As A Million Little Things Season 5 begins, fans are already mourning the thought of saying goodbye to this group of friends who feel more like family.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack, Jasmine, and Christine, are here to deliberate over what they’ve loved and hated on A Million Little Things and what they need to see before it’s over.
Be sure to share your thoughts below.
As we head into the final season with A Million Little Things Season 5 Episode 1, let’s look at how the series started. Jon was such a focal point. Even with his suicide, or maybe because of it, Jon was a huge part of this show for the first couple of seasons. Would you like to see the show revisit Jon’s story before it ends?
Jack: Yes, that was one of the things on my wishlist! I miss when Jon was more focal and hope for more of that.
Christine: Yeah, I’ve watched some clips from the beginning of the series, which made me miss Jon a lot. I hope they can loop him back into the show as it ends.
Jasmine: For the sake of closure and properly wrapping things up, they absolutely must revisit Jon in some way. It was the apex of the series, and it only feels right to go back to that, if only to see where everyone started versus where they are now. I also really love Ron Livingston and want to see him again.
Jack: Yeah, I still love the show, but I feel like it drifted off from the original premise a bit by not having Jon be part of it anymore.
Jasmine: I agree with that, Jack. I really miss how Jon was a center point. And that’s definitely where the series sort of strayed after its first season.
Christine: But that happens in real life too. After someone dies, everything still revolves around their loss. But over time, that changes. And it’s changed for the show. But they need to bring Jon back into it for closure.
So I can’t really fault the show for drifting away from Jon’s story, but for the purpose of ending the series, they should refocus on how it all began.
Jack: Yes, that’s definitely true. I just felt like it went from the central point to Jon rarely, if ever, mentioned, and that saddens me. (Plus, I also agree with Jasmine that we can always use more Ron Livingston!)
What about Delilah? We haven’t seen much of Delilah over the last season or so. Do you hope to see more of her story before the series ends, or are you happier that she’s been more of a background character?
Jack: Ugh, I am not a Delilah fan. I am okay with not seeing her again, though it would be nice if she was actually there for her daughter.
Jasmine: Surely, everyone knows how much I can’t stand Delilah. At all. But I’m surprisingly okay with her returning to wrap things up and have a proper sendoff. I don’t think she needs to come back, but it’s nice that she will.
I mentioned to Christine how my nostalgia must really be kicking in if I was actually touched to see Delilah in the promos too. She does need to be there for her kids. I hope this means we’ll see how she’s become a better person since the show started.
A small dose or two of Delilah can’t hurt much, even if I feel like she’s no longer a necessity in this friendship group.
Jack: Yeah, I feel much the same. As long as they don’t come full circle with her affair with Eddie and repeat that!
Christine: I’ve never liked Delilah. She started off cheating on her husband, then had the baby with Eddie, and then took off for France, virtually abandoning her teenage daughter, who really needed at least one parent to be there.
I know Delilah did what was good for her, but I don’t think it was the right thing to do for her kids, and that’s always bugged me. But, I’ll admit, she should come back for the series to wrap up properly. I just hope we don’t have to see a lot of her.
We could actually do an entire article on my problems with Delilah.
Jack: Yeah, Delilah disappearing when Sophie really needed her was the last straw for me. I was glad she was off-screen but not happy with her decision for Sophie’s sake.
Christine: But even take away Sophie being sexually assaulted by Peter, Delilah took little Charlie away from her father. She took Danny out of school when he’d just come out and began to make friends. Danny and Sophie had lost their Dad to suicide. They needed stability and to feel safe, and Delilah upended all of that.
Yeah, I could obviously rant about Delilah for a while, so I should probably move on.
Jack: Same. We could have a whole chat about why Delilah is the worst. LOL
Christine: Maybe we will once this season begins and we see where they’re going with her character.
Jasmine: Ha! I could also write an entire piece about my loathing of Delilah. I’ve thought about it many times but decided to show some restraint.
Final seasons have a way of making you nostalgic and being more open to closure. I don’t need her back at all because I’ve washed my hands of her and don’t respect the character. But for the sake of ending things, I’ll put up with her returning. Maybe she’ll redeem herself for someone. Not me. But someone.
Let’s move on to Eddie. He’d finally moved on with Anna, but that didn’t end well. Will Anna return? Should she, or are we done with that story?
Jack: I would like to see Eddie find someone stable and that he can be happy with as the series wraps up. Eddie being with the ex of the person who sexually assaulted Sophie always felt weird to me, and I’m just as glad if Anna doesn’t return.
Christine: Yeah, I always felt the Anna story was a little weird, so I’m fine if we’ve seen the last of her. But if so, what would you like to see for Eddie before the series ends?
Jasmine: Dear goodness, I hope we don’t have an Anna return. Let it go. I don’t want to revisit that again at all. I would like to see Eddie find someone to be happy with since, apparently, that will never be Katherine, to my eternal frustration.
He should have a healthy and stable relationship that suits who he is now as a person who really has grown during this series. I can extend Eddie far more grace than Delilah, and to my surprise, he’s grown on me, and I can recognize his growth.
