This Is Us Season 5 Episode 13 Recap: Brotherly Love

Sterling K. Brown and Justin Hartley in This Is Us / NBC

To sum up Randall and Kevin Pearson’s relationship on This Is Us, I turn to one of the smartest and wisest movies ever made, High School Musical 2. There’s a scene between Troy and Chad where Troy apologizes for being a jerk over the summer. Troy says, “Hey, brothers fight,” to which Chad says, “And they’re still brothers.”

Is that the greatest brotherly quote ever? Randall and Kevin fight, but they’re still brothers. Finally, it was time for “The Talk” between Randall and Kevin. Did the brothers become closer or move farther apart?

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 13 Recap: “Brotherly Love”

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

Randall traced his battle with identity and race all the way back to his childhood. The episode starts with a 5-year-old Randall spending time in the kitchen with a black couple. It’s clearly a fantasy, but more on that later.

In a flashback, it’s boys’ weekend at the Pearson household and Jack takes 5-year-old Randall and Kevin to a taping of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. While in line at the show, a PA mistakes another white boy as Jack’s second son instead of acknowledging Randall. Jack forgives the PA for the mistake, but it stings Randal. To overcompensate for the mistake, Jack asks the PA to give Randall a “special seat” with a great view of Mister Rogers, much to Kevin’s dismay. Kevin then acts out the entire taping because of his jealousy for Randall.

Before leaving the set, Randall is alone with one of the puppets on stage. Randall reveals to the puppet that he created a set of imaginary parents for himself. These imaginary parents are a black weatherman and a black librarian, who happen to be two of the only black people that Randall sees daily. The puppet says it’s ok to create this fantasy, which makes a young Randall smile.

The College Boys

In the second flashback on This is Us, a late teenage Randall visits Kevin in Los Angeles. Randall is in town for a Model UN conference while Kevin tries to make it as an actor. Kevin calls Randall the “Fresh Prince” upon arrival at his small, beatdown apartment.

After some small talk, Kevin convinces Randall to go out clubbing, and the brothers start to drink like fish. I just want to say that Kevin is a MANIAC for taking straight shots of cheap vodka. Randall starts to loosen up with more liquid courage and takes a hurtful jab at a painting on the wall. Then, Kevin gives Randall a fake ID of a black guy who looks nothing like him. When Randall relays his concerns, Kevin says it will be fine since they’re “both black guys.”

On the cab ride to the club, Kevin is obnoxious to the black cab driver, requesting music changes and demanding specific routes to take. Annoyed, Randall tries to defuse the situation, but it leads to an argument, and the cab driver kicks the brothers out of the car. Randall and Kevin then wrestle on the street before calming down and walking back to the apartment.

While in the hallway, Kevin apologizes for being a jerk. Randall specifies that he was a jerk to their black cab driver, and Kevin responds by saying he’s rude to all cab drivers regardless of race. This argument is a microcosm of their relationships with race. Kevin overlooks Randall’s race despite blackness and identity being very important to Randall. In turn, Randall never wants to discuss race with Kevin for fear of an argument and elects to diffuse any situation where it’s brought up.

The boys eventually make up. Kevin admits he’s a struggling actor and says he’s jealous of Randall because he seems to have it all figured out (Beth, college, future, etc). Randall comforts Kevin by complimenting his painting, taking back his previous insult.

The Talk

In the present on This Is Us, Kevin arrives at Randall’s house, and the two waste no time diving. Kevin acknowledges that Randall probably had a tough, racially charged childhood. It could not have been easy growing up as the only black kid in a white family, living in a predominantly white area. Kevin shares his regret for not defending Randall when the racist father of his prom date humiliates Randall for being black.

While Kevin’s words are sincere, Randall doesn’t accept this defense because frankly, he believes it’s not a true apology. Kevin is just saying what he thinks Randall wants to hear instead of taking responsibility for his racial blindspots.

When the duo locks themselves out of the house, Randall tells Kevin he’s not an intentional racist. However, Randall explains that Kevin’s ignorance towards race was the true problem. Kevin insists that jealousy, not race, was the heart of his problems with Randall. On the flip side, Randall questions if his relationship with Kevin would have been different if he were white and accuses his brother of never accepting his blackness.

The argument showed no signs of slowing down after returning to the house. A defensive Kevin believes Randall is ungrateful for the life that Jack and Rebecca gave him. It’s actually the opposite. Randall is very grateful for his adoption but does wish he could have had a life with his birth parents. It’s here where Randall explains ghost kingdoms and how the black weatherman and black librarian in their town were his imaginary parents. Kevin finally starts to understand where Randall is coming from and the two start to reconcile.

Later in the night, Kevin finally accepts responsibility for his inconsiderate treatment of Randall. Kevin’s jealously stemmed from the fact that Randall’s blackness gave him special treatment so Kevin lashed out and tried to put Randall down because of it. This is the apology Randall was looking for all along. The episode ends with Kevin embracing Beth and the girls as Randall looks on with a smile.

That night, Randall dreams about his ghost kingdom, but this time, it’s with William and Laurel. Randall can finally dream about a life with his real parents, which puts him at ease.

Is all forgiven between the brothers? I’m not sure, but this was definitely a step in the right direction. Brothers fight, but they’re still brothers.

Did you like last night’s episode of This Is Us? Leave your comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 12 Recap: Who Is The Best Man?

Sterling K. Brown on This Is Us

There is a storm coming on This Is Us that would make Selina Kyle jealous. The impending storm involves a serious conversation between Randall and Kevin about race, childhood, and their future as brothers. But first, coffee*.

I’m drinking coffee right now so in the moment, that phrase feels right even though it has nothing to do with This Is Us.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 12 Recap: “Both Things Can Be True”

Madison And Toby Bond At The Park

No bond is stronger than that of the Big Three. It’s the Fort Knox of sibling relationships. Because of this, those on the outside looking in end up bonding since they can’t join the exclusive club. We’ve seen the “Other Big 3” bond before in a text chain. Miguel, Beth, and Toby can now add Madison to the group.

