Unpopular Opinions Thread

[methodwriter85]

On 10/8/2017 at 7:19 PM, TomServo said:

Retirement Rebecca looks so much like someone just wearing a Sally Field costume that it's distracting.  They might have been better off just casting Sally Field for the part.

Sally Field probably would have screamed at Randall that she never said that she was the best mother, but that he needs to give her at least a little credit for trying to love him in the only way she knew how.

Has anyone noticed that they've never actually had present day Rebecca interact with people being played by actors that are actually Baby Boomers? I wonder if that's because her present narrative is pretty muted, or because they don't want her standing next to real people in their late 60's.

Edited October 11, 2017 by methodwriter85

[izabella]

2 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Has anyone noticed that they've never actually had present day Rebecca interact with people being played by actors that are actually Baby Boomers? I wonder if that's because her present narrative is pretty muted, or because they don't want her standing next to real people in their late 60's.

They did have her interact with William, and he was in the same age range as present-day Rebecca.   Actresses tend to have work done as they get older, so it would be weird to compare one artifice with another.

[MyAimIsTrue]

10 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Sally Field probably would have screamed at Randall that she never said that she was the best mother, but that he needs to give her at least a little credit for trying to love him in the only way she knew how.

This deserves a thumbs up!

[Mrs. DuRona]

12 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Sally Field probably would have screamed at Randall that she never said that she was the best mother, but that he needs to give her at least a little credit for trying to love him in the only way she knew how.

Morning.Made.

[jhlipton]

On 10/5/2017 at 3:06 PM, CleoCaesar said:

I watch because Justin Hartley is pretty and there's nothing else on on Tuesday nights.

Tuesday at 9 PM is my most crowded spot!

[luna1122]

15 hours ago, jhlipton said:

Tuesday at 9 PM is my most crowded spot!

Right? Brooklyn 99, The Mick, Blackish, The Mayor, old Xfiles repeats, and This is Us all at the same time. I DVR This is Us.

[SunnyBeBe]

On 10/3/2017 at 0:55 PM, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Has anyone expressed the opinion that Rebecca's clear favoritism of Randall is terrible?  I get that they are going for the whole angle that it doesn't matter if they child is adopted or biologically yours to a parent, but it is blatantly obvious that she favors Randall over Kevin and Kate, both when they were children and now.

I'm trying to think back to last season, but, it seems that Kate has been annoyed with her mom for a long time and makes no bones about it.  I can see why mom might feel more kindly to the adult kids who aren't mean to her.  And Randall had good reason to be mean to her, in light of what she hid,. but, he still treats her kinder than Kate.   Maybe, Rebecca felt guilt regarding Randall and how she hid the truth that he wanted.  But, Randall seemed to be the more serious and sensitive child.  She may have felt the need to protect him more and keep him safe from his siblings. (not physical harm, but, Kevin did treat him terrible.  He admitted it as an adult.) 

[BlancheDevoreaux]

9 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I'm trying to think back to last season, but, it seems that Kate has been annoyed with her mom for a long time and makes no bones about it.  I can see why mom might feel more kindly to the adult kids who aren't mean to her.  And Randall had good reason to be mean to her, in light of what she hid,. but, he still treats her kinder than Kate.   Maybe, Rebecca felt guilt regarding Randall and how she hid the truth that he wanted.  But, Randall seemed to be the more serious and sensitive child.  She may have felt the need to protect him more and keep him safe from his siblings. (not physical harm, but, Kevin did treat him terrible.  He admitted it as an adult.) 

Even in flashbacks you see her favoring Randall as a child.  Jack clearly favored Kate.  Rebecca is still favoring Randall and while I agree that Kate is horrible to her, I still don't think she should blatantly favor one child over the others.  And what's so bad about Kevin?  No one favored him.  Randall has Rebecca.  Kate had Jack.  No wonder Kevin seems to have a hard time expressing himself. 

