S02.E14: Super Bowl Sunday

[maddie965]

Just watched it. Oh my heart. This show. Crying non stop. Jack send Kevin to Rebecca, so she could smile again. Tess has Kevin's painting, so she understands that the future, the past and the present are the same thing. Kate has found someone who will never stop trying, so now she can say goodbye. Jack died saving his family. He was not perfect, but he was damn close. Just like my father, who died two weeks ago. Rest in peace, all the loving dads in this world. We won't forget you.

Edited February 6, 2018 by maddie965

[Katy M]

29 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

You're right.  At first, I thought he just went in to get the dog, but he went in and got a LOT of other stuff too. 

He took the opportunity while he was inside to get the other stuff, but I don't think he would have gone back in if not for the dog.  But, don't get me wrong, I still don't think it's Kate's fault.

[Guest]

Loved Kate's description of Randall and his girlfriend as "reenacting the last scene from Ghost . . . only without the pottery or the sex appeal."   If they ever cast an adult version of Randall's girlfriend, Sarah Drew should get the first call. 

I was surprised that Mr. McGiggles got such an inglorious send off as being dropped in the trashcan.  How big of a hole would it have taken to bury him in the backyard.

[Katy M]

11 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

We have always taken out the screens in winter. Less wear and tear on them during winter snow and ice.

But, then you put in storm windows to keep the heat in.

[Ohmo]

1 hour ago, UsernameFatigue said:

Exactly my point. Randall was making it a party for himself and inviting his children's friends. And expecting them to watch the show to boot. Even Beth said to Randall that it was stupid for him to invite all these kids who have no idea what football is, and don't care. I don't know that Randall is having the party because his father saved him in a ranging infero. He said he is having it because it was Jack's favourite day. The fact that he is wearing an apron with flames and something to the effect of hot dad written on it makes me think that he is not exactly mourning that his dad died because of a fire. But as always, we are all entitled to our opinions. Mine is that Randall is a self absorbed ass. 

Tess is nine years old.  On this day, this specific, particular day, Randall wants his kids to understand the importance of the day and be with him.  He spoke about not seeing Jack again and got waaay too heavy, but he wanted his kids around, maybe because he knew that everyone bailed twenty years ago.  Tess is 9, so he invites her friends so that she has a good time.  Where he erred is that he didn't make it kid-centric enough.  There should have been more about the Puppy Bowl and stuff like that.  Randall did not think kid-level enough, but I understand what he was trying to do.  It's not about understanding (or even liking) football.  That may come later for Tess, or it may not.  This is no different to me than any family having an important day every year, for whatever reason.  It could be Christmas, Easter, an older relative's birthday, etc.  On that day, the presence of most (if not all) of the family is required because it's a family expectation.  Maybe it's just a one-time specific day like a christening, a First Communion, or a Bar Mitzvah.  In Tess's family, Super Bowl Sunday is that important day. It's important to her dad, so her presence is required.  At 9, she likely does not understand the full reasons why, but that's not the point.  It's not about her.  It's about the fact that her father wants his kids to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday with him.  What will be revealed to Tess about the importance of the Super Bowl is a gradual process that will take place over several years, but at 9, she can't bail.   Bailing on Super Bowl Sunday at 17 is a different story, just like Randall did, but 17 is not 9.

Tess is old enough to be taken aside and told, "Yeah, your dad just wants to spend some time with you on this day because it's an important day to him.  That's why he invited your friends.  He's trying to make it fun for you."  Nine years old is old enough to understand that there are more things in life other than what you want to do, and that you don't have to be entertained all the time."  Randall is asking for one day.  He didn't plan it well, but I don't think it was an unrealistic expectation at all.  In fact, I was disappointed that Beth didn't understand the significance either.  Tess had a performance that Randall attended.  Parents do that stuff for kids, and sometimes kids do that for parents.  Even at 9.  Do you think most kids want to go to whatever their required family event is?  Usually not, but you do it anyway, and sometimes the reasons why aren't clear until many years later.

As for Randall, I think he's great.  He does have his issues, but he loves his wife, his wife loves him, they try and support each other, and they're there for their kids.  We'll agree to disagree.  Randall's not perfect, but I do not see him at all as you do.  I also think Beth is awesome, and I like their marriage.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Ohmo

[chitowngirl]

1 minute ago, Katy M said:

But, then you put in storm windows to keep the heat in.

