This Is Us- Season 3

[elgerber]

I was up walking as soon as the meds wore off from both of my c-s, but I was walking the long halls at the hospital the day after my younger son's birth. Emergency c-s where he was ambulanced to another hospital, so I checked myself out AMA from hospital 1 and had DH bring me to hospital 2. Going back to the other hospital only once, the first night. I stayed there, in his room, for 2 weeks, walking the long halls to the café, the showers, etc. since DH was back at work and I had nobody to push me in a chair. Hospital #1 gave me scrubs to wear when I was leaving, and I lived in those at hospital 2.

I have never seen a NICU set up like what they have on this show - everyone in one room. My experience was everyone had their own room. With a bed in it for the parents. I cannot imagine trying to process the little life in front of you with all the other families of sick babies just feet away..

Ours was one big room, no place for parents, with all the incubators throughout the room.

 

[mnrose]

I was up walking as soon as the meds wore off from both of my c-s, but I was walking the long halls at the hospital the day after my younger son's birth. Emergency c-s where he was ambulanced to another hospital, so I checked myself out AMA from hospital 1 and had DH bring me to hospital 2. Going back to the other hospital only once, the first night. I stayed there, in his room, for 2 weeks, walking the long halls to the café, the showers, etc. since DH was back at work and I had nobody to push me in a chair. Hospital #1 gave me scrubs to wear when I was leaving, and I lived in those at hospital 2.

I have never seen a NICU set up like what they have on this show - everyone in one room. My experience was everyone had their own room. With a bed in it for the parents. I cannot imagine trying to process the little life in front of you with all the other families of sick babies just feet away..

The NICU both my twins were in was set up EXACTLY like the one pictured on the show. All open. No privacy. Just the way it was. It was the highest level NICU available in San Francisco....so the best of the best, and the sickest of the sick babies. The only "division" was that "healthier" (if there is such a thing in the NICU) babies were in one area, and sicker babies in another area. I was familiar with every child in there as a result.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I'm kind of surprised they had Toby and the other NICU dad danced around the "moms are better thing." The fact is, in situations like this men put up a wall. They do not want to become attached to something that can be so easily lost. It's a defense mechanism and it's weird they didn't just call it out on the show.

It never occurred to me that Kevin would have wanted children. I mean he's almost 40, never really settled down, and an actor. Not sure why all of a sudden he's trying to figure out how to fit children in his life - he can't even take care of himself! So I find that story a bit contrived just to stir up drama about Sophie vs Zoe.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm kind of surprised they had Toby and the other NICU dad danced around the "moms are better thing." The fact is, in situations like this men put up a wall. They do not want to become attached to something that can be so easily lost. It's a defense mechanism and it's weird they didn't just call it out on the show.

Isn't that kind of stereotyping? I don't think that all men are like that (or that all women aren't)...and it actually bugged me a little that they even went to the "moms are better at this" place at all. - Of course, I'm not denying that there's been a lot of that in the past, but I do like when shows try to set a more open-minded example.

It never occurred to me that Kevin would have wanted children. I mean he's almost 40, never really settled down, and an actor. Not sure why all of a sudden he's trying to figure out how to fit children in his life - he can't even take care of himself! So I find that story a bit contrived just to stir up drama about Sophie vs Zoe.

I agree with you about the drama - I can't help being a bit suspicious of them bringing Sophie back!

But I think that in a way, Kevin having kids would almost be about finishing what Jack started - kind of like him turning left in the Nicky episode. I could see him being like Jack as a dad, and how his kids would (hopefully) get to have that for so much longer.

 

[Minnesota!]

Ours was one big room, no place for parents, with all the incubators throughout the room.

The NICU both my twins were in was set up EXACTLY like the one pictured on the show. All open. No privacy. Just the way it was. It was the highest level NICU available in San Francisco....so the best of the best, and the sickest of the sick babies. The only "division" was that "healthier" (if there is such a thing in the NICU) babies were in one area, and sicker babies in another area. I was familiar with every child in there as a result.

Wow! I would imagine that was so much harder...to not grieve in peace!!

My son was at Children's - United, and it was all private rooms. The room next to ours was a double - twins born at 26 weeks . It was quite an amazing setup... Couch and recliner in each room, doors, curtains to close off the bed for night time, fridge etc. I definitely feel lucky that he was brought there

 

[debknight]

Back with more thoughts...

I liked the scene with Toby and the other NICU father bonding. It does seem like you'd get to recognize the people you were there with, eventually start talking, etc.

Beth and Randall's kids are going to hear this fight. - I predict it will go really badly at first (someone running away, maybe?) and then turn into a massive family bonding thing where the girls convince the adults they can all manage together.

Who was that actor (playing the other father)? He was very familiar, but could not place him.

