In Boston, a tight-knit circle of friends is shocked after a member of the group unexpectedly dies by suicide. The friends realize that they need to finally start living life as they cope with their loss. The title is a reference to the saying "Friendship isn't a big thing – it's a million little things".
David Giuntoli as Eddie Saville, a musician, music teacher and stay-at-home dad who is a recovering alcoholic having marital problems with Katherine.[3] He is the father of Theo and Charlie
Romany Malco as Rome Howard, an aspiring filmmaker who yearns to accomplish something more meaningful with his life[4]
Christina Moses as Regina Howard, a chef who wants to open her own restaurant[6]
Christina Ochoa as Ashley Morales (season 1), Jon's assistant who is keeping a secret[7]
Grace Park as Katherine Kim, who used to be the fun one of the group, but now juggles her career as a lawyer with parenting her son, Theo, while trying to repair her marriage[8][9]
James Roday Rodriguez as Gary Mendez, a friend of Eddie, Jon, and Rome, and Maggie's love interest who also survived breast cancer.[10] His birth name is revealed in season 3 to be Javier Mendez, Jr.
Stéphanie Szostak as Delilah Dixon (seasons 1–4; recurring season 5),[11] Jon's widow and mother of Sophie, Danny and Charlie[12]
Tristan Byon as Theo Saville, Eddie and Katherine's son, and Charlie's older half-brother[13][14]
Lizzy Greene as Sophie Dixon, Jon and Delilah's oldest child, Danny's older sister and Charlie's older half-sister[15]
Chance Hurstfield as Danny Dixon (seasons 2–5; recurring season 1), Jon and Delilah's son, Sophie's younger brother, and Charlie's older half-brother[14]
Floriana Lima as Darcy Cooper (season 3; recurring season 2, 4),[16] Gary's new love interest, a single mother to Theo's classmate Liam, and a veteran of military service in Afghanistan experiencing PTSD
Recurring
Ron Livingston as Jon Dixon (season 1; guest season 2–3, 5), a successful businessman who unexpectedly takes his own life[17]
Bodhi Sabongui as Elliot (season 1; guest season 2), Danny's crush and later boyfriend
Henderson Wade as Hunter (season 1), Katherine's co-worker
Sam Pancake as Carter French, Katherine's legal assistant
Drea de Matteo as Barbara Nelson (seasons 1–2), a mysterious woman from Jon's past
Chandler Riggs as PJ Nelson (season 2; guest season 1), a young man who befriends Rome, later revealed to be Barbara Morgan's son[18][19]
Melora Hardin as Patricia Bloom (seasons 2, 4; guest season 1), Maggie's mother
Rhys Coiro as Mitch Nelson (season 2; guest season 1), Barbara's husband
Jason Ritter as Eric (season 2), a man who claims to have Maggie's deceased brother's heart. He later reveals that the heart actually went to his fiancée, who was killed in a motorcycle crash that Eric caused
Lou Beatty Jr. as Walter Howard (season 2–present; guest season 1), Rome's father
Ebboney Wilson as Eve (season 2), a young pregnant woman planning on giving up her baby for Rome and Regina to adopt
Anna Akana as Dakota (season 2; guest season 3, 5), a young musician with whom Eddie produced music
Chris Geere as Jamie (season 3),[20] Maggie's Oxford roommate and friend with benefits
Mattia Castrillo as Liam (seasons 3–4), a classmate of Theo's who is Darcy's son with her ex-husband
Adam Swain as Tyrell (season 3–5) an industrious teenager taken in by Rome and Regina after his mother is deported to Haiti
Andrew Leeds as Peter Benoit (seasons 3–4), a music instructor who mentors Sophie when she attempts to get accepted into the exclusive music college MMI, and subsequently sexually abuses her
Erin Karpluk as Anna Benoit (seasons 3–4; guest season 5), Peter's wife and later Eddie's love interest
Karen Robinson as Florence (season 3; guest season 5), a woman Walter meets in the cemetery and subsequently starts a relationship with[21]
Terry Chen as Alan (season 3), a lawyer with whom Katherine forms a friendship and possible romantic relationship as her marriage to Eddie falls apart[22]
Nikiva Dionne as Shanice Williamson (seasons 3–4), a well-known actress and closeted bisexual woman who agreed to star in Rome's film before the COVID pandemic shut it down; she later becomes a potential love interest for Katherine
Michael Patrick Thornton as Russ (season 4), a physical trainer who helps Eddie and who is a paraplegic in a wheelchair
After completing negotiations for a deal on the phone, Jon goes out onto the balcony of his office, leaves his phone and an envelope on the table, and calmly steps over the edge to his death. Meanwhile, Gary is at the doctor's for a check-up to see if his breast cancer is still in remission. When Eddie gets the call, he is packing a suitcase and about to leave his workaholic wife Katherine for his lover. Rome has just stuffed a handful of pills in his mouth when he gets the call and spits them out. Gary brings Maggie from his cancer support group to the funeral and wake, where she gets on well with Delilah and Regina. The four men met when trapped in an elevator, and since they were all Boston Bruins fans, Jon bought them season tickets every year. They go to the next game together to honor Jon and try to figure out why he did it. Rome admits he has been depressed and the others insist he get help. Jon's final deal was a subsidized lease for Regina so that she can open a restaurant, instead of catering from her kitchen. Delilah is worried that Jon killed himself because of her affair with Eddie and ends it.
Gary and Maggie continue spending time together. Her ex turns up and says he's worried because she left suddenly when her cancer returned. Maggie tells him she doesn't want more chemotherapy. Sophie is upset because she and Jon were entered in a father-daughter dance recital and it feels like her father abandoned her. The guys resolve to step up and be dads for Jon's children. Sophie picks Eddie to dance with her. Rome talks to Maggie about his suicide attempt. Ashley tells Delilah that Jon added her to the restaurant lease because he thought it was time she returned to work after raising their kids. In Jon's nightstand, Delilah finds the necklace Eddie lost in her car, and returns it to him. Eddie, feeling guilty, pulls out of the recital dance. Since Jon had asked Rome to help him with the dance steps in preparation, Rome and Sophie dance well. Ashley finds a hidden life insurance policy naming Gary, Eddie, Rome, and Barbara Morgan as beneficiaries. Eddie finally listens to a voicemail that Jon left the day he died (while Eddie was having sex with Delilah); Jon says "love each other".