Jack: Yeah, I also would like Eddie to be in a happy, healthy, STABLE relationship. I’d like him to be able to be close to Theo and have a cordial relationship with Katherine, even if they are no longer together.
Christine: Yes, Eddie was so darn whiny at the beginning of the series. He has grown up a lot. He and Delilah were perhaps one of the worst couples on TV.
Jasmine: They truly were the worst. Hated them with a passion.
Jack: I think Eddie improved as much as Delilah didn’t. Being away from her helped his character immensely.
Jasmine: YES! Exactly! Eddie gets points for sticking around and actually facing his issues and taking all the blame. Delilah got coddled the whole time and then bailed.
Christine: That’s another thing we could use a whole other article to unpack. Delilah was selfish from the beginning. She seemed to be sleeping with Eddie to get back at Jon. Eddie thought he was in love with Delilah, which was mainly a delusion.
Jasmine: Yes! That’s exactly it.
Jack: Yes, Eddie was using Delilah to run away from the problems in his marriage.
Christine: And it felt like Delilah was using Eddie to get some sort of revenge against Jon.
From Eddie, we’ll move on to Katherine. What did you think of Katherine becoming bisexual and beginning a serious relationship with Greta?
Jack: I really liked that arc. I think these coming out later in life stories are more common than people think, and it’s important to have stories like this that are well done. I thought the relationship with Greta happened quickly, but I enjoyed the story, and I liked how Katherine’s cultural background was part of it.
Christine: I really liked this storyline because I could see how being attracted to women was something Katherine would have to repress, given her culture, her family, and the times she was growing up in. So it made some sense that it would reawaken upon seeing Greta again so many years later when she was divorced and starting over.
Jasmine: Like Jack, I could appreciate a later-in-life coming-out story because it is common and realistic. And I definitely liked that they touched on the cultural component of it for Katherine because that’s huge and what can make her experience different from others.
I’m mostly indifferent to the Greta of it all. It will always bother me how far they went destroying Katherine and Eddie rather abruptly after they had gotten on a decent path.
And then we had this bait-and-switch with the actress prompting Katherine to face her feelings to end up with Greta. And she and Greta happened really fast.
But I’ve always been a huge Katherine fan, and all I’ve ever wanted for her is happiness, so I’m glad she has that now. It’s been a messy path to get there, and it’s had some issues with execution and little things that bothered me along the way.
But I’m glad she’s in a better place, and Greta seems to fit in well with the group and gets along well with Eddie. I like the modern blended family they have fallen into.
Have Katherine and Greta moved too fast? Especially considering Theo becomes easily attached. Do you think Greta’s mental illness (bipolar disorder) is something that will be a stumbling block for them?
Jack: I feel like TV relationships always move at lightning speed, so Greta and Katherine’s is no different in that regard. I am concerned about how attached Theo has already become to her.
I don’t think Greta’s bipolar disorder HAS to be a stumbling block, but it does need to be dealt with, and Katherine needs to know what she can handle. That should have all been worked out before Theo became attached.
Christine: I agree. It doesn’t have to be an obstacle, but I feel that Katherine should know more about how being bipolar affects Greta, her treatment, and the warning signs to be aware of, especially since Greta is living in the same home as Theo.
I’d love to see them have a talk about this. It’s definitely on my wish list.
Jack: Yes, I would like that too! That would be a fantastic addition to the story.
Jasmine: I definitely think Katherine and Greta moved too fast, and it played with the stereotype of lesbian relationships a bit too much for my liking.
I think another arc exploring mental illness is wonderful. But I also feel like it could be a bit redundant for Katherine. She’s essentially in another relationship with a person where they have this battle they have to work on, and she has to learn how to navigate that or figure out if she can.
With Eddie, it was his addiction, and now with Greta, it’s her bipolar. I think that’s a lot to deal with when also raising a son, and as much as I love the series working to destigmatize so many issues, it can be exhausting in some contexts. With Katherine, it is because of the Eddie thing.
Jack: And I do wonder if Katherine is more ready with Greta. Although addiction is also an illness, it’s sometimes harder to see that, so she may not view it the same way.
Jasmine: Yes, it’ll be nice to see her and Greta work through things and succeed in a way she couldn’t with Eddie, but it’s just a lot to task the same person with if that makes any sense.
Christine: Perfect sense. And I’d like to see that addressed. How dealing with a loved one’s mental illness can affect your well-being too.
Jasmine: Yes. That’s a type of burnout that isn’t touched on as much because it almost feels taboo or selfish to explore when someone else is battling an issue, but I know from experience how rough that is.
Jack: Yes, I’ve been there too, Jasmine. I’d love for them to touch on caregiver burnout.
Moving on to Rome and Regina. What would you like to see next for them? Do you think they’re fairly settled with Regina’s catering business and Rome’s teaching? Do you hope to see more of Tyrell? Should they foster another child or consider adopting an infant again?