Edited October 12, 2017 by BlancheDevoreaux

[PRgal]

40 minutes ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Even in flashbacks you see her favoring Randall as a child.  Jack clearly favored Kate.  Rebecca is still favoring Randall and while I agree that Kate is horrible to her, I still don't think she should blatantly favor one child over the others.  And what's so bad about Kevin?  No one favored him.  Randall has Rebecca.  Kate had Jack.  No wonder Kevin seems to have a hard time expressing himself. 

Kevin = Jan. #middlechildsyndrome I wonder if he would STILL be a the middle child had the third biological Pearson child survived.

[Katy M]

I don't know that birth order counts that much in multi-births.  Unless you're royalty or something and are going to inherit a title:)

[SunnyBeBe]

It seems that I recall that Kevin had some pretty cruel treatment of Randall as young kids.   Remember ditching him for his buddies.  I don't recall mistreating my siblings that way.  I was not perfect, but, not intentionally mean, ever.  It seems Kevin became nicer, as he aged.  

Edited October 12, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[toodles]

I found my peeps.  I'm sick of the Jack story line.  Move along, people.  When Kevin all of sudden has this overwhelming flash back from 20 odd years ago, my first thought was just focus and get back to work.  Jack was not a great guy.  His children obviously loved him and miss him very much.  But I think this story has gone on waaaay too long.  The foster kid isn't doing it for me either.  I'll give this show a few more episodes, but I may be done soon.  

[SunnyBeBe]

Yeah, I think that the writers must be much more into the Jack's death mystery than some of the viewers, like me.  

[Guest]

I would be good with Jack dying a different death in each episode, like Kenny.  

[jhlipton]

14 hours ago, luna1122 said:

Right? Brooklyn 99, The Mick, Blackish, The Mayor, old Xfiles repeats, and This is Us all at the same time. I DVR This is Us.

The Mayor is on thin ice and may go if the next episode isn't a lot better.  But I also have Legends of Tomorrow.

[Wings]

21 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I would be good with Jack dying a different death in each episode, like Kenny.  

Ha! Good one.  

I just read a few articles linked in the speculation thread.  I don't think I like any of these characters.  Everyone seems to hate Toby but he is the only one I do like.  He has a sense of humor; everyone else is humorless.  That is the fault of the writers and Dan.  

I despise Randall and yet he seems to be a favorite.  I haven't watched episode 2 yet, maybe I will warm to him as I watch him with his adopted daughter.  Nah, I doubt it.   lol  

This begs the question, why do I watch?  I guess it is to see how Jack dies and how Rebecca ends up with Miguel.   Oh and hopes of Kevin getting a good plot line.   <shrug>

[laurakaye]

I too am watching to figure out how Rebecca and Miguel get together, especially now that we've seen Rebecca and Miguel's ex-wife confiding in each other over their strained marriages, not to mention Jack and Miggy being besties and all.  But I am getting weary of seeing all teh cluez and then sitting there trying to figure out how they fit, only to realize that - with this show's fondness for starting and dropping random plots - those clues might mean absolutely nothing.

I do think the writers sit around their table and high-five each other whenever they think of some new and improved way to make the audience cry, whether it actually fits in the story or not.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

This begs the question, why do I watch?  I guess it is to see how Jack dies and how Rebecca ends up with Miguel.   Oh and hopes of Kevin getting a good plot line.   <shrug>

I am strangely growing more interested in Miguel.  He annoyed me in season 1--well, older Miguel annoyed me because he seemed to be a completely different person than younger Miguel--and the Pilgrim Rick thing left a bad taste in my mouth.  But, right now, he seems like he's the only grown up on the show.  

So, I guess I can say I watch for him--although the real reason, I've come to realize, is much more shallow.  Most of my friends watch...and lurrve... this show and I'd like to be "in" on the conversations they have.  True, I sometimes sit in silent judgment, but that's better than sitting in silent confusion.  

