S02.E14: Super Bowl Sunday

[topanga]

1 minute ago, Jillybean said:

Maybe, though my first thought was that a social worker wouldn't be contacting a prospective foster family late on a Sunday night.

In emergency placement situations, they might—but usually only for “veteran” foster parents. 

[mtlchick]

9 hours ago, slasherboy said:

I love Mars bars, but can't find them anymore.

Complete aside but: I didn't know Mars is harder to find in the USA.  Readily available in Canada!

[Aileen]

From TVLine’s article about MV’s Esquire interview:

 

”JACK’S FINAL GOODBYE | Though you might’ve missed it, Jack’s voice says “Bec?” while Mandy Moore’s Rebecca is standing at the hospital’s vending machine. “You’ll have to ask [series creator] Dan [Fogelman], but my belief is that it’s a presence,” Ventimiglia says.”

 

I thought it was a really well done episode. I loved the Tess twist.

Although I wish Justin Hartley had squeezed out some tears at the tree since he was wiping away dryness. And I don’t get why he was acting like his dad was buried by the tree since Kate has the urn.

[possibilities]

Whether they called it or not, I get Rebecca not noticing. Sometimes when you are in shock, your body protects you from more shock by making you not notice things. She just barely escaped with her and her family's life as their house burned. She thinks Jack is OK, that everyone is OK, she's in relief and numbness mode, and trying to hold it together to deal with what was apparently a difficult hotel reservations process, she's underslept and her blood sugar is probably wacky besides. So whatever's going on around her, her focus is narrowed and she's not taking it in. She probably if she did notice the commotion, assumed it was someone else-- they're in the ER and may have been exposed to crises all around them for hours already. She finally thinks she can relax and her entire system is on overload. You just reach saturation point eventually, or you run out of adrenaline, and you go into coping mode where anything that happens beyond that point is kind of not registering.

Edited February 5, 2018 by possibilities

[Wings]

Jack's death would have had an entirely different tone had the details of what happens in a code blue been part of the episode.  And that goes for the ambulance not taking him, no on O2 immediately, Jack stopping to take the album and tape from the burning house.  There is a lot to over look in this series.  They take poetic license to create a story.  All TV does this.  

Edited February 5, 2018 by Wings

[Jillybean]

My random thoughts about the episode, without having read through the entire thread:

The dog would most definitely have been sleeping in Kate's room. And should have warned them about the fire. C'mon dog, you had ONE JOB.

Stupid to rush around in a fire grabbing "stuff."

It is impossible to believe that they would not have gone straight to the hospital, or that Jack would have been treated and released given that the doc then turned around and said that heart failure happens often with severe smoke inhalation. Pretty sure he would have been "kept overnight for observation."

Jack dying after -- rather than in -- the fire seemed like a given based on statements made in interviews with the showrunners.

I thought observing his death on SB Sunday -- instead of the actual date -- seemed odd until some of you explained it here. I also doubted Randall when he said Super Bowl Sunday was Jack's favorite day. Surely it would be the kids' birthday, which was also his own. 

Impressive that they included actual Super Bowl LII scenes.

Thank God Kate finally expressed some appreciation to poor, put-upon, "IN the cloud" Toby -- but all I could think about was that she has spent 20 years wallowing in her grief and issues instead of confronting and dealing with them, and now Toby has stepped in to take Jack's place. So she is incapable of taking care of herself. 

Mandy Moore really brought it, even though she is supposed to be my age in the SB/fire scenes and looks at least a decade younger.

Adult Tess/aged Randall was the best moment for me (especially since she wasn't working in a "fancy office" like Randall had mentioned in his conversation with young Tess).  Close second was Beth's mention of "third person Randall."

No tears from me, but I was struggling to stay awake for the episode. It was touching, but the only real surprise was the flash-forward. Lyric Ross in the opening credits spoiled Deja's reappearance.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Jillybean

[luna1122]

8 minutes ago, Jillybean said:

 

No tears from me, but I was struggling to stay awake for the episode. It was touching, but the only real surprise was the flash-forward. Lyric Ross in the opening credits spoiled Deja's reappearance.

Alexandra Breckinridge's (Sophie) name was in the opening credits too, but she wasn't on, was she?

