Last night’s episode of This Is Us (Season 3, episode 16) had me in my Drake feelings, like when he wondered if Keke loved him. I still don’t know if he ever got an answer, but on this show, I think we may get them. It’s been an emotional roller coaster that only Vivian Green could appreciate, especially for Toby and Kate, as their new baby entered the world. But the rest of the family is also going through it. And last night...lawd, mine eyes saw the opposite of the glory. I can’t tell you what happened exactly because some of you ain’t seent it yet, but it had me stuck on the realness. It was a little too real. So I’m going to do a recap of the episode without telling you what happened because it had me asking myself if I was on my own.
You see, This Is Us, for me, has been a show that, while focusing on the very interesting lives of the Pearson “triplets,” has also been an exercise in watching Randall and Beth Pearson, a black couple whose marriage works in unison, together taking on the world in their own glories but as a duo. They have this marriage thing down. They have each other’s backs. This season though, we’ve seen them become like other families struggling to make due in times of distress and disagreement, but their foundation has always been their strong suit. Thing is, over time, the show (and the writers basically) have alluded to a future we’re not sure about. We see what it looks like, but that’s not our Randall and Beth. Hell, we outchea asking for spinoffs.
Well, last night, to me, feels like it started to open the door on what that future truly looks like and next week—Y’all ain’t ready, y’all ain’t ready. And by y’all, I mean me. The other relationships on the show matter, but Randall and Beth, yo.
So here is my spoiler-free, plot-free recap of last night’s episode that had me all in my feelings because...well....:
I can see the cracks. They both going for theirs, I see. I don’t blame her. He wanted this and shit and she was like, don’t do it reconsider, read some literature on the subject, but he was like...“I’m sure, fuck it.” She was like, we movin’ cool then. Then she must have turned on that Faith Hill, and she was like, “She right, why don’t I dance...” Ain’t nothin’ to it but to do it, so she’s doing it like she’s doing it for television, I see. And damn, she just got back on the horse and now she got a stable and shit. I see you, boo. But paradise man...forever is a mighty long time.
Something’s gotta give. This is how things go south that were going north, na’mean? She a trooper, tho. But sustainable energy isn’t just a policy proposal, ya dig? She ain’t happy, but you don’t get a nigga back like that. Whoa kimo....
...no...no...MAMA NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
BRUH. Ain’t enough prayer in the world to undo that shit. I had a real, actual visceral reaction, like my soul got caught up in that shit.
Oh shit, oooooooh here she comes, finna be a maneater, tho. Gobble.
Are these niggas who compose and orchestrate really finna do this to us? Is this us??? Oh, I think they might be. Guess that makes those scenes in those episodes make more sense. At least it ain’t February, no mo’. Woosah.