This Is Us – The Pool

By: Alex Steele

The latest episode of “This Is Us” opened on the past days where our newly beloved family is experiencing one hell of a heatwave. Episode The Pool begins with young Kevin and Randall fighting like brothers do, while Rebecca (Mandy Moore) does her best to referee. With Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) nowhere in sight and the heat unbearable, her patience is wearing thin. In struts younger Kate, proudly showing off her new Care Bear bikini. She’s closely followed by Jack who has come up with the great idea to have a pool day; the air-conditioning has broken down and he can’t think of any other solution. Reluctantly, Kevin and Rebecca agree with the rest of the family mostly due to the strong sales pitch of a “relaxing day” down by the pool. But when they arrive, it becomes quite clear that everyone else had the same idea. In the present day timeline, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) are busily doing the girls’ hair before heading to work. It seems, since the last episode, that Randall has told his daughters who William (Ron Cephas Jones) is and when they request he does their hair, he jumps straight in to that role. Surprisingly, this leads to a discovery that William did quite a bit of volunteer work in the past with the school system. Kevin (Justin Hartley) uses Facetime to call Randall shortly after to let his brother know he’s officially on the East Coast. Sadly, Randall hangs up on Kevin when he sees William involved in a discussion with a security guard. Upon joining William, Randall finds out that his neighbors called security; that they weren’t aware that William was staying with Randall. It’s a tough situation, one that William doesn’t take too kindly too especially with Randall’s reaction being so nonchalant. Meanwhile, Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) are enjoying (or suffering through) a healthy meal of kale salad, discussing Kate’s options now she is unemployed. Toby goes to pay when Kate sees him run into a very attractive woman he seems to know. Upon returning to the table, we Toby informs Kate that that was his ex-wife. This admission renders Kate speechless with a side of uncomfortable laughter.

Back to the pool, Jack is on the hunt for pool chairs with him and Rebecca cutely joking about sex with other people as a way to achieve this. More so, they take a moment to discuss the current relationship status between their children; Kevin doesn’t like Randall while Rebecca is deeply concerned about Kate and that bikini. She’s worried that people are staring, but with reassurance from Jack that it is only baby fat she seems okay after that. Thirty-six year old Kate has immediately called Kevin to debrief about Toby’s ex-wife revelation, as she continues to freak out about her beauty. Unfortunately, Kevin has other things on his mind; he’s currently trying to find the address of this audition but is struggling to navigate the New York streets. Sadly, his difficulty has him arriving late to the audition and to make matters worse he insists on making an “apology” speech before actually auditioning. It’s awkward and uncomfortable so when the audition begins the actress he must work with throws him strong shade and sass. All in all it isn’t a good day at the office for Kevin. Meanwhile, Randall has taken William shopping for new clothes after the situation earlier that morning. Evidently, tension lingers between the two as Randall makes an impassioned speech about the fact that he knows what it is like to experience racial discrimination. As much as William may think he doesn’t, Randall does.

Returning to the pool, Randall and Kevin are challenging one another to handstand competitions while Kate gets handed a letter from two of her so-called friends. The letter says that she embarrasses them and that they don’t want to hang out anymore, a scene that is enough to break your heart into a million pieces. Close by, after Jack and Rebecca are too consumed with everyone else, we watch as young Kevin immerses himself underwater and holds his breath. Quick cut back to present day and Kevin has rung Kate to vent about his horrible audition experience. Sadly, Kate is way too preoccupied stalking Toby’s ex to really be a support for her brother right now. Ending the conversation, Kevin shockingly runs into the actress from the audition and again she has some serious attitude with him. Regardless, she asks him for a drink. Talk about a quick turnaround. Somewhere nearby on the East Coast, Randall, William and Beth are arriving to watch Tess perform in Snow White. Keeping with the theme of race for the episode, we watch as Randall notices the quiet laughs coming from the audience. It seems they have a problem that a young black girl was cast as Snow White.