All that being said, this show is still better done than a lot of shows on broadcast TV at the moment.  I still think this show could be much better than it is and it hasn't yet gotten to that point where I feel that any improvement is impossible.  And I like Sterling K. Brown and, even though Randall sometimes drives me crazy, I will watch for Brown.

[Wings]

24 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

I am strangely growing more interested in Miguel.  He annoyed me in season 1--well, older Miguel annoyed me because he seemed to be a completely different person than younger Miguel--and the Pilgrim Rick thing left a bad taste in my mouth.  But, right now, he seems like he's the only grown up on the show.  

I don't remember a Pilgrim Rick.  I binged the first season so I didn't retain a lot.  I barely remember Miguel but am more interested in him and the part he plays in everyone's life when Jack dies.  I am not sure how much we will see given flash backs to Jack will still command all the attention.  

[OtterMommy]

5 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I don't remember a Pilgrim Rick.  I binged the first season so I didn't retain a lot.  I barely remember Miguel but am more interested in him and the part he plays in everyone's life when Jack dies.  I am not sure how much we will see given flash backs to Jack will still command all the attention.  

To make a long story short, Pilgrim Rick was this thing that Jack had done since the Thanksgiving they were stranded at some roadside hotel.  Since his death, or probably since Tess and Annie came along, it was Kevin's job to do the Pilgrim Rick thing.  On the Thanksgiving episode, Miguel asked to be Pilgrim Rick that year and Kevin was snotty about it but ultimately let him do it.  As I said, it left a bad taste in my mouth about Miguel at the time, but now I think it was more a case of bad writing than anything untoward about the character.

[Wings]

2 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

To make a long story short, Pilgrim Rick was this thing that Jack had done since the Thanksgiving they were stranded at some roadside hotel.  Since his death, or probably since Tess and Annie came along, it was Kevin's job to do the Pilgrim Rick thing.  On the Thanksgiving episode, Miguel asked to be Pilgrim Rick that year and Kevin was snotty about it but ultimately let him do it.  As I said, it left a bad taste in my mouth about Miguel at the time, but now I think it was more a case of bad writing than anything untoward about the character.

Ah yes.  I remember that now.  I think it was just a way to show the kids didn't approve of their mom marrying Miguel.   That was not a believable scene unless they are setting up Miguel to be an asshole. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, wings707 said:

I just read a few articles linked in the speculation thread.  I don't think I like any of these characters.  Everyone seems to hate Toby but he is the only one I do like.  He has a sense of humor; everyone else is humorless.  That is the fault of the writers and Dan.  

I despise Randall and yet he seems to be a favorite.  I haven't watched episode 2 yet, maybe I will warm to him as I watch him with his adopted daughter.  Nah, I doubt it.   lol  

This begs the question, why do I watch?  I guess it is to see how Jack dies and how Rebecca ends up with Miguel.   Oh and hopes of Kevin getting a good plot line.   <shrug>

You and me both.  

Another good reason to still watch... this is one of the funner threads to participate in on this site, I've found.   ; )

I was in a small group of 4 women who were great friends for many years... weekly happy hours, family vacations all together, etc.  Then two of their marriages split in close-ish time proximity, and one ex-husband married the other newly single gal.  So the Miguel/Shelly/Rebecca thing doesn't stymie me much.  These things happen.  

[Wings]

1 hour ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

You and me both.  

Another good reason to still watch... this is one of the funner threads to participate in on this site, I've found.   ; )

I was in a small group of 4 women who were great friends for many years... weekly happy hours, family vacations all together, etc.  Then two of their marriages split in close-ish time proximity, and one ex-husband married the other newly single gal.  So the Miguel/Shelly/Rebecca thing doesn't stymie me much.  These things happen.  

 I had a similar thing in my group of friends only more complex!  Names have been changed, lol.  Pam was married to Dick.  They divorced and Dick got together June who had just divorced Bob who eventually married Lynn.  All in our group of friends.  And everyone got along with each other! 

