A Million Little Things Season 1 Episode 7 Review: I Dare You
Jasmine Blu
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Please keep standing, Maggie.
On A Million Little Things Season 1 Episode 7, we were treated to strong performances by both established and universally fandom approved 'ships of the series.
Seriously, Miller and Roday and Moses and Malco have incredible chemistry, and they know how to bring out all the #Feels.
Rome and Regina had more focus this hour, and the aftermath of Regina learning the truth about Rome was palpable and crucial to tackling such difficult topics. How does a marriage carry on after one spouse discovers that the other is suicidal?
The hour gave the necessary space for Gina to process the news and go through the motions of determining what it means and how she can carry on after that devastating revelation. It has changed everything that she knew about her marriage.
It has to be difficult for both Rome and Regina because their marriage has changed in a way they didn't anticipate. Everything that they do from this point forward will be, I hate to say marred, but influenced by Rome's mental illness.
Gary: You're not the boss of you anymore.
Rome: Says who?
Gary: According to this chart, Regina.
Most of us probably were agreeing with Gary when he said right off the bat that Rome was suffering from a kidney stone, but now that Rome's struggles are out in the open, they have to treat him differently.
If for a moment Regina thought she could put off, or postpone her feelings about Rome's depression, or if she attempted to convince herself that he was OK because he was taking anti-depressants and she reminded him how much she loved him, the reality hit her when he was sick at the hospital.
Related: A Million Little Things Round Table: Hey There Delilah (and Eddie), We're Over It!
She couldn't know for sure if he made another attempt on his life, or if he took something that he shouldn't have. She loved him too much to give him the benefit of the doubt in that situation. She had to make the best call.
As her new duty as the person in charge of his medical care and decisions, the best call was to make him take charcoal to be on the safe side. Now, every time something is wrong with him and he has to go to the hospital, his depression has to be considered.
It has to be difficult for Regina, and it has to be frustrating for Rome. Fortunately, Rome understood the predicament Regina was in and didn't appear to resent her for not trusting his judgment or questioning him.
He knew the position he put her in by not telling her the truth. It was a hard situation for Regina because, in addition to Rome's kidney stone, she kept finding out more things that he didn't tell her.
Regina: It's not that you were talking to her. It's that you weren't talking to me.
Rome: I know, but Gina if I had told it to you, it would have made it so real.
It hurt Regina when she found out that Rome confided in Maggie. It also hurt her that he told the guys before he told her too. She was the last to know about her husband's issues. Marriage is a partnership, and you're supposed to be a team, so it was unfathomable that he would keep such important things from her.
I love that Regina had the space to sort through and process all of this while dealing with everything else, and no one judged her for it. The others, especially Delilah supported her. There is still something about their friendship that I can't place. Sometimes, it feels surface level at best.
It provided a chance for Jon to be brought up. Delilah admitted that she didn't know anything about Jon's feelings before he died either.
Delilah and Jon's marriage is bewildering, and while emotional distance can be a normal reaction to losing a loved one too, it's starting to seem odd that Delilah barely seems affected by his death compared to the others.
It was a strong Regina installment, and she was one of the characters that many of us wanted to know more about, so more of her was appreciated. It's hard not to sympathize with the woman because no one wants to be the last person to find something out or left in the dark about the person they love most in the world.
Related: The Resident Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Trial & Error
Rome admitted that if he told Regina the truth, then he had to face the fact that what he was dealing with was real. The moment he shared that dark part of himself with her, he knew everything would change. He wasn't wrong.
Their final scene together where he asked her on a date during their role-play was an adorable scene. Flaws, reality and all, they are couple goals. They're precious together, and I love their love.
Maggie: I'm the one who referred him to Dr. Heller. He's been trying so had to get better, and I have been holding my breath waiting for you to know because as much as I hope I've been helping him, I know the person he really needs to talk to is you. I'm so sorry, Gina. I understand if you're angry.
Gina: The thing is I don't have time to be angry because I have to use up all of my energy to make sure that my husband is OK.
I love Gary and Maggie's love as well. Neither of them is coming out and saying it, but they love each other. Gary is head over heels for that woman, and that's why he refuses to give up on convincing her to go to chemo.
They are such a fun, adorable couple; spending time with them has to be a blast.
It's surprising that Maggie didn't anticipate the direction their game was going in. She had to know, right? It's like she wants Gary to fight for her, but she doesn't want him to push her at the same time.
Some of Maggie's statements were getting to Gary, but the bruising affected his whole mood. You could see the pain in his eyes when she had such a happy reaction to his billboard and explained why it was such a great move. You could also see how affected he was after their sing-a-long at the restaurant given the words of the song.
He loves Maggie, and her "giving up the fight" is hurting him. She knows that Gary is an unfair position that is difficult for him, and the fear is that she plans on distancing herself.
The flashes of Maggie's time spent with Gary and these new friends she has made within the past few weeks was beautiful and heartbreaking. She didn't see any of them coming. They weren't part of her plan. She never anticipated becoming attached to anyone.
The attachments are making it harder for her to die on her terms because now she has a man she has genuine feelings for and friends who care about her and vice versa.
Maggie: Dare me to do anything and make it really hard because you outdid yourself.
Gary: I dare you to get chemo.
Maggie: What are you doing, Gary.
Gary: You said make it really hard.
Maggie: No, no don't. That's not fair.
Gary: None of this is fair, you said make it really hard.
Maggie: Game's over. I'm done playing.
There is also a matter of watching her body deteriorate before her eyes. She knows what will happen, and she understands the process and has accepted it, but that doesn't make it easier. Maggie's breakdown while looking in the mirror was agonizing.
Gosh dammit, Maggie needs to live!
On a lighter note, Danny returned, and he is such a precious child. The relationship between Danny and Uncle Gary is one of the best, as is customary for any dynamic involving Gary.
So far, Danny's experience as a young boy discovering his sexuality has been healthy, pleasant, and done well. He isn't ready to open up to Delilah about it yet, but Gary is such a strong support system for him. Their scenes are funny and sweet.
Additional Notes:
- Delilah and Eddie shared a couple of special moments during that sonogram.
- Eddie had a mature response to the situation when acknowledged that sometimes what one wants and what makes them happy may not be what is right. Maybe he could've thought about that before, but whatever. Then he expressed no regrets about the beautiful life he and Delilah created. Oh, Eddie.
- I get why Eddie hates the idea of not being able to sing his own songs, but there is more money to be made in songwriting. He's unemployed, homeless, separated from his wife, and in need of a distraction.
- Katherine's co-worker gave her excellent advice, and it's sweet that Hunter showed interest in her.
- I love Gary and Katherine scenes. I hope they become close friends.
Over to you Million Things Fanatics! Did you appreciate the Rome and Gina focus? Are you happy Danny turned up again?
Are you worried Maggie will push everyone away? Will Eddie be able to deal with keeping the paternity a secret? Hit the comments!
The series will take a three-week hiatus, but you can watch A Million Little Things online here at TV Fanatic in the interim.
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.
