S02.E01: A Father's Advice

[ZeroDiscipline]

14 hours ago, pally said:

maybe he died saving her

Or her dog or something?

[OtterMommy]

8 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

If you want you can judge for yourself a recent video with her band and A 2012 showcase (her part starts at the 1 minute mark). 

Thanks for sharing this.  The sound quality was iffy, but she does sound better than Kate did on this episode...but still not so good that, if Kate sang at that level, I could see her feasibly having a professional singing career.

[kissedbyarose]

On a shallow note, Kevin was completely right about Kate’s first outfit. It was too much.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

12 hours ago, mansfolly said:

Jack was drunk when he went to the bar to get Rebecca a gig.

Yes. Toby is the worst.  First, to walk out of the dinner cuz he's PO'd. Second, and more telling, he does it on his fiancee's and future BiL's birthday. Get over yourself Toby.

Also.... did you see the outfit the actor wore to the Emmy's? He must be very similar to Tody IRL.

Jack may be a high-functioning alcoholic, but he's a danger every time he drives a car, and should not have been driving the kids around.

Kevin is a guy who is considered by many to be physically ideal. And then this perfect looking guy with whom Kate shares all her secrets takes them out to expensive meals that Toby can't afford. Even though Kevin's her brother, not a romantic rival, this could prey on the insecurities Toby has about his own body, which aren't a big deal when he is alone with Kate.  As mentioned by another poster, if Kevin were female, Toby's jealousy would almost definitely not be as strong, and I think the same would be true if Kevin were closer to Kate's body type.

Did anyone hear Kate say she had lost 2 dress sizes?

Chris Sullivan at the Emmys:  

Edited September 27, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Katy M]

23 minutes ago, Biggie B said:

When Beth and Randall went to the park, at night, to continue discussing the adoption situation, who was watching their children? 

I think the older girl is 11 or 12.  Plenty old enough to babysit her younger sister for an hour or so.

[RedbirdNelly]

14 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I actually thought I was going to make it through an episode of this show without crying...and then the last scene 4 minutes happen. Damn you show! I still need to do things tonight, I cant be stuck here dealing with these feelings all night! Looks like Jack probably died in a fire, possibly caused by him getting drunk and setting something on fire accidentally. Damn, what an awful way to die, be it by smoke inhalation or burning. That just makes everything worse. It looked like things were going so well, and Jack and Rebecca were doing well again, and the WHAM. 

I t

this was me too--I had just started thinking "hey, this is almost over and I'm not crying" and then bam! Other thoughts (and I apologize for repeating other people's thoughts if that is the case but have not been able to read all 5 pages):

* loved William's poem voice over. It got to me. There are words of wisdom there

* Toby is not entirely wrong but he's not right either. Yes, I get there being too much twin closeness and you don't want a brother in the middle of your marriage. But married people have siblings and they often tell them things. That's how it works. So it's unrealistic to not expect her to reach out to her brother or for her to tell you everything first. It is realistic to expect her to turn to you more and there to be less Kevin in the middle of everything in order to have a healthy marriage.

* I like the idea of helping an older child--but being honest, I would be nervous because they have 2 children already. If things get rocky, it will impact them and it's easier for me to get comfortable with that risk if we're dealing with a baby. It would take me time to get comfortable with that.

* I love every actor that plays Randall at every age.

* I could not make out what Kevin whispered to Kate in the movie theater.

* also I could not make out what was in the passenger seat of the car when Rebecca was driving up to the burned up house.

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, RedbirdNelly said:

* I could not make out what Kevin whispered to Kate in the movie theater.

I think Randall's about to make his move.  (pause) what's wrong?

[NeverLate]

33 minutes ago, kissedbyarose said:

On a shallow note, Kevin was completely right about Kate’s first outfit. It was too much.

It had to be, so it set up the whole Kevin/Toby/Kate later.

Quote

Did anyone hear Kate say she had lost 2 dress sizes?