Not with the windows that flip down to clean them. They are thick enough to not need storms. I couldn’t tell if the Pearson’s windows were like that.

[methodwriter85]

18 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...?

That was the song that kept playing over and over in the car in the Thanksgiving episode from last year, for the sequences set in Thanksgiving 1988. It is therefore supposed to be part of the tradition.

Edited February 6, 2018 by methodwriter85

[ShadowFacts]

3 minutes ago, RogerDodger said:

Loved Kate's description of Randall and his girlfriend as "reenacting the last scene from Ghost . . . only without the pottery or the sex appeal."   If they ever cast an adult version of Randall's girlfriend, Sarah Drew should get the first call. 

I was surprised that Mr. McGiggles got such an inglorious send off as being dropped in the trashcan.  How big of a hole would it have taken to bury him in the backyard.

Kate's comment struck me as unnecessarily snarky under the circumstances.   You just got rescued from a fire Katy Girl, and you are caustic about your brother's friend who brought you clothes and is comforting him? 

The McGiggles burial would have to wait for the ground to thaw since it's winter, but maybe they could have "refrigerated" him in the garage til spring.  It was pretty unceremonious just to toss him in the trash. 

[TomServo]

18 hours ago, kittyglitter said:

Also, I am having trouble suspending my disbelief that in the time Rebecca made a phone call and grabbed a candy bar, Jack arrested, they presumably worked on him for awhile, and he died. In the reflection of the vending machine, we saw all of the medical personnel running presumably to Jack's room. I guess she was just out of it and didn't notice the commotion? 

I don't have a hard time believing that a widowmaker heart attack can take someone that quickly, but I do have a hard time believing that Rebecca would not have noticed the commotion.  I know someone who died in her 20's from a blood clot that traveled to her [heart?  lungs?] after surgery for a disease that is not usually fatal.  She made a remark to a nurse that she was feeling kind of weird, and at that point her husband left the room to go somewhere.  He heard her alarms going off, and he rushed back to the room.  They ushered him back out while they worked on her, but he said that when he got to the room, he took one look at her and knew she was already gone.

 

9 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Aren't they just Milky Ways?

Nope.  It's a little confusing because there is a Mars bar sold in English markets that is not the same as the U.S.-branded Mars bar, but IS similar to the U.S.-branded Milky Way bar.  The English-brand Milky Way is similar to the U.S.-brand Three Musketeers bar.

English Mars = darker chocolate, nougat, caramel
U.S. Milky Way = milk chocolate, nougat, caramel
U.S. Mars = milk chocolate, nougat, caramel, almonds

The U.S. version of Mars bars hasn't been sold in the U.S. in nearly 20 years.  They tweaked the recipe and rebranded it as Snickers Almond.

[pinkglove]

It's funny - Kate has annoyed me countless times but watching this episode, I actually only cried when she gave her speech to Toby about how he's patient with her like her dad was. I haven't read all the posts carefully but it kind of surprised me how almost nobody mentioned it (though someone just did when I was writing this). I mean, many people pointed out about how irritating she's, how she keeps mourning every day, but I read this scene as her healing a little bit by realizing that things can change and new people can bring great stuff to her life. I know it's still a long way to go that requires kicking Jack off the pedestal, but I think she's getting there. I found her a lot less annoying recently and while she had her moments in this episode, they weren't nearly as bad as before. If you're a drama queen and start working on yourself, you certainly won't be able to get rid of it completely and you'll have relapses - speaking from experience :) The fact that she noticed how supportive Toby is instead of being annoyed by him being insensitive (I like him and I know his intentions were good, but trying to cheer someone up every time they're down is very far from the right way to go) is a good sign. 

I liked the lizard thing, Tess storyline, Rebecca's Mars moment, and Miguel's reaction. Well, for the two latter things, "like" may not be the best word. In a way, I actually think that in a way, Miguel might be a better partner for Rebecca than Jack, though neither of them (not to even mention the kids) will ever notice that. And Rebecca not noticing that (I don't mean that she has to think that he's better for her, rather that there's a quality to their relationship that wasn't there with Jack). I suspect that his death added to Jack's glorification, but even before, it seems that Rebecca saw him as her knight in the shining armor that could fix any problem and do anything without even trying, which actually prevented her from fully appreciating herself. It strikes me how she constantly repeats how great he's with kids without any effort and doesn't ever notice that his approach, while maybe effortless, has made him overlook so many things which she deals with. With Miguel, who doesn't have the hero act and doesn't need to prove himself in every situation, she can find her own strength. And I think it's a pretty sad thing how Miguel is okay with being an outsider, because the fact that he's after all those years doesn't show that there's anything special about Pearsons and their bond, but simply that they didn't work through their trauma and he's the victim of its consequences. 