It's Gary's 35th birthday; he has a passionate night with Maggie until Jon's text reminder. Maggie, mad at Gary for prying, goes running and encounters Rome, who asks her to be his confidante. Jon's Boston Bruins fantasy camp plan for himself and the guys is reconsidered by the others. When they decide to go, Eddie stops by his house for his "lucky skates", returning unexpectedly for his forgotten cellphone, which leads to the revelation that Katherine's found out about Eddie's affair with Delilah. As the tryst's gossip quickly spreads, Delilah feels distraught with guilt. At fantasy camp, high tensions between Gary and Eddie lead to a hockey rink fight. Although Eddie apologizes, all is not forgiven. Later, Eddie tells his wife the affair is over, but Katherine is still infuriated. As the day ends, Delilah explains to Gary that while Jon was there for everyone. Eventually, she just felt forgotten leading to her and Eddie's. The episode closes with Delilah & Gary continuing their chat in her kitchen where she presents him with the cake that Jon had ordered for Gary's birthday before his passing. Delilah places and lights 5 candles on the cake. Gary blows out the candles as the scene fades to black.
Delilah hides a pizza peel Jon used, unable to deal with the memories and guilt. Sophie notices and accuses her mom of trying to erase her dad's legacy from their lives. Gary and Rome hatch a plan to get Delilah and Regina in the restaurant during renovations. Regina is still furious at Delilah over the affair, but even more that Delilah didn't share that Jon was distant the past two years. Eddie revisits his old bar, flashing back to nine years ago when Jon notices Eddie's drinking problem and has him kick the habit. Sophie visits Eddie and Katherine's house for an impromptu guitar lesson and a talk. Maggie is informed that her cancer is aggressively returning and has three to six months to live if no treatment. After Rome's meeting with Maggie, he confesses to Regina that he's unhappy with his job. Regina visits Delilah and apologizes for not seeing her pain earlier and offers to help her get Pizza Night back on track. After dropping Sophie off at her house, Eddie and Katherine give in to their son's request to stay for dinner. Gary and Eddie make amends, and Rome announces that he quit his job to make his movie. Eating pizza, they all toast Jon.
Gary takes Maggie out on a romantic day of activities, including hot-air ballooning. Knowing that Maggie's cancer has returned, Gary begs her to go through with chemotherapy and pledges to be by her side, but she refuses, so Gary and Maggie play one-on-one basketball to determine her fate. Sophie is suspended from school for punching a classmate who has said hurtful things about Jon, so Delilah comes up with a plan to help get Sophie's aggression out in a positive manner. Rome attends his first therapy session and receives a prescription for his depression. Meanwhile, Theo plays a tree in a school play. Despite Eddie pulling off a miracle to delay the play so that Katherine has time to get there, she tells Eddie that she's divorcing him in the aftermath of his recent affair, and Eddie winds up on Gary's couch. Later, the guys find a used pregnancy test, and Rome thinks Regina is pregnant. Later, Regina tells Rome that the test belongs to Delilah.
The friends get together at Rome and Regina's home for game night, which comes to a grinding halt with questions about Delilah's pregnancy, leaving Eddie with more regrets about his affair. Eddie lands a music gig at the bar, but is asked to stay with his son Theo while Katherine goes on a business trip; Gary and Maggie agree to babysit. Ashley visits a still-rattled Delilah while keeping Jon's insurance policy a secret. Shortly thereafter, Delilah asks Gary to bring her to the OBGYN to terminate her pregnancy. Rome and Regina set their sights on opening a new restaurant, but Regina's mom Shelley shows up and meddles into their affairs. Later, Regina finds Rome's suicide note written the day of Jon's death. Rome tells his wife that while he has a happy life, he still feels unhappy, leading Regina to console him. Later, Eddie has jitters as he's never performed sober before and calls Gary for advice. After restoring his confidence thanks to Theo, Eddie performs for his friends and patrons. Backstage after the concert, Delilah tells Eddie that she and Jon weren't sleeping together and that the baby is his.
Rome wakes up with stomach pains and asks Maggie if it has to do with the antidepressants. After falling over in pain, Regina panics and takes him to the hospital. While she struggles to cope with the possibility of an overdose, Gary and Eddie make sure Rome drinks a charcoal-based substance to clear his stomach. Ultimately, the source of his pain is a small kidney stone, which he passes. Delilah feels anxious about her ultrasound, and Eddie offers to take her. Gary and Maggie take turns playing a game of dare, including singing their rendition of Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" at a restaurant. Gary then tries once more to get Maggie to get chemo, but she's upset with him. Eddie learns that an up-and-coming singer wants to use his song "Unexpected" in his album. Eddie reluctantly agrees, but passes on his advice to put the bottle down. Later, Danny, Delilah and Jon's son, has a date with a boy from school and asks Gary's advice. Meanwhile, Regina is still mad that everyone knew about Rome's depression except her, so the two make a fresh start by role-playing a first-date.
Maggie has a recurring nightmare of herself in a plane with a young pilot named Chad who is drinking some booze as they fly in turbulence. Meanwhile, Gary helps Eddie and his son Theo find a new apartment, however Eddie is hesitant to commit to a one-year lease. Gina and Delilah set up for the grand opening, but later congregate to discuss with their group what to do since Gary and Maggie's breakup. They try to get Maggie to open up, but she pushes back, and they ultimately blame Gary. Days later, Maggie finally reveals the reason for the breakup – she is dying. Meanwhile, Gary travels to Chicago for some advice from an unlikely source – Maggie's ex Tom. Later, a tasting party commences at the new restaurant. Gary returns and joins in, but then sees Maggie and the two have another fight over trying to get chemo treatment for her. After Gary angrily walks out, he sleeps with Ashley. As Gina drives Maggie home, it is revealed that Chad was Maggie's brother who died in a car crash resulting from a DUI. Maggie has another dizzy spell followed by the same recurring nightmare, which this time has a happy ending.
