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...]
Vote for the Fifth Annual Feelies!
Posted by Kim and Sage It's the second most wonderful time of the year!! (The MOST wonderful time of the year being Most Handsome Young Man; you guys aren't even ready for it this year.) The fifth annual Feelies are upon us, where we celebrate 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...]
“Strays always end up with someone who needs ’em.” – This Is Us Recap – Clooney
source: bigthree.tumblr.com This Is Us Season 2, Episode 12 "Clooney" Posted by Shannon George Clooney references abound in This Is Us. The last time we heard Clooney it was in reference to Kevin’s grand Manny return, so I honestly … [Read more...]
“This is not how I pictured my day at rehab going.” – This Is Us Recap – Fifth Wheel
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 11 "Fifth Wheel" Posted by Shannon Between the winter break and the structure of the fall trilogy, it’s been a while since we’ve had the whole Pearson gang together. And DAMN is there a lot to talk about. … [Read more...]
“That’s the ride.” – This Is Us Recap – Number Three
This Is Us Season Two, Episode 10 "Number Three" Posted by Shannon Just as he was the last piece of the familial puzzle for Jack and Rebecca, Randall’s entry into the fall finale trilogy pulls together each of the strings from the last two … [Read more...]
“We will not let this break us” – This Is Us Recap – Number Two
source: thisisthebig3.tumblr.com This Is Us Season Two, Episode 9 "Number Two" Posted by Shannon The fall finale trilogy is beginning to resemble a kaleidoscope; with each turn of the camera, we see a new angle, gain a new awareness, … [Read more...]
“You guys wanna honor Kevin Pearson? Let’s honor him.” – This Is Us Recap – Number One
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 8 "Number One" Posted by Shannon The first half of the season is winding down with a structured trilogy of episodes focused on each of the Big Three. Personally, I love this idea; This Is Us hasn’t played with its … [Read more...]
“We don’t get a lot of families in here that look like yours.” – This Is Us Recap – The Most Disappointed Man
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 7 "The Most Disappointed Man" Posted by Shannon Disappointment and hope are intrinsically linked; in a heartbreaking, complicated way, it’s almost impossible to have one without the other. “The Most … [Read more...]
“I’m not the same as I was.” – This Is Us Recap – The 20s
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 6 "The 20s" Posted by Shannon When my quarter life crisis hit, I had just moved to New York City, finally achieving a goal I’d had for the entirety of my young life. Sure, I made it to the town of my dreams, but that … [Read more...]
“I try not to feel anything at all.” – This Is Us Recap – Brothers
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 5 "Brothers" Posted by Shannon The Pearson family has a few calling cards. Steelers fandom, a knack for performance, and an attachment to unique traditions all signify their familial bond. But they also share a … [Read more...]
“You shouldn’t have to try.” – This Is Us Recap – Still There
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 4 "Still There" Posted by Shannon There certainly is a lot going on this week. Thematically, “Still There” is all over the place; the episode splits its focus between race, parenthood and illness, bouncing around … [Read more...]
“There’s no such thing as a long time ago.” – This Is Us Recap – Highs and Lows
This Is Us Season 2, Episode 3 "Highs and Lows" Posted by Shannon Toxic masculinity is some dangerous bullshit. It’s never ending, it’s inescapable, and it’s exhausting. And while I honestly never thought I’d say this, it’s also the crux of … [Read more...]
“Some things are better left unsaid.” – This Is Us Recap – A Manny-Splendored Thing
source: thisisthebig3.tumblr.com This Is Us Season 2, Episode 2 "A Manny-Splendored Thing" Posted by Shannon This week was such a relief. I know I’ve harped on how disappointed I was by the season one finale, and while last week wasn’t all … [Read more...]
“I wanna adjust your perfect plan.” – This Is Us Recap – A Father’s Advice
This is Us Season 2, Episode 1 "A Father's Advice" Posted by Shannon Welcome back, Pearson clan! We’ve made it through a long summer hiatus, nabbed some statues along the way (STERLING, DARLING, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EMMY), and are picking up … [Read more...]
“That would be some way to leave us.” – This Is Us Recap – Moonshadow
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 18 "Moonshadow" Posted by Shannon The first season of This is Us had some near-perfect episodes. It also had some that stood on the importance of their character development, even when the plot or structure faltered, … [Read more...]
“It was enough time to know that I loved him.” – This Is Us Recap – What Now?
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 17 "What Now?" Posted by Shannon After saying farewell to William last week, the penultimate episode of the season is full of complex themes. The Pearson clan has spent their recent days pondering legacy, blame, and … [Read more...]
“He was the one that could steady you when the world felt like it was spinning.” – This Is Us Recap – Jack Pearson’s Son
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 15 "Jack Pearson's Son" Posted by Shannon One of the most remarkable things about This Is Us is its ability to speak on a topic before really expanding on the details that brought its characters to that point. This … [Read more...]
“Take me to meet your father.” – This Is Us Recap – Memphis
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 16 "Memphis" Posted by Shannon “Memphis” is the second episode of the season to narrow its focus to something smaller, less sprawling, than the usual story. But instead of focusing on a day, it focuses on a person - … [Read more...]
“They’re make or break, these moments.” – This Is Us Recap – I Call Marriage
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 14 "I Call Marriage" Posted by Shannon The Valentine’s Day episode is still to come, but this week’s episode took the opportunity to focus in on love. What does it mean to love, in its many contexts and forms? … [Read more...]
“Why are you here?” – This Is Us Recap – Three Sentences
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 13 "Three Sentences" Posted by Shannon The Pearsons are all about family traditions; be it big holidays or tiny annual celebrations, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to see just how much comfort the family takes in … [Read more...]
“You’re going to have to take the good with the bad when it comes to me.” – This Is Us Recap – The Big Day
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 12 "The Big Day" Posted by Shannon As we learned in “The Game Plan,” the thesis statement for This Is Us rests on the interconnectivity of our lives. Generational impacts, along with smaller, everyday decisions, … [Read more...]
“Always a headache with triplets.” – This Is Us Recap – The Right Thing to Do
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 11 "The Right Thing to Do" Posted by Shannon I have a theory about handling a crisis: it’s just as important to understand how you’ll react in the aftermath as it is when you’re in the midst of one. As the Pearsons … [Read more...]
The Best Performances of 2016
Posted by Kim and Sage We've discussed the best TV moments of 2016 (you can find those here and here), so now we turn to the individual performances that brought us the most joy this year. These are the performances that inspired us, that stayed … [Read more...]
The Top 20 Television Moments of 2016 – Part One
Posted by Kim and Sage WE DID IT YOU GUYS. The end of 2016 is nigh. Everyone take a deep sigh of relief. It is a truth universally acknowledged that 2016 was a dumpster fire of a year. It was brutal with the celebrity deaths and it felt like … [Read more...]
“Nothing bad happens on Christmas Eve.” – This Is Us Recap – Last Christmas
This Is Us Season 1, Episode 10 "Last Christmas" Posted by Shannon For the first full episode this season, the whole Pearson crew is on the east coast. And it is SO good to have everyone together. But before we can get the whole family under … [Read more...]