only then is when you are out of line.  :-)

Why would a mature or semi-mature person ignore stated boundaries?  I think a person who consistently did it would find themselves without much in the way of friends, friendly co-workers, or family that did more than tolerate them. 

[Sandman]

On 2017-03-18 at 11:50 PM, chocolatine said:

That made as much sense as the book itself made sense. That character was supposed to be a very light-skinned black man who in his 20s decides to live as a white Jewish man to avoid discrimination in academia. I still don't know what Philip Roth was thinking with that one.

Oh, I realize the problem did not originate with the movie version. Still, I sometimes imagine Anna Deavere Smith reading the script for the first time and thinking "Wait, Sir Anthony what?"

[Pallas]

On 3/18/2017 at 11:50 PM, chocolatine said:

That character was supposed to be a very light-skinned black man who in his 20s decides to live as a white Jewish man to avoid discrimination in academia.

I read it as, not to avoid discrimination, but to avoid condescension: the very respectful, soft-spoken ghetto-izing of major black writers by white peers, critics and academics. Making his name in mid-20th-century American letters, Coleman wanted to write, be read and be evaluated not as a special case, but as a player. As a man among (white) men. To compete, and win, in the intellectual Olympics, not the Para-Olympics. Nathan said, "He wanted to be extraordinary." To be a real threat.

Coleman's bio -- though not his story nor the novel -- were based on that of Anatole Broyard.

[methodwriter85]

On 1/19/2017 at 2:20 PM, ChromaKelly said:

I'm another one who is not on the Jack/ Milo V love train. I don't find him attractive and there's something about his voice that is off-putting to me. It sounds to dude-bro. The only time I really awwww'ed was the episode with Randall going to private school.

Milo is born and raised Californian so I guess that's part of the dudebro voice; he also was born without nerve muscles on one side of his mouth so it affected his speech a little bit.

It seems like it's been suggested that Jack had a Florida phase in his life so maybe there will be flashbacks to his time as a surfer.

[Quickbeam]

My unpopular opinion after watching the entire first season twice....I just love Kevin and Sophie. The arc from childhood to present seemed really valid. I like the actors together. It just works for me and humanizes Kevin. 

I'm lukewarm on Kate. 

[bros402]

On 7/9/2017 at 9:44 PM, Quickbeam said:

My unpopular opinion after watching the entire first season twice....I just love Kevin and Sophie. The arc from childhood to present seemed really valid. I like the actors together. It just works for me and humanizes Kevin. 

I'm lukewarm on Kate. 

I liked the Kevin & Sophie arc. Not going to judge it until I see more on it. Not enough to form a full opinion, but the actors gel well.

[HazelEyes4325]

In the media thread, @Enigma X wrote:

Quote

Every single show or movie is formulated to make you emit a certain emotion. Basically, they are trying to manipulate you. Whether the writing is good or bad or whether the folks behind the scenes tell you or not. Yes, I would hope that whatever emotion they want me to feel is wrapped in good writing. Sometimes, I feel what they want and sometimes I don't.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I think I'm looking at it in a different way.  What I feel like Fogelman and the writers are doing, judging by their own comments and how the show has unveiled, is that they are trying to concoct storylines and situations to emit an emotion instead of concocting storylines and situations and then writing them so that they produce the desired emotion.  That is what I have a problem with.  I mean, yes, I see how all stories (books, tv shows, movies, etc) have an emotional basis, I just think that this particular show starts with "let's make the audience (insert emotional reaction)" instead of "let's write this scene (or whatever) so that the audience (insert emotional reaction)."

One point when I saw this very clearly was the whole story line with Duke the horse boy.  I'm sure that they did this to create uncertainty around the Kate/Toby relationship, but the whole thing just felt so fake and disconnected from the rest of the story--and then was dropped so abruptly without any consequence--that it didn't really do anything but be irritating.  Now, if they did want to create uncertainty around the Kate/Toby relationship, there certainly was enough fodder already there--and they even used some of that successfully.  They didn't need Duke or his story line.

I feel like Fogelman is so sold on this show as "this is the show that makes everyone cry" gimmick that he's going to (and has) done things with the story just to keep the crying up, even that is detrimental to the story itself.  And that is what comes off so unsuccessful for me, and it isn't going to go unnoticed by the viewing audience.