Yes, I believe she has padding around her, she has lost weight, you could see it on her lovely face.

[SunnyBeBe]

Can someone who has a DVR please tell me who was singing in the background towards the end scene? Not where Kate was singing nor the backup singer, but, a voice in the background later on.  It was female and it was very odd sounding.  I couldn't tell who it was or what the song was. Anyone know? The voice was hoarse and deep.  

Edited September 27, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[Biggie B]

At the very start of the show, when Randall was giving his daughters their breakfast, the younger one asked why Mommy was going to work and Randall staying home - and then she (the daughter) said something else, but I missed it - Randall replied, "I can't even believe you said that!" What did the younger daughter say? 

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, Biggie B said:

At the very start of the show, when Randall was giving his daughters their breakfast, the younger one asked why Mommy was going to work and Randall staying home - and then she (the daughter) said something else, but I missed it - Randall replied, "I can't even believe you said that!" What did the younger daughter say? 

I think she said something about him being the mom or the wife or something like that.

[MelineB13]

Wasn't it established that Kate has pretty bad stage fright/self esteem issues? Why would she want to front a wedding band? That just seems like the weirdest fit ever! She lives in Hollywood with a fairly famous actor brother. I feel as though she could get voice over/soundtrack singing work pretty easily. And that has nothing to do with her size. It just seems like a better match for her voice and experience level. Or she could start her own band or be a solo artist or she could audition for a back up singer of a star she idolizes. 

The wedding band seems more like a crazy scheme that Toby is pushing her into or a hairbrained idea she has that becomes her sole focus.

 

Someone up thread mentioned her similarities to Sarah Braverman and YES it is all I can see now! She wants to be a personal assistant/event planner and all of a sudden she is THE BEST personal assistant who has hundreds of contacts in the event planning world. She kind of maybe likes to sing and bam she has to be a front woman of an established band. I prefer the Kate who tries but is crippled by her own self doubt and ends up not really excelling in anything that gives her a true sense of self because it is easier to just go with the flow. THAT is a real person! And frankly a real character in this family of big personalities and over achievers. 

[Whimsy]

12 hours ago, Hello Lady said:

The way the children seem to be around Miguel, I'm wondering if he had something to do with the fire.? 

I don't think so.  I think they just resent him because he's not Jack and their mother married him.

 

2 hours ago, pawsodoom said:

The other reason is that none of Big 3 or even Rebecca seem to have a "problem" with alcohol, in terms of being averse to it. I'd think if my parent/spouse was an alcoholic, I wouldn't be casual about drinking it. Particularly Kate, if she feels "responsible" for Jack's death, and if it was in some way alcohol-related. I'd think she would shy away from drinking, then.

My father is a recovering alcoholic (sober for 30 years now).  His entire family were raging, functioning (to varying degrees) alcoholics.  I still like to have drinks at parties, casually and maybe a drink or two with dinner at times.  I actually felt it was very important to teach my own children that it was possible to have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

[Cardie]

3 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

And, again, they somehow gathered Kate and Randall, so why not Kevin?

This is a bit before the time that every teen had a mobile phone. I see the scenario as the house burning down and Jack taken to the hospital as happening at the same time. Rebecca goes with Jack and sends the two kids who were at home to Miguel's. Kevin is not at home but is out partying. He hasn't told anyone exactly where he is. Jack dies at the hospital and Rebecca phones Kate and Randall at Miguel's. Someone is going to have to go to the place where they believe Kevin to be in order to tell him. They don't have a phone number for his location.

[Katy M]

11 minutes ago, MelineB13 said:

The wedding band seems more like a crazy scheme that Toby is pushing her into or a hairbrained idea she has that becomes her sole focus.

Or, she just wants to sing and that was the first audition that came up.  But, voiceover work does sound like a better idea for someone who is self-conscious about their looks.  I hope Toby didn't convince her that was selling herself short or whatever.

