A Million Little Things bid us adieu with an emotionally wrought hour and spectacular performances, namely by Romany Malco, Chandler Riggs, and Lizzy Greene.
By the conclusion of A Million Little Things Season 2 Episode 9, Gary and Maggie parted ways, the kids learned the truth about Charlie, and Rome and Regina made a big decision.
Join TV Fanatics Christine Orlando, Jack Ori, and Meaghan Frey as they discuss the fall finale.
PJ is NOT Jon’s son, and he didn’t take it well. React.
Christine: I’m relieved. It seemed far too outlandish for the show to give us the story surrounding what occurred on 9/11, and then have Jon be the father. I’m glad it turned out this way and it was the perfect way to get Delilah to see the serious consequences of lying to her children.
Jack: I’m with Christine on this. YAY! They didn’t rewrite history by making Jon PJ’s father.
I also was actually interested in PJ for the first time all season. His emotional breakdown over learning he wasn’t a Dixon after all was riveting.
Meaghan: 3 for 3 relieved! I was going to scream if they made him Jon’s son for real!
I agree with Jack that this isn’t the first time I could actually tolerate PJ being on screen. The scene with Rome thwarting his suicide attempt was heartbreaking once again showed why Rome is one of the MVPs of the show.
Are you surprised that Delilah came around to signing the papers and telling her children? How do you think it’ll affect everyone down the road?
Christine: No. The truth always comes out eventually, and a lifetime of lies almost drove PJ to jump off a rooftop. If that didn’t change Delilah’s mind, nothing else would have.
As much as Sophie is lashing out, I think Danny will turn everything inward which may be even more dangerous.
Delilah and Eddie screwed up big time and it’s going to take time and effort to heal these wounds. Eventually, I think they can all get to a good place again but getting there won’t be easy.
Jack: I wasn’t surprised at all. Throughout the episode, people kept mentioning how keeping this secret hurt PJ so badly. It HAD to get through to Delilah at some point.
Meaghan: No. At some point, she was going to have to come around. I wish she had sooner though because she did so much damage to this group of friends in the process.
Sophie’s reaction had me in tears. I knew it was going to be hard to see her confront Eddie, but I completely underestimated just how difficult it would be.
Was Gary too harsh with Maggie? Should he have broken up with her?
Christine: I don’t think he was too harsh. I’d noticed that Maggie never asked Gary to come with her to England if she got the job, and she was so relieved when he said he wasn’t going to propose.
Gary’s madly in love with Maggie, and her feelings for him seem to have changed because she’s not dying. Watching Gary realize that was heartbreaking.
Gary: You keep saying that you need to know who you are without cancer. I get it. While you’re doing that, maybe I need to figure out who I am without you.
Maggie: Is that really what you want? You want us to end this.
Gary: No, what I want is for you to want us the way you used to, but you don’t. So go.
When he told her she should leave, she never said she didn’t want to go. She didn’t fight for them. She simply got a box and started packing and that spoke volumes.
Jack: I was crying during this scene. But what sucks is that Gary was right. Gary has sacrificed too much for everybody, including for Maggie, but she won’t commit to him.
You gave me a post-it that said “I’m in” and you didn’t mean that.
Gary
He deserves better than that, even though at the same time I hope they find their way back to each other and that he doesn’t go back to meaningless sex with random women.
Meaghan: He was absolutely in the right. Maggie has been mentally checked out of this relationship since she went into remission. She needs to figure out what exactly she wants. We all know it will be Gary, but she needs to see that for herself.
Who do you think Eric was talking on the phone to, and what does he have to tell Maggie?
Christine: I have no idea! It makes absolutely no sense, and I’m quite curious about who that was if they know Maggie, and what Eric has to tell her.
Jack: I have no idea. I wonder if he was talking to Maggie’s mom. I also wonder if he had something to do with Maggie not getting the fellowship.
Hey, what’s up buddy. Yeah, I’m helping her move right now. I’m going to tell her, now it is just not the right time.
Eric
Meaghan: I am clueless. The only thing I could come up with is maybe she is actually sleeping with the mom now? Or maybe he is going to confess his feelings for her. Who knows?
Rome and Regina have finally resolved their kid issue. What are your thoughts on their solution?
Christine: When one spouse wants a child and the other doesn’t, that’s a huge problem, so I’m relieved they’re finally on the same page.
Not that everyone needs to have kids, but I always wondered if Regina’s desire not to have one had to do with the abuse she suffered and that she couldn’t trust her own mother to protect her.
Witnessing Rome protect PJ made her see what great parents they could both be, despite their issues, and I love that she wants to adopt. I’m excited to see where that leads.
