The mystery of Jack’s death was certainly interesting—but I for one am glad that the show has gotten past that moment and entered this new season of freer storytelling. Exploring characters’ journeys even when knowing the ultimate outcome is a rare and complex strategy for storytelling, but I greatly appreciate This…

Can anyone pinpoint what specific song “I Always Never Believed in You” is referencing/parodying? It certainly has the recognizable instrumentation and beats of a modern pop song, but I’m having trouble recalling what songs that actually comes from. And please don’t say “If I Never Believed in You” from The Last Five…

I can definitely see how the theme of internalization did play out in every storyline, so thank you for laying out your points. Still, though, upon my first watch of the episode, I did certainly agree with Caroline in that it felt unfocused, and there’s something to be said for first impressions. But I am…

depression isn’t the same thing as sadness

Her name was one of the more memorable throwaway jokes from the camp episode:

Thank you for this great review, Caroline! I too loved this episode for developing Rebecca and Jack’s relationship as an utterly romantic journey while hinting at the grounded difficulties they face later in life—theirs is a complex story that this episode weaves through and pushes forward quite deftly.

I think I too liked the minimal attention given to Deja’s dad. I wonder if the show could have squeezed a lot of material out of their relationship, had that storyline been expanded—but it was nice to have just the one moment to portray Deja’s newfound sense of self-worth and maturity in letting go of her parents.…

Thank you for continuing your stellar This is Us reviews, Caroline! I agree with your assessment of this premiere: the storytelling was definitely a bit low-key and commonplace, but I wouldn’t say I outright enjoyed the episode less because of that—a restrained episode is kind of a welcome surprise after the more…

This might be analyzing things too deeply... But I viewed the inclusion of the Steelers’ moment as a pleasant reminder that this is a show rooted in relatability. Despite how much melodrama it packs, This is Us does not simply live in a bubble of pure fiction—it depicts the lives of these particular characters in a…

Season 1 finale! I liked the wedding theme as a climactic ending for the show, though I will say, in the past, I have enjoyed more open-ended conceptual challenges, especially the first week’s “show us who you are” crafts, more than the specific-occasion ones. But still, this final set of projects made for a grand…

Episode 5! It’s too bad there’s only one week left already.

I liked the projects this week, although the shed challenge was perhaps slightly similar to last week’s porch challenge. I especially fancied the light fixtures, as those were definitely different than anything we’ve seen thus far from the makers. I believed…

I understand that it would be nice to see more of the makers’ processes, but it is difficult when they vary so greatly between different projects and individual styles. On The Great British Baking Show and many other competition series, the process is more or less the same for everyone; so when someone is shown…

Episode 4! And a renewal for season 2! I’m pleased that we will get to see more of this little show.

Oh man, yes it was. He is lucky that no one gets eliminated based on the first challenges.

Third episode! I loved the show’s expansion on materials this week—the edible-craft challenge was an unexpected surprise, and the contestants handled it deftly. And Amy and Nick continue to be delightful hosts.

I am low-key obsessed with this show now, and this is the only place where I’d like to comment on it (I’d prefer not to enter the sea that is Instagram comments), so here go my thoughts on the second episode...

Jacqueline thinking getting rid of commenting was not just a terrible executive decision but also an off-character one—I feel like she would definitely value the ability for readers to engage in conversation and share their voices.

I really enjoyed the first episode! Amy and Nick are perfect as hosts, balancing knowledge and curiosity with humor and friendship. And the pure emotion is so great—I didn’t think anything could be more of a tearjerker than Queer Eye, but then Jeff spoke about his family, and I was gone. I wonder if future episodes…

I too perhaps wish for more complex discussions about skills and techniques and such—but I’d also consider that Making It’s audience is likely made of mostly amateurs, myself included, who don’t know crafting on a serious level, so the show probably shouldn’t go too in-depth with its intellectual discussions. Judging…

They do mention their first meeting in season 1's breast-cancer episode: they met at a bar, and Richard states that Sutton made the first move, while Sutton insists that she merely meant to approach him to be professionally respectful; then Sutton confesses she was supposed to meet a Tinder date that night (and not…