What I’m Watching: This Is Us

This Is Us: Season 6, Episode 2 “One Giant Leap” (B+)

It’s nice to get some good news every once in a while, and even though this episode did include a few false starts and seemingly unpleasant developments, everything worked out wonderfully in the end. I like that, even though Nicky didn’t call ahead to make sure it was the right Sally, they found her easily, and she just needed a bit of reminding to have memories of Nicky come flooding back to her. Things got uncomfortable at dinner with Sally’s husband Eric, played by Jeffrey Nordling from “Big Little Lies,” hearing about how Sally “deflowered” Nicky in her van, but there was also evidently more trouble in their marriage that came out in the form of Sally and Rebecca bonding following her thoughtless comment about possibly having early onset Alzheimer’s. Everyone sharing the things that keep them up at night, like Miguel worrying about his seven lost strands over the course of thirty years, was a nice opportunity for bonding, and what was best – and most realistic – is that Nicky got some closure. He was happy to see his photo on the wall, and even apparently open to meeting someone else on his flight, Vanessa Bell Calloway’s flight attendant Edie, who we got confirmation is his wife in the future. Déjà also had a positive reunion with Malik, threatened initially by the strong presence of his ex Jennifer but ultimately leading to a warm and positive night where she made a choice she wanted to make. I’m wondering whether we’re going to spend more time in the future as this show nears its end or continue only to get glimpses like what we’ve seen so far.