Jack: I’m glad they’re on the same page with this, but I’m not a fan of Gina “wanting to save somebody too.” That doesn’t feel right to me, and I don’t want their kid to grow up feeling like he or she was Gina’s charity project.
Meaghan: I’m so glad this was resolved, and in a way that satisfies both of them. They will be great parents.
Who was the MVP of the episode?
Christine: There were so many, I don’t know that I can pick just one, but Rome and PJ on that rooftop were both amazing.
I could feel their pain and desperation and could understand how every step of this story got them both to this point. It was so well done that I was practically shaking as I watched it unfold.
Jack: Rome’s speech on the rooftop was amazing. I also thought Sophie’s response to learning Charlie isn’t Jon’s was raw and authentic.
PJ: What are you doing?
Rome: Same thing you’re going. A year ago, I was right where you are. It wasn’t a rooftop, it was a mouthful of pills, just like that script you read. Yes, man. There are some dark days, but there’s also tomorrow, and I’m here for you. We are all here for you, and I will not lose you. I will not lose you.
Gary also was great, both when he told everyone to stop fighting and that Eddie, Katherine, and Delilah had to work this out, and when he told Maggie he can’t continue to be with her when she’s not committed to him.
Meaghan: I’m going to go with Rome. If it wasn’t for him, PJ would be dead. I hope that in his darkest moments he goes back to that and remembers what a great purpose he is serving. Honorable mention goes to Lizzy Green who plays Sophie because her scene at the end was gut-wrenching.
What was your favorite scene? Least favorite?
Christine: Gary and Maggie’s breakup was my favorite because it was so realistic. It grew out of bits and pieces that, taken separately seemed like nothing until the little secrets and things left unsaid all built up to this huge wall between them.
When Gary realized that Maggie was truly relieved he wasn’t going to propose, you could almost see his heart being crushed by the reality of her not wanting to spend her life with him.
My least favorite would be Eric showing back up in Maggie’s life. I don’t like him and wish he’d disappear for good.
Jack: I also could have done without Eric. I’m not a fan of pop-up characters who have a secret right at cliffhanger time.
My favorite scene was Rome talking PJ down on the rooftop. It was so powerful and showed how far Rome had come.
Meaghan: Favorite was the whole end montage. I’m a sucker for Iris, so they had me the second it started playing.
My least favorite was Gary and Maggie breaking up only because I love them so much together.
Are there any other thoughts you have that weren’t covered in the questions?
Christine: Lizzy Greene as Sophie was fantastic in that final scene. Her pain and her rage were so real.
Eddie was her father’s best friend, and he betrayed him, possibly leading to her father’s suicide, and then he spoke at Jon’s funeral and comforted his children.
Sophie: You spoke at his funeral! You were his friend. I trusted you.
Eddie: I am so sorry.
Sophie: Don’t! I hate you.
It’s going to be a long time before Sophie isn’t furious with everyone who hid this from her.
Jack: I loved the scene in the stairwell where Maggie convinced PJ’s parents to give PJ and Rome space. This was the hardest thing Barbara and Mitch had ever done, but Maggie was right — barging in could cause PJ to jump.
Meaghan: I agree with Jack! Such a risky moment that paid off big time.
Also can someone please answer why Maggie needed to call Eric of all people to help her move? I get that she doesn’t want the rest of the friend group to know yet but Eric of all people?
What would you rate the season so far? What do you hope or expect to see in the second half of the season?
Christine: I’m giving it an A. I like this season even more than A Million Little Things Season 1, and I love how the storylines and characters are growing. Even the PJ story turned out better than expected.
The scene I can’t wait to see is Sophie having a conversation with Katherine about how she’s been able to forgive Eddie and Delilah.
And as much as I’m sure Delilah’s friends will give her lots of sympathy over Sophie’s reaction, I’m thrilled to see someone truly angry at D for what she’s done, and it’s even more delicious that it’s her own daughter.
Jack: I’m giving it an A-. The PJ story dragged its feet, though it ended on a strong note, and I could do without the Eric drama.
I want to see Danny’s reaction to the news more, and how Sophie and Danny deal with Eddie spending time with Charlie from this point forward. I also want to see how Theo deals with this news.
Meaghan: B+. I loved this season, but I think I liked Season 1 better. Delilah’s selfishness and the PJ issue got in the way of things for me during the first half of the season.
I hope we get to see Delilah, Eddie, and Katherine figure out how to function well as a family unit now that the truth is officially out there.
What are your thoughts on our final AMLT Round Table of the year?
Do you agree with our panelists?
Hit the comments below with all of your thoughts.
A Million Little Things returns January. 23 at 10/9c on ABC.
Jasmine Blu is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.