[SunnyBeBe]

I can't image Kate being happy with some other nice guy.  I mean, who would be into her, with her being so enthused with her brother.  It just seems dysfunctional to me.  I can't see her being into a guy more than she is  Kevin.  I'm no Toby fan, but, what man is going to find that co-dependence acceptable?

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, Cardie said:

This is a bit before the time that every teen had a mobile phone. I see the scenario as the house burning down and Jack taken to the hospital as happening at the same time. Rebecca goes with Jack and sends the two kids who were at home to Miguel's. Kevin is not at home but is out partying. He hasn't told anyone exactly where he is. Jack dies at the hospital and Rebecca phones Kate and Randall at Miguel's. Someone is going to have to go to the place where they believe Kevin to be in order to tell him. They don't have a phone number for his location.

Yes, the good old days when you were not parent-accessible 24/7.  Man, I feel bad for this generation.

[laurakaye]

1 hour ago, OtterMommy said:

If they wanted me to seriously buy that Kate could make it as a singer, I would have needed a lot more than one scene of her singing in a shower and one scene of her singing in a nursing home.  I would have needed to see that this was something that Kate truly did want to do, but didn't allow herself to consider.  

This is the same problem I've had with Rebecca's singing 2-week tour group.  It came on suddenly, and - unless I missed the signs - we didn't know for a pretty good chunk of season 1 that Rebecca's dream was to go out and sing.  There could've been so many realistic ways to give the viewers this info - have her sing in a friend's wedding, or sing around the house and have one of her kids comment on her voice, etc.  But I took it as a sudden plot point that Mandy Moore Rebecca had to sing!  And go on tour!  Nothing led up to that, and it's similar to Kate - she likes to sing but barely managed to sing one song in a nursing home.  Have we heard young Kate singing at all?  I honestly can't remember, but I don't think so.  How easy and nice would it have been to hear young Kate and Rebecca haromonizing around the house at some point?    It's not a hard storyline to put out there, but both "singer" storylines feel really forced.

Edited September 27, 2017 by laurakaye

[pawsodoom]

9 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

My father is a recovering alcoholic (sober for 30 years now).  His entire family were raging, functioning (to varying degrees) alcoholics.  I still like to have drinks at parties, casually and maybe a drink or two with dinner at times.  I actually felt it was very important to teach my own children that it was possible to have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

That is very healthy way of dealing with those issues. Perhaps I was just projecting myself onto the Big 3 and how I think I would have reacted if I were in that situation. 

[NeverLate]

10 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

I don't think so.  I think they just resent him because he's not Jack and their mother married him.

Maybe so, I just get a feeling from them all, that there's more to their mothers remarrying.

3 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

This is the same problem I've had with Rebecca's singing 2-week tour group.  It came on suddenly, and - unless I missed the signs - we didn't know for a pretty good chunk of season 1 that Rebecca's dream was to go out and sing.  There could've been so many realistic ways to give the viewers this info - have her sing in a friend's wedding, or sing around the house and have one of her kids comment on her voice, etc.  But I took it as a sudden plot point that Mandy Moore Rebecca had to sing!  And go on tour!  Nothing led up to that, and it's similar to Kate - she likes to sing but barely managed to sing one song in a nursing home.  Have we heard young Kate singing at all?  I honestly can't remember, but I don't think so.  How easy and nice would it have been to hear young Kate and Rebecca haromonizing around the house at some point?    It's not a hard storyline to put out there, but both "singer" storylines feel really forced.

I think Kate discovered her passion, or her joy, later in life.

[ZeroDiscipline]

3 hours ago, SuzyLee said:

The entire time Kate sang at the audition that she marched in and rudely demanded, I was terrified that she was going to get the gig as a reward for her show of "strength" and "bravery."  I want to have more faith that the writers won't set up a perfectly perfect outcome for her this season, but I'm getting nervous.  As a fellow "woman of size," I want to like and root for Kate, but damn, is it hard sometimes.  I find her to be extremely off-putting.  She's about 30 years too old to act the way she does half the time.  

