A Million Little Things Review: The Kiss (Season 2 Episode 10)
The title of A Million Little Things Season 2 Episode 10, “the kiss,” gets right to the point, so why should we be any different?
Danny’s first kiss ever with Elliot is everything it should be. In fact, the whole scene is unexpectedly brilliant in so many ways.
It’s mostly face acting, but it’s so much more than that. Gary and Maggie’s tension and anger (with a pinch of longing) is palpable. Sadness is dripping from Delilah’s gaze across the aisle at Sophie, who is sneaking desperate gazes back.
Regina looks worriedly at her husband, disappointed in herself because she’s trying to protect him, yet she knows she may have hurt him.
Danny waits backstage with jitters on jitters because being the lead in the school play will do that to you. But actually, he keeps staring at Elliot because the nerves won’t go away until he speaks what’s on his heart, which everyone in his life is incapable of doing right now. Elliot even slightly turns his head away from Danny to miss the backward glances at one point.
It’s a carefully crafted ballet of glances that ends with a kiss.
Sentences like the one above are a rare privilege to write. A scene like that one takes great writing, blocking, directing, acting, and a perfect soundtrack; it’s everything great about TV.
The fact that it ends with two young men expressing their feelings with a kiss is the icing on an already delicious cake. Sweet, cream cheese icing to be exact.
The circumstances of the kiss aren’t perfect. Elliot has been ignoring Danny for weeks now because he’s scared. These boys are in middle school. They’re just trying to figure it all out.
So, it’s heartbreaking to see Danny so torn up about having to kiss Skyler before getting the first kiss that he actually wants. But it’s hard to fault Elliot for not being able to express his feelings until the play.
“Hopelessly Devoted To You” isn’t a bad song to have your first kiss to, either.
It’s so great to watch because Danny’s story on the episode leads up to his kiss to Elliot perfectly. He’s been watching Sophie and Delilah not communicating and Gary trying to ignore his pain by kissing everyone except Maggie.
A kiss should mean something and he’s sick of everyone not expressing their feelings. He does and gets rewarded for that. But don’t discount Elliot’s bravery in actually going for the kiss. He is the one who is most afraid in that scene, and feelings are hard.
It’s a fantastic, important kiss. But A Million Little Things tells another important story fantastically, so we have to move on.
Only people with a mental illness know the anxiety that comes with admitting you have one on forms as important as adoption papers.
When someone’s anxiety is rooted in fear of judgment about something they cannot change, it’s proof that we need more stories about it on TV. We need to normalize mental illness.
Rome and Regina are both understandably nervous about revealing Rome’s history with mental illness. Regina is wrong not to disclose it when filling out the forms.
But the issue is handled perfectly. It’s a plot on one episode. The nerves are exposed, Rome talks them through with his therapist, explains his true feelings to his wife, she apologizes and promises to fix the problem.
Sometimes, serious topics don’t have to be addressed in long, drawn-out arcs. At its best, A Million Little Things lets their stories be emotional without needing to write the emotion into the stories.
A Million Little Thoughts
- Smashing guitars is dramatic, but viewers needed this episode to understand that Sophie’s emotions are valid.
- Sophie and Danny’s bond is precious.
- Eddie’s sister is unnecessary. But we’re probably going to have to meet her anyway.
- Danny and Elliot’s kiss is the only one that matters — let’s just ignore Maggie and Eric’s for now.
- Eric is a fraud, but it’s too soon to guess his motive. We’ll drive ourselves wild.
- Eddie’s story with Theo is sweet, I’m just not sure it’s necessary.
- Katherine exists on this episode to hold Charlie and it’s so sad. She’s worth more and for the record, she’s not wrong about telling everyone the truth. Why is she apologizing?
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 Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.