‘This Is Us’ Recap: Kevin Gets A Surprising Call & The Episode Ends With A Major Cliffhanger
‘This Is Us’ returned in 2020 with one of its most shocking episodes yet. The final moments of the winter premiere featured a jaw-dropping cliffhanger regarding one of the Big Three.
When Kate and Toby get home, they immediately address the elephant in the room: the CrossFit text chain. Kate wants an explanation for Toby trash-talking her. He says that he just needed to vent and it was a mistake. Kate wants to know about one person in particular when it comes to the texts. Her name is Kara. “Kate, we are just friends. I promise. You have nothing to worry about,” Toby stresses. Kate doesn’t push any further. She believes Toby.
Randall is busy looking up neurologists for Rebecca to see. When he makes an appointment, he flies across the country to be with his mother. He doesn’t tell Kate or Kevin about it. Miguel is a little upset that Randall is taking control of Rebecca but keeps quiet. At the doctor’s office, Randall wants the results immediately because he has to leave. Rebecca goes through a series of tests while Miguel and Randall wait. Miguel uses this time to bring up that he’s perfectly capable of taking care of Rebecca. Randall says that he only spent one day with Rebecca and knew something was off. “How could you not see it?” Randall asks Miguel, who says the memory loss could just be a sign Rebecca is getting older. They don’t see eye-to-eye on Rebecca and they’re both extremely territorial.
While they wait for the test results, Rebecca recalls a memory of Randall as a child. Randall was always an early riser so Rebecca would rock him on her lap and they would watch the light change through the curtains as the sun came up. She would listen to Joni Mitchell while holding baby Randall. Rebecca, Miguel, and Randall are soon called in for the results.
Back in the past, things are a little uneasy for Jack and Rebecca after his golf date with her dad. She invites him to her dad’s birthday party and Jack is immediately hesitant. What Rebecca’s dad said about not being good enough echoes in his mind. At dinner, Jack tells Rebecca that they should take a break. “We’re just too different,” he says. While Rebecca is eating at the country club, Jack is just trying to make ends meet. He’s a part-time mechanic. He doesn’t think he fits in her life. He can’t even afford to tip the waiter. Jack leaves a stunned Rebecca at the table.
At her dad’s birthday party, Rebecca admits to her mother that she’s in love with Jack. Rebecca’s mother doesn’t think Jack is dependable and it’s scary for her to see Rebecca with someone like Jack. She admits that Dave got into Jack’s head and now it all makes sense to Rebecca. She leaves the party immediately to go and see Jack. Rebecca finds him at work. She doesn’t want Jack to listen to anything her father says because it doesn’t matter. “I’m in love with you, Jack,” she says. “You and I are going to have it all together… it’s going to be one for the ages.” Jack quickly says “I love you” back. Swoon.
Kevin’s hired a matchmaker to find a wife by 40 and it’s not going well. While getting coffee with Kate, Kevin sees a beautiful woman, played by Sophia Bush, across the room. He goes up to her and she drops her phone in front of him. Her name is Lizzy. They immediately hit it off and Kevin is smitten until she reveals she’s flying home the next day. She’s “still a Chicago girl.”
Kevin wants to spend more time with her before she leaves so he takes her to the Hollywood Bowl. He sets up the cutest little date and has John Legend, her favorite artist, perform. Meanwhile, Kate invites all of Toby’s CrossFit buddies to the house. One of his friends admits that he hasn’t seen Toby since he switched gyms two weeks ago. This revelation takes Kate by surprise.
The doctor reveals that Rebecca has mild cognitive impairment. She’s also showing signs of spatial dysfunction. Before the doctor puts any label on what’s wrong with Rebecca, she wants to do more blood tests and an MRI. This could be normal memory loss or it could be the sign of something worse.
After everyone leaves the party, Kate and Toby have another heart-to-heart. He confesses that Kara tried to kiss him and that’s why he switched gyms. Kate wonders why he didn’t tell her and calls him out for avoiding her. “I feel you pulling away,” she admits. Toby says his long hours at the gym and the tension has nothing to do with her. When he looks at Jack, it just makes him sad. “Sad that he’ll never see the ocean. Sad that he’ll never know what we look like. Sad that he’ll never watch Star Wars,” Toby says. He goes to the gym and vents because he doesn’t want to see the look on Kate’s face that she has now. Kate admits that his birthday present is a retreat for parents with blind children. She thought that’s something he would like but now she’s questioning everything.
When Rebecca steps away, Miguel breaks down in front of Randall. He’s so worried about Rebecca and promises to track everything about her progress or decline. At the Hollywood Bowl, Lizzy and Kevin kiss! She soon breaks it off. She has a confession to make: SHE IS MARRIED! Apparently, Kevin is her “hall pass,” the one person that she could sleep with and it wouldn’t be cheating. She’s been texting her husband all day, not her mom. Lizzy quickly grabs her things and bolts. Kevin is back at square one.
While baby Jack sits in his high chair, Kate notices that he’s staring at the pineapple lights. She calls Toby into the kitchen. Jack’s reaching for the lights! The doctor told them that Jack might start to see light and shadows. Kate and Toby are overjoyed.
While on set, Kevin vents and says he’s convinced that he’s not meant to have an epic love story like his parents. As he walks away, Sophie calls him! When Randall comes home, he checks in on his girls as they sleep. When he goes downstairs, he sees a stranger standing in the middle of his kitchen. Randall finds himself face-to-face with a BURGLAR!