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.
I’m the latter, too."
Laurel’s other favorite person was her older brother Jackson.
Jackson was her ally against their father’s harshness.
When Jackson died fighting in the Vietnam War, Laurel was distraught.
May told Laurel she must let go of her grief before the pain consumed her.
At this point in Hai’s story, Randall is shaken by meeting and losing an uncle so quickly.
Surprised also by how much Hai knows about his family history, he asks how Hai knew Laurel.
Hai says Laurel was the love of his life, then dives into that part of his tale.
When Hai Met Laurel
Hai’s family arrived in New Orleans from Vietnam as refugees.
To care for his parents, Hai became a fisherman.
One day while fishing, Hai heard a scream and saw Laurel in the lake.
Thinking she was in trouble, Hai jumped in to help her.
The ensuing encounter both parties scaring one another is quite comical.
Soon, the two begin spending significant time together.
One night, Laurel and Hai exchange “I love yous” in Vietnamese and English.
But then, Laurel’s father orders her to accept an impending proposal from her actual boyfriend, Marshall.
Finally fed up, Laurel asks Hai to run away with her.
Hai can’t leave his parents, though, so Laurel goes without him.
When Hai replies, “because she did,” Randall loses his mind.
Playing peacemaker as always, Beth softly urges Hai to explain further.
So, Hai moves on to Laurel’s life after death (and birth).
Laurel’s Second Life
Laurel awakes in a hospital after her overdose.
A few days later, she’s arrested for drug possession.
She serves five years in a California prison (Pittsburgh’s are overcrowded).
May helps Laurel rebuild herself and work through her guilt over leaving her son.
While in the market one day, Laurel sees Hai, but they merely wave at one another.
Beth interjects here to complain that all they did was wave despite their sexual tension.
Hai says they kept their distance because he had a wife and family by then.
He cares for Laurel for two years before cancer takes her.
One of the last things she tells Hai is her regret over never talking to her son.
He gives Randall the keys to Laurel’s (formerly May’s) home.
Randall, Renewed
That night, Randall returns to Laurel’s house alone.
Anyway, in the water, Randall imagines seeing his mother.
So, Randall screams.
Vision Laurel and Randall then exchange “I love yous,” in Vietnamese and English.
On their way home, Beth notes Randall seems lighter.
But when he calls, Kevin is preoccupied, racing home from Vancouver because Madison is in labor.
Amid chastising himself for going to Vancouver, Kevin hangs up on Randall.
This episode and its ending suggest we’re at the “solo episodes” point of the season.
Thus, prepare for a potential Kevin-centric episode.
Will Kevin make it to the birth?
Will he really give up acting?
Will we finally learn whether he and Madison survive as a couple?
To read whatThis Is Usproducer Kay Oyegun revealed about the episode,head over here.
