What I’m Watching: This Is Us

This Is Us: Season 2, Episode 12 “Clooney” (B)

It’s dangerous to be two full weeks behind on this show when spoilers about the subsequent episode are being rampantly posted online all over social media, but I’ve always argued that this show’s strongest moments come not from the shocking nature of its twists, which far too often manipulate its audience into feeling things that aren’t genuine, but more from the true relationship dynamics it explores. I knew as soon as Rebecca asked Jack to remind her to get batteries that they were going to forget, but I didn’t realize that they were for the smoke alarm that apparently doesn’t go off when the big secret from the next hour is finally revealed, which I’m glad to soon be able to say will be over so this show can get back to its actual characters while they’re alive. Randall chasing down the ghost of his father’s romantic past felt a bit oddly-timed since we haven’t seen William in a while, but I guess he is a fan favorite and it’s good to feature stories related to him. Miguel standing up for himself to Kevin was satisfying since the troublemaker son has never respected his stepfather despite Miguel’s attempts to always be nice to them, and the way that he described Jack and Rebecca as an inseparable unit was sweet. What I actually liked best about this hour was that it lent some legitimacy to a previously irritating and pointless character, Madison, whose problems with food were revealed to be very much real and who hopefully won’t get even more irritating now that she’s declared herself Kate’s best friend.