What I’m Watching: This Is Us

This Is Us: Season 4, Episode 2 “The Pool: Part Two” (B+)

This was a strong follow-up to a premiere that barely featured any of the characters we know, honing in on the regulars we’ve come to care about without too much focus on the new people introduced in last week’s episode. I didn’t remember much about the first episode set at the pool, which was the fourth installment of season one, which my review reminds me had all three kids dealing with similar issues. Kate choosing to make the best of being tricked into expecting a different boy to come kiss her felt like a true moment of growth, while Kevin was surprisingly introspective and wanted to know if his father thought he was a good person, something Jack didn’t know if he handled the right way. In the present, all attention is being paid to baby Jack and his path forward in the world, which we know ends with him finding success in music and a wonderful woman to love, but that seems so far away as the house is baby-proofed for a kid who isn’t going to be able to see. Toby getting all those comments about losing weight were suspicious, and the fact that he’s turned to working out hard to deal with his anxiety while Kate has returned to overeating is certainly going to create problems for their relationship soon. Kevin choosing to go check on his uncle after getting a great new part and finishing work with M. Night Shyamalan shows that he’s finally prioritizing the right things. Everything related to Randall and his family was very sweet and charming, particularly his protective banter with Deja and Tess choosing to get a bold new haircut that will hopefully help her feel more comfortable in her own skin. After all the fighting last season, it’s good to see this Pearson clan in better shape with only good things on the horizon.