At the one-year anniversary of Gary beating breast cancer, he has flashbacks remembering Jon as his moral support during chemotherapy. Meanwhile, Maggie creates a bucket list of things to do before she dies of cancer. Delilah wishes she could travel back two years to when Jon become distant and shut her out. Eddie's former bandmate stops by to ask him to rejoin the group, but Eddie is hesitant due to taking care of Theo. Later, he finds out that Katherine's new love interest Hunter picks up the slack as Katherine struggles to find a babysitter while working long hours. Rome's dad visits him and Gina to fix their broken sink. He learns about Rome's depression and how he is getting help. Gary meets with Ashley to discuss whether Jon planned his suicide or if he had financial problems. Ashley brings Gary to a surprise "You're Cancer Free" party with all the friends. What was to be a joyous moment turns uncomfortable as Gary lashes out and destroys the painting Jon hung up for Gary because Jon fought so hard to keep him alive only to end his own life. Days later, Maggie texts Gary as she finally gets chemo.
The friends meet at the Dixon house to make the Christmas season easier on the family following Jon's death. Sophie has a flashback of her dad wearing a Santa suit, causing her to be upset. Eddie helps her through it, and they end up playing guitar together. Gary sees Ashley on the phone with a banker. He hopes for some answers about the day of Jon's suicide, but Ashley tells him to make sure his family has a good time. Gina hopes to be intimate with Rome who admits his sex drive is low due to his meds. Later, when Maggie and Gary are out, she only reveals that she has begun chemo after she vomits in his car. Meanwhile, Eddie takes Delilah to the hospital after a fall. Sophie follows and learns that her mother is pregnant. Back at the house, Sophie, in a much better mood, teams up with Eddie for a yuletide concert. Despite Ashley's pleas to the bankers, Delilah is served an eviction notice. The next day, Eddie leaves on a bus tour with the band. Later, Gary hangs up Jon's repaired painting for Maggie and sits with her during chemo. Ashley flashes back to a time with Jon at his apartment.
Days before his death, Jon made a video of himself apologizing to Barbara for abandoning her. In the present day, Delilah asks attorney Katherine's help regarding the bank's foreclosure on her house; apparently Jon leveraged his family's home against a larger commercial loan, and Delilah signed off on it – not knowing what the papers were. Meanwhile, the gang preps for a road race to benefit suicide-prevention efforts, but Gary thinks Maggie should sit it out due to the side-effects of her chemotherapy. Katherine lets Delilah know that she got a 60-day extension on her eviction, but at a cost of $18 million; Gary, befuddled by Jon's actions does not believe he would leave his family financially stranded. Investigating past financial transactions, Delilah and Katherine try to learn about Winthrop Holdings, the shell company that Jon set up. While the two are obtaining copies of bank documents, Ashley is at the teller desk, closing out the "Rutledge account" with a check made out to her. Faced with the grim news that Gina's restaurant may never open, thanks to the financial woes attached to the property, Rome offers to go back to making commercials, through support from his family.
On the day before Jon's suicide: Maggie moves to Boston from Chicago in response to learning that her cancer has aggressively returned after six months in remission. Jon receives a voicemail from Jeri (played by Constance Zimmer) demanding that he stop calling her. The four guys play basketball, ripping on Gary for dating a series of women then dumping them for no reason. Jon confides in Ashley that a new subway station vote is not going to happen, and therefore their business is likely going under. Rome wins a pitch to make a Super Bowl LIII commercial and he is happy about it until he isn't. Gary feeds a stray dog and names it Colin, and then is dismayed to learn that the animal shelter will euthanize him if not adopted in two weeks. As Gary waits for his screening results, he calls to adopt Colin. On the day of the tragic event, Jon leaves for work while Delilah and Eddie discuss informing their spouses about their affair. In Jon's final moments, he dismisses Ashley, finishes his call, leaves a voicemail message for Eddie to "love each other", then jumps off the balcony, while Ashley opens mail containing an airline ticket to Spain from Jon.
It turns out that Jeri was a business partner of Jon's before she argued with him in her last phone call with him. Upon hearing of Jon's subsequent suicide, Jeri feels guilty that she inadvertently contributed to his despair, so she works tirelessly with Ashley to get the mass transit vote back on the table. At the city council meeting, Jeri assures Delilah that the rescheduled vote will come out in her favor. Not willing to take that risk, Delilah sells the property to an interested buyer minutes before the vote takes place. By a close vote, the council ultimately decides not to create a new subway stop near Jon's old apartment (and other property holdings).
Eddie returns home from his musical tour with zero hook-ups. Regina prepares to open her own restaurant. Delilah secures help from a food-and-beverage expert Andrew who procures a liquor license and bartending staff. The day before the grand opening, Regina finds out that the restaurant funding came from her Uncle Neil (not from her mom), leading Regina to reject the money. Rome asks Maggie to talk to his despondent wife, who shares how she was sexually assaulted by her uncle at age 12. Meanwhile, Gary unsuccessfully tries to track down Barbara Morgan, even with the help of a private investigator. The morning after her breakdown, Regina plans to confront her uncle, but he dies at the hospital before she arrives. There, she and her mom have a fraught conversation regarding Neil's past, where it is revealed that Shelley was also sexually assaulted by (her brother) Neil. Despite some rough beginnings, Regina's restaurant opens to a happy crowd, and the gang helps out with service. Later, the woman who lives at Barbara's old residence watches a video Jon made, which was sent on a digital memory chip in an envelope addressed to Barbara Morgan.
Maggie wraps up her chemotherapy and has an 80% chance of doing well. Ahead of her surgery, she asks Gary to take her to Plymouth Rock. Katherine and Eddie make progress on their divorce via mediation. It goes well until Theo's guardianship is brought up, which prompts Katherine to leave since Jon and Delilah were the previous guardians. Later, she is in an auto accident and is taken to the hospital. As Katherine recovers, she reflects on how close she came to not seeing her son again. Meanwhile, Rome's father shows up at Rome and Regina's unannounced, letting him know Rome's brother Omar will be staying over, much to Rome's dismay.
