Original subtitles

Previously on This Is Us...

I take office in the next few weeks,

and God only knows what kind of effect

that's gonna have on my family.

We're moving to Philadelphia.

This is my friend Deja.

Hi, hi, hi, Deja. Um, Malik.

Nice to meet you.

I think I might like girls.

We love you.

No matter what, okay?

Hello?

All right, um,

hold on one second.

It's Uncle Nicky. He got in trouble

in Pennsylvania. He's being arrested

and he gave them my number for the bail money.

Nothing's really changed since the last procedure.

Jack's retinopathy will not be reversed.

His eyesight will not return.

Happy end of summer vacation, babe.

-Ah. -Thank you.

-Good morning. -Good morning.

Next week,

those irritable prepubescent monsters

are no longer our problem between the hours

-of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. -Ugh. Right?

-Hmm... -Mmm, I actually hated that high five.

Me, too.

Hey, babe, can we please just do something fun today?

I feel like we haven't even seen the kids all summer.

Yeah, that's because they're going into seventh grade.

They want nothing to do with us anymore.

You know, they actually think we're dorks.

Like, me, a dork.

-I know. -Me.

Okay.

Hey, kids? Get in here!

Hey, why don't we go to the pool?

We haven't been to the pool in forever.

-Well, I could do, I could do a pool day. Yeah. -Right?

- Good morning. Hey, you two, eyes up here.

-Take those off for a second. -Hey!

Hey yourself.

Exciting announcement:

we're doing a Pearson family fun day.

We're gonna go to the Greenview pool.

Do we have to?

There's a 90210 marathon on.

Yeah, I'm good to stay here.

I want to knock out two more books to make sure that I win

this summer's library read-a-thon.

Can we go to the Greenview pool?

- Please. - You big mope, don't hold out on us.

-Please. Please. -Please.

Okay.

Hey, Nicky, it's Kevin,

uh, again.

Listen, I-I left you, like, five voice mails, man.

Um, I'm just trying to make sure you're okay.

And I-I know you texted me last week saying that you were okay,

which was a little surprising, actually,

'cause I didn't realize texting was in your wheelhouse.

But, um...

Listen, man, I guess I'm looking

for a little more detail, you know?

Uh, seeing as I did wire you all that money for bail.

So...

Would you please call me back?

Just want to make sure you're okay.

Bye.

So, good news: my houseplant finally grew a new branch.

So-- which, for those of you who aren't regulars here,

uh, my sponsor suggested that I get something simple

to take care of.

Said it would keep me focused.

So I got a ficus.

A Ficus benjamina, to be exact.

And good on my sponsor, because that plant

is basically the only thing in my life

that I feel in control of right now.

Yeah?

-Ready for you, Kevin. -Okay.

I've been just sort of going through the motions

on this new movie that I just finished.

All right, Kev. Last take.

Mind if we try something different?

You just tell me what to do and I'll do it.

All right, don't let this guy hide.

He's alone. Let him not be okay for a second.

-Sound good? -Great idea.

Okay, all right, here we go.

Everybody to one. Let's go.

Set!

-And... background. -Background.

-Action! -Go, guys, go, cops.

And cut.

- Fantastic. - That's a cut!

Great.

-Hey, man. -Hi. Thanks for the opportunity.

I really appreciate it. That was fun.

And, uh, thanks for being a good sport

about all the "I see dead people" jokes.

Yeah, that never gets old.

-I bet. -Yeah.

All right.

-You know, when... Sit down. -Yeah.

You know, when you strip away all the artifice,

all those tricks you use to make yourself seem

appealing and charming and handsome...

When you let all that crap go,

you're absolutely incredible.

And I am...

...way in over my head with my sister

and her new son.

He was born premature,

and we just found out that he's blind.

So I go to all the doctor's appointments with them,

but I never know what to say.

I never know what to do.

So...

there's that.

Hey.

Just saw the new windows going in

over at the community center.

Yeah.

Got some real nice double-paned beauties.

Almost as beautiful as my wife.

Did you just compare me to rec center windows?

They're double-paned windows.

It's the sexiest kind of windows.

-Okay. All right. -All right, all right.

-So these are the paint options for my dance studio. -Mm.

-Right? Which one do you like? -Hmm.