One thing that bugs me.  Well, one of the many things, is Mandy Moore saying she had to learn to walk slower and make other compensations when she was playing 60 yr old Rebecca.  What the fuck?!  When I was 60 I was lifting bags of cement and I painted the exterior of my house!  Dead serious.  Look at Jane Fonda at 80.  There is no reason for old Rebecca not to be an active fit person!  

This show takes itself way too seriously.  We have all said this but I felt the need to complain about that again.  

Edited October 13, 2017 by wings707

[SunnyBeBe]

I am okay with Toby.  I think that I like him more than Kate, most of the time.  At times, he seems just fine, but, he annoys me kissing up to Kate, when she's not that in to him.  

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

One thing that bugs me.  Well, one of the many things, is Mandy Moore saying she had to learn to walk slower and make other compensations when she was playing 60 yr old Rebecca.  What the fuck?!  When I was 60 I was lifting bags of cement and I painted the exterior of my house!  Dead serious.  Look at Jane Fonda at 80.  There is no reason for old Rebecca not to be an active fit person!  

I don't think that's so much Mandy Moore thinking that you lose that much mobility as you get older.  Instead, I think she's trying to create ways to show a passage of time for Rebecca.  Personally, I'm more jarred by older Rebecca's youthful voice than I am by her movements.

[Wings]

1 minute ago, OtterMommy said:

I don't think that's so much Mandy Moore thinking that you lose that much mobility as you get older.  Instead, I think she's trying to create ways to show a passage of time for Rebecca.  Personally, I'm more jarred by older Rebecca's youthful voice than I am by her movements.

Yes, that is exactly what she is doing.  

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, OtterMommy said:

I don't think that's so much Mandy Moore thinking that you lose that much mobility as you get older.  Instead, I think she's trying to create ways to show a passage of time for Rebecca.  Personally, I'm more jarred by older Rebecca's youthful voice than I am by her movements.

She can be physically fit and still move differently.  I think it's not even all about aging, I think it's about how she is quite a bit different from the pre-Jack's death Rebecca in many ways -- she dresses plainly, has a ho-hum hairstyle, and is generally subdued.  A light went out in her and it shows in her physicality.  And she is more like mid to late 60s if she was around 30 when the kids were born and they are now 37. 

[dju]

41 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

I think it's not even all about aging, I think it's about how she is quite a bit different from the pre-Jack's death Rebecca in many ways -- she dresses plainly, has a ho-hum hairstyle, and is generally subdued.  A light went out in her and it shows in her physicality.  And she is more like mid to late 60s if she was around 30 when the kids were born and they are now 37. 

2

This is a great explanation. Because Mandy Moore's voice from the get go already sounds distinctively young and honeyish, the aged Rebecca voice can be jarring, but I appreciate the effort Mandy is putting into the performance. Like you, ShadowFacts, I'm getting a sense of how Jack's death or even what preceded his death (losing her dream of singing etc.) affected and drained her without it hitting me over the head. I'm repeating what I've mentioned in an episode thread, but I just get the subtle feeling of sadness and loss from her even when she's not necessarily in a sad moment. I understand and respect that it's not working for everyone though, it's asking a lot of the audience to engage with a character who they cognitively know isn't that age and who isn't aged believably. 

[leighdear]

17 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

 At times, he seems just fine, but, he annoys me kissing up to Kate, when she's not that in to him.  

This is why he gives me the creeps.  WTF does he see in Kate?  She's shown having zero compassion for anybody but Kevin, no sense of humor, seemingly little sense of appropriateness or anything resembling independent thought or action.   She's a remora, and Kevin is her host. 

And her slobbering over Sly Stallone?  Wasn't she the personal assistant to Kevin, an attractive & recognized Hollywood actor in a popular TV show?  Did she NEVER do anything that put her in contact with famous people before?  She must have been a crappy assistant.  She came off like an Appalachian bumpkin right off the Greyhound bus from Butcher Holler.  

