S02.E10: Number Three

[OtterMommy]

3 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

I think somebody did.  Just recently Linda the social worker said something like "I need to remind you that this is exactly what you signed up for."  When she first dropped off Deja, she told him to take it slow, don't have expectations.  He didn't respond and she looked at him and said "that's not you, is it?" or "you don't do that, do you?"  He just steamrolled over whatever anyone advised him.  Randall knows best.

This is probably what happened.  I just keep thinking of the people I know who foster in my area (granted, things might be different in different places), but expectations are very clearly defined as they go through the process to become a a foster parent.  I have a hard time believing that Randall didn't go through all this without telling everyone about his adoption, his childhood, his brother who was jealous of him, his father's death, college, Beth, the birth of his daughters in great detail, ceiling fans, finding his birth father, finding out his mother knew about his birth father, the death of his birth father, and how he wants to adopt.  I guess I can't blame anyone for tuning out somewhere around the ceiling fan.

[Katekate]

I would appreciate it, now that he’s had time to cool down, if Randal would send Miss Linda a fruit basket and an apology note. And a picture from Annie.

[Paloma]

1 hour ago, ShadowFacts said:

2 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

This was a real irritation with me regarding this story line.  It seemed to me that Randall and Beth had no intention of "fostering," but rather adopting.  Then, when they had to face the reality of what they were doing, they seemed very entitled about the whole thing (until the end).  I would think that someone would have let them know exactly what they were signing up for earlier in the fostering process.

I think somebody did.  Just recently Linda the social worker said something like "I need to remind you that this is exactly what you signed up for."  When she first dropped off Deja, she told him to take it slow, don't have expectations.  He didn't respond and she looked at him and said "that's not you, is it?" or "you don't do that, do you?"  He just steamrolled over whatever anyone advised him.  Randall knows best.

After Randall and Beth said goodbye to Deja and then talked about doing this again sometime in the future, interspersed with scenes of the cute little boy who I'm sure is meant to be their next project, all I could think was, "Are you kidding me?" After bullying the social worker and Deja's mom, threatening to sue, and generally making it clear that they did not respect the boundaries of what they signed up for, would they really be approved for another foster child or even for adoption? Sure, they have all the material stuff that makes them look good on paper, but I'm not sure that's enough to compensate for their behavior during this process. 

Also, lest we give Randall too much credit for seeing the light at the end and being gracious in saying good-bye to Deja, the reason that happened was because he remembered what William said about deciding not to intrude in Randall's life when he already had a family (don't remember the exact words but think that was the gist).  If that conversation had not happened, Randall and Beth would undoubtedly be in a lawyer's office trying to steamroll over the judgment of the system and the feelings of the mother and child.

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Paloma said:

After Randall and Beth said goodbye to Deja and then talked about doing this again sometime in the future, interspersed with scenes of the cute little boy who I'm sure is meant to be their next project, all I could think was, "Are you kidding me?" After bullying the social worker and Deja's mom, threatening to sue, and generally making it clear that they did not respect the boundaries of what they signed up for, would they really be approved for another foster child or even for adoption? Sure, they have all the material stuff that makes them look good on paper, but I'm not sure that's enough to compensate for their behavior during this process. 

Also, lest we give Randall too much credit for seeing the light at the end and being gracious in saying good-bye to Deja, the reason that happened was because he remembered what William said about deciding not to intrude in Randall's life when he already had a family (don't remember the exact words but think that was the gist).  If that conversation had not happened, Randall and Beth would undoubtedly be in a lawyer's office trying to steamroll over the judgment of the system and the feelings of the mother and child.

They had the social worker making it sound like he was having a hard time finding a home to stay at. I assumed she meant adoption and of course we don't know the background. I can see Randall and Beth getting the go ahead, it's TV and they do look good on paper. She said a month of so for now, before trying again, but if This is Us is showing him there is a reason. He's cute, Randall wants a son, but I can't see it being fostering, I don't think the family is the type that would handle the coming and going well.

[CelticBlackCat]

2 minutes ago, debraran said:

They had the social worker making it sound like he was having a hard time finding a home to stay at. I assumed she meant adoption and of course we don't know the background. I can see Randall and Beth getting the go ahead, it's TV and they do look good on paper. She said a month of so for now, before trying again, but if This is Us is showing him there is a reason. He's cute, Randall wants a son, but I can't see it being fostering, I don't think the family is the type that would handle the coming and going well.

Nor should they.  Tess and Annie don't need a revolving door of older kids in their lives.  Randall and Beth should just adopt one child and leave it at that since Randall is hell-bent on recreating his childhood of being adopted, etc.

[debraran]

6 minutes ago, CelticBlackCat said:

Nor should they.  Tess and Annie don't need a revolving door of older kids in their lives.  Randall and Beth should just adopt one child and leave it at that since Randall is hell-bent on recreating his childhood of being adopted, etc.