I'm also tired of guys who play superheroes and everyone buys it. Not that I don't understand where it comes from in case of Jack, but it's still his issue, not his strength. I know that people here noticed it, but I'm just annoyed how his family can't see it. I guess his therapist, like the doctor in the hospital, also wasn't very good if they didn't reach the point where he would know that coming back for the dog (I'm torn on this one though) and some things is neither noble nor the right thing to do. 

This episode also got me thinking about how sad it is that this family runs on the assumption that a person should sacrifice themselves for others and there's little space for self-care. I assume Jack had it because he had to take care of his mother and his brother with his father being the way he was. Then, he kind of forced Kate to take care of him, after which she eventually moved to living Kevin's life as his assistant. Kevin, while it may not be so strong in him, can't ever acknowledge his problem as important enough (until it hits him in the face and he can't avoid it anymore). Randall only stopped trying to take care of everything around him after his breakdown; and soon after, he had to find himself one more person to take care of (not saying that it's wrong that he chose to become a foster father, though the timing was slightly weird). Rebecca seems to still think that her kids are her life and hasn't yet noticed that she's her own life. And how Jack died shows that this assumption can have disastrous consequences. 

[Neurochick]

This episode was all, "now we'll learn the truth and your questions will be answered."  It was so focused on Jack and how Jack dies and all, that the real sweet moment was nearly overlooked by me; the flash forward where we see Randall and Tess.  During that entire episode, I just knew that little boy was going to be the next foster for Beth and Randall and then, nope, Tess is the social worker and the little boy is going to live with a white couple, and then her dad Randall comes to see her.  It was like the show went full circle; starting with the flashback that I didn't even know was a flashback and now to a flashforward that I didn't even know was a flashforward. 

Sometimes this show pisses me off with it's manipulation, but then it does something unexpected, that's what I wish the show would do more of.

[amandabanana]

This episode was absolutely gut wrenching and hit so close to home for me. Four months ago my parents had a small kitchen fire and afterwards my dad wasn't feeling well, so my mom took him to the hospital and in the ER he went into cardiac arrest. The doctor had to perform CPR for 5 minutes to revive him and thankfully he survived. This episode brought it all back and I literally cried the entire episode. Mandy Moore did an incredible job in her scenes and I hope she gets an emmy nomination for it. I totally felt her shock and disbelief when she was told that Jack had died. It is the same feeling I had when I found out my dad had gone into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated.

[Spencer Hastings]

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope we can get an episode that focuses more on Miguel’s perspective.  Jack was his best friend before any of the other Pearsons came into the picture.  He and his ex-wife, their friendship with Jack and Rebecca, his relationship with his kids and the Pearson kids...there’s so much to flesh out there. I get that this show is about the Big Three and their lives but Miguel is a bigger part of that than we’ve been shown.

Jack the Friend is much different than Jack the Husband, Jack the Father, and Jack the hero.  We saw Miguel start to break down but what did the death of his best friend do to him?  How did he come to terms with marrying his best friend’s wife?  I need answers. 

[Bean421]

39 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

Tess is nine years old.  On this day, this specific, particular day, Randall wants his kids to understand the importance of the day and be with him.  He spoke about not seeing Jack again and got waaay too heavy, but he wanted his kids around, maybe because he knew that everyone bailed twenty years ago.  Tess is 9, so he invites her friends so that she has a good time.  Where he erred is that he didn't make it kid-centric enough.  There should have been more about the Puppy Bowl and stuff like that.  Randall did not think kid-level enough, but I understand what he was trying to do.  It's not about understanding (or even liking) football.  That may come later for Tess, or it may not.  This is no different to me than any family having an important day every year, for whatever reason.  It could be Christmas, Easter, an older relative's birthday, etc.  On that day, the presence of most (if not all) of the family is required because it's a family expectation.  Maybe it's just a one-time specific day like a christening, a First Communion, or a Bar Mitzvah.  In Tess's family, Super Bowl Sunday is that important day. It's important to her dad, so her presence is required.  At 9, she likely does not understand the full reasons why, but that's not the point.  It's not about her.  It's about the fact that her father wants his kids to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday with him.  What will be revealed to Tess about the importance of the Super Bowl is a gradual process that will take place over several years, but at 9, she can't bail.   Bailing on Super Bowl Sunday at 17 is a different story, just like Randall did, but 17 is not 9.