16
16
"The Rosary"
Richard J. Lewis
Story by : Tawnya Bhattacharya & Ali Laventhol Teleplay by : Julia Cohen
The mystery woman (possibly Barbara Morgan) creepily watches the Dixon house. She talks her way inside by making up a story about having met Sophie at the 5K race a few weeks back. At the hospital, after Maggie goes to the operating room, Gary rushes home to get her mother's rosary. On the way back, a woman steals the hospital parking spot that Gary was about to take, and they argue. It turns out that the woman is Maggie's mother Patricia. Even though Gary later apologizes, Patricia does not accept him until they are in the hospital chapel when Patricia finally breaks down, fearing she will lose Maggie. The next morning, they stand beside Maggie as she wakes up. Meanwhile, Rome misplaces his finished screenplay at the hospital; he eventually finds it in the hands of teenager PJ, who loves it because he relates to the storyline. Shortly thereafter, Rome calls the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to volunteer. Regina gets a positive newspaper review of her restaurant but is dismayed that it focuses on investor Andrew and gives her very little recognition. As Eddie and Katherine prepare to sign the divorce papers, Theo has a night terror.
After rekindling a spark with Katherine and deciding not to divorce, Eddie realizes that they cannot keep any secrets or lies between them. Delilah wants to let go of the Barbara Morgan mystery, but Sophie says the baby might want answers someday. So, Delilah returns to the woman she and Gary visited before and learns that she is Barbara. Barbara shows Delilah the video Jon made and tells her that she dated Jon's roommate Dave. She explains to Delilah that 17 years ago Jon and Dave bought tickets for a flight leaving Logan International Airport on September 11, 2001. However, Jon missed the flight, which as it turns out was one of the two that took down the World Trade Center towers. Jon had survivor's guilt and stopped talking to Barbara after learning she was pregnant. Delilah flashed back to when she met Jon in the airport moments later. When Delilah tells her friends the story, Maggie says that it was likely the totality of Jon's issues – including his financial problems and grief over Dave – that led him to end his life. Later, Maggie learns she is cancer-free which prompts tears of joy from Gary and laughter from Maggie. After helping Maggie move into his home, Gary visits Jon's grave for the proper goodbye the two friends never got.
As Delilah is about to give birth, Eddie confesses to Katherine that he is the father of Delilah's baby. She instructs him to go to the hospital to at least be there for the birth before taking off to her mother's. Gary, Maggie, and the rest of the gang get the call that Delilah is in labour. While trying to purchase the crib they forgot about, Gary confronts Eddie about him being the father of Delilah's baby, while Rome is dumbstruck about Jon's vasectomy he never knew about. Rome confesses to Regina and Gary that he wants kids. Later, at the Dixons, everyone gathers together to celebrate the newly named baby Charlotte Dixon and take a group picture underneath Jon's old jersey.
Maggie discovers her mother, Patricia, has left her father. P.J.'s parents fear that the trust fund money Jon left to PJ will expose their lies. PJ confides in Rome that he believes Jon is his real dad. Delilah and restaurant owner Andrew become closer, but Gina and Andrew argue over the restaurant. Eddie distracts Theo from noticing Katherine's absence.
Rome slyly tells PJ about the money Jon left for him. Delilah and Andrew go on a date, but decide that they are not yet ready to date. Maggie is upset that the purpose of her mother's visit was to see a much younger man, Eric, whom she brings to breakfast. Gary helps Danny prepare for an audition for a high school musical. Theo is not yet ready for his first sleepover. Gina decides to buy out Andrew, with Rome's support. Rome is pressured to change his script from a story about suicide. PJ secretly tests Jon's DNA, seeking the truth about his parents. .
Maggie's mom, Patricia, tells her that Eric has her dead brother's heart, and that she came to visit Eric during her last visit. Eddie enjoys time with his baby daughter, Charlie, when he and Rome look after her while Delilah returns to work at the restaurant. During a power outage at the restaurant, Gina invites people in from the stret for a "family style" dinner. Patricia tells Gary her husband forced her to choose between Eric or their marriage. Gary becomes jealous of Eric's connection with Maggie.
Eddie confronts Katherine about looking at houses and law firms in Austin. Katherine explains that she was thinking that the three of them could move to Austin as a fresh start until she realized that baby Charlie is now a part of their family. She and Eddie tour the house across the street and have sex in the walk-in closet. Maggie talks to Eric at his music store. She wants to touch his heart but he awkwardly hugs her instead. The Dixons decide that, instead of a group photo to announce the birth of baby Charlie, they will instead include their friends as part of the photo. Danny has a meltdown when he can't find his wallt, and when it is returned it is revealed he has kept Jon's driver's license to keep his dad close. Gina is upset to discover that Rome has used the time she told him she didn't want to have any kids as the storyline for a commercial he is directed.
The gang rally to help look for Gary's dog, Colin, after Maggie accidentally lets him off his leash. Delilah confides in Andrew about her dilemma of telling her children about Charlie's real father, and Andrew confesses that his wife is not dead but in a coma from which she is unlikely to leave. Gary and Maggie argue over her growing closeness to Eric. Rome tries to prevent PJ and Sophie from getting too close, and tells Gina that PJ might be Jon's son. Rome finds Colin in the basement, but Gary is devastated to learn that his dog has an owner that misses him. Katherine and Delilah disagree about telling the children about Charlie's parentage.
Katherine and Eddie find it hard to keep up their lies about Katherine's sudden disappearance. Rome worries when Delilah remarks that PJ looks familiar. Katherine explains to Gina that she is worried keeping the secret about baby Charlie will affect Eddie's sobriety. Eddie and Delilah disagree about telling the children about Charlie. Gary decides to return his dog, Colin, to his original owner, an older woman who tells him that she still hopes for his return. Seeing how upset he is, Maggie replaces Colin with a similar dog from a shelter at the last minute. Sophie finds out her father bought her a car for the day she got her driver's license. Katherine, Eddie and Delilah fight at Theo's birthday party about telling the children about Charlie. Gina and Rome find the DNA test results for PJ, confirming that Jon is PJ's father.
