Many here are complaint about the alters to the script due to COVID and more. Such an approach should be commended and looked at with a more charitable view.
This Is Us gives us REAL CHARACTERS to follow in real time. So, it only makes sense that the events in this world would affect them, too. We want that. That's part of what the show was about.
I agree that these two episodes were, at times, a bit slow and lacking in some senses. However, the scripts still held some really powerful dialogue and strong scenes, especially nuanced with all the battles of racial things and COVID. I do not think this was "too political." If anything, this show fought to remain NOT policial.
This show is about people! Not politics. And it remains so. This showed Randall's personal life struggles and all he faces as a black man. That is not politics. That's people.
Even more, this script managed to be nuanced with a bit of religious/Christian undertone, which I think is beautiful. For a world that is very often anti-religion right now, the script shows how many people do turn, in some senses, to God or "deep, spiritual" things. In this, we can think: If there is a God, does he answer my prayers? Why does he allow so much evil? And, the show answers this even in it's not-religious philosophy. Many tragedies happen, but it is how life - or God - uses them to build our character and make us who we are... meant to be.