S02.E01: A Father's Advice

[Neurochick]

The last scene of the burned out house was at night.  There was yellow tape still around the house, I wonder how long it had been since the fire.  Kate and a Randall were in Miguel's house, it looked like Miguel was telling them what happened.

The camera lingered on Kevin's cast, there were a lot of signatures on it.  I don't think Jack died saving Kevin or Kate.  To me Kevin broke his leg and Jack died weeks later.

[VioletNevermind]

WOW.  It's not easy to surprise me, but I'm astounded.  That came out of the clear, blue sky. I'm thrilled to finally know how Jack died (I think), but I'm so curious as to how.  I hope they don't drag out the details over the entire season, but I suspect that we're in for a long road.  My money is on something as simple as a cigarette left burning or a forgotten pot on the stove while Jack was drunk.  Or, if there's a twist, maybe one of the kids accidentally ignited something and Jack was too drunk to wake up in time to escape.  That could explain Kate's guilt all these years later.  Who knows?  This show is chock-full of twists and turns and layers.  I think that's why I love it so much.

Kate singing "Nothing Compares to You" was a pleasant surprise (*Prince!*).  It was gratifying to see her put in her place re: her weight issue.  Full disclosure: I'm also a "person of size" (don't you love those awesome euphemisms for FAT?!) and I can't stand overweight people who walk around with persecution complexes, sure that everyone is discriminating against them in every single scenario.  Yes, the success of a band is largely dependent on its image, but you do have to be able to sing very well.  I may be in the minority, but Kate's voice is not that great, in my very humble opinion.  At least not to go marching into an audition all bold and assholey, demanding that people listen to you.  If you do that, you'd better come correct and be not just good, but damn good.  I still don't care about Kate's story and I can't see that changing this season.  Same deal with Kevin.  The season has barely begun and I already know that, unless he does some major growing up, he will hurt his ex-wife and she will regret giving him another chance.

It's so good to see Randall/Sterling in action again, fresh off his extremely well-deserved Emmy win.  I was relieved to see Randall and Beth work out the adoption issue using calm, peaceful discussion.  As much as I love Randall, Beth's statement about the past year being all about him was pretty spot-on.  She deserves a medal for everything she supported Randall through.  I loved Beth's idea of adopting an older boy to change the course of his life.  That's a poetic, powerful way to give back in gratitude of the life he was given.  I suspect that this will be the most gratifying storyline of the season for me.

*YAY, IT'S BACK!*

Edited September 27, 2017 by SuzyLee

[Amethyst]

Those last few minutes felt like the writers saying "What, you thought you were upset during last season's finale?  Ha!  We'll have you sobbing uncontrollably by next week!"

For once, I didn't care for Randall's speech to Beth.  It's not that it wasn't heartfelt, but the whole episode, I was waiting for him, or anyone to ask if this was what Beth wanted.  Has he been ignoring or just blind to his wife's (obvious) unease towards the whole idea all year?  I hated that "You need to get on board" line.  Fuck that.  This isn't a goldfish, it's a child, and Randall was shitty to railroad over Beth's feelings like that.  So his "perfectly imperfect" speech was nice, but it felt manipulative.  And wrapped up way too neatly.  I like the idea of adopting an older child, but this still feels like a compromise for Randall's sake. 

Nice idea having the birthday open the season, and this time, the Big 3 were happy.

So Jack's been off the wagon for weeks?  Um, ok.  It's hard to believe that none of the Pearsons knew anything about this.  No whiff of alcohol, no stumbling or slurred words?  Or was there?  Hmm.  They better expand on this during the season.

Team Toby.  This isn't some rando off the street, he's Kate's fiance and he has the right to be angry.  It's not just about Kevin, it's Kate just casually dropping that "Yeah, I didn't go to this huge audition that meant so much to me and y u mad that I didn't tell you?"  She may be 37, but she acts 16.  I would have been mad, too.  And sorry, but no sympathy for how the audition went.  It was a much needed lesson and now she can improve.

Meh to Sophie, but it was sweet how she showed up for Kevin.  Ron Howard is very cute.

