Rod and Bassey discuss NBC’s family drama, “This Is Us.â€
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This Too Much: (Protected Content)
TTM 23: Number Two
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Hey guys, I want you to know how much I enjoy “This too much†I have an hour commute to work and love listening to you all. I find myself literally laughing out loud during your recaps. This is my first time emailing. I had to tell you a couple things. Sophia is basic, but yes Nurses do wear white coats. Depending upon their job in the hospital i.e. if they are in management, or have a specialization or are nurse practitioneers. (of course I spelled that wrong). The NPs do the real work, see the patients, and prescribe meds and the doctor rolls up and signs off. I know this because I worked in a heart transplant center with them. But on the real though, how did she know Kevin was strung out!!! I feel Kevin needs to trip the chocolate.
Second as a now therapist who was once a foster care Social Worker, every feeling that Deja went through most kids in foster care experience. Anger, confusion, acting out, torn between loyalty to your mother and your foster parents. Randall and Beth’s reactions also very real, its hard to be a good foster parent because you have to love them like your own, but be prepared for them to go home. Reunification is the first goal in child welfare law. Kids love their parents. I have always said “Your momma can be a serial killer, but she’s still your momma and you love her.†Also until that parent’s parental rights are revoked they are supposed to have a say on everything, hair cut, school, religion. You want to child to stay in familiar surroundings i.e. her school because they have already had enough disruption. Anyway I am between patients and I am typing super fast so I apologize for the punctuation, spelling etc. Tell Karen hi! I love your work on this podcast and the other. Also I agree #fuckmiguel
Venitta
Hey Rod and Bassey,
This episode was pretty great, until I got to the end and started considering that maybe the adorable little boy looking to find a home will be adopted by Kate and Toby.
I have started to like Toby the last few episodes, but am still not sure if I’m ready for more of him, and I am starting to like Kate less and less each episode.
This show is good at some slight twists, so maybe that is what will happen with the little boy now that Kate and Toby want to try again for a child – but maybe she won’t be able to birth them herself, or she may hear more about Daja, remember the great things that happened to Randall from being adopted, and then want to adopt herself.
Thanks for always doing a great recap!!
~ Ada
Hey Rod and Bassey!
Bassey you and I are >>>here<<< with this episode!!! I felt a little guilt for not being moved by Kate and convinced myself that if this were real life, I would be much more compassionate. When I posted on FB that I was watching this episode, friends were like "get your tissues ready" because I cry at EVERYTHING. Not with this episode. My heart got a little warm when Rebecca showed up unannounced after Kate had the miscarriage but that was it. What's worse is I used to like teen Kate the best but she even came with bitch tendencies this episode. One thing about Kate's imaginary competition with Rebecca – I think she also competed with Rebecca for Jack's love. At least that's what I was thinking when Kate saw Rebecca and Jack hugging.
Now to Number 3. First – shoutout to the TTM chat room for calling it about Howard! When Randall mentioned Howard I screamed "WE WERE RIGHT!!!" I absolutely loved the way they portrayed Randall's visit to Howard. I started school at Purdue University but transferred to A&T. My high school was 50% black, so going to Purdue was a culture shock. Then when I visited my sister for spring break at A&T, I was looking around just like Randall. ESPECIALLY at all of the beautiful black men on campus. I wonder if that girl in the dorm room was Beth.
Deja….. I'm going to miss Deja. She's going from her chance to be a kid back to being the semi-adult in the house. It was good to see that Beth and Randall let her stay at her old school – way over in Jersey. And to see them in the back of the room during her science project. Deja was my girl!!! I loved seeing Beth and Deja's mom interact. I didn't want them to fight or anything, but like another commenter said, it was refreshing to see her interact with another Black woman. Farewell sweet Deja… I hope this isn't the last we've seen of her. And Lord when the babies gave her that picture!!! Ok, let me stop getting myself emotional again.
Alright, I'm ready for this cute little boy with the big brown eyes!
I'm excited about hearing the recap of Number 3. I'm going to miss you guys during the break.
Hi Rod and Bassey,
You guys are right about the actor who plays Toby being a good actor. Chris Sullivan acts circles around Chrissy Metz. I didn’t realize this but he was Benny in Stranger Things, the guy who fed Eleven in the first episode. He was also Taserface in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 so the guy has range. The only other thing I’ve seen Chrissy Metz in is a few episodes of American Horror Story and I haven’t seen much growth since then. But one thing is certain, is that Kate’s storyline is just not as strong as Kevin and Randall’s and it’s not as interesting as theirs either and maybe that’s why people struggle with her character. It just seems like she’s created her own problems like this imaginary rivarly with her mother. Hopefully Chrissy will grow as an actress as the show progresses.
With all that being said, Randall’s episode had me in my feels. I thought Beth was going to fight Deja’s mom. I was kind of annoyed with them at first for thinking they had the right to keep Deja away from her mother. I feel like they were looking down on the fact that Deja’s mother lived in a poor neighborhood. That was kind of boujee of them but they came through in the end. I love them as a couple and I can forgive them this transgression because their intentions were good. The scenes with William had me grabbing my box of tissues. Randall remembering how he felt when he found out what Rebecca did and realizing he almost did the same thing to Deja had a sista shedding thug tears.