[Blakeston]

6 hours ago, movingtargetgal said:

I did not hear that but I wonder why he could not have chocolate or grape flavored candy?  Any nurses or doctors out there?

Come to think of it, chocolate and grapes are both poisonous for dogs.

OMG YOU GUYS, JACK KNEW HE WAS A DOG ALL ALONG, AND NOW HE'S AUDIO!!1!!1!

Off to Reddit to share this theory...

[Conotocarious]

I wasn’t spoiled for Deja because I didn’t pay any attention to the opening credits.

[PRgal]

8 hours ago, slasherboy said:

I respectfully disagree.  My husband died unexpectedly and tragically 20 years ago and I grieve for him on the anniversary (the actual date!) of his death every year.  My current husband understands and graciously gives me that day.

 

I get it.  My brother-in-law died on Derby Day (the Kentucky Derby, if anyone is wondering ... we're from Kentucky) and we always consider that the anniversary of his death.  Also, my uncle was born on Easter Sunday and even though Easter varies widely on where it falls, my grandmother (his mother) always considered Easter Sunday his birthday.

I guess it could be called the acknowledgement of their deaths (including Jack) rather than the anniversary.

That's interesting.  I was born over Labo(u)r Day weekend, but I don't usually consider that weekend my actual birthday weekend.  I do consider it a "new year" though.  The school year starts on the Tuesday after Labour Day around here and even though I graduated a couple of decades ago, the conditioning stays, I suppose.

[Pallas]

The episode is up on the NBC homepage.

[Jillybean]

11 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

Alexandra Breckinridge's (Sophie) name was in the opening credits too, but she wasn't on, was she?

If that's teen Sophie, then yes, she was briefly shown in the car with Kevin at the Lookout, or whatever it was called.

[mtlchick]

Quote

My father died unexpectedly when I was 18 and I do not have some ritual for the day he died.

My dad died only 10 months ago and I really don't know what the protocol is going to be.  The only thing he asked for long ago was a Hindu ceremony, which we honoured (I was raised Catholic due to my mom.)  My sister has done some special prayers with a Hindu spiritual leader for months, but I couldn't bring myself to do them.  

[ClareWalks]

Call me an animal hater or whatever, but if I were Rebecca I would have screamed at Jack "if you go back in for that fucking dog, I will DIVORCE YOU!"

[luna1122]

18 minutes ago, Jillybean said:

If that's teen Sophie, then yes, she was briefly shown in the car with Kevin at the Lookout, or whatever it was called.

No, Alexandra Breckinridge is adult Sophie. I kept expecting her to show up to comfort Kevin by the tree, or something cheesy, but as far I saw, she wasn't on at all. BTW, tho Kevin barely managed to actually cry, I did find his scene at Jack's (maybe) tree pretty nicely acted.

 

Animals are family. I wouldn't divorce my S.O for going back in to the get the dogs/cats, or for NOT going back in either...cuz I'd be the one going back in for them.

Edited February 5, 2018 by luna1122

[TV Diva Queen]

2 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

The Jewish tradition is for the close relatives to attend services three specific times during the anniversary of the death in order to say a special prayer.

Greeks too.  6 months, one year and then every year.  Church, cemetery and luncheon

1 hour ago, Jodithgrace said:

Is it possible to watch this on demand? My DVR cut off after Kevin's scene at the tree, and even though I arranged to record the news following the show, my DVR apparently decided that I didn't need to see that and didn't record it.  I am so annoyed that I missed the last ten minutes at least. 

funny, the same exact thing happened to me.  I set my DVR to end at midnight, but ended up watching it live anyway.  when the show was over, I went to deleted it and it wasn't even recording anymore, it stopped at that exact point.  hmmmmmm.  Maybe NBC wants people to watch on demand tonight so they have to sit through commericals???

[Pallas]

44 minutes ago, Aileen said:

And I don’t get why he was acting like his dad was buried by the tree since Kate has the urn.

Randall and William stopped by The Tree on their way to Memphis: it's where William imagined meeting Jack. A portion of Jack's ashes were scattered there. 