Welcome to season 2!

[SlovakPrincess]

That was actually a pretty crappy birthday for everyone.  Nobody even got to enjoy a meal, it was all arguing and following each other around to parks and auditions after dark!

Also, why was there an audition still going on  all night?

[balmz]

episode was ok but alot of the time i was thinking with people like beth, toby, jack and rebecca "what's your problem" in regards to their attitude

 

toby needs to get over himself, kevin and kate have known each other longer then you have 

[gfball]

I don't understand how Jack was the only one in the fire!  Weren't the rest of the family in their own house when they were crying? Or maybe they were at the home of the red headed girl comforting Randall.  Heck!  Not a fire! I thought they were gonna have a wreck on the way home from Rebecca getting him to get into the car! 

[Katy M]

3 minutes ago, SlovakPrincess said:

Also, why was there an audition still going on  all night?

Because there were a  lot of people and the woman running it said it was going to go well into night.

[Lady Calypso]

Just now, Neurochick said:

The last scene of the burned out house was at night.  There was yellow tape still around the house, I wonder how long it had been since the fire.  Kate and a Randall were in Miguel's house, it looked like Miguel was telling them what happened.

The camera lingered on Kevin's cast, there were a lot of signatures on it.  I don't think Jack died saving Kevin or Kate.  To me Kevin broke his leg and Jack died weeks later.

Honestly, I could be wrong, but my first thought was that Kevin's broken leg was a result of Jack possibly drinking and driving again. Jack, feeling guilty, is distracted and whatever the events of the fire are, maybe Jack was making food for Kate and he got distracted by something and that's why the house caught on fire. Maybe Jack fell asleep or passed out. Maybe Jack got Kate out, if she was in the house, but he had to go back in to save the dog. 

All I know is that it'll still be a while before we find out exactly how he dies, let alone the details surrounding it. 

I'm really going to rewatch this episode to see more of the details that I missed. 

[StarryNight]

I think it's pretty obvious that Jack died in a fire. I'm going to guess that maybe Kate had something to do with the fire. Like maybe she accidentally started it. Or maybe Jack went back in to save her or the cat or something. I remember seeing an interview with Milo V. at the end of last season where he said we will find out how Jack died in the second episode of season 2.  

[Katy M]

Just now, gfball said:

I don't understand how Jack was the only one in the fire!  Weren't the rest of the family in their own house when they were crying? Or maybe they were at the home of the red headed girl comforting Randall.  Heck!  Not a fire! I thought they were gonna have a wreck on the way home from Rebecca getting him to get into the car! 

They were at what's his name's.  I can't believe I forgot his name. Rebecca's new hubby.

[izabella]

8 minutes ago, debraran said:

I agree, I need to relpay the pill part again. I thought he might have meant to help someone sleep?

 

I'm pretty sure I heard Miguel say, "I'll get the pillows," when the kids were at his place.  I didn't hear anything else about pills, but I could have missed it.

7 minutes ago, bettername2come said:

Did the twins not talk to Randall on their birthday? Would it have killed them to call or at least reference a call?

Before they went to dinner, Kate told Kevin that Randall couldn't make it, so it sounds like there was at least an exchange of messages.

 

5 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

The last scene of the burned out house was at night.  There was yellow tape still around the house, I wonder how long it had been since the fire.  Kate and a Randall were in Miguel's house, it looked like Miguel was telling them what happened.

I thought I saw a couple of firemen there, too, so it seems like the fire was very recent.

[gfball]

Just now, Katy M said:

They were at what's his name's.  I can't believe I forgot his name. Rebecca's new hubby.

Ohhhhhhh. Ok! 

[Katy M]

5 minutes ago, DebbieM4 said:

Maybe.  Or maybe he didn't die in the fire.  Maybe there's another explanation.  

I certainly hope not.  Because if there's another explanation, that will take literally all season.

[debraran]

This is Us Facebook has Milo talking about his scenes. Not too much but nice to hear their views on the premiere.  He said be patient, the dog, red haired girl, broken leg, all lead to the ending.

