source: livelovecaliforniadreams This Is Us Season 4, Episode 9"So Long, Marianne" Posted by Shannon When I first saw the title for this episode and realized it was likely going to be the fall finale, I knew someone in production was out to get … [Read more...]
“When you’re sick you gotta let the people who care about you help.” – This Is Us Recap – Sorry
This Is Us Season 4, Episode 8"Sorry"Posted by Shannon https://carla-roson.tumblr.com/post/189084412136/this-is-us-2016-season-4-episode-8-sorry I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what kind of responsibility an older generation has to the … [Read more...]
“This dinner’s about to get awkward as hell.” – This Is Us Recap – The Dinner and the Date
This Is Us Season 4, Episode 7"The Dinner and the Date" Posted by Shannon https://tiffanymaxwels.tumblr.com/post/188862270343/open-toe-shoes-for-an-open-mind Here’s a fun fact about tiny child me: I absolutely LOVED when my parents had people … [Read more...]
“Let me ask you – do you see yourself there?” – This Is Us Recap – The Club
This Is Us Season 4, Episode 6"The Club" Posted by Shannon Wheeew. It’s been a minute since an episode went straight through me, and to be honest it hadn’t happened yet this season. I guess we were overdue. It’s no wonder, either, since this hour … [Read more...]
“You really do have the strangest relationships with people.” – This Is Us Recap – Storybook Love
source: snowluthor This Is Us Season 4, Episode 5"Storybook Love" Posted by Shannon Moving is the worst. Everything is out of place, boxes seem to multiply on their own no matter how much you unpack, and on top of all the logistical nightmares, … [Read more...]
“We go with sweet instead of funny.” – This Is Us Recap – Flip a Coin
This Is Us, Season 4"Flip a Coin" Posted by Shannon https://livelovecaliforniadreams.tumblr.com/post/188383993765 Every once and a while, Pearsons across time and space unify their efforts and remind me precisely why I love and identify with … [Read more...]
“We are gonna look like the toughest gang in the neighborhood.” – This Is Us Recap – Unhinged
This is Us Season 4, Episode 3"Unhinged"Posted by Shannon I’ve spent a lot of time yelling about friendship in This Is Us over the years. Almost exclusively, I’m speaking of their lack. It’s not unusual for family shows to have a tendency to … [Read more...]
“You had me at ‘Okay, so here’s what’s up.’” – This Is Us Recap – The Pool: Part Two
This Is Us Season 4, Episode 2"The Pool: Part Two" Posted by Shannon I’ve been revisiting my all-time favorite novel recently (A Prayer for Owen Meany, which, for the record, leaves the crying ratio for This Is Us out in the cold). Within … [Read more...]
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Jack Damon.” – This Is Us Recap – Strangers
This Is Us Season 4, Episode 1"Strangers"Posted by Shannon Welcome to the halfway point of This Is Us, fam! https://rather-impertinent.tumblr.com/post/187947686703 With the three (THREE!) season renewal the show landed earlier this … [Read more...]
“I found the door.” – This Is Us Recap – Her
source: thisisthebig3 This Is Us Season 3, Episode 18"Her" Posted by Shannon I do love a season bookend. We haven’t had one yet in This Is Us: season one ended with a whimper, season two with a wedding, and neither spoke directly to their … [Read more...]
“We have been having the same fight since we met.” – This Is Us Recap – R & B
source: livelovecaliforniadreams This Is Us Season 3, Episode 17"R & B" Posted by Shannon I thought I was ready for this. On its face, I was. I was ready for Beth and Randall to throw down, to see just how far the show was willing to take … [Read more...]
“It’s you. Final answer.” – This Is Us Recap – Don’t Take My Sunshine Away
source: mystifyinglane This Is Us Season 3, Episode 16"Don't Take My Sunshine Away"Posted by Shannon To be perfectly honest, I’m still recovering from last week’s episode. I think the show is too; after all, it’s standard practice to get a bit … [Read more...]
“This family stays.” – This Is Us Recap – The Waiting Room
source: livelovecaliforniadreams This Is Us Season 3, Episode 15"The Waiting Room" Posted by Shannon A well timed, well executed bottle episode is a thing of beauty. They can’t be overused, and you shouldn’t necessarily see one coming, but if a … [Read more...]
“Ready for the graduation double feature?” – This Is Us Recap – The Graduates
source: bigthree This Is Us Season 3, Episode 14"The Graduates" Posted by Shannon Generally speaking, this is not a family that handles large-scale transitions well. Without their patriarch, without their self-declared center, big life changes … [Read more...]
“I’m gonna forget that part of me.” – This Is Us Recap – Our Little Island Girl
source: tiffanymaxwels This Is Us Season 3, Episode 13"Our Little Island Girl" Posted by Shannon In hindsight, it’s a crime how little we’ve known about Beth Pearson. I don’t fully disagree with the slow burn of her career change leading us to … [Read more...]
“I wanted to be a writer. And then I wanted to be a Doctor. And then I didn’t want anything.” – This Is Us Recap – Songbird Road, Part Two
Source: livelovecaliforniadreams This Is Us Season 3, Episode 12“Songbird Road: Part Two” Posted by Shannon There must be something in the air on Songbird Road that brings the Pearson men down. For all the sadness of Part One, as dire … [Read more...]
