This is us..

[TLSnell1981]

The season finale was pitiful...weakest of the season and disappointing. IMO

 

[PollyannaMom]

While it wasn't my favorite episode of the season, I'm not as disappointed as some.

Chrissy Metz was also talking up the episode all over the place and all about the "huge twist you will never see coming."

For me, the huge twist was "Jack didn't die in a drunk driving accident."

(I also rather liked the twist of two different blind dates, but I admit I figured that one out.)

I also call BS on Jack moving out, even temporarily. I hate it when shows establish characters and then have them do something out of character. Jack is not someone who would be OK with taking a break especially as he was also stepping away from his children.

I agree, but for me the really out of character thing was plotting a robbery! (And, to a lesser extent, being stupid enough to think he would get away with walking out of the poker game after one big hand.) I really don't think he sees going to Miguel's as a "real" separation, but just giving Rebecca some space to cool off. I think he expects to be home in two days.

As for the whole singing thing, I get that she put her dreams on hold to raise a family, but so did he! (Anybody remember Big Three Construction?) I agree with whoever above said sometimes what looks like giving up your dreams is really just exchanging an old one for a new one you want more.

I do think the episode could have been cut better. - Sometimes I felt like it time-jumped in the wrong place. But the point upthread about one being pre-empted makes sense. Maybe this one wasn't supposed to be last, and they shifted some stuff to squeeze other stuff in.

I can definitely see Randall wanting to adopt, and I agree that Kevin might be making a mistake. I love what Jack said about kids and how much influence we have or don't, and I am looking forward to hearing Kate sing more.

For now, I'm glad Jack isn't dead yet, and it hope they work things out.

 

[TeresaBelle]

Personally enjoyed the episode tremendously. Jack's plan to take back his poker winnings was very surprising to me. Not only does it seem out of character for the person we've been watching all season to think of attempting something like that, but we've also seen him be pretty intelligent and resourceful in tight situations. I just can't understand that he wouldn't have realized after they got the beatdown and robbed after the game that they were out of their league and should stay away.

It actually wouldn't surprise me if the thoughts upthread that we watched Rebecca's last look at Jack as he walked out the door are correct. I suspect he is likely to succumb to a cardiac episode during the separation.

Here's my issue with Rebecca's choices. She knew her singing several nights a week was putting strain on an already chaotic household. She knew when she was single she was having no luck forming relationships because her lifestyle wasn't conducive to it. She knew Jack had sacrificed a lot of his personal dreams for their family life and was stressed and not really loving his job either, but he did it because he had no choice. She either is paying no attention to the strain Jack has been under or she simply decided to go forward anyway, consequences or no. IMO that's not how married people work things out. She's simply been nursing her wounds from whatever is wrong with her relationship with her own parents and having not succeeded in her single years to make a singing career happen and now she wants to lay all of the blame elsewhere that she hasn't gotten what she wanted. Nope, choices she made derailed her continuing with singing in her younger years. Nobody forced her to make those choices.

Just curious why you think this?

 

[cabanafrau]

Just curious why you think this?

Largely because there has been an intentional connection made between the reveal of Kate's feeling she's responsible for his death and what came out of his following up on his discussion with Kate to see the show. The misdirect was obviously laid out to be the DUI driving to the show. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see it play out that Jack departs for the timeout to Miguel's and subsequently collapses under the strain. Cardiac is the most obvious path to achieve that.

 

[Minnesota!]

I was very bored. I think they incorrectly hyped up this episode. All the actors kept saying how amazing the finale is and how there is a big shocker, and "not what you expect" it to be, and the twists and turns will be unbelievable, and people would be shocked etc. I think we were all waiting for something huge to happen, but nothing really happened.

There was a big shocker - that there was no shocker. The shocker was that the hype led to nowhere..

I think it was a well done episode, but it didn't feel like a season ending one. So, kind of confused on where we left off.

