This Is Us, Season 4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scene in the car with Nicky reacting to the song was heartbreaking. Everything Jack has told Randall about that song was exactly what Nicky had told Jack. I still don’t quite understand why Jack cut off Nicky altogether. So many wasted years.

It has never made sense to me, either. Giving up on someone-- especially someone so dear-- seems really out of character for Jack.

It was the timeline. Jack died soon after he told Nicky that they were finished and he never wanted to have anything to do with him. Nicky mentioned that last season. He put two and two together. When told when Jack died, Nicky said something like, “that’s why I never heard from him again. He died. I never knew. I just thought he hated me so much that he really didn’t want me in his life. Therefore I just stayed away.” Of course I paraphrased.

But he had already effectively cut Nicky out after that incident in Vietnam. The triplets were in high school when Jack died but he had never even mentioned the existence of Nicky to Rebecca or the kids.

DP. Agreed. It just seems so out of character for Jack not to have ever even mentioned to his family that he had a brother.

[Anonymous]

Why isn’t the answer simply that Nicky didn’t exist until the show was renewed and the writers created his story line?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t the answer simply that Nicky didn’t exist until the show was renewed and the writers created his story line?

how dare you bring a common sense approach to fantasy land...

for shame

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t the answer simply that Nicky didn’t exist until the show was renewed and the writers created his story line?

The writers have said they mapped out the series from the start. They would have had to, to make it work. You can see how little bits from earlier seasons come back and make sense in new storylines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn’t the answer simply that Nicky didn’t exist until the show was renewed and the writers created his story line?

The writers have said they mapped out the series from the start. They would have had to, to make it work. You can see how little bits from earlier seasons come back and make sense in new storylines.

And besides, even if they did decide at late date to add Nicky, there's no reason they couldn't have made him known to the family or exist in flashbacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scene in the car with Nicky reacting to the song was heartbreaking. Everything Jack has told Randall about that song was exactly what Nicky had told Jack. I still don’t quite understand why Jack cut off Nicky altogether. So many wasted years.

It has never made sense to me, either. Giving up on someone-- especially someone so dear-- seems really out of character for Jack.

It was the timeline. Jack died soon after he told Nicky that they were finished and he never wanted to have anything to do with him. Nicky mentioned that last season. He put two and two together. When told when Jack died, Nicky said something like, “that’s why I never heard from him again. He died. I never knew. I just thought he hated me so much that he really didn’t want me in his life. Therefore I just stayed away.” Of course I paraphrased.

But he had already effectively cut Nicky out after that incident in Vietnam. The triplets were in high school when Jack died but he had never even mentioned the existence of Nicky to Rebecca or the kids.

DP. Agreed. It just seems so out of character for Jack not to have ever even mentioned to his family that he had a brother.

In Jack’s mind, Nicki purposefully killed a kid. Jack gave up on him then and nicki was dead to him. I think it was purposeful on the writers part to give Jack a dark side. We see it again with him getting drunk while golfing with Rebecca’s dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scene in the car with Nicky reacting to the song was heartbreaking. Everything Jack has told Randall about that song was exactly what Nicky had told Jack. I still don’t quite understand why Jack cut off Nicky altogether. So many wasted years.

It has never made sense to me, either. Giving up on someone-- especially someone so dear-- seems really out of character for Jack.

It was the timeline. Jack died soon after he told Nicky that they were finished and he never wanted to have anything to do with him. Nicky mentioned that last season. He put two and two together. When told when Jack died, Nicky said something like, “that’s why I never heard from him again. He died. I never knew. I just thought he hated me so much that he really didn’t want me in his life. Therefore I just stayed away.” Of course I paraphrased.

But he had already effectively cut Nicky out after that incident in Vietnam. The triplets were in high school when Jack died but he had never even mentioned the existence of Nicky to Rebecca or the kids.

DP. Agreed. It just seems so out of character for Jack not to have ever even mentioned to his family that he had a brother.

In Jack’s mind, Nicki purposefully killed a kid. Jack gave up on him then and nicki was dead to him. I think it was purposeful on the writers part to give Jack a dark side. We see it again with him getting drunk while golfing with Rebecca’s dad.

I agree about giving Jack a dark side, which his drinking did very effectively, but this thing with Nicky was different. It's such a leap from thinking Nicky is really struggling in Vietnam to thinking he'd deliberately kill a kid. Nicky was always such a gentle soul, and Jack knew that. For him to think Nicky was capable of that just doesn't seem right. The writers certainly didn't show any hints of depravity from Nicky that would have realistically lead up to that conclusion.

[Anonymous]

But Nicky wasn't a gentle soul during war. We saw that. He was a royal dick.
he was selfish, self-loathing, sorry for himself grade A jerk. I am sure war did that to a lot of sensitive young men but to say Nicky was this sweetheart was just not how Jack saw him anymore.
jack went over to save him and Nicky was a self-sabotager her took Jack's good name and gave it the middle finger.
Jack was pissed as he likely saw sides of his father in Nicky that he had never saw before so was done wtih him.

My question is, did the military know Nicky surivied or did they think he died as well?

[Anonymous]

My theory as to why Kevin and Randall aren’t talking at Kevin’s 40th bday is because once they found out mom was sick, Kevin didn’t step up and take care of mom like he did for Nicky. That put a lot of strain on Randall and his family. However, in the future, I believe it was Kevin’s apartment that mom was in the bed, old and sick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My theory as to why Kevin and Randall aren’t talking at Kevin’s 40th bday is because once they found out mom was sick, Kevin didn’t step up and take care of mom like he did for Nicky. That put a lot of strain on Randall and his family. However, in the future, I believe it was Kevin’s apartment that mom was in the bed, old and sick?

