Unpopular Opinions Thread

[ShadowFacts]

They can do their social media thing til the cows come home, it doesn't affect me, I don't follow it and only see references here.  And or course, the breathless promos on the network.  But really, the tone of it puts me off, like maybe let the work speak for itself, enjoy your accolades, but take the self-importance down a notch.

[Pallas]

6 hours ago, Katy M said:

They're only doing their jobs.  They're told to hype it up. Although, if it weren't for this board, I would have no idea any of this was going on.  So, it's not hard to avoid if it's annoying. 

Thank you, Katy M! The cast members are only doing what they're contracted to do: act, but also  -- as the NBC marketing division tries to drive this windfall (into the ground) -- serve the show's PR machine. They are booked and briefed and sent out to sell. I'd be willing to bet that not a one of them wants to do another talk show, interview, photo spread or meet-and-greet, as orchestrated by the network.

It's work. And work is work, especially when it's your job but not your profession. Not what you know: not what you've trained to do, have a affinity for, want to be judged upon, or have the knack and the clout to make your own.

[HeyThere83]

Either way, it makes me annoyed by them. 

I don't think it's easy to avoid. If I flip on the TV it's there. Commercials, interviews, the news. If I get on the net....it's there. I don't necessarily have to be searching for anything TIU related to see or hear it. 

[Quickbeam]

I just know I’m going to screw up the DVR and miss the final minutes.

 

My unpopular opinion is that I only watch this for Justin Hartley. He’s got a great profile they use *a lot*. 

[CelticBlackCat]

@potatoradio:  I hope your day job is comedy and satire writer, and that you don't give it up.  Excellent funnies there!

[chocolatine]

On 1/31/2018 at 10:55 AM, Katy M said:

They're only doing their jobs.  They're told to hype it up. Although, if it weren't for this board, I would have no idea any of this was going on.  So, it's not hard to avoid if it's annoying. 

I doubt that this was part of the job description:

[chocolatine]

38 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I can't even tell who that is.  Moore?  Or Fogelman's wife (Madison)?  

It's Mandy Moore. Apparently her eyes were so puffy from crying the night before that she needed to wear those under-eye masks in public.

[chocolatine]

7 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

What a ham.  It's not like she didn't know exactly what was going to happen in the episode.  

I don't even mind the fact that she cried. She is obviously very invested in the show, so I can buy that seeing the finished episode made her emotional. What I hate is her posting a picture of herself crying/post-crying for all the world to see. That's the height of narcissism. And it's not just Mandy, I remember Sterling doing something similar before the Memphis episode (sans the under-eye patches).

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

What a ham.  It's not like she didn't know exactly what was going to happen in the episode.  

I cry at movies, plays, tv shows pr books that I have seen or read before know what's going to happen I can still be moved again. That said I wish the cast would take it down a notch,  I still havent cried at thos show.

[toodles]

So now, at least according to the commercial I saw the other day, historic episode. Is someone going to announce the cure for cancer?  Find a way to feed homeless people?  Take a trip to Mars?  No?  Oh, it's just a TV show. 

Well alrighty then.  Add cheesy TV shows to the list of historic events.

[JudyObscure]

I've seen every episode since this started, but I'll be missing tonight's episode until I get a chance to watch it on the NBC site -- provided they load it properly this time.  I don't have a DVR or TIVO abilities and I can't watch on Sunday after 10 for reasons over which I selected to follow a Tuesdays at nine o'clock show in the first place.

I don't care that much either, Mandy.

[MissLucas]

She should have mentioned the brand of the depuffing eye patch mask she's using for maximum shilling effect. 

[laurakaye]

7 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I've seen every episode since this started, but I'll be missing tonight's episode until I get a chance to watch it on the NBC site -- provided they load it properly this time.  I don't have a DVR or TIVO abilities and I can't watch on Sunday after 10 for reasons over which I selected to follow a Tuesdays at nine o'clock show in the first place.

I don't care that much either, Mandy.

I adore everything about this post.

[ShadowFacts]

I don't have DVR either and I am not Super Bowl-ing, but may start to watch the show after, though can pretty much guarantee I'll fall asleep before the end no matter how heart-wrenching it is. 