I agree, and since they  hope the show will be on for more seasons, and Jack's death will slow down the story line with the past, this will help Randall have new plots. I think the girls are adorable and good actors but air time is limited and I'm sure they are thinking ahead.  Sterling said he didn't see Deja in the next few scripts but hoped he could work with her again.

[possibilities]

On 11/30/2017 at 3:17 PM, saber5055 said:

Why don't Randall and Beth consider adoption if they are so stressed about foster kids being taken away, which happens. There are older kids who could be adopted, especially kids of color. Why foster? For the pay check? A family with Big House, Nice Car, Full Fridge shouldn't need that foster income check, a reason some people do foster.

Is there a reason they chose foster?

I don't know why they wound up fostering instead of adopting, but just because soemthing is painful or challenging, doesn't mean it's not somethng someone would choose to do. I don't think they regretted fostering Deja. All in all, I think it was a positive experience. Both they and Deja grew and benefitted. There's meaning in certain acts, even if they're stressful. You might want to try to take a breather after one, but it doesn't mean you wouldn't want to wade back in and do it again. And it gets easier the more skills you have, and the more you grow into it.

There are a lot of kids in need of fostering, and a major shortage of acceptable homes for them to be placed in. Beth and Randall weren't perfect by any  means, but they did a decent enough job and came around before actually pulling the trigger on that lawsuit. We see that Deja benefitted, and I'd think that's the most important thing in terms of whether they'd be offered another placement.

I don't know what the rules are in NJ. I know someone here (MA) who fostered, and some of the things they required seemed absurd to me, and other things apparently didn't matter. So I would think that from the outside perspective, it's hard to know how the system would weigh the Pearsons. It might just depend on how many better families are available. All in all, Randall and Beth would be comparatively stupendously awesome, if you consider what Deja had experienced in previous situations.

I actually knew someone who took a child from her extended family, even though she explicitly told the social worker she did not want to and was not prepared to do it. And the social worker flat out told her: "we have nowhere else to put her, you have to do it. " She could still have refused, it's not like they would have broken down the door and forced her. But they pressured her pretty hard because that's how much of a shortage of homes there is. And I personally thought this person was batshit and a horrible choice. But who knows what worse situation the kid was coming from, you know?

Edited December 2, 2017 by possibilities

[Rae Spellman]

7 hours ago, debraran said:

They had the social worker making it sound like he was having a hard time finding a home to stay at. I assumed she meant adoption and of course we don't know the background. I can see Randall and Beth getting the go ahead, it's TV and they do look good on paper. She said a month of so for now, before trying again, but if This is Us is showing him there is a reason. He's cute, Randall wants a son, but I can't see it being fostering, I don't think the family is the type that would handle the coming and going well.

A home study is required and the social worker might have reservations about whether or not Randall is actually ready to adopt right now based on all he has gone through over the last year. Even with all the older children in need of homes, it's doubtful that the Pearsons would have an adoption completed or even a child they might ultimately adopt in their home as quickly as they were able to have a foster child placed with them.

7 hours ago, CelticBlackCat said:

Nor should they.  Tess and Annie don't need a revolving door of older kids in their lives.  Randall and Beth should just adopt one child and leave it at that since Randall is hell-bent on recreating his childhood of being adopted, etc.

Deciding to adopt rather than to foster wouldn't necessarily prevent Tess and Annie from having another child join the family temporarily. Adoptions can even fail after they are finalized. 

A Superior Court Website in my state says "(t)he adoptive parents must wait 180 days after the child is placed in their home before the adoption can be finalized.  This is so the licensed adoption agency can do a post-placement monitoring of the child in the new home and get the documentation that the birth parents have given up their parental rights or their rights have been terminated."

Maybe the process is different in this fictional New Jersey. Maybe the Pearsons will easily adopt someone. It might be better if Randall just signed up to be a Big Brother. He could add value to the life of a kid who needs a positive male role model without disrupting his daughters' lives. An older friend was a Big Sister back in the day and is still in the life of her Little Sister a couple of decades later.

Edited December 2, 2017 by RaeSpellman

[debraran]

I remember (before the fear of assault) Big Brother's and Big Sisters being a big thing growing up.  They are very careful to keep things safe. I looked up one in my area, a nice idea as my kids get on their own and depend less on me. http://www.bbbs.org/faqs-for-bigs/

What everyone says makes sense, in the real world. but for the show to highlight that cutie pie, there had to be a reason.  I can't see Kate and Toby, she wants to be pregnant and to be honest, is still working out a lot of her own issues.  I can see the new child being enjoyed but also jealousy over "dad with his son" moments especially since it wasn't a slow process from birth, but an instant brother or potential brother. Tear jerking monologues between Randall and his girls on how much he loves them but he wanted to honor his dads and give more of himself to another, it's an addition,not subtraction.

This is one story line though that has caused on many forums and FB posts, a little disappointment and and anger, because although you don't need to show the long, boring paperwork or classes, etc, it is TV, don't make is seem to be something it isn't.  Do your research they say and many social workers and adoption workers would love to give some free tips. ; )

[Paloma]

8 hours ago, RaeSpellman said:

It might be better if Randall just signed up to be a Big Brother. He could add value to the life of a kid who needs a positive male role model without disrupting his daughters' lives.

