A Million Little Things Season 2 Episode 10 Review: The Kiss
Jasmine Blu
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We have a new mystery to obsess over.
Granted, there has always been speculation that Eric was up to no good, but it didn't change how shocking it was when A Million Little Things Season 2 Episode 10 concluded with shirtless Eric, who does NOT have a scar from heart surgery.
Who is he really, and why is he lying?
The hour briefly picked up where A Million Little Things Season 2 Episode 9 left off with Katherine taking Sophie home in a scene that was likely meant to show how the two families have learned to become one.
But then the series jumped three months, and life with the friends was a mixed bag of drama as everyone adjusted and battled with their own issues.
Sophie was still not taking the truth well, and it led to a wedge placed between mother and daughter and certainly one between her and Eddie.
Predictably, Sophie blames Delilah for John's death. The tension between the two has changed the atmosphere of the Dixon home.
Sophie is behaving like a typical teenager. She's acting out, disrespecting her mother and not following any of the rules.
Delilah: Sophie, wait. Sophie, I want to talk to you.
Sophie: You killed dad!
When she isn't yelling at Delilah, she's ignoring her and avoiding her. She has lost respect for her mother, and it's tough.
However, it was necessary. For some reason, Katherine was compelled to apologize for pressuring Delilah to tell her kids the truth.
She underestimated Sophie's reaction, which is something Delilah was trying to prevent.
But Katherine didn't have anything to apologize about there. The truth was going to come out at some point. No matter when it was revealed, it was going to be a disaster and the results would've been the same.
Katherine: I'm sorry, Delilah. I can't help but feel partially responsible.
Delilah: You didn't know this was going to happen.
Katherine: But you did.
You could argue the longer they waited, the worst it would have been. But you cannot keep secrets like that and obligate every single person in the Dixon children's lives to remain tight-lipped too.
It wasn't fair to any one of them, and it wasn't for the Saville family or baby Charlie in the long run.
Delilah and Sophie probably won't be able to work through their issues until Sophie is willing to go to therapy, and it's a wonder she wasn't already attending it in the first place.
They both are incapable of properly communicating with each other. But for now, it's probably best that Sophie stays with Rome and Gina until she can cool off a bit and get her thoughts in order.
I keep thinking it's going to get better, and it's getting worse.
Delilah
Sophie is entitled to her anger, and she made a valid point about how everyone wants her to get over it and move on, and she can't. She's right. Almost everyone else breezed past this like it was no big thing.
Their anger was short-lived if it came out as anger at all. But this affects her in different ways than anyone else.
Sophie's behavior can be viewed as annoying or heartbreaking or any number of things, but it's a long-overdue ire, and it works.
Also, Lizzy Greene is still killing it after her particularly emotional performance during the winter finale.
Hey mom, it took a while before you could talk about stuff too. Maybe she just needs more time.
Danny
But much of the spotlight both literal and figurative was on Danny. He's upset about everything that happened, but it doesn't come out as anger for him.
It hasn't affected his relationship with his mother to the point where he's not on decent terms with her, but he's not happy about the friction between his mother and his sister.
He's also disappointed in Gary and far from pleased about his separation from Maggie. Too many changes are happening for young Danny, and it was overwhelming, but one thing that could bring everyone together was his opening night of the Grease musical.
With all of the things going on, one could appreciate how simple Danny's problems were. He's a kid, and his worries should be about first kisses and stage fright, not if his Uncle Gary is going to be inappropriate with his teacher.
Danny: You've been acting so weird lately. Everyone thinks it, not just me.
Gary: What is that supposed to mean?
Danny: It means why are you kissing my social studies teacher?
Gary: Because your Spanish teacher is married.
He was nervous and confused about having his first kiss with someone he wasn't interested in front of everyone, and it drudged up the mixed feelings he had about Elliott.
Everyone was attempting to reassure him or treat it like it wasn't a big deal, but he's right. His first kiss should've been special and with someone he desired. And given the important steps he took toward coming to grips with his sexuality, he likely wanted it to be with another boy for real, not an act.
With all the adult problems happening, it was a pure moment of joy when Danny bared his heart to Elliott and had his first kiss seconds before his big scene onstage.
It gave Danny the confidence boost he needed to reassure his scene partner and complete the play with success. It also gave him the means to call Gary out.
Danny: You know, you were the first one to know I was gay. Maybe before I knew. You told me when I was ready to tell you about Elliott, you were ready to listen. Remember?
Gary: I do.
Danny: Well, when you're ready to tell me that you're still in love with Maggie, I'm ready to hear it.
