Uncle Nicky Meets The Twins | "One Small Step" (511)

On today's episode of That Was Us, we are diving into season 5 episode 11 one small step. In the present day, Uncle Nicky makes the journey to California to meet Kevin and Madison's twins. And through flashbacks, we see young Nicky's romance with Sally and the choices that shaped his life, life is life. Life is life. Not small choices. The choice of the shape is life, like that. As a kind of app too, it's a very interesting thing. First of all. Hello. Welcome. Welcome to the pie. I am better now for seeing both of your faces. I love you guys. I'm just like immediately, like my day is brighter, seeing both of you. Seeing all of you. Our whole crew. Yeah. I love to acknowledge everybody on camera because like what is the etiquette? Some people do. Some people don't or whatnot. Yeah. And like I like to like, I don't want to pretend that we're here by ourselves. Yeah. Right. We're just three of us alone in a room. This set of these guys, funny sound, like we know how to do any of these. Sally is the only person that could probably set everything up. No. Correct. Absolutely not. And Mandy and I will be like, can we help? Yeah. How can we assist you? We will. We will. We will not go as far as giving anybody else a microphone, like some of these other podcasts. They do. You know what? Doesn't Armchair give Rob a mic? What's in a while? They give them a mic. They let them speak. I think Rob takes it. Do you see? We have a mic. No. Yeah. It's been a fun time for me, like this little air, like out of time, I'm going to give people. Yeah. Catch us up. We're on, we're like halfway through season two of Paradise airing, airing. Folks are very excited, like very, like even Sam was just saying. She watched this last episode for, and she's like, OMG, YG, OMG, and it is kind of crazy. So when you guys get there, I've only watched the first. You watched the first. This is a premiere. Backedacular, it came to the premiere. Donkashay. It's, the show is just like, in typical Dan fashion, it's just like when you are expecting one thing and they give you something else that you're like, "What? I didn't even know that this is what I wanted, but I love it. It's incredible." Thank you. And you still show what episode? You've got 10 episodes of the land that you guys are doing. Yes. What episode do you shoot right now? We are on block 7-8 right now. With Mr. Chris Koch. Yeah. Who I know is coming to see you, because this next episode is in her paradise. I guess we should have him back on here too, because he was one of our highest rated episodes of the podcast. But I can't wait to tell him that. Yeah. I emailed him immediately and his mom is a huge fan of the show and we should let him go. We should have him back. He is. The loveliest human. He is. He is such a fast director. Yeah. Yeah. He's such a fun hang, such an easy chat, and yeah, I love our content. Incredible photographer too. Incredible photographer. We bought a large format print of his for our guest house. Did you really? Really? Of what? What was it? It's a, it is a kind of a hyper close-up of this tree. Oh. A black and white. It's like a giant black and white, like four by two print. Yeah. Did he ever send you guys any pictures from set that he took? I believe so. Yeah. I remember he sent a picture of Milo and I with like the kids like on the bed during one of the last episodes and like sent it like just as the show was finishing airing in real time. He good like that. He's a, yeah. Very thoughtful. So what you've been up to big? I've been going back and forth to Vancouver working on this pilot for the rookie North. Yes, sir. And I've got one more day of shooting for that. And it's fun. Okay. A lovely group of people. It's a police training. Is it cold in Vancouver right now? Is it nice right now? Pretty bad. It's chilly, but it's not, it's not like, it's not Toronto. Is it sunny or rainy right now? Both kind of half and half, shocking the the local crew. You've done a lot of Canada work this year. Yeah. You know, I'm trying to find my way out of here. It's complaining. Yeah. Can I follow your lead? She is. Just planning routes. Yeah. It's hard. Six to eight seasons in Vancouver. Well, all right. I guess I'll pack my bag. I'll be an honorary Canadian. Vancouver is easier than Toronto. Toronto. Yeah. Because you're not traversing the whole of the country. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just like a two hour flight. It's not a big deal. It's not bad at all. Yeah. What do you guys want to start with? Initial impressions of the episode? You want to dive right into it? Like, I just love, I love any episode that focuses on Uncle Nikki. Me too. You just took the words out of my mouth. Yeah. I could watch Griffin do any. Do any. He's great. Do anything. His choices are always so specific and delicious. And unexpected. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We kind of jump back in with him. He seems he, we meet a motivated Nikki in the beginning of this episode where he's trying to do a bunch of things he's never done before. Well, because the episode ended with him at the door last time. Right. Kevin opens the door and there's Nikki with his mask on and he's traveled from rural Pennsylvania to come meet the twins. Yeah. So that's where the episode sort of opens, right? What? Kevin's opening the door. He's there. He, you know, he's coming for the baptism. I was like, oh, well, that's a, that's a, that's a detail I totally forgot about that they're baptizing the twins. And Kevin's like, I guess you missed the fact that it was a Zoom link. Yeah. And he's like, what? Like Uncle Nikki doesn't understand. Um, he assures them. He takes off his mask. He's like, I don't have COVID. I've tested like twice. I have had, you know, my. Make sure my audience in the world that like you've done through all the protocols. Yeah. All the protocol. Yeah. Because we see him. We see him getting in shots even, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he, and he basically what before the montage, he says, you know, Kevin so touched that he flew across the country for this baptism. And Uncle Nikki sort of assures him. Oh, it was nothing. It was nothing. Not a big deal. And then we sort of flash back to. Yeah. It was actually a big deal. In order for someone who has not flown on an airplane since 1971, since he evacuated Vietnam. Yeah. Um, this, again, all the protocol he sort of had to go through COVID wise, um, in order to be able to get on an airplane. He's asking Cassidy to help him go onto Amazon.com as he calls it to buy, we're not quite sure. But then we end up seeing he's like, he's creating these little miniatures. Yeah. And he's painting them. And he's, he's, we see that he's making something for the twins to bring them. Yep. Having a child named after him has shifted him. Yeah. He's very touched. Yeah. Um, Cassidy's helping him wrap these gifts. Like, he's made these sort of, I guess, what, like, snow globe or something. We don't quite know until he gets to the airport and has to like, you know, so Cassidy wraps the package. He's been vaccinated. She's driving him to the airport. He's anxious about flying. He's never done it before. We see him like getting ready to go through TSA. And they are like, what, what's in this package? What's in this gift? And he's like, hand carrying on this gift. Yeah. No, no, no, don't, don't, don't, don't unwrap it. And she's like, opening it. You see that it's a snow globe. She's like, you can't, you can't take this on. Is this because there's smooth in it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He doesn't know. And it's obviously, yeah. There's definitely not four ounce, three point four ounces or less of water. So she, she's like, you can't take this on. And he starts having like a panic attack. He's like, I'll, I'll take the liquid out. And he goes to like, unscrew it. And of course, the glass breaks, shatters everywhere. It's all of his hard work is for nothing. You feel, I felt it. His choice again, too. He doesn't scream or go, he sort of just like does this. I don't know. I can't even explain it. Yeah, like it's like insular and like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Quick question. Have you guys ever had a situation of getting on the plane and being okay to one airport for whatever it is? And then you have a connection and then like not being okay. Yeah. What's your specific example? I don't know. I think it has to do with like brown has a regimen to try to maintain. Look, not everybody's as beautiful as a man to leave more. So some of us have to do it. I have all the lotions in potions. Listen. Listen. I got more lotions, more potions. So I'm trying to say, I carry this stuff and I try to put it in like the right size containers or anything. And some of the things are expensive. And sometimes like, I have to like get rid of them. I get all the deep ujai that brown has to take is intense. Yeah. You just won't go and check it. I will sometimes like, I thought it was small enough. And then sometimes you don't have time to go because you thought you're going to be able to carry it on. Yeah. And then you can't. If I can go and check it, I will go and check it. I don't remember what the 3.4 ounce thing was. Like why that specific, it must have been, it was like the shoe bomber. Why we have to take our shoes off which we don't have to do anymore. I was like, I wonder what. Do you not have to take shoes off if you're not. If you're not. If you're not pre-checked. I thought that was, they did away with that now. Is that so? I believe they have. That's what Natalie said. Yeah, I believe that's like that's off the table now. That's really right. I got to you. Okay. I like taking my shoes off. I don't like taking my shoes off. I'm taking my shoes off either, but now no one has to take off their shoes. I'm pretty sure. Anyway, I've, yes, I've had that where you're like, you have to throw something