[biakbiak]

One good thing about being on the west coast, it will most likely be on by 7:30. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 1/28/2018 at 12:14 PM, laurakaye said:

Edit: I have friends/co-workers who are legitimately worried that they are not going to be able to make it into work the next day.

They've led charmed lives up to now. No true sorrow to serve as a comparison.

[ProudMary]

If this has been discussed earlier in the thread, I apologize.
Why the heck are they running this episode in the most envied TV time slot of the year?  This is where they usually launch a pilot episode for some show that they have very high hopes for.  This is Us certainly doesn't need a ratings push.  I think regular viewers of the show would much prefer to have it run in its normal time slot anyway.  I know I would.  Seems ridiculous to me.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[greekmom]

I understand the fact they wanted to tie in with the Superbowl. But it's 10:33 pm and it has not started yet. I am so pissed that I wanted to watch it now and I am too tired and want to get to bed.

This was a bad idea show. Very bad idea.

[ProudMary]

10:45 pm and it's just starting.  The bulk of the episode won't even be on in prime time.  What a stupid move.

[CelticBlackCat]

3 hours ago, ProudMary said:

10:45 pm and it's just starting.  The bulk of the episode won't even be on in prime time.  What a stupid move.

I'm West Coast, but I agree that there's no respect for you East Coasters who can't stay up all Sunday night watching the most pivotal episode of a Tuesday night show!

[chocolatine]

2 minutes ago, CelticBlackCat said:

I'm West Coast, but I agree that there's no respect for you East Coasters who can't stay up all Sunday night watching the most pivotal episode of a Tuesday night show!

It's a trick. We'll be crying tomorrow from lack of sleep but Mandy, Milo, et. al. will say it's because the episode made us cry.

Edited February 5, 2018 by chocolatine

[SWLinPHX]

7 hours ago, greekmom said:

I understand the fact they wanted to tie in with the Superbowl. But it's 10:33 pm and it has not started yet. I am so pissed that I wanted to watch it now and I am too tired and want to get to bed.

This was a bad idea show. Very bad idea.

Why can't you just record it?

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, SWLinPHX said:

Why can't you just record it?

We don't all have DVR, it costs extra and isn't worth it for everyone.  On Demand or online is the way some of us go. 

[Trillium]

I’m not all “Omg, Deja is back!!!” If anything I’m annoyed by it. The storyline served its purpose and the actress did a fine job, but I’m not as pumped or excited about it as everyone else is. 

 

Also I did like that Jack’s death was relatively quiet and not a Grey’s Anatomy style crazy twist dramatic event. I wish the promos wouldn’t have hyped it so much but I still enjoyed the episode. 

[greekmom]

2 hours ago, SWLinPHX said:

Why can't you just record it?

For the same reason people can't just record the superbowl and watch it the next day. 

[Dminches]

I am not a doctor but Jack has a lung issue and he isn't on oxygen?  He is just sitting in the bed?  I find it hard to believe that a pretty fit guy would just succumb in that situation without any intervention until he coded.

[PRgal]

11 hours ago, greekmom said:

I understand the fact they wanted to tie in with the Superbowl. But it's 10:33 pm and it has not started yet. I am so pissed that I wanted to watch it now and I am too tired and want to get to bed.

This was a bad idea show. Very bad idea.

Watch it online the next day?

[Ohmo]

16 hours ago, ProudMary said:

If this has been discussed earlier in the thread, I apologize.
Why the heck are they running this episode in the most envied TV time slot of the year?  This is where they usually launch a pilot episode for some show that they have very high hopes for.  This is Us certainly doesn't need a ratings push.  I think regular viewers of the show would much prefer to have it run in its normal time slot anyway.  I know I would.  Seems ridiculous to me.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't know if you're a football fan, but the NFL rotates which network airs the Super Bowl.  NBC had the Super Bowl this year, and This is Us had a major storyline that related to the Super Bowl.  I think the choice was as simple as that.  NBC did not want to waste all of those tie-ins, IMO.

My UO for this thread: I'm not morbidly overweight like Kate, and I know that she has a lot of issues that relate to that and the loss of Jack, but I'm growing so sick of Kate.  I really am.  It's like she's having a constant pity party for herself.  Another thing...how does she earn money?  Kevin and Randall have had employment gaps, but both had fairly decent careers before that.  I can buy that Kevin's temporarily living off earnings from the Manny, and Randall likely has investments plus Beth's salary right now.  Kate's been her brother's personal assistant, and she's done some side singing gigs, but that's it.  She hasn't really "worked" steadily at anything for awhile.  She needs a steady job of some kind because she's now coming across to me as an overindulged child.  Randall's correct that she likes to wallow.  That appears to be her job these days.