Silver Whisper, of course.

But no studio today.

I got big things planned

for the last day of summer break.

Everybody's been so busy getting settled in these past few weeks,

so I'm thinking a classic Pearson family fun day.

I'm down.

But good luck getting these girls on board.

I don't know if it's the hormones

or the stress of going to new schools,

but they are definitely getting meaner by the day.

Stop it. They are not getting meaner by...

Hey! There they are.

The flyest females in Philly.

You don't need to give us nicknames every morning.

No, sometimes, you could just be like,

"Good morning, Tess. Good morning, Deja."

- Meaner by the day. - Mom,

can you take me to get my hair cut?

Yeah, I would,

but your dad has a classic

- Pearson family fun day planned. - Ooh!

It's gonna be epic.

I'm talking Liberty Bell.

I'm talking gorging on cheesesteaks

till you get meat sweats. Mmm!

Mom promised that I can get my hair cut before school starts.

That's why I've been growing it out all summer.

And you promised me

that we could ride the bus together so you could decide

if I can take it to school by myself.

Even though

I've been taking the bus by myself

since I was eight years old.

All right. All right, how about this?

Dej, you and I will do a trial run

of the bus route to school.

Beth, you take Tess to the salon.

And then we'll meet up for a classic

- Pearson family fun afternoon. - Ooh.

Unless something horrible happens on the bus.

-Ooh. -Would you stop? Do you hear this?

Annie, my favorite child,

is there anything that you'd like to do today?

I'm good with whatever.

Bless your soul.

Okay, that was creepy.

There's my hungry dude.

Yes.

Is he done? 'Cause I got to squish that little face.

Yes, he is.

Okay, Jack,

I'm gonna hand you to your dad now, okay?

-Okay. Okay. -Here comes Daddy.

-Got him? -Yeah, I got him.

-Okay. -Okay.

There you go. You're okay.

You want to come up here? Hey.

-Aw. -Hey, buddy. It's me, your dad.

All you have to remember is that I am the hairy one.

Huh? There... Yeah, see?

There it is.

Now... how are you feeling?

-Good. -About today?

Yeah, I'm excited.

I mean, according to Dr. Dorsey, this woman is amazing.

And Yelp.

There are specialists

who teach you how to raise a blind baby on Yelp?

Oh, there's everything on Yelp.

But I cannot wait to learn

-some pro tips. I need 'em. -Yeah.

- Right, Baby Jack? - Yeah.

Can you feel Mommy smiling?

She's so excited to learn pro tips.

She's so excited.

What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Uh...

A week ago, we found out

that there is nothing we can do about his vision,

and you haven't missed a beat.

Now, don't get me wrong. That... I think that's awesome.

I'm just... I'm just checking in.

-That's all. -I'm so good.

-Yeah? -Yeah.

And I appreciate it. Thank you.

-Okay. -Thank you. How are you feeling?

Uh... I'm hanging in there, I guess.

-Good. Good. -All right.

-Okay. -Okay.

I love you.

I love you.

Oh, hey, Stewart.

-Read-a-thon? -Book number 64.

Well, good luck.

You don't stand a chance, Stewart.

Hey, Kev?

Kev.

Sunscreen. Come here.

Take that.

-Your shoulders. -Hey!

Gross.

-What? -I can do it myself.

* All I wanna do... *

I...

Hey, Kev, don't forget your back.

-Dad!

-Stop. There's people around. -Hey, I got five chairs.

Five chairs.

-That is a pool day miracle. -Nice.

Keith, Renard, you guys made it.

Come on, we're going to get Firecracker pops.

What are you listening to?

Wreckx-n-Effect.

Oh, cool. We brought our boombox.

- You want to put it on? - Sure.

Hey. Hey, g... I...

-I got five chairs, guys. -Hey, Bug,

do you want to go play a game?

Mom, stop talking right now.

Hey, Carrie. Hey, Jessica P.

-Cool cover-up. -Oh, thanks.

-Want to come hang out with us? -Sure.

Hey, Katie girl,

-I-I got five chairs. -Uh...

Do you know who that is?

Carrie and Jessica P.?

Yeah, the most popular girls in school.

I don't think they've ever

talked to Kate a day in her life.

Come on, you heard them, they-they like her cover-up.