away. It's okay by one person, another person, consider something a liquid. Yeah. Consider something. Yeah. I have had moments of leaving a bottle, a water bottle in my backpack or something. Yeah. And it just goes with that shit. So dump it out. I take it to the head. Yeah. I'm hydrating before I go up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. He gets on this airplane, you know, and then it kind of like flashes to him being like, yeah, it's not a deal. It's not. And you're like, oh, well, now we're. It's a huge deal. Yeah. Cassidy says something to him about being proud of him for getting out of his routine for leaving his trailer, et cetera. And I'm curious then, when does routine become a rut? Is there, is there some sort of, because like routine is very comforting for me as well. I think for all of us. Well, we're talking about a man who hasn't left this trailer in 50 years or what have you. And so I think I had a really profound statement. I think about, I've heard this statistic, I don't know if it's 100% accurate, but that the majority of us wind up living within like a 10 mile radius of where we were originally born. And I think that, you know, familiarity is something that is very comforting for most people. And I just wanted to speak to this idea that, like I feel like I am fundamentally the same person that Arlene and Sterling Brown raised and graduated at 18. But you can't help but shift perspectives or have your perspective grow in terms of, at 18 I thought this is how you live. And then at 49, this is one way of living. And now I see all these other different ways of living. And there's this sort of, I think it happens through media consumption. I think it happens through books, but I think it really profoundly happens through travel. And I just want, this is sort of a PSA to anybody who has been afraid, like out of a dear friend who didn't take his first plane flight until his 30s and it was for a job, what have you. And the excitement that he had of like going somewhere else, like he was freaked out. He was like, how's this big metal thing hanging in the air, what not? And it is safer than driving a car. You know what I'm saying? Statistically speaking, etc. But man, what a powerful experience it is. Like can you guys, just in terms of traveler anything, yeah, talk to him. I mean, I think it's, I think it's, it's again, it goes against our genetics to travel. Sure. You know what I mean? We're tribal by nature. Right. That's an interesting, the, the stat you gave about people living within 10 miles over there. Yeah. You know, like we're ever only supposed to know like 75 people or something like that. Like that's what, that's what our, our human animal can withstand. And now it's only recently, I mean, in the last few decades where we're just exposed to so many more people, so many more cultures, so many more ways of living, so many ways of traveling. And to travel is a is a luxury, right, to get out, see the world and to do all these things. But I also kind of am acknowledging now, like I said a lot of my life traveling and seeing different places and meeting a lot of people. And now as I get older, I'm like no more new people. Oh, yeah. Really? Like no more new people, the capacity, the amount of, sure, allowed, like humans. We come in new jobs with new people all the time. New cast members and like, I feel, I feel very lucky to have taken several friends from this is us. But usually it's like maybe one person who you like foam a bond with, you're like, hey, after this wraps, let's have lunch or whatever the thing is. And now where it's like with the kids and the schools and the parents and stuff, I'm like, no, no dads night out. I know new people. No, no dads night out. I know. And I'll go with dads to a place. Okay. Okay. You know, I can feel my primitive like, me stay home, like me like home, I feel that. But then when I go, I go do it. And you're happy for it. Yeah. You're happier for it, most of the time. So yeah. The idea of, of, of generational speaking, like somebody from Nicky's, you know, generation who I get, I mean, I get it. Like the older people in my life are like, what's happening at the airport now? Yeah. The scans and shoes and lines and we, I don't just go get on the plane like this is, I don't want never mind. I'll just stay here. It's like I get it. Just become more of a chore and it, and I think it is a testimony to Nicky, but this, having grand niece and nephew or whatnot, having one named after him, like something had to be very, there's a connection to family that I don't think he's ever felt before. Sure. Or hasn't felt in a long time. Sure. Yeah. Back with more of that was us. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. May is mental health awareness month and this is just our reminder to you that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. Life is a journey. Some days feel good and others feel overwhelming. Whatever's keeping you up at night, it's easy to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own. But the truth is no one has all the answers and no journey should be alone, having someone with you, believe me, to listen, to understand and to support you can make all the difference. No one has all the answers. I can conclusively say that therapy has sort of been the mainstay in my adult life, the staple that I can't live without. BetterHelp not only has qualified therapists that work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the U.S., they have a therapist match commitment, which means if you are not happy with a therapist you have been signed with, you can just switch any time. They make it super easy. No problem. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 6 million people globally. And it works. With an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for a live session based on over 1.7 million client views. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/TWU. You know, nothing in a cart is ever ordinary gang because no one's life is. Shoppers at ship don't just care about the order, they care about who ordered it. They're shopping for the moments we're about to create and the memories we're trying to keep alive. They know it's bigger than just an ingredient or item on a shopping list. They shop same day in the same way you would. Come on. Give it to me. You guys, we had a very specific recipe that Rachel was trying to put together a family recipe that has way too many ingredients, very specific kind of potato, these type of things. So we put the order on it, we got out our phones real quick, got our phone, boom, shipped right there, made an order, the shopper with shipped, communicated with us through the whole process. There were a bunch of kind of weird things that we needed, they got us every single one of those things. I love it. With shipped, it's never just a delivery order, it's shopped same day in the same way that you would. This code podcast to get a year of shipped for only $49, that's half off the regular $99 price at shipped.com/offer, that's s-h-i-p-t dot com slash offer terms apply. And I think one of the things that Cassie says to him on the way to the airport kind of identifies, you know, through therapy, we identify the negative core belief that we might be holding on to that is affecting. I am unlovable. Yeah. Whatever that thing is. Right. And in the car, Cassie says, you know, they've got two newborns, do you think she should get them heads up? And he says, he essentially says, what does he say? No, if I don't make it, I don't want to disappoint him. Yeah. Right. And he, he establishes, and we see it throughout this episode, we can talk about it. This idea of I am inherently a disappointment, a disappointment. Yeah. I am unreliable. Yeah. And I am a disappointment. I love people. And I let people down. Yeah. And that's like his core that keeps him isolated. Yeah. And we see, we see not only how it plays out here and how it's challenged, you know, with him traveling through the airport and all those things. But yeah, essentially, as we go back in the flashbacks, we find out kind of where it emanates from. Yeah. Which one of those past? Because there's two Nicki past storylines, which is interesting. Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. There's like as a young man, pre-Vietnam, and then a post, just post-Vietnam or a couple years post-Vietnam. Let's do the, the pre-Vietnam. I feel like that sort of is really what shapes him, right? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - So he has, we find Young Nikki watching the moon landing with his father and he's built a lunar module. - Yeah. - And he's watching it with his dad. - He likes models that ties back to the thing that he was building in the present. - Correct, yes, he's, yeah, he's very dexterous. - Sure. - He can make little things with his hands. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - And his mom, Jack comes in, his mom comes in, they all kind of like, and Jack is noticing like this sort of experience bringing the family unit together. And Nikki seems content and Jack is content, seeing Nikki content and his parents getting along and everything. - It is an opportunity, like I think Jack is the audience in this particular moment of witnessing Stanley in a dynamic that we don't have any chance to see a lot. - Yeah, true. - Like there's a softness there. - There's a softness. - There's an ease between him and Nikki that I don't think we got a chance to see a lot of between him and Jack. That and, you know what I'm saying? - Correct. And there's like a sense of like witnessing this historical moment together as a family and like how, how much that means to Stanley and to Nikki, to everybody. - Yeah. - And yeah, you're right. Jack is sort of the proxy for the audience at this point. - It made me, I was trying to think as I was watching this family gathered around, you know, the moon landing. - Yeah. When was the last time the country or the world was united by something good? Because I was trying to think of what else unite people. And I was like, well, 9/11. - Yeah. - Sure, it's like war and disaster and tragedy. - Yeah, like where we were all, and even the pandemic was divisive in its ways as this season has shown. - Yeah. - And I gotta say, even in this episode and the next episode, like seeing the masks, I was like, even I was like, now okay. - Take 'em off. - Okay. Like I was feeling triggered, no more, okay, okay, no more masks. But like, I can't remember, I mean, the show starts with the challenger. - That's right. - The challenger disaster. - Yeah. - Like all of these disasters bring us together, with the moon landing, was something-- - That's a special-- - To be proud of. - All inspiring. - Yeah. - That brought not just the US, but the world together. And I can't think of the last time. - Too many tricks, then I would say the Olympics, like happens, there's a certain sense of like national pride that that goes on there. - But even because that happens every two years, it doesn't feel as momentous in a way. - Sure. - You know, that you're like, wow, we're all in this together. - Right, not to take away from athletes. - No, it's just interesting how much we have overexposed ourselves to shock and awe. - Well, isn't that the thing, guys, that I am like very much wrestling with these days, is like, we are so inundated with everything. Content, like you said, shock and awe, shock and awe. Nothing is shocking these days, because it is all in front of us at all times at any moment. - As soon as it happens. - As soon as it happens, or we can find the commentary on it, it's just like, when you speak to the fact that we are not supposed to know more than 75 people, my brain immediately goes to the internet, and to our phones and how connected we are. And obviously, the wonderful aspects of it, but also, I feel like I am plagued now. More so than ever before, by the negative aspects of it, where I just have really taken strides in the last month or so to be like, I am extricating myself from this sense of responsibility that I feel to be on my phone all the time. And I'm just like-- - Is this a lint related, or just like you're just trying to-- - I was like lint, no, lint. Not lint related, no, I'm not a good athlete. - This is where we find out. - Yeah, I'm like-- - Not this one. - I'm already glad he's a devout Catholic after five seasons. - I think I saw it. - Five seasons, we've been talking about it. - No, it's just more of like, I woke up and was like, why, I feel so bad, why am I allowing myself, Chris realized this long ago. I'm like, I don't wanna make, I don't wanna feel bad anymore. - What does it mean, what does it look like? What do you think? - It means I am bricked from my phone. - For like, certain hours, what does the bricked do? - The bricked is like a little plastic device. It should advertise in our broadcast. - A big, big bricked shout out. I am able to extoll the virtues of why it is so, it's great for us all to be on the bricked. It's a little device that you basically, you download an app, you choose what apps you want to be. It's sort of like, bricked from. - Yeah. - Not have access to. And you physically have to touch your phone to it to allow access to and from these apps. So people will leave this little plastic device in their car at the office at home wherever. - Yeah. - And you don't like, I can't get on any social media apps. - Really? - And I have to tell you, there's something about the wiring in our brains like literally being away from it for a couple hours, your brain forgets about it. When you physically can't get on and you don't have access, like my husband will delete it and then react it, delete it and then react it. But when you can't get on it, your brain just goes, well, okay, so now I have bandwidth to do anything else. And I can still text message or answer emails or whatever, but I just realized, oh, my life is being sucked away from me by choice. And I'm like sitting in bed while my husband's reading and I'm scrolling for 30 minutes or whatever, finding things I don't care about. Like I never get off my phone and go, I'm so glad I did that. Like I feel great for spending an hour just like mindlessly looking on my phone at things I don't care about, I don't need to know. And just being away from it, yes, you feel slightly like untethered or out of touch with like what my friends are doing or whatever, what's happening in the world. But also you realize like, oh, I don't care. I don't need to know any of that stuff. All of that to say, it just like, yeah, I'm, when I watch things or read things or we're talking about things now where there's any sort of connection to something that comes back to like being connected to the phone or connected by an event that's happening or something, it just makes me realize like, oh, we don't. I think it's gonna become more and more of a thing for people to be more intentional with the time that we're choosing to spend on these apps or connected to each other in that way because I just, again, not to go down like a real rabbit hole, but it's designed to make us feel bad. It's designed to make us feel depressed. It's designed to make us feel isolated. And I was like, oh, I'm just not gonna buy into that anymore. I'm gonna choose when I want to go on for five minutes and 10 minutes, post a couple pictures, except the collab for the podcast. (laughing) And then be done with it again, and like really be present for my family, for myself in a way, 'cause I just like, it makes me feel really shitty. And I was like, wait, why am I doing this to myself anymore? So yeah, that's my little PSI. - I like it. We've lost, we've lost value in the analog, right? - Correct. - In the analog interaction, in the analog activity, in the physical encounter. You hear all of these stats about the anxious generation, the ones coming up behind us, and the facts that they, there's all these stats, they're not drinking alcohol, they're not having sex, they're not all of these things, which is like brought teenage birth rates down, but they also don't know how to have a conversation with a person. They don't, because they're not spending any, they're not drinking alcohol, and they're not accidentally getting pregnant, because they're not spending any time together. - Yeah, no fun. - Yeah, so there's these ups and downs of like, trying to figure out how we can stay connected, especially now that everything's just that are fingertips, you know, entertainment. - And the convenience is great, but I think it's like being intentional and knowing what you're spending your time with. Like, I love being able to order food, or get a car, or all of those conveniences is, they're fantastic. I think it's the social interaction that we come to rely on, and really how it colors our world. How we see the world, how we experience the world, that I sort of, again, maybe as an old person, almost 42, I'm like, I don't like this anymore, and I don't like how my instinct, when my kids go to play with a toy or read a book, is to like, absent mindedly check my phone, I'm like, oh, no, no, no, I don't want to be that parent. I'm missing out a few, maybe a long time ago. Now we talked about the artist's way, and I was running an artist's way group all over Zoom. - Cassie did this with you, right? - Yeah, Cassie's on there, yeah. And it's a bunch of parents. It's essentially ended up being a bunch of parents with kids under the age of eight. - Yeah. - Okay. - And friends of ours who are all over the country, St. Louis, New York, Oregon, like all over. And. What we've realized is on Tuesdays at 9.30, after all the kids have been dropped off, we log on and we discuss a chapter or whatever. But we're done with the book. We're done with the artist's way and we're like, let's just how about we do this? How about this is just on the calendar? Yeah. And Tuesdays at 9.30, someone will be here. We might not all be here all the time. Right. But and this is where at least I know it's still a digital connection. But it's it's a way for us to take a moment and just be like, no, I want to commit to this. But I argue that's a different thing than commenting on a picture or video on social media. It's like that is that's real connection. Yeah. That's not connection. You're not talking. You're talking to a fucking bot. You're talking, you know what I mean? Like it's that's that's cool. And that's what's what is a lovely aspect of the convenience of our phones and computers and technology and all of that. Right. Yeah. I love that and I feel like I crave more of that in my life too. Yeah. I mean, it's just like we're all busy people and everyone's across the country and we're sort of spread, you know, away from each other. Yeah. Finding ways like that to sort of bring each other into our lives on a weekly basis sounds. You just commit to it. Yeah. Like going to the gym. Yeah. You know, it's like, no, this is something that I need. That's important. Like this is not it adds value to my life. Yes. Yeah. It's it's it's a it's community and an interaction even though it's happening over screen just like the episode that we did a couple of weeks ago or whatnot. But instead of this e community, which is is very different because it's also based on an algorithm. And so to the point about the moon landing, there's very few things that we are universally consuming as as the world. Yeah. What what is your my algorithm? Exactly. It's different than your algorithm is different than your algorithm. I looked at Ryan's and I was like, man, I I this is crazy. Like you'd look at completely different things than what I'm looking at. So the opportunity to experience something collectively has gone away. Yeah. You know, so like that not possible. You'd think it would have become easier. Listen, even you wish I'm at the moon landing. Even something as simple as being a kid waking up on Saturday morning. So