Tess is old enough to be taken aside and told, "Yeah, your dad just wants to spend some time with you on this day because it's an important day to him.  That's why he invited your friends.  He's trying to make it fun for you."  Nine years old is old enough to understand that there are more things in life other than what you want to do, and that you don't have to be entertained all the time."  Randall is asking for one day.  He didn't plan it well, but I don't think it was an unrealistic expectation at all.  In fact, I was disappointed that Beth didn't understand the significance either.  Tess had a performance that Randall attended.  Parents do that stuff for kids, and sometimes kids do that for parents.  Even at 9.  Do you think most kids want to go to whatever their required family event is?  Usually not, but you do it anyway, and sometimes the reasons why aren't clear until many years later.

As for Randall, I think he's great.  He does have his issues, but he loves his wife, his wife loves him, they try and support each other, and they're there for their kids.  We'll agree to disagree.  Randall's not perfect, but I do not see him at all as you do.  I also think Beth is awesome, and I like their marriage.

Totally agree. Little Bean is the same age as Tess, so I recognize the moodiness. Nine is definitely not to young to understand a family expectation. Sure, she doesn't get the details right away, but it's a big day for her father. I tell Little Bean that "Parents are people." He doesn't get it and I didn't either until I was well into my twenties. No one Parents perfectly. We just try our best.

[DianeDobbler]

20 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I normally find Mandy to do a decent job, I found her hospital scenes painfully bad. I have been through similar circumstances twice reacted differently both times, I found her ridiculously unbelievable.  I rewound to watch again to see if it was as bad as I thought it was worse.

 

I saw this show live tweeted, and since I'd heard about Jack's death reveal, I decided to watch the episode (my first), this evening. I thought Mandy Moore's acting was ok. But - I was distracted by her hair. How could anyone in production allow that blatant TV hairdo to undermine the story and the attempted performance? The woman had awakened in the middle of the night to a house ablaze. She'd stood in acrid smoke. Stood in a yard where the air was filthy, was probably sweating as well. Her hair and clothing would be greasy and filthy. Gets to the hospital, her hair looks like Kate Middleton's. Volume at the crown, not a strand out of place, barrel curls at the bottom - the hair that "everyone on TV" wears (look it up, it's actually true).  Her hair looked freshly washed and salon fresh. Her curls kept on keeping on, so did the smooth top, her hair part, the shine, and volume. I was also very distracted by her shiny nude lip gloss in numerous close-ups, and the cleanliness of her clothing.

Edited February 6, 2018 by DianeDobbler

[txhorns79]

Quote

No one is saying that Kate shouldn't remember her dad and feel sad, especially on the anniversary of the day he died.  But she has had 20 years to deal with her guilt.  She has let it disrupt her relationships, her weight, her singing career.  She has refused to discuss her feelings around his death.  (Remember last year's SuperBowl with Toby and several other times he's tried to talk to her about her father?)  I don't know what kind of therapy she's had along the years -- if any -- but it sure hasn't worked.  If she'd spoken to a therapist - or for goodness sake, with her mother -- she would have realized a long time ago that begging  her father to go after the dog wasn't the cause of her dad's death

Yes.  This is the wallowing I think of when I use the term.  I view Kate as someone who defines herself by her father's death.  She's let it harm her relationships, work and health going on twenty years.  While she doesn't have to "get over" her dad's death, she does need to figure out a much healthier way to deal with it, and she really hasn't done that.    

[slasherboy]

36 minutes ago, TomServo said:

Nope.  It's a little confusing because there is a Mars bar sold in English markets that is not the same as the U.S.-branded Mars bar, but IS similar to the U.S.-branded Milky Way bar.  The English-brand Milky Way is similar to the U.S.-brand Three Musketeers bar.

English Mars = darker chocolate, nougat, caramel
U.S. Milky Way = milk chocolate, nougat, caramel
U.S. Mars = milk chocolate, nougat, caramel, almonds

The U.S. version of Mars bars hasn't been sold in the U.S. in nearly 20 years.  They tweaked the recipe and rebranded it as Snickers Almond.