Rome thinks Gina should tell Delilah about PJ's paternity. Before she can she gets the news that Rome's mother has unexpectedly died of an aneurysm while at the hairdresser. His father decides that the best way to honor his wife is to go on the cruise she always wanted to take. Eddie and Katherine contemplate legal actiono when they find out that Delilah wants to take her kids to France for the summer and that Eddie is not listed as the father on Charlie's birth certificate. Gina finds out that Gary has lost his job, but hasn't told Maggie because he doesn't want to stand in the way of Maggie deciding to go to Oxford. PJ finds the DNA test results. Delilah runs into Mitch and finds out he is PJ's "father". She confronts Rome and Gina.
Delilah convinces PJ to talk to his parents, and after an explosive argument with Mitch, Barbara reveals that his birth father is not Jon but David, Jon's best friend. Gary confronts Katherine, Eddie and Delilah over the situation with baby Charlie, telling them that he lost his job because he spent so much time helping them. Delilah finally concedes that she has to tell the truth about Charlie and names Eddie as her father on her birth certificate. Maggie and Gary argue about their commitment to each other after she finds an engagement ring that he bought her when he thought she was dying. They break up, as Maggie says she needs to figure out who she is without cancer and Gary tells her he might need to figure out who he is without Maggie. Maggie finds out she didn't get the fellowship at Oxford. Gina tells Rome she is willing to adopt a child. Delilah tells the kids about Charlie, angering Sophie who smashes all of Eddie's guitars in the shed.
Sophie acts out over the affair between Delilah and Eddie. Danny confides in Gary over his worry that his first kiss will be on stage and with a girl. Gina and Rome move forward on their adoption plans. Gina originally omits Rome's history of depression on the forms, but later revises the forms and tells him how proud she is of him for taking care of himself. Eddie tells Theo that he is an alcoholic. Maggie sees Gary on the dating app she is using. Danny has his first kiss backstage with Elliott. Maggie kisses Eric, but he breaks off the kiss and, after she has left, he takes off his shirt and reveals that he does not have a heart transplant scar.
Gina and Rome make an introduction video for potential birth moms. Gina refuses to let Sophie into the house when she gets drunk with a friend, and tells Delilah that she and Sophie need to re-set their relationship. Gary runs into Eric at a coffee shop. Eric tries to apologize to Gary if he had anything to do with his and Maggie's breakup. Gary confronts Eric after discovering there is a wrongful death lawsuit against Eric, and in the altercation exposes Eric's unmarked chest. At Sophie's softball game, Gary and Rome fight two men who Gary believes are being racist to Rome. Gary ends up in jail, and when Maggie comes with Katherine to bail him out, they fight about Eric.
When Maggie goes to Eric's apartment to confront him over ignoring her calls, she discovers he is leaving the city. He tells Maggie that, although he feels a connection with her, he's not ready. After Maggie sees a photo of him without a scar, Eric explains that his girlfriend had received the heart, but died six years later, and that he couldn't bring himself to tell Maggie's mom about her death. He tells Maggie that he loves her and that she helped him move on from his grief but that he must now move on from Maggie. Gary decides to confront his mother, who lives in New York, about abandoning the family when he was a child. However, he realizes her abandonment had nothing to do with him when she priorities a potential investor in her acting career over dinner with her son. Rome discovers his agent has stolen and altered his script, but wrestles control back by interesting the potential lead actor in producing the original script. Delilah gets a call from a distraught Maggie. Gary shows up to comfort her and they part as friends.
Gary and Maggie run into each other at a fellow cancer patient's remission party. Maggie tells Gary she thinks they can still be friends. Rome and Gina meet Eve, a pregnant girl who wants to put her baby up for adoption, but are nervous as the father has not signed off on the adoption. However, they are resolved to adopt when Eve explains that her ex is abusive and she doesn't want him to reach her. After taking Theo to a therapist, Katherine realizes that she has put too much emphasis on being perfectly happy. Sophie begins to thaw in her attitude to Delilah after speaking to Delilah's father, who unwittingly reveals how unhappy Delilah was in her marriage when he confuses Sophie for Delilah.
After Eve sees her ex's car, Rome and Gina help her get into a shelter and Katherine helps get her a restraining order. Maggie finds out she is still free from cancer, while Gary waits anxiously for news. Danny's first boyfriend, Elliott, is moving away, so Gary chaperones their last sleepover together. Gary finds pot in Sophie's sleeping bag. After Theo storms out of Eddie's session with the younger musician, Dakota, Eddie finds out he's worried he will have a baby with Dakota too. Katherine and Eddie both talk to Theo to help him come to terms with Eddie's affair.
Delilah wants to talk to Sophie about the pot in her sleeping bag, but Sophie discloses instead that she wants to go on the pill. Gary and Delilah decide to go over to her boyfriend Jake's home to make sure he and Sophie are not having sex, but find that Jake has appendicitis and he is rushed to the hospital. Delilah and Sophie have a heart-to-heart while waiting on Jake's surgery, and while Sophie is being responsible about sex, she has no explanation for the pot. When Gary runs into Maggie being stood up at a first date, he tries to make her feel better by sending over a bottle of wine that he pretends was from her date. Rome blows off a lunch with his father to meet up with an actor about being in his movie. After the lunch, he discovers his father is talking to Eve's ex Derek. Derek and Eve leave together. Eddie encourages Dakota to make the music she wants to make.
When Eddie's alcoholic sister decides to visit, Katherine plans for Theo to be out of the house but is unexpectedly called into work. Eddie kicks his sister out when he finds drugs on her. Gary steps in to take Theo to laser tag, where he meets a woman, Darcy, who intrigues him. Katherine quits her job when she finds out that her clients are homophobic. Eddie discovers the drugs he found were Dakota's, tells Dakota to stay away from Theo, and makes up with his sister. She comes over for a meal and meets Theo, but on the way out she implies there is a story behind a lake house they used to go to as children. Rome and Gina track Eve to a hotel, where she has been with her ex. Eve gets Derek to sign the adoption papers. After he sees the restraining order he leaves town. Maggie gets accepted to Oxford.
Delilah is having a dinner party to commemorate Jon's death. Sophie tells Eddie that she isn't playing guitar anymore because it makes her think of him and his lies. Gary talks to her about forgiveness. Sophie and Eddie go to Jon's grave and Sophie forgives Eddie. Maggie and Gary both admit they brought baggage to the relationship. Gina tells Maggie that Gary still loves her. Maggie tell Gina that she is leaving for Oxford. While Rome is talking to Maggie about his dad, she also tells him that she is leaving for Oxford. Gina and Delilah take the group to the apartment above the restaurant and explain that it could be Katherine's new office if she wants it. They all toast the office. Rome tells Gary that Maggie is leaving for Oxford next week.
