The series knows how to bring in those openings and closings.
There were a couple of noteworthy changes six months later during A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 6, but for the most part, it was business as usual, and the hour felt like a filler installment.
The good news is that the six-month time jump advances the storyline and opens the door for potential storylines of interest.
What the absolute hell is this Darcy situation?
One can’t even begin to process how this all played out and the opening moments of Gary bumping into Darcy, who was sporting a bump of her own.
Half a year after she left him and went to Lennox, she’s back to her original family, falling into an undefined relationship with her ex-husband and carrying his child.
It’s a tough pill to swallow no matter what direction this goes. If this is the last of Darcy, and her chapter in the series concluded, it’s unsatisfying.
And yet, it always felt as if things between her and Stephen weren’t over or open-ended. It always felt like the show would head down a love triangle direction with her, Stephen, and Gary.
Stephen felt like he had a place between Gary and Darcy when they were together. The fact that they were relocating to Lennox at all to be near him for Liam’s sake because of some deal she struck with him always spoke volumes.
Hey, Darc. What’s new?
Gary
If Darcy fell back into bed and her romantic relationship with Stephen, then it wouldn’t come as a shock. However, it’s such a cop-out way for her to end things.
On the other hand, if her story isn’t over and we learn that this baby belongs to Gary, it’s so soapy that it’s cringe-worthy. It would make me think less of Darcy if she were the type of woman who didn’t disclose to Gary that they were having a child together and intended to keep him away.
She didn’t like what he did, and it was the cause of their breakup. Regardless of her sentiments about Gary’s actions against Peter and how seriously she takes fatherhood, there’s no justifying such actions. She’d claim it was in the best interest of the child, but it isn’t, and it’s wrong.
Either way, the shocking news sent Gary into a tailspin, and he spent the rest of the day processing it and lamenting the loss of his relationship.
Darcy: How are you doing?
Gary: I’m going to lie and say that I’m doing great. Give the kid my best, will you?
James Roday Rodriguez can make anything entertaining, so credit goes to him for pulling off this sidequest with the college kid Benny and his old Corolla.
It included some funny moments, but for the most part, it was a waste of time. We could’ve learned more about what happened to Peter and the investigation into his assault. They could’ve explored the extent to how Sophie shutting him out is affecting him.
It’s six months later, and we don’t know much about what Gary was up to during that time.
The hour ended with Maggie learning that she had a stalker, and that was the second storyline with a jolt of life in it. Her radio show deal is going well, but with success comes challenges.
Is the reason we don’t go out is because you don’t want to be seen by your fans or you don’t want to be seen with me?
Maggie
She’s popular on the air, and she’s amassed enough fans to get a decent haul of mail every day. However, some of that mail comes from a stalker who has a vested interest in Maggie.
It’s creepy to think about where this storyline is going, and not just because some of us have barely come down from Joe Goldberg’s antics in the latest season of YOU.
Maggie needed a boost to her storyline beyond the frivolity of workplace politics and sticking her foot in her mouth at every turn. For some reason, her storylines still keep her distance from the majority of the group.
But in this case, her mini-Lifetime movie storyline could be the type of drama that gets our attention.
She’s also dating again, and Cam seems okay. They’re two months into their relationship, and he considers her his girlfriend, but outside of the fact that Ryan Hansen is playing him, there’s no real attachment to this character yet.
It’s too early to buy into their chemistry, and fast-tracking their relationship without us witnessing it all play doesn’t help sell them as a couple who’ve known each other for half a year and been dating for some time.
He seems charismatic, and it sucks that we went an entire installment without knowing how the guys felt when they learned Maggie was dating a Bruins player. Assuming they know about it, unlike everyone at work, they’re not in the dark about Maggie’s love life.
Jane is speaking some sense, though. There has to be more behind Cam not taking Maggie out when they’re dating. If the show is acting as if the pandemic is over, then there’s no reason, including the ones he is giving, that they’re dating from Maggie’s couch.