I think being a Big Brother (and maybe Beth being a Big Sister) is a much better idea than fostering or adopting, in light of Randall's breakdowns and high expectations for himself and others. At least it would be a way to help kids while getting some experience dealing with the issues these kids have, before committing to making another child part of your family. 

[methodwriter85]

On ‎11‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 8:29 AM, drafan said:

Just some random thoughts.....

I didn't want to spoil it,  but I saw on the show's website that the actor who played Deja was listed for 4 episodes. So I knew she was going.

Enough with the William stuff. I swear the writers dream up these plots one week at a time.

Irritating!!!  (From last week) Kate sings a few songs, so now she's applying to Berklee. Of course Randall is considering Harvard (somewhat believable). Next, when Kevin's football career is over and he discovers acting, he'll probably be applying to NYU. Good God, show ......there are other schools besides the top in every major. I was waiting for Deja to draw a picture and want to go to RISD. Or take her science project to show Stanford.  Geez.

I'm  waiting for Ken Olin's wife to appear as some kind of vixen. Ugh. It's just a matter of time.

The previews instructed us to cry, so of course I didn't.

The Cat Stevens song at the end made me miss the acting of Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon. That's when I was thinking about crying.

Maybe Patricia Wettig can show up as an older version of Sara Paxton's character, only she's now divorced and a vivacious 60-something. She can teach Rebecca how you can still get your groove on even though Rebecca is old and wrinkley now.

[Negritude]

I see a few folks wanting to see Randall and Beth foster a non Black child and I guess I get the sentiment but...I love love love seeing an upper middle class Black family fostering a Black child. We see alot of the reverse in media, fiction and non fiction to the point where if you didn't know better (and some don't), you'd think Black folks are just out there abandoning their kids willy nilly for good white folks to raise. My mother is a social worker for a Black owned foster and adoption agency and the majority of their kids and foster parents are in fact Black, but that's not the heart-warming story that gets told to the public. Not to mention folks in the family who have adopted and all the Black aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents raising kids that aren't their own. I, for one, would be a little disapppinted if they went in another direction just to be cute and show the inversion of Randall's adoption story. 

[bettername2come]

Just watched the episode and that ending almost gave me a heart attack. I was totally expecting both girls in the backseat and/or a crash. I will give credit to Kevin for immediately telling Tess to put on her seatbelt when he saw her. I'm glad that they seem ready to use the girls more based on that ending giving Tess more point of view. They seem to be good actresses, despite not being given much to do

[OtterMommy]

28 minutes ago, bettername2come said:

Just watched the episode and that ending almost gave me a heart attack. I was totally expecting both girls in the backseat and/or a crash. I will give credit to Kevin for immediately telling Tess to put on her seatbelt when he saw her. I'm glad that they seem ready to use the girls more based on that ending giving Tess more point of view. They seem to be good actresses, despite not being given much to do

They are good actresses...all the kids on this show are good actresses.  I almost wish that this show was all the kids, including Tess and Annie,  with occasional flash forwards to adult Randall (actually adult Sterling K. Brown.  I like him more than I like Randall).

[breezy424]

Rebecca:  Jack...  Fuse.  And I believe that the word has been used in a previous episode.

Nope.  It's not a 'fuse'.  There are no fuses in the panel they showed. It's a 'circuit breaker' panel.  You just have to see which breaker switched to the off position (what Jack was doing with the switching on and off made no sense).  In a fuse box, yes, you sometimes have to kind of figure out which one went out by unscrewing each fuse.  Lazy writing for what seems to be an important factor, as of what we know right now, in why the house burned down.  Lazy writing, especially for something that probably caused a significant event.  If you want go with a wiring issue, than have it filmed with an actual fuse box with Jack unscrewing fuses.  Fuses are much more problematic than circuit breakers.  Using an oversized fuse can be a fire hazard.

[pennben]

Well, if Jack doesn't know the difference between a fuse box and a circuit breaker panel, and is messing around with the latter like its the former, seems like it certainly could lead to a fire:)

[Dowel Jones]

I have to admit, even as it happened in this ep, I was saying to myself "This is the third time that thing has blown.  Fix it, for pete's sake!"  Until I caught on once again that it was the same flashback.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, pennben said:

Well, if Jack doesn't know the difference between a fuse box and a circuit breaker panel, and is messing around with the latter like its the former, seems like it certainly could lead to a fire:)

He's in construction so that would be very unlikely. 

[pennben]

Perhaps that is why Miguel "promoted" him to a desk job when the triplets were young....."that damn fool is going to set himself on fire if I let him continue to work on houses" or somesuch:)!

[debraran]

7 hours ago, breezy424 said:

Rebecca:  Jack...  Fuse.  And I believe that the word has been used in a previous episode.

