I've never had such an emotional reaction to a tv series before. It breaks your heart but also makes you feel wonderful at the same time. How do they do it?
8 Reviews
Wonderful but Gut Wrenching
laurengamble8313 December 2019
Gut-wrenching
royalewithcheese202024 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I'll just preface this by saying this review DOES contains spoilers, which is something I usually don't do but I feel like I have to for this episode. This episode was just incredible so I thought I had to write a review. As another person said in their review, the show really does just keep getting better.
In the present story line, the comedic elements added in were perfect, especially with Kevin and Randall. Kevin is trying to make amends with people he hurt and decides to go help out Randall with his new building. They have some great "bro moments" in this , which is fantastic. Also Randall and Beth's chemistry is spot on as usual and i think Susan Kelechi Watson is a very under-looked member of the cast in terms of her talent. The Kate/Toby story line is very good in this episode too. Mostly about Toby wanting to get a dog (as we know Kate isn't too fond of dogs). Kate feels a bit bad for Toby though and goes out looking for one. I won't say anymore, but this leads to another hilarious moment with Toby (I missed his comedic presence in last week's episode). As usual these all tie in to the past and tie in rather perfectly as always. No present day Rebecca or Miguel in this episode (I think Mandy definitely deserved a break from all that makeup and could probably not appear in another episode this season...the Emmy should be hers).
The past story line, however, is where things really pick up. Taking place on Superbowl Sunday, Jack and Rebecca want all the kids to watch the game. But with the Steelers not even being in the Superbowl, they don't care too much. Now, we all know Jack is dead in the present (obviously) and are pretty sure he died in a fire, so I won't spoil the specifics there. But I will say that the fire does happen in this episode and we get to see Jack's last day and moments with his family. This is why I really couldn't write this review without spoiling it. These moments I really don't know what words to use for them, perhaps bittersweet and surreal. Or gut-wrenching like my title says. But man, it was just too much for me.
As for the big 3, Kate's story line in the past probably gets the majority of the attention. She gets a letter saying she is being considered for singing school. Jack offers to record her so she can listen to how good she is (I'm a guy and I think he's adorable) and also so she knows what she needs to work on. Kate, on the other hand, isn't too adamant about being recorded. But Jack, being the dad he is, decides to anyway and gets caught by Kate. She runs off and Jack chases after her, where Jack tries to make her feel better, but she isn't having it this time. We get an earful from her about how she wants him to stop talking to her like she's still a child. They do eventually make amends, after Kate looks at the video tape and sees his reflection in the mirror in her bedroom followed by her telling Jack to never stop seeing her the way that he does.
Kevin's teenage story line is mostly just about him worrying about his future and being pissed at his broken leg because he wanted to play in the NFL. Jack tries to give him some advice, which is also shot down and he ends up staying the night at Sophie's (you can probably figure out what this means). And as for Randall, his relationship with Allison (red head chick) is picking up and he decides to go to the movies with her instead of watching the game. Though he does end up coming home later that night where he is greeted by Jack coming downstairs to see who it is (thinking it was Kevin). And we get yet another "lesson-moment" from Jack asking Randall if he treated her like a gentlemen and he says yes and talks about how much he likes this girl and goes off to bed.
Overall, I tried not to go into too much detail here, but hopefully enough for you to understand how upsetting all of this is considering what we know about Jack's ultimate fate. Very much looking forward to the next episode, which airs after the Super Bowl next Sunday (which I'm not thinking is a coincidence). I definitely think a week off is the right move though. This one is going to take awhile to settle in for me.
In the present story line, the comedic elements added in were perfect, especially with Kevin and Randall. Kevin is trying to make amends with people he hurt and decides to go help out Randall with his new building. They have some great "bro moments" in this , which is fantastic. Also Randall and Beth's chemistry is spot on as usual and i think Susan Kelechi Watson is a very under-looked member of the cast in terms of her talent. The Kate/Toby story line is very good in this episode too. Mostly about Toby wanting to get a dog (as we know Kate isn't too fond of dogs). Kate feels a bit bad for Toby though and goes out looking for one. I won't say anymore, but this leads to another hilarious moment with Toby (I missed his comedic presence in last week's episode). As usual these all tie in to the past and tie in rather perfectly as always. No present day Rebecca or Miguel in this episode (I think Mandy definitely deserved a break from all that makeup and could probably not appear in another episode this season...the Emmy should be hers).
The past story line, however, is where things really pick up. Taking place on Superbowl Sunday, Jack and Rebecca want all the kids to watch the game. But with the Steelers not even being in the Superbowl, they don't care too much. Now, we all know Jack is dead in the present (obviously) and are pretty sure he died in a fire, so I won't spoil the specifics there. But I will say that the fire does happen in this episode and we get to see Jack's last day and moments with his family. This is why I really couldn't write this review without spoiling it. These moments I really don't know what words to use for them, perhaps bittersweet and surreal. Or gut-wrenching like my title says. But man, it was just too much for me.