There's no caramel in the U.S. Mars Bar.  It's milk chocolate, vanilla nougat, and 6 whole almonds.  I read that. Here's a good, short piece on our (apparently) favorite confection, which I now MUST have sooner rather than later or I will fling myself off the couch.

http://www.latimes.com/sns-dailymeal-1853162-holidays-mars-bar-back-america-how-does-it-taste-20171006-story.html

This picture is the NEW packaging of the U.S. version.  the U.K. version has a black wrapper.

 

[Maximona]

Completely ridiculous.

There's no way a Code Blue on a previously healthy male in his late 30s only lasts for the time it takes Rebecca to make a couple of phone calls and shove a dollar into a vending machine.

They'd be working on Jack for at least an hour.

[Mrs Shibbles]

47 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

This episode was all, "now we'll learn the truth and your questions will be answered."  It was so focused on Jack and how Jack dies and all, that the real sweet moment was nearly overlooked by me; the flash forward where we see Randall and Tess.  During that entire episode, I just knew that little boy was going to be the next foster for Beth and Randall and then, nope, Tess is the social worker and the little boy is going to live with a white couple, and then her dad Randall comes to see her.  It was like the show went full circle; starting with the flashback that I didn't even know was a flashback and now to a flashforward that I didn't even know was a flashforward. 

Sometimes this show pisses me off with it's manipulation, but then it does something unexpected, that's what I wish the show would do more of.

I thought it was a nice touch that the same song  played in the episode 1 hospital scene reveal, “Watch Me” by Labi Siffre

was also used during the reveal that we were seeing future Tess.  Just a different version or cover of it.   Very touching.  Love the music on this show.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Mrs Shibbles

[Big Mother]

2 minutes ago, Maximona said:

Completely ridiculous.

There's no way a Code Blue on a previously healthy male in his late 30s only lasts for the time it takes Rebecca to make a couple of phone calls and shove a dollar into a vending machine.

They'd be working on Jack for at least an hour.

He was actually in his early fifties at this point :D but yes, they probably gave up too fast.

[DianeDobbler]

3 minutes ago, Maximona said:

Completely ridiculous.

There's no way a Code Blue on a previously healthy male in his late 30s only lasts for the time it takes Rebecca to make a couple of phone calls and shove a dollar into a vending machine.

They'd be working on Jack for at least an hour.

Yeah, that too.

[stonehaven]

The part that got me was the bite of the candy bar. Becca seemed to be the one that made the rules and had things orderly on a certain level...and then a doctor slamming her emotions with news of Jack's Death.....and so what does she do? A very Becca thing....that candy bar was a breath for her...a bit of getting the heart and brain ready...perfectly done...'till she was ready.....and then that scene with Miguel..realizing without admitting it, that she's a single Mom now and needs to be strong..no matter what her heart was screaming...

 

I lost two people I cared about..loved them in different ways..,in the past 20 years or so..and time doesn't really change the hurt that leaves...and the space that remains a void.....this show is great therapy for me on that level....great...great...episode....

[srpturtle80]

I have a terrible phobia of my house burning down. So the first few minutes were excruciating to watch and I sat there and sobbed through it all.

Thankfully I got some comic relief a little bit later. The scene with the lizard at the party had me cracking up.

The rest was very hard to watch. Not looking forward to tomorrow night’s episode. 

[gonzosgirrl]

2 minutes ago, stonehaven said:

The part that got me was the bite of the candy bar. Becca seemed to be the one that made the rules and had things orderly on a certain level...and then a doctor slamming her emotions with news of Jack's Death.....and so what does she do? A very Becca thing....that candy bar was a breath for her...a bit of getting the heart and brain ready...perfectly done...'till she was ready.....and then that scene with Miguel..realizing without admitting it, that she's a single Mom now and needs to be strong..no matter what her heart was screaming...

 

I lost two people I cared about..loved them in different ways..,in the past 20 years or so..and time doesn't really change the hurt that leaves...and the space that remains a void.....this show is great therapy for me on that level....great...great...episode....

This is it for me. The dramatic licence they take with some of the details don't bother me as long as I care about the characters and the story they are telling me, the things they make me feel. I felt Rebecca's pain because it touched something in my own experience and gave me another way to feel it.

[Amethyst]

3 hours ago, UsernameFatigue said:

Exactly my point. Randall was making it a party for himself and inviting his children's friends. And expecting them to watch the show to boot. Even Beth said to Randall that it was stupid for him to invite all these kids who have no idea what football is, and don't care. I don't know that Randall is having the party because his father saved him in a ranging infero. He said he is having it because it was Jack's favourite day. 