Nope.  It's not a 'fuse'.  There are no fuses in the panel they showed. It's a 'circuit breaker' panel.  You just have to see which breaker switched to the off position (what Jack was doing with the switching on and off made no sense).  In a fuse box, yes, you sometimes have to kind of figure out which one went out by unscrewing each fuse.  Lazy writing for what seems to be an important factor, as of what we know right now, in why the house burned down.  Lazy writing, especially for something that probably caused a significant event.  If you want go with a wiring issue, than have it filmed with an actual fuse box with Jack unscrewing fuses.  Fuses are much more problematic than circuit breakers.  Using an oversized fuse can be a fire hazard.

That's true I thought it was just me seeing switches. We have that and an old house. If  the air conditioner is on in one room, the TV and my daughter plugs in the vacuum, sometimes the circuit would blow, meaning too much was on for that circuit and you had to go flip the switch back on and not use the vacuum or air at the same time. (or rewire it later) My friend had a dryer that kept shutting a circuit off so she had an repair person come to look at it. I hope this isn't a problem they say keeps happening (although a repeat in the 3 episodes) because something is making it go off.

Edited December 3, 2017 by debraran

[ShadowFacts]

8 hours ago, breezy424 said:

Rebecca:  Jack...  Fuse.  And I believe that the word has been used in a previous episode.

Nope.  It's not a 'fuse'.  There are no fuses in the panel they showed. It's a 'circuit breaker' panel.  You just have to see which breaker switched to the off position (what Jack was doing with the switching on and off made no sense).  In a fuse box, yes, you sometimes have to kind of figure out which one went out by unscrewing each fuse.  Lazy writing for what seems to be an important factor, as of what we know right now, in why the house burned down.  Lazy writing, especially for something that probably caused a significant event.  If you want go with a wiring issue, than have it filmed with an actual fuse box with Jack unscrewing fuses.  Fuses are much more problematic than circuit breakers.  Using an oversized fuse can be a fire hazard.

Yeah, if he's just switching something from off to on, there's really no need for Rebecca to say "good job, babe" or whatever she said.  Any babe can do that.  Unless he has to randomly do it because he hasn't labeled each one's function, which would be duh for someone in construction. 

[Clanstarling]

9 hours ago, pennben said:

Well, if Jack doesn't know the difference between a fuse box and a circuit breaker panel, and is messing around with the latter like its the former, seems like it certainly could lead to a fire:)

 

7 hours ago, pennben said:

Perhaps that is why Miguel "promoted" him to a desk job when the triplets were young....."that damn fool is going to set himself on fire if I let him continue to work on houses" or somesuch:)!

Thanks for the laughs! :)

[possibilities]

Rebecca might not know a fuse from a breaker, even if Jack does. But yeah, the way she said it, it sounded like they'd been there before, and he still didn't know which one was tripping? That look bad. Especially since he basically built the house, since when he bought it it wasn't finished.

Edited December 3, 2017 by possibilities

[kili]

Quote

That look bad. Especially since he basically built the house, since when he bought it it wasn't finished.

I thought it was a major renovation, not a new build. That's why they kept having issues with it. They kept finding out the house had more issues than they thought.

If it is a reno, it's possible that it has aluminum wiring in it. 1980 is too late to install aluminum wiring, but they might not have removed it to save costs while renovating. Aluminum wiring started being used when copper got expensive in the 60s and it can be the cause of fires. 

Another option is that it's not the house wiring that is causing the breaker to trip, it's an appliance. Faulty appliances can have shorts that not only trip breakers, but cause fires (I'm looking at the washing machine). Jack is so swept up with everything on his plate - long hours at work, helping kids tour colleges, doing his 12 step program - that he may just be doing the quick fix of re-setting the breaker without thinking why this keeps happening. He'll look into the problem tomorrow.

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, kili said:

Another option is that it's not the house wiring that is causing the breaker to trip, it's an appliance. Faulty appliances can have shorts that not only trip breakers, but cause fires (I'm looking at the washing machine). Jack is so swept up with everything on his plate - long hours at work, helping kids tour colleges, doing his 12 step program - that he may just be doing the quick fix of re-setting the breaker without thinking why this keeps happening. He'll look into the problem tomorrow.

Good thought about the faulty appliances.  Or just an overloaded circuit could be a culprit. 

[Pallas]

The washing machine was cited as being significant -- for good and for ill -- early in season 1. We were shown only the good. 

[theatremouse]

Instead of all this "fuse" vs "breaker" shenanigans, the show should've just shown the panel to be a Zinsco panel, maybe conspicuously when Jack was working on it. Sure, almost no one except electricians and contractors in the audience would recognize that as a a flashing red sign that this house is gonna burn down, but it is and would've been a better detail than some ambiguous "gee I keep needing to fix this" bullshit. They're not shown to be so tight on cash that having an actual electrician look at something should be such a budget-buster that Jack had to be the one to fiddle with it. I get he's in construction, but it just seems like way overconfidence that it's this recurring, niggling, never quite right thing. Call an electrician! He must know plenty.