 

https://www.facebook.com/NBCThisIsUs/?hc_ref=ARS68FS9oE-eXgEfVk0u8tcCmtLmBpFDivfBYi9nv9yUfeE9wNlbjnhV8y3vstHD6jE

Edited September 27, 2017 by debraran

[Katy M]

Just now, izabella said:

Before they went to dinner, Kate told Kevin that Randall couldn't make it, so it sounds like there was at least an exchange of messages

Was he planning on going? It didn't seem like Randall and/or Beth were planning a cross country trip if they were meeting with adoption agency people and whatnot.

[MinneMacGyver]

The registration on the car showed 98 when going back to the burned out house, the registration when Jack went in the car to go home said 96.

I think the reconciliation btwn Jack  & Rebecca happened in 96 - and they fast forwarded to 98, when the fire happened at their house, not Miguel's or anywhere else .  

Edited September 27, 2017 by MinneMacGyver

[Neurochick]

3 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

 

 

So Jack's been off the wagon for weeks?  Um, ok.  It's hard to believe that none of the Pearsons knew anything about this.  No whiff of alcohol, no stumbling or slurred words?  Or was there?  Hmm.  They better expand on this during the season.

 

And THAT is the reason many times alcoholism goes undetected.  People look for those very things and if they don't see them they exclaim , "you can't be an alcoholic!"

Jack wasn't stumbling around or slurring his words, and that's why it was a shock to Rebecca.  To me, there were signs last season.

[DearEvette]

Three things I loved about the premiere:

1.  Jack's confession about being a drunk.  And not just the admission,  but the fact that he was drunk when he was telling Rebecca about it and Milo wasn't an over-the-top tv drunk.  Rather his speech was very careful and deliberate.  He did that slow blinking thing.  Like a real drunk who is quietly drunk and is used to hiding it and functioning with it.  Nice little scene.

2.  Beth's meltdown and 'fake smoking' in the parking lot.  She was so very salty in that adoption agency office.  And I am not gonna lie, I was here for it.  Ha!

3.  Kate's audition.  It was brutal but truthful.  I love that she didn't come there and kill it.  And I loved the band director guy's "Amber" and then Amber really killing it.  And letting her know that she just wasn't good enough to sing for them.  It was a nice illustration that yes Kate being overweight no doubt gets discriminated against, but not everything is about her weight.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, MinneMacGyver said:

The registration on the car showed 98 when going back to the burned out house, the registration when Jack went in the car to go home said 96.

Hopefully they registered their car for two years then.   I kind of got the feeling that since Rebecca said something about everything being fine in a few months and then the scene switching to her alone in the car, that it happens a few months later.

4 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

And I loved the band director guy's "Amber" and then Amber really killing it.

I felt bad for Amber, though.  She was great. And, she clearly knows that she got demoted because she wasn't good enough.  But, it's always nice to have that broadcast in front of you to other people.

[Lady Calypso]

Just now, Katy M said:

Hopefully they registered their car for two years then.   I kind of got the feeling that since Rebecca said something about everything being fine in a few months and then the scene switching to her alone in the car, that it happens a few months later.

What Kevin said to Toby in the present is that they were seventeen when Kate had to tell Kevin about Jack's death, so we do still have that rough timeline (in between late '97 and '98). 

[Katy M]

18 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I thought that was a flashback to Beth talking to William before he and Randall departed on their trip.  Her hair was different.

I thought she was talking to his ghost, AKA figment of her imagination, but wondered why she would include breathing tubes.  So, you're probably right.

[Amethyst]

9 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

And THAT is the reason many times alcoholism goes undetected.  People look for those very things and if they don't see them they exclaim , "you can't be an alcoholic!"

Jack wasn't stumbling around or slurring his words, and that's why it was a shock to Rebecca.  To me, there were signs last season.

I just don't buy that no one noticed anything in those several weeks.  