 

[crazylady]

I thought this was a really good episode. I like the jumping around to the different families/past more than I liked the format of last week.

I was so mad at Randall when he left that message, but I have to say, I've probably said things that horrible to my husband when I was as mad at him as Randall was at Beth when the thought he had stood her up. Luckily my husband is very forgiving, and I think Beth will be too.

I loved that Kevin met up with Sophie. I wonder if it was just a guest appearance or if she will be back to being a regular. I don't know that I actually like Zoe that much - I think I like Sophie better.

I definitely like Sophie better. I actually think she brought up the kids thing because she thought he would break up with her over it. I don't think shell be a long term relationship.

 

[DisLiss]

I thought the NICU scenes were particularly well done. And, brought me straight back to that place where I was in November 1999. I will also say that Kate was moving way.too.good for having just had major abdominal surgery. I was wheeled places in the hospital while I was still a patient. Also, I was "kicked' out by day 4. If that was supposed to be day 6, she likely would have been discharged too....but was still wearing a hospital gown.

You might be surprised by how much can change in the world of labor and delivery from 1999 to 2018. I was astonished by the differences in how things went with my first child as opposed to my last and they was just under a decade apart. And walking around right away was one of those changes. I was shocked when they came in to get me up and about because it was a lot earlier than with my first who I had close to the same year you mentioned. My first stay I had to be wheeled out of the hospital, but the last, we just walked out. I thought I was "in the know" about everything when I started that pregnancy, but things kept going differently than I expected based on my earlier one.

Length of stay can vary, too, especially if there were any issues with her. When I developed an infection with one of my kids I was given the option of staying inpatient or going back and forth to the hospital every day for a week of daily shots. We chose to come back each day, but if I had a baby still in the hospital, then for sure I would have gone with staying there instead.

Of course, it could also (and probably is!) simply be because the show doesn't always care about those kind of details, and as an example, i once again grumble about the lack of reality in the fire episode.

 

[Trentmom]

Who was that actor (playing the other father)? He was very familiar, but could not place him.

It was the guy who played Finch in American Pie. Someone also said he was on the Scorpion, but I have never seen that.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Who was that actor (playing the other father)? He was very familiar, but could not place him.

Eddie Kaye Thomas:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0858776/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t21

 

[anniemae]

It was the guy who played Finch in American Pie. Someone also said he was on the Scorpion, but I have never seen that.

Yes!!!! He was (ironically) Toby on Scorpion. Loved that show!! He was very funny.

 

[mnrose]

You might be surprised by how much can change in the world of labor and delivery from 1999 to 2018. I was astonished by the differences in how things went with my first child as opposed to my last and they was just under a decade apart. And walking around right away was one of those changes. I was shocked when they came in to get me up and about because it was a lot earlier than with my first who I had close to the same year you mentioned. My first stay I had to be wheeled out of the hospital, but the last, we just walked out. I thought I was "in the know" about everything when I started that pregnancy, but things kept going differently than I expected based on my earlier one.

Length of stay can vary, too, especially if there were any issues with her. When I developed an infection with one of my kids I was given the option of staying inpatient or going back and forth to the hospital every day for a week of daily shots. We chose to come back each day, but if I had a baby still in the hospital, then for sure I would have gone with staying there instead.

Of course, it could also (and probably is!) simply be because the show doesn't always care about those kind of details, and as an example, i once again grumble about the lack of reality in the fire episode.

Oh, they had me up the later that same day too. However, it was much harder for me because I'd been on extended total bed rest.....meaning I'd not been out of bed for ANY reason for 17 weeks. Not even a shower. Nope. Bed baths. 17 weeks. Ugh. LOL. So, I had no endurance at all, and shooting pains in my feet even standing. I had to have nurses on either side of me hold me up as I "walked." The protocol was definitely to get moms up and moving ASAP. I was just an exception. LOL Hard to believe now! It took me nearly a year to fully recover from that extended period of time on my back, especially when combined with recovering from a twin pregnancy.

 

[mnrose]

Wow! I would imagine that was so much harder...to not grieve in peace!!

My son was at Children's - United, and it was all private rooms. The room next to ours was a double - twins born at 26 weeks . It was quite an amazing setup... Couch and recliner in each room, doors, curtains to close off the bed for night time, fridge etc. I definitely feel lucky that he was brought there

Was that Children's in MN? That is an amazing hospital! My DD was in patient there for awhile a fews years back and was as "nice" as a hospital could be.

 

[Minnesota!]

Was that Children's in MN? That is an amazing hospital! My DD was in patient there for awhile a fews years back and was as "nice" as a hospital could be.

It was...St. Paul Children's. It was fantastic...definitely made the hard weeks easier...

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I'm really disliking most of the "current version" characters on the show now. Not sure how much longer I'll be watching. I thought this show would be more like Parenthood...but it's not.