 

[bethbuchall]

I finally got to watch it. Today was another snow day for us, so I had too many people around earlier. It looks like I have a lot to catch up on here. I'll share my thoughts before seeing if they match up with others.

No tears here tonight, but I feel a little numb. The episode certainly didn't help me like Rebecca more. She acts like Jack is the sole reason that she didn't follow her dreams. She didn't have the courage and determination to chase down that dream. Plus, she acted as if she was the only one to ditch her dreams for the family. Jack did that, too. She doesn't express her feelings and expects Jack to know how she feels and then gets upset when he doesn't respond they way that she wants them to, but she doesn't give him any time to really react either. And it's always about Rebecca. Jack's drinking problem isn't conveniently timed for her. Rebecca decides all by herself that Jack needs to leave and stay with Miguel for a while but then doesn't even want to be up front with the kids about it. It was a little sad realizing the she was expecting Jack to sleep outside the bedroom door again this time, but then again there's that self-centered behavior.

Not that Jack did the right things all the time either. He certainly doesn't communicate well (until he gives his speeches). His drinking led to him making some rash decisions that didn't help matters at all.

I know a lot of people don't like when we go back in time for most of the episode and don't move the story forward. I do enjoy getting the back story to see what makes them act the way that they do. But not having the Big Three in the season finale was difficult. I missed them. This would have been a good episode before the season finale.

I guess the cliffhanger is wondering whether Rebecca will ever see Jack alive again. I can't decide which way I think it's going to go. I kind of think him giving that speech, winking, and walking out the door means that she won't. But then I think that's what they want us to think.

It didn't live up to the hype (or some of the previous episodes) to me, but I am still wanting more and will watch next season.

 

[bethbuchall]

I'm excited to see if Randal and Beth do adopt. She didn't seem to excited about the idea

I forgot about my feelings on the little we did see of the kids. I like that Kate wants to sing, but I hope that she knows it's going to be a tough road and that she doesn't get hurt too easily. I am glad that Kevin is taking the chance with this movie, and I hope that he gets out of his own way on the relationship front and doesn't mess things up with Sophie. I'm not so sure about Randall and Beth adopting. I understand why he wants to, but they just had that pregnancy scare and realized that they don't want a baby in their lives now. He's asking a lot of Beth. Plus, I'd think that he needs to focus a bit on finding employment or deciding what exactly he wants to do.

 

[awalker1015]

I liked the episode, though it didn't go as I anticipated. I thought Jack would die but I guess that was how it was set up. I liked the raw reality if there marital issues. It really struck a chord with me.

 

[bethbuchall]

Just wondering if people think Jack should quit his job because his coworker is hitting on him? Or should Rebecca go in & knock her out? I think Jack was completely out of control in this episode & she had every right to kick him out.

Nope, and I don't think Rebecca should have walked out of the bar that night. There must have been someone who could make sure that Jack didn't drive intoxicated. She should have performed. She had a responsibility to the band, and there was no reason for her to ditch them. She should have been professional enough to make it through that night no matter how she was feeling. I can understand if she felt that she couldn't continue the tour because she was worried about leaving a drinking Jack alone with the kids.

Jack was out of control. But I don't think she had the right to kick him out of their house either. That shouldn't have been a unilateral decision.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Maybe the shocker was supposed to be that Jack was almost 30 and still lived at home with his parents...which had to be virtually unheard of in the early 70s.

 

[tcufrog]

If he'd go "off the rails" because she was working with someone she dated for 2 months, 20 years prior, then they really have issues. Huge jealousy issues. In my DH's industry, lots of people date young (or just hook up), break up and then enventually sometimes end up working together again. It's not a big deal if you are mature and feel secure in your marriage. The fact that she did not feel safe enough telling him is a huge red flag to me.

I'm not a fan of jealous spouses but I would also be pissed if my spouse dated someone, didn't tell me, disagreed with me when I told him that I thought that person was attracted to him, and then left home to tour with that person for weeks on end. To me that's quite a violation of trust. I do think there are reasons for unhappiness on both sides though.