Jack: I would like to see more of Tyrell. I like the family unit they’ve created. I also would like to see them adopt or foster another child.
Christine: I’m not sure what I want to see with Regina and Rome. I love them, and I think they make great foster parents, but I’m not sure they’re ready for another kid, given all that they have on their plates.
Jasmine: I love Tyrell. I hope we see more of him because I really loved the family they formed with him. I think the two of them fostering kids, likely teens, would be a really interesting choice.
They wanted to go through adoption and all of that, but somewhere along the way, they both found a calling with teenagers and mentorship with Tyrell, Sophie, etc.
Teens are more work in some regard and don’t find homes as easily, and I would really love to see them explore that more because the Howards are naturally great at that.
Christine: Fostering another teen does sound like an interesting story, plus it could spotlight how many teenagers are in foster care and need homes. So many people just forget about them or figure they’re more work than they’re worth, and then at 18, the system dumps them on their own, which just sets them up for disaster.
Jack: Yes, I agree with both of you. Everyone always thinks of adoption in terms of babies, but teens often struggle in the foster care/adoption systems.
Jasmine: And between their life skills and experiences, depression, surviving sexual assault, sharing passions like cooking and film. Whatever. I feel like the Howards have so much to give.
And finally, Gary and Maggie. When the show began, it seemed that Jon had been the glue that held the friend group together. In recent seasons, that person has become Gary. How do you think the group will react when Gary can’t be there to help them?
Jack: I hope Gary is all right and that we don’t end with a depressing cancer story. I really like Gary though I’ve soured on Gary/Maggie as a couple with all the back and forth there.
Christine: I really liked Darcy and Gary, so I wasn’t happy when they ended that relationship. But surprisingly, I’ve enjoyed Gary and Maggie’s reunion far more than I expected.
At the start, Gary was the one pulling her through her cancer and taking care of her. This time around, they feel more like equal partners. And now they’ll be dealing with Gary’s cancer fight while Maggie’s pregnant. It should be quite a story for this final season.
Jasmine: I am not emotionally prepared for the Gary of it all. I love his trajectory of going from the sort of frat boy, immature friend of the group, to stepping into Jon’s role of the moral center and glue.
I can’t even process how it’ll be for everyone as they find out and must deal with his illness again. But it’ll be nice to see everyone rally around him and Maggie as he and they have done for everyone else over the years.
I don’t want a depressing storyline, either. I think post-COVID, my tolerance for really sad and depressing storylines has waned, and that’s one of the reasons I was so upset and heartbroken with the reveal.
Jack: I do like the way Gary has grown into the role of being the center of the friend group now. I’m glad we’ve gotten past the secrecy over what happened to Peter and the potential legal consequences. I did not like that story.
Jasmine: They came dangerously close to regression with that Peter arc, and I would like to pretend it didn’t happen.
Christine: But yes, Gary must survive! If he doesn’t, it will taint how I view this entire series.
Jasmine: I can agree with that, Christine. I can’t say I’ll be pleased if they end things with Gary passing away. And you guys will probably hear about it if that’s what happens. I don’t know if I can deal.
I’ve already been disappointed with the final seasons and series finales of two shows I loved. I have all my hope in AMLT, and I don’t want them to let me down.
And dammit, I miss Darcy too.
Is there anything else on your wishlists for this final season?
Jack: I’m hoping for one of those “this is what happened to everyone after the series ends” types of finales.
Christine: Yes, I would like to get a peek at where everyone ends up in the future.
I’m a little concerned that they might throw one more tragedy at us, and I hope I’m wrong about that. With the series ending, I’m okay with drama, but I really need a happy ending.
Jasmine: I just want a satisfying conclusion for these characters that have become like family over the years. I definitely need to see what the future looks like for all of them for the sake of closure. I need that. And dammit, I hope we get a montage because I’m a sucker for montages with emotional music playing.
I want a simple season of just focusing on these characters and not having them get lost in too many dramatic things at once or side quest storylines or mysteries. I want them to just trust in the characters and this cast and our love for them and give us a final peek into their lives.
Christine: And I really want to meet Gary and Maggie’s baby, along with learning the baby’s name. I love baby names.
Jack: Same here. I know they’ve said there would be multiple deaths. Please let them not be the main characters. I won’t be able to finish the series if they throw too much tragedy at us.
Jasmine: I just need to meet the baby and see a scene of Gary being a total dad! He’d be so good. I’m excited for him.
Jack: YES, I want to see the baby and Gary being a father! I also want some more Gary/Danny scenes.
Christine: This has been a show that has focused on mental health. Hopefully, they’ll think of their audience’s mental health and be kind with their finale.
Jasmine: Preach, Christine!!!
A Million Little Things Season 5 Episode 1 premieres on Wednesday, February 8.
Don’t forget to check out Jasmine’s A Million Little Things reviews and our A Million Little Things weekly round table after you watch A Million Little Things online right here at TV Fanatic.
Now, hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to tell us what you need to see from this final season!
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C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
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