you could watch smurfs. So you could watch this. And then on Monday, you say, did you see the episode? Yeah. That doesn't exist because they can watch what they want when they want to at any time. It's a whole new world. Yeah. Yeah. And they're never bored. Which I think is like, is it? Yeah. Gotta be bored. Yeah. We're we're having that that kind of issue with bear right now where it seems like he's he's reaching for control over things. Yeah. You know how toddlers will do that. We're like, no, and they put their foot down. I'm like, and it's like they're trying to wrench control back. Yeah. Over the over something. And I'm like, I don't think it's because he doesn't have control over things. I think it's because he's in control of everything. Yeah. Yeah. That's wow. And I think that's freaking him out. Yeah. Like I shouldn't be in control of this. I'm five. You know, I'm five. Like stop giving me all these choices. It's like we've been given this idea of like parenting where it's like, no, you control. You can you can have the choice. Do you want to wear these pajamas or these pajamas? Right. He's like, just put me in pajamas. Like too many choices. Yeah. All day, every day. It's such a it's an it's an interesting and what we're watching is is Nikki in this episode, which we can get back to the kind of flashback where all the stuff gets set up. And he's from yeah, yeah, yeah. He's just like trying to reclaim the analog. Yeah. Right. I'm going to make this thing. I'm going to get on a plane and I'm going to go there in person. Knock on the door. Yeah. You know, and we see how that is is becoming difficult for him and why it's so difficult for him. And in one of the flashbacks, Jack, yeah, Jack basically confronts Nikki in the kitchen and asks him, like, you ever going to move out? Yeah, you're going to not be dad's lap dog forever, getting in beers, like just kind of because as lovely as it is as dad's still making fun of him, calling him a girl. Right. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's still for as for for as abusive as Stanley could be. This is about as loving as he can be, which is to sit in the same room and watch the same thing on TV. Sure. And Jack's like, don't you want a girlfriend? Like he must be somebody nice at work. Someone nice at work. And of course, there is someone nice at work. There's Sally. So he works in a vet. Don't get a crush. Sally's cute. He's beautiful. Yeah. I remember like I was like, oh, right. We still in this in this TV show, we have one of the one of the sexiest romances. Yeah. It's yet to come. Yeah. Oh, it's true. It's true. Two of them are so sweet. They're charming. They're at this. So we go to the vet and Nikki's trying to watch the dogs with the dog won't move, et cetera. So here comes Sally. Just just stripping down to to a slip. Yeah. It slips. I guess that's six. Yeah. Everybody's got to slip on underneath. When did slip stop? Well, slip stop slipping. I think I think it was part of her very groovy 70s attire. Okay. Late 60s early 70s. She was in like a little like. Talk to me about a slip, though. What's it? It was like a dress. But what is it? So if you're wearing a slip, are you? Are you also wearing underwear under a slip? Yeah. 100%. So what's a slip? Well, it was like, it's basically just a dress. In this case, I mean, sometimes people wear a slip and it's kind of more coverage if you're wearing something that's sheer. Oh, God. Yeah. But in this case, it was a dress. She just wore it had a little like something over it as well. Does it make this thing that you're wearing on top flow better? Yeah. Is it slip around? Is it hot? Is it slip hot? No, it's just realized. It's basically a dress. It's just a little silk dress. And then she was wearing something on top of it because, you know, is this stay warm? Is it give you more warm? No, it was just a fashion choice. Natalie's not laughing at us. It was fresh. It's right. I know. I'm like, how many? It's just a fucking dress, guys. Okay. It was a dress and she had a little velvet like overcoat thing on top of it. So there was a time where ladies wore two dresses. They still do. I get it. I think it's more of like a church thing now, at least what I like, I know ladies still wear slips to church. No, I don't know. I think it's I think so. But you wear them. And I never go to church. Two slips. Are you wearing one now? Or is it just you wear it as like a dress? Yeah. You wear it under your dress. Got it. God. Okay. Instead of just buying a dress, it's not see she wasn't undressing in this. She was just taking her long sleeve. She didn't want to get that wet. Yeah, exactly. She wanted to get wet. I'm just listen. It's NBC. It's NBC. Yeah, it was. It was fair to put something on. Yeah. But they washed this dog together. She basically is able to like wear the dog over exactly. And they all get wet together. Yeah, playful and fun. And she she asks Nikki if he if he likes to look at the moon. Yeah. And he's like, what? She's like, I'm going to go. I'm driving up to Mount Washington. I'm going to look at her and Pearl. Her and Pearl. Yeah, we don't know who Pearl is. She invites. I know whoever Pearl is. It could be like two. A couple. Two lady. Yeah. To look at the moon. And Nikki's I go, okay. I'll meet you and Pearl to look at the moon. Yeah. Yeah. But this is after Jack shows up. That's what's picking up from work or something. It's like trying to try and to play wingman and our and our strong feminine lead in this in this episode. It's like, excuse me, sir, I can ask your brother out on my own. Yeah. If I want to. Yeah. And she want to come and just, hey, want to go look at the moon. And he says, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we go. He goes and he finds Sally and she's in Pearl. Pearl is her van. That's all sort of like hippy decked out or whatnot. Very sweet. I want one so bad. Yeah. I could that looks like that looks like that looks like I've almost, but I've almost bought a VW bus twice. Have you? That's like a project for you. I could see that. That'd be so much fun. Totally. There's so much fun. And she what she asks. She asks them about them. Like, what do you know about the moon or something? Yeah. And he starts to talk about. And this is his way. He's like, I never think about them. I've been waiting for this my whole life. Yeah. And he starts waxing poetically about the moon or whatnot. And she's she's taken by the whatnot. And he looks over at and he's like, I'd really like to kiss you right now. And and they kiss. And we have a little montage of them making out at work. Yeah. You know, I'm saying, coming back to Pearl, we horizontal now. Yeah. That's more than kissing. Yeah. So that's TV for more than kissing. Once you get horizontal. That means. Yeah. More to come. Laterally. Yeah. Man. A man don't leave. I didn't mean to. But then I did. Yeah. And there's real joy. There's there's happiness. There's connection because he also says now, did anybody else get scared? When he says like, when he says the L word, like, I think I'm falling in love with you. Yeah. And she's like, you think or you know, she's a heavy, you know what I'm saying? If you're gonna say it, you better say it with your chest. Yeah. Help me. Do you imagine if she really said that? Yeah. Let's say it with your chest. Oh, wow. That doesn't feel appropriate for the time. - My guy. - My dude. - And he says, "I love you." And like, I got scared for him for hours days. He moving too fast and whatnot. But it turns out that he wasn't. Because she's this free spirit. She winds up getting things shown about Woodstock. Like this concert's gonna happen. All these people are gonna be here. - But also, can I say in the montage, like he brings her home. The family loves her. - That's right. - She like compliments Mrs. Pearson on the Salisbury. Stakes, she takes this very cute photo of the brothers. - Yeah, it's a Salisbury steak just a bunless burger. - I don't know. - It's not a burger. - I feel like the last person, I feel like the last person to eat a Salisbury steak was also wearing a slip. - Probably. - I feel like they went away at the same time. - It's a little mini meatloaf. - Yeah, something like that. - Okay. - Ew. - Listen, listen, it's before your time, Sam. - I ate Salisbury steak. - It looks like a California cheeseburger, no bun piece, no bun piece. - It doesn't look like a smash burger to me. It's on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. - It's a thing. - You don't like a potato mash. - I do, but not with that on top of it. - I used to, I used to rock a Salisbury steak. I haven't had a long, long time. - I don't think it is anymore. I don't think people make it. - I remember in the lunch line. - Yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure. But everything is going well. - Oh, it's so sweet. - Yeah, I'm saying like it, and it feels right. Like she fits with the family. - But she's a bit of a photographer. She snaps this picture of the brothers. - Yeah. - She shows Nikki when he first visits her in Pearl, like all of the photographs she's taken. But it's sweet because this photo is something that follows us and follows the Pearson boys for a while. It's a sweet moment between them. - It's a wonderful, sweet moment. There's, so the Woodstock thing's going on. And she's like, listen, I think we should go to this concert, check it out. And he's like, yeah, I'll go to the concert. And she's like, you know what, after we go to the concert, maybe we just get in Pearl and go. - Go to California. - Let's go to California. - Drive across the country. - I've heard that before. - Yeah. - Right? And he agrees. - Yeah. - Jack even says, like, if I met a girl like that, I'd be gone to California and a heartbeat. - Four shadow. - Well? - Four shadow, moon shadow. - Yeah. - Then, and so he says, all right, I'll come back. After my parents go to bed, I'll meet you here at 11 o'clock, right? - Jack gets in the suitcase. - Get Sam's tonight. - Which? - I got you Sam's tonight. - He still has, present day. It's got some duct tape on it. - Yeah. - You know what? I missed that. - Oh, he has that. - It's the same suit kit, yeah. - Blue, Sam's, the night suit case that Jack got on. - How about shadow? - I know. - To Michael and Garano when he clicks it open, and goes, ooh. (laughing) - Like it was the-- - Also, can we take a second to talk about this gentleman that is Michael and Garano? - Yeah. - Yeah. - He is such a special actor. Very much in the vein of Griffin, where you could just watch him do anything. The choices he makes, I mean, I know we've had him on, and he's the loveliest, but like anytime Nikki comes background and we get this flashback of him at this age, I'd just like, wow, what a lucky show to have had all of these spectacular actors. - Yeah sure. - Getting to do this caliber work. Yeah, I just like, he's such a good human. He's such an easy person to root for. And it also happens that he's really good at what he does, too. So it's like the trifecta. - And he obviously showed up first in the role of Nikki, right? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - But then when Griffin shows up, like you can see Michael kind of adjusting-- - A little bit. - His performance, a little bit, to be Griffin-ish. - Yeah. (laughing) - In a way that's like really subtle for the future. - Yeah, it's so good. - Nice content though, it's so good. The night that it's also supposed to go down, but the astronauts have returned home. - Yes. - And they're gonna watch the parade. - Yeah. - And his plan is, their plan is to just hit the road, right? To just get in the van and go, that's right. And he says to her that I'll meet you here at 11 after my parents go to sleep. - Correct. - During, when Jack rings in the suitcase and everything, he's, "Hey, if you told them, yeah, I don't want to tell them." - Yeah. - I'm just, you know, I don't want to, and again, this kind of theme of like, I don't want, if I lose the nerve or something, right? - Yeah. - Yeah. - Like, he just doesn't have any faith in himself to follow through. - Yeah. - And then they're sitting and they're watching the parade, right, that night? - Yep, that's right. - And he's looking at the clock. And it's getting closer and closer to 11. That's obviously going longer than he thought it would go. And his parents are still awake. But he's also watching, I think this is probably the, the kindest and sweetest we've seen. The parents? - I would agree. - I agree. - There's this sense of foreclimpedness, foreclimpedness that Stanley has a sort of like, he's almost tyranny. - Yeah, yeah. - Like watching the astronauts come back home and remembering a time. What was he recounting when he came to the radio? - With his dad. - D-Day. - Yeah. - About the. - No. - For harm. - Alming a pearl harbor. - For harm, right. - Yeah. With his own dad, he's like, and now here I am with my son. I'm watching these astronauts land after they walked on the moon. - Yeah. - Yeah, there is like a tinge of nostalgia. There is also this detail that we didn't add that, when Jack's like, why are you like, when are you ever going to move out? And he's like, like, it doesn't even say something to the effect of like, he's nicer when I'm around. Like, he's nicer, he's nicer to mom. Like, so I think he does feel this responsibility. - Right. - Which like, Randall, of just like, if I'm not here to do this, what happens. - Right. Yeah, because see, mom comes sits down, they hold each other's hands, and it's just like, really lovely. And then we flash to Sally inside of Pearl, laying down, waiting patiently, wondering, where's her man? And we get a knock on the side of Pearl, he's here. We open the door, it's park ranger, saying like, you can't park here anymore. You've been here for too long, you got to move. And she's like, I'm about to go right now. I was, it was, oh man. - So disappointing, I know, man. - You're like, no, Nikki, your life could have been completely different. - Completely, completely. - More of that was us after the short break. (gentle music) - If this is us, has taught us anything, it's that a home is never just a home. It's where all the big moments and the small ones happen. - Like, you think of all the Pearson house moments. There was always something happening in every corner, but in real life, there's usually that one space that just sits there. - And the practical side of it is, those spaces still have value. Whether it's a guest room or your whole place in your way, you could be listing it on Airbnb. Turning that unused space into extra income. - And if you've ever considered listing your space, but it felt a little overwhelming, now it's easier than ever with Airbnb's co-host network. You can hire a local experienced co-host who can handle the details and help manage everything for you. That's the part, whenever I've thought about listing my home on Airbnb or our guest house or anything like that, that is the part that has been kind of the most anxiety inducing like, how do I handle all these bookings and the scheduling and watching the calendar? And, you know, if my guests need anything, I want them to be comfortable and I want them to be helped immediately, but if I'm not available, who can do that? And now Airbnb has a whole kind of network of hosts, professional hosts, who can do that for you. A co-host can handle guest communication, manage reservations, and even provide on-site support. So hosting feels a lot more stress-free. - So it doesn't feel like you're taking on a whole new responsibility. It just becomes something that actually fits into your life. If you're curious about getting started, find a co-host at Airbnb.com/host. (upbeat music) - So I was, that's, that's story. - That story. - He doesn't make it. He feels the sense of obligation to stay home. - Yeah. - The other flashback is Nikki Post Vietnam. - Yeah, right. - He's living in that trailer. - That's right. - The trailer that we have come to know. - Yeah, right. - In the middle of rural Pennsylvania, and it's after the war, he gets a call from one of his buddies that the guys from his unit are gonna celebrate the engagement of one of the other, his other buddies. And he wants them to be there. Jack is gonna potentially be there. And Nikki's like, I don't know. He's like, just write down the address and come. He's insisting that he should make it to this engagement party. The next time we see him, he is sitting in his truck. He's outside of the bar. And he's just debating whether or not to go in. He sees Jack. And this is like, we're like, okay, is he gonna go? And in our minds as the audience, I'm even wondering, I'm like, wait, does he actually have a conversation with Jack? Like, I don't remember this time period specifically. And then we follow Jack inside. You know, meet meet and greets like some of his his of the guys outside. He goes inside and sits at the bar with she and who I believe is the gentleman that is engaged and is about to get married and he confides about a good Jack moment. He confides about Rebecca and you know, he's fallen in love with this girl and he wants to repose to her eventually and he's kind of thinking back to everything he's told to her, this lie that he's told her about his family and about his brother specifically in what happened in the war. There's there's I was just a mechanic. Yeah. Right. And that my brother died. My brother died. They essentially are having a conversation about the compartmentalization that veterans have to do. Yeah. Yeah. To navigate life. Life. Because as as connected as the most empathetic people in their lives want to be. No one would understand. And they don't want to put those thoughts in people's heads. They don't want to frame themselves in that way that you know, people had to do horrifying horrifying things and had horrifying things done to them. And so she and essentially tells Jack like his only option is to take every memory you have photos, whatever and lock it away. Yeah. And just go propose and lock it away. Yeah. Keep that part of your life separate and go propose, which is which is which is a which is a distillation of an entire generation of veterans veterans and young men. Yeah. No, it was post post-World War II coming coming into the fifties when when leave it to beaver was, you know, a real reality for people. There was a there was a country that was booming in all kinds of ways and people were getting set up to to prosper and to thrive and then we took an entire generation of young men and sent them to a jungle somewhere that we didn't need to be. Yeah. And go in their lives. And and cut off an entire generation at the knees because the ones who went there obviously have been traumatized, but the the generational trauma that it did to the people who survived them to their families, to their siblings, to their partners is, I mean, we're still feel it today. We still feel it today. Absolutely. So God bless anyone who has served in any foreign woman. Yeah. We salute you. And thank you for your service. It's also just like you know, the debate I'm having in my head right now is like was this the right advice or the wrong advice, right? And I don't know if there is if it's a binary like that, but I do think you have to be able to talk to somebody. Of course. And maybe it's not maybe that is the person that you need to share it with necessarily. I'm not 100% sure. This is this is this is the other problem is that is that we do not provide we we we ask everything of of our enlisted soldiers and then provide them with the bare minimum of support is that when they get back as far as as far as mental health care or even even health care period, it's it's it is the most contradictory kind of situation that I think our country you find itself in is because we want to we want to stand behind our troops and support them. But we don't. We don't. Yeah. Yeah. And it's a real part. We do with words. Yeah. Yeah. We do