A Million Little Things Review: Perspective (Season 1 Episode 9)
Marked by remarkable moments of reflection and decision making, A Million Little Things Season 1 Episode 9, “Perspective,” features Delilah and Maggie enjoying a bonding session, Eddie getting invited to tour, Katherine forfeiting her chance to become a partner in her job, Rome having a hard time getting along with his dad, and Gary reliving the grief of losing Jon, even when he should be celebrating the one year anniversary of his remission from breast cancer.
All the build-up over the past two episodes finally pays off, as Maggie finally opts for chemo, choosing life after all. Gary will probably find out by next episode, but I wonder if we are to pretend that he didn’t have sex with Ashley.
Would it be considered cheating, since Maggie and Gary have technically not been together since the argument about chemo? How will Maggie react if she finds out, and what will that mean for her relationship with Gary? This group of friends surely thrive on messy drama!
Ashley seems like a free spirit, but if that encounter is just going to be a one-night distraction from Maggie, then it holds no importance to the plot.
But there is still something unsettling about Ashley, and she almost opens up to Gary. She obviously knows more about Jon’s death than anybody else, and I can’t wait to know what she has been hiding.
JAMES RODAY, RON LIVINGSTON
Speaking of hiding, Rome’s secret battle with depression and his father’s disappointment at his use of pills is a great exposé into how seeking help for mental illness is often shamed.
Such shaming is the reason some people are reluctant to seek help, which would explain why it took Rome a long time to open up about it and begin treatment.
We get another series of flashbacks to Jon, and how he helps Gary beat cancer. However, it is a bit off-putting that Delilah doesn’t get to have flashbacks about Jon.
She says their marriage became rough 2 years ago, so it means they had good times way before that, but for some reason, we don’t see the good times.
This makes it difficult to empathize with her grief, because the only obvious reality is her love for Eddie, rather than whatever she says about how she is mourning Jon. As a matter of fact, Gary’s breakdown is the farthest any of the characters have gone to mourn Jon’s death.
Isn’t it weird how Jon helps Gary beat cancer, literally follows him to all his chemo appointments, encourages him to be positive about living, yet takes his own life? This is a very powerful and thought-provoking irony of life.
In the wake of the widespread pandemic of depression, the courage in showing the nuances of depression and suicide is the flavor that has distinguished A Million Little Things from many other television shows.
“Perspective” sums up the events of this episode nicely. From everybody’s standpoint, there is no right or wrong course of action. Also, putting Jon’s death into perspective inspires them, enables them to decide to move on, and live their best lives.
For Katherine, there is a realization that a career should never be pursued at the expense of family. She has decided to live a little, which is saying something to this generation where there is a tendency to be married to work.
She realizes that her job took a toll on her marriage to Eddie, and now wants to spend time with Theo, and, I’m guessing, her colleague/soon-to-be man, Hunter.
In contrast to Delilah, Katherine has let go of her wedding ring, the tie that binds her to Eddie. Does this mean the end of their possibility of working things out?
I love how the last few minutes are packed with pleasant surprises. While expecting Delilah to let go of her ring, it is Katherine who does it. Then, we see Eddie accepting the invitation to go on tour, and the final surprise is having Maggie sitting in that treatment chair, texting Gary.
Though it appears a few hurdles have been crossed, there is still a lot to be concerned about. What will become of Eddie and Delilah? How about the baby? What is the deal with Ashley? Most importantly, who is Barbara Morgan? And why did Jon take his own life?
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.