Eddie is consumed with his vague memory of the death of a friend, Alex. His sister takes him to the lake where it happened. His sister remembers that everyone was drinking. When Eddie never came home his sister found him soaking wet on the beach. She took him home and the next morning Alex was found drowned. Eddie doesn't remember what happened that night and his sister never tells him that she found him wet on the beach. Eddie is determined to find out the truth. Gary and his new love interest, Darcy, help Katherine with setting up her office. When they get stuck in a closet Darcy has a PTSD panic attack. Gary helps her through it and they grow closer. Gina is initially feeling weird about Eve, the birth mother, being present at Gina's baby shower. Eve and Gina reassure Rome that he will be a good father.
Katherine and Eddie are set to renew their vows, with Theo as best man. Before the festivities can begin, Eve goes into labor and the gang decide to move to the hospital. Before Eddie can leave, Alex's sister shows up to ask Eddie not to reopen the wound of her sister's death. Eddie heads to the lake house, where his memory is triggered and he remembers that Alex drowned when he was unable to hold onto her. Maggie tells Gary that she still cares for him and asks him to come to Oxford with her, but he tells her she only wants him now because he is happy with somebody else. Eve gives birth to a baby boy, but devastates Gina and Rome by deciding to keep the baby. Gary, feeling remorseful about his argument with Maggie, finds her at the airport to tell her he wants her to be happy and he is going to try to be happy with Darcy. Meanwhile, Eddie is sitting at a bar contemplating drinking, but decides not to drink. He calls Katherine to tell her how committed he is to their family when he is hit by a car.
Eddie is injured in a hit and run accident. The gang, other than Maggie who is flying to Oxford, gather at the hospital. Katherine tells them why Eddie was at the lake and tells them to leave, but Gary chooses to stay. A social worker calls Rome and Gina about adopting another baby, but Gina tells Rome that she first needs to mourn the baby they didn't get. Rome reluctantly agrees. When Maggie arrives at her new place in Oxford, she mistakes the woman who opens the door for her new flatmate and counsels her to leave her boyfriend, only to discover that the boyfriend is her new flatmate, Jamie. Eddie comes out of surgery but cannot feel his legs. Darcy, a physiotherapist, tells Katherine that there is only a 10% chance that Eddie will ever walk again. The gang surprise Eddie when he returns home from hospital with a ramp, and a ceremony to renew his vows with Katherine. Eddie worries about using the painkillers he's been prescribed. After Darcy overhears Maggie video-chatting, Gary reassures Darcy about their relationship. Across the street, we see Alex's father watching them in a car, and a flashback reveals he also watched Eddie walk out of the bar the night he was hit.
Gary and Darcy's relationship is flourishing, but Maggie upsets Gary by suggesting it is moving too fast. Rome meets a star actor, Shanice Williamson, about filming his script, but is concerned about the changes she might make to it. Rome and Gina argue about the decision to turn down the second baby. Gary finds Eddie has been stranded for hours alone in his house, away from his phone and wheelchair, and has wet himself. When Gary asks Darcy to be Eddie's physiotherapist, she initially feels uncomfortable because of Eddie's affair, but later agrees to do it for Katherine. Maggie grows closer to her new flatmate, Jamie, and starts a podcast. Sophie comes home early from a visit to Harvard, and decides to apply to other schools. Gary talks to Darcy about taking their relationship more slowly, Rome and Regina discuss the second baby, and Delilah decides to go to France with her hand. Alex's dad shows up at Eddie's front door.
Katherine grows suspicious when she realizes Alex's father has been to the house several times, but the detective confirms that it was not his truck that hit Eddie. Eddie and Darcy try to find a way to get along better. Alex's father finally reveals that he had covered up the real cause of Alex's death, an overdose, to protect his other daughter. Eddie, shocked by this revelation, starts taking painkillers. Rome sees a therapist about his anger as a Black man in America, and he and Gina reconcile and check in on Eve. Gary takes care of the Dixon children, and helps Danny with a bully. Maggie adopts a positive attitude, and is exhilarated after taking trapeze lessons. She invites Jamie into her bedroom.
Maggie and Jamie clear up a misunderstanding about either of them wanting more than casual sex. Katherine and Eddie discuss sex with Theo, which leads them to talk about their own lack of sex and try to reclaim their intimacy. Gina tells Shanice about Rome's depression, which makes Shanice want to make the movie more. Gary takes Sophie to her audition for MMI. When the director, Peter, rejects Sophie in a patronizing way, Gary berates him. Sophie, however, decides to try again by giving a street performance nearby, and when Peter sees it, he decides to teach her but tells her she will have to work very hard. Gary calls Maggie about Darcy's PTSD.
COVID-19 derails Rome's movie. The COVID lock down in the UK means Maggie can't get an appointment for her cancer checkup, so she returns to Boston to see her doctor. Once she is in Boston, Europe closes its borders and she can't get back to Oxford. Delilah is also stuck in France due to COVID. Gary and Darcy stay at the Dixons' house to take care of the children. During Maggie's cancer check up, her doctor informs her that she is pregnant. Gary finds a therapist to help Darcy with her PTSD, but can't tell her that he got the recommendation from Maggie. The COVID-19 outbreak derails Eddie's plans to replace his painkillers with cortisone injections, leading a desperate Eddie to steal Vicodin pills from Rome's bathroom. Katherine is busy trying to get the eviction notice for the restaurant lifted.
Gary supports Maggie when she decides to terminate the pregnancy for health reasons, and decides to stay with her while she is losing the baby even though it means missing his planned camping trip with Darcy and meeting her child, Liam, for the first time. However, Jamie turns up to support Maggie, and Gary delivers a toboggan to Liam at the cabin, explaining to Darcy that he will meet Liam when the circumstances are perfect. Rome and Regina meet Tyrell, a teenager who they initially thought had stolen their bagged food orders but had in fact delivered them. Eddie asks Dakota for more bills, and although Dakota is now sober, she brings him pills in exchange for help with her album.