Madison and Toby spent some time at the park with their children as Kevin worked on wedding plans and Kate started her new job at the school. Both Madison and Toby are hiding secrets from their significant others. Madison wants a new wedding venue while Toby struggles with Kate’s employment opportunity since he’s now a stay-at-home dad.

Madison and Toby urge each other to come clean with Kevin and Kate. Madison asks Kevin to change the wedding venue, and he agrees without pushback. On the other hand, Toby does not reveal his feelings about work after Kate shares her excitement about helping a young girl sing “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. I’ll give it a few episodes before Toby and Kate argue about their future.

Beth And Tess Enter New Territory

In Philadelphia, Beth nervously prepares for a “date” between Tess and her new friend (are they officially dating?), Alex. Beth quizzes herself on Alex’s preferred pronouns and promises to accept Tess’s new relationship. Things were going fine until Beth opens the door to Tess’s room and discovers the duo huddled close on the bed. After Beth asks Tess and Alex to study downstairs, Tess abruptly calls Beth a psycho. Calling your mother a psycho is a death sentence so Beth asks Alex to leave. This starts an argument where Tess accuses Beth of having a “look” when she saw Tess with another girl.

Beth takes some time to cool down and vent to her mother, Carol, about her own feelings towards Tess and her future. Beth explains how she always dreamed of Tess dating boys and marrying a wonderful man, but would let that dream go in favor of what her daughter wants. In her mind, Beth thinks she let that dream go, but Tess begs to differ. Carol describes how it’s not ok to just let go of her thinking. Carol says Beth must adjust to this new reality, relating it to her relationship with her daughter and how she wasted 20 years holding on to false hope. It was here I knew that This Is Us was pulling our heartstrings tonight.

Finally, Beth and Tess attempted to smooth things over in their relationship. Tess is sad that Beth has to “try” in their relationship when that’s not Deja’s or Annie’s case. Beth swears that they’re still close, but Tess doesn’t wholeheartedly agree with this notion. I applaud This Is Us for making this a marathon and not a sprint. The show could’ve easily ended this argument after one episode so I’m glad that this subject and tension will continue between Beth and Tess.

Miguel To the Rescue

Is Miguel the nicest guy to ever exist on This Is Us? Seriously, Miguel is such a good friend. When Jack decides to propose to Rebecca, Miguel helps his friend every step of the way. While practicing the proposal, Jack accidentally jams the engagement ring onto Miguel’s finger, which causes it to get stuck.

As the men try to get the ring off, Rebecca’s dad arrives to let Jack know that he will accept the proposal, but won’t give Jack his blessing. Jack views this as a win, but Miguel passionately defends Jack’s honor and praises his friend’s heroic qualities. Although he doesn’t say a word, Jack’s father seems to reconsider and offers to help get the ring off Miguel’s finger.

In the present, Miguel also moonlights as a wedding planner and meets with Kevin to discuss the rehearsal dinner. Surprisingly, Uncle Nicky wants to plan the wedding, too. Nicky clearly has an ulterior motive, and it’s revealed when he takes an unnecessary shot at Miguel for marrying Rebecca after Jack’s death. It’s a huge low blow if you ask me. Miguel had every right to punch Nicky, but instead, he takes the high road and explains how he thinks about what Jack would think of this marriage every single day and how he’ll never have a chance to explain his reasons.

Later that night, Nicky calls Miguel to apologize for the insult. Once again, Miguel shows such restraint and forgives Nicky for the cheap shot. Miguel goes one step further and tells Nicky that Jack never fully cut his brother out of his life. In the past, Jack asked Miguel to stand on the altar and say a few words at the reception but never says “Best Man,” because Miguel believes that spot was always reserved for Nicky.

I’m still convinced Miguel will die at some point. I wrote this a few weeks ago.

Kevin And Randall Prepare To Talk

While Nicky and Miguel bicker, Kevin tries to muster up the courage to ask Randall to be his best man. After trying to write an email, Kevin finally calls Randall and asks him to be his best man. To Kevin’s surprise, Randall happily accepts. When Kevin tries to talk with Randall about their childhood, Randall, who had an emotional day at therapy, passes and says to do it another time.

However, Kevin wants to have “the talk” in person and offers to visit Randall in Philadelphia. Randall accepts the proposal.

Next week, the brothers will sit down and hash out their issues. It’s long overdue.

Also, shoutout to Kevin’s exes, who read about his engagement in the tabloids. I can’t wait for Sophie to show up and profess her love for Kevin.

Did you like last night’s episode? Leave your comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2021 Oscars Discussion, Vol. 7: Will SAG Awards Alter Oscar Race?

Promising Young Woman

What is “The Big Three?” It’s not LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The trio I’m referring to is the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Oscars. These are the three biggest mainstream awards for films. If a film or actor does well at the Globes and SAGs, then it’s probably going to win an Oscar.

On Sunday, the SAG Awards will hand out some hardware. After Sunday night, will the Oscar races heat up or cool down?

Will The SAG Awards Alter The Oscar Race?

Do the SAG Awards affect the Oscar race?

The short answer is yes. The SAG Awards matter. Just look at last year’s results.

Every winner in the five major categories went on to win the Oscar in their corresponding category. I doubt that this trend will happen two years in a row. Why is that? Look at the Outstanding Performance by a Cast category for 2020 below. What notable film is missing?

The answer is Nomadland, which is the heavy favorite at -400 to win Best Picture according to Vegasinsider. Since 2010, five winners of Outstanding Cast went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. During that same time frame, 2017 (The Shape of Water) and 2018 (Green Book) where the Best Picture winner didn’t receive an Outstanding Cast nomination.