[SnarkySheep]

While I understand that the flashbacks of William deciding not to interfere in Randall's life growing up were intended as a direct parallel to Randall's situation with Deja, I really saw them as two completely different situations. William knew that Randall had been adopted by a stable family, who gave him all the things that he had not been able to, and might possibly not in the future even if he was clean at the time (as we saw, William did go back and forth a few times into using). But Randall, on the other hand, knew that he and Beth could give Deja a better life than what she would have with her mother. Cute nicknames aside, we know that Deja has been in foster care a few times before, so her mom's current situation is not an isolated incident; it's an indication of general behavior. 

Re: Tess - She's a pretty big girl at this point, so I found it a bit difficult to believe that Kevin would not have noticed her in the backseat. She was literally right behind him! How drunk was the guy?? Good thing it was only Tess and not a murderer...

[DearEvette]

I loved the scenes of Randall at Howard.  Especially the scenes where he and some of the other students all acknowledged they'd gone to predominantly white schools.  We obviously know why Randal in particular would find Howard so attractive. But that element of being sometimes the 'only one' in your school makes it a a real heady possibility when you can change the circumstances some.   I was just like Randall in school, plucked out of my pubic school to go to a predominantly white private school because of good grades.  When I got the chance to go to college I definitely considered an HBCU.  In end the end I didn't go to an HBCU but the school I did go to had a sizable, yet very close knit, black student community.  I was determined to be part of it, LOL. 

I also loved the conversation with him and Jack in the car coming back and their foray to the Vietnam memorial.

Regarding Deja, I don't see Randall and Beth's initial reaction in a negative light.  They were blindsided by Deja's mom showing up at their home, acting a damn fool, and demanding they release Deja.  As Deja said, her mom already knew how the process should work.  And no,  wanting her kid back is not an excuse to go to someone's house and act a damn fool.  Let the process work.  Randall and Beth deserved the right to have their knee jerk emotional reaction to process that.  They were not warned she was out and she just rolled up on them.  A lot of people would react the same in a similar situation.  As we saw, given some time to process (less than 24 hours later) their more reasoned responses kicked in.

Also corny Randall trying to bond with Deja over Beyonce and Lemonade is the best Randall.

ETA: "She's safe.  She's with Kevin.  He's just been arrested with a DUI" is really a rather unintentionally funny line.

Edited December 3, 2017 by DearEvette

[Clanstarling]

3 hours ago, Pallas said:

The washing machine was cited as being significant -- for good and for ill -- early in season 1. We were shown only the good. 

Ah, good memory. Sounds entirely plausible. 

[kili]

Quote

While I understand that the flashbacks of William deciding not to interfere in Randall's life growing up were intended as a direct parallel to Randall's situation with Deja, I really saw them as two completely different situations.

IMO they were parallels.

While William conceded the field to Rebecca and Randall is glad he grew up with the Pearsons, I think he still feels that he lost out not knowing his biological father. William at that point in his life was clean and in hindsight, we know that he went on to live the rest of his life clean while also being an interesting person (fighting fo equal rights, being a musician, being a poet). They juxtaposed this episode with scenes of younger Randall feeling adrift from his community and longing for his biological family.  If William had knocked on that door, Randall would have had that at a younger age and that may have taken away some of the neurosis he grew up (possibly even sparing him his two mental breakdowns and his constant need to prove himself). 

Randall decided not to fight Deja's Mom because he realized that Deja would miss out without that connection with her Mom. He was metaphorically ushering William into the house when he was 8 years old. He made the opposite decision to William and Rebecca while still letting Deja know he was there if she needed him. Ideally, Deja could have the best of both worlds like William was dreaming for Randall, but the relationship with Deja's Mom is too soured right now.

[ShadowFacts]

3 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

While I understand that the flashbacks of William deciding not to interfere in Randall's life growing up were intended as a direct parallel to Randall's situation with Deja, I really saw them as two completely different situations. William knew that Randall had been adopted by a stable family, who gave him all the things that he had not been able to, and might possibly not in the future even if he was clean at the time (as we saw, William did go back and forth a few times into using). But Randall, on the other hand, knew that he and Beth could give Deja a better life than what she would have with her mother. Cute nicknames aside, we know that Deja has been in foster care a few times before, so her mom's current situation is not an isolated incident; it's an indication of general behavior. 

I thought the comparison was on point.  William did not want to tear asunder the family that Randall was growing up in, and Randall did not want to tear that family bond that Deja and her mom have, imperfect though it may be.  I think Randall is William's son in that they both acted unselfishly when it came right down to it. 

[LakeLover]

On 11/30/2017 at 11:42 AM, Lady Calypso said:

Randall and his family live in New Jersey. The Pearson family used to live in Pennsylvania, and Rebecca/Miguel have been said to still live in Pittsburgh. Deja's mom said they live in Newark, but I believe it's Newark, New Jersey, not Newark, Delaware. I noted the New Jersey license plate that her mom was driving in. 