[qtpye]

On Monday, August 28, 2017 at 7:38 PM, Morksmate said:

In the media thread, @Enigma X wrote:

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I think I'm looking at it in a different way.  What I feel like Fogelman and the writers are doing, judging by their own comments and how the show has unveiled, is that they are trying to concoct storylines and situations to emit an emotion instead of concocting storylines and situations and then writing them so that they produce the desired emotion.  That is what I have a problem with.  I mean, yes, I see how all stories (books, tv shows, movies, etc) have an emotional basis, I just think that this particular show starts with "let's make the audience (insert emotional reaction)" instead of "let's write this scene (or whatever) so that the audience (insert emotional reaction)."

One point when I saw this very clearly was the whole story line with Duke the horse boy.  I'm sure that they did this to create uncertainty around the Kate/Toby relationship, but the whole thing just felt so fake and disconnected from the rest of the story--and then was dropped so abruptly without any consequence--that it didn't really do anything but be irritating.  Now, if they did want to create uncertainty around the Kate/Toby relationship, there certainly was enough fodder already there--and they even used some of that successfully.  They didn't need Duke or his story line.

I feel like Fogelman is so sold on this show as "this is the show that makes everyone cry" gimmick that he's going to (and has) done things with the story just to keep the crying up, even that is detrimental to the story itself.  And that is what comes off so unsuccessful for me, and it isn't going to go unnoticed by the viewing audience.

There was enough uncertainty around Kate and Toby, because they frickin jusy met.  I have no idea why they thought that creepy stable boy was needed.

My unpopular opinion is that I hated the way young Kate behaved around the pool.  I  love her confidence, but I thought she was just a little old to be posing and singing super model.  That being said, my heart broke for her when she got the mean note.

[SunnyBeBe]

Young Kate at the pool didn't bother me, but, the way the parents are portrayed as brand new and so green, when they have school age kids seems odd to me.  As others have said, the writing when the kids are 8-10 years of age seems more as if the kids would be toddlers or younger.  

Edited September 11, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[SnarkySheep]

On 8/28/2017 at 7:38 PM, Morksmate said:

One point when I saw this very clearly was the whole story line with Duke the horse boy.  I'm sure that they did this to create uncertainty around the Kate/Toby relationship, but the whole thing just felt so fake and disconnected from the rest of the story--and then was dropped so abruptly without any consequence--that it didn't really do anything but be irritating.  

Not to mention, Kate was a paying customer of that camp and a staff member was sexually harassing her - family member of the owners or not, that would be grounds for a HUGE situation, probably even a lawsuit, should Kate have chosen to go that way. I can understand that the whole thing was, as you say, most likely just to create uncertainty around the relationship and of course to provide a reason for Kate to leave prior to the entire camp session. But IMO it just seemed out of character for Kate to simply go away quietly. She did NOTHING wrong in that situation. But she allowed them to shame her out of there. Again, I get that it was just a plot device, but I just didn't care for the way it went.

[Wings]

I am going to kick this season off before it begins tonight.  The cast is doing a promotion tour and very excited about how much we will cry this season!  Given the political the climate, it would have been good for them to focus on positive aspects this and every family can find in the midst of crisis.  

[Katy M]

17 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I am going to kick this season off before it begins tonight.  The cast is doing a promotion tour and very excited about how much we will cry this season!  Given the political the climate, it would have been good for them to focus on positive aspects this and every family can find in the midst of crisis.  

Maybe they think we'll be crying tears of happiness.  I just hope Jack dies in the first episode, because I'm sick of them milking that.  That's probably not an unpopular opnion, though.

Edited September 26, 2017 by Katy M

[Wings]

9 minutes ago, Katy M said:

Maybe they think we'll be crying tears of happiness.  I just hope Jack dies in the first episode, because I'm sick of them milking that.  That's probably not an unpopular opnion, though.

Correct, everyone wants to see how Jack dies and soon!  Tears of happiness on this show?  Eat some protein and drink water. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by wings707

[NutMeg]

I don't care anymore how he dies, I just want the milking of it (tm Katy M) to stop. 

[Wings]

3 hours ago, NutMeg said:

I don't care anymore how he dies, I just want the milking of it (tm Katy M) to stop. 

Ah yes, don't we all!   It is a futile desire; come sit with me and let's find humor and joy in the inflated egos who devised this insidious plot!  Whoot.   I am in for the entire run!  I live here in this thread.  I do not venture into the others.  

