'This Is Us' recap: A good old-fashioned road trip
After a week off we were able to reunite with the Pearson family, and oh man, was it a trip down memory lane.
Posted — UpdatedAfter a week off, we were able to reunite with the Pearson family, and oh man, was it a trip down memory lane.
Tuesday night's episode of "This Is Us" focused around Kevin and Zoe's journey to Vietnam in the present, and Jack and Rebecca's road trip to Los Angeles in the past.
The episode even went back as far as Jack's tour in Vietnam and ties up a few loose ends about Nicky. (I know there is a lot more to come on this.)
Nothing plot-wise really happens in the episode, but who doesn't love a good road trip?
We find Jack and Nicky right where we left them. Nicky (who may be on something?) is clearly stunned to see his brother in Vietnam and seems upset that Jack has risked his life to come find him.
Jack (of course) has a plan to fix his brother's problems and tries to get him assigned to his own unit. But not even the commanding officer is swayed by an emotional Jack Pearson speech, and he is forced to find his own way back to his unit.
Jack makes it back to his fishing village on the back of a bike ridden by a man who is sometimes Viet Cong, and then, aha, Nicky's commander has a change of heart and gives Jack two weeks with his brother.
Is this when Nicky dies? Is Jack directly responsible for his death? I guess we will have to wait to find out.
Vietnam is definitely not something Jack is interested in talking about on his cross-country trip with Rebecca. The two sort of get to know each other as they set out on their third date. After some awkward car conversation, they two find themselves at a motel slow dancing.
Slow dancing truly is a lost art, and it killed me to watch Rebecca and Jack dance next to the older couple knowing they will not be able to grow old together. Anyway, things smooth out a bit as they continue their journey full of sex at motels and laughs, but Rebecca notices Jack has some pretty terrible nightmares and assumes they have to do with his time at war.
Once in LA, the two head to a party at a friend of Rebecca's, where a champagne cork popping makes Jack freak out a little bit. He won't talk about it, which obviously bothers Rebecca, as she "wants to be where he is." Can we also take a moment to acknowledge Rebecca's dress from this scene? It was incredible.
The next day, Rebecca heads to her big recording label meeting, which obviously does not go according to plan. The music execs blow her off, calling her "Pittsburgh good," but I know this won't get her down.
Meanwhile, Jack had a big day himself. He visits the parents of Squirrel, the soldier who died after stepping on a landmine while playing football. Jack feels he is at fault for Squirrel's death and tells his parents what happened.
Squirrel's dad puts his arm around Jack and assures him that it is not his fault...and now we're all crying.
Jack heads back to pick up "Bec," and she tells him how awful her meeting went. He asks to hear the song, she sings, he cries (which he never does), I cry, we all cry.
Back in 2018, Kevin and Zoe head to Vietnam. After landing, the two head to a local market, but on the way, Kevin takes a selfie. Zoe gets defensive and asks him not to tag her. She says she doesn't want her dad to know she is in Vietnam because apparently he lives in China and may reach out?!
Kevin is visibly upset that she has never mentioned this before and spends the rest of the day trying to learn everything he can about her past. It doesn't help when Zoe gets food poisoning from a bat (yes, bat) she ate, or when Kevin finds out necklaces like his are sold in markets all over the place.
The two end up back at the hotel, where Kevin confesses he does not want a relationship full of secrets, but if that what she needs, he will handle it because is falling in love with her. Zoe finally reveals to Kevin what she has been holding back – her father sexually abused her as a child.
OMG, I did not see this coming, and my heart is breaking. I have so many questions, but I guess we are now beginning to understand what Beth meant when she told Kevin that Zoe's background was complicated.
But Zoe also tells Kevin she is falling in love with him, and I am crying again. I am holding out hope on this one, y'all.
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