with words. Yeah. Thoughts and prayers everybody. Exactly. But when the actual help and services that they would need, they're not they're not it. There is this thing about like this. I'm taking this on a micro level and expect extrapolating from vets per se, but like the idea of compartmentalization as a as a coping, right? Like I think, I think ultimately and I because I used to have this thing with Ryan, so this is an extrapolation. I would be like, I want my relationship to be my relationship and like my work life to be my work life, right? And over the years, like those things sort of get like intertwined with one another in an interesting way. It's like, oh, Ryan's at work. Ryan's supposed to I'm supposed to be here and Ryan's supposed to be there, but not and then when we have our time, it's, it's this thing. And I think what I'm sort of in the process of understanding is that like it, the integration of things, it's something that may initially be uncomfortable because I'm used to having my peas here and my potatoes here and my salesperson stay here, like I'm a food segregationist. But when you make peace with the idea that they're, they're all going to be digested in this belly. And maybe sometimes when you mix them together, it's not as bad as you thought it was going to be. I think that's the thing. We have in our mind sometimes that if someone knows this about me, if I share this thing with this group of people or whatnot, then they will inherently not appreciate or see me the way that I want to be seen. And I think oftentimes the thought is scarier than the actuality. Yes, but I will also say that there is a, there is a place for boundaries. You know, there's, the other day I was, I'm with this new cast of, of people and I, I remember just sitting, sitting down and thinking about how, how you cultivate a cast vibe. Yeah. Yeah. You know, we're strangers, but we are here trading in emotion. Yeah. You know, that there's some of it's on camera and some of it is personal and we sit around and we spend a lot of time sitting around talking. And I think that I was thinking to myself as I, as I was sitting down, I was like, sometimes you over share Chris, you share a lot, like, you know, we've talked about on here, like just negative with your clothes on type, type thing and I'm going to push back after you. Yeah. And I don't mind being vulnerable as, as we know, but also think about it. Like take it slow, you've just met these people. Like if something comes up and then sure enough, a subject came up in the, in the conversation was like, why didn't you need to get that deep with it that quick? Christopher, you've got people permission. Sure. You understand what I'm saying? Sure. I understand. And I don't, and I don't, I'm not, I don't regret it. Yeah. I just want to be conscious of it. Oh, it sounds like you are though. I'm trying to be. You are. It's one of the loveliest things about you, because you're right, it does allow other people to then share parts of themselves that they maybe would hesitate on sharing if it weren't for. Right. But there also needs to, and this is obviously, this was just a social interaction. But as far as what we're talking about here, these types of stories that Jack has or that somebody has about war, it's like, you cannot unload these on somebody who does not have the tools to hand, to, to hold them with you. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Which, which is a hard thing to analyze in a person. Yeah. You know, like there are things that I could share with you that, that maybe somebody listening does not have the, you know, like there are some people who watch our show. Yeah. There are the tools to watch the show. Too much. This shows too much for me. Sure. I can't right now, emotionally, where I'm at, not for me. Respect. I do. I do. So that type of analysis. I feel. Yeah. And I, to, to your point, because I think we, in, in, in our own artists way, like our people who are prone to, to take your term, even though I have, for lack of a better one, oversharing, because I think the nature of the business, we know that that demands intimacy. Yes. And, and, and that intimacy really only comes like if you're willing to share yourself with other people. Sure. You're right. And we've had, we've all had experience of where you're like, with actors who are like, Okay, we're on the same vibe, like, we're, and then we've had other ones who are like, Oh, they're more, and you respect that, and completely and totally understand it. But it's also like when you're about to get on that camera, and I've had this conversation with, with classmates of mine from NYU, I was like, I think part of our job is to be known. Yes. Do you know what I'm saying? Yes. And he, and, and my friend will push back and say, like, well, that's something that you're good at. That's something that comes easily to you or what not. I think like once we get on that camera and it's rolling, your goal is to try to tell the truth in a way. Right. And like, Mandy Moore's never been my mama or whatnot. But I, I want to share myself as much with her as possible, and vice versa, so that when that camera does, and it's not because of the camera per se, it's just like who we are as people. Sure. And, and the windfall, the, the bipartisan is like people feel like, Oh, these people have love for each other. But that's the interesting part, right, as we, as, as, as we endeavor on these new shows, right? Yeah. That what people are, the, this is us as a good show. It's a great show. Yeah. But what people are responding to on a base level is watching a group of people who genuinely care about each other. Yeah. Yeah. And there's all the acting in the world that you can do. If there's issues. between people. Yeah. Like it's apparent. It can bleed through and and people might not even know what they're feeling, but they're like something's not true here. Yeah. Something's not authentic here. Right. So the the cultivating the cast vibe is important with those conversations and those chairs. Yeah. You know, things like politics or religion or like whatever comes up, you're like you have to be really careful. Yeah. You cannot just free wheel. Right. You cannot just be commenting on people's whatever you can't. Yeah, but you're very gracious and consider them respectful. And so like that would never be an issue. Of course. Of course. But yes, you're an absolute yes. I can see it with younger actors who show up and maybe just overstep a little bit. Yeah. You know, where you're like, where you're like, easy, easy. We are trying to cultivate something here. Yeah. Beyond these scripts. Yeah. That doesn't that's not helping. Like you can't can't push these buttons. You can't careful with the come. Like careful with the maybe. Are you directing me? Like, like, you know what I mean? Because because that's, you know, as a that's happened to me with young actors where where they they will turn a bit. Hey, could you in this next day? Could you try? Because what I'm trying to do is you know, you've had this happen, right? Where are young actors like they're trying to do something. Yeah. So they need something of you. They need something different from you. Right. And and is it their coverage? Kind of. Okay. Kind of. What? I'll give somebody. I'm saying, I'm saying new. I'll give somebody new. But like in that just to me seems very. Ballsy. It is. It is very ballsy. It's very ballsy. And because also just do what you're going to do. And react to what I'm doing. Exactly. And and if it's not working, the director. Sure. We'll say something. Yeah. But there's this. I don't love it either. But there is this moment of like me, me being like, okay, I am aware of the situation. Yeah. Like I know you don't mean anything by it. Right. Hey, this is just an inexperienced person. Yeah. Who's who's doing their best. Yeah. Yeah. That's jack. Now I can't go off forever. Yeah. Can't go off forever. We will not go on forever. But it's it's just it's just interesting. It's you know, to get back to like Jack and these issues. It's like I'm trying to cultivate a life here. Yeah. I'm trying to start a relationship with this person. Yeah. And I need to be very careful the way she thinks about me. Yeah. Like it's not that I want to lie to her. Yeah. And of course, there's safety in asking him this. Yes. Because like you said, being very intentional about who you're choosing to unload the emotional baggage on. Yeah. Obviously someone who's seen it all and done it all alongside him is going to understand the the reverse of it is Nikki sitting outside in the parking lot in his truck trying to get the the courage up to go. He sees Jack go in. He sees him in there. He knows he's he's within a hundred feet of his brother. Yeah. Who he hasn't seen in years. And he's going, okay, he's rehearsing Jack. I'm a different person now. Yeah. I'm not who you think I am. You know, because of of what has transpired between them. Yeah. He knows the way Jack abuse him. Yeah. Which is exactly what Jack is dealing with with Rebecca. Yeah. He does not want Rebecca to view him different. To view him the way. Sure. That you know, and we even see Jack walk out and Nikki gets out of his car and he's sort of walking behind him and as the audience were like, is he going to stop him? Yeah. Are they going to have a conversation? Yeah. But he sees him look at the ring. Yeah. And decides. I'm not going to I'm not going to do anything. Not going to interrupt this. Yeah. This life. There's no there's clearly he's clearly moving through his own life and I don't need to interfere. Interfer because I am now worthy of love. I am now, you know, all of these negative core beliefs that have that have isolated Nikki from the world. Yeah. So then he goes back and lives his life. That's right. He's isolated in his trailer. He looked at the picture. He puts the picture back and he goes back. Yeah. There's the the sort of coded to it is Nikki in the