Teen Randall bonding with black people at Howard made me happy but I think Jack was a little hurt because he briefly thought Randall’s reluctance to introduce him to his friends was a rejection of him. But I just think Randall was more scared that Jack wouldn’t approve of how comfortable he was at Howard when he had his heart set on Randall going to Harvard. That was a very moving scene when Jack showed Randall his brother’s memorial.
Whoo! Let me tell you that when Tess popped up in the backseat of Kevin’s car, I nearly had a stroke. I said to myself if this black baby gets hurt in any way, I’m suing these writers for emotional distress. They can’t be playing with my emotions like this every week. Hopefully this can be Kevin’s wake up call to get better. I just hope Sophie doesn’t use this as an excuse to come back into his life to check in on him because fuck her. Stay gone Sophie!
This is going to be a long winter break.
Evie E
Hey, Rod and Bassey! We made it thru the season.. I’m so sad it’s over, but after this past episode, I need the break until January. Just some quick thoughts.
1. We don’t deserve the black Pearsons.
2. Randal’s Blue Tooth joke had me howling. It’s not the jokes, it’s his delivery. He’s always so pleased with himself, and I die! lol
3. Every version of Randal is just… They are so good. Ugh. It’s sickening.
4. I screamed OH GOD NO!!!! when Tess popped up in that back seat. Kevin is dead to me. *spits*
5. That little boy that the Pearsons are about to get made my ovaries scream!!! OMG why are the kids on this show so cute???
Anyway, one last thing. I finally understand why Randal didn’t necessarily see that Kevin is spiraling because of his own shit. Nic Ju and I had an exchange on Twitter a few weeks ago and she referred to Kevin as Kate’s boyfriend brother or something like that… lol and she’s right. If Kate and Kevin weren’t soooo codependent, then Randal might not have assumed that Kevin was so shaken because Kate lost her baby. Shout out to Nic Ju
Anyway, I hope social services don’t come for Randal and Beth because of Tess being in that car. You know how they can overreact sometimes. Death to Kevin.
Later guys, enjoy the break!
CocoQT
Deja’s Mom broke the number one rule. NEVER SHOW UP TO BLACK PEOPLE HOUSE UNINVITED OR UNANNOUNCED. Fresh outta jail too?! She know better than that. I didn’t like the idea of them trying to press charges, just to keep Deja. I’m glad they both thought it through. It was so important for Randall to have that conversation with William, because without it, i don’t think he comes to the conclusion not to fight for Deja. I’d also like to point out how good it was for them to include that conversation with William to kind of balance the timeline. Those flashbacks with William serve as important fillers for context when it comes to this story postmortem. Randall’s “She has this whole world spinning before us†sounded a lot like, William’s “I didn’t even know which bike was yours.†Furthermore, I have no words for that farewell scene. “Who gonna call you out for being corny?†I really hope this isn’t the end for Deja on this show. If it is, i hope it’s to give another young black (I’m rooting for everybody black) actor/actress an opportunity to shine.
Now to teen Randall…
How nervous you think Jack was watching Randall walk off with a nigga wearing a Pelle pelle? Keith had Randall eating burgers in the quad, hangin in the dorm, listening to Nas. It’s like Randall been doing this all his life. I felt so happy watching his character let loose in a way we hadn’t seen since the Memphis episode as an adult. I really loved the conversation they had on their way home, when Randall likens him hesitating when introducing him to how he’s felt his whole life. I thought it was important that he simplified it (no shade to Jack) in a way he could understand. I thought it equally important that Jack in his own simple way (again, no shade) demonstrated that he understood and used his experience in Vietnam.
Now this nigga Kevin… i was gonna break precedent and give ‘Its not us it’s you†to Randall for trying to put that black woman back in jail. But the devil is a lie. When that baby popped up in the back seat i almost called the police my damn self. I. CANNOT. EVEN.
Rod, while they’re on a break for December, are you picking up anything new? I started watching Marvel’s The Runaways on Hulu, but i think I’ll save that discussion for The Nerd Off.
Bassey, if i understood you correctly on the last episode, you’re disconnecting for a while to work on your book? If that’s the case, here’s to a clear mind and an open space while you work.
Take care y’all.
-Todd
Hi Rod and Bassey,
Glad to see Tobey getting some love from you guys. I have long thought the actor who plays Tobey (Chris Sullivan?) was the person who carried his scenes with Kate (I first noticed it last season when Kate broke up with Tobey because it was the first time I really noticed how weak the actress is). I agree this episode gave him his time to shine and hopefully won over some fans for his polarizing character.
I agree with Rod that Kate is a low-key a Trumper. There is just this undercurrent of nastiness with her character, it was even there when she made the snide comment about Rebecca and Randall that she labeled a joke. Kate just always comes across as the girl who is put out by the “Mean Girls†not because they are mean, but because as a social outsider, she can’t be a mean girl herself. I support you and Bassey in your efforts to keep Tobey and write off Kate.
Mandy Moore just continues to be everything in this role. I kick myself for thinking she wasn’t selling the older Rebecca scenes last season. I’m looking forward to the Randall episode but I also fear that we will see Randall the jack-ass in the next episode.