 

[kimblebee]

Nope, and I don't think Rebecca should have walked out of the bar that night. There must have been someone who could make sure that Jack didn't drive intoxicated. She should have performed. She had a responsibility to the band, and there was no reason for her to ditch them. She should have been professional enough to make it through that night no matter how she was feeling. I can understand if she felt that she couldn't continue the tour because she was worried about leaving a drinking Jack alone with the kids.

Jack was out of control. But I don't think she had the right to kick him out of their house either. That shouldn't have been a unilateral decision.

Sorry, but I totally disagree. She didn't leave just because Jack was drunk..she also left because that guy tried to kiss her.

If some chick tried to kiss my husband, I for sure would want him out of that situation. Yes, it was Rebecca's dream to be singing, but not to be hit on by her ex (barely). The family didn't 'need' her to sing, so she had no responsibility to stay.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I think part of the reason so many people were disappointed in this week's episode was because last week's episode with William was so powerful. That's a tough act to follow. I do wish they hadn't hyped the season-finale so much.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Maybe the shocker was supposed to be that Jack was almost 30 and still lived at home with his parents...which had to be virtually unheard of in the early 70s.

True - but I wonder if he was worried about leaving his mom alone with his dad?

 

[anniemae]

True - but I wonder if he was worried about leaving his mom alone with his dad?

I think that was a big part of it. At one point he said to his friend, "I have to get out of that house. I have to get my mom out of that house."

 

[wenrob]

True - but I wonder if he was worried about leaving his mom alone with his dad?

He did say he needed to get his mom away from his dad. Still, they were playing up the "young and stupid" before he met Rebecca angle. It just didn't fit with his age in that time period.

 

[cabanafrau]

He did say he needed to get his mom away from his dad. Still, they were playing up the "young and stupid" before he met Rebecca angle. It just didn't fit with his age in that time period.

But we did see him be particularly stupid in anything to do with the poker game and bar.

 

[cabanafrau]

I forgot about my feelings on the little we did see of the kids. I like that Kate wants to sing, but I hope that she knows it's going to be a tough road and that she doesn't get hurt too easily. I am glad that Kevin is taking the chance with this movie, and I hope that he gets out of his own way on the relationship front and doesn't mess things up with Sophie. I'm not so sure about Randall and Beth adopting. I understand why he wants to, but they just had that pregnancy scare and realized that they don't want a baby in their lives now. He's asking a lot of Beth. Plus, I'd think that he needs to focus a bit on finding employment or deciding what exactly he wants to do.

I have doubts about adopting for a different reason, but honestly I don't even have the words to articulate them yet. I will say I can leave room for the idea strictly from the viewpoint that the situation MAY be slightly different now that Randall has left his job.

It would have to be an absolutely mutual decision either way.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Largely because there has been an intentional connection made between the reveal of Kate's feeling she's responsible for his death and what came out of his following up on his discussion with Kate to see the show. The misdirect was obviously laid out to be the DUI driving to the show. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see it play out that Jack departs for the timeout to Miguel's and subsequently collapses under the strain. Cardiac is the most obvious path to achieve that.

But how does that work with Kate feeling responsible for his death? She wouldn't consider a cardiac episode to be her fault, I wouldn't think. It would be a stretch to attribute the cardiac episode all the way back to her encouraging Jack to attend the show.

 

[wenrob]

But we did see him be particularly stupid in anything to do with the poker game and bar.

Right, but what we're saying is that in the 70's that would be a stretch for a 28 year old. That would be more 18 year old behavior back then. On the whole most were a lot more mature in previous decades then they are now. Given what we've seen of Jack it just pushes the believability boundaries for me. In current day Rebecca is about my parents age. By 28 they were both long gone from home, had kids, second marriages, their own homes, solid work history etc. I get that they were trying to show us young Jack, it just didn't feel right to me. Twenty eight in the 70's wasn't young.