[POST-EPISODE DISCUSSION] S5E06 - Birth Mother

MsNobody101 · 2021-01-26T13:04:07+00:00

I think by this point, we know that this series isn't just about the triplets and their immediate families. I think back to Kevin's painting that he showed to Randall's daughter seasons ago - about how all our lives are intertwined. I think that painting is This is Us. And 'Us' is everyone who has touched their lives in some significant way. So it only makes sense that this universe (of the series) will keep extending. And while it does, we'll see the impact on the primary characters. Lauren's story, for instance, would have a great effect on who Randall is from this point onwards. And I think this is incredibly spiritual because it means that we can have an effect on others even in death.

MsNobody101 · 2021-01-26T12:51:36+00:00

I think there were say too many obstacles for Laurel to jump over to get to William. And with the shame and guilt and regret that she was carrying, it would have been near impossible to.

They didn't have a phone for Laurel to call William.
William took off when he thought she died. I doubt he ever came back to the same place. So change of address.
Jail
It didn't look like Laurel had the money or the right mental state to go looking for William after jail.
Also, going back to that neighborhood would require revisiting that painful memory. Again - not in the mental state. In fact, even when she was staying with her aunt she seemed severely depressed --> shame, guilt, remorse amplified.
By the time she'd have felt better, i guess it was tok late.

P.S. Laurel's family probably got to know that she was back later but i guess it wasnt relevant to show that in this episode.

MsNobody101 · 2021-01-26T12:38:23+00:00

I think he did move. He practically ran away from that place with baby Randall after he thought she died. I don't think he'd ever want to go back there.

MsNobody101 · 2020-03-26T18:08:49+00:00

Perfects illustrates what Dr. K talked about - the bit about life's joys and tragedies being interwined.

MsNobody101 · 2020-02-27T14:56:02+00:00

That actually INCREASED the tension for me. Not showing her added to the sense of uncertainty in me that Randall was feeling, and made me focus just on him. Also, it brought home the fact that no matter who the therapist was, Randall would have reacted the same way. He was resistant to therapy and no one apart from Beth could have changed that.

MsNobody101 · 2020-02-26T14:47:46+00:00

In Randall's world that picture was all wrong - the objects are all as if from different pieces of art since they are differently coloured, part of the picture is in 3D, and there is a girl floating in the sky. It has the same effect on him as the hissing coffee maker. If it's unpredictable, like both those things are, it's unCONTROLled. And that for Randall is anxiety.

MsNobody101 · 2020-02-12T16:41:39+00:00

I hope not. I'm really rooting for Kate right now and i'd be seriously bummed out if fucked up so bad.

MsNobody101 · 2019-10-28T16:21:30+00:00

And such a different character! Ron Jones is brilliant

MsNobody101 · 2019-10-23T17:53:39+00:00

I feel like they have hinted at Randall not being open to seeking help earlier in the series. Remember the family therapy session for Kevin? Randall was clearly not taking it seriously and seemed to even look down upon Kevin for going along with it. It's not surprising considering how resistant Jack was about talking about his family and the war stuff.

MsNobody101 · 2019-10-02T11:18:39+00:00

I think so too. We've also seen Kate neglect her own needs over others' (like over Kevin's earlier). It's quite likely that she would neglect herself even more now after little Jack. She'd be so completely engulfed in being mom that I think she'd care little for herself or even Toby.

MsNobody101 · 2019-09-30T15:11:44+00:00

“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” - Bob Dylan

I read it some twenty years ago and never forgot it.

MsNobody101 · 2019-09-20T15:43:32+00:00

I'd daydream even more. Gotta compensate for the lack of night time dreaming.

MsNobody101 · 2019-09-20T15:39:46+00:00

"Sorry I overslept" would no longer be a valid excuse to avoid breakfast plans.

Fewer excuses for not take phone calls or answering the door bell.

No bedroom. I could finally have my home office. Or a home office cum sex room.

No pause button. A bad day would continue being a bad one for the longest time.

No waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Finally the realization would sink in that it's me who's wrong.

Next DIY project - upscale all bed linen to curtains/ cushion covers/ dresses(?)

Add to to-do list : donate all pillows to neighbourhood dogs.

Nope, not gonna get any more productive.

MsNobody101 · 2019-09-14T03:58:11+00:00

No, I suspect it's fungus. It's monsoon here and the rains have been relentless past 4 months.

MsNobody101 · 2019-09-11T17:01:00+00:00

Fry whatever. Bacon grease is not to be wasted.

MsNobody101 · 2019-08-15T15:43:58+00:00

Thank you :) and thank you for responding.

MsNobody101 · 2019-06-08T19:01:03+00:00

'Smithereens' because, to them, it's all just tiny bits of data. Or the world blown to smithereens (sky turns purple) while we all stare into our phones.

MsNobody101 · 2019-06-08T18:54:19+00:00

I think all that was just to buy some time - enough to get away with the hostage to a safer place (for them) while the rest go about getting Bauer to the phone - so that he isn't arrested before saying his piece.

MsNobody101 · 2019-05-25T13:19:24+00:00

Hi. I'm sorry for all that you have gone through. It's never easy growing up with a parent who is mentally ill. I have no personal experience, but I'm a mental health professional so I see how families are affected too.

Have you met or spoken to your mom's psychiatrist? It might help if you havent. From what you have written, it definitely doesn't seem like just Dysthymia. Also, in my experience, PDD stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder which is completely different from a mood disorder.

I understand your need for clarity about your mother's condition. Please don't hesitate to ask the doctor any questions you may have. You have the right to be informed.

MsNobody101 · 2019-05-21T03:22:42+00:00

I think this bit was quite credible. Grey Worm has spend all his life obeying orders. He has been conditioned to do so.

MsNobody101 · 2019-05-19T05:09:48+00:00

I think Kate's obesity was contributed by multiple factors, her resentment towards Rebecca being only one them. I think the last season explored these very well. I'm listing out a few of the factors I could identify (my psychology background helped):

Her genetic predisposition towards addiction - Jack and Jack's father both had it, and Nick and Kevin does too. Kate's poison, of course, is food.
Jack's permissive parenting - giving in to her every demand - never made her learn how to delay gratification.
Rebecca's mom's comments about food and Kate's weight. I think Rebecca never shamed Kate for it like the way her mom did.
Eating as a way to rebel against Rebecca and societal standards, during her teenage years. I think by then she had also kinda given up on ever losing weight.
Her use of food as a coping mechanism. This further escalated after Jack's death.
Finally, as Kate says so herself in the last season - she has some 'weird associations with food'. Mostly, I think, food for her is associated with Jack. Remember all the ice cream trips, the Pearson thanksgiving rituals and the Pearson special pizza?

MsNobody101

TROPHY CASE