As for the big 3, Kate's story line in the past probably gets the majority of the attention. She gets a letter saying she is being considered for singing school. Jack offers to record her so she can listen to how good she is (I'm a guy and I think he's adorable) and also so she knows what she needs to work on. Kate, on the other hand, isn't too adamant about being recorded. But Jack, being the dad he is, decides to anyway and gets caught by Kate. She runs off and Jack chases after her, where Jack tries to make her feel better, but she isn't having it this time. We get an earful from her about how she wants him to stop talking to her like she's still a child. They do eventually make amends, after Kate looks at the video tape and sees his reflection in the mirror in her bedroom followed by her telling Jack to never stop seeing her the way that he does.
Kevin's teenage story line is mostly just about him worrying about his future and being pissed at his broken leg because he wanted to play in the NFL. Jack tries to give him some advice, which is also shot down and he ends up staying the night at Sophie's (you can probably figure out what this means). And as for Randall, his relationship with Allison (red head chick) is picking up and he decides to go to the movies with her instead of watching the game. Though he does end up coming home later that night where he is greeted by Jack coming downstairs to see who it is (thinking it was Kevin). And we get yet another "lesson-moment" from Jack asking Randall if he treated her like a gentlemen and he says yes and talks about how much he likes this girl and goes off to bed.
Overall, I tried not to go into too much detail here, but hopefully enough for you to understand how upsetting all of this is considering what we know about Jack's ultimate fate. Very much looking forward to the next episode, which airs after the Super Bowl next Sunday (which I'm not thinking is a coincidence). I definitely think a week off is the right move though. This one is going to take awhile to settle in for me.
The Ultimate Episode
raccles23 September 2020
This was the episode I was and wasn't waiting for, the build up to what happens. It's so sad and the music makes it heartbreaking! I loved it but I'll never watch it again, I felt down for days after it and I know it's only a tv show but it just hits that nerve!
This show just keeps getting better.
chaufeur24 January 2018
The most traumatic, saddening, heartbreaking and moving epsiode of This Is Us yet!
simbed-aqua27 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Definitely deserving of the highest rated episode of the series till time, this episode had it all. From Kate going to the dog shelter to buy one for Toby knowing that she would have to keep her feelings aside to Kevin getting his lost necklace back to that soulful ending and the best possible song that they could possibly use for it (The Cinematic Orchestra - 'To Build A Home').
What an episode in TV history! Gutted for the next one.
What an episode in TV history! Gutted for the next one.
That'll Be the Day (#2.13)
ComedyFan201010 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
We already know that Jack died in a fire so this episode is even more emotional to watch. We see the conflicts we have, we now understand Kevin never got to talk to their father about it. Present shows us how they are dealing with it. Kevin got his necklace back. Kate got a dog that would remind her of it, we still need to find out how the dog was involved. And the end has the fire starting. So we know what the next episode will be about, which makes it so hard to start watching it
Beautiful
sarafotoni25 January 2018
Breaks Your Heart
Hitchcoc17 April 2024
One thing we need to remember is that for some people there is no tomorrow, so don't bear grudges or belittle the people you love. What we have here are a series of events that show acts of kindness in the present and then the usual flashbacks that determine the underpinnings of the characters. Strangely, an older couple who are trying to sell their house are at the root of things--a random act that determines the future.
It is Super Bowl Sunday (the Steelers are in the game again in what seems like a routine thing). But what was once a total family involvement thing shows that people are moving apart. In current time Kevin and Randall are working on a dilapidated building where Randall's father lived. Kevin is trying to make peace with people as part of the 12 step program for AA. Kate finds out that Toby would like a dog, but Kate reveals that there is something in her past that makes her hesitate. She goes to the pound.
Jack and Rebecca make love, and after the Super Bowl he cleans up. But here chance takes over. There's more and one reviewer summarized it beautifully. Suffice it to say, this is such a sad episode and yet it is life. There are elements of Wilder's "Our Town" here.
It is Super Bowl Sunday (the Steelers are in the game again in what seems like a routine thing). But what was once a total family involvement thing shows that people are moving apart. In current time Kevin and Randall are working on a dilapidated building where Randall's father lived. Kevin is trying to make peace with people as part of the 12 step program for AA. Kate finds out that Toby would like a dog, but Kate reveals that there is something in her past that makes her hesitate. She goes to the pound.
Jack and Rebecca make love, and after the Super Bowl he cleans up. But here chance takes over. There's more and one reviewer summarized it beautifully. Suffice it to say, this is such a sad episode and yet it is life. There are elements of Wilder's "Our Town" here.
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