Agree so hard. I thought the same thing when Jack drunkenly tried to get Rebecca a gig at that bar. I was so afraid the bartender was going to be all "You know what? That drunkass has got heart, sure I'll give his wife a shot". It was refreshing seeing both Kate and Jack get shot down like they would in real life.

[Rinaldo]

4 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Okay....please tell me did  Rebecca ACTUALLY knock on the door again and insist that Jack come with her OR was this the way she reenacts it in her mind?

I wondered this myself. The closed door and dark screen lasted so long, I remembered it after the episode ended, and wondered if we'll eventually discover that the remainder of the scene (Rebecca knocking again and insisting that Jack come home with her) is what she wishes she'd done at that point. 

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Oh, no....Just that reference to the Kardashians, like they are royalty.  It was a huge turn off for me. 

But it seemed clear to me that there was a ton of mockery in every mention of the K's, with an implied eye roll. As if, "things have sunk so low in LA that they are now a tourist attraction that you see before Disneyland and all that stuff."

3 hours ago, doodlebug said:

If that's where they're going, we need to see Kate get some singing lessons STAT and be a really quick study.  

It's not altogether a matter of being a quick study. Singing, like any other activity involving bodily coordination, is best absorbed when young (to instill good habits on your still-growing muscles) and needs daily practice and review. It's true for athletes and dancers, and for singers too. Kate is really kidding herself if she imagines making a start at this point in life, given how she sounded in her audition. (That is, we can hear she's not some freak savant who can bypass the work that regular people need to do. The guy complimented her pitch, but to my ears that was awful.)

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, ZeroDiscipline said:

Agree so hard. I thought the same thing when Jack drunkenly tried to get Rebecca a gig at that bar. I was so afraid the bartender was going to be all "You know what? That drunkass has got heart, sure I'll give his wife a shot". It was refreshing seeing both Kate and Jack get shot down like they would in real life.

And Jack's thing was just so cringeworthy.  Offering to pay someone so Rebecca could have a gig.  Can you imagine if, for whatever reason, the guy had actually agreed to it and then Rebecca had found out.  That's pretty embarrarssing.  Like having your mom pay someone to take you to the prom (and no that didn't happen to me).

[biakbiak]

12 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

There could've been so many realistic ways to give the viewers this info - have her sing in a friend's wedding, or sing around the house and have one of her kids comment on her voice, etc

She did sing around the house when the kids were little and sung at a bar before the Steelers game. 

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, Rinaldo said:

wondered this myself. The closed door and dark screen lasted so long, I remembered it after the episode ended, and wondered if we'll eventually discover that the remainder of the scene (Rebecca knocking again and insisting that Jack come home with her) is what she wishes she'd done at that point. 

I really hope not, because the misdirects are bad enough without them now deciding to show us "wish memories" instead of what really happened.  Not to mention, it seems like they were back together when he died (or at least when the fire happened) and that did not happen that night at Miguel's hosue.  So, I'm thinking no.

[Cardie]

The Miguel-hate is perplexing. So far we've only seen him be there for both Jack and Rebecca. Yes, he sometimes misreads others' emotions and has nursed a crush on Rebecca. But we don't know yet that he ever did anything inappropriate while Jack was alive. I can see Rebecca turning to him as the guy who was her rock after the loss of their home, Jack, and--let's face it--all their income. (I assume he had life insurance, but still.)

[dogfish]

21 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

This is the same problem I've had with Rebecca's singing 2-week tour group.  It came on suddenly, and - unless I missed the signs - we didn't know for a pretty good chunk of season 1 that Rebecca's dream was to go out and sing.  There could've been so many realistic ways to give the viewers this info - have her sing in a friend's wedding, or sing around the house and have one of her kids comment on her voice, etc.  But I took it as a sudden plot point that Mandy Moore Rebecca had to sing!  And go on tour!

