So too are the Big Three’s 41st birthday and Rebecca’s apparent cognitive decline.
(The episode could have been titled “Planes, Trains, and All of the Feels.")
Let’s begin with the latter situation.
Isabella Rose Landau, Kaz Womack, Ca’Ron Jaden Coleman, Mandy Moore, and Milo Ventimiglia on ‘This Is Us’.Ron Batzdorff/NBC
But Rebecca’s primary storyline is really about her mental health.
She explodes in frustration during the birthday dinner, prompting her to confess to receiving troublesome medical results.
When the explosion occurs, the room falls somber.
That afternoon, Rebecca and Jack ask the kids if they want to discuss the tragedy.
The boys remain quiet, and Kevin seems unfazed.
Later, Rebecca finds Randall putting away his space shuttle toy.
Eventually, he asks whether someone is making dinner for the children of the astronaut teacher who was killed.
He wants to send them food just in case.
Meanwhile, Kevin tells Jack the explosion wasn’t realit was just a story on television.
Kate calmly affirms his realization.
Meanwhile, Rebecca is concerned about Kevin’s apparent non-reaction to the explosion.
Randall’s reaction also concerns Rebecca.
She thinks he’s too good for the world.
She fears his life “will be this beautiful but perpetually disappointing ride.”
Kate
As Kate begins her 41st birthday, a flashback to her 36th shows how things compare.
She remains on a journey to be healthier but is now busy with two children.
Later, Phillip beckons her to the school for an emergency.
When she arrives, she overhears Phillip breaking up with his girlfriend because she bores him.
The emergency, however, is actually a birthday gift performance from the students.
Later that night, Toby surprises Kate at home to properly celebrate her birthday.
When Randall confronts the burglar, David, it soon becomes apparent that the man has mental health issues.
Sure, it’s compulsive and excessive, but it makes Randall an “incredibly decent man.”
(ALL HAIL BETH.
Still, as Rebecca also predicted that night of the Challenger explosion, the setback doesn’t dissuade him.
Still, Kevin aggressively declines.
His bad day continues when he finds Madison at home with a flirtatious book club peer, Elijah.
What this all means for the Big Three’s future remains to be seen.
Here’s to at last getting into the final steps on the Pearson journey.
Meanwhile, Deja misses Malik, who’s away at college but still sending her romantic messages.