[CelticBlackCat]

If we have to sit through more than one or two episodes to find out how Jack dies, we will be crying tears of frustration!  We already know he is dead, what approximate year and ages The Big Three were when he passed away, and that Kate blames herself for his death (rightly or wrongly, we don't really know yet).  There's a couple of sayings about this:  one is about fish and the other is about a pot.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

49 minutes ago, CelticBlackCat said:

If we have to sit through more than one or two episodes to find out how Jack dies, we will be crying tears of frustration!  We already know he is dead, what approximate year and ages The Big Three were when he passed away, and that Kate blames herself for his death (rightly or wrongly, we don't really know yet).  There's a couple of sayings about this:  one is about fish and the other is about a pot.

I'm going with a fire.

[chocolatine]

I hated the William flashback. He had a perfect ending last season - why couldn't the show leave it at that?

[leighdear]

Yeah, this episode pretty much verified that I don't like any of these people and really don't care what happens to any of them.  The first season was ok, but I don't have enough interest to sustain a season 2 viewing. 

I'm sure the Internet will explode when the definitive cause of Jack's death is revealed, so I'll catch it out there somewhere.  *LOL*

[CelticBlackCat]

I'm glad we found out how Jack died.  More details are sure to follow, such as how soon after Rebecca drove Jack home that night from Miguel's, how everything happened (don't want to say too much for spoilers).  Why does Kate feel responsible?

Wow.  Beth isn't on board with baby adopting.  Why go to the adoption agency for an interview and then snark your way through it, leaving your husband to pick up the pieces as you breeze out the door?  She should have shut it down before the appointment.  But then we wouldn't have had the flashback in the park.  I don't like the imaginary conversation she had.  Life doesn't work that way.  Leave William's death alone already.

But wait!  Beth has a better idea!!!

Toby's jelly of Kate and Kevin's twins relationship.  Groovy.  Now we get to hear him snarking about how Kate Is Almost My Wife and I Am Almost Your Husband until they get hitched, if in fact they do.  Toby has as many issues as Kate does about her weight and self-worth.

I actually enjoyed this season opener, and am glad they cut to the chase about Jack's death.  It doesn't appear that he drove drunk so they drummed up a bit of intrigue on which way it would go.

4 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I'm going with a fire.

What gave you that idea?  :)  Just curious.

Edited September 27, 2017 by CelticBlackCat
Added reason for asking the question.

[Katy M]

3 hours ago, CelticBlackCat said:

Wow.  Beth isn't on board with baby adopting.  Why go to the adoption agency for an interview and then snark your way through it, leaving your husband to pick up the pieces as you breeze out the door?  She should have shut it down before the appointment.

Randall was being controlling and Beth was being passive-aggressive.  And about something really really important.  And this is supposed to be the perfect marriage we're all supposed to aspire to?

 

3 hours ago, CelticBlackCat said:

Now we get to hear him snarking about how Kate Is Almost My Wife and I Am Almost Your Husband until they get hitched, if in fact they do.  Toby has as many issues as Kate does about her weight and self-worth.

I think he was being over the top, but at least he came out and said how he actually felt.

[Wings]

9 hours ago, leighdear said:

Yeah, this episode pretty much verified that I don't like any of these people and really don't care what happens to any of them.  The first season was ok, but I don't have enough interest to sustain a season 2 viewing. 

I'm sure the Internet will explode when the definitive cause of Jack's death is revealed, so I'll catch it out there somewhere.  *LOL*

I am 25 minutes in and cannot do another season either.  I will FF through the rest to see the Jack scene. 

[BlancheDevoreaux]

My unpopular opinions:

1. I hate Beth.

2. The emotional episodes are okay but I don't want to have a cry-fest for an hour each week.  Limit it to one, maybe two, episodes a season.

3. While Tody is annoying, I think my biggest beef with him is how much less I like Kate when she is around him.  When she is around her family, I like her.  Add Toby and I don't care for either of them.

4. I cannot stand Beth.

5. I'm getting over the obsession with how Jack died.  I think they dragged it out too long and I lost interest.

6. Beth is absolutely terrible and I can't stand her.

7. I have no problems with Miguel.

8. I hate Beth.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

My unpopular opinions:

1. I hate Beth.

2. The emotional episodes are okay but I don't want to have a cry-fest for an hour each week.  Limit it to one, maybe two, episodes a season.

3. While Tody is annoying, I think my biggest beef with him is how much less I like Kate when she is around him.  When she is around her family, I like her.  Add Toby and I don't care for either of them.