Despite the lack of a SAG nom, Nomadland won the top prize at the Golden Globes and the Producers Guild Awards. The latter is noteworthy because the PGA winner won the Oscar for Best Picture 10 of the last 13 years. I’m expecting Nomadland to make it 11 out of 14. If I had to pick one film to play spoiler, it would be Minari. If Minari wins the SAG for Outstanding Cast, it could ride that momentum to the Oscars just like Parasite did last year.

In the acting categories, the male races seem all but over. The SAG Awards are voted on by actors and the acting community’s reaction to Chadwick Boseman’s campaign has been universally positive. He may receive every single first-place vote for Outstanding Lead Actor. The same could be said for Daniel Kaluuya, whose captivating performance in Judas and the Black Messiah should result in SAG and Oscar gold.

On the female side, it’s a bit cloudier. Frances McDormand, who has won two SAG Awards for Leading Actress in a Film and two Oscars for Best Actress, is the favorite, and rightfully so. She’s awesome in everything she does including Nomadland. However, watch out for Carey Mulligan. Her performance in Promising Young Woman garnered excellent reviews, which led to important wins at Critics Choice Awards and National Board of Review. Whoever wins the SAG will be the favorite to win the Oscar.

In the supporting actress category, your guess is good as mine. You might be better off closing your eyes and pointing at a name. Maria Bakalova, my personal pick to win, and Youn Yuh-jung are the two names to watch. The two women have gone back and forth all season, alternating wins in every critic’s circle beside the Golden Globes. Bakalova recently won the Critics Choice Award so I give her the slight edge going into the SAG.

Previous Discussions:

Out of all the winners at the Golden Globes, who will win an Oscar? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 11 Recap: Uncle Nicky Comes To Town

Uncle Nicky This Is Us

Uncle Nicky’s origins have been somewhat mysterious since his introduction. We know Nicky and Jack were close until that fateful day in the Vietnam War when Uncle Nicky’s mistake accidentally led to the death of a child. That resulted in a separation between the brothers as Jack tried to put his life pre-Vietnam behind him even if that meant alienating Nicky. Last night on This Is Us, we received a glimpse at a happier Nicky and what his life could have been.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 11 Recap: “One Small Step …”

Moon Man

Although he became jaded and secluded in his elder years, Nicky was quite the opposite as a young man. Nicky was a shy, happy, and intelligent guy who lived with his parents and worked at a veterinary clinic. On the day of the moon landing in 1969, Jack, who moved out of the house, visits Nicky and tells him to get out of the house and go out on a date. It turns out that Nicky has the perfect girl to take out in Sally, his coworker.

Nicky and Sally bond over his love and appreciation for the moon. The duo become inseparable as Nicky forms a deep, loving connection with Sally and her van, “Pearl.” One night, Sally asks Nicky to come with her to Woodstock, and then to California to work on her cousin’s farm. Nicky hesitantly agrees at first, but after receiving Jack’s blessing, decides to take the leap of faith with Sally and travel the country.

Unfortunately, Nicky develops cold feet on the night he’s supposed to leave with Sally. After bonding with his father over the moon, Nicky decides to stay, mainly to protect his mother from his abusive father. Nicky noted that he’s “better with her when I’m around.”

The “What Could Have Been” Meet Up

We know that Jack and Nicky met up at least once post-Vietnam when Jack essentially cut Nicky out of his life. It turns out there was a chance for a second meet-up. A few years after Vietnam, Nicky is in bad shape and clearly needs help. His old war buddy tells him about meeting up with some members of their unit to celebrate one of their engagements. More importantly, Nicky learns that Jack will be there.

Despite his fears, Nicky musters up the courage to attend this party. Upon arrival, Nicky notices Jack enter the building, but hesitates to say anything and remains in the parking lot. Inside, Jack receives advice on how to deal with his tough past and how to move on. He’s told to forget about his old life, lock it away, and focus on forming a new life with Rebecca. This advice explains why Jack moved on from Nicky. However, Nicky still had a chance to speak with Jack in the parking lot. Just when he’s about to call out his name, Nicky stops in his tracks when Jack looks at the engagement ring he bought for Rebecca. The brothers then go their separate ways.

Great Uncle Nicky

In the present-day on This Is Us, Nicky surprises Kevin and Madison at their doorstep. He explains how he received an invitation for the twins’ baptism and decided to show up even if the ceremony was taking place on Zoom. As someone with a 90-year-old Grandma who doesn’t use Zoom, I totally sympathize with this mistake.

Anyways, before arriving in Los Angeles, Nicky enlisted the help of Cassidy to prepare for the trip. Nicky is really excited about the trip and even makes two beautiful snowglobes by hand to give to the twins. Unfortunately, Nicky can’t bring his presents past TSA, which leads to Nicky accidentally destroying the presents. This reminds me of Chris Rock’s rant about airport security and how it used to be fun to fly.

In typical Kevin fashion, he starts planning activities to do with his uncle and the twins, which freaks Nicky out since he’s not used to his much love. After debating on pulling an Irish Exit to Kevin, Cassidy talks him off the ledge and encourages him to accept their love.

Late at night, Nicky sneaks into the twins’ room and gives an impassioned speech about his life and how regret and fear have held him back. Nick compares the moon landing to his life, that the impossible became possible. If man could land on the moon, then Nicky could be happy.

This was arguably one of my favorite episodes of the season. Uncle Nicky finally got the backstory he deserved. Hopefully, Uncle Nicky is here to stay.

https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta/status/1374541617399480324?s=20

Did you enjoy last night’s episode of This Is Us? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

How Much Would You Pay To Watch A New Movie At Home?

Black widow

I miss movie theaters. As someone who hasn’t been inside a theater in well over a year (NYC theaters just opened a few weeks ago), I’m ready to sit on a creaky chair, ruin my posture, and snack on some salty popcorn. I even miss paying an absurd price for a ticket, which ranges from $13-$17 depending on the theater.

Let’s focus on price for a second. In most situations, theaters were closed due to the pandemic so studios either released straight to VOD or delayed the release. Because of this, many studios skipped the theatrical experience in favor of video on demand for a premium price of $19.99.