[Dowel Jones]

10 hours ago, CelticBlackCat said:

I'm West Coast, but I agree that there's no respect for you East Coasters who can't stay up all Sunday night watching the most pivotal episode of a Tuesday night show!

But, by the same token, those of us on the west coast have 3-5 pages of comments to go through even before the show ends on any given night.  :)

[TexasGal]

Nary a tear from me last night.  My heart must be cold and dead.  Or, gee, I don't know, maybe since we've known for over a year that St. Jack was going to die and it's been hyped for 2 weeks, a bit of the emotional punch was gone?  I cried ugly tears recently over (something else on tv which I'll spoiler just in case...)

Spoiler

The episode of Victoria where both Dash and Lord M die because although I logically knew they would both die I wasn't banged over the head with it being ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

[raiderred1]

I am in central time zone and I was asking myself, "I stayed up for this?" So many things going through my head as I watched this "cheese in a can".  If the house is on fire this badly, why do they all wait for St. Jack to save them?  Why wasn't the dog a worry as soon as they show St. Jack and Kate?  I'm a huge animal lover so maybe everyone does't think this way, but if Kate loved that dog so much she would have immediately said something about saving the dog.  Isn't St. Jack too healthy to go from sitting on the hospital bed making painfully corny jokes to being dead? I'm with Dminches, highly unlikely.  

Edited February 5, 2018 by raiderred1

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, raiderred1 said:

I am in central time zone and I was asking myself, "I stayed up for this?" So many things going through my head as I watched this "cheese in a can".  If the house is on fire this badly, why do they all wait for St. Jack to save them?  Why wasn't the dog a worry as soon as they show St. Jack and Kate?  I'm a huge animal lover so maybe everyone does't think this way, but if Kate loved that dog so much she would have immediately said something about saving the dog.  Isn't St. Jack too healthy to go from sitting on the hospital bed making painfully corny jokes to being dead? I'm with Dminches, highly unlikely.  

It makes sense to me that Rebecca, as a parent, wouldn't leave without all of her children.  The fire was pretty heavy outside of Kate's room and she was terrified.  That, coupled with the fact that Jack told her to wait, is why she waited for him to come get her.  And, again, she was terrified, and that's why she didn't remember the dog.  She wasn't even able to be coherent until she was outside.

[chaifan]

I think they overplayed all the foreshadowing on Jack's death.  We already knew he didn't die in the fire, since Rebecca had his possessions and they were in good shape.  So that pretty much left getting hit by the fire truck as he's running out of the house, or smoke inhalation, as many have posited here previously.  And many people also correctly guessed that he went back in to save the dog.  I think the actual death scene was well done, with the way they just showed him through the reflection and Rebecca's reaction.  But it wasn't shocking or a big revelation as they played it up to be.  I was very tired of the "how does Jack die" plot line, and I'm glad it's done with and they can move on.  (And, I must have no soul, as I didn't even regular cry, let alone ugly cry.)

They did surprise me with the Tess twist at the end.  I did not see that coming and feel a little stupid now that I didn't figure it out.  Nice casting on adult Tess.  Not sure yet how I feel on the return of Deja.  I like her, but don't want the foster parents vs. natural mom battle to be a primary plot line. 

I really want to like this show.  Not just parts of it, or certain characters, but really like this show.  Let's hope they don't screw this up.

[Katy M]

My unpopular opinion is I didn't like the flash forward.  We are watching the present in the present.  There should be no way to know what will happen 20 years from now.  OK, yes, I know, TV show, but, it's just the way I feel about flashforwards.  The only time I even think they're remotely OK is a series finale.

[Neurochick]

On 2/4/2018 at 9:18 AM, JudyObscure said:

I've seen every episode since this started, but I'll be missing tonight's episode until I get a chance to watch it on the NBC site -- provided they load it properly this time.  I don't have a DVR or TIVO abilities and I can't watch on Sunday after 10 for reasons over which I selected to follow a Tuesdays at nine o'clock show in the first place.