4. I cannot stand Beth.

5. I'm getting over the obsession with how Jack died.  I think they dragged it out too long and I lost interest.

6. Beth is absolutely terrible and I can't stand her.

7. I have no problems with Miguel.

8. I hate Beth.

Okay, but how do you feel about Beth?

[JudyObscure]

I have yet to cry while watching this show and yet I cry during every single "Call the Midwife," so I'm asking myself, what's different?  I think it's because these writers ask us to cry over traditionally  sad moments, like a father dying, a break-up, or a sad child, while, "Call the Midwife," has us crying more often  over happy moments, the birth of a baby,  a mother realizing she can handle her child's disability, a midwife gaining confidence, etc.  There are exceptions on both shows, of course.  That's not really an unpopular opinion but something that just occurred to me to explain the crying differences in audiences. 

My UO is that, like so many Hollywood screenwriters, these writers can't imagine any career dream that is not related to show business. Kate and  Rebecca want to sing, Kevin wants to act and Randall wants to be a musician.  Can't someone ever quit singing in bars to pursue their dream of teaching, or nursing or being a lawyer?  I do not want to watch Kate to make it as a singer, it's repetitive and boring.

[Katy M]

3 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

My UO is that, like so many Hollywood screenwriters, these writers can't imagine any career dream that is not related to show business. Kate and  Rebecca want to sing, Kevin wants to act and Randall wants to be a musician.  Can't someone ever quit singing in bars to pursue their dream of teaching, or nursing or being a lawyer?  I do not want to watch Kate to make it as a singer, it's repetitive and boring

Teacher is a good idea for Randall since he has this whole "save kids" thing going on.  And Kate getting into nursing and reconnecting with Sophie that way would have lots of possibilities. 

[laurakaye]

Why was Rizzo from Grease on This is Us?  Oh, wait - that was just Beth leaning on a car like a badass in a pink jacket, pretending to smoke a cigarette.

And speaking of fake smoking...this is the kind of tiny scene that makes it hard to buy into this show.  Randall and Beth disagree about adopting, Beth throws all of Randall's dirty laundry on the adoption agent's desk and storms out, and then goes to the parking lot to fake smoke (which I really don't get at all...has she done this before and I missed it?  Is it one of their "cute things?") and THEN Randall also pretends to smoke as if the blowup in the office didn't just happen.  It's far too twee and unrealistic and makes me roll my eyes really hard.

Disclaimer: I only managed the first 15 minutes of this episode before I remembered that I hadn't finished watching the first episode of Big Little Lies.  And here's the thing...in BLL, there is a small scene where Reece Witherspoon tries to smooth her teenage daughter's hair, and the the daughter deftly moves away.  Reece's expression in that moment gutted me and made me tear up because heaven knows, I have been there with my own teen.  And I wondered - am I being stubborn and purposely not crying when I watch TIU just out of spite?  I don't think so.  Because the melodramatic acting in TIU removes me right out of the storyline and into the awareness that  HERE is where I should be crying!  Right HERE!  It's quite a contrast to being smacked over the head with the "CRY NOW" sign, as opposed to recognizing a moment that subtly taps you in the feels.

I will continue to watch TIS because I adore this thread.

[Drapers4thWife]

Going by the comments in the latest episode thread, my UO is that I think Chrissy Metz is a better singer than Mandy Moore. 

[leighdear]

1 hour ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

My unpopular opinions:

1. I hate Beth.

2. The emotional episodes are okay but I don't want to have a cry-fest for an hour each week.  Limit it to one, maybe two, episodes a season.

3. While Tody is annoying, I think my biggest beef with him is how much less I like Kate when she is around him.  When she is around her family, I like her.  Add Toby and I don't care for either of them.

4. I cannot stand Beth.

5. I'm getting over the obsession with how Jack died.  I think they dragged it out too long and I lost interest.

6. Beth is absolutely terrible and I can't stand her.

7. I have no problems with Miguel.

8. I hate Beth.

I'm thinking Beth may not be your favorite character.  Just a hunch.

2 hours ago, wings707 said:

I am 25 minutes in and cannot do another season either.  I will FF through the rest to see the Jack scene. 

There really isn't a Jack scene.  All we see is Rebecca howling in front of a burned out house.  And by the looks of it, whatever fire gutted it was put out DAYS ago.  That crime scene tape wasn't keeping people out of an active investigation area because the whole place was too dry & neat, despite the couple of firefighters they had out front.  A house fire that was extinguished within the past day or two is usually steaming, smoky, wet and generally has a destroyed front yard. 

