This Is Us: Last Christmas

I didn't realize this was the last episode out and it makes me sad now because I want to know what happens right NOW! Starting off with The Big Three in the living room getting ready for Christmas, Kate keeps complaining about how her tummy hurts. Rebecca blames it on the cookie dough that she ate but Jack thinks otherwise. He feels her forehead and she's got a fever. They take her to the hospital and she has to get her appendix taken out. I found it funny when Rebecca said "It won't hurt, it's like pulling out a tooth." and ten year old Kate retorts, "But that hurts." 😂

Anyway, back to the point, here goes Rebecca finding some other cute way to make her kids feel better. She plucks a branch off a Christmas tree in the hospital and gives it to Kate telling her that it has Christmas magic on it and nothing bad happens on Christmas Eve. Kate obviously feels better and the look that Jack gives Rebecca after she gave the branch to Kate was priceless. I'm already crying and it's not even ten minutes into the episode.

And what a coinky dink! The surgeon who helped Rebecca with the triplets is a patient in the hospital and who helped them adopt Randall. That sounded a little too happy for the serious moment, but Jack thinks it's a coincidence too haha. So because of the surgeon, Randall wouldn't have been a part of their family. The doctor's family is in Montana and Rebecca and Jack are more than happy to be his family when he goes through surgery. I love this show so much!

This Is Us: The Trip

This episode focuses on The Big Three going back to their roots. What I like about this show is that the seasons correlate with the current seasons such as it's Christmas right now. Randall, Kevin and Kate go back to their family cabin to have a sibling reunion before Christmas. However, something else is on Randall's mind. He just found out that Rebecca, his adopted mother, has kept the secret of knowing his biological father his whole life. Randall becomes bitter and heartbroken at the fact that his wife knew as well so this getaway with his siblings were to help him clear his thoughts.

When Randall was old enough to understand that he's adopted, he yearns to find his birth parents. With the help of their family friend, she tells them that Randall needs a Black man as a role model because he's been daydreaming about his father being the mail man, or a basketball player and Jack confirms that their mail man is a Black man. The family friend tells Rebecca and Jack that he's looking for someone he sees himself in. But, Jack thinks otherwise because that's his boy, regardless of adoption, and he's going to help him know that he is loved.

So, Rebecca and Jack enroll Randall in a martial arts studio that mentors children to have discipline thinking that having a Black instructor will help. However, Jack insists on being his main role model for him. There was a practice where all fathers participate in the exercises with their sons and this part made me CRY! As an "initiation" to the club, the fathers have to do push ups while their sons are on their backs. He's limited to five but Jack keeps going and this was such a special moment in the television series because it shows the bond that Jack had towards his kids. Ugh, I love him.

This Is Us: Pilgrim Rick

This episode is about the Pearson's annual Thanksgiving trip to Rebecca's parents home. It starts off with Rebecca cooking her favorite cranberry sauce in the kitchen and the kids running around her. She seems stressed out that she's going to her parents but Jack reassures her that everything will be okay. Going to the in-laws place seems more of a task than a leisurely trip, haha.

However, their trip doesn't go as planned and they get into a minor accident where their tire blows out on the way. Three hungry children + two anxious adults = no fun. They're all hungry and this was the last thing they wanted to happen. Rebecca calls her parents saying what happened but her mother was more upset at the fact that she cooked everything for nothing. At this point I related with Rebecca 100% because my mom would complain about the food too, not my presence.

Instead of finding some tire replacement shop, the Pearson's walk a bit up the road to these lodging cabins. This is where we find Pilgrim Rick! The most creepiest "hotel" receptionist ever! Of course his name is Pilgrim Rick because of the Thanksgiving theme, but it also makes me think about his other costumes for the different holidays 😂😂 Once Rebecca and Jack walk in the office with the kids, Rebecca immediately puts them behind her because he gives off weird vibes. Jack does the talking and they end up getting a cabin lodge all to themselves. 

Being hungry and missing out on a real Thanksgiving dinner, Jack comes up with this really adorable (might I say innovative) idea for dinner. Jack leaves the cabin for a while to get some food and pretends to be Pilgrim Rick knocking at the door. Now this is the humor I'm looking for in my future husband. Rebecca and the kids, being as scared as they were, didn't allow "Pilgrim Rick" to check their furnace. So "Pilgrim Rick" unlocks the door anyway and surprises them with dinner. They all laugh and eat roasted weenies covered in Kraft Slices and crushed up Saltine crackers. What a funny way to spend Thanksgiving dinner and the start a tradition the kids will carry on in their future.

And to add to the traditions, Kate (their daughter) takes off her knit sweater because it's too itchy. Rebecca notices a thread hanging from it and calls the family to gather on the bed. She takes the thread and throws it to Jack and everytime you throw it to someone, they have to say what they're thankful for. HOW FREAKIN' CUTE IS THAT. That's something so cliche yet so powerful! I only wish to be as awesome as her!

This Is Us: The Best Washing Machine in the Whole World

Okay, just to lay it out, this television show is amazing in its way of production/organization. I haven't been confused with any of the plot or what is implied by the film as sometimes I would with other shows. This episode starts off with images of the Pearson's washing machines transitioning over time with voice overs of Rebecca and Jack's playful bickering with some input from the kids. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well enough, but you'll just have to watch this beginning scene because it's so heartfelt 😉 This was such a well, thought out plan for the beginning scene because you get to see some inanimate object, such as a washing machine, living with the Pearson's lives.

Fast forwarding to showing the kitchen and having Rebecca's voice over say "I want a remodel" and seeing it while she's saying it is pretty neat. We then go into the children's room and fast forward to when they're teenagers. Randall is up late doing homework and Kevin throws a football at his lamp to get him to shut it off.

However, this is where the tension starts.

Randall, being the adopted child, has been treated a little better because of it. Kevin had to learn to not be selfish and has a problem with Randall always getting the attention. Rebecca comes in to save the day (as always) and asks them if they need to go into separate rooms. Kevin offered to leave while Randall didn't want to cause any problems and told him to just stay. Kevin ended up leaving.

It was a slap to the face to me when Kevin left on his own. In a way I wanted him to stay in the room to talk it out with his brother, but I also could understand how he felt. Picking favorites as a parent is never a good idea, but in this family it seems like they focused a lot more on Randall because of the fact that he's adopted. Rebecca and Jack always wanted Randall to feel included and special. But sometimes their intentions weren't played well with Kevin.

It makes me upset that Randall & Kevin's relationship has always been strained until 30 years later when they talk it out like real brothers do.