[imhooked]

so how old was Jack when he died?  Wasn't he 36 when the kids were born?  and this was 17 years later, which would make him 53?  He didn't look 53, then 20 years later Rebecca would be 73?  She doesnt look 73.   Do I have Jacks age wrong on the pilot episode?

[Ohiopirate02]

Randall was working on my last nerve so much that I had to shut off the show and will watch the last 20 minutes later today.  When he talked about how the different siblings handle the day, his superior " I celebrate" made me want to reach into the tv and slap him.  He isn't celebrating Jack, he is repressing his grief. His behavior is very much like Jack's and Kevin's.  I don't see how his ritualistic "celebrations" are much different than Kevin ignoring his feelings.

I have no problem with Kate wallowing in her grief that day.  It's the extended wallowing that becomes a problem.  I lost my best friend and dad 5 years and 2 days apart.  Every March I wallow for 3 days, but then can move past it.  Sadness is a part of the human existence and you need to let it out.  I don't understand how Randall could have had at least 2 breakdowns and not know this.  What kind of therapy has he been getting. 

[Gardencrown]

For all the hype leading up to this episode from NBC and from Fogleman, himself, it was actually a pretty elegantly quiet episode. Rebecca's reaction (and omg Mandy Moore, you are doing a beautiful job with this role) was muted -- I don't mean that the emotion was muted but that directing-wise, they literally muted her a bit. The code was muted (and yes, we can argue it should have taken longer, but I fan-wank here), Rebecca and the kids lying down together was quiet, and even though Rebecca's reaction to Miguel was fierce, it was also pretty quiet. And all of that quiet was devastating and perfect. In my experience, the death of loved ones does kind of take place in a weirdly muted sort of tunnel. So that worked for me. I agree with those that didn't need to see grandiose heroics in the effort to save Jack. I didn't need Rebecca at his bedside screaming, "Don't die!" Death is a sneaky bastard, and while it might have been frustrating that Jack went back in for the dog and stuff, it's exactly the kind of thing a young (and YES, Jack was young in his forties, says she who just turned 50) might have done. In all of the horror of the fire, the last thing he was thinking about was the potential effect on his heart. Most of us wouldn't think of that, I expect.

I saw Kate's story as one of great hope in that she is finally waking up and realizing that she can love and be loved -- that she can LIVE. She still has a ton of healing to do, but I thought this was the best concrete step the character has taken to being whole. Rebecca and Kevin were great. 

A word to NBC and Fogleman: it's NOT the unique hugeness of these moments that make for great TV, so don't try to sell us that. It's the reality, the shit we all go through one way or the other, that makes it poignant. I'm not disappointed in this episode AT ALL, but let the episodes stand on their own. The show is called "This is Us" because it's supposed to be. Let it be.

[Kiki777]

43 minutes ago, Jillybean said:

The dog would most definitely have been sleeping in Kate's room. And should have warned them about the fire. C'mon dog, you had ONE JOB

Right?????!?! Way to support the Ron Swanson theory that dogs under 50 pounds are useless.  Damn my Lab/Shepard mix would have been on top of that shit. Not that we ever really had a house fire, but he'd always try to evacuate everyone at the first hint of a whiff of smoke (though that could be a nuisance for those who like their toast dark).

I had to go back to the episode to see the points y'all made about the death scene.  I did originally think that someone said 'ma'am' to Rebecca because that's what the captions said (I'm near Phiily so yeah I needed captions to watch LOL yay Eagles!) But yes it does sound like Jack saying 'Beck?'  Interesting and wonder if they will address this.

So.... Did anyone else wince at Randall's apron?  'Hot Dad' with the word 'hot' in flames?  I mean sure I appreciate dark humor but yikes.

[BeatrixK]

Add me to the 'Kate wallowing is OK' clan.  My best friend died 17 years ago -- and I feel incredibly guilty, to this day, that I wasn't there when he died.  (terminal disease combined with a state that doesn't allow Euthenasia meant he took matters into his own hands when the diagnosis got bleak.)  Maybe, had I been there, I could have talked him out of it.  Maybe, if he'd known I wasn't out of the state, he'd have come over and talked about it, rather than doing it.  I dunno -- but there are still times I beat myself up over it, even though it was out of my hands for the end result.  I find Kate's behavior and self-blame to ring patently true.