I was under the impression, perhaps incorrectly, that she used to sing with the group in her "previous life."

[3 is enough]

Adding to the time frame speculation, at some point Jack had started Big Three Construction.  As far as I can figure out it was after Rebecca brought him back home.  So I assume some time- maybe a year or two passes between their reconciliation and Jack's death.  Kids are obviously still in high school but that is a four year window.  Also, someone mentioned upthread that the window sticker on the car said 96 when Rebecca brought Jack home and 98 after the fire.  

Edited to add quote from MINNIEMACGYVER:

 

Quote

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 3 is enough

[VioletNevermind]

23 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I really hope not, because the misdirects are bad enough without them now deciding to show us "wish memories" instead of what really happened.  Not to mention, it seems like they were back together when he died (or at least when the fire happened) and that did not happen that night at Miguel's hosue.  So, I'm thinking no.

"Wish memories," haha!!  That is genuinely hilarious.  I agree re: the constant misdirection on this show.  It was fun at first, but I'm nearing the point where I feel like I have to watch with a dry erase board and six different color markers by my side just to stay on top of what's happening, what might happen, and what hasn't happened, but you think it may have happened.

[Lady Calypso]

8 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

Adding to the time frame speculation, at some point Jack had started Big Three Construction.  As far as I can figure out it was after Rebecca brought him back home.  So I assume some time- maybe a year or two passes between their reconciliation and Jack's death.  Kids are obviously still in high school but that is a four year window.  Also, someone mentioned upthread that the window sticker on the car said 96 when Rebecca brought Jack home and 98 after the fire.

Well, Kevin confirmed, through his speech to Toby, that they were seventeen when they lost Jack. So, depending in what month they lost him, it could easily be up to August 1998, before the triplets' birthday. If I remember correctly from last season, they're sixteen in the current flashback timeline, so they do have Jack for at least another year, probably up to a year and a half. 

Another thing I noted is that Rebecca may have Jack's personal effects after he died, judging by the end scene. None of the belongings look burnt, which could be a hint that Jack didn't die in the house, but possibly he died trying to get home. Maybe that's why Kate feels guilty; she could have accidentally started the fire and called Jack in a panic, and on his way home, he gets into a car accident. Again, not clear and the only thing is that it's been so long since I've seen season 1 that I can't remember if the family only has one car. If that's the case, then I'm way off base. But why would Rebecca be taking Jack's watch, pin, wedding band, and work notebook with her in a plastic bag, perfectly in tact and not burnt, and why would Jack have those things on him if he died in the fire? 

[NeverLate]

21 minutes ago, Cardie said:

The Miguel-hate is perplexing. So far we've only seen him be there for both Jack and Rebecca. Yes, he sometimes misreads others' emotions and has nursed a crush on Rebecca. But we don't know yet that he ever did anything inappropriate while Jack was alive. I can see Rebecca turning to him as the guy who was her rock after the loss of their home, Jack, and--let's face it--all their income. (I assume he had life insurance, but still.)

Didn't he cheat on his wife? I still found him a little sleazy around other women

3 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Well, Kevin confirmed, through his speech to Toby, that they were seventeen when they lost Jack. So, depending in what month they lost him, it could easily be up to August 1998, before the triplets' birthday. If I remember correctly from last season, they're sixteen in the current flashback timeline, so they do have Jack for at least another year, probably up to a year and a half. 

Another thing I noted is that Rebecca may have Jack's personal effects after he died, judging by the end scene. None of the belongings look burnt, which could be a hint that Jack didn't die in the house, but possibly he died trying to get home. Maybe that's why Kate feels guilty; she could have accidentally started the fire and called Jack in a panic, and on his way home, he gets into a car accident. Again, not clear and the only thing is that it's been so long since I've seen season 1 that I can't remember if the family only has one car. If that's the case, then I'm way off base. But why would Rebecca be taking Jack's watch, pin, wedding band, and work notebook with her in a plastic bag, perfectly in tact and not burnt, and why would Jack have those things on him if he died in the fire? 