After Regina discovers Rome has been slipping Tyrell and other children meals behind her back, she offers to give more meals and a customer offers to pay for more meals to be given away. This leads to a very successful campaign to give away a free meal for each meal purchased, which is promoted by Shanice. Maggie accidentally posts a podcast that includes a conversation with Jamie about her relationship with Gary. Katherine confronts Eddie when she realizes that Eddie has swapped aspirin for the Oxycodone, but Eddie lets Dakota take the blame. Gary bonds with Darcy's son, Liam. Darcy reveals that her PTSD stems from the time she shot and killed a young boy who she thought was a threat.
Rome and Regina suspect Eddie of having taken the Vicodin pills, and Gary and Rome confront Eddie. They find him trying to go upstairs where Theo has gone in an embarrassed huff. He tells Gary and Rome that he needs help. Katherine has been growing closer to Alan, bonding over the shared experience of being Asian in America. When she comes home, Eddie confesses that he is the one who has been taking his pills and that he can't stop. When Regina finds out Tyrell's mother has been deported, she takes him to her house to stay. Danny tells Gary about the podcast. Gary goes over to Maggie's to angrily tell her he is completely over her. Darcy asks Maggie's advice about a PTSD retreat. Maggie's tells Darcy she can talk to her whenever she wants. Gary and Darcy tell each other that they love each other.
Gary supports Eddie in his decision to go to rehab, and Katherine and Eddie talk to Theo about where his father is going. Gary counsels a broken Katherine, but is overheard by Eddie who accuses him of betrayal. Katherine, seeking comfort, drunkenly kisses Alan, who gently refuses her advances. Tyrrell is mad he missed a call from his mother. Rome learns to let his father grieve his own way, by believing his dead wife is leaving pennies in his path. Maggie learns that she is still free from cancer but can't return to Oxford, and after she and Jamie realize they are more than just a casual hookup, they agree to end the relationship.
Gary learns that Sophie's guitar teacher, Peter, has been grooming her, preying on her vulnerability and filming her dancing in her swimsuit. Maggie and Gina arrive to tease out the rest of the story, when we find out that Peter touched himself after hugging her. Sophie is distraught when Peter texts her to tell her a selfie she took of herself, trying to recreate a Britney Spears album cover, is inappropriate and he can't work with her anymore. Gary, furious, looks set to wreak revenge at Peter's house, but steps back when Peter's wife, Anna, comes home. Maggie accepts a job giving therapy advice on radio, and Rome sees a mystery woman visiting his mother's grave one night.
After Alan turns up to check in on Katherine, he and Katherine end up kissing. Katherine and Theo visit Eddie in rehab, where they talk honestly about Eddie's affair with Delilah and Katherine begins to understand. Eddie is counselled by Jackie, his friend in rehab, to stay in rehab when he is tempted to leave to try and save his marriage to Katherine. Tyrrell finds out his mother has been deported to Haiti, and argues with Gina about flying to Haiti to find her. However, his mother, Martine, calls him and explains she doesn't want him to come and miss his opportunities in the US, and that she has enough worries at this early stage of her return to Haiti. Rome comes to terms with his father's new companion, Florence, and becomes closer with his father. Gary pressures Sophie to go ahead with her audition with MMI, which backfires, but they reconcile before Sophie flies to France to be with her mother.
A month passes. Danny considers coming out at school, and Gary worries his visiting father Javier might say something offensive. Javier and Darcy bond over their shared experiences as veterans. Javier tells Danny that Douglas, a friend who died saving Javier's life in Vietnam, was a closeted gay man; he advises Danny to be proud of who he is. Danny comes out to his classmates, who put up rainbow-themedZoom backgrounds. Eddie returns home. Katherine skips dinner with him to check into a hotel with Allen, but she and Allen recognize Katherine is reacting to Eddie and spend the evening talking. Katherine confesses all to Eddie and wants to enter counseling—not to save their marriage, but to protect Theo as they end it. Walter and Florence have their romantic signals crossed until Rome and Regina advise them at a family dinner on May 25, 2020. Tyrell's guest Keke hasn't arrived, and instead sends Tyrell the video of George Floyd's murder, stunning everyone as they watch it.
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"Listen"
Nicole Rubio
Royale Watkins & Corey Deshon & Nikita T. Hamilton
Rome tries to deal with Tyrell cutting classes to attend protests, but Tyrell's explanation has him thinking. Regina spends some time at the restaurant learning recipes from Walter's girlfriend Florence, only to have her mother butt in. Regina accuses her mother of using the wrong ingredient and ruining a dish only to realize it was herself who made the error, leading to her worrying that the recent fall she had is affecting her memory. Katherine and Eddie try to figure out how and when to tell Theo about their pending divorce, only to have Darcy's son blab the information while playing with Theo. After Maggie picks up her spirits some, Sophie goes to MMI to tell the dean of admissions why she shut down her recent audition. While there, Sophie sees a photo of a cello prodigy on the wall, and learns from the dean that the girl was accepted but committed suicide. After learning the girl is Layla Gregory, whom Sophie's instructor Peter had mentioned, Sophie is struck with the realization that Peter may have abused someone else.
Convinced that Katherine won't let him have unsupervised visits with Theo, Eddie looks into a wheelchair-accessible place and accepts Gary's offer to have a friend convert his vehicle for hand controls. However, Katherine tells Eddie it's not his disability that worries her, it's his addiction. Haunted by learning that Layla Gregory had committed suicide, Sophie visits the girl's parents. They are at first dismissive as they deal with grief, but the father later visits Sophie with evidence that her suspicions about Peter may have merit. At her mother's prodding, Regina gets a cat scan done to try and deal with her concussion and short-term memory loss, but the scan finds nothing. Elsewhere, Rome helps Tyrell make a video that explores the impact of systemic racism, but the project takes a turn they didn't expect.