Yeah, I'm basically hate-watching now.  In my mind, this thread is not the "Unpopular Opinions" thread, it's the "I'm just hate-watching and have nothing constructive to add to the main conversation" thread.  And I feel like you're my people.   ;-)

[SunnyBeBe]

Kate's Sly scene didn't bother me.  But, I do wonder why Toby is so into Kate.  He's got it bad.  Recall when she did that weird thing and got hired by his ex-wife? Kind of bizarre behavior for a boyfriend you're not that into.  lol 

[Aloeonatable]

Quote

And her slobbering over Sly Stallone?  Wasn't she the personal assistant to Kevin, an attractive & recognized Hollywood actor in a popular TV show?  Did she NEVER do anything that put her in contact with famous people before?  She must have been a crappy assistant.  She came off like an Appalachian bumpkin right off the Greyhound bus from Butcher Holler.  

Stallone was her father's favorite actor, so I can see her getting a little giddy around him. Publicists, agents and managers of actors may have more access to other famous people, assistants not so much. 

[laurakaye]

On 10/13/2017 at 4:51 PM, wings707 said:

 One thing that bugs me.  Well, one of the many things, is Mandy Moore saying she had to learn to walk slower and make other compensations when she was playing 60 yr old Rebecca.  What the fuck?!  When I was 60 I was lifting bags of cement and I painted the exterior of my house!  Dead serious.  Look at Jane Fonda at 80.  There is no reason for old Rebecca not to be an active fit person!  

This show takes itself way too seriously.  We have all said this but I felt the need to complain about that again.  

This is one of my favorite paragraphs ever.  I am 51 and I adore this attitude.  And I think I'd like you to be my neighbor.  Michigan is nice this time of year. :)

 

On 10/14/2017 at 0:05 PM, leighdear said:

Yeah, I'm basically hate-watching now.  In my mind, this thread is not the "Unpopular Opinions" thread, it's the "I'm just hate-watching and have nothing constructive to add to the main conversation" thread.  And I feel like you're my people.   ;-)

+++++1.  Unless this show has some serious stuff up its tear-stained sleeves, I too am hate-watching (well, full disclosure - I have been since about halfway through season 1).  Sterling K. Brown brought me to this show.  The FB posts from friends who were unable to function following viewing the show started me hate-watching.  This thread?  Will keep me watching until it goes off the air in 2028 with us still not knowing how Jack died.

[Wings]

48 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

On 10/13/2017 at 1:51 PM, wings707 said:

 One thing that bugs me.  Well, one of the many things, is Mandy Moore saying she had to learn to walk slower and make other compensations when she was playing 60 yr old Rebecca.  What the fuck?!  When I was 60 I was lifting bags of cement and I painted the exterior of my house!  Dead serious.  Look at Jane Fonda at 80.  There is no reason for old Rebecca not to be an active fit person!  

This show takes itself way too seriously.  We have all said this but I felt the need to complain about that again.  

This is one of my favorite paragraphs ever.  I am 51 and I adore this attitude.  And I think I'd like you to be my neighbor.  Michigan is nice this time of year. :)

LOL! And thanks.  I was born and raised in Michigan! 

[Conotocarious]

I climb and my partner, who kicks my ass in every way, is 67.

[chabelisaywow]

Quote

But, I do wonder why Toby is so into Kate

#chubbychaser. I say this in jest as there is more of me then should be.  In my defense, fat pushes out wrinkles, and my college age daughter and I always get mistaken for sisters.

I put this in the Rebecca thread, but I can't stand her. The "I can't talk to you until I get over feeling disappointed." line to Jack pissed me off.

Miguel married his dead "best" friend's widow - now he's trying to do the Pilgrim Rick thing - stay in your lane, man.

SKB is a great actor but in this show -  he always looks ashy to me, I don't know if this a subtle nuance to portray a black man being raised by white folk. MOISTURIZE. 

I like Toby - he had me at "can we be fat friends?"