I don't think he died in the fire. People die from smoke inhalation.

[BlancheDevoreaux]

12 hours ago, MsJamieDornan said:

They have dragged it out too long. And, I have a feeling it will be even longer.

I agree.  It was a good storyline at first but it has gone on too long.  I also think that last night's ending was just too much.  Maybe I had my hopes set too high, but I just thought it was too much.  Last season, the big reveal at the end of the first episode was excellent and it was one of those things, kind of like The Sixth Sense, where after you see the big reveal, you have to go back and see all of the little details you missed along the way that pointed to the end.  Last night, the episode ended and it felt like there was too much given away without anything TRULY given away. Does that make sense?  I wasn't left thinking "No! This can't be the end of the episode!  What happens?"  Instead, I was left thinking, "What just happened?  I don't get it and I'm kind of over it at the same time."

[Lady Calypso]

4 minutes ago, Hello Lady said:

I don't think he died in the fire. People die from smoke inhalation.

True. That's actually a good point; maybe the fire happened the night before, everything seemed fine, Jack went to work the next day and then collapsed at work. Again, that's the only explanation I have for why Jack's work notebook is in the bag with the rest of his things. 

[dogfish]

8 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

True. That's actually a good point; maybe the fire happened the night before, everything seemed fine, Jack went to work the next day and then collapsed at work. Again, that's the only explanation I have for why Jack's work notebook is in the bag with the rest of his things. 

Or he's not dead...yet.  Just because she has his personal effects, does not mean he's dead.  Jail, rehab, hospital...all possibilities.  We know he dies eventually (soon), but this could be a red herring.

[ZeroDiscipline]

I am not buying any of this. I think Jack's death and the fire are two separate things. Kate and Randall were crying, but I feel like they could have been crying because their house burned down. They seemed upset, but not like "dad died" upset, more like "holy crap our house burned down" upset. And same for Miguel, he seemed like he was helping the kids out because their house burned down, not because his best friend died. It could be something like Jack got hurt doing something unrelated and was in the hospital, or was in jail or rehab or something, and the fire happened while he was in jail, rehab or hospital. And Rebecca was on her way to tell the kids and Miguel something about Jack but the fire happened at the same time, and Rebecca pulled up to the house and was like "FML, my husband just died/ is in jail/ rehab/ the hospital and now our fucking house burned down?"  All of the talk about how Kate was the one to tell her brother about dad's death could also be that Kate was the one that had to tell Kevin about the fire too. Both things can be true.  And I think the redhead girl/ Randall's girlfriend is Miguel's daughter, and I am going to go a step further and say that she is not around in present day time either or else she would have been mentioned at the holidays last year, or at the very least, the Big Three would have mentioned having a step-sibling during all of those "getting to know you" talks they had with all of the strangers and bit players that have entered their lives. So, if Miguel lost his daughter, and Rebecca lost her husband, they would certainly be bound by deep grief and it makes total sense that they would marry each other because they are dead inside and don't want to be alone.

[dogfish]

4 minutes ago, ZeroDiscipline said:

I am not buying any of this. I think Jack's death and the fire are two separate things.

Agreed...

[Bean421]

No matter how many times the writers have the characters say Toby is a great guy, I'll never believe it.  He's obnoxious and controlling.  

The Bi-coastal family thing doesn't work for me. It really highlights how Kate and Kevin are in their own codependent world. The way that Randall is visually separated at times from his siblings is interesting. At birth Kate and Kevin in one bassinet Randall separate.  In the movie theatre the Kate and Kevin on one side of Rebecca and Randall on the other. Hopefully we'll get to see more of the adult Big Three together this season. 