Yeah. I don't trust that.

Hey, babe?

-Hmm? -You know, there is an upside--

why don't you lay back--

to kids that want nothing to do with us. Ah.

-Hey, Kev. -Yeah?

If your uncle wants to talk, he knows how to find you.

Right.

I... I think that you should be

staying focused on your sobriety.

Working and keeping busy has been a really good thing

for you, maybe you should try looking for your next job.

Yeah, maybe.

Now, we did read in The Hollywood Reporter

that you're on some short list

for that new movie with, um... What's...

- Uh, Spike Jonze. - Spike Jonze.

Okay, hold on a second, you two are reading

The Hollywood Reporter?

Oh, yeah, we got a subscription

-when we moved here. -Wow, that's amazing.

Yeah.

Anyway, um, the movie shoots in Chicago, right,

so I'd have to leave, then I'm thinking

it might be best for me to just stay here and

-help Kate with the baby, you know? -Yeah, I...

I just think it would be good for you to stay busy,

is all I'm saying. All right,

-are we ready for this? -Yeah.

- Yeah. - All right. Here we come.

Hello?

Hi.

- Hi. - There's my grandson.

-Hi. -Hi. -Hey.

- There you go. Wow. This place is really

-coming together. -Thank you. -Yeah.

- Yeah, yeah. - Hey, Toby, every time

I see you, I-I swear you're skinnier.

Oh. Yeah. Thanks.

You doing paleo or aikido or,

yeah, are you intermittent fasting?

More like, uh, intermittent stressing.

You know, what-what you do is, for 22 hours a day,

you stress, uh, uh, over your baby,

and you stress about your mortgage, and then,

you just sleep for the other two hours.

-Hmm. -Yeah, the weight just falls off.

Too bad it doesn't work for me.

I keep telling you, you have to stress harder.

Ooh, I think that's Anna.

Come on. Let's all go wash our hands.

-Yeah. -Oh, hey. -Hey.

-Hey. -How are you doing?

Good. Madison, please don't do the voice.

-Okay. -Listen,

I... I'm great, Jack is great.

Today, we're just gonna keep things very light.

-Right? And positive. -Okay. Okay.

-Okay. -I am... I am so your girl.

I was head cheerleader in high school,

and I was one of those bar mitzvah

party starters in college.

If there's anyone who can keep things peppy,

you're looking at her.

I know you guys have been through a lot

over the last couple months, but

today is about the next chapter.

Today, we're going to go over the basics of how to care

for your blind infant, to make sure

he has everything he needs physically and developmentally.

Great. Great. Right?

We're so eager to learn.

What? Oh, you want to take notes, Jack?

Oh.

He wants us to take the notes. He's just gonna listen.

He's just gonna listen, right?

Ha! Too funny.

Okay.

Uh, so, first question.

-I know this is a new house. -Mm.

Are you happy with the furniture

-and where everything is? -Uh...

Why? Are you an interior designer, too?

I ask because Jack is already starting

to absorb the layout of the new home.

So, if the furniture stays put,

then it makes it easier for him to learn each room.

-Mm. -Different floor textures help, too.

Uh, carpeting in one room, tile in the next.

That's smart.

Okay, so, I'd like to start with an activity.

We will all take a notepad, choose a room, and write down

anything you think might be dangerous

or of concern to Baby Jack once he starts to crawl.

What are we doing for you today?

I was thinking something like this.

Oh, bold! I love it!

Here. Let me clean up my station, and I'll come grab you?

Hey.

Are you sure about this?

Yup.

Okay.

As long as you're sure.

I mean, I-I want you to express yourself,

you know, I really do, but this is... this is a big decision.

I know, which is why you've made me think about this all summer.

Can you just...?

So, this is what a bus is like.

I've been on a bus before, Dej.

I know this is important to you.

I'm just trying to wrap my head around it.

-So, humor me here, okay? -Okay.

Well, how about we don't sit together

so you can see what it'll really be like for me riding it alone?

It's a good idea.

Mm-hmm.

I told you all the good stuff.

I told you all the good stuff.

I told you all the good stuff, Grayson.

People get buried in their phones.

When I was growing up,

if you weren't home, they didn't get ahold of you.

Frankly, I think people get ahold of you

too easily nowadays.