 

And I still have a rirtual.  Greg died 12/21/2011 -- we had been BFF's for 20 years at that point - we had a Christmas Tradition -- we'd exchange our gifts, I'd make meatloaf (he loved my meatloaf), and we'd watch Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer while lamenting our holiday plans.  Every 12/21, I make meatloaf, watch RtRNR, and miss my friend.  I LOVED that Rebecca had a similar ritual.  And all my friends understand why 12/21 is my day to be left alone.  They let me do my thing, they respect why it's important to me, and no one tries to nudge me out of it. 

Of COURSE Randall has a perfectly prepared Sandwich Stadium Party Tray.  Of COURSE he does!!!  LOL

Edited February 5, 2018 by BeatrixK

[Trillium]

11 minutes ago, imhooked said:

so how old was Jack when he died?  Wasn't he 36 when the kids were born?  and this was 17 years later, which would make him 53?  He didn't look 53, then 20 years later Rebecca would be 73?  She doesnt look 73.   Do I have Jacks age wrong on the pilot episode?

That’s right about Jack’s age. Rebecca is younger,I believe she was 29 when she conceived so she could have been 29/30 when she had the twins. But yeah no way does she look 66/67. 

[Big Mother]

The Threesome are all still somewhere in the five stages of grief. None of them have reached acceptance yet.  Randall and Kevin are somewhere between denial and bargaining, and Kate is somewhere between anger and depression. Come to think of it,  she's probably between bargaining and depression. Bargaining is 'if only' - her guilt is her wish for it to be different..

How she hasn't been in therapy all this time, i don't understand. this is a huge thing for a teen to go through.

[project90]

1 hour ago, Wings said:

My take away from this episode is...Mars bars are still sold!!!!!!  I have been mourning the loss of those for years.  Thank you! 

I live in Australia still sold here everywhere

[gonzosgirrl]

54 minutes ago, Conotocarious said:

I wasn’t spoiled for Deja because I didn’t pay any attention to the opening credits.

I saw it, but in this show anybody could be in any given episode in flashbacks. Ron Cephas Jones was also in the credits, though I can't recall seeing him in the ep.

[txhorns79]

Quote

Add me to the 'Kate wallowing is OK' clan.  My best friend died 17 years ago -- and I feel incredibly guilty, to this day, that I wasn't there when he died.  (terminal disease combined with a state that doesn't allow Euthenasia meant he took matters into his own hands when the diagnosis got bleak.)  Maybe, had I been there, I could have talked him out of it.  Maybe, if he'd known I wasn't out of the state, he'd have come over and talked about it, rather than doing it.  I dunno -- but there are still times I beat myself up over it, even though it was out of my hands for the end result.  I find Kate's behavior and self-blame to ring patently true.

I think "wallowing" in someone's death more than a decade later is rarely positive.  We had a good family friend whose mother died unexpectedly in a car accident.  She was very close to her mother, and it was very tragic.  However, this person essentially destroyed her marriage, and alienated a number of friends because years later, she was still wallowing in the death and refused to seek help.  With this show, I think we have seen that Kevin and Kate's continued mourning has seriously impeded both their lives in a way that I'm sure Jack never would have wanted.      

[Baltimore Betty]

Jack builds a house and installs only one smoke detector?  Hmmmm.

[Lithogirl]

I didn’t like the lizard stuff. I didn’t think it was that funny when Beth stepped on him, and then after Randall’s big speech he threw him in the trash. Really could’ve left that out.

[reallyjustjen]

This ep (and this show) hits very close to home for me, as someone who lost a husband younger than Jack, with kiddos younger than the Big 3 at home.  I thought the show did a great job of showing the quick succession of emotions on Rebecca’s face as she processed what was happening, her refusal to give into her own grief as she knew that she needed to be there for her kids, and her clear dread at giving them the news that she knew would shatter their world.  It’s only been a couple years for us, but I can see how this kind of thing can affect you forever, so while I think the Pearson clan could benefit from some therapy, I kind of get where they’re coming from with still being somewhat deep in grief on that particular day.  

