This is Usrecap: Jack, Randall, Kevin, and Toby struggle to align work and ideals with the realities of fatherhood

Birthdays and grief were at the gooey center of theseason sixThis is Uspremiere. Last week, it wasfirst loves. Of course, it’s the mothers who dish out key wisdom, but we’ll get to that. For now, let’s start with Randall. Randall (and Beth) Randall excitedly takes Deja out for a driving lesson. Soon, Randall and Beth are rage brainstorming about Deja’s punishment. Eventually, Randall decides to cool off with a run, while Beth (calmly) confronts Deja....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 561 words · Douglas Ward

This Is Usrecap: Kate and Toby's marriage ends, but romance still wins

Kate and Toby admit defeat but Kate still gets a happily ever after romance. Meanwhile, Kevin womanizes and Randall campaigns. It’s an unpleasant way to begin the home stretch of this final season. (Ship name Killip? Or Phate, since it feels like they arefated). Kate welcomes the offer and suggests couple’s therapy. Toby agrees, wanting to do anything to save their family. During a therapy session six months in, Kate is late, bickering erupts, and Toby storms out....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 569 words · Douglas Bell

This Is Usrecap: Kate and Toby's marriage problems boil over

Baby Jack and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad BBQ day. Uniquely and beautifully, part of the story is told from the fuzzy visual-astute audio perspective of toddler Jack. Viewers intermittently see what Jack sees as Kate and Toby’s bickering continues and escalates. NBC Let’s get started breaking down the chaotic episode. On the way, Kevin says he’s doing well and happily setting down his own roots. However, when Kevin then accidentally discovers Elijah (Adam Korson) is planning to propose, he spirals....

May 1, 2025 · 2 min · 415 words · Dennis Estrada

This Is Usrecap: Kate's wedding day exposes struggles with Rebecca's health

On Kates wedding day to Phillip, Rebecca shows signs of deterioration. Meanwhile, Beth and Madison investigate a Kevin romance mystery. The themes of the stories: routine and music. Ron Batzdorff/NBC But first things first, the Pearson matriarch. Rebecca In the flashback, Rebecca’s morning starts with robotically packing the kids' lunches. Then, she goes for a haircut. Ron Batzdorff/NBC However, Rebecca regrets the decision, and shamefully shows Jack when he returns home from work....

May 1, 2025 · 2 min · 385 words · Julie Green

This Is Usrecap: Kevin suffers a crisis of confidence in first Big Three trilogy episode

Meanwhile, Cassidy suffers her own crisis. Tonight’s episode ofThis is Usbrings us nearly to the midpoint of the show’s final season. Kevin (Justin Hartley) is up first. Ron Batzdorff/NBC The beginning of the present-day story is set to the episode-eponymous song “Guitar Man.” Let’s dive in. However, unlike his siblings, he doesn’t yet know how to swim. Ron Batzdorff/NBC Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) gets in the pool to take a stab at help him finally learn....

May 1, 2025 · 2 min · 364 words · Dwayne Thompson

This Is Usrecap: Miguel and the Pearsons confront complicated feeling

Last episode ofThis Is Uswasall about Nicky. This week’s episode brings us back to therest of the Pearsons. We also get more Miguel than ever. Permeating everyone’s stories is the concept of the episode title, “Both Things Can Be True.” The message seems to be that love can be a complicated struggle. Let’s dive into how that applies to the Pearsons. Randall Randall attends a support group meeting for people adopted by different-race families to discuss their experiences....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 580 words · Michael Jennings

This Is Usrecap: Nicky's future wife revealed, Déjà makes a big decision

Last week, the season premiere ofThis is Ushonored a show tradition, in featuringthe Big Three’s birthdays. Through these adventures, characters get closure and epiphanies and make big decisions. However, before we get to Nicky’s latest arc, let’s talk about Deja. Ron Batzdorff/NBC Deja Deja heads to Boston to visit Malik at Harvard. He’s currently specifically stressed about a paper. Deja insists he finish his paper, even though it means less time together....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 473 words · Austin Williams

This Is Usrecap: Randall and Kevin finally hash things out

So, he asked to visit Randall in Philadelphia, fittingly the City of Brotherly Love. Let’s explore what happens during these instances of brotherly bonding (or fighting). 5-year-old Randall The episode opens with an unfamiliar Black couple. This Is Us.NBC A man discusses an incoming storm, a woman mentions the Dewey Decimal System. Their son is a young boy named… Randall… It’s a fantasy. In reality, 5-year-old Randall and Kevin are watchingMister Rogers' Neighborhoodtogether....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 620 words · Don Francis

This Is Usrecap: Randall finally learns about Laurel in 'Birth Mother'

There’s no ambiguity in tonight’sThis Is Usepisode title, “Birth Mother.” The episode is all about Randall’s biological mom, Laurel. The mystery grew when we saw in thethird episodethat an elderly Vietnamese man had a photo of Laurel. Credit: NBC Soon, Hai begins his story, starting with Laurel’s childhood. When Laurel was a child, he chastised her for a myriad of things. Regardless, Laurel adored May. On that visit before her father’s threat, Laurel found May in the garden of her lakefront house....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 591 words · Jennifer Brown

This Is Usrecap: Randall's hero complex revisited

We also return to the six-year-old-era pool day and college-era pool night featured inKevin’sandKate’sepisodes. This time, it’s all from Randall’s perspective. During the pool day, Randall takes a swimming test with the lifeguard for deep end privileges. Ron Batzdorff/NBC Let’s dive into every era of Randall, in the episode titled “Every Version of You.” Already swim-capable, on Randall’s agenda for the day is passing the pool deep end test. Randall excitedly bounds over to the lifeguard in charge, who calls Randall his star pupil....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 554 words · Kirsten Bauer

This Is Usrecap: Rebecca and Kate face reckonings in three Thanksgivings

In less than a week, Daylight Savings regions will spring forward. But tonight,This is Ustook viewers back to early winter for its fifth and final Thanksgiving-themed episode. Gobble up the juicy details below. Ron Batzdorff/NBC Ever the fixer, Jack confronts Janet. He says Rebecca spent weeks trying to make Thanksgiving perfect for Janet. Janet tearfully laments how her daughter used to want to be just like her. Jack promises they will....

May 1, 2025 · 2 min · 348 words · Susan Nicholson

This Is Usrecap: The Big Three debate Rebecca's future

A decision is reached in “Family Meeting.” Tonight’sThis is Usepisode marks three episodes left in the Big Three’s journey. Underlying the debate is the siblings' desires to repay their mother for everything she did for them. Justin Hartley as Kevin, Chrissy Metz as Kate, Sterling K. Brown as Randall.Ron Batzdorff/NBC Horrified, Rebecca frantically calls the doctor. In the morning, when Kate smiles, Rebecca finally lets herself believe everything is okay....

May 1, 2025 · 3 min · 487 words · Miguel Rogers

This Is Usrecap: The life and death of Jack's mother Marilyn

Jack struggles with guilt and grief after his mother’s death. But we haven’t seen much of Jack’s dynamic with his mother, Marilyn (Laura Niemi). Sure enough, tonight’s episode, “Don’t Let Me Keep You,” picks up there. Milo Ventimiglia.Ron Batzdorff/NBC With that, let’s dive into the messy, moving memories. As the sled picks up speed, he grows fearful and rolls off. He’s unharmed, but the sled crashes into a rock and breaks....

May 1, 2025 · 2 min · 354 words · Michele Tapia