Last week, we caught up with the Pearsons after a few weeks off as they started dealing with big life changes. Beth began her new job teaching at a dance studio while Randall settled into his role at home. In the past, Rebecca dealt with the Big Three’s high school graduations alone as Miguel comforted her. Meanwhile, Kevin was acting strangely, causing Kate to investigate. She discovers, unfortunately, that he fell off the wagon after the Nicky incident and had been on a bender since. While driving him to an AA meeting her water breaks, months too early. The episode ended with the fate of Kate’s baby up in the air as Kevin and Randall tried to comfort her.
Stay caught up with This Is Us by checking out last week’s full review here.
This week picks up where last week left off as the Pearsons wait for any updates on Kate’s condition. At this point, they have all been there for over 26 hours and are a little on edge. After the doctor updates them on her condition, things start to go south very quickly though. Kevin, still hungover from his bender, fights with Randall in front of the family before Miguel diverts attention with a road trip game. Everyone plays, but no one’s really into as the waiting drags on.
Madison arrives soon with donuts and, unfortunately for her, a smile. The beleaguered Pearson clan does their best to include her but Kevin snaps at her causing her to rush out of the room. Kevin halfheartedly apologizes before “going out for some air.” Meanwhile, Beth and Randall continue their fight, with the rest of their family chiming in. They don’t get far though as after Miguel excuses himself to the bathroom, Rebecca starts to get light-headed, drawing Beth’s attention. Outside the bathroom, Miguel runs into Madison, reassuring her as she questions her role in Kate’s birth plan.
Kevin returns and he and Zoe briefly discuss his lying. Beth and Zoe then privately discuss the same, with Zoe seeming to lean towards staying with him. Beth returns to the waiting room and she and Randall try to enlist Rebecca and Miguel’s help with childcare as a solution. However, the grandparents planned on moving to California so they could be near Kate, Toby, and their new grandchild. Randall gets frustrated by this, causing Kevin to get mad and storm off looking for Kate’s doctor. While he’s gone, Zoe takes a drink of Kevin’s water, which turns out not to be water. Before she’s able to really deal with this though, Kevin returns with worrying news: Kate’s doctor was just called into emergency surgery on an unknown patient.
After this, Kevin and Randall really start to go at each other; Miguel even gets involved this time. Rebecca shuts this down quickly though demanding that distractions from Kate and her child be cut out. Randall starts to apologize but Toby comes in with news on the baby. He’s born and his name is Jack. He’s very premature and they’re nowhere out of the woods yet but he’s here and that’s what matters now. The Pearsons finally get to go home but that doesn’t mean their issues are over though. Beth and Randall have yet to reconcile and Zoe reveals to Beth that Kevin’s water bottle was full of vodka.
Back in the NICU, Kate and Toby fawn over their new son. The episode ends with Kate calling out to her father, telling him she needs her son Jack to be OK.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays on NBC.