[CelticBlackCat]

I wanted to suggest Toby is a #chubbychaser before but was afraid to do so.  Other than his beer belly/paunch, he's not really obese, just a little BMI overweight.  He did suggest that Kate and he be fat friends at the weight loss meeting, but they fast-forwarded friendship and now he's a controlling jerk with no boundaries, and they're engaged.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 10/13/2017 at 4:51 PM, wings707 said:

Look at Jane Fonda at 80

Jane Fonda at 80 is quite slim, but she doesn't move like Jane Fonda at 30 or 40. I wouldn't take Mandy's comment personally.

[Wings]

Just now, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Jane Fonda at 80 is quite slim, but she doesn't move like Jane Fonda at 30 or 40. I wouldn't take Mandy's comment personally.

I didn't!  Lol.  It just struck me as odd that Mandy thought a woman of 60 would move slowly.  Nothing more than that.  :*)

[chabelisaywow]

Quote

Other than his beer belly/paunch, he's not really obese, just a little BMI overweight.  

lol and the actor IRL wears a "fat suit" to play Toby 

[Guest]

I think he said the fat suit was designed to add 100 lbs. to him, visually.  I would call him obese with a capital O.  I think 100 lbs. overweight is always into the morbidly obese designation.  Though if they've paired down his fat suit this season I haven't noticed.  

 

[laurakaye]

ENOUGH with the drop-in guest appearances.  Kevin being all, "Oh hai BRIAN my favorite PRODUCER!!"  And we're supposed to be all..."hmmm, the clues are.....Brian.  Producer.  Oh that's Brian Grazer!!"  It's getting a bit ridiculous, and it takes me right out of the scene.  At this rate, it would not surprise me one bit to see Blake Shelton nursing a whiskey at the bar of Kate's next gig, after which he invites her to perform on The Voice as his personal project or something along those lines.

Eyeroll at Jack filming Kevin's football game and then constantly turning the camera on himself.

Edited October 18, 2017 by laurakaye

[Aloeonatable]

Brian Grazer is Ron Howard's partner on all his movies, so not a surprise to see him playing the producer.

 

Quote

Eyeroll at Jack filming Kevin's football game and then constantly turning the camera on himself.

I am going to have to watch those scenes again because I'm not sure that it was Jack filming.

[Katy M]

32 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

ENOUGH with the drop-in guest appearances.  Kevin being all, "Oh hai BRIAN my favorite PRODUCER!!"  And we're supposed to be all..."hmmm, the clues are.....Brian.  Producer.  Oh that's Brian Grazer!!"  It's getting a bit ridiculous, and it takes me right out of the scene.  At this rate, it would not surprise me one bit to see Blake Shelton nursing a whiskey at the bar of Kate's next gig, after which he invites her to perform on The Voice as his personal project or something along those lines.

Eyeroll at Jack filming Kevin's football game and then constantly turning the camera on himself.

Why would that "take you out of the scene?"  Kevin's working on a movie.  He's talking the producer.  Just because you actually know who that producer is shouldn't make it seem unrealistic.  Just the opposite, I would think. Was that the actual Brian Glaser or someone playing the part?  I doubt most people know what random producers look like? 

[ShadowFacts]

My possibly unpopular opinion is that this last episode kind of put the lie to the 'Kevin has no one, Kevin is the ignored middle child' idea.  Jack (too much super family man to begin with) was pouring on the attention to the whining chicken-pocked little Kevin, and was over-the-top fan to teenage football great (not just good) Kevin. 

[laurakaye]

5 minutes ago, Katy M said:

Why would that "take you out of the scene?"  Kevin's working on a movie.  He's talking the producer.  Just because you actually know who that producer is shouldn't make it seem unrealistic.  Just the opposite, I would think. Was that the actual Brian Glaser or someone playing the part?  I doubt most people know what random producers look like? 