[I-Kare]

Toby is ridiculous. You don't stop being a twin because you're in a relationship. I'm the unmarried half of a 47-year-old twin set and apparently I'm fortunate that my twin's husband loves me and he and I are BFFs. Hell we even go out to eat together when she doesn't like the restaurant we both love. And he'd *never* say I couldn't be the one who buys her dinner on our birthday because....guess what...it's *our* birthday. 

Rant over but good lord. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by I-Kare

[ChucktownGirl]

I'm thinking that the dog is Kate's....they are watching the Steelers game (Rebecca is wearing a jersey in the final scene)when the fire starts and Rebecca, Randall, Jack, and Kate get out.....Kate's dog is left inside, and she is distraught....Jack goes back in to get the dog and doesn't come out, but the dog was outside all the time.....hence, Kate blames herself for his death.  Trying to figure Kevin and his leg out....did he play football?  Maybe he broke it playing and couldn't stand to watch football so he went out with Sofie?  

Edited September 27, 2017 by ChucktownGirl
Forgot something

[DearEvette]

8 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I felt bad for Amber, though.  She was great. And, she clearly knows that she got demoted because she wasn't good enough.  But, it's always nice to have that broadcast in front of you to other people.

I thought she was the back up singer who tried out for the head singer gig but didn't get it?  I think it was illustrative of his point though.  Someone like Amber who has actually been out there singing professionally in a competitive market like LA probably has thick skin and has taken worse rejections. So his pointing that out probably rolled right off her back.

[Kira53]

1 hour ago, mtlchick said:

Random thoughts:

-VAST improvements on older Rebecca.  It's not perfect but it's an upgrade.

-"The Kardashians are not going anywhere.  By next week, there will be a bazillion of them."  On the heels of THREE babies announcements from that family this month, he's correct. 

-This show needs less Toby, and more Opie. 

About Jack's death; I'm going to say...alcoholic, in a drunken stupor left something burning, torching the house and himself. 

Here's to a season full of tissues, daddy issues, adoption issues, ghosts, Miguel (BAH!), "INEEDTOKNOWHOWHEDIES!!!" and Sly Stallone! 

 I made the same assumption alcoholic smoking falls asleep burns the house down so it must not be correct.   there's always a twist and a turn with the show which is one of the reasons I love it. great episode I wonder about the child that Randall and his wife will adopt.  That is going to be interesting.   I guess I was looking forward to a baby as well. 

No way did Jack die in that fire.  Total misdirection.  Too obvious. Good editing through.  No way they are going to start the season answering the biggest question that has been on everyone's mind.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Kira53
More certain of misdirection.

[tennisgurl]

Toby really needs to slow his rolls in general. I generally have mixed feelings when it comes to Toby, and while Kevin and Kate are rather codependent, Kevin is still her brother, while he has only known Kate for a year, even if they're moving so freaking fast I am amazed they dont have as many kids as the average Kardashian. 

I felt bad for Amber during the audition. I am just sure she loved having this random chick implying she got her job because shes skinny and attractive, right after being demoted for not being good enough (even though she clearly has chops) and then her boss reminds everyone about it. But his point was that Amber was clearly awesome and even she got demoted, so I assume she took it in stride. 

I suspected that Jack was drinking too much for much of the last run of the first season, and I totally buy that his family wouldn't have really noticed. Alcoholics arent all stumbling around drunks crawling out of bars and screaming at their families. In some ways, being a high functioning addict can be even more dangerous than being a more obvious one, because the problem can be ignored for longer, and when its finally comes out, it might be too late. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by tennisgurl

[Armchair Critic]

I like the "Big 3" because I am invested in their characters but I usually don't like stories about bratty teens so I hope Randall and Beth don't adopt an older boy.

[Cardie]

42 minutes ago, debraran said:

Maybe it's Miguel's?  Or a gift, maybe this all happens much later, and Jack is home for a while.

How old are they when the brief break-up happens? Kevin says straight out that Kate told him of his father's death when he was 17. I certainly hope Jack didn't die rescuing their dog from a house fire.

