Gerald McCraney
Appearances
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
But I got, yeah, I got the big three at home. I got my own little big three.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
That's right. in Griffin Dunn.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Michael Angarano, yeah.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yes. They love her so much. They want to pet her a lot. That's what they say. Can I pet baby sister? I'm like, she's not the dog, but yes, you can pet her. It's like, mind the soft spot, big dog.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
On today's episode of That Was Us, we will be discussing Season 2, Episode 5, Brothers. Kate drops a bombshell on Toby, Kevin and Randall attend a charity fundraiser for Sophie's hospital, and Jack takes the boys on a camping trip, leaving Rebecca to deal with some unexpected news.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Absolutely. Because like you said, we're 23 episodes into the show. Brother has never been uttered. We've never met him before. Clearly they're not in each other's lives or not in any meaningful way. So what does that look like? Where is he? Yeah. Lots of questions arise.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah. I'm so happy to be back with you guys and happy to have the excuse to like jump back into watching the show.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Wow. And we like jump back in with a real dynamite episode.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
There's two little things that I just want to mention. Yes, ma'am. Because I feel like it's something that people took from this particular scene. It's something that's mentioned later on in the course of the show. But just when Rebecca is talking about parenthood to Kate and tells her that it's like being a mom, being a parent is like a front row seat to the best show on earth. Yeah.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
being a parent and like still like very newly, like postpartum, I was just like, oh my God, that's so true. But it's something that's echoed later on in the show. And I just, you know, it kind of reminds me a little bit of the, like, there's no lemon sour enough that you can't make something resembling lemonade.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And Rebecca telling Jack that she's a miracle after meeting Stanley, like you are a miracle that like you came from this man, you came this, this life that was given to you that somehow you were, you were this, this husband and father now is just like beyond miraculous.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I, I loved that sort of like that Rebecca was able to clock that and take that away from this experience and, and to be able to, you know, tell, tell your person that is amazing. a really beautiful thing.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And we're back with John and Glenn, directors of the pilot, the Super Bowl, some really like seminal episodes of the show.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yes, we don't know about the football accident yet.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Anything to get through to finish the movie and keep moving forward in life.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Period.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yes. I mean, we were talking earlier today about future episodes, a couple moving forward in the season, his particular episode, episode one, number one or whatever. But yes, you're right. This arc that Justin is taking us on as Kevin Pearson right now is just, it's flat out extraordinary.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And less Randall for Kevin, obviously. It's deeply steeped in Kevin, though.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah, and take accountability. It was like, no, I'm just going to take the easy way out.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah, like go get, do their nails, watch a movie.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah, a stranger, because the stakes are so low, right? You're not telling your family or friends or other people that could potentially be disappointed.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
It's a great plan, actually.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Sully's happy song! You feel that in the performance.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And so... The slow-mo of you like on the pole, like, it was... The flash dance.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
So you at least had to wait, of course.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Do you guys remember growing up at a time now without cell phones where we were all not reachable?
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
There's like a look in her eye.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Immediately and having to leave messages on answering machines.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And I agree.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah, for real.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Madison's reaction is so sweet. She's just immediately like... like so happy for her, so excited. And like all is forgotten about whatever they were sort of having an argument about.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And I love this unlikely friendship because, you know, we see later on in this season, like, Madison's actually, like, is someone that comes to the hospital. Like, she's there for Kate. Like, I think this sort of, like, is slowly planting the seeds of them being more sort of intertwined in each other's lives.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
That's true. I called multiple times to a landline in the middle of the woods.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I really want to go somewhere in the mountains. I want to show the kids snow. Somewhere that I can drive.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Because we have three children now, and the idea of getting on an airplane seems a little daunting. So a road trip.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I'm serious. I really would love that.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And the privacy when staying at an Airbnb is unparalleled. I love traveling and going places, but it can be tough to make holiday memories in a home that doesn't really let you relax and get comfortable. And that's why we look forward to our Airbnb trips as a family because we can pick a place that's right for us.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And something else that I clocked, the Wagoneer coming in, like the Wagoneer has, has it made an appearance before? It has with the older kids, with the teens and stuff. But I feel like this is, the first maybe introduction with like the younger kids or where it just, I clocked it in a way and I was like, oh wow, yeah, like where this is, it becomes such a- It's a family member now.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
It was, yes, yes, yes.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