 

I immediately thought the faint “Bec” while Rebecca was at the vending machine, was the moment that Jack coded.  At the risk of oversharing, my hubby was hospitalized due to being ill, but we didn’t think gravely so.  Late one night, as I was falling asleep having just come home from visiting him, I clearly heard his voice say “Babe?”-it startled me out of my near sleep.  Just a couple minutes later, the late night call came-my husband had just coded and I needed to hurry back, for what would untimately be a long and valiant (though untimately unsuccessful) attempt to bring him back.  I’m telling myself that Rebecca had to spend a long time calling hotels in the middle of the night, since it did otherwise seem that they gave up on Jack rather quickly.  

 

Some of the lyrics of “Call Me Al” also jumped out at me when Rebecca mentioned it.  Particularly “Where’s my wife and family, what if I die here”, and “Who’ll be my role model, now that my role model is gone”.  

[Artsda]

The actress they got to be older Tess was perfect, wow younger/older look so much alike like they could be related.  Like seeing Randall is alive in the future too.  I am sad that little boy isn't joining the show though, he was so cute I was ready for him to join Randall's family. 

Aren't Mars Bars just called Milky Way's now? In Canada it's still Mars.

Everyone did this episode justice. 

Shouldn't they have flushed or buried the lizard? Why a funeral to then throw in the trash?

Edited February 5, 2018 by Artsda

[ForeverPluto]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

Hulu always gets the show by the morning after it airs. I haven't checked for this episode, but it's probably there.

When they were gathering upstairs to evacuate, both times Jack and Randall spoke, Randall said "Dad--" like he wanted to say something, and both times Jack cut him off to give instructions. I'm not criticizing Jack for that. It was important to move quickly. But I do wonder what Randall wanted to say so much that he kept trying to say it despite the need for haste.

It's best that Kevin wasn't home. How would they have gotten to him in the basement? Not having to choose who to save is a much better outcome. And on his bum leg, he couldn't have moved quickly, either.

I agree. I don't think he would have been able to make it out with that broken leg. Interesting considering how he's always been the odd man out. Same case with this fire but this time, it ultimately saved his life. I do wonder if that plays into Kevin's feelings regarding Jack's death as well. I don't know if the right term is "survivor's guilt" but something in that vein. 

[ShadowFacts]

8 minutes ago, reallyjustjen said:

I immediately thought the faint “Bec” while Rebecca was at the vending machine, was the moment that Jack coded.  At the risk of oversharing, my hubby was hospitalized due to being ill, but we didn’t think gravely so.  Late one night, as I was falling asleep having just come home from visiting him, I clearly heard his voice say “Babe?”-it startled me out of my near sleep.  Just a couple minutes later, the late night call came-my husband had just coded and I needed to hurry back, for what would untimately be a long and valiant (though untimately unsuccessful) attempt to bring him back.  I’m telling myself that Rebecca had to spend a long time calling hotels in the middle of the night, since it did otherwise seem that they gave up on Jack rather quickly.  

I always get a little bit jittery when I think I hear my husband or kids call me, when they are not present.  So far, so good, but it's disconcerting.  I liked the use of it with Rebecca. 

I do have a quibble with the "widowmaker" description Rebecca used, that someone obviously told her at the hospital.  I think that particular use of the word (as a previous poster explained it) would only have been known through catheterization or autopsy, and those didn't happen.  If they just meant to convey it was a catastrophic heart stoppage, okay, but it's not really the way medical personnel use it.

Like others I also get hung up with the weather/time anomalies.  Kevin is sitting by the tree with the sun shining on his face while talking on the phone to his mother who has the lamps on in her house watching the evening football game.  Not only that, the shot of him is clearly a fall one, with colored leaves still on trees, not bare winter trees.  Get it together, Hollywood. 

[marceline]

The fire left me really rattled. I should've followed my instincts to skip this episode but I will say Beth had some good lines.

"Oh Third Person Randall will be joining us at the party?"

"Babe, I'm going in the next room to answer the phone and I'm never coming back."

[gonzosgirrl]

I guess all the hype paid off, ratings wise. According to TVLine, it's the best post Superbowl ratings since 2012.