Since Randall has technically only had two official mental breakdowns, I assume they had to go through some psych evals to determine that he's in the right state of mind to adopt. But the show basically fast forwarded through this entire process to get to the fostering storyline. I'd imagine it would take longer than a couple of weeks to get accepted as a foster parent.

Right - I went to school at the University of Delaware. NEWark (as she pronounced it) is NJ. New-ARK is DE :)

[breezy424]

Well, going back to the 'wiring'. A circuit panel will trip when a circuit is overloaded.  That's what they had.  The overloaded circuit will go to either off or between off or on. If it wasn't doing that, you have a serious electrical problem and shame on you Jack, if this was the problem, for not recognizing it especially given you were in the construction field.  A circuit breaker problem will only affect what is 'on' that breaker.  It's not going to affect the whole house.  Unless  there  a problem with the main breaker or circuit which would cause the whole system to be affected, which is  very unusual.  I still go back to lazy writing.

Of course it's Newark, NJ (they showed 'Essex County'}. 

On the other hand, I don't think that there's any proof that Rebecca and Miguel are still living in Pittsburgh.  They could be living in NJ ten minutes from Randall.

[chabelisaywow]

This is a general William/Randall question - does anyone remember Randall telling the girls(?) that he didn't have a good father like they did? I was re-watching Season 1, and William's father died in combat.

Did imagine that whole William conversation?

 

If he did have it, why would he think that way. I would think his mother would have told him the truth.

[Cardie]

1 hour ago, breezy424 said:

 

On the other hand, I don't think that there's any proof that Rebecca and Miguel are still living in Pittsburgh. 

When they reconnected, Miguel was in Houston. Did he come back east or did Rebecca eventually join him there? Perhaps he retired and Rebecca suggested they move close to the grandchildren.

[debraran]

I read an article they are going to be discussing William and his younger days, how he met Jesse, etc., so some gaps will be filled there. He said later in season 2 but the writers go with the flow sometimes. They asked him about being bisexual after he was hired and he said, fine, another layer to explore but he hopes they go back to that time and how it evolved and Randall's mother. The younger actor that played him Jermal Nakia, said they don't tell him very much ahead of time, he is just glad to work with everyone in season 2.

They need to fill gaps in Jack's background also and we know little of Rebecca but I feel to some degree its filler for after Jack dies in the past. They can still go back and show a holiday or discussion, but I feel the empty years after will be more prominent , 17 to 22, when college or other decisions are made.

It's awkward though seeing Kate go from 17 to 20's, the others to me aged a little better.

[ErinV]

On 11/28/2017 at 11:39 PM, pennben said:

"this is our child, Curt, we've been through a lot, but he's doing better now":)).  

 

Curt.  Hahahahaaha!

On 11/29/2017 at 4:09 AM, CelticBlackCat said:

I mistook the William inside the house scene for reality and didn't realize it was a fantasy.  I thought William left the house, looked at the bicycles, and then realized he really had no part to play in Randall's life.  I was wondering who Randall thought this black visitor was, but didn't realize it was a fantasy.  Thanks!

That fantasy montage killed me.  That could have been so wonderful for everyone, if it actually had turned out that way.

[Pallas]

On 12/3/2017 at 3:11 PM, SnarkySheep said:

While I understand that the flashbacks of William deciding not to interfere in Randall's life growing up were intended as a direct parallel to Randall's situation with Deja, I really saw them as two completely different situations

There are a few phases to Randall's story with William. In a few months, Randall looked for him, found him, loved him/came to feel loved by him, lost him, and continues to love him/feel loved by him. Throughout his life before that, Randall had missed him (he's part of me: I'm missing part of me) and probably feared him (he's not my family: he'll take me from my family).

Randall quickly forgave Rebecca for keeping him from knowing William, the secret that came out last Thanksgiving. But we now understand that when Randall forgave her, he had not only already envisioned Jack at the family cabin, asking Randall to perceive Rebecca's pain, but even earlier -- Thanksgiving night -- heard William's story. How Rebecca had sought him out again, when young Randall began asking about him; how William had inadvertently scared her off, then followed her to the house; and how William, too, had believed that he had no place in Randall's world.

Sitting in his car, after seeing "Deja's world," Randall began to feel how his own many feelings about being adopted, and about the three parents he knew, shared a world with the feelings of other good people about his adoption, and about him. (Kevin's "This Is Us" painting again.) There was, perhaps, an absolute far border of right and wrong for everyone to observe, but these were all people who weren't going to cross that border. Within that, you could continue to love, forgive and respect people who chose differently than you would have, or wish that they had done. 

As he sat in the car, trying to decide what to do for Deja, we saw Randall remember what both his fathers had told him about this. Specifically, how William did something he knew was wrong -- follow Rebecca back to her house -- because he had to...yet left. (As Shauna had, the night before.) How Jack had pointed him toward Harvard, yet taken him to Howard, yet still let him know that if it were up to Jack, he'd prefer that Randall go to Harvard...yet that it was up to Randall, and Jack believed that Randall would make the right choice. Which might sound like, "By that I mean, my choice," but we were meant to understand as, "What's right for you, which I trust you to know." 