I don't care that much either, Mandy.

I'm with you Judy.  I watched it today, it was loaded properly on the NBC site, watched it on the iPad.  I was really annoyed that they chose to air this episode after the Super Bowl, just because those of us on the east coast would have to stay up late to watch, so I said, "nope, I have to go to work tomorrow, I'm going to bed," and that's what I did.

[Kohola3]

Quote

My unpopular opinion is I didn't like the flash forward. 

Ditto.  Are we going to start seeing flying cars a la the Jetsons?  Bizarre fashions?  Talking walls?

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

My unpopular opinion is I didn't like the flash forward.  We are watching the present in the present.  There should be no way to know what will happen 20 years from now.  OK, yes, I know, TV show, but, it's just the way I feel about flashforwards.  The only time I even think they're remotely OK is a series finale.

Maybe Fogelman has drunk so much of his own Kool-Aid that he firmly believes the show will still be on in 20 years, and he's plotted it out that far in his mind.

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Ditto.  Are we going to start seeing flying cars a la the Jetsons?  Bizarre fashions?  Talking walls?

I would actually love that. It would be great to have some campy futuristic stuff to break up All. The. Feels.

[Superpole2000]

6 hours ago, raiderred1 said:

If the house is on fire this badly, why do they all wait for St. Jack to save them?

That part was weird. I was annoyed that none of the characters jumped out a window on their own. When Jack said something like, "The windows are too high off the ground to jump out of!" I laughed about how ridiculous that line was. Nice try, writers. I see how they wanted to make it seem as if the situation required Jack to save everyone, but it just plain didn't. All of those characters were perfectly capable of jumping out a window one story up from the ground without having to wait for Jack to rig up some sort of device to lower them to safety.

[ThisIsMe]

Obviously, there are things about this show that I love - otherwise I wouldn't watch it or come to forums like this to see what others are saying about it.

However ... my current pet peeves are how the writers treat 1) crock pots; and 2) pets.

I mean, the show has practically hammered a nail into the coffin of the poor, humble crock pot.  I was in a Target a couple of days ago, and they had a display of them - as if they were on death row - with the price slashed down to something like $15 each.  Soon, they won't be able to give them away.  It's not fair, I tell ya!  Crock pots, by definition, are slow cookers with low voltage running through them.  It's so unlikely that a funky switch on a crock pot would cause a house fire.

As for the pet issue ... first they "forget" about William's cat for I don't know how many episodes ... the cat depended on William taking that darn bus every day so he could go feed the cat ... so they tell us that and then literally nothing until many episodes later when it's mentioned that a neighbor started looking after it.  Then it's wandering the streets when Randall is buying the building ... thank god I could finally stop worrying about the cat when they had the scene of the little boy feeding and petting it.  Okay, so then they have the lizard scene ... not only does it get squished by Beth but it gets placed in the kitchen garbage.  Yes, it's "just" a lizard ... but, come on ... I'm pretty sure Jack would have least given it proper lizard burial.

All I can is that they had better treat Kate & Toby's new dog better than what they've shown so far.

Edited February 6, 2018 by ThisIsMe

[CelticBlackCat]

I don't like that they killed off Mr. McGiggles.  Then they played it for laughs with Beth saying, "Oh, snap."  There's your daughters' feelings to consider and a room full of girls who are told that a household pet is dead.  :(  

[SWLinPHX]

20 hours ago, greekmom said:

For the same reason people can't just record the superbowl and watch it the next day. 

Huh?  I don't get that correlation at all.

[Crs97]

I assume the original poster meant that it is hard to remain spoiler-free until you can watch the show on DVR.  Just like the football game loses some of its thrill if you already know the outcome.

[blondiec0332]

I started watching the show last month and caught up on all the episodes on Hulu.  All the characters annoy me to some degree but I just cannot stand Kate.  Is this chick ever happy?  Not even happy but is she ever not sad?  Even as a child she seemed unhappy.  And as a teenager I guess I would use the word sullen.  And why does she get her dad's ashes?  Why not Rebecca?  Or why weren't each of the kids given some.

[greekmom]

2 hours ago, SWLinPHX said:

Huh?  I don't get that correlation at all.