Randall and Beth need to do some serious prospective foster care/adoptive parent training if they are wanting to have an older child placed with them. I didn't love the drama of that on Parenthood and I'm not certain I'll love it here. 

[OtterMommy]

58 minutes ago, Cardie said:

The Miguel-hate is perplexing. So far we've only seen him be there for both Jack and Rebecca. Yes, he sometimes misreads others' emotions and has nursed a crush on Rebecca. But we don't know yet that he ever did anything inappropriate while Jack was alive. I can see Rebecca turning to him as the guy who was her rock after the loss of their home, Jack, and--let's face it--all their income. (I assume he had life insurance, but still.)

I'm with you.  I mean I find older Miguel annoying...but that's because he seems sort of painfully socially awkward (and that doesn't jive at all with younger Miguel, but that annoys me about the writers, not the character).  I get why the kids have issues, but I can't say that I have any strong feelings against him.

[Katy M]

11 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

but that's because he seems sort of painfully socially awkward

We only see him with the "kids" though, and Kevin, definitely, and Randall, somewhat are hostile to him.  So, I think it's kind of understandable that he's a bit awkward around them.

[Wouldofshouldof]

16 hours ago, SuzyLee said:

 I may be in the minority, but Kate's voice is not that great, in my very humble opinion.

I didn't think she was that good when she sang in season 1 either, so I'm glad the casting guy was blunt with her about her talent.

[drafan]

2 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

 

* I like the idea of helping an older child--but being honest, I would be nervous because they have 2 children already. If things get rocky, it will impact them and it's easier for me to get comfortable with that risk if we're dealing with a baby. It would take me time to get comfortable with that.

 

I instantly got the creeps when they said this.....they were looking over at (stereotypical....ugh)  "street kids" and Randall's been wanting a boy all along. So they bring in a older boy who is "troubled', throw him into a house with 2 pre-teen girls.......recipe for disaster. So horrible, that I would be  edgy watching this show every week, expecting a molestation story line. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. No. Probably even dumber, but more Ken Olin-y, is if they make him have a rough adjustment, then a breakthrough, then Bingo!!! , he's the perfect big brother. Ugh again.

All the previews  and hype leading up to this season premier mentioned "crying" and "tears"....is this what is expected of the viewers each week? If so, I'm out.  Stupid.

[Granny58]

17 hours ago, DebbieM4 said:

wish I didn't dislike Mandy Moore so much.  I realize this is an unpopular opinion, but I think she's a terrible actress.

agree so much!

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

Yes, the good old days when you were not parent-accessible 24/7.  Man, I feel bad for this generation.

My parents got me a phone before everyone else had a phone as an early (high school, so late 90s) graduation present.  And I was accused of being a snob because I had one.

 

NOTE:  My parents were helicopter-ish (and still are).  Heck, my GRANDMOTHER was heliclopter-ish to my MOTHER.  In the 1960s!!

[butterbody]

I wonder what the time line was between Becks telling Jack to come home over and over, and the fire. Like if she had just left him at Miguel's, he couldn't have burned their house down.

But I agree with the others that say it's not likely the writers would blow their wad on the first episode, given their penchant for dragging. everything. out.

Speaking of a penchant for dragging, I'm glad I'm not the only one getting sick of these unrealistic soliloquies. Perhaps this is what caused me to zone out during the cast on the leg scene. I didn't even process the fact that he had a cast because I was too busy trying to read all the signatures. There were a lot. Made me think it might have been on a while. 

[Granny58]

16 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

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.

I'm hoping an elementary school-aged kid.  Agreed...no angsty teen.  

[Lyndy]

I'll join the chorus of people calling for the end of horrible Toby. And it's not about the Kevin vs Toby thing and whether he should be annoyed at what he sees as co-dependancy. It's that temper tantrum he threw on her birthday. His instinct is to get all petulant over how he thinks he's being treated unfairly. Not that his fiance freaked out and could maybe use some moral support. No, she went to her brother and not him and now he's butthurt. It makes me think he doesn't want to support Kate so much as be seen as the guy who supports Kate. "My fiance succeeded because I, a hero, helped her!" And also, of course she told Kevin and not Toby. She obviously didn't want to disappoint him after all of his cheerleading about the audition. I hate this guy so much.