After I paid $19.99 to rent The King of Staten Island last June, my dad said, “$19.99? Expensive movie!” Is twenty dollars an absurd price to pay for a movie at home?

If you’re an average person, then you’re probably not shelling out the money to pay for a premium movie when there are hundreds of movies to choose from on services like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, Hulu, etc. Throw in the fact that streaming services also provide binge-worthy TV shows like The Office and many moviegoers are passing on a $19.99 movie.

What if the movie was from Marvel or Star Wars? What if Leonardo DiCaprio says the hell with Apple TV+ and releases Killers of the Flower Moon straight to VOD for $24.99? What are you willing to pay for giant blockbusters with popular IP and star power?

This question will be put to the test with Black Widow, which will release in theaters July 9 and on Disney+ with Premier Access, which comes with a $30 rental fee. So in addition to a Disney+ subscription, subscribers will need to pay $30 to access Black Widow if they want to watch it at home. If not, then they can see it in a theater.

Will I pay $30 for Black Widow?

Probably not, but that’s because I will see it in a theater. However, if I want to watch the film with a group of friends or family members, I might elect to watch it on Disney+ since the $30 price split between a few people will be less than a movie ticket.

The Black Widow new got me thinking about the future of premium VOD and rentals. What would I be willing to spend to watch a movie I desperately wanted to see? Is there a price that’s too high?

To test this theory, I ran down some highly-anticipated movies that either just came out or will come out in the future and determined how much I would pay to watch them at home. Since I’m the only one answering, I’m paying full price for the movie and watching it alone for this hypothetical. I’m not factoring in the split cost of watching with other people.

Black Widow – $19.99

$19.99 might be expensive for indies or a mid-budget film, but for a Marvel movie with a rumored budget of $200m, $19.99 is a fair asking price for Black Widow. If theaters weren’t open, then I would pay the $30. In fact, if I could own Black Widow, I’d easily pay the $30. But since it’s only a rental, $30 is a bit steep for one guy.

Tenet – $19.99

There’s no test involved here because I bought Tenet for $19.99. Inversion!

Dune – $30

Let’s pretend you had to pay a premium price for Dune instead of watching on HBO Max. Dune is one of my most anticipated movies in 2021. With a stellar cast and Denis Villeneuve (one of my favorite directors) at the helm, I’m willing to pay at least $30 for this sci-fi epic. More worms, more money.

F9 – $50

It’s hard to put a price on your family, and Dominic Toretto is my brother. I’ve waited four years for my Fast & Furious family to return to theaters. I’d pay $50 right now to watch one of my favorite franchises tear up the (TV) screen.

No Time To Die – $100 or more

I lied. I pay $100 for No Time to Die. I need Bond back in my life. Also, shoutout to me for this analysis. Spot on?

How much money would you pay to watch a movie at home? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 10 Recap: The Dinner Table

NBC's This Is Us

If you like uncomfortable conversations at the dinner table, then last night’s episode of This Is Us was in your wheelhouse!

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 10 Recap: “I’ve Got This”

Anyone Up For Some Credit Card Roulette?

Anyone up for some credit card roulette? Back in the past, Jack learned to never play credit card roulette, especially with cocky businessmen. The men across from Jack would’ve been snake oil salesmen in the early 1900s. Plus, the waitress should not have the option to look at the cards when playing roulette. She needs to close her eyes or turn away and pick. This game of credit card roulette was fixed. To quote Brodie Broadus from The Wire, “The game is rigged, man.”

Jack spent money he didn’t have, a tale as old as time. However, this moment changed how the Pearson family dealt with money. Rebecca told Jack that she would be handling the finances and putting 10% of Jack’s monthly salary into savings. Well done, Rebecca.

The Dinner From Hell

In terms of awkwardness, family dinners are as uncomfortable as they get if all hell breaks loose. Well, all hell did break loose at Randall’s house. Beth has always had a contentious relationship with her mother, Carol (Phylicia Rashad). With Carol in town, Beth feels like a demon is breathing down her neck at all times. (Apologies to Phylicia Rashad. She’s not a demon, but a demanding and judgmental in-law can be someone’s worst nightmare.)

With Carol set to leave the next day, Beth decided to make the perfect dinner as a way to prove her worthiness as a mother and leader of a household. Before sitting down for some chicken curry, Randall shared an important moment with Malik outside on the porch. (Shoutout to Isaac the basil plant.) Malik’s ex-girlfriend, Jennifer, who happens to be the mother of his child, expressed interest in being apart of baby Janelle’s life again. Randall, who spent most of his life wishing he knew his birth parents, supported Malik’s decision to give Jennifer another chance.

As you could expect, dinner became a war zone on This Is Us. Carol threw a backhanded compliment towards Beth about her chicken. Tess scolded Beth for using the wrong pronouns towards her friend, Alex. Tess also revealed that she’s dating Alex, which came as a surprise to Beth since Carol already knew about the relationship. Deja confronted Malik and Randall about Jennifer. Beth finally reached her breaking point and lashed out against Carol. It’s not what you want to see.

After taking some time to relax, everyone finally calmed down. Randall apologized to Deja and reassured her that he will always be #TeamDeja. Beth apologized to her mother after Carol revealed her appreciation towards her daughter and her family. In a surprising twist, Beth told Randall that Carol will be staying at their house indefinitely, which means Randall will be spending a lot more time on the porch.

The Dinner From Hell (In California)

Across the country, there was another dinner full of arguments and awkward moments and no, I’m not referring to an episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Kate, Toby, Madison, and Kevin decided to meet for dinner as a temporary escape from their newborns.

Before dinner, Toby asked Kate to not mention the fact he lost his job. Toby was waiting on a potential job offer and did not want to discuss work with Kevin unless he had another job lined up. As soon as the Damons arrived at Kevin’s house, bad news struck when Toby received a rejection email from a potential employer. Throw in the fact that Kevin wants to build a family compound in Mailbu. Toby was bound to explode at some point.