[Eaglemama]

This episode tore my heart out and left a lot of questions!  I watched the after show on the NBC app and came to this board to reassure myself that my confusion was warranted.  Still confused and moved but no way did I want to watch the Mememdez story!  I wanted a drink!

[ItCouldBeWorse]

An older boy will also really change the dynamic of Tess and Annie.  I would personally prefer adopting a child who was younger than the girls, even if not a baby, but that's obviously not going to happen.

ETA:  Unfortunately, I'm sure there are plenty of troubled 5 or 6 year-old boys in foster care that could use a family. 

So, will Beth give up her office so that the new child will have a bedroom, will he sleep in the basement, will Annie and Tess permanently move in together, or will the Pearsons discover an extra, hidden bedroom? Maybe they'll build a new bedroom?  That's the question I most want answered.

Edited September 27, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[chocolatine]

So Jack was cremated after dying in a fire? Seems like an odd choice.

17 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

What Kevin said to Toby in the present is that they were seventeen when Kate had to tell Kevin about Jack's death, so we do still have that rough timeline (in between late '97 and '98). 

I think it was fall '97 since the scenery didn't look like a Northeast winter. I thought it was established that last season's finale was in March '96 because it was shortly after Valentine's day and the kids were 15, so Jack's death would have happened 18+ months later. I have a feeling that the fire *wasn't* due to Jack's drunkenness. He'd probably gotten sober and the irony/tragedy is that he dies after he and Rebecca have gotten over their rough patch and things are "perfect" between them again.

Good episode, but I could have done without the adoption storyline, the William flashbacks, and Toby.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

7 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

So Jack was cremated after dying in a fire? Seems like an odd choice.

True.  Not to be too morbid, but if his body was badly damaged in the fire, Rebecca might not have wanted the typical open casket for the sake of the kids, so cremation might have seemed best.

Edited September 27, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[WhosThatGirl]

I can now make somewhat coherent thoughts.

Yeah Toby was real annoying tonight but to me he usually is. I get that Kate and Kevin tend to be co dependent on each other but twins from my understanding have a super close relationship that goes beyond regular siblings. 

In other things, teenage Kevin is a jerk. Kid Kevin was a little bit too but I’m curious to how adult Kevin comes to be. Even adult Kevin before he started staying with Randall wasn’t as jerky as teen Kevin. Also.. i Just remembered when Kevin told the woman whose husbands just died about how 15 was tough to lose a dad and the wife mentioned how she was going to throw out all her husbands clothes because their son didn’t want them and he said don’t and he explained about the planes he and Jack used to build and that he wished he still had them.. and I had assumed in a fit of grief rage he tossed them all but it looks like that wasn’t the case, they were destroyed and then my heart breaks even more.

Edited September 27, 2017 by WhosThatGirl

[Eaglemama]

For me after being sucker punched with tragedy and having my emotional energy sucked out in This is Us, the last thing I would want to see is a show about boys who killed their parents, justifiably or not.

[woodstock]

The final shot of the burned out house was shocking. Of the several ways I imagined Jack dying a house fire never entered my mind.

The fake smoking scene between Beth and Randall had me cracking up. I like the idea of them adopting an older child. Usually when people mention adoption they want an infant but there are so many older children who need a home. I do hope Beth and Randall talk with Tess and Annie before they are far along in the process. The girls' lives will be impacted too.

[chocolatine]

2 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

True.  Not to be too morbid, but if his body was badly damaged in the fire, Rebecca might not have wanted the typical open casket for the sake of the kids, so cremation might have seemed best.

But in that case she could have just had him in a closed casket. I just can't imagine cremating someone who died in a fire when interment is an option. It's probably because the writers came up with the "Kate watches Steelers games with Jack's ashes" storyline before they figured out how Jack would die.

[ChromaKelly]

16 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

An older boy will also really change the dynamic of Tess and Annie.  I would personally prefer adopting a child who was younger than the girls, even if not a baby, but that's obviously not going to happen.

So, will Beth give up her office so the new child will have a bedroom, will he sleep in the basement, will Annie and Tess permanently move in together, or will the Pearsons discover an extra, hidden bedroom? Maybe they'll build a new bedroom?  That's the question I most want answered.

