That Was Us
The Pearson Family Wagoneer | "The Car" (S2E15) with Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker
Tue, 25 Mar 2025
On this week’s episode, the hosts talk about episode 215, where we see the Pearson family through the perspective of the family car throughout the years and how they’re starting to deal with their grief in the aftermath of Jack’s death. Mandy, Chris, and Sterling reflect on their own family car memories, coin the term "Jack-oquy" to describe Jack’s heartfelt monologues, talk about Rebecca’s fear of bridges, reflect on Jack’s wish for everyone to be “okay,” AND they welcome special guests, Showrunners Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, who co-wrote this episode. They share their behind-the-scenes insights and favorite moments from this storyline you won’t want to miss! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. Follow That Was Us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, and X! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What is the main topic of this episode?
On today's episode of That Was Us, we'll be discussing season two, episode 15, The Car. On the day of Jack's funeral, we see the history of the Pearson family as seen through their family car, the Wagoneer. Plus, Rebecca finds solace with an old friend who reminds her how strong she is in the toughest of circumstances. Mandy Moore, Chris Sullivan.
We're back.
Sterling K. Brown. It is so good to see you guys.
It's good. You guys are a sight for sore eyes, as they say.
So let's go with full disclosure here. We're going slightly out of order for our listeners, but they'll hear this after the fact, right? Because we're doing episode 215. We're skipping over 214 because we wanted to find some time for Dan Fogelman to come and join us because we think it's a very special episode, right? Correct. But life has been lifing for everyone.
It's been a couple of months since last we've been together in the same space.
Yeah, I think we were last together, was it December? Was it December? November? Wow.
November. Is that true? It was November?
End of November.
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Chapter 2: What are the significant moments in the Pearson family's history?
So what are we doing now? So what are we doing now? I don't know. The last few days, my brain has been all over the place and I'm feeling very ungrounded. Really? Yeah, yeah. I'm flighty and forgetting things and trying to resettle in myself. Trying to find a new equilibrium. I keep injuring myself. which is always a bad sign.
Like tripping or like dropping things.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And like dislocating a knee and pulling. Oh, wow. No, like injury. Are you okay? I'm all right. He's okay. Everything's fine. Okay, okay. But things, yeah, things feel... unsettled. So, yeah. It's in the air. I've been very excited to see you guys. Yeah, me too.
Because this is actually very grounding for me. And can I say on our break, I have listened to episodes of this pod and it's like been a balm for me to hear your voices, to think about the show, how much I love you guys. I was like, wow, this is a, listening to like the Isaac and Elizabeth episode, I was like, this is good. Yeah. I'm interested.
I had the conversation, but it was still revelatory for me here. Like, oh, I don't remember any of this.
Listen, just putting it out there, we know that you've gone through so much, Amanda Lee Moore, like so frigging much. And I just want to know, you and your family,
We're okay. Yeah. You're okay. I'm like, I'm not going to get emotional at this point. We're okay. Yes, we're okay. We're happy. We're healthy. We're safe. We're together. Yes. And it's, yeah, we're putting one foot in front of the other. I have, my in-laws are living with us, which sounds like it could be a tricky situation, but we have... I've loved having like that energy there.
My father-in-law is unfortunately not in good health. So it's been lovely to have that time with him and for him to be around the kids and they lost their home. And so it's like to be able to heal together has been really special. And so, yeah, so we're all in like a cool little rental and it's an adventure and my boys are in a new school cause their school is gone.
Like it's been a lot of change, but we're okay. We're okay.
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Chapter 3: How does grief manifest in the Pearson family?
Like, do they know what's happened just up the street? But that's what life is, you know? And yeah, it's strange. Strange times. Strange times. I texted Dan, I was like, me and Milo? Like both? It's just the most bizarre thing in the world. I was like, are you a... Do you have some weird- And we'll talk about 214 and we'll talk about how- For sure. Nuts is that? Yeah, I know.
Okay.
Anyway, 215.
Let's talk about 215. So one of the things that I recognize from listening to the podcast and actually getting feedback, and I agree with it, is that Sterling talks too much.
No, I absolutely disagree.
Sterling talks too damn much.
That is incorrect. Who gave you that feedback? Who gave you that feedback?
I got it. From who? A person.
One person.
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Chapter 4: What is the significance of the family car, the Wagoneer?
And you and I look at each other and we're like.
We don't know what to do. Anyway.
Episode 215. Yeah.
Was a time.
Remember? Do you remember that?
Yeah.
Turns into like a Chris Farley interview.
Do you remember that?
Remember the time? Yeah.
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Chapter 5: How do the characters reflect on their childhood and family experiences?
Yes.