this is the family car there's like a comfort to seeing that car and what it sort of signifies for the family as well as like again clocking the house with the pearsons and the the sort of shift the change of houses that we had yeah um this is it might have not been the first appearance necessarily but it was something that i was like oh yeah that this house is yeah it was just a real marker in time for me yeah
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I'm curious how, like, tell us about your interactions, like, working with Chrissy, working with Justin, because I feel like the two of them were sort of like your touchstones on the show throughout the course of the series.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
So we go to the campground with the boys before, obviously, Jack has been made aware of his father. Because eventually a ranger does find them and tells them, your wife is looking for you. And puts them in contact via the, like, what is it? Like his little ranger thing? Yeah.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I feel like the writers also have this uncanny ability, like as the show goes on, as they get to know us as actors and humans, like they wrote for us in a way. And so maybe there was also that part of it too. You know, it's like as the series progressed, it was sort of like the lines started to blur a little bit. I mean, you felt it maybe more like earlier than some of us. It's just like, oh, wow.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Like it... It's so effortless. So much of the work is done for you because of what's on the page. Just these little tweaks and these little tips and tricks that you can bring to the office, for lack of a better word, is what helps push it over the edge.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And the boys are just not having it. Kevin collapses the tent on Randall. He won't let go of his Game Boy.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
No, I am. We love a good callback. I believe we have Heather who left us a voicemail.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
If we could call her. Well, let's listen to the voicemail first.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I just, I tear up thinking about it, but yeah, we're, we're all in tears over here too. What? Strength you have to sort of persevere and keep putting one foot in front of the other. And as Sterling said, the fact that if we were in any way able to help walk you through an unimaginable time in your life, we are so honored to have been there for you. Yeah, I don't even know what to say.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
We're all just absorbing and digesting your story and your vulnerability and just the fact that you were able to like call us on the anniversary and it's, yeah, just unbelievable.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Thank you so much, Heather. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for calling in. We're so glad that we could be there with you and your journey of re-watching the show with us. It really, really means so much. Thank you.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
If you want to call into the emotional support hotline, we would love to hear from you. Our number is 412-501-3028. You could send us an email at thatwasuspod at gmail.com. Let us know. that you're liking the show or what you liked about the series when it was on, questions, comments, concerns, all of it.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
We do via the walkie-talkie, the radio from the ranger.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Or do you want me to say anything to him?
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And he clocks Kate and says, is that my granddaughter?
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
There's no communication, of course.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And ostensibly, he could have passed away without ever being in touch with his son ever again and knowing that he had a family. It would just so happen that I guess maybe he was an emergency contact or something that he was able to be reached to some degree.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Yeah. It's fascinating because it's like, I feel like Rebecca has a working knowledge of their relationship being complicated and Stanley being emotionally abusive and physically abusive to Jack's mom and that sort of framework. But I... Again, Jack being a man of a different generation, I feel like there's so much that's kept sort of secret, close to the vest.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
It's just even alluded to in him saying so little in response to, do you want me to tell him anything? And him just saying, no, like he's been dead a long time. Like there's not a lot of elaborating. So I just was curious as Rebecca, like in that scene, I'm like, how much does she really know
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
about them and about their relationship and what happened and because to me it was just i i sort of had to operate under the guise of like jack that was sort of a no-fly zone like i don't talk about my dad i know he like lives in town but i have nothing to do with him he's like we don't we don't really go there so here's my question to you as an actor that i was curious about
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
All of that. I think responsibility, curiosity, being... you know, sort of the stand-in for Jack. Like, someone should, like, if someone is passing away, like, I think she just was sort of like, this is the obligation, this is what you do, and Jack's not here, and I don't want to make the wrong choice. And so it seems like...
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
it seems like the easiest decision to go there to sort of suss out the situation, see what's what, you know, and report back to him or try to get in touch with him to let him know what was going on. I think it felt worse to sort of just let the situation wither without taking action.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
It makes me emotional to think about it. Like, Randall just wanted to connect. He was trying his level best to be everything his brother needed and not be too much. It's like he had this...
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Exactly. He had an awareness of it. And it just like still to be nine or 10 or however old he was and to write that down.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
they'll talk oh i love that yeah do you thinking about this episode and brothers and you have two boys yes i have two boys but they're much younger and so we haven't haven't quite seen this sort of behavior yet but do you do they have that sort of like camaraderie and like do you notice the sort of i guess like can you relate to like what kevin and randall or even though they're
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
I mean, I'm pretty tired, but I'm just, you got to fake it till you make it.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
And Kevin is the big brother, more or less.
That Was Us
Brother Bonding Gone Wrong | "Brothers" (S2E5) with special guest Caitlin Thompson
Absolutely. And I think that that power dynamic was established long ago and it's the way that it is for the entirety of their lives.