Quote

Leading out of the Big Game, This Is Us delivered a 16.2 household overnight rating, up 59 percent from last year’s 24: Legacy launch to represent the best post-Super Bowl performance since The Voice followed Giants/Patriots in 2012. The Voice went on to report 37.6 million viewers.

 

[Wings]

58 minutes ago, project90 said:

I live in Australia still sold here everywhere

Had I thought to look for them when I was there I would have made room in my luggage!   

[SimoneS]

1 hour ago, Aileen said:

Although I wish Justin Hartley had squeezed out some tears at the tree since he was wiping away dryness. 

This made me laugh because I had the same thought. Hartley's bad to mediocre acting always stands out to me because the rest of the cast is so talented.

[Baltimore Betty]

1 minute ago, ShadowFacts said:

Like others I also get hung up with the weather/time anomalies.  Kevin is sitting by the tree with the sun shining on his face while talking on the phone to his mother who has the lamps on in her house watching the evening football game.  Not only that, the shot of him is clearly a fall one, with colored leaves still on trees, not bare winter trees.  Get it together, Hollywood. 

Yup.  At first I thought Kevin was in a different time zone.  

 

2 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

I do have a quibble with the "widowmaker" description Rebecca used, that someone obviously told her at the hospital.  I think that particular use of the word (as a previous poster explained it) would only have been known through catheterization or autopsy, and those didn't happen.  If they just meant to convey it was a catastrophic heart stoppage, okay, but it's not really the way medical personnel use it.

That was a big question mark for me since we did not hear any doctor use the term "widow maker." 

I can sympathize with trying to deal with a loss, sudden or otherwise, grief counseling is a wonderful option (and I am surprised that there was no social worker at the hospital helping Rebecca thru all that). 

If future Randall was in charge of final arrangements would he just flush Jack?  (LOL, too soon?).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Just thinking about Randall singing along to the Bears’ Super Bowl Shuffle is cracking me up again!

[JudyObscure]

47 minutes ago, Kiki777 said:

Way to support the Ron Swanson theory that dogs under 50 pounds are useless.

Hey now.  My 10 pound dachshund probably wouldn't be trying to herd us out the way my Bearded Collie would have, but she would be an excellent substitute for the smoke alarm with loud, shrill, ear bleeding barking. She once had a barking fit in the living room because I had moved a knick-knack while dusting and failed to put it back in its proper place.  A spluttering, sparking crock pot would not have been tolerated.

I loved the writing last night.  Rebecca's initial denial of the doctor's news along with the muscle memory thing of taking a bite of the candy bar, were so real and touching to me.  I've always hated the TV wives who throw their bodies across their dying husband's chest and scream his name in his ear.  Like that would be helpful.

[taragel]

I get why they wrote Jack rushing around to save not just the dog but possessions as well. Because they needed to show him as a really over-the-top hero at his moment of (or just moments before his) death. It's part of why his family has been able to build this sainted legacy surrounding his memory. He did a lot/everything for his family all his life but on death's door, he did even more! Of course, his heroism also lead to his death.

I'm not sure how going to the hospital sooner would necessarily have helped with them preventing the cardiac attack. It was massive and instantaneous but just before it, the doctors told him he took in a lot of smoke, but not that they were doing anything special to combat that (as far as I recall). 

I really loved the candy bar moment. And the wrong tree. Those are the too-real-to-be-fiction bits that keep this show from falling into just completely manipulative dreck. Although the performances are really fantastic all around too. Mandy, Justin, Sterling, and Chrissy all had very good monologues/speeches/moments here. 

And the Tess twist was great--about as good as the end of the pilot honestly. Well done, show, well done. They're really on quite the streak in this middle section of S2. The last five or six episodes have all been very good. 

Edited February 5, 2018 by taragel

[slasherboy]

9 hours ago, BarbieDoll said:

Can someone explain why Rebecca says Jack sent her a sign when "Call me Al" was playing on the radio on two stations at the same time?  I don't remember that song reference from any prior episode...?

I thought it was because he always sent her something funny and she thought that was funny.  Maybe?  And when Rebecca told Kevin he hadn't sent her anything funny that day, I wonder why she thought he couldn't still do it, since the day wasn't over.