Ironically, if Gary listens to anyone, it's Danny. We had some solid Uncle Gary and Danny scenes, which are always a treat. But Gary's behavior has significantly changed how he is with those around him.
Danny was disappointed in him for making out with his teacher, and Gary wasn't the first person Danny told about his first kiss. He also got in his case about acknowledging his feelings for Maggie.
Rome commented on how angry Gary has been and told him he needs to get it under control. Something in him has broken.
He's shoved all of his feelings deep down and is behaving recklessly and callously. He's trying to pretend as if he doesn't care about anything, and it's turning everyone off.
The first thought to come to mind when he was in the doctor's office was that he was getting checked out for his cancer again, but nope, he was getting tested for STDs, and it was apparently a common occurrence.
Gary: You don't get to have an opinion on how I live my life anymore, Maggie. You lost that right when you broke up with me.
Maggie: I'm sorry. You broke up with me.
He's been going through women like underwear. It's a serious regression for someone who made strides in the romance department.
He was also behaving like a child avoiding Maggie and refusing to speak to her.
He's angry, and they both are coming from valid places here, but the whole cold shoulder thing is too much. Gary was acting like a dick.
The worst part is his incident with the man who held him at gunpoint probably won't be enough to shake him up too badly.
Gary is headed down a dark path, and it's doubtful he'll veer from it anytime soon. After a year of being the rock for everyone else, he's slipping, and they're probably going to need to join forces and get him back on track.
For her part, Maggie did what everyone expected; she turned to Eric after the breakup. She has a point, and it's something everyone was discussing for ages.
Eric: My brand is more cuddly but hard to get. A mystery wrapped in a cardigan.
Maggie: Oh yeah? How many dates have you been on?
Eric: Well, let me see, there was the one with ... none. Not one.
Her entire life in Boston has revolved around Gary and his friends, so now that she's not with Gary, it's sometimes weird to be around his friends. Eric is her friend.
At least, she thinks he is. They've spent a lot of time together over the past few months from the looks of things, and they're close enough where people assume they're a couple or should date.
Eric's interest in Maggie has carried a bit of a romantic tone at times, but it was Maggie who made the first move. Unlike Gary, she was reluctant to put herself into the dating pool again.
She's not over Gary, but she also expressed some uneasiness about dating someone when she's getting over cancer. She has her pixie haircut now that her hair has grown back, but she has scarring that makes her insecure.
Maggie: What do you do when you're with someone?
Eric: I, uh, I haven't been with someone since Chloe.
It's something she didn't give much thought to with Gary since he understood, but it's different with someone else.
It almost felt like Maggie made her move with the belief that Eric could understand. It was odd when she asked him what he did about his scar when she knows what it was like with Gary, but it must have been a way of broaching the topic and testing the waters.
When Eric pulled away, Maggie felt rejected and bolted out of there. But now we might have an idea about the mysterious phone call Eric took during the fall finale.
He's lying about who he is, and he pulled away from Maggie due to his guilt. She was going to piece together something if they got physical, and she didn't see a scar on his chest from a heart transplant.
Was his fiancee Chloe the one who had the heart transplant? What's the real story there? Why has he wormed his way into Maggie's life if he doesn't have a connection to Chad?
Speaking of secrets and mysteries, Eddie has a sister Lindsay. The Savilles have always felt a bit isolated. Katherine has her mother, but Eddie never mentioned anything about other family members, and his gang of friends has been the equivalent for a decade.
It turns out Lindsay is an alcoholic too. It has to be some family history surrounding both kids battling alcoholism.
They enabled each other, and when Eddie chose to get his life together, he and Lindsay stopped speaking. Lindsay hasn't even met Theo yet, so she's been out of Eddie's life for a long time.
Katherine is afraid, and you can't blame her for being concerned, but she needs to support Eddie in reaching out to his sister.
Eddie has put up with a hell of a lot of triggers over the years, and he hasn't turned to drinking that we know of, so she has to trust he can be around his sister.
Plus, who's to say she hasn't gotten her life together in all of this time? Eddie got a second chance, so why can't she get one?
Regina: The thing that has impressed me the most since your dad passed is how you've been there for Danny.
Sophie: Look, I want to be there for him.
Regina: OK, so go. You don't even have to-
Sophie: It's not about mom. I see her every day. The person I don't want to see is Eddie. Especially don't want to see him and my mom together.
Regina: Soph-
Sophie: Look, everyone expects me to get over it, but it's not that simple.
They can't know -- he can't know until he sees and speaks to her, so while Katherine's fears are reasonable, it isn't her place or decision to make here.
Ten years is a long time to be estranged from a relative.
