A Million Little Things Review: Letting Go (Season 3 Episode 3)
A Million Little Things Season 3 Episode 3, “Letting Go,” is equal parts emotionally manipulative, offensive to people with disabilities, and decent, compelling TV — making it very confusing to watch.
Eddie’s part in Alex’s murder is supposed to be the most pressing matter our friends are dealing with, so let’s start there. Surprising absolutely no one, he plays no part in it.
It turns out the preacher’s daughter died the first time she did drugs and preacher daddy staged a drowning to “protect” his wife from the truth he couldn’t handle.
It’s something we could’ve been truly sympathetic to if this guy is introduced to us as a person and not a “mystery” that any consistent viewer of A Million Little Things could recognize as a device from the moment we see his eyes in this third season.
The whole mystery of Alex’s death hasn’t actually felt suspenseful; it’s just a waiting game until now when the Reverend Stewart shows himself to Eddie and reveals the whole truth. Yawn.
The worst part of the whole story is that the truth makes Eddie believe he’s disabled for “no good enough reason.” (Anger is natural sometimes but..newsflash: no one ever finds a “good” reason.)
This then leads him to pills…which is the most offensive reason for a relapse I’ve ever seen on TV. Eddie doesn’t take the pills because he’s a wheelchair user now. He takes them because he’s a wheelchair user and he no longer feels like he “deserves” this fate.
Eddie is newly disabled and I’m sure that takes time to process. But when disabled people are having days where they’re angry, the root cause is usually how the world reacts to disability, not the disability itself.
As a disabled person, it’s becoming hard to articulate how offensive this story is. It’s almost like screaming into a void because the fact that these episodes make it to air is proof that at least a handful of people don’t know or don’t care about authentically representing the disabled community.
The bottom line is that the path A Million Little Things takes to get Eddie to relapse is irresponsible. It’s using disability as trauma to drive the plot.
This rating is as high as it is because there are actual powerful moments on the episode, like when Rome is in therapy talking about his anger. He says:
“You walk around like a pissed off Black man in America, if your anger doesn’t kill you, someone else will.”
It’s a simple, sad truth that I’m sure is relatable to many Black men and Romany Malco’s delivery reflects that.
It’s also very effective to have him speak this truth while talking to a Black therapist.
A Million Little Things isn’t trying to exploit Black trauma here, it’s just good, relatable TV that I’m sure people need to watch.
It’s frustrating how some stories are told so well, and others are treated like garbage thrown in a fire with the sole purpose of fueling a “suspenseful” drama.
But Rome and Regina deserve to begin their journey to healing.
A Million Little Thoughts:
- Maggie and Jamie hooking up is predictable but fine.
- Danny and Gary’s story is decent enough, too.
- Does anyone care about Darcy enough to want to know about the baggage she carries from her dad cheating on her mom?
- Carter might be my favorite character on this show.
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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.