What I’m Watching: This Is Us

This Is Us: Season 4, Episode 8 “Sorry” (B+)

I like that this show is exploring new chapters in its characters’ lives rather than feeling like it’s not headed anywhere new. There is a bit of that, like with Deja wanting to reconnect with her mother, but that’s natural given everything going on in her life. I like that Malik tried to respect her privacy at first by telling Beth that it wasn’t his place to tell her, but she kept pushing and he remained as loyal as he could be while still sticking up for her. Kevin picturing his father every time Nicky spoke to him sent him spiraling, and it’s a good thing that he chose to look for a beating instead of deciding to drink instead. Fortunately, he cleaned himself up well enough with some help from Cassidy, and now Nicky is even going to come for Thanksgiving, where I’m sure he’ll strike up thrilling conversations with Deja’s mother. It was sad to see the look on Kate’s face when she realized that the wonderful moment she shared with Gregory didn’t include Toby, and I hope she tells him about it before it turns into something much bigger that she’s hiding. It’s very worthwhile to see the transformation of the young, awkward Randall into the much more confident man we see today, and sticking up for his mother after she almost didn’t get a job because of her lack of computer experience was a great instance of that. Her negative response to being asked about her memory indicates that she doesn’t want him to overstep his bounds as a child when she’s still the parent, yet another way in which this show sometimes so sharply captures real life.