“Yeah, you’re Jack’s kids, alright.” – This Is Us Recap – Songbird Road, Part One
source: thisisusedits This Is Us Season 3, Episode 11"Songbird Road: Part One" Posted by Shannon One of the only true and tangible signs of growth, in this writer’s humble opinion, is the ability to learn from mistakes. It’s a theme throughout … [Read more...]
“What’s on my mind? Uh, John Stamos, mostly.” – This Is Us Recap – The Last Seven Weeks
source: livelovecaliforniadreams This Is Us Season 3, Episode 10"The Last Seven Weeks" Posted by Shannon A fundamental truth about my media taste is that I am a massive sucker for a story told backwards. (Fiddling with time structures in … [Read more...]
“This family lifts each other up.” – This Is Us Recap – The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 9 “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning” Posted by Shannon Is this my favorite episode of This Is Us ever? I can't say for sure. But it’s on the list, right up there with “Memphis” and the entire Big Three … [Read more...]
“No one person can be my MVP.” – This Is Us Recap – Six Thanksgivings
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 8 "Six Thanksgivings" Posted by Shannon Thanksgiving is the perfect Pearson holiday. It’s got just the right dash of drama that comes with families of all sorts coming together and making traditions, without the … [Read more...]
“I’ve gotten really good at just swallowing the bad stuff.” – This Is Us Recap – Sometimes
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 7 "Sometimes" Posted by Shannon I’m a solo traveller. Almost exclusively, when I head out of town it’s by myself, with a Rick Steves backpack and a vague outline for what I’m gonna do when I get where I’m going. … [Read more...]
“Fits and starts, right?” – This Is Us Recap – Toby
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 5 "Toby" Posted by Shannon If you told me this time last year that I would be annoyed when an episode titled “Toby” focused on all our main characters rather than diving deep into the life of its namesake, I never … [Read more...]
“It’s not your job to fight his demons.” – This Is Us Recap – Vietnam
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 4 "Vietnam" Posted by Shannon “Vietnam” is a beginning, not an ending. This week’s episode is our first look into Jack and Nick’s time serving in one of the most horrific displays of this country’s militarism to … [Read more...]
“The solo gets all the glory, but the bass holds down the root.”- This Is Us Recap – Katie Girls
This Is Us Season 3, Episode 3 "Katie Girls" Posted by Shannon There certainly was a lot happening this week. “Katie Girls” isn’t so much a throughline episode - instead, the hour is busy making a whole lot of plot happen. Each of the Pearsons … [Read more...]
“I see so much of him in you.” – This Is Us Recap – A Philadelphia Story
Posted by Shannon It goes without saying that death and trauma have lasting effects. We haven’t seen much of the first days after Jack’s passing, and while the ripples into his family have been a constant fixture of the show, we’re all still … [Read more...]
“I dunno how you’re gonna make this right with Oprah.” – This Is Us Recap – Nine Bucks
This Is Us, Season 3 Episode 1 "Nine Bucks" Posted by Shannon Hello hello and welcome to Season Three! If you joined us for my recaps last year (in which case, thank you, good to have you back) you might remember that after last season’s finale, … [Read more...]
The Winners of the Fifth Annual Feelies!
Posted by Kim, Sage, Sarah, and Shannon After a week of ferocious campaigning (look, we aren't even sorry for letting our biases show when it came to the WTF moment) and fervent voting, the winners of the Fifth Annual Feelies are here. Some of the … [Read more...]
“You are my way.” – This Is Us Recap – The Wedding
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 18 "The Wedding" Posted by Shannon If all of Season Two was about Jack’s death (and it was, for better or for worse), then it’s only fitting that the finale take a step back and refocus. Set us up … [Read more...]
“I can’t carry this for you.” – This Is Us Recap – This Big, Amazing, Beautiful Life
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 17 "This Big, Amazing, Beautiful Life" Posted by Shannon I love a good thesis statement. It’s the English major in me, I’m sure, but a comprehensive thesis statement can’t be beat. It’s adaptable but steady, and as … [Read more...]
“Let’s never do nothing again.” – This Is Us Recap – Vegas, Baby
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 16 "Vegas, Baby" Posted by Shannon I love it when art imitates life. Just a few weeks ago, on our way to the annual Gallifrey One convention, myself, our fearless Head Over Feels leaders and a large contingent of … [Read more...]
“You’re as tough as they come, Rebecca Pearson.” – This Is Us Recap – The Car
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 15 "The Car" Posted by Shannon In retrospect, it was a mercy to have these most recent two episodes air within three days of each other. After building up to “Super Bowl Sunday” for most of the past … [Read more...]
“I am going for the catharsis jugular.” – This Is Us Recap – Super Bowl Sunday
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 14 "Super Bowl Sunday" Posted by Shannon I recently had a revelation about anniversaries. Having hit one myself - a five-year anniversary of a personal holiday tradition - I got to thinking about how we mark the … [Read more...]
“The last Pearson Super Bowl is getting off to an angsty start.” – This Is Us Recap – That’ll Be the Day
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 13 "That'll Be the Day" Posted by Shannon I know, I know. I’ve been saying since the Season 2 premiere that teasing out Jack’s death was manipulative and tired. And I stand by it. But to be completely honest, now … [Read more...]