Some gripes:
-What's wrong with someone eating pretzels in a waiting room??? Jeez! It's not the Pearson family's personal weird family drama room--it's a public waiting room that also has a snack vending machine. I saw people here cheering Beth on for her rotten looks...well I think Beth was in the wrong for that.

-How do Randall and Beth make any money...especially to afford their huge and fancy house? Ballet instructors at that level make nearly nothing--it's more of a hobby. A city counsel position in post cities pays moderately but not a "high" salary.

-I agree with Randall that the timing doesn't work out for Beth to be teaching ballet. When your children are in school all day, your time with them is evenings and weekends. Being gone during those times, unless you need the money to pay bills, doesn't make sense. And I think it was foolish of Beth to think that getting drinks with the ballet teachers is more important than a dinner with city government leaders with Randall.

-The RBG doll has me cringing. I'm super political (two of my kids are named after Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher...so yeah, I get it) and it would never occur to me that their first toy should be a political doll. Super weird and just seems like the show writers want to be "so woke."

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

-How do Randall and Beth make any money...especially to afford their huge and fancy house? Ballet instructors at that level make nearly nothing--it's more of a hobby. A city counsel position in post cities pays moderately but not a "high" salary.
-I agree with Randall that the timing doesn't work out for Beth to be teaching ballet. When your children are in school all day, your time with them is evenings and weekends. Being gone during those times, unless you need the money to pay bills, doesn't make sense. And I think it was foolish of Beth to think that getting drinks with the ballet teachers is more important than a dinner with city government leaders with Randall.

I think that will be coming up very soon. There is no way they will continue to be able to afford that lifestyle with the major financial changes they are undergoing. I assume they will all be moving closer to his district at some point because they will have to, not because they want to.

As for Beth's job, I'm not sure how she got hired in the first place, it seems like she hasn't danced for 20 years, and now she's an instructor? Although I'm guessing she works at a mid level type place (a step up from a barre/balletone gym and a step down from a true ballet academy) but it's not clear to me how she's qualified to be an instructor.

 

[cabanafrau]

I think that will be coming up very soon. There is no way they will continue to be able to afford that lifestyle with the major financial changes they are undergoing. I assume they will all be moving closer to his district at some point because they will have to, not because they want to.

As for Beth's job, I'm not sure how she got hired in the first place, it seems like she hasn't danced for 20 years, and now she's an instructor? Although I'm guessing she works at a mid level type place (a step up from a barre/balletone gym and a step down from a true ballet academy) but it's not clear to me how she's qualified to be an instructor.

If Randall can get elected as a council person when he lives two hours away from his district, Beth can become a dance instructor after 20 years away from dance.

 

[PollyannaMom]

-How do Randall and Beth make any money...especially to afford their huge and fancy house? Ballet instructors at that level make nearly nothing--it's more of a hobby. A city counsel position in post cities pays moderately but not a "high" salary.

I wonder if they're actually making money on the building? I still doubt it would be enough to keep up their current lifestyle, but I'm assuming the total of all the incoming rent is higher than whatever mortgage payment they took out to buy it.


Oh, and I totally agree with you about the pretzels and the doll!

As for Beth's job, I'm not sure how she got hired in the first place, it seems like she hasn't danced for 20 years, and now she's an instructor? Although I'm guessing she works at a mid level type place (a step up from a barre/balletone gym and a step down from a true ballet academy) but it's not clear to me how she's qualified to be an instructor.

From what the director said before the recital, I kind of got the impression she took over for someone who left abruptly. Maybe the timing was just right, and they needed someone fast?

 

[lisaviolet]

In a lot of cases I could get behind that idea. If they don't get on the same page quickly I'm scared they'll unravel completely. I absolutely don't want to see that happen so I hope they dig in and sort it out.

Me too.

I honestly think they will get through this moment. I *think* Randall finally saw that Beth's not playing.

William had already tried to convey that this kind of moment needed to occur for Beth, that he saw the pattern between them (I really miss William - in this moment I am realizing that his character was a big part of my affection for the series. And maybe part of the reason I am so frustrated with these storylines/characters.)

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A bit OT but made me think about this episode and the theme of one partner/wife/husband wanting more and more.

Michelle Obama is on her speaking tour. Someone posted that she said Barack came to her and wanted a third child.

She told him to consider his time in the White House his third child.

 

[lisaviolet]

I think it was foolish of Beth to think that getting drinks with the ballet teachers is more important than a dinner with city government leaders with Randall.

Absolutely agree. That made no sense to me at all.

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Since she feels that she has followed Randall's sudden decisions, myriad of dreams, lack of communication for so long I wonder if she's hypersensitive to any kind of "this is more important" talk. Even if it makes no sense in the moment.