I'd like to disappear every now and then.

Excuse me. Can I sit next to my daughter?

Yeah. All right.

What was he talking to you about?

The Democratic primary. I don't know.

Randall, he was a weirdo.

The bus is full of weirdos.

But I can handle myself.

Why do you even care about riding the bus so much?

It's faster if I drive you.

You moved us here.

You wanted me to live in Philadelphia,

so let me live in Philadelphia.

I am letting you live, Deja, but I am also your father.

Okay, you're right,

but I also had a whole life before I met you.

We grew up real different, Randall.

The stuff that makes you uncomfortable

reminds me of where I'm from.

I get it.

But it is my job to worry about you.

And you're only in the ninth grade, and I'm just

not comfortable with it yet, so maybe next year, okay?

Unbelievable.

-M.C. Hammer is mad old. -Okay, I got one.

Which member of Kris Kross do y'all think is cooler?

Definitely Kross.

Neither of them are named "Kross," Randall.

I know. I was making a joke.

Sure you were. Hey, guys, check this out.

It was nice, man.

-Thanks.

Hey, Randall, take the next part.

Yeah, come on. You got this, Ray.

Yeah, come on, show us your stuff!

How is your brother blacker than you, Randall?

Randall's an Oreo!

I don't know what that is.

- Hey, is that your mom? - Hi, ladies.

How are you?

Hi!

I just... I wanted to see if maybe

you wanted to go swimming with Dad and I?

Or play a little Marco Polo?

Um, I'm gonna stay here.

Okay. Hey, Bug, um...

Have those girls ever wanted to hang out with you before today?

I mean, I just want to make sure that you're having fun, and...

Can you just go back to Dad, please?

Yes.

You are looking very trim, Toby.

Yeah. Breastfeeding.

Burns calories.

-Ah. -Yeah.

How are you holding up?

Honestly?

Hanging on by a thread.

Yeah.

I have... I've just... I've never worried

about so many things all at once.

Is one of those things Kate?

You know, a few months ago...

....when we found out that, uh, something was wrong,

I remember the new eye doctor coming in

and telling us that... Jack wasn't responding

-to visual cues. -Mm.

I remember him saying the word "retina."

And then, everything just kind of went,

"Wah-wah, wah-wah, wah-wah."

You know, Charlie Brown's mother, just noise.

And I look over,

and Kate is sitting up real straight.

-Mm-hmm. -You know, like when she...

when she really locks in on something,

and she is nodding.

My amazing wife just... nodding her head

as if someone is giving her a bad weather report.

And she's, uh...

She has been that way every single day since.

You know, just steady.

To be honest, I'm kind of in awe of her.

So I shouldn't be concerned?

She's overeating, Rebecca.

And I know that that is just a way of...

dealing with difficult emotions.

But of all of the things that I am worried about right now...

she's at the top of my list.

You know?

I know.

Yeah, I do know.

Hey, pretty lady.

What you sitting out here for?

Oh. Hey, guys. How was the...

bus?

I was gonna say, "How was the bus?"

Yeah.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here

and say the bus ride did not go well.

A man sat next to her,

I freaked out and forbade the bus.

-Oh. -So...

Deja's not too thrilled with me.

I'm gonna go out on that same limb

and say that the haircut didn't go so great, either.

-It did not. -Mm.

She's just gonna look so different, you know?

My little girl.

I love her hair.

I love when people say that we look alike.

But, I don't know, first it's the new haircut,

and then it's clothes, and...

before long the little girl I knew like the back of my hand

is someone completely new,

and it just... makes me so sad.

They're changing so fast.

I remember when I was their age.

There was so much going on in my brain.

And I'm talking real, complicated adult stuff.

I hope moving to Philadelphia was a good idea.

I know it's gonna be.

Hey, guys.

I-I know it's really different.

You know, I couldn't... really picture it before,

but now that I see it...

baby, you never looked more beautiful.

Really?

I love it.

- I love it. - Me, too.

All right, come on, we gotta get

our classic Pearson family fun afternoon on.

All day today!

Hey! You ruined it!

You embarrassed me in front of my friends.

-That's why! -No!

- I'm not! -Yes, you are! Hey!

-No, I'm not! -Hey, hey, hey! Stop!

Both of you, stop!