Not convincing at all.  That kind of laziness by the creators just annoys me too much to want to keep watching. 

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I have yet to cry while watching this show and yet I cry during every single "Call the Midwife," so I'm asking myself, what's different?  I think it's because these writers ask us to cry over traditionally  sad moments, like a father dying, a break-up, or a sad child, while, "Call the Midwife," has us crying more often  over happy moments, the birth of a baby,  a mother realizing she can handle her child's disability, a midwife gaining confidence, etc.  There are exceptions on both shows, of course.  That's not really an unpopular opinion but something that just occurred to me to explain the crying differences in audiences. 

I think we may be the same person here...

One distinction (one of oh so many) between TIU and CTM is I don't recall anyone from CTM telling me that I was going cry my eyes out.  Thus, on the very rare occasion that I don't cry, I don't feel like I've missed anything or that the show failed at anything.

[Wings]

@BlancheDevoreaux.  LOL and I agree.  I don't like Beth either.  

I FFed to the end.  Uncanny how I knew the scene about Jack would be at the end.  

They will drag this out for the entire season, adding bits and pieces of how his death came to be.  

30 minutes ago, leighdear said:

There really isn't a Jack scene.  All we see is Rebecca howling in front of a burned out house.  And by the looks of it, whatever fire gutted it was put out DAYS ago.  That crime scene tape wasn't keeping people out of an active investigation area because the whole place was too dry & neat, despite the couple of firefighters they had out front.  A house fire that was extinguished within the past day or two is usually steaming, smoky, wet and generally has a destroyed front yard. 

Not convincing at all.  That kind of laziness by the creators just annoys me too much to want to keep watching. 

This scene probably happened weeks or more after Jack died.  We saw that she had Jack's watch and other gold items in a plastic bag on the shotgun seat.  It appeared to me she was on the way to sell or pawn them.  The firemen at that house were problematic but this would not be the first time they took poetic license to the edge of reason.  I think the yellow tape was there to keep people from going in rather than crime tape.  

The likely story is that Jack was drunk and left something on the stove. 

[Katy M]

57 minutes ago, wings707 said:

It appeared to me she was on the way to sell or pawn them.

I think that's a pretty huge leap.  Didn't Randall or Kevin have that watch last season?  I could be confusing that with a different show or even a movie, because it's just a slight remembrance.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Katy M

[Lady Calypso]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

This scene probably happened weeks or more after Jack died.  We saw that she had Jack's watch and other gold items in a plastic bag on the shotgun seat.  It appeared to me she was on the way to sell or pawn them.  The firemen at that house were problematic but this would not be the first time they took poetic license to the edge of reason.  I think the yellow tape was there to keep people from going in rather than crime tape.  

I assumed that she had just come from the morgue to identify Jack's body, and they gave her his personal belongings (from what I caught a glimpse of, there was his watch, an American flag pin, and I think some work book?). Which, if this is the case, implies that maybe Jack didn't die in the fire, but the fire was the reason for why he was coming home? Maybe he got into a car accident? Maybe Kate started the fire accidentally and that's why she feels guilty. 

As for the firemen at the house, I just assume that the fire was the night before, and they were still there to finish their job. Firefighters wouldn't typically be there weeks after. 

[Wings]

4 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

I assumed that she had just come from the morgue to identify Jack's body, and they gave her his personal belongings (from what I caught a glimpse of, there was his watch, an American flag pin, and I think some work book?). Which, if this is the case, implies that maybe Jack didn't die in the fire, but the fire was the reason for why he was coming home? Maybe he got into a car accident? Maybe Kate started the fire accidentally and that's why she feels guilty. 

As for the firemen at the house, I just assume that the fire was the night before, and they were still there to finish their job. Firefighters wouldn't typically be there weeks after. 

Morgue sounds right.  His jewelry surviving is a hint that he was not in the fire for long, if indeed he was.   Why else would they put that in [jewelry in car], if not to let us know the method of death is still a mystery.  God, I hate this show but I am interested to see Miguel and Rebecca get together and watch Kevin's career take off with his GF sticking by his side.   Please, something positive.  Real life has joy too, for fuck sake.     

Randall and Beth ate up the first season, time to push their plot line to the background and allow Kevin to step into focus.  We have seen very little of him.