Ugh, yes. It's generally advised to never adopt out of birth order. Adopting an older boy with two younger children in the home is a recipe for disaster. I kind of hope they don't adopt.

[bybrandy]

18 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

 

So Jack was cremated after dying in a fire? Seems like an odd choice.

 

I guess.  But my plan is to be cremated (not left in an urn for people to watch football games with, but...).   It is my plan.  My family knows that.  I don't think they'd say, "Oh, well, she died in a fire so we should totally do something else."   

I was pretty mixed between #teamToby and #teamKevin here.  I mean of course they're still doing birthday dinner together.  That is their tradition.   And I thought Toby trying to get Kevin to spend his birthday alone was gross.   But the co-dependant thing that Kevin and Kate do really does not leave a lot of space for Toby and I can see how that is an issue for Toby.  Although, I think he's misdirected his anger about that to Kevin.  It is something he needs to work out with Kate.

Edited September 27, 2017 by bybrandy

[Maire]

It's hard to work up a good cry watching this show when there is a commercial break every 5 minutes!

[TobinAlbers]

55 minutes ago, WhosThatGirl said:

I can’t even explain. This is the worst than anything I was thinking. I don’t even have words for this ending of the House Fire being the cause of death.

Also Rebeccas anguished cry at seeing the burned down house. God.

Yeah, I made it through the entire episode until Jack's drunk confession, the screen going black, then cutting back to Jack and the knock and Rebecca being the one to not give up and pull Jack to the car and her saying everything will be fine and the look on Jack's face - the first time I can recall him looking defeated- hitting home that power through super optimistic Jack doesn't believe it will be and just getting a chilling feeling in the pit of my stomach that something in Jack is broken that he's afraid can't be fixed.

I held on through the teens' tears but when Rebecca pulls up in front of that house and just lets out that anguished sob and the camera pulls back to reveal that devestated shell of a house and you imagine Jack having been in that?! It really did feel like the family and the world had been cruelly and ruthlessly obliterated. I emotionally couldn't handle even the implication that the man we've seen for the last season and one episode comes to an end in such horrible fashion. I'm not ready for more answers. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Just now, ChromaKelly said:

20 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

An older boy will also really change the dynamic of Tess and Annie.  I would personally prefer adopting a child who was younger than the girls, even if not a baby, but that's obviously not going to happen.

So, will Beth give up her office so the new child will have a bedroom, will he sleep in the basement, will Annie and Tess permanently move in together, or will the Pearsons discover an extra, hidden bedroom? Maybe they'll build a new bedroom?  That's the question I most want answered.

Ugh, yes. It's generally advised to never adopt out of birth order. Adopting an older boy with two younger children in the home is a recipe for disaster. I kind of hope they don't adopt.

I realize that if they had adopted a newborn, Annie would be displaced as the baby of the family and become the middle child, but that's the normal course of events.  I think it's hard for the older child to move to the middle spot.  At least since they are planning to adopt a boy, Tess won't be displaced as the older sister.

[memememe76]

7 minutes ago, ChromaKelly said:

Ugh, yes. It's generally advised to never adopt out of birth order. Adopting an older boy with two younger children in the home is a recipe for disaster. I kind of hope they don't adopt.

Anyone know if Randall is older than Kevin and Kate? Heh.

I was wondering how adopting an older child would affect the two girls. I am looking forward to the storyline.

[tennisgurl]

11 minutes ago, TobinAlbers said:

the first time I can recall him looking defeated- hitting home that power through super optimistic Jack doesn't believe it will be and just getting a chilling feeling in the pit of my stomach that something in Jack is broken that he's afraid can't be fixed.