Money is a tricky subject to discuss with other people. No one wants to admit they’re struggling or need help. Our pride gets the better of us. However, people in better financial situations need to understand this concept and respect someone’s wishes when it comes to finances.

Take the above paragraph and apply it to the dinner conversation between Kevin, Toby, Kate, and Madison. After Kevin offered to pay for everyone’s childcare, Toby flipped out and stated he doesn’t want or need Kevin’s money. Toby assumed that Kate told Kevin about their financial troubles, which she did not disclose. Toby then tripled down on outbursts when he called out Kevin and Madison’s nanny for doing all the “hard stuff” of parenthood, which was a cheap shot. Cooler heads prevailed as Kevin and Toby forgave each other later on. Mark my words, this conflict between Kevin and Toby is far from over.

At the end of the night, Kate shared that she’s going back to work as teacher’s assistant, and Toby was less than thrilled with the news. Something tells me things are only going to get worse for Toby. I could see his depression ramping up in future episodes. Hang in there, Tobe.

Uncle Nicky Comes To Town

Kevin was greeted by none other than Uncle Nicky, who showed up on his front porch at the end of the night. Next week will be Uncle Nicky’s time to shine. See you then.

Did you like last night’s episode? Leave your comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2021 Oscars Discussion, Vol. 6: Making Sense Of The Golden Globes

Judas and the black messiah

The first stop on the road to the Oscars happened last Sunday night at the Golden Globes. Which actors and films picked up crucial victories on the road to the Oscars?

How Do The Golden Globes Affect The Oscars?

The Golden Globes are so unpredictable that they’ve actually become predictable. What do I mean? Viewers now expect the Globes to do something so against the grain every year that it’s no surprise when it happens. Sometimes, it’s a good surprise like rewarding Andra Day for Best Actress in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Other times, a film like Music*, which was universally panned by critics, receives a nomination for Best Musical or Comedy.

*Kate Hudson, you were robbed of Oscars for your performances in Almost Famous and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Before we can determine if the Golden Globes might affect the Oscars, let’s go over the winners in each category.

  • Best Motion Picture – Drama: Nomadland
  • Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
  • Best Actor – Drama: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
  • Best Actress – Drama: Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday 
  • Best Actor – Musical or Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
  • Best Actress – Musical or Comedy: Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot 
  • Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah 
  • Best Supporting Actress: Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian
  • Best Director: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
  • Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • Best Original Score: Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross, Soul
  • Best Original Song: “Io sì (Seen)” by Niccolò Agliardi, Laura Pausini, and Diane Warren, The Life Ahead
  • Best Foreign Film: Minari
  • Best Animated Feature: Soul

Take a long look at this list. Some of the winners should start practicing their acceptance speeches for the Oscars. Others should just enjoy this moment right now because it will take a miracle to win in late April. Joe Reid of Vulture wrote a great piece about the Globes and if it translates to Oscar success. Since 1991, out of the 404 winners in the film categories, only 201 went on to win the Oscar, which is just under 50%.

Some of these categories are easier to predict than others. Based on Sunday night’s winners, a few of these races seem over.

My Stone Cold Locks To Win Oscars

  • Best Actor – Drama: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
  • Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah 
  • Best Animated Feature: Soul

If you put a gun to my head and asked for the three Golden Globe winners to win Oscars, I’d pick Boseman, Kaluuya, and Soul. Boseman is not going to lose, and rightfully so. Pixar rarely loses Best Animated Film at the Oscars (10 wins in 13 tries) so Soul is going to win. You could argue Kaluuya is more of a wildcard, but the public’s reception to Judas and the Black Messiah has been strong so I see him riding this wave to the Oscars.

Safe Bets To Win

  • Best Director: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
  • Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • Best Original Score For Either Mank or Soul: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

A step below locks are the safe bets, which are the ones you would feel good about predicting. Zhao became the second woman ever to win the Golden Globe for Best Director and will most likely become the second female ever to win the directing Oscar. Nomadland has a lot of support, which bodes well for her chances in this category. At the Oscars, screenplay is divided into Best Adapted and Best Original. Sorkin will compete in Best Orginal Screenplay and will be a big favorite to win his second Oscar. Finally, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are competing against themselves as either Soul or Mank will win for Best Score.

On The Right Track

  • Best Picture: Nomadland

Nomadland ascended to the top of the Best Picture race with a win in Best Motion Picture – Drama. However, it’s no guarantee it will win Best Picture. Since 2010, the Best Motion Picture – Drama winner has gone on to win Best Picture only three times. I’m interested to see if The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Minari can gain ground on Nomadland with wins at either the Critics’ Choice Awards or SAG Awards.

Your Guess Is As Good As Mine

  • Best Actress – Drama: Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday 
  • Best Actress – Musical or Comedy: Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot 
  • Best Supporting Actress: Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian
  • Best Original Song: “Io sì (Seen)” by Niccolò Agliardi, Laura Pausini, and Diane Warren, The Life Ahead
  • Best Foreign Film: Minari

Out of these five winners, the easiest category to predict is Best International Film. Minari will not be eligible in this category at the Oscars. I just don’t know what film that will win. Then, there’s Best Original Song. Diane Warren has been nominated in this category 11 (!!!!) times and will most likely receive her 12th nomination for “Io sì (Seen).” Will she finally be rewarded with an Oscar? Maybe?

If you like upsets, the Golden Globes provided them in every female acting category, Day, Pike, and Foster were underdogs in their respective categories and all left Sunday night with some hardware. These wins throw a wrench in the plans of every Oscar prognosticator.