IA, although I don't think Randall's intentions were bad.  I believe that he really does want to pass the Super Bowl traditions down to his daughters. 

But the party was so contrived.  They could have just had a Puppy Bowl party for the kids and reserved the Super Bowl stuff for the adults.  The only reason to introduce Mr. Giggles was to kill him off and have a funeral.  Which apparently they needed to do right then and there?  The Pearsons could have just excused themselves for five minutes for a quick goodbye and been done with it.  Don't know why they needed to have everyone in the party watching.  Oh, yeah, it was so Randall could monologue about Jack in front of a crowd.  Which Beth put a stop to, thankfully.  Enough already.  No more monologues to strangers.

 

32 minutes ago, Spencer Hastings said:

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope we can get an episode that focuses more on Miguel’s perspective.  Jack was his best friend before any of the other Pearsons came into the picture.  He and his ex-wife, their friendship with Jack and Rebecca, his relationship with his kids and the Pearson kids...there’s so much to flesh out there. I get that this show is about the Big Three and their lives but Miguel is a bigger part of that than we’ve been shown.

Jack the Friend is much different than Jack the Husband, Jack the Father, and Jack the hero.  We saw Miguel start to break down but what did the death of his best friend do to him?  How did he come to terms with marrying his best friend’s wife?  I need answers. 

I'm with you.  Miguel has been on the fringes long enough.  I'm really interested in how he figures into all this. 

[Josette]

10 hours ago, slasherboy said:

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

Oops.  I just realized that U.S. Mars bars are a different confection .  I guess Ethel M's is your only bet because World Market is selling the other version.

Quote

The worldwide Mars bar differs from that sold in the US. The American version was discontinued in 2002 and was replaced with the slightly different Snickers Almond featuring nougat, almonds, and a milk chocolate coating. Unlike the American Mars bar, however, Snickers Almond also contains caramel. The US version of the Mars bar was relaunched in January 2010 and was initially being sold on an exclusive basis through Walmart stores...The US version was once again discontinued at the end of 2011. In September 2017, Ethel M Chocolates, a gourmet chocolate subsidiary of Mars, Inc. launched the 'original American recipe' of the Mars Bar in their stores and on Amazon.com.

And that's that.

 

EDIT: You can buy the Ethel M version at Cracker Barrel.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Josette
added info

[DuckyinKy]

Having 3rd degree burns is painful, can bring up your blood pressure. Jack refused anything for the pain at the hospital because he is a recovering alcoholic. So depending on his pain, his blood pressure may have been high which could have been a perfect storm with a weakened liver/heart. Just my 2 cents though. 

I cried harder than I should have. 

[TomServo]

57 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

There's no caramel in the U.S. Mars Bar.  It's milk chocolate, vanilla nougat, and 6 whole almonds.  

Maybe it didn't originally, but here is a picture of the Mars bar I remember.  The wrapper says "caramel" on it.  The one they showed Rebecca buying in the vending machine looks like the almond-free version.  The prop department probably picked it up in the international section of a grocery store or something.
 

Edited February 6, 2018 by TomServo

[howiveaddict]

48 minutes ago, Maximona said:

Completely ridiculous.

There's no way a Code Blue on a previously healthy male in his late 30s only lasts for the time it takes Rebecca to make a couple of phone calls and shove a dollar into a vending machine.

They'd be working on Jack for at least an hour.

And someone on the staff would have been sent to get Becca as soon as they called the code.  I think they could have taken Jack, to the hospital , in an ambulance. Also, they would have done a chest xray or something on the other family members to make sure they didn't have any lung damage. They all breathed some smoke.  

[slasherboy]

4 minutes ago, Josette said:

Oops.  I just realized that U.S. Mars bars are a different confection .  I guess Ethel M's is your only bet because World Market is selling the other version.

And that's that.

No, the new, improved U.S. original is available on Amazon at a very expensive cost.  I have a feeling I'm just SOL unless my ship unexpectedly comes in.

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, howiveaddict said:

And someone on the staff would have been sent to get Becca as soon as they called the code. 

In a perfect world, yes, someone would have gone to find her.  In a busy ER, the reality is that a code means all hands on deck and in this TV version of an arrest, there was barely time to start CPR before they called it. 

Patient comes first, always. When you can free someone up, then they gather family. 