[Biggie B]

Quote

All the previews  and hype leading up to this season premier mentioned "crying" and "tears"....is this what is expected of the viewers each week? If so, I'm out.  Stupid.

I have yet to cry over this show. I've had moments when I've felt moved, but never to the point of tears.  I'm not sure that advising your viewers that they're going to cry is a selling point. Then again, the show is wildly popular, so clearly, I know nothing about marketing. But it seems pretty weird - "Tune in each week to cry! It'll be great!" I watch because I am invested in some (not all) of the characters and I want to see what is going on with them. If their situations make me glad, that's good...if their circumstances are rough or sad, that's OK as well, because I appreciate good, strong story telling and compelling characters. But let me decide if or when I might be emotional enough to cry.

Why did Kevin rent out the entire restaurant? He's not such a giant star that he needs the privacy in public. Was it just to impress Kate and Toby? It seemed uncomfortable to be in an empty restaurant; one of the interesting parts of dining out is the atmosphere, and other patrons are a big part of that (and I don't mean dining out at your local neighborhood pizzeria).

[Katy M]

12 minutes ago, Biggie B said:

 Then again, the show is wildly popular, so clearly, I know nothing about marketing.

I watch it because I want to watch it.  I couldn't care less that they're telling me I'm going to cry.  Because I think I only have once.  Maybe twice.  Certainly not every time they say I'm going to.

[Gurkel]

40 minutes ago, Katy M said:

We only see him with the "kids" though, and Kevin, definitely, and Randall, somewhat are hostile to him.  So, I think it's kind of understandable that he's a bit awkward around them.

But I thought Randall and Kate got along for the most part. Although if lines were drawn, she likely would've sided with Kevin. 

I wonder what happened to Randall's friends? I guess they weren't at that party. What about the kids from the pool? 

 

14 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I watch it because I want to watch it.  I couldn't care less that they're telling me I'm going to cry.  Because I think I only have once.  Maybe twice.  Certainly not every time they say I'm going to.

The show hasn't made me cry once. And I'm a normally crier with movies and TV shows. (Don't watch 'Steel Magnolias' with me. I'll be Viola Davis-ing it up all over the place). 

But that doesn't take away my enjoyment of the show or its characters. 

[Barlowe]

2 hours ago, laurakaye said:

This is the same problem I've had with Rebecca's singing 2-week tour group.  It came on suddenly, and - unless I missed the signs - we didn't know for a pretty good chunk of season 1 that Rebecca's dream was to go out and sing.  There could've been so many realistic ways to give the viewers this info - have her sing in a friend's wedding, or sing around the house and have one of her kids comment on her voice, etc.  But I took it as a sudden plot point that Mandy Moore Rebecca had to sing!  And go on tour!  Nothing led up to that, and it's similar to Kate - she likes to sing but barely managed to sing one song in a nursing home.  Have we heard young Kate singing at all?  I honestly can't remember, but I don't think so.  How easy and nice would it have been to hear young Kate and Rebecca haromonizing around the house at some point?    It's not a hard storyline to put out there, but both "singer" storylines feel really forced.

From the very beginning, we've seen Rebecca singing around the house, singing at the bar during halftime etc, it's more believable that she was a failed singer going around to open mic nights, singing whenever she was given the shot, all the while hoping for her big break. Kate, on the other hand, is more of a blank canvas, all we know is that she liked the typical feminine trends of the time (Madonna, carebears, makeup) and we've been told she's good at being an organized personal assistant so the singing dreams are kind of out of left field beyond Toby pushing her to try it. Even Kevin has at least three paths he could've gone on from his obvious hobbies; acting, football and painting/model airplanes