Back on the West Coast, Kate has actually entered into Josie’s (Natalia Cigliuti) store and is meandering the merchandise when Toby’s ex asks whether she is there for “the job.” Pool time again and we see Rebecca and Jack begin to stress when they can’t seem to locate Randall. Thankfully, he’s just playing with other kids at the other end of the pool. Interestingly, the children are all black and when Rebecca rushes over to collect Randall, she is confronted by one of the mother’s. The two experience a breakdown in communication, Rebecca unwittingly digging herself a little bit of a hole, but somewhat saves herself when she thanks the woman for taking care of Randall. Back in New York, Kevin is sitting down for a drink with the actress. Even though they seem to get along better than earlier, she still remains stoic in her position that he should go back to LA that he isn’t cut out for New York. Ironically, the casting people seem to disagree because Kevin successfully scores the role. Interestingly, this scene is cut with younger Kevin almost drowning in the pool after the entire family turns away from him. Luckily, he grabs the rope and pulls himself to safety, but it isn’t without trauma.

Rebecca and Jack continue to struggle to keep track of all the kids and when Rebecca finds the note written to Kate her hearts sinks. Immediately showing it to Jack, his protective fatherly instinct jumps to attention. Sadly, they’ve missed Kevin nearly drowning entirely so when the young boy makes a stand and informs them of what happened they are even more heartbroken. He passionately states that they never watch him and when he goes so far to say that he’s dead, the guilt written across their faces is enough. Kevin, walking away, is caught by Jack who insists on taking this one. He ensures his young son that he’s trying, that this is all new to him as well and that he’s sorry. Even though they may be stressed and struggling, there is no doubt Rebecca and Jack want the best for their kids. This is evidenced more so when Rebecca swallows her pride and approaches the mother from earlier. She asks if she can have the number of the barber she mentioned earlier, while also taking the opportunity to confirm whether Randall needs to be wearing sunscreen. The laugh and joke and the bridge is built; they also schedule a play date for their sons together. In the future timeline, Kate is sitting with Josie who is interviewing her for the job. It’s hilarious, specifically when Kate is asked what she knows about Josie. She knows everything, rambling off every last bit of information she found through her “research”. Thankfully, Josie doesn’t pick up on how weird it is, just saying how much she appreciates someone who does their research. Quick cut back to the pool where Jack has found Kate sitting alone covered with a towel. Obviously hurt by the letter she received, Jack tells her the story of his magic Florida shirt. It’s inspiring and completely captivating to watch Jack be so generous with his daughter, but even more so when he reminds her that she already is a princess in his eyes.

After having left the store, Kate turns up on Toby’s doorstep with good and bad news. She tells him that she got a job, but right the next second we watch as he reacts to the news that said job is for his ex-wife, Josie. This immediately puts Toby in a tailspin; he laughs but in a way that communicates disbelief and anger. Kate is serious though, she needs to know if that’s what he wants – if a skinny person is what he wants. Pushing the topic sends Toby over the edge into defensive mode. He reveals that Josie was terrible to him, she cheated on him and took half of his life savings. Afterwards, he gained 95 pounds and couldn’t even think about opening up to anyone and at time considered suicide. Smacking reality in Kate’s face, that she hasn’t cornered the market on problems, Toby’s fiery speech is enough to make our hearts break. As Kate sits and soaks it all in, the two (even with all their baggage and problems) apologizes. Toby reassures Kate that he isn’t going anywhere and that they are good together.

Returning home from Tess’s play, Randall is seen looking somewhat annoyed as he sits alone in the lounge room. William joins hi, and what ensues is the first very frank conversation between father and son. With the theme of racism and discrimination throughout the episode, they talk about judgment and Randall’s history growing up in a white neighborhood. Randall says although he didn’t react how William may have wanted him to earlier, he does still have particular opinions about the situation. He reiterates that he loves his white mother and father, but that he is also a strong successful black man. He also makes a point of mentioning that when he was younger, he had a notebook of which he’d record the number of black people he saw. He draws on the development of the world and the fact that Tess doesn’t find it unusual that she, a young black girl, was cast as Snow White. Hearing all of this, William apologizes. After having lived with Randall and his family for three weeks and having not said sorry baffles him. He goes further to admit that he did everything wrong by his son, but that he is doing everything right by his children. The use of the word “son” subtly shocks Randall, with the two ending the conversation in laughter, interrupted also by the doorbell ringing. It’s Kevin. He thought he might be able to crash with them for a while and before Randall can even respond Kevin is inundated with demands from his nieces while also noticing William’s presence. And for the first time, we watch Randall introduce his biological father to his older brother with Kevin accepting and being as generous as can be. The episode then ends on a beautiful scene of the young family, napping together by the pool. It is everything “This Is Us” has solidified itself to be – heart-warming.