-What's going on, huh? -Nothing.

Nothing?

We were just roughhousing.

- So you're good? - Yeah.

Yeah, we're fine.

All right.

You embarrassed me in front of my friends,

and you liked doing it.

You're supposed to be my brother.

Hey. What's up?

Oh, they want to meet with me?

Oh, well, that's great. That's great.

Tomorrow?

Uh, well, tomorrow,

that means I'd have to get on a flight tonight.

Uh...

just let me think about it, okay?

Thank you.

...53 sharp corners and four electric cords.

Mm.

* And two turtledoves...

And a partridge in... a pear tree, hmm?

Okay.

Any hanging cords that a baby can pull down,

we also want to avoid.

Yeah, we are all over the electrical cords.

And we have someone coming to, uh,

wall-mount that bad boy next week.

I know we splurged a little.

We just wanted a great TV.

You know, have little Jack

starting to watch the Steelers really young.

Yeah, and you'll just explain to him

everything that's happening... like you did with me.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I'll just, uh, narrate, and then he'll...

understand.

I'm sorry. I promised myself that I wouldn't do this.

-It's okay. -Oh, I'm really sorry. Just give me a second.

Please don't follow me.

Okay.

Hey.

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

Hey, hey, hey.

Okay. Look, it's...

Relax, man, I'm trying to have a moment with you, okay?

Am I a good person?

You know you're 187 days old today, Jack.

So, you know, it's pretty important.

You know how I know that?

Because I am 187 days sober today.

Which...

seems like an absolute eternity when you're trying not to drink,

but I look at you, and...

it doesn't seem like any time at all.

You're so...

new.

Not me.

I'm a year away from 40...

40 years old, and the most successful relationship

I have in my life is with a frickin' house plant.

Yeah, of course I think you're a good person, Kev.

Why?

I do so many bad things.

Look...

you and me...

we come from a long line of Pearson men

who've got a lot of... mixed-up stuff

inside of us.

I should just take that movie in Chicago.

Just take another movie, you know, stay busy.

Focus on being clean.

That's...

the important thing.

And it's much easier on set, anyway.

I mean, the director tells me to do something, and I do it.

He says, "Smile," and I smile.

He says, "Laugh," and I laugh.

He says, "Cry," and I cry.

And then he yells, "Cut!" and...

...and it's just me again.

I think that's the problem.

Hey, you want to know what worked for me?

Hmm?

Having people you care about.

People you want to take care of.

That will turn you into the man that you want to be.

But the fact that you're already asking

these kind of questions...

that's a good sign.

Okay.

Thanks.

Hey.

Hey.

How long were you, uh...?

Just for a few seconds.

-Oh. -But I heard

everything else on the baby monitor.

Aw, come on.

Are you okay?

Everyone's worried about you.

Mm-hmm.

I know.

You know, so many doctors warned me.

So many doctors told me not to have a baby.

Told me...

...about the risks, but I decided to...

do it anyway.

It's hard not to feel like it's my fault.

-Kate, come on... -No.

Let me wallow.

Why does he cry every time I go to pick him up?

Am I doing something wrong?

No.

-No. -He, like, loses his mind

every time I go to pick him up. I...

-Oh. -I don't think he likes me.

No, no, no, no, no. He likes you fine.

You just, you have to warn him first.

Right? Because he can't see you, so you have to--

you got to brace him for what's coming.

Right? So then you just,

-you narrate what's happening. -Okay.

Right? So all the baby stuff

-that you normally do with your face... -Mm-hmm.

...it's with your voice and with your touch.

-Oh. -Yeah.

Right? Okay.

Hey, buddy, it's your mama.

Can you feel my hand?

Okay, I'm gonna pick you up now, okay?

Okay, bud?

Okay.

Oh, my goodness. Hi.

Come here.

-Yeah? -Yeah.

Okay, I'm gonna give you to Uncle Kev, okay?

You're gonna love him.

And he always smells really expensive.

I got you.

So I'm your Uncle Kevin.

Yeah.

I'm gonna teach you how to pick up girls.

We're gonna do that. Or boys.

Or robots, if that's what people are into in the future.

Oh, this is great.

Hey. Hey.

Oh, he's perfect.

Cliff really said he wanted to kiss me?