A fresh smoothie situation in the kitchen, total relaxation. Or maybe you're the type that would rather be in a cozy cabin like Chris. Like me. Yeah, sitting by a fire with your family, just soaking everything in.
So last season, we're about to do it again. We're going to take the kids up to Big Bear.
Get a little snow action.
Get a little snow, put them on something that slides and push them down a mountain. I love that. And we found a nice cozy little spot, like I said, a little hot tub on the deck. We did the same thing last season at Lake Arrowhead.
I love that. That feels like a great little family tradition to start.
And here's the thing. While you're off making those kinds of memories, your home could be doing the same for someone else. So why not list your place on Airbnb while you're away? Maybe there's a family looking for a spot just like yours or someone just needing a place that feels right.
You call the shots. You decide when to host, how to set up your space, who stays. Airbnb makes it super simple. So while you're off enjoying your trip, your place is working for you. So what's the perfect getaway?
Bye.
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Chapter 6: What insights do the showrunners share about episode 215?
Not at all. We were a van family and we had a Ford Aerostar that I learned to drive on. Really? Yeah. The seats would come in and out.
It became our
My mom and dad, we had another car as well. But it was like a sort of cherry red Ford Aerostar, sort of glittery. Yeah, that was a car that we had for like too long, probably.
Okay, so we had a couple of family cars. but it's family like outside of the extended family. My mom had a Toyota Corolla that was hers. Then she gave to my older sister. My older sister gave to her, our cousin, our first cousin. And then our first cousin gave it to her younger sister. The Corolla was in our family in total. 30 years. Because that's how the Japanese do it.
I was going to say, that's quite an endorsement. They don't F around. But the car that we had in our house, so when I was born, or maybe, yeah, my dad had, well, I wasn't born, he was in 1979. He had a 1979 pink Eldorado Cadillac with pink leather interior. Vinyl top, eight track plan. Michael McDonald was his favorite. So I heard a lot of that. And that was the jam.
But I only had that for a little while until we had, This is very African-American of me. We moved to a Fleetwood Cadillac, right? And the Fleetwood was in our, that's the car that I learned to drive on. So when dad passed away, mom has the car and we shared that car all the way through high school. And she had it through college, et cetera, probably had it for about 14, 16 years.
Wow. That's cool. Chris?
Yeah, yeah. Cars, my dad is a car person. Yes. He has a classic car. I have a classic car. My brother has a classic car.
Side note, real quick, I'm gonna let you finish your story, because when I found out that you got nominated for your first Emmy Award, you were working with your dad on a car in the garage, and I told you that you had gotten nominated. You're like, what? Yeah, yeah.
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Chapter 7: How does the episode explore the theme of resilience?
I even say that to our guys. Do you? A four-year-old and a two-year-old. When Gus just pushes Ozzy over, I was like, first of all, Gus, Ozzy's going to be bigger than you soon, and he's going to beat the crap out of you. But I say that often. I'm like, you guys, that's your little brother. He loves you. He wants to be just like you. You guys are going to be best friends one day.
You're not even two years apart. Right.
So I totally understand that, that idea of like- It's such an odd human, because I'm in the same situation. So I wonder what, it's such a strange way for human beings to naturally be.
Yeah.
To just resist. Yeah. Resist the connection.
Yeah. But maybe, I don't know, maybe it's because they are so concerned with their connection to us that there's a vying for like- There's a competition thing?
Maybe. Yeah, man, they were on Rachel this morning. As soon as somebody is like, hey mom, can you hold? No, you hold me. No, hold me. No, and it's like this, and they get violent with her and she can't like, and he, Bear is so strong. That's a big bear. That she like can't fight them off. And like-
You see Rachel on the ground with like kids crawling over.
That's what was, she was in bed. She hadn't even gotten up yet. And they, and Bear was like, I'm going to go, I'm going to go cuddle mom. And Aoife heard it and was like, she jumped out of her chair and just started running towards Rachel. I'm going to get there first. And they both were on her like headbutting each other. And she's like, guys, guys, knock it off.
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Chapter 8: What are the funny moments involving family dynamics in the episode?
Lord have mercy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
We get there, we get there. That joint was. So it was just the echo of that. I saw the foundation of it coming.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And hot take, this is where we learn that it's all Kate's fault.
Hot take, hot take. Kate, actually it was Louie's fault, right? Louie the dog?
Louie the dog. Yeah.
Jack's affection for the dog.
That's right. So before we get to that final scene though, we get to the funeral and then like the, how do you call Dr. K's function within our show? Who, what is he to us? He's the wise old owl that like Kevin makes fun of for William to be, but he really is- The Greek chorus. that dude. Yeah, he is. Every time I see his frickin' face, I just get a little like, come on, man, give me something.
I know you about to give me something.
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