 

2 hours ago, mtlchick said:

Complete aside but: I didn't know Mars is harder to find in the USA.  Readily available in Canada!

Aren't those the one in a black wrapper?  Not the same thing.

 

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Aren't they just Milky Ways?

Code Blue wasn't announced over the speakers, but an alarm did go off in the background, after which people started running to the room.

No.  An original Mars is milk chocolate, vanilla nougat, and 6 whole almonds (I've been researching since this discussion).

 

3 hours ago, Josette said:

You can pick up a Mars bar at Cost Plus World Market for $1.49 a bar.  Bed, Bath, & Beyond also has them in their food section (Bed, Bath & Beyond owns World Market).

THANK YOU!  Going to BB&B to stock up!

 

5 hours ago, Mrs. DuRona said:

The almond Snickers are a re-branded Mars bar.  So gooood!

Don't know that I knew about an almond Snickers. 

Admin: THANK YOU for being so tolerant of my off-topic Mars obsession.  I'll bring it to a close now.

Also, I thought I heard them call a code over the intercom.  We're all going to have to re-watch this episode so we can look for things other posters brought up.

[Dowel Jones]

2 hours ago, mtlchick said:

Complete aside but: I didn't know Mars is harder to find in the USA.  Readily available in Canada!

(Making plans to smuggle large quantities of Mars bars across the border for resale)

13 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

You can pick up a Mars bar at Cost Plus World Market for $1.49 a bar.

Curses!  Foiled again!

[Pallas]

13 minutes ago, reallyjustjen said:

This ep (and this show) hits very close to home for me, as someone who lost a husband younger than Jack, with kiddos younger than the Big 3 at home.  I thought the show did a great job of showing the quick succession of emotions on Rebecca’s face as she processed what was happening, her refusal to give into her own grief as she knew that she needed to be there for her kids, and her clear dread at giving them the news that she knew would shatter their world.  It’s only been a couple years for us, but I can see how this kind of thing can affect you forever, so while I think the Pearson clan could benefit from some therapy, I kind of get where they’re coming from with still being somewhat deep in grief on that particular day.  

 

I immediately thought the faint “Bec” while Rebecca was at the vending machine, was the moment that Jack coded.  At the risk of oversharing, my hubby was hospitalized due to being ill, but we didn’t think gravely so.  Late one night, as I was falling asleep having just come home from visiting him, I clearly heard his voice say “Babe?”-it startled me out of my near sleep.  Just a couple minutes later, the late night call came-my husband had just coded and I needed to hurry back, for what would untimately be a long and valiant (though untimately unsuccessful) attempt to bring him back.  I’m telling myself that Rebecca had to spend a long time calling hotels in the middle of the night, since it did otherwise seem that they gave up on Jack rather quickly.  

 

Some of the lyrics of “Call Me Al” also jumped out at me when Rebecca mentioned it.  Particularly “Where’s my wife and family, what if I die here”, and “Who’ll be my role model, now that my role model is gone”.  

What a generous and beautiful post, reallyjustjen. From the context with your family and the connection with your husband in the twilight, to the very apt quotes. What you shared is part of this show for me now.

[LeisureTime]

5 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I think it's a question of whether the actress who plays adult Tess is related to the actress who plays little Tess. They certainly look similar enough to be related.

Yes. This is precisely what I meant.

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, Trillium said:

That’s right about Jack’s age. Rebecca is younger,I believe she was 29 when she conceived so she could have been 29/30 when she had the twins. But yeah no way does she look 66/67. 

I find the middle-aged Jack and Rebecca distracting because they don't age them. Right now, today, Milo Ventimiglia is 40 and Mandy Moore is 33, and that's how old they look on the show. When Jack died he was 53 and Rebecca was 47. Rebecca's face is unlined. I can hand-wave the hair because it's common for women to cover the gray but neither of them look like middle-aged to aging people. Unless you are Lenny Kravitz, you're going to look different in your late 40s than you do in your early 30s. They give 67-year-old Rebecca aged makeup and an "older woman" hairstyle (that wig is so cheap-looking), but she doesn't alter her voice at all, and a 30something and a 60something don't sound the same.