Yes. Just go behind the snack shack

and he'll meet you back there.

Okay.

Hey, Kate.

Stewart?

Oh, Stewart.

Who did you think it was gonna be?

Cliff Ward.

Who did you think I was gonna be?

You.

We can just stand here for a minute

and they'll all leave.

Okay.

You know what?

No.

Okay, so tell me about this movie offer in Chicago.

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna take it, though, you know?

I think I'm gonna-- I'm gonna stay here with you guys.

'Cause I'm so helpful.

I wish that you would have

as much compassion for yourself as you do for me.

Go to Chicago.

Do this movie. Focus on your sobriety.

You're gonna be Jack's uncle for your entire life.

And he's gonna need you at your best.

He's the luckiest kid in the world

to have you as a mom, you know that?

Aren't you? Do you know that?

Let me look at you.

Ah.

Oh, you're gorgeous. You're gorgeous.

Okay.

So here's what's up.

I know this is all new

and I know that everyone is worried

about us and about me.

Jack can't see,

but he can hear, he can sense, he can feel.

And I don't want worry

to be the prevailing feeling in this home.

I want it to be hope.

I mean, we spent the entire day being worried about

what we have to limit around here in order to protect him.

That's just not how we roll in this house.

No-- No offense, Anna, I'm sorry.

I know that's like

-a monster part of your job. -It's all good.

Okay. My son is gonna live

a life without limits.

I know my family can't give him sight,

but they can damn sure give him that.

So... who's in?

Well, you had me at, "Okay, so here's what's up."

Mom?

Of course I'm in. Of course.

I know that w-we're all trying to have a family moment,

but he-- this is a-- his, uh, pants are a disaster right now.

He's-- That's foul.

Oh.

Did he just laugh? Did you just laugh?

-We really have to do this? -Yes, we have to.

And we're gonna do a thing first,

so settle in.

Uh, there's no denying it.

You three are getting old.

Old as dirt. So I think it's time,

uh, we let you girls in on a little game

your mother and I play.

It's called "Worst Case Scenario."

-No. -Ah.

Now, the rules are simple.

We all go around and we say "worst case scenario,"

and then our biggest fears as to the worst possible way

our lives could go from this move.

Now, if you don't want to go, you don't have to, but...

Worst case scenario:

Randall never gets over himself

and I have to spend the next four years

trapped in my room like Rapunzel.

Wow. That was good.

I'm a fast learner.

My turn.

Worst case scenario:

Tomorrow when Deja takes the bus to school, she forgets

to text me the moment she arrives,

and then I'm forced to ground her until she turns 18.

W-W-Wait. You're gonna let me...

A text the moment you get to school.

Every single day.

Yes, sir.

All right, worst case scenario.

Um, that I project my own stuff

on to you girls, making you feel

anything less than your wonderful, beautiful,

wildly unique selves.

Tess.

I don't have one.

Nothing?

Nope. Philly looks good on me.

Worst case scenario:

All of my friends back home forget about me.

Wow, babe. Have you been worried about that?

Why didn't you say anything sooner?

I'm just messing with you.

All right.

So...

We ready to do this?

-Last one up the steps is buying cheese steaks. -Wait.

- Wait! - Go!

-Hey. -Hi.

Nacho?

Yes. Thanks.

-What happened? -Ugh.

I'm just eating my worries about Kate.

Don't judge. Okay?

Mm.

Kevin asked me if I think he's a good person.

-What? -Yeah.

What did you tell him?

Something... Something about complicated men.

Did he feel better?

-I have no idea. -Hmm.

* Mm, mm, mm, mm *

Hey. Do you remember when we used to come here

-way back when? -Mm-hmm.

And our biggest problem

was getting the kids to put their floaties on?

Yeah.

What airline?

American, please.

Hey.

Hey.

All right, I'll be back in a little bit.

Babe, are you sure that you want to go to the grocery store now?

I mean, we-we have stuff for breakfast.

Yeah, I like going when the store's not so crowded.

-Mm. Okay. -All right.

-Love you guys. -Love you.

Hey, Bug.

How was it hanging with your new friends?

Good. Thanks.

I didn't need you to come.

I know.

You guys have a good end-of-summer pool day?

Yeah.

- Yeah. - Mm-hmm.