Why do ppl who watch the super bowl live and I have to wait because they put it on super late? What if they showed the super bowl starting at 10 pm (approximately?)  Just saying, sports are not to everyone's taste even a big game like that.  I would have really wanted to watch This Is Us at a proper time on Sunday. 

[luna1122]

7 hours ago, ThisIsMe said:

Obviously, there are things about this show that I love - otherwise I wouldn't watch it or come to forums like this to see what others are saying about it.

However ... my current pet peeves are how the writers treat 1) crock pots; and 2) pets.

I mean, the show has practically hammered a nail into the coffin of the poor, humble crock pot.  I was in a Target a couple of days ago, and they had a display of them - as if they were on death row - with the price slashed down to something like $15 each.  Soon, they won't be able to give them away.  It's not fair, I tell ya!  Crock pots, by definition, are slow cookers with low voltage running through them.  It's so unlikely that a funky switch on a crock pot would cause a house fire.

As for the pet issue ... first they "forget" about William's cat for I don't know how many episodes ... the cat depended on William taking that darn bus every day so he could go feed the cat ... so they tell us that and then literally nothing until many episodes later when it's mentioned that a neighbor started looking after it.  Then it's wandering the streets when Randall is buying the building ... thank god I could finally stop worrying about the cat when they had the scene of the little boy feeding and petting it.  Okay, so then they have the lizard scene ... not only does it get squished by Beth but it gets placed in the kitchen garbage.  Yes, it's "just" a lizard ... but, come on ... I'm pretty sure Jack would have least given it proper lizard burial.

All I can is that they had better treat Kate & Toby's new dog better than what they've shown so far.

Yeah, the lizard being squished being played for levity, and people posting about how funny it was...I am unable to even comprehend that. He's a little living creature, and he gets unceremoniously stomped on due to carelessness of the owners...yeah, what a hoot. Ugh. And don't even get me started on how many people all over the internet think it's stupid that anyone would try to save their family pet in a fire. I KNOW it's foolhardy that i'd probably die in a fire trying to save my cats, but I would, every time. And poor William's cat. I hope we never hear about Clooney again, cuz we know it's safe and sound with his new little boy. And I definitely hope Randall's family doesn't get any more pets, and that Audio doesn't just become another plot point to make Kate even more mopey and depressed.

[luna1122]

Yeah, it's like the writers just now heard this term and thought it was cool. And weren't sure how to use it, but used it anyway. Maybe it's supposed to be one of those inside jokes Randall and Beth have together or something, tho we've never heard them use it before.

[Wings]

Kate, knock it off.   And Chrissy, get on a diet regime so viewers will have something to be excited about for you.  Frame a screen shot of yourself on Falon's couch.  

I am so sick of her. Well all of them but she is on top the today.  

[ThisIsMe]

Yes, the "oh snap" line bothered me too.  Not funny.

These writers may be brilliant overall but they are not good when it comes to pets.  It makes me wonder if any of them have pets of their own ... and, if so, I hope they treat them better than the ones used as fodder for their story lines in this show.

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I don't think any of them have kids, either.  I know Fogelman, Moore and Ventimiglia don't.  

The pet thing that rang false to me was Kate associating 'dog' with 'dad's death', when she presumably had many happy years to come with Louie and was depicted as a born dog-lover who dreamed of being a vet at one time.  

Maybe the dog is going to die of a heart attack in the middle of the night.  Or, maybe they have to give the dog up because wherever they end up they're not allowed to have a dog.  Or, maybe Kate immediately blames the dog and wants to get rid of him because the sight of him hurts her too much.  WE have literally no information on what happens with that dog after Superbowl Night.

[Katy M]

13 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

If we’re to throw our own experiences out the window, the show isn’t effective.  Would you hate the dog?  The dog did nothing.  Kate did nothing.  The whole blame and dog things make no sense to me.  Well, it’s a stretch.   Most of it is.  Some of us are less bendy than others.

I actually might blame the dog.  If the dog had barked when it should have, nobody would have died. 

Blame is not rational. I blame myself for a death.  I can tell you in an objective sense I did absolutely nothing wrong.  But, it doesn't change the fact that if I had done something else, a 10 year old girl wouldn't have died today.  And, if you don't think that makes me feel guilty every time I think about it, you're wrong.  If I had a dog to blame, I would gladly share some of it.