It almost makes me wonder if Jacks constant optimism and Cool Dad tendencies and wanting to make these big life changing choices and grand gestures is partially overcompensating out of Jacks feelings that something in him is broken, and he needs to be positive and awesome all the time, or the brokenness will take over. Not that he isn't genuinely an optimistic Cool Dad and all around great guy, but maybe that does affect him, and his issues with alcohol and his parents have messed him up more than he lets on, and that makes him go 110%, instead of just 90% or something. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by tennisgurl

[thisisus]

There were still firefighters on the scene. The house was burnt to a crisp. Rebecca had a plastic bag with his belongings in it which included his construction plan/book in pristine white condition. Odd. 

[mrsbagnet]

1 hour ago, I-Kare said:

Toby is ridiculous. You don't stop being a twin because you're in a relationship. I'm the unmarried half of a 47-year-old twin set and apparently I'm fortunate that my twin's husband loves me and he and I are BFFs. Hell we even go out to eat together when she doesn't like the restaurant we both love. And he'd *never* say I couldn't be the one who buys her dinner on our birthday because....guess what...it's *our* birthday. 

Yes, this a thousand times. If Toby can't understand or handle the concept of TWINS, then he needs to gather up his savior complex and go find another woman with low self-esteem to fix. Kate has a twin. Toby will never displace Kevin, and it is futile for him to even try.

Edited September 27, 2017 by mrsbagnet

[pally]

1 hour ago, sigmaforce86 said:

As far as knowing how Jack dies right now, having that revealed, I just want to repeat oh my god over & over.

timeline is pretty set now but I have two thoughts on the broken leg / Kate tells Kevin thing.  1 it's a hint for future episodes, if/when we see Kevin break a leg we know the fire/death is close.  Only downside is we already know their ages and that they watched the Steelers game so another hint isn't needed.  2 the one I think more likely Jack is injured in the fire (burns, smoke inhalation, head or internal injuries) but he lives for days or weeks then dies which explains why the kids were with Miguel but Kevin was on a date.   

Also kudos to the show getting Ron Howard back "even the tennis ball was tearing up" :-)

only problem with the  Jack lingering theory is that the firefighters and tape were still at the house when Rebecca drove by,  The implication is that Jack was already dead when she stopped.
 

[BoogieBurns]

4 minutes ago, memememe76 said:

Anyone know if Randall is older than Kevin and Kate? Heh.

Yes. He is the oldest by birth time (several hours), but they consider him the baby of the triplets since he joined the family last. 

[VioletNevermind]

1 hour ago, Amethyst said:

So Jack's been off the wagon for weeks?  Um, ok.  It's hard to believe that none of the Pearsons knew anything about this.  No whiff of alcohol, no stumbling or slurred words?

It's incredible, how well one can hide alcohol addiction.  I have family who could win Academy awards for how well they hid/hide serious drinking problems.  Tolerance to large amounts of alcohol builds gradually over time until it infiltrates every part of one's life.  Jack and Rebecca had grown a bit distant as the kids aged, making it easier for him to mask his alcoholism.  Sad, sad stuff.

[pennben]

Okay show, I'm willing to give you another episode, something I thought was impossible at the beginning of the episode and really, really thought wasn't going to happen when: a) Randall told Beth she needed to wrap her mind around this adoption (implied, was "because it is happening") and b) when Rebecca said it's okay to push Beth to take on a child because that is what Jack did to her.  Whoooboy, I was not going to stick around for more of the saintly men, being saintly and women of two generations falling in line.

Toby just has to go, in my opinion, his presence just irritates the hell out of me from his "scwhing" in response to Kate to his....well, just his being there annoys me.  I was happy that Kate lost the role on the quality of her voice, let's move on from her weight being the only story for her.

Finally, the most annoying part was this great 'mystery' of Jack's death.  Honestly, at this point it makes me giggle a bit how they tease clues.  Someone above noted that:

Quote

He said be patient, the dog, red haired girl, broken leg, all lead to the ending.

 

https://www.facebook.com/NBCThisIsUs/?hc_ref=ARS68FS9oE-eXgEfVk0u8tcCmtLmBpFDivfBYi9nv9yUfeE9wNlbjnhV8y3vstHD6jE

It sounds like a really weird game of Clue or an intense Scooby Doo episode!

Trust your story, not your twists.

So, let's see what next episode holds.