Having lost her father to suicide and now dealing with Layla killing herself, Sophie visits Rome to ask what prompted him to consider ending his life. Rome's frank answer and conversation about waking up with a purpose convinces Sophie that she needs to go to the police about what Peter did to make sure he can't hurt anyone else. Regina learns that her restaurant relief funds could take months, meaning she has no income. This prompts Rome to consider directing a soda commercial that he finds offensive, until Regina convinces him otherwise. Katherine gets upset when Alan is texting someone during their picnic date, having learned that he is on a dating site, but it turns out Alan was setting up a romantic gesture. Katherine realizes she has trust issues from her time with Eddie, and asks Alan to put their relationship on pause. Alan counters that he doesn't want to wait. Eddie spends a day with Theo, with Gary supervising. Gary is later taken aback when Darcy says her ex-husband is moving across the state to Lenox and they agreed that they'd stay geographically close for the sake of Liam. Gary says how much his friend needs him right now, causing Darcy to remark that she wishes he'd treat her as well as he treats his friends.
Delilah returns and accompanies Sophie to the police station, along with Maggie. While the detective believes Sophie's story, he feels there isn't enough evidence to charge Peter, but says he is now on police radar and will be watched closely. Eddie visits Delilah to see Charlie, and Danny overhears Delilah telling Eddie she wants to move the family to France. Gary agrees to accompany Darcy to Lenox, saying he wants to have a family with her and Liam. This leaves Eddie without a supervisor for his visits with Theo. Soon after, Theo is injured under Katherine's watch, and Eddie considers using it against her in a custody hearing. Tyrell learns that his mother's friend and colleague received a promotion that she was in line to get, and strongly believes the man turned his mom in to immigration.
Danny, Sophie and Gary all confront Delilah about taking her family to France, calling it selfish. Delilah counters that her time in France was the only time she felt free of people prying into Jon's suicide and her affair with Eddie. She later breaks down after smashing a photo of Jon, and Danny comforts her. Eddie decides not to use Theo's injury against Katherine, but proposes a deal: he can have unsupervised visits with Theo provided he takes a weekly drug test. Tyrell learns the true reason why his mother was caught by immigration, and feels guilty for it. Regina tearfully shuts down her restaurant, but gets some perspective when a regular carry-out customer comes in and says his wife died from COVID-19. Sophie decides to tell her story on Maggie's podcast, and mentions Peter by name. Gary stops by his father's place, asking him to provide an alibi and say Gary was there all night. Gary then heads to Peter's house, where he covers Peter's head with a cloth bag and drags him inside.
It's an optimistic look at how the loss of a friend is the impetus for the other seven to finally start living, to make a promise to him and to themselves to finally be honest about what's really going on,... I know in my own life, my friend's passing is a constant reminder to keep things in perspective.
—Creator D.J. Nash, on the underlying themes of the series.[113]
On August 18, 2017, ABC landed a series titled A Million Little Things with a put pilot commitment, to be written by DJ Nash, who would serve as executive producer alongside Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor. The series was described as "being in the tone of The Big Chill," with the title stemming from the popular adage, "Friendship isn't a big thing – it's a million little things."[113] Nash came up with the idea for the series following his single-camera comedy pilot Losing It. He said that "Sometimes in comedy, you have to apologize for adding drama, which is why I was so thrilled to see ABC's passion for a drama that has comedy."[113] ABC officially ordered the series to pilot in January 2018,[114] and the show was officially picked up to series on May 9, 2018.[17] The series is produced by ABC Studios and Kapital Entertainment.[17] In October 2018, the show was picked for a full season of 17 episodes.[115] On February 5, 2019, during the TCA press tour, A Million Little Things was renewed for a second season.[116][117][118] On August 8, 2019, it was announced that ABC had ordered a full season for the second season.[119] On May 21, 2020, ABC renewed the series for a third season.[120] At the PaleyFest New York panel, Nash announced that the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement will be part of the storylines for the third season.[121] On May 14, 2021, ABC renewed the series for a fourth season of 20 episodes.[122][123] On May 13, 2022, ABC renewed the series for a fifth season.[124] On November 7, 2022, ABC announced that the fifth season would be its final season.[125]
Casting
On February 6, 2018, David Giuntoli was cast as Eddie.[3] A week later, Romany Malco was cast as Rome.[4] By the end of the month, Christina Ochoa had joined the cast as Ashley,[7] along with Anne Son as Katherine,[126]Christina Moses as Regina Howard,[6] and James Roday Rodriguez as Gary.[10] In early March 2018, Stéphanie Szostak was cast as Delilah,[12] while Lizzy Greene was cast as Sophie Dixon.[15] That month, it was also revealed that Ron Livingston had joined the series in an unspecified role,[13] which was revealed with the series order in May to be the character Jon.[17] On June 27, 2018, Grace Park was cast as Katherine, replacing Anne Son who was in the original pilot.[8][9]
Filming
Production on the pilot took place from March 12 to 29, 2018,[127] in Vancouver, British Columbia.[128] Principal photography for the first season began on July 24, 2018, and concluded on February 4, 2019.[129] Filming for the second season began on June 19, 2019, and ended on February 19, 2020.[130] Filming for the third season began on August 27, 2020, and ended on May 12, 2021.[131] Production on the fourth season began on July 27, 2021, and concluded on April 13, 2022.[132] Filming for the fifth season began on September 7, 2022, and concluded on March 3, 2023.[133]
Music
The soundtrack for the first season was released digitally on March 1, 2019, by Hollywood Records.[134]
Release
Broadcast
The series premiered on September 26, 2018 on ABC.[1] The second season premiered on September 26, 2019.[118] The third season premiered on November 19, 2020.[135] The fourth season premiered on September 22, 2021.[136] The fifth and final season premiered on February 8, 2023.[125] In Canada, the series aired on Citytv for the first three seasons before moving to the W Network.[137] In Turkey, the series broadcast through pay broadcaster Digiturk.[138] In Germany, it streams on Disney+.[139] In Australia, it streams on Stan and Paramount+.[140]
Home media
The first season was released on DVD in Region 1 on August 27, 2019.[141]
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregation Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 53% with an average rating of 6.34/10, based on 32 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Despite a decent ensemble and a few intriguing elements, A MillIon Little Things breaks under the weight of its own emotionally lofty ambitions."[142]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 51 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[143]
Ratings
Overall
Viewership and ratings per season of A Million Little Things