9 minutes ago, Baltimore Betty said:

Kevin is sitting by the tree with the sun shining on his face while talking on the phone to his mother who has the lamps on in her house watching the evening football game.  Not only that, the shot of him is clearly a fall one, with colored leaves still on trees, not bare winter trees.  Get it together, Hollywood. 

I laughed because in Philly, yesterday was a really gross day - rained pretty heavily all day, windy, cold. Raw weather. I don't know what it was like in Jersey (is that where the tree was supposed to be?), but my guess is that it wasn't warm enough to sit peacefully outside for an extended period of time in a light jacket.

2 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

Can someone explain why Rebecca says Jack sent her a sign when "Call me Al" was playing on the radio on two stations at the same time?  I don't remember that song reference from any prior episode...?

It's from the Thanksgiving episode - it was playing in the car. Randall plays it every year on Thanksgiving too, starting very early in the morning (that Thanksgiving day wake-up scene is one of my favorites in the series).

I already knew I wasn't watching this in real time because the Eagles were playing so I would either be happy (which: yep!) or mad afterward, plus it was late. My TiVo screwed up so it didn't even record, but it was on NBC.com so I watched early this morning (thanks, insomnia!) I was actually more moved by Randall's talk with Tess at the end than I was by Jack's death. There was something about the way he asked, simply, "Why?" when Tess admitted to taking the phone off the hook that got me. It's kind of like how I was affected by William's ability to speak to the girls in an age-appropriate way - he didn't talk down to them or baby them. Randall's "Why?" was kind of like that - he wasn't angry with her, he just wanted to know. And I agree that whatever the casting director makes for this show, they need to double it. If you told me Grown Tess was Little Tess's mother IRL, I'd believe you.  I'm a little disappointed that we won't see the little boy again because he is too cute.

I was happy that Randall gets to get older (he was 28 when Tess was born, so I'm guessing he's in his late 50s in that scene - I assumed it was 20 years ahead) and have his dinners with Tess. Whatever else happened in those intervening 20 years, it's nice that he has that. And that "Thank you, young lady" was SO on the nose as something a Black man of a certain age would say. Basically every male member of my family that is at least old enough to be my parent calls me young lady.

I always like hearing people say "Oh, snap."

[Calvada]

During the scene at the tree with Kevin, all I could think was that outdoor light really made it obvious he was wearing makeup.  I get it, actors wear makeup, but HD made me really notice it. 

Wasn't there a phone in Jack & Rebecca's bedroom?  No call to 911?  And how late was this?  It must have taken a little bit of time for the house to become fully engulfed - no neighbor or someone driving by saw the fire?  It seems so often that's how house fires are reported.  

[RedDelicious]

12 hours ago, slasherboy said:

I love Mars bars, but can't find them anymore.

Closest thing is a Snickers with almonds :)  Delicious!

ETA: Ooops, I see there are other enthusiasts who have noted the same thing!!  I love Snickers in any form :)

Edited February 5, 2018 by RedDelicious

[Baltimore Betty]

11 minutes ago, Calvada said:

During the scene at the tree with Kevin, all I could think was that outdoor light really made it obvious he was wearing makeup.  I get it, actors wear makeup, but HD made me really notice it. 

Wasn't there a phone in Jack & Rebecca's bedroom?  No call to 911?  And how late was this?  It must have taken a little bit of time for the house to become fully engulfed - no neighbor or someone driving by saw the fire?  It seems so often that's how house fires are reported.  

I wondered about calling 911 and that no neighbors saw the flames (someone walking a dog would have seen flames).

[ShadowFacts]

18 minutes ago, Calvada said:

Wasn't there a phone in Jack & Rebecca's bedroom?  No call to 911?  And how late was this?  It must have taken a little bit of time for the house to become fully engulfed - no neighbor or someone driving by saw the fire?  It seems so often that's how house fires are reported.  

A neighbor or passerby must have called in at some point, when the family is out on the street you begin to hear sirens.  One thing I wondered about was why did Jack take Rebecca's word for it that Kevin was not at home?  He actually could have come home.  And he was not where Rebecca thought he was anyway.  I think it would have been like Jack to go into the basement and look to be sure.  But then the whole dog/Kate's fault thing wouldn't have happened, and Kevin's own guilt would be a little different.