Cam is acting as if he’s a movie star and now a hockey player. Sure, there are many diehard fans of the sport, but it’s doubtful that everywhere he goes, people are fawning over him like he’s this huge celebrity.
Maybe it’s because I’m from a big football and hockey town, but it’s nothing to see these athletes at the grocery market once a freaking week. It’s not that serious.
Rome is on the cusp of facing the consequences for showing his documentary to others and violating his contract with Paragon Plus. Interestingly, that’s not the most concerning thing on his mind or with his storyline right now.
He didn’t seem to be taking it seriously at all. Instead, it’s his relationship with Cassandra that could raise a few eyebrows.
Rome isn’t the happiest with the amount of time Gina’s been away and how little they get to speak to each other regularly.
He’s a friendly guy, and while it never would cross your mind that anything shady would happen with him and Cassandra meeting for coffee while it was happening, the potential for something akin to an emotional affair in Gina’s absence is in the atmosphere.
One can only imagine that Mario Van Peebles will have a more significant arc on the series, and this wasn’t the extent of his guest appearance as Gina’s father.
He was another character that was hard to read beyond his interest in the server that made Gina jealous. We don’t know much about Gina’s father. She doesn’t speak about him often.
She hadn’t seen him in two years, and he barely showed interest in what was happening in her life. He doesn’t have a presence in her life the same way that her mother does.
Their scenes together were stiff and awkward, and then he never showed up at the set to see her in action, and by the time we rejoined her there, he was a distant memory.
The real tension for Gina was because of her sharing that Valerie was in prison with other people. As inspired as Gina is by Valerie, and that’s valid, it makes no sense that she casually told anyone about her in prison and never considered the stigma attached to it.
Gina would’ve appeared less naive and irritating if she said that she had to disclose Valerie’s felon status as an employee/partner.
Dad, I haven’t seen you in two years. We’ve been sitting here for over an hour, and you know more about Monica’s life than mine.
Gina
How did someone coming off the BLM storyline and all the self-examination that went with it not think that Valerie as a Brown woman from prison wouldn’t face poor treatment by others who knew about it?
It wouldn’t even take misplaced wallets and money for others to treat Valerie like a criminal.
The strongest arc of the hour goes to Sophie and Eddie.
I love seeing that these two who were so close have reached this place again where they have a positive relationship. I also appreciate that Sophie is still grappling with all of these things: her father’s death, Peter’s sexual abuse, the affair, Delilah’s absence, and Gary’s actions.
She’s behaving like any teen would with everything that’s going on, and her comments about how she can’t trust the adults in her life were poignant.
They have let her down in some way or another. It’s left her in this vulnerable place where she feels stuck.
Eddie was the perfect person to talk to her. He’s shown such incredible growth, and these are moments when it’s on full display.
He didn’t shame her for the partying and drinking. Eddie didn’t judge her. He helped and listened to her, and he let her know that she was not alone.
You’ll excuse me if the trust in the adults in my life is as non-existent as they are.
Sophie
Hell, he has 20 years on her, and he can also relate to some of those same feelings and try to figure things out. Life comes at a person fast.
He’s reached a peaceful place, even though he has his moments. His fans pitying him for his job as a driver got to him a bit, but he’s also appreciative of where he is in life and his journey after everything he’s overcome.
The Sophie and Maggie connection has been one of the best parts about Sophie’s increased visibility on the show and acknowledgment as a young adult. But if not Maggie, Sophie and Eddie are intriguing, too.
I like that they can explore her relationship with the adults now that she’s old enough where it shifts to something more mature and closer to equal.
But where will Sophie be staying when the house sells? Those buyers looked all-in, and it’ll be a bit before she gets accepted into music school.
Over to you, AMLT Fanatics. What are your thoughts on that Darcy shocker? Hit the comments.
You can watch A Million Little Things online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.