It was him, I have seen him before (and I checked the cast list for this episode).  And it takes me out of the scene because I am having a hard time buying that Kevin is actually this in-demand actor who all the big names want to work with.  What do I know of Kevin?  He was on a hit sitcom, playing a Tony Danza "Who's the Boss" type character on "The Manny."  He threw a tantrum and left the show in the lurch without a lead actor.  He then starred in a play that he also left high and dry, with a theater full of people.  Now he's segued pretty effortlessly into starring in a huge blockbuster with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Sly Stallone.  Personally I can't buy this.  So these famous people that keep popping up just reinforce this unbelievable storyline for me.  

Of course, this is my opinion, but we are in the Unpopular Opinion thread.  I don't begrudge anyone who loves this show.  Speaking for myself, I was pretty happy to see this thread and realize that there are others like me who struggle with this show.  This is Us tends to want us to have all the feels as a substitute for giving us good, realistic storylines.  For a show that takes itself so very seriously, it gets under my skin.

[Lady Calypso]

5 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

It was him, I have seen him before (and I checked the cast list for this episode).  And it takes me out of the scene because I am having a hard time buying that Kevin is actually this in-demand actor who all the big names want to work with.  What do I know of Kevin?  He was on a hit sitcom, playing a Tony Danza "Who's the Boss" type character on "The Manny."  He threw a tantrum and left the show in the lurch without a lead actor.  He then starred in a play that he also left high and dry, with a theater full of people.  Now he's segued pretty effortlessly into starring in a huge blockbuster with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Sly Stallone.  Personally I can't buy this.  So these famous people that keep popping up just reinforce this unbelievable storyline for me.  

Of course, this is my opinion, but we are in the Unpopular Opinion thread.  I don't begrudge anyone who loves this show.  Speaking for myself, I was pretty happy to see this thread and realize that there are others like me who struggle with this show.  This is Us tends to want us to have all the feels as a substitute for giving us good, realistic storylines.  For a show that takes itself so very seriously, it gets under my skin.

True. I get it. I kind of like the celebrity cameos, but I totally get this point of view. 

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

It was him, I have seen him before (and I checked the cast list for this episode).  And it takes me out of the scene because I am having a hard time buying that Kevin is actually this in-demand actor who all the big names want to work with.  What do I know of Kevin?  He was on a hit sitcom, playing a Tony Danza "Who's the Boss" type character on "The Manny."  He threw a tantrum and left the show in the lurch without a lead actor.  He then starred in a play that he also left high and dry, with a theater full of people.  Now he's segued pretty effortlessly into starring in a huge blockbuster with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Sly Stallone.  Personally I can't buy this.  So these famous people that keep popping up just reinforce this unbelievable storyline for me.  

Of course, this is my opinion, but we are in the Unpopular Opinion thread.  I don't begrudge anyone who loves this show.  Speaking for myself, I was pretty happy to see this thread and realize that there are others like me who struggle with this show.  This is Us tends to want us to have all the feels as a substitute for giving us good, realistic storylines.  For a show that takes itself so very seriously, it gets under my skin.

Everybody gets their big break at some time, though.  What had Sandra Bullock done before Speed?  Love Potion Number 9?  Maybe a couple other small movies?  It's not that Kevin is in-demand. It's that he happened to get this one movie role.  They didn't create the movie specially for him.  Stallone didn't say "a Kevin Pearson movie.  I so have to be in that." 

[laurakaye]

No, but Ron Howard called Kevin, asking specifically for him - an actor who bailed on his last two projects.

I will leave this alone now.  I respect your opinions, I hope you can respect mine.

[Katy M]

4 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

No, but Ron Howard called Kevin, asking specifically for him - an actor who bailed on his last two projects.

I will leave this alone now.  I respect your opinions, I hope you can respect mine.

totally.  I wasn't trying to argue, I was just trying to make you feel better about the whole thing.

[Guest]

I get the annoyance.  It's just more lazy writing.  Kevin hasn't been shown to be a great actor, quite the opposite, but they write it and so we should swallow it. 

And I get an annoyance with Hollywood being in love with itself and thinking the world just adores seeing industry insiders, like we're all little bumpkin Kates who think people in film are superhuman.