[Anela]

I couldn't watch it. i was crying hard enough, a couple of weeks ago. I won't watch someone be told their husband, or father died. 

[Dowel Jones]

3 hours ago, Katy M said:

I'm thinking the fire couldn't have woken them up much before 11.  Then, by the time the fire truck came and they left for Miguel's, it was probably past midnight. 

Somewhere in the hospital scenes I remember a wall clock reading 12 midnight, so I think this is pretty accurate.

[catrox14]

7 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

In a perfect world, yes, someone would have gone to find her.  In a busy ER, the reality is that a code means all hands on deck and in this TV version of an arrest, there was barely time to start CPR before they called it. 

Patient comes first, always. When you can free someone up, then they gather family. 

Except that there was staff member standing literally right next to her when she was on the phone. Like literally behind her. She wasn't in the cafeteria or down the hall. She was using a phone next to the station. That's what drove me batty. And she was wearing unique clothing with her the steelers jersey so she was recognizable.

[Thumper]

11 hours 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”.  

I am very sorry about the loss of your husband at such a young age.  Your message from him is beautiful and heartbreaking.  Thank you for sharing.

[Jax7917]

Did anyone else think that Kevin would find a candy bar rapper next to the tree ? Just me? Okay . 

Edited February 6, 2018 by Jaclyn88

[ItCouldBeWorse]

3 hours ago, UsernameFatigue said:

Exactly my point. Randall was making it a party for himself and inviting his children's friends. And expecting them to watch the show to boot. Even Beth said to Randall that it was stupid for him to invite all these kids who have no idea what football is, and don't care. I don't know that Randall is having the party because his father saved him in a ranging infero. He said he is having it because it was Jack's favourite day. The fact that he is wearing an apron with flames and something to the effect of hot dad written on it makes me think that he is not exactly mourning that his dad died because of a fire. But as always, we are all entitled to our opinions. Mine is that Randall is a self absorbed ass. 

Maybe Randall didn't want his friends to have to hire babysitters, or decide which half of a couple had to stay home to watch the kids. I'm not a football fan, but I think it's thoughtful to invite the whole family to what is considered a family-oriented event. With kids that young, the guests would probably leave no later than after the half-time show.

3 hours ago, buckboard said:

"In Randall's defense, I think what he was trying to do is start to make Tess and Annie aware of family history."
    Except none of the kids spent the last SuperBowl game with their parents.  Randall was at the movies with his girlfriend.  If Randall cared about family history, they would have gone to the movies or rented
    "Titanic."

But they had spent all the others at home.  And I'm pretty sure in retrospect Randall wishes he had spent that last day with his father.

3 hours ago, debraran said:

And why couldn't the kids and family stay with Miguel for the night, a hotel? That costs money and being with a friend for the first night seems to make more sense. He was getting blankets for them an pillows.

When Jack stayed at Miguel's, he slept on the living room couch.  I don't know if Miguel had a spare room for when his kids came to visit, but he might just not have space for 5 people and a dog, one of them in a cast.

[Kira53]

10 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

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

No hmmmm for me.  Believe it or not there was a time where there were no smoke detectors at all. When they came out they were expensive and people generally just got one. When you lived all your life with no smoke detectors one seemed to be the greatest thing ever.   There weren’t even requirements to have smoke detectors.  Standards have changed and in my mother’s community when you get a new furnace the local government checks and requires you to have a smoke detector in every room. This is probably the standard for new builds.    I recently had two 10-year-old smoke detectors die and I replaced them with three wireless smoke detectors that will tell you the location of the fire. And I still have one older smoke detector operating. I don’t have them in every room although I have two more new ones still in the package that I could put up.  maybe I will now.   I remember way back around the time that Jack died lots of people were neglectful of replacing batteries in smoke detectors. They Had lived without them so they didn’t really worry about a couple of days or a couple of weeks that the smoke detector wasn’t working. It’s just things have changed.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

2 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

The McGiggles burial would have to wait for the ground to thaw since it's winter, but maybe they could have "refrigerated" him in the garage til spring.  It was pretty unceremonious just to toss him in the trash. 

I don't think he was tossed in front of the kids. And even if he was, I love animals, but I would still flush a goldfish, not bury it.  Furthermore, I don't think there had been time for any true bonding with Mr. Giggles, who absolutely would not care where his corpse went.  If anything, Randall was dragging it out and making a big deal of it.  The girls' biological grandfather, with whom they had bonded, had recently died.  I think the lizard's untimely death should be considered in perspective.  And so no one thinks I am heartless, Annie should not have another pet until she is able to properly care for it.