Which is, I believe, what Jack meant by saying that Randall was spectacular. Not that he was a "math genius with straight-A grades and perfect board scores," but that he'd always been the brilliant kid who'd tried not to overshadow his siblings; the black kid who'd stayed balanced in two white worlds, home and school; the shy kid whose brother was the most popular; the anxious kid who had, again and again, kept himself together, and didn't take it out on his family; the boy who'd become an adolescent, and still did not try to erase his mother or deface his father; the loving son of imperfect parents. And the imperfect son of loving parents. Spectacular.

That was the man, grown to be much-respected and much-rewarded, who made himself put aside the privilege of believing he was manifestly right. Randall recalled the obscure, materially less-rewarded men who had seen and known him, who had made him feel loved. Now he was more or less their ages in the memories he was re-visiting.

William told him, I made a choice that may well have been wrong for both of us, and for all of us. I only know that it felt like I was doing right by you. Jack told him, I'd say not to do what you think I'd like best, but I already know you won't. I trust you to know I love you. So I trust that you will make the choice that does best by you. And sometimes you'll be wrong about that -- spectacularly wrong, even. And you'll survive anyway, and find your balance all over again. That's what I want, and that's more than most parents can even hope to get. That's why I'm a lucky man.

It's not only that Randall understood he could be trusted to make the choice that put the person at the center of it, first. Now he was a father himself, and a foster-father. He knew he needed to trust that a child he cared for, could do the same: could be spectacular.

[ShadowFacts]

36 minutes ago, Pallas said:

Which is, I believe, what Jack meant by saying that Randall was spectacular. Not that he was a "math genius with straight-A grades and perfect board scores," but that he'd always been the brilliant kid who'd tried not to overshadow his siblings; the black kid who'd stayed balanced in two white worlds, home and school; the shy kid whose brother was the most popular; the anxious kid who, again and again, kept himself together, and didn't take it out on his family; the boy who'd become an adolescent, and still did not try to erase his mother or deface his father; the loving son of imperfect parents. And the imperfect son of loving parents. Spectacular.

The whole post is beautiful, but I think this part is a particularly spot-on description of Randall.  It's why I think he's the best-written character. 

[nexxie]

I really appreciate the “new beginnings” on this show - this time how Rebecca’s intro to social media for baby pics takes her back to Miguel. Life does sort of work in strange ways like that.

Edited December 4, 2017 by nexxie

[love2lovebadtv]

On 11/29/2017 at 2:54 AM, bros402 said:

 

He can't be in Alpine - when they showed the kid, the sign on the door said Essex County Social Services.

I think he is near Montclair - it's a rich area, close enough to the city for Randall to commute (Train there, too, can go to Newark, then PATH to get to Wall St.) - but it is only, what, 25 minutes from Newark? Maybe Millburn? But still only like 20-25 minutes away. Maybe North Caldwell? The issue with Essex county is that it isn't a big county - you can go from Elizabeth (sure, a tiny bit outside of Essex, but right at the border) to Fairfield in, what, 40 minutes?

I think he lives close enough to commute to NY but farther away than what Deja's mom assumed he would travel to pick up Deja from school or help with homework (and she probably assumed Randall worked outside the home). 

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, love2lovebadtv said:

I think he lives close enough to commute to NY but farther away than what Deja's mom assumed he would travel to pick up Deja from school or help with homework (and she probably assumed Randall worked outside the home). 

In Memphis they showed their address on the postcard that William sent Beth and it was Alpine, NJ which I realize is not in Essex County but there you go.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 12/1/2017 at 8:27 PM, possibilities said:

I don't know why they wound up fostering instead of adopting, but just because soemthing is painful or challenging, doesn't mean it's not somethng someone would choose to do. I don't think they regretted fostering Deja. All in all, I think it was a positive experience. Both they and Deja grew and benefitted. There's meaning in certain acts, even if they're stressful. You might want to try to take a breather after one, but it doesn't mean you wouldn't want to wade back in and do it again. And it gets easier the more skills you have, and the more you grow into it.

There are a lot of kids in need of fostering, and a major shortage of acceptable homes for them to be placed in. Beth and Randall weren't perfect by any  means, but they did a decent enough job and came around before actually pulling the trigger on that lawsuit. We see that Deja benefitted, and I'd think that's the most important thing in terms of whether they'd be offered another placement.

I don't know what the rules are in NJ. I know someone here (MA) who fostered, and some of the things they required seemed absurd to me, and other things apparently didn't matter. So I would think that from the outside perspective, it's hard to know how the system would weigh the Pearsons. It might just depend on how many better families are available. All in all, Randall and Beth would be comparatively stupendously awesome, if you consider what Deja had experienced in previous situations.