The best moments of the hour were Eddie and Katherine sitting down and having honest, real talks with Theo. They have both chosen to lead with honesty since secrecy and lies have negatively affected their family too much to be healthy.
Eddie's growth as a character sneaks up on you, and it's remarkable how endearing he has become over the season. Eddie taking the lead and talking to Theo about alcoholism was a wonderfully done scene.
Eddie: Most people can drink, and it's fine. But I can't, so I gave it up. It was hard, but not drinking made me a better husband, and it made me a better father. It makes me a better person.
Theo: I'm really proud of you, dad.
It was age-appropriate but honest. He helped Theo understand what alcoholism meant, and he was there to talk things through later when Theo was afraid of Eddie relapsing.
He didn't make any promises, nor did he make Theo afraid a relapse was inevitable either. It was one of the best examples of that particular conversation between a parent and child on TV in some time.
When Theo held Eddie's hand and told him he was proud of him, it was hard not to get emotional, let alone disagree with his sentiment.
If you'd have said the Savilles would be a happy family like this back in the early days of A Million Little Things Season 1, it wouldn't have been remotely believable.
And sometimes Charlie is added into the equation too. Theo adores his baby sister, and Katherine has adjusted to co-parenting well, given the circumstances.
Maybe she's too good at it. For now, Eddie, Delilah, and Katherine are acing the co-parenting thing, and it feels too good to be true.
I keep thinking it's going to get better, and it's getting worse.
Delilah
It leaves some space there for resentment, maybe. Life with Sophie has gotten harder for Delilah, and the Savilles have found a happy sense of stability.
Do you think Delilah will start to resent it? Katherine appears to have grown attached to Charlie, and it seems like there is room for Delilah to feel challenged by Katherine's presence as another maternal figure.
What makes it fascinating is Eddie missed out on most of this time period when Theo was the same age, so it's new to him. Meanwhile, Katherine is someone who worked more in the past than she does now, so it's like she gets to relive certain aspects of motherhood, too.
Between sharing baby Charlie with Eddie and Katherine, and Sophie moving in with Regina and Rome, it wouldn't be a surprise if Delilah battled some insecurities about her role as a mother.
It was a sore spot for her before and something she can get defensive about, so it makes you wonder if it'll come up again.
Meanwhile, Rome and Regina are getting their feet wet with parenthood. They had PJ, and now Sophie.
They have started the adoption process, and both of them are on the same page about it, which is a good thing.
Rome: Let me ask you something. Do you think that my depression makes me less qualified to be a father?
Gina: No, of course not.
Rome: I want this baby more than anything, Gina, but I can't have my first act as a dad be a lie.
Keeping up with their trend of awesome guest-stars, Niecy Nash appeared, and it was enough to send Rome into a bit of a spiral.
Gina wants them to have the best shot at getting a kid, so she chose to leave his mental illness out of their medical history information.
She knows there is a stigma surrounding mental illness, so she didn't want it to be an issue.
I love when the series puts Rome's depression back at the forefront and shows how he's dealing with it. It's not something that simply goes away, and at times it falls to the wayside in favor of the more flashier and soap-operatic storylines.
Therapist: No one is saying that people successfully dealing with mental health issues can't adopt.
Rome: They don't have to say it. That's how they feel. They look at people with mental illness differently. That's why I didn't seek help earlier. The way you and I were raised, doc. Black men weren't allowed to cry. We were taught to be tough because the world is going to be that much tougher on us. Never tell anyone how you feel. The only one you ask for help is Jesus. Stop me if I'm lying, but that's how you survive.
Therapist: Until you have a handful of pills in your mouth.
Rome is still seeing his therapist, and it seems to be working for him. It was nice to check back in with those therapy sessions.
It was also great that the show doesn't shy away from touching on the cultural element to stigmas with mental illness. It makes Rome getting the help he needs and deserves all the better and more meaningful.
It was a huge step for him, and he continues to make great strides in his ongoing battle. As much as you understood what Regina was trying to do, you were also proud of Rome for his response.
He doesn't want his first step toward fatherhood to begin with a lie or omission. It seems the entire group is embracing a damn near radical honesty, and for the most part, it's serving them well.
Personally, the adoption storyline is something that elicits some mixed feelings at best, but it could lead to some great things for the Howards.
Over to you, AMLT Fanatics. Who is Eric, and why is he lying about the heart transplant? What are your theories about that?
Are you disappointed in Gary's regression? Should Eddie reach out to his sister? How long will the Dixon-Saville co-parenting last without incident? Should Sophie "get over it?"
Hit the comments below with all of your thoughts, theories, and speculation.
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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