present. He's sitting with with Kevin Madison and yeah, she's got to go put the kids to sleep or whatnot. There's it's just a there's specifics that you guys recall. Please let me know. But just a wonderful moment of connection and being in the presence of family. I feel like there's something happening inside of Nikki and he goes to lay down at night and have the tough time going to sleep, cause acidity. So I think I should get out of here. Like maybe I'm just a mistake. Yeah. This is a mistake. Like why am I here? Like maybe I just slip out right now. Does she say something to him that gets him to stay or to see sort of make his own to see? I don't remember either, but but Nikki goes into the twins room. Yeah. Right. This is this is where it got brought and gives a classic. This is us. Yeah. Celeleque talking to to baby Krebs or in my mind. I was like, oh, there's no babies in there. They they did have it on the shot. Yeah. Which is which is like how wonderful to be if babies just stayed quiet. And they were awake. Like they're just looking around, but they're all sort of like burritoed up and everything. And just like, if you have something to say to us, sir, we'll listen to you listen. Yeah. Nikki sorry. Cassidy assures him. She's like, look, I didn't know this brother of yours, but I know he would be very proud of you. Yeah. He assures her that Jack would have been like proud. And I was like, yeah. And he goes to visit the twins with the light on. Did anyone else like I was like, what why is that gigantic bright light on in newborn baby. Yeah. That's how people sleep. And that's how Yasu wanted to. That's how I, of course, in my mind, I was like, I'm surprised. Yasu didn't want it darker. Yeah. This is true. Like don't light. He lights over eyes. He he brought them like Michael Creighton books, right? Because it's all like to get Christian John Grisham. Sorry. Rainmaker. Yeah. Whatever he could find at the airport because the gifts he made them were ruined. He talks about you think about all the mistakes you make in life, right? And he starts talking about how the impossible became possible, just like that. And for 50 years, I lived in a trailer and went nowhere. But then I got this invitation. He said, I've been stuck. But here I am. I made it. You two are my moon. Yeah. It was really beautiful. And anything good that ever happened to me seemed impossible. Yeah. He just the impossibility, the moon, like those themes just kept sort of like reverberating over and over again. It's really, yeah. It's got to be part of the problem of what's going on now. Just like we don't have a moon. We don't have something that we're all striving towards. Yeah. We don't have something unifying that is joyful or awe-inspiring. And as he mentioned earlier in this episode, like no matter where you are in the world, you're all looking at the same moon. There's not that sort of significance in the world for all of us to realize, like there is more that unites us. There is this like ever-present thing that is a constant. We see it in the sky every night. And we're all looking at the same thing wherever we are at any given moment. There doesn't seem to be that same thing in existence right now. Yeah. That brings us together. I mean, in our own tiny little microwave, the show was that. Yeah. And it just, yeah, it's, I'm glad that at least we can continue bringing this to light in our own way. Having these conversations about the show that did bring a lot of people together. That's right. From all different stripes and walks of life. There's this last thing. Kav comes in in the morning. Kids asleep. Nikki's sleeping in the chair. There. He sees the gifts that he brought the books, who had not, but he opens up one of the books. And sees a photo. And sees that picture. Yeah. Other person, brothers. Yeah. Sal's birthday. So we're going to be back with our favorite segment, a little trivia fan segment. All right. It is time for one of our favorite fan segments, trivia. That is right, man, anymore. We've pulled together some questions about this episode. And we'll see how well we really paid attention today. And today we are also joined by one very loyal listener who has contributed frequently to our hot take segments. Let's give a warm welcome to our trivia contestant Lin. Standridge. Hi, Lin. How are you? So lovely to have you. We've seen your name so many times. It's so nice to put a face with the name now. Thanks for having me. We appreciate you being You're our biggest contributor so yes so yeah I feel like you're kind of the fourth host. - Yeah, you're the de facto fourth host. - You're hosting, right? - I am hosting. - Chris is hosting. - We have a slightly different format today because in the past, when we've done these trivia games, there's been a little bit of a zoom lag. - Exactly. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just awesome. - It's sterling and it gives our competitive trivia players over here, too much in advantage. So we have a new format this week, where we're gonna do easy questions, medium questions and hard questions, all for points. - Everyone is gonna get their own question. - Okay. - Yeah, okay, deal. - And so I'm gonna go through and Sam is gonna keep score. - Okay. - And we're gonna see who comes out. - So if we can answer our own question, but somebody else can. - No, I think it says we, the answer, - Got it, no way. - We don't answer it. - Okay, got it, got it. - Okay, deal. - You can always chime in, but she just won't get no points. - Okay, just be fun. - Yeah, if you're, if that's why you're asking, Andy. - Understood, okay. - I want the point. - Yes, yes. - All right, we are going to start. - What's Sterling K-Brown? Okay, easy question number one. What is the reason Uncle Nikki initially shows up at Kevin and Madison's house? - To see his name, six. - To meet the twins. - It's incorrect, it's for the twins' baptism. - That was the easy question, Sterling. Sterling is already down one point. - I can't get the steam. Steam coming out of his ear. - Lynn. - That's Lynn. (laughing) - Lynn, I feel like you knew the answer to that one. - Yeah. - Of course you did, of course. - I should have let you, I should have let you. I should have let you. Okay, all right, Mandy. - Oh gosh. - Your first easy question. - Yeah. - Who helps Nikki figure out modern things like ordering from Amazon and traveling? - Cassidy. - Ding, ding, ding. - Ding, ding, ding. - I'm okay. - Are you gonna be all right, Sterling? - I'm gonna be just fine. - Okay, okay. - Lynn, let's see how Lynn. Your first easy question. What is the name of the girl Nikki likes in the flashbacks? - Oh. - Yeah. - That's right. Ding, ding, ding, ding. - Well done, Lynn. - Well done, Lynn. - So we have Lynn and Mandy doing very well and Sterling doing less well. - I have to say, that's that, okay, I got it. That's fair. That's fair. - Cool, cool. - Sterling, easy question number two. - Yeah. - What mistake does Nikki make about how the baptism is happening? - He didn't pay attention to the Zoom. So he thought he had to be in person. - That's right. - Oh, Sterling, good job. - Oh, good job, good job, good job. - Mandy, easy question number two. What famous event are Nikki and Sally talking about when they first talk at the veterinary clinic? - The moon landing or the moon, the module coming back, the astronauts coming back? - Which, which is it, Mandy? - Oh gosh. I guess they're talking about the moon landing. - Ding, ding, ding, ding. - Okay. - All right. - Okay, okay, okay. - If Sterling loses by one point, that's he's gonna be so bad. - It's gonna be fine. - All right, Lynn, your second easy question. What handmade gifts does Nikki make for Kevin and Madison's twins? - No blood. - That's right. - She's locked in. - Now that, now that, now that. - Lynn's locked in. - All right, all right, I guess that's what I came up. - Let's face it, Lynn knows the answer to all these. - She does. - If anybody doesn't know the answer, we're going to Lynn. - Okay. - All right, medium. - Medium hardness. - Medium, well, medium. - Story of money. - Medium, Sterling, your first medium hard question. What food does Sally compliment when she comes to dinner at the Pearson House? - Sounds very stick. - Ding, ding, ding. - All right, all right. Mandy, your first medium hard question. What job does Nikki have when he meets Sally in the flashbacks? - They work at a veterinary clinic. - Ding, ding, ding. Lynn. - Here we go, Lynn. - Your first medium hard question. What problem does Nikki encounter at the airport when he tries to bring the twins gifts to LA? - Yes, what are you still doing? - That's right, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. - Hi. - Airport security says these snow globes have too many ounces. - Too much liquid. - Sterling. - Yes sir. - Medium number two. - Okay. Where does Sally invite Nikki to go before driving across the country? - Woodstock. - Ding, ding, ding. - Nice. - Mandy. Why does Nikki say he didn't tell Kevin he was coming to California? - What doesn't tell? - Why? Does Nikki say that he didn't tell Kevin he's coming to California? - This is a medium hard one. - Maybe I'm just not saying it right. - No, I hear what you're saying. I bet you do. - Didn't tell Kevin that he was coming to California. 'Cause he-- - Wait, let me say that again for him. Why does Nikki say he didn't tell Kevin? - Oh, so he's saying this to Cassidy because he didn't want to disappoint him if he didn't end up showing up. - That is correct. - Yeah, sorry. That's the way it's worth it. - I got you, no, no, that's right. - So he said, what did Nikki say to Cassidy? - I just wanted to change the infos-- - Thank you, thank you. - The infos is on the cell phone. - All right, Lynn, your medium hard question. What is the name of Sally's band? - Oh, yeah, sting, sting, sting, sting, sting. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Here we go. - Lynn is dialed and we've known this. Let's go, here we go. - Here we go. - Here we go. - From the beginning. All right, these are the hard questions. - Too hard? - What's that we'll see? - It might be. - We'll see. - God, how old are you guys? (laughing) - Too hard questions. - Yes. - We'll see. - All right. - All right. - All right. - Sterling, your first hard question. - Yes, sir. - What does Nikki tell the woman sitting next to him on the plane? - Oh, that he hasn't been on a plane since 1971. - Correct. - Nice. - Why was he on a plane in 1971? - It's been coming out of Vietnam. - That's right, ding, ding, ding. - Thank you. - Thank you. - Complete answer, Mandy. (laughing) You ready for your first hard one? - Hi, thanks so. - What advice does the sergeant give Jack about dealing with his war memories? - Store him away, compartmentalize. - Dang, dang, dang, dang. - Okay. - I felt like you were soft on that. And there's probably more specific wording, but I'm okay with it. I just want to say-- - Oh, you're all fine. - I'm fine. - I'm fine. I'm just saying, you used like massage that one, but if I didn't say baptism, all right. That's one point for me. - Well, but that was the answer. I have to get the exact line. - Oh, you're quite perfect. - You're good. I'm being petty in soup. Let Lynn go. She's got this. - Lynn's got the answers. - Yes. - Lynn, what does Sally ask Nikki to explain when they look at the moon together? - Why does he love the moon? - Yes, almost exactly as written. - What is it? - What? - Okay. - Okay. - Okay. - Oh, gosh. - He eats rice! - Sterling loses by one point. - Here we go. - It's so tasty. - Let's go. What Sterling, what fear does Nikki admit he has about traveling across the country with Sally? - Oh, yeah. He kind of feels like, what if she's not into me? Like, I'm not really a California guy. She may like drop me off in the middle of somewhere and I'll be stuck in by myself. Like, she's not as into him as he is in her. 'Cause I need to be more specific. - Nope, you nailed it. - Okay. - Yeah. - Really good. - You really didn't really get away. - Really good. - Yeah. I'm good. - I'm good, I'm good. - You're good. - You're good house. - Yeah. (laughing) That's my favorite. That's my favorite on those like, who wants to be a millionaire? When someone gets the answer right, but the host lets the music swell and they have the straight face and but the music is swelling, swelling. - That's correct. - That's correct. (laughing) Mandy, hard question number two. What two replacement gifts does Nikki buy for the twins at the airport bookstore? - I am gonna need titles. (laughing) - The Rainmaker is one. (laughing) - What is the first one? - The Rainmaker. I don't remember what the other one was. The profession, no, no. The, it's another John Grisham book, isn't it? I'm not a John Grisham girl, I mean, yeah. Lynn, do you know the answer to this? - I know. - Go for it. - Go for it. - The firm. - The firm. - The firm. - The firm. - Yeah. - Come on, Lynn! - Do I get like some points for having half the answer? - No. - (laughing) (screaming) - Yeah, he's cold. (laughing) - All right, Lynn's final-- - All right, Lynn's last, hard question. - Lynn's gonna fumble. - No, what? - What phrase does Nikki repeat to himself in the car when trying to build the courage to go see Jack? - I'm better now. I'm gonna get some on if they think I'll hear. - No, Lynn! - Oh! - That is unbelievable, Lynn! - Lynn's a super fan. - Wow! - She's dialed in. You don't have cute cars, anything, do you, Lynn? - I don't even think we need the tiebreaker. - Yeah, no, we don't need the tiebreaker. - Lynn with 12 points, Sterling with 11, Mandy with 10. - Wow. - Well done, Lynn. - Wow, Lynn! - Lynn, you are the winner. - Lynn, I forget where are you in the country? - Yeah. - Where do we find you? - Man, and Marilyn. - Marilyn, nice. - Well, thank you so much for being such a devoted listener to the podcast and watch her at the show. - Yeah, we really appreciate all your support. - You rock sister. - And you guys so much. I love you guys so much. - We love you. - We're gonna mail you a poster. - Okay. - As your congratulatory gift for kicking our butts. - She won a fair square. - Oh, thank you so much, thank you for joining us. - All right Lynn, we'll see you in the hot takes. - Yeah, see you in the hot takes. - Bye. - Bye. - Bye. - Okay, I love it. - I'm still like sour that I didn't get a half a point. - Yeah. - For half of that right answer, but you know, whatevs, whatevs. - Would you like this? - No, no, no, wait, hold on, hold on. Here you go, you can have it. - I can have it? - Doesn't count. - Nope, since you both lost miserably. (laughing) - Aggressive, but I'm sure. - To our finest listener, Lynn's standridge. - Lynn killed. - We're gonna give you a chance to compete here. - Okay, go ahead. - Squares have gone back to zero. You ready? - Wait, I thought I had 11. - We're going back to zero. - Okay. - You came in second. - You came in second place to Lynn. - First place to me, over eight. Is that better? - This is a new game. - New game, new game. Just between the two areas, go for it. - Buzz and with your name. - Yeah. - What does Nicky say to the twin? What does Nicky say the twins are to him when he walks down? - Starlight midi. - Moon. - Ah. - I said, bruh! - Yeah. Yeah, he just said sterling. (laughing) You have to buzz him with your name. You have to buzz him with your name. That was like, that was like what I looked like when I got taste. When Ryan, when, man, he just reminded my wife of a wife Japanese, she starts doing this shit. - Yeah. (laughing) - Me. (screaming) - Okay. - Okay, go ahead. - That's a good reminder there. Nobody, nobody can buzz in until I finish reading the question. - Oh! - Oh, you have to finish the question. - Okay. - Now that's the new rule. - Oh, now that's the new rule. Oh, yeah, yeah, these guys. - Okay. What is Cassidy saying Nikki might go back to doing if he runs away from the love in his life? - Mandy. Drinking? - That's incorrect. - Would you repeat the question please? - No. (laughing) - Go back to doing this Cassidy. - If he runs away from the love in his life. - From the love in his life. - What does he say? Sterling, your time is up. She says he would go back to his trailer and stare at the same plot of land until he dies. - No, I don't remember that. - I wouldn't have had either. - Okay, fair enough. - All right, this final question. - Yeah. - It's worth two points. - Oh God. - You son of a biscuit. (laughing) - The only way is Sterling. - The new rule. - I'm doing it. - Okay. - I'm just making sure I'm reading it right. - What? - Sky. - What moment shows that Jack never knew Nicky came to see him before proposing to Rebecca? - Sterling. - Nicky in the parking lot watching Jack holding his engagement ring as he leaves to go and propose to Rebecca. Let's carry out. - That's more than we needed. But it is correct. (laughing) - Wait, how do we know that Jack never saw him? - Yeah. - It's a weird question. - As he's going back to his car. - No, I know that. - That's a weird question. - That's a weird question, like what moment shows? - Because we see that Nicky saw Jack, but Jack never saw Nicky. - Yeah. - Sure. - See? - I don't think. - I don't think. - I don't think. - No, I don't care about losing. I just think that's a weird question. - I don't think. - I don't think Mandy is. - I just don't. - I think Mandy's lost before. I just don't, everything she's lost twice in one day. (all laughing) - No, no, that was a new content. - That was a new, that was a two point question. No, I am, I am not as competitive as Sterling. I'm definitely fine too. - You did get blown out, that was a three. - That was three to zero. - If you're not, you're close. We're close. - I mean, I like, I'm a perfectionist. I'll say I'm more of that than competitive. - Okay. - Because I'm not like a, I'm not an athlete, like in games and stuff, I'm like I'm just gonna. - Okay. - It is fun though, I like the energy. - Yeah, I enjoy the energy very much. - Yeah. - It's fun. - And it is nice, it is nice when I host, so that I don't blow you both out. - You know what I'm learning. - Okay, so it's really the competitive, okay. - To just kind of take me off the table, you know, just kind of a real threat. - Yeah, the real threat. - Lynn is awesome. I kind of had the feeling that she knew everything. - Yeah, she would have gotten all those questions. - We weren't gonna stop her. - And she would have asked us a question that none of us would probably want her to. - So that was the end of 5/11, great episode. And it sets us up for, 5/12 is gonna be fun too. One thing that I'm gonna come in on 5/12, I'll probably say it again next time. I miss Mandy Moore. - No, I'm not a 5/11 either. - That's, like, two in a row. - None of us were in 5/11. Besides, it was all like, you know, a little bit of Kevin and Madison, but it was mostly Nicky. - Yeah, sure. - His storyline in the past, little Milo. - It's crazy. - Yes, I had just had a baby. - You had just had a baby. - So they very kindly gave me some episodes off to be home, but yeah. - Yeah, why don't you take two weeks? - Take two weeks and then come back. I did come back after a month. - You did, you came back fast. - Yeah. - And they had the trailer set up for you so you could learn from the trailer and everything and then come back. It was nice, it was cool, it was homey. Who wants to look into the camera? - That was us. - Yeah. (laughing) - That's cool off. - That's good. - That's good. (upbeat music) - Another great episode of That Was Us and this is just a quick reminder that these episodes are available one day early on Mondays, exclusively on Hulu. Don't forget to like and subscribe, support our sponsors, tele-friend, grow the dang show, y'all. (upbeat music) That was Us's film that rabbit-grinned studios and produced by rabbit-grinned productions, music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ♪ Da da da da ♪ ♪ Da da da ♪ ♪ That was us ♪ - That was a hit-gum podcast.