Forget the winner, predicting the nominees will be a tall task for both best actress and best supporting actress. In Best Actress, Frances McDormand, Viola Davis, and Carey Mulligan should receive the first three nominations. Before the Globes, Vanessa Kirby appeared to be on the fast track to a nomination. Now, I’m not so confident anymore. Between Day and Pike, I lean towards Day receiving the nomination, but Pike is well-respected in the film community. Could she also be nominated and take Kirby’s spot? My prediction: Kirby and Day receive nominations to round out the category.

Frankly, Best Supporting Actress is a clusterfuck. Foster’s win was way out of left field. This category is so competitive that I don’t think Foster will even be nominated for an Oscar. Only two women were nominated in this category at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, and SAG Awards. Those women are Olivia Colman and Glenn Close.

Let’s assume Colman and Close are two of the five nominees. That leaves five women for three spots: Foster, Amanda Seyfried, Youn Yuh-jung, Helena Zengel, and Maria Bakalova. This category depends on Bakalova. Will the Academy take her performance in Borat 2 seriously? Hopefully, will because Bakalova stole the show from Cohen, which was no easy task. If I had a vote, Bakalova would be my winner. So if Bakalova gets nominated, that means there are two more spots. Mank received the most nominations at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards so Seyfried will probably receive a nomination for the best performance of her career. That leaves Zengel, Youn Yuh-jung, and Foster for the fifth and final spot. Because of her nomination at both the Globes and SAGs, Zengel is my pick for the fifth and final nomination.

TL;DR: To determine if a winner at the Golden Globes will also win at the Oscars, flip a coin.

Previous Discussions:

Out of all the winners at the Golden Globes, who will win an Oscar? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2021 Golden Globes Predictions: Who Should Win And Who Will Win?

Chadwick Boseman Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Believe it or not, awards season is set to begin Sunday night at the Golden Globes. Just like the Emmys, the Globes are going virtual. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host the ceremony for a fourth time, which means Tom Hanks won’t have to become a meme after a Ricky Gervais joke.

The Golden Globes are very divisive because of the mystery surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press. A few days ago, the L.A. Times published a controversial report about the HFPA’s ethics and lack of diversity. Who are they? Your guess is as good as mine.

Despite the controversy, the Golden Globes is my favorite award show to watch. In a normal year, everyone gets drunks and celebrates. That’s my kind of party. I’m still waiting for my invite to an after-party…

The Globes are difficult to predict because of the secretive voting body. However, there are some trends that serve as a forecast for the Oscars and Emmys.

-Since 2010, the Best Motion Picture – Drama winner has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Picture three times while the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy winner has won Best Picture twice. However, in that same timeframe, every Oscars’ Best Picture winner besides Parasite (ineligible; awful rule by the way) was nominated in either Best Motion Picture – Drama or Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

– At last year’s ceremony, the winners in Best Actor – Drama, Best Actress – Drama, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress won Oscars in the same categories.

– Win Best Director and you’re in the driver’s seat for the Oscar. Since 2013, five of the seven winners for Best Director at the Globes went on to win the same category at the Oscars. To all all the directors who weren’t nominated at the Globes, it’s almost impossible to win Best Director at the Oscars. Since 2000, the last director to the win the Oscar for Best Director without receiving a nomination at the Golden Globes was Roman Polanski in 2002 for The Pianist.

For television, it’s much harder to compare trends to a major awards show like the Emmys because of the submission timeline. The Oscars and Golden Globes (film) follow the calendar year. The Globes also follow the calendar year for television, but the Emmys are on their own schedule with a submission window that’s usually June to the last day in May of the next year. This is my biggest complaint. Make January to March awards season for both television and film.

– The Globes are famous for making a few big splashes per year, especially in the comedic categories. When I say splashes, I mean awarding winners from buzz-worthy shows you don’t think can win. Some of the decisions deserve praise while others leave you dumbfounded. In 2019, The Kominsky Method won Best Comedy and its star, Michael Douglas, won Best Actor. In 2017, Billy Bob Thornton won Best Actor in a Drama for Goliath. In 2016, Mozart in the Jungle won Best Comedy. This ceremony will feature Emily in Paris, which is up for Best Comedy. (I like Lily Collins. This isn’t a shot at you, Lily!)

Always remember this: When in doubt, chose star power. The Golden Globes loves to reward stars. I also love stars so I can’t say I blame them for this tactic!

Golden Globes – FILM

The Trial of the Chicago 7 / Netflix
The Trial of the Chicago 7 / Netflix

BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA

  • The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • Nomadland
  • Mank
  • Promising Young Woman
  • The Father

Who Should Win: I truly don’t know. I also haven’t seen The Father.
Who Will Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7 

BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL or COMEDY

Who Should Win: Palm Springs
Who Will Win: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

BEST ACTOR — DRAMA

  • Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal 
  • Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 
  • Anthony Hopkins, The Father 
  • Gary Oldman, Mank 
  • Tahar Rahim, The Mauritanian 

Who Should And Will Win: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 

BEST ACTRESS – DRAMA

  • Frances McDormand, Nomadland
  • Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
  • Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
  • Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
  • Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday 

Who Should Win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Who Will Win: Frances McDormand, Nomadland

BEST ACTOR – COMEDY/MUSICAL

  • Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
  • Andy Samberg, Palm Springs
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
  • James Corden, The Prom
  • Dev Patel, The Personal History of David Copperfield

Who Should Win: Andy Samberg, Palm Springs
Who Will Win: Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

BEST ACTRESS – COMEDY/MUSICAL

  • Kate Hudson, Music 
  • Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit
  • Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
  • Anya Taylor-Joy, Emma
  • Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot 

Who Should And Will Win: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami
  • Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago
  • Bill Murray, On the Rocks
  • Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
  • Jared Leto, The Little Things 

Who Should And Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Editor’s note on 2/28 at 6:30 PM: I originally had Leslie Odom Jr. winning in this category. However, I switched to Kaluuya because Odom Jr. will most likely be rewarded in Best Song and I don’t see him winning two in one night.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Amanda Seyfried, Mank
  • Olivia Colman, The Father
  • Helena Zengel, News of the World 
  • Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
  • Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian 

Who Should Win: Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Who Will Win: Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy (I selfishly want Close to win an Oscar. Sue me.)