[maggiemae]

I think a death near a holiday definitely impacts the anniversary. My mother died 12/29, 30 a blur and the 31st quiet family time. My Dad on 7/3 (which was actually my mothers b-day) so the 4th is no longer so special to me, just like NYE. Actually Christmas as well since my Mom was in the hospital and not likely to get out. For many SB is very special so I totally understand the family. 

[DianeDobbler]

22 hours ago, anna0852 said:

I took that as Rebecca making multiple phone calls, trying to find hotel accommodations. And I don't think she would have focused on the commotion because when she left her husband he was fine. Even if in the back of her head she had associated all the activity with a patient going downhill she had no reason to think it was Jack.

We heard the moment they called the code, and it was just minutes later when the doctor came to tell Rebecca.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, Maximona said:

There's no way a Code Blue on a previously healthy male in his late 30s only lasts for the time it takes Rebecca to make a couple of phone calls and shove a dollar into a vending machine.

He was in his mid 50's. The kids were born on his 36th birthday.

Edited February 6, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[truebluesmoky]

I should have caught on to the Randall/Tess flash forward sooner, both because there were a lot of shots of the social worker and focus on her AND because she looked to similar to Beth and child Tess.

[jackjill89]

6 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

I've read all the pages in this thread and don't think I've seen it mentioned, but shouldn't all four of the Pearsons been checked out at a hospital?  I think that the smoke inhalation concern should have been in play for all of them, not just Jack.  It wasn't fatal for the rest of them, but the EMTs didn't know how much damage any of them might have had. 

Yes -- and I don't understand why Jack wasn't hooked up to oxygen and a heart monitor at the hospital. It wouldn't have prevented what happened, but the dr talked about smoke inhalation and doing tests. I thought it was pretty standard that they put you on monitors when you come into the ER. I fainted in a restaurant a few years ago and they hooked me up to just about everything in the ER. Then again, Jack's incident was 20 years ago. Maybe they didn't do that as much back then. 

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, Ohmo said:

Tess is old enough to be taken aside and told, "Yeah, your dad just wants to spend some time with you on this day because it's an important day to him.  That's why he invited your friends.  He's trying to make it fun for you."  Nine years old is old enough to understand that there are more things in life other than what you want to do, and that you don't have to be entertained all the time.

I never saw Tess asking to be entertained, she's seemed like an independent kid right from the start. Before the party, she was just minding her own business and playing with Annie and the lizard. If Randall wanted to spend time with Tess, he should have spent time with Tess, not invited 20 other kids to the house. And if he wanted to do something fun for her, he should have asked her what she thought would be fun. Just because she's a kid doesn't mean she has to happily go along with her father's whims.

[Dowel Jones]

I guess I'm going have to look up some recipes that involve melting chocolate bars over lasagna in a crockpot.

[SueB]

Positive thought: maybe all the viewers will change the batteries in their smoke detectors and work a plan to get out of the house immediately if there's a fire. 

[BoogieBurns]

13 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

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

Well, my dog is 4 pounds and she alerts me when I light a candle. (Chick, I am the one lighting it, calm down.) So Ron was wrong this one time! All though, I think Ron said any dog under 50 pounds is a cat. Which, like, fair.

[MsJamieDornan]

9 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

As for the tv show, what I can't see is waiting around in the bedroom to be told to get out.

That drove me crazy. I was screaming at them to go out the window in each room.

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, maggiemae said:

I think a death near a holiday definitely impacts the anniversary. My mother died 12/29, 30 a blur and the 31st quiet family time. My Dad on 7/3 (which was actually my mothers b-day) so the 4th is no longer so special to me, just like NYE. Actually Christmas as well since my Mom was in the hospital and not likely to get out. For many SB is very special so I totally understand the family. 

I had a friend who died of a drug overdose at the age of 27 the day after Thanksgiving, 2013. Or what is better known as Black Friday. The past few Thanksgivings have been depressing, but this past one I wasn't quite so bad. It's weird how grief ebbs and flows. The 5th anniversary is the next one so I'm not sure how I'll react to it.

I knew this show would do flashfowards but I imagine they'll try to do them revealing as little as possible. I still feel like Nip/Tuck regretted the flashfoward they did because they eventually had to basically say that it wasn't part of the actual continuity.