A Million Little Things Review: Friday Night Dinner (Season 1 Episode 4)
On A Million Little Things Season 1 Episode 4, “Friday Night Dinner,” we catch a glimpse of Jon’s interactions with the rest of the group, Rome finally gets to pursue his dream of movie making, Gary and Maggie finally come to a vulnerable place with each other, while Eddie and Delilah are still coping with the consequences of their unflattering “adult playdates.”
GERALD MCRANEY, GRACE PARK, DAVID GIUNTOLI, STEPHANIE SZOSTAK, LIZZY GREENE, JAMES RODAY, ALLISON MILLER, CHRISTINA MOSES, ROMANY MALCO (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
As usual, A Million Little Things keeps it neat with the editing. The music on the show is superb, capturing the elements of every scene, and sometimes, with lyrics directly translating to the event of the moment.
Sadly, what seems like an imitation of This Is Us continues with flashbacks to Jon — interactions that should have been seen in the beginning, to emotionally pave the way for the current state of affairs.
If the flashbacks are aimed at validating Delilah’s claim that Jon never paid any attention to her, then they need to try another approach because we still see no wrongdoing on his part. The arguments are not compelling at all.
RON LIVINGSTON, STEPHANIE SZOSTAK (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
It is true that he cared so much about his friends, but we see that he also cared about Delilah, and their daughter, so how do we justify Delilah claiming that Jon left her lonely, and literally drove her into the arms of Eddie?
Frankly, Delilah doesn’t seem to be grieving Jon’s death as much as one would expect. Already putting his things away, more like trying to erase his memory, just like Sophia noted. She appears to want a pass for what she did with Eddie, by trying to prove that it was not entirely her fault.
Here is hoping that we get to see concrete evidence that Jon wasn’t available to Delilah, otherwise, it leaves Delilah looking like a selfish, cheating spouse.
So far, they have failed to justify the cheating, hard as they have tried. At this point, it would be best to quit trying to give reasons for it and let the group heal without attempting to tarnish Jon’s reputation.
JAMES RODAY, LIZZY GREENE, GRACE PARK, RON LIVINGSTON, DAVID GIUNTOLI, CHRISTINA MOSES, ROMANY MALCO (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
By the way, Ashley telling Delilah about love still does not make the affair better. It is true that we do not choose who we love, but applying that in this situation feels like a slap in the face and a convenient way to excuse infidelity.
Speaking of Ashley, she appears like she knows more than she is letting on.
All we know about her is that she was Jon’s assistant, and it has been so sweet of her to come around and spend time with Jon’s family. However, there is an air of suspicion around her.
The way she touches Jon’s laundry shortly after giving a lecture to Delilah about love, coupled with her close relationship with Jon through working for him, one is left wondering what could be lurking in the unknown.
A Million Little Things has remained consistent with the theme of friendship being able to withstand the odds. This is why we have the entire crew come together at pizza night, dining like a family like they used to do when Jon was alive.
DAVID GIUNTOLI, GRACE PARK, GERALD MCRANEY (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
It would suggest that we have seen an end to the tension surrounding the cheating storyline, although realistically, I do not expect Katherine and Delilah to go on a spa date with each other any time soon. For Eddie and Gary, that may be different but Katherine would need more time to heal.
The only person who has kept it nonchalant throughout this intense period is Rome.
Unlike the others, he moved past the issue very quickly, which is helpful, since he plays the invaluable role of balancing the factions and revitalizing the friendship.
ROMANY MALCO, CHRISTINA MOSES (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
Rome has been nurturing the friendship while secretly setting up a meeting with Therapist Maggie, who has become a bona fide member of the friendship circle.
Meanwhile, how many therapy sessions does it take to make a difference? Though it depends on the case, it takes Rome a single lunch date with Maggie to make up his mind about pursuing his filmmaking dreams. If one visit was enough to fix people’s worries, we wouldn’t worry so much about mental health.
When she is not being a great Therapist, she is battling cancer and refusing to accommodate Gary beyond the threshold of their sexual relations.
It is clear they are tilting towards being more than flings but for them to have a shot, she needs to open up to Gary about her health concerns.
STEPHANIE SZOSTAK, LIZZY GREENE, JAMES RODAY, ALLISON MILLER, CHRISTINA MOSES, ROMANY MALCO, GERALD MCRANEY (ABC/JACK ROWAND)
The best guess as to why she is hiding the information would be to avoid evoking sympathy from Gary and to avoid being treated like a sick girl. Nonetheless, if there’s anybody capable of understanding Maggie, it would be Gary.
At this juncture, what lies ahead for the group?
Can Eddie and Katherine mend their marriage? Will Delilah and Katherine ever be okay again? Will Rome succeed in making his movie or did he make a grave mistake by quitting his job?
Will Maggie die eventually? I hope not! Well, time will tell.
What did you think of this episode of A Million Little Things? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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A Million Little Things airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Cynthia Jones
Cynthia is a Sociologist but most especially, a TV enthusiast, with an undeniable attraction to authentic storytelling and powerful portrayals. Her interests also revolve around discovering ways of achieving social change through strategic strides in movies and television. Though she can barely strike a vocal note, she has an endless love for music and her piano is her bff.