BEST DIRECTOR

  • David Fincher, Mank
  • Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
  • Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago
  • Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
  • Regina King, One Night in Miami

Who Should And Will Win: Chloe Zhao, Nomadland

BEST SCREENPLAY

  • The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • Promising Young Woman
  • Mank
  • The Father
  • Nomadland

Who Should Win: Promising Young Woman
Who Will Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

  • “Hear My Voice” by Celeste & Daniel Pemberton, The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • “Fight for You” by D’Mile, H.E.R., & Tiara Thomas, Judas and the Black Messiah
  • “Speak Now” by Sam Ashworth & Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami
  • “Io sì (Seen)” by Niccolò Agliardi, Laura Pausini, & Diane Warren, The Life Ahead
  • “Tigress & Tweed” by Andra Day & Raphael Saadiq, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Who Should Win: “Tigress & Tweed” by Andra Day & Raphael Saadiq, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Who Will Win: “Speak Now” by Sam Ashworth & Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • Ludwig Göransson, Tenet
  • Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Mank
  • Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste, Soul
  • Alexandre Desplat, The Midnight Sky
  • James Newton Howard, News of the World

Who Should Win: Ludwig Göransson, Tenet
Who Will Win: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste, Soul

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

  • Minari
  • La Llorona 
  • The Life Ahead
  • Another Round
  • Two of Us 

Who Should And Will Win: Minari

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

  • Soul
  • Wolfwalkers
  • Over the Moon
  • Onward
  • The Croods: A New Age

Who Should And Will Win: Soul

Golden Globes – TELEVISION

Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen's Gambit / Netflix
Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen’s Gambit / Credit: Netflix

BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA

  • The Crown
  • The Mandalorian
  • Lovecraft Country
  • Ratched
  • Ozark

Who Should Win: The Mandalorian
Who Will Win: The Crown

BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL or COMEDY

  • Schitt’s Creek
  • Ted Lasso
  • Emily in Paris
  • The Great
  • The Flight Attendant

Who Should Win: Ted Lasso
Who Will Win: Schitt’s Creek

BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE

Who Should Win: Normal People
Who Will Win: The Queen’s Gambit

LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

  • Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
  • Josh O’Connor, The Crown
  • Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul 
  • Jason Bateman, Ozark 
  • Al Pacino, Hunters

Who Should Win: Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul 
Who Will Win: Al Pacino, Hunters

LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

  • Olivia Colman, The Crown
  • Laura Linney, Ozark
  • Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
  • Emma Corrin, The Crown
  • Sarah Paulson, Ratched 

Who Should Win: Laura Linney, Ozark
Who Will Win: Emma Corrin, The Crown

LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION COMEDY

  • Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
  • Ramy Youssef, Ramy
  • Nicholas Hoult, The Great
  • Don Cheadle, Black Monday

Who Should Win: Ramy Youssef, Ramy
Who Will Win: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION COMEDY

  • Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
  • Elle Fanning, The Great
  • Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
  • Lily Collins, Emily in Paris 
  • Jane Levy, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

Who Should Win: Elle Fanning, The Great
Who Will Win: Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant

LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TELEVISION FILM

  • Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
  • Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird
  • Hugh Grant, The Undoing
  • Bryan Cranston, Your Honor 
  • Jeff Daniels, The Comey Rule

Who Should Win: Bryan Cranston, Your Honor 
Who Will Win: Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TELEVISION FILM

  • Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
  • Shira Haas, Unorthodox
  • Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
  • Nicole Kidman, The Undoing
  • Daisy Edgar-Jones, Normal People

Who Should And Will Win: Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR TELEVISION FILM

  • Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Brendan Gleeson, The Comey Rule 
  • John Boyega, Small Axe
  • Donald Sutherland, The Undoing 
  • Jim Parsons, Hollywood

Who Should Win: John Boyega, Small Axe
Who Will Win: Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR TELEVISION FILM

  • Gillian Anderson, The Crown
  • Julia Garner, Ozark
  • Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
  • Cynthia Nixon, Ratched

Who Should Win: Julia Garner, Ozark
Who Will Win: Gillian Anderson, The Crown

Who do you believe should win at the Golden Globes? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 9 Recap: Here In My Car

Chris Sullivan in This Is Us

To quote Gary Numan, “Here in my car.” Car rides and babies dominated the screen on last night’s episode of This Is Us.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 9 Recap: “The Ride”

Kevin And Madison Battle The Paparazzi

The paparazzi sucks. I’m trying to think of something nice to say about the paparazzi, but I’m at a loss for words. If you have a family and need to provide for them, then I can (sort of) sympathize with those photographers. However, if you’re single and stalk celebrities for a living, please get a life.

Madison experienced the paparazzi firsthand on her way home from the hospital with Kevin and the twins. A paranoid Kevin pulled over and confronted a photographer when he noticed the paparazzi was on his tail. Before he could start a fight, Madison intervened and cut a deal with the photographer. She’ll inform the photographer when Kevin goes jogging if he stops following them home, to which he agrees. Apparently, Madison is a ride-or-die.

When they arrived home, Kevin passed out in the car and dreamt about Jack meeting his twins. In the dream, Jack held Franny and Nicky while promising Kevin that he’ll be a good father. The dream ends with Jack asking Kevin to go after what he wants in life. It turned out that Kevin wants to marry Madison, and upon waking up, he re-proposed with a hospital bracelet instead of a ring, stealing a page out of a middle school boyfriend’s playbook. Madison accepted so let the wedding conspiracies begin.

