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.
Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore in ‘This Is Us’.Ron Batzdorff/NBC
Jack sullenly carries the broken sled home.
She then cheers Jack up with a meal: hot dogs and tomato soup.
Marilyn wants to be far from Stanley, but worries about missing Jack.
He promises to always answer her call at that time, and also to visit her in Ohio.
They also argue about visiting.
She does visit him at least once, when the kids are babies.
However, while there, she stresses about Stanley.
She distracts herself by making lunch hotdogs and tomato soup.
Jack doesn’t remember their tradition of her making that meal after he played in the snow.
Her insistence that Jack has good memories is the fiercest we see Marilyn.
Jack never said much to encourage her to be less timid.
Life before death
Jack goes alone to Ohio for the funeral.
In fact, he doesn’t cry when he hears about his mother.
That guilt starts with cousin Debby (Camryn Manheim).
Eventually, Debby suggests Jack give the eulogy and pick out Marilyn’s dress.
Jack is astonished by this vibrant version of Marilyn.
Plunged even deeper into his guilt, Jack calls Rebecca to lament not fulfilling that wish.
Memorializing Marilyn
Finally, the time comes for the funeral.
As Jack struggles to deliver the eulogy, Rebecca arrives with the kids.
Jack built his with his family, and Marilyn built hers with the people in Ohio.
With this, he acknowledges both how they grew apart and the ties that bound them.
During the meal, Jack steps away.
With that thought, ‘til next time, readers.
Don’t let me keep you.
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