But in the flash forward, Rebecca is with Kevin and Kate at the cabin. And with Kevin saying he’d come to realize the importance of family— his care for Nicky, desire for wife and kids— it wouldn’t make sense for him to blow it with Rebecca. Plus he’s the one with plenty of money so no job responsibilities to juggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But Nicky wasn't a gentle soul during war. We saw that. He was a royal dick.
he was selfish, self-loathing, sorry for himself grade A jerk. I am sure war did that to a lot of sensitive young men but to say Nicky was this sweetheart was just not how Jack saw him anymore.
jack went over to save him and Nicky was a self-sabotager her took Jack's good name and gave it the middle finger.
Jack was pissed as he likely saw sides of his father in Nicky that he had never saw before so was done wtih him.

My question is, did the military know Nicky surivied or did they think he died as well?

Yes, Nicky was all that, but wasn’t it more self-harm than violence toward others? And to believe that he deliberately killed the kid would mean that it was premeditated, not just excessive force in a tense battle situation. Jack would have to believe that Nicky singled out that kid during a peaceful interlude, lured him onto that boat, and blew him up. That seems like such a stretch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just popped in to say that Rebecca losing her phone shouldn’t have been enough to raise alarms. I lose my phone several times a day!

Having lived this to the point I was sobbing watching it all, it's not just the phone. It's the memory lapses. She taking photos of the office. She is moody and defensive. I had the same argument Randall had where my mother exploded far more than Rebecca and said the whole "I am THE MOTHER thing." Just thinking about that scene makes me cry because it is like they have been inside my life. It's a nightmare getting an elderly parent to realize something is wrong and see a doctor when the dementia itself (or whatever her issue may be-brain tumor?) changes your personality and self-awareness. I had tears in my eyes just like Randall.

I totally get why Randall and Kevin aren't speaking and it must be mom's illness. I was livid at siblings for denial and making me out to be the drama queen. It may not be the same situation, but I definitely believe it is the illness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just popped in to say that Rebecca losing her phone shouldn’t have been enough to raise alarms. I lose my phone several times a day!

Having lived this to the point I was sobbing watching it all, it's not just the phone. It's the memory lapses. She taking photos of the office. She is moody and defensive. I had the same argument Randall had where my mother exploded far more than Rebecca and said the whole "I am THE MOTHER thing." Just thinking about that scene makes me cry because it is like they have been inside my life. It's a nightmare getting an elderly parent to realize something is wrong and see a doctor when the dementia itself (or whatever her issue may be-brain tumor?) changes your personality and self-awareness. I had tears in my eyes just like Randall.

I totally get why Randall and Kevin aren't speaking and it must be mom's illness. I was livid at siblings for denial and making me out to be the drama queen. It may not be the same situation, but I definitely believe it is the illness.

That’s what I love about the show, the moments are so right. I don’t connect with one character, but it’s individual storylines or scenes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just popped in to say that Rebecca losing her phone shouldn’t have been enough to raise alarms. I lose my phone several times a day!

Having lived this to the point I was sobbing watching it all, it's not just the phone. It's the memory lapses. She taking photos of the office. She is moody and defensive. I had the same argument Randall had where my mother exploded far more than Rebecca and said the whole "I am THE MOTHER thing." Just thinking about that scene makes me cry because it is like they have been inside my life. It's a nightmare getting an elderly parent to realize something is wrong and see a doctor when the dementia itself (or whatever her issue may be-brain tumor?) changes your personality and self-awareness. I had tears in my eyes just like Randall.

I totally get why Randall and Kevin aren't speaking and it must be mom's illness. I was livid at siblings for denial and making me out to be the drama queen. It may not be the same situation, but I definitely believe it is the illness.

That’s what I love about the show, the moments are so right. I don’t connect with one character, but it’s individual storylines or scenes.

Agree. Well said, PP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just popped in to say that Rebecca losing her phone shouldn’t have been enough to raise alarms. I lose my phone several times a day!

Having lived this to the point I was sobbing watching it all, it's not just the phone. It's the memory lapses. She taking photos of the office. She is moody and defensive. I had the same argument Randall had where my mother exploded far more than Rebecca and said the whole "I am THE MOTHER thing." Just thinking about that scene makes me cry because it is like they have been inside my life. It's a nightmare getting an elderly parent to realize something is wrong and see a doctor when the dementia itself (or whatever her issue may be-brain tumor?) changes your personality and self-awareness. I had tears in my eyes just like Randall.

I totally get why Randall and Kevin aren't speaking and it must be mom's illness. I was livid at siblings for denial and making me out to be the drama queen. It may not be the same situation, but I definitely believe it is the illness.

That’s what I love about the show, the moments are so right. I don’t connect with one character, but it’s individual storylines or scenes.

Yeah, the only thing that is unrepeatable is not long after that scene Rebecca when Randall apologizes for thinking something is wrong, Rebecca admits she now thinks something IS wrong with her memory. I just continued to deal with rage fits even when doctors confirmed something was wrong. Maybe in normal families things move forward, but in mine I just became the scapegoat and punching bag for basically caring and not burying my head in the sand. That said, i totally understand how dementia can leave familie4 members estranged from eachother. I am still livid at a sibling for staying in denial and feeding mom's crazy rather than doing what is ethical.