Kate’s Dilemma

Things didn’t go according to plan for Kate. After Toby finally met Hailey, it was time to go home and become a family of four. But first, they had to bring Ellie home, who looked upset as soon as she stepped foot in the car. An excited Kate started to plan future playdates between Ellie and Hailey. However, Ellie tearfully revealed that she does not want to have an open adoption anymore. Expect this to come up again before the season’s end.

https://twitter.com/NBCThisisUs/status/1364409718165303298?s=20

The bad news kept on coming when Toby shared the news about losing his job. Toby was laid off but withheld the news so Kate wouldn’t worry. Surprisingly, Kate remained extremely positive and reassured Toby that they will figure out their finances later. Something tells me that more problems are on the horizon for Kate and Toby. Unfortunately, Toby’s depression will most likely remerge.

One Shot Of Whiskey, Please

This Is Us brought us back to the day Jack and Rebecca left the hospital with the Big Three. Both parents were extremely nervous and on-edge. Can you blame them? Taking care of one baby is a full-time job, but three babies? That’s like working a 23-hour day.

On their drive home, another car illegally cut off Jack, which led to Papa Pearson angrily confronting the driver at a gas station. To calm down, Jack slammed back a whiskey nip and asked Rebecca to drive home. Upon arrival, Rebecca and Jack elected to stay in the car while the Big Three fell asleep.

At this moment, Rebecca and Jack revealed their biggest fears about parenthood. Rebecca disclosed how her mother experienced a miscarriage and never recovered from the sadness. Jack confessed to the whiskey shot and how he never wants to be like his drunk father. As this power couple tends to do, they lifted each other’s spirits and reassured themselves that they will be good parents.

Beth Wants A Blizzard

It was time for Randall and Beth to bring the cutest member of the family, Annie, home from the hospital. On their way to Dairy Queen, Randall expressed interest in having a third child with Beth. Randall wants a son so his family tree will grow. I don’t have kids, but talking about the next kid while your wife recovers from pregnancy seems like a death wish.

In the Dairy Queen parking lot, Randall explained how he has no family tree. At the moment, Randall does not know about William and Laurel. However, Randall reassured Beth that he doesn’t care about having a boy anymore. Tess and Annie will help grow his family tree.

A Flash-Forward!

It’s time to play “Who is in the flash-forward at Kevin’s house?” At the beginning of last night’s episode, a medical intern left the hospital to avoid a lecture on labor. This intern was picked up by another young woman. We found out that the intern is pregnant.

At the end of the episode, we got the big reveal at Kevin’s house. The pregnant intern was Deja and the driver was Annie. The girls embraced Randall and Tess at Kevin’s house. Right before the episode ended, a white car pulled into the driveway. In other words, the next guest has arrived. Who is it?

Did you like last night’s episode? Leave your comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 8 Recap: The New Big Three

Caitlin Thompson in This Is Us

Let’s make some babies. The new Big Three arrived on This Is Us.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 8 Recap: “In The Room”

Kevin, Madison, and the assist from Randall

Let’s start with the most famous member of the Pearson family, Kevin, who was in a race against time to join Madison in the delivery room. While Kevin battled the TSA, Madison battled her contractions as she did her best to wait for her fiancé’s arrival. Excuse my ignorance if battling contractions is not the proper term. Apologies to all of the strong mothers out there!

Alone and afraid, Madison received an unexpected call from Randall and Beth as they traveled home from New Orleans. The duo did their best to calm Madison down as she prepared for labor. I was ecstatic to watch Randall in a good mental space. It takes a toll on my well-being to watch Randall suffer from panic attacks and anxiety. More Hanson stories, fewer tears.

Thankfully, Kevin arrived before the birth of the twins. Did anyone else feel cheated of an explanation regarding Kevin’s conversation with the TSA agent? He gave this magnificent speech in last week’s episode, and it apparently worked. However, I wish there was a scene at the airport where the TSA agent explained her rationale for letting Kevin on the plane. It could’ve been Kevin’s Jerry Maguire sprint through the airport scene.

Nevertheless, the twins arrived, and their names are Nicholas, in honor of Uncle Nicky, and Frances, after Madison’s grandmother. Kevin called Randall to share the good news and apologize for his actions in the argument to end Season 4. Randall forgave Kevin and wished him well. Not to toot my own horn, but… toot.

Kate And Toby Welcome A New Daughter

Kevin wasn’t the only member of the Big Three preparing for parenthood as Kate accompanied Ellie to the hospital for the birth of her daughter. Due to COVID, Toby waited in the parking lot like he was tailgating for a football game.

Ellie gave birth to a baby girl named Hailey with Kate by her side. However, Ellie went against her own orders and asked to spend time with the baby before giving her to Kate. The writers teased the idea that Ellie would keep the baby, leaving a devastated Kate to watch from afar. Instead, Ellie reassured Hailey that by giving her to Kate, she would be doing the right thing. Eventually, Kate greeted and caressed Hailey as Toby, who bonded with Arlo aka Senator Mitchell Chapin from Amazon’s Jack Ryan in the parking lot, virtually looked on. Toby chose Rose as Hailey’s middle name in honor Arlo’s wife, who finally reunited with her husband.

Rebecca Reminisces At The Cabin

In the past, Rebecca and Jack retreated to the cabin for a romantic getaway. After a pipe burst, they argued about the Big Three and how they’re growing up too quickly. Rebecca reassured Jack that their family will always remain strong and survive. Truthfully, that hurt to watch knowing that Jack dies years later.

In the present, Rebecca bonded with the nicest guy to ever exist, Miguel. Rebecca thanked Miguel for always being there for her especially after Jack died. Just like Jack’s death crushed our morale, Miguel’s death will crush our souls. Yes, I’m calling my shot.

On a group FaceTime between Kate, Kevin, and Rebecca, Kate dubbed the babies as the new “Big Three.” I can’t wait for a Big Three episode centered around these three kids in a flash-forward.

I also want to make note of the storyline between Esther Pariente and Nasir Ahmed. It was a touching tribute to the man who helped develop video transmission.

Next week, we’re going back to the past as Jack and Rebecca bring the Big Three home from the hospital.

Did you like last night’s episode? Leave your comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.