I actually knew someone who took a child from her extended family, even though she explicitly told the social worker she did not want to and was not prepared to do it. And the social worker flat out told her: "we have nowhere else to put her, you have to do it. " She could still have refused, it's not like they would have broken down the door and forced her. But they pressured her pretty hard because that's how much of a shortage of homes there is. And I personally thought this person was batshit and a horrible choice. But who knows what worse situation the kid was coming from, you know?

It was Beth's idea to foster, if I recall correctly. Randall wanted to adopt, she was against it, then she came up with the idea of helping in a different way. 

You made some great points about the foster care system and its seemingly strange requirements. This story hit close to home. It's unrealistic at times, but I like that they're at least talking about this. 

Edited December 7, 2017 by love2lovebadtv

[love2lovebadtv]

On 11/29/2017 at 4:43 PM, ClareWalks said:

A throwaway "you look horrible" or whatever by Randall to Kevin isn't the same as recognizing that something is really wrong and expressing concern. Nobody has really asked Kevin what's wrong or even "are you okay?" Looks like that pool near-drowning nobody noticed has been a theme.

I don't think anyone is around Kevin long enough to recognize that he has a problem.  Kevin was only at Randall's house for a short time and there was a lot going on. It's possible that Randall would have sat him down to talk after he sobered up.

A lot of this has to do with Kevin being alone. People are seeing him drinking/drunk but aren't around him enough to realize he's always like that. Some addicts avoid their loved ones. Jack did it (remember when Rebecca wanted him to move back home and he admitted that he was drunk at that moment and that was drunk quite often). Kevin did that with Sophie - perhaps the one person who would have been the first to realize that something was wrong, since he would have spent more time with her than anyone else (despite the distance) if he hadn't been avoiding her. 

This is perhaps also a testament to Kevin's slipping through life, virtually unnoticed by his family. I didn't like his storyline for Kevin, but I think the actor is doing a great job and I'd like to see where this goes now that he's been arrested. 

[SlovakPrincess]

I'm going to miss Deja, although wrapping her story arc up this way feels right somehow.  

Oh Kevin.  At least he didn't crash the car with Tess in it.  Yikes!

I always love a William flashback, so over all this episode really worked for me.  

[love2lovebadtv]

On 11/29/2017 at 7:23 PM, GodsBeloved said:

And he even noticed she didn't have her seat belt on and made her put it on.

Like most I was nervous that Kevin would crash but I think Tess probably saved his life because I think he would have had she not popped up.

I have enjoyed Deja and hate to see her go. I got misty eyed during her goodbye and felt so bad for Tess and Annie. Them hugs after Deja walked out the door crushed me.

I got so excited when we got the Kevin/Randall scene after the Kate news. I just knew Randall would come through but alas he didn't. I guess I'm suppose to think Randall was too wrapped up in Deja leaving and Kate losing her baby for him not to realize something was very wrong with Kevin especially since he noticed and commented on his drinking.

Like you, I was waiting for Randall to notice. I think he would have realized something is up if Kevin had been there long enough. I just remembered Kevin was messed up the last time Randall saw him at the gala. 

[TheGourmez]

On 11/29/2017 at 3:39 PM, Clanstarling said:

Randall is the only one who has been in a long term relationship, and Beth is a rock. I think that makes a lot of difference.

In a lasting long-term relationship, I guess, but do we know how long Kevin and Sophie were together and married?

On 11/29/2017 at 6:01 PM, tribeca said:

Does anyone think the little boy at the end of will be adopted by Toby and Kate ?

This would be such a fun twist!

On 11/30/2017 at 5:22 PM, Cardie said:

Because people expect TV life to be like real life, when writers in fact ignore real world procedures for dramatic effect as a matter of course. We do see Kevin calling Randall from the road to say he's on his way, so there's no ambiguity about the fact that he at some point between Pittsburgh and NJ obtained a car and drove there. What's bothering people is that he would have had to rent that car in the middle of the night, while intoxicated. But in TV world, that's completely possible, because plot demands. Fictional dramas are not documentaries. I don't know any one of them that would pass the real world test in every episode. If you want to rationalize, he's a famous actor and a call to his agent or manager would probably result in a car being delivered to his hotel at 3 a.m. They would have offered him a driver, but if he said he wanted to drive himself, they probably would have acquiesced.

I don't worry about these sort of details myself, but I imagine he just rented a car. Rental offices at the airport are open late and re-open early. And I highly doubt the clerks are required to assess whether someone's struggling with alcoholism or just looks like hell with the flu. So...he rented a car.

[Pallas]

On 11/29/2017 at 9:01 PM, tribeca said:

Does anyone think the little boy at the end of will be adopted by Toby and Kate ?

I could see how that might happen down the road, but not as long as Kate and Toby live in California. 

[Clanstarling]

7 hours ago, TheGourmez said:

In a lasting long-term relationship, I guess, but do we know how long Kevin and Sophie were together and married?

Fair point. I don't think we do, but I never got the feeling their relationship was ever as steady and supportive as Randall and Beth's. Of course, we haven't actually seen much of their relationship beyond making out in the teenage years.