TV and Movies

[pattypeep]

@colliemom4  Does anyone know how far along Tori is and if they know yet whether the baby is going to be small like Jackson? It's nice that they will have a girl this time.

[colliemom4]

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@pattypeep wrote:

@colliemom4  Does anyone know how far along Tori is and if they know yet whether the baby is going to be small like Jackson? It's nice that they will have a girl this time.

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@pattypeep  She's due in November so I'm thinking she's 3 months or so.

[mousiegirl]

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@dooBdoo wrote:

          I’m baffled by their choice of a complicated multi-level house.   Doesn’t seem like a reasonable long-term option — unless, as other posters here said, they add an elevator.

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@dooBdoo   I think Tori loved the house, didn't think about the issues for little people, and I bet they won't be there long when problems arise with the kids and Zach, who has a back problem now.  I think those stairs are a recipe for disaster at some point, just think if one of the kids falls down, there are a lot of stairs and hard floor at the bottom.  

[colliemom4]

I'm doubtful that they will stay in this house long either. Maybe Chris can find them another one lol. Anyone else surprised when Amy told Chris she didn't think he could be a tour guide when he was asking Matt about driving a tractor around? This isn't going to go over well with Chris I don't think.

[mousiegirl]

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@dooBdoo wrote:

            I've been a fan of the show since it began, and with all the recent changes I decided to go back to the very first episode (on my Xfinity OnDemand) and refresh my memory.

            I think it helps to look back and see how much both Amy and Matt contributed to the family's successes and problems over time, and also to see the interpersonal dynamics between them (and among the entire family, for that matter).   There's plenty of blame to go around but also plenty of credit.   Matt has many of the classic symptoms of ADHD (I speak from experience with a close, dear loved one), and if any of you know someone who lives with this you are aware how difficult it can be for everyone.    All the family tended toward rather harsh disrespect toward one another, communications skills were dismal at times (I wince a lot when I watch), and the children were given significant "freedoms" and not so much direction or boundaries or real personal responsibility or consequences for missteps.   Good consistent family counseling might've gone a long way and changed the outcome we see now.

            I've watched seasons 1 - 3 so far, and it really shines a different light on any judgements I might make toward the family members now.    While Matt did a lot to build and support the family financially, Amy did, too -- and she was tireless in the time spent taking care of the children when Matt was traveling (a lot) in sales and then when he was laid off (and later when he re-joined sales and decided to quit).   If any of you are interested, take a look a the early shows and I think you'll see what I mean.

            In addition, I think the storyline about the "farm decision" isn't nearly as contentious the show's editing portrays.    The show was filmed last summer -- here's a May 2019 E! News interview that seems to contradict the "tone" of the episodes we're seeing right now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zYW1OgoMUM

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@dooBdoo   I have always thought that the farm talk is just filler.

I have been one of the lone supporters of Amy and all that she did, taking care of four kids and she and Matt, running the kids to different activities and cooking, etc.  She had a ton of patience, especially dealing with Matt's expensive hobbies, etc.  Matt did what he wanted to do, often without telling Amy.

I have seasons 1-4, and wondered why all of the seasons weren't available on DVD, though I think 5 was, but nothing afterward.

I liked the interview in the link.

[mousiegirl]

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@colliemom4 wrote:

I'm doubtful that they will stay in this house long either. Maybe Chris can find them another one lol. Anyone else surprised when Amy told Chris she didn't think he could be a tour guide when he was asking Matt about driving a tractor around? This isn't going to go over well with Chris I don't think.

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@colliemom4   I missed what you mentioned Amy said, but Chris is sure trying to insert himself into the farm goings on.  I have to mute whenever he begins talking, irritates me.

[mousiegirl]

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@BeccaLou wrote:

Matt's health is a lot better than it ever was before. And he's only about 50 or 51 years old. He's just always been a whinner.He always acted like he was going to die any minute, that can happen when your not happy . Been there. But he seems to be doing alot better now. Amy even brought that up one day and he says , "But I'm Not Dying Anymore ".

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@BeccaLou   Matt is 57.  He had surgery which gave him a new lease on life.

[colliemom4]

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@mousiegirl wrote:

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@colliemom4 wrote:

I'm doubtful that they will stay in this house long either. Maybe Chris can find them another one lol. Anyone else surprised when Amy told Chris she didn't think he could be a tour guide when he was asking Matt about driving a tractor around? This isn't going to go over well with Chris I don't think.

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@colliemom4   I missed what you mentioned Amy said, but Chris is sure trying to insert himself into the farm goings on.  I have to mute whenever he begins talking, irritates me.

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@mousiegirl  He told Matt he'd like to try driving some of their heavy equipment and Matt said he needed some people to drive the tractors during pumpkin season, and seemed agreeable to any of it, yet Amy said she didn't think so. I have a difficult time hearing Chris.

[mousiegirl]

I think Caryn's idea of a bird feeder for Tori and Zach was bad.  It is just one more thing they have to do, clean it, put bird food in it every day, as if they don't have enough to do now.

[dooBdoo]

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@mousiegirl wrote:

@dooBdoo   I have always thought that the farm talk is just filler.

I have been one of the lone supporters of Amy and all that she did, taking care of four kids and she and Matt, running the kids to different activities and cooking, etc.  She had a ton of patience, especially dealing with Matt's expensive hobbies, etc.  Matt did what he wanted to do, often without telling Amy.

I have seasons 1-4, and wondered why all of the seasons weren't available on DVD, though I think 5 was, but nothing afterward.

I liked the interview in the link.

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              @mousiegirl,  All along I’ve tended toward “team Amy” even though I can see the problems on all sides.   Watching the early shows and seeing Matt make major career decisions and not telling Amy until after the fact (at times losing their medical insurance), planning trips without any input from the family and giving short notice to them, making drastic changes to the farm on his own (some of which didn’t prove to be wise or cost-effective), starting projects and then dropping them or leaving finished projects unmaintained so they fell to disrepair and ruin, admitting to making expensive purchases in a sneaky way to avoid Amy's notice until it was too late for her to stop him…  the list goes on, but it paints a picture.   Amy always had to take up the slack, and it became pretty clear why she learned to question Matt’s ideas and sometimes put the brakes on some of his whims.   She had, and has, her faults and they both were disrespectful to one another and sharp-tongued at times, but honestly I don’t think her faults were as powerfully damaging to the relationship.

            I'm glad you enjoyed the interview.  In my opinion, it shows a very different attitude between Amy and Matt, it appeared much more off-the-cuff and believable than the animosity on the show, and I can’t help but wonder if Amy was scripted as the “bad guy” or “scapegoat” in this narrative.