New information gets revealed each week to explain just how and why everyone ended up where they are in season 1 of This Is Us. In this episode, “Kyle,” Rebecca finds out that taking home one baby as new parents is scary, but taking home three after losing one is terrifying. Randall gets some devastating news about William. Kevin makes a big decision, while Kate struggles to make her relationship work with Toby.
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A 36-Year-Old Deal
While we don’t find out why Rebecca is with Miguel, we do find out that Rebecca knows William, though she doesn’t let on in front of Randall. After Randall has a mini freak-out, he introduces the two. Rebecca asks for a moment alone with William. She warns William not to tell Randall about their deal. He assures her he won’t. Then she warns him that Randall will put all of his time and energy into fixing William, because that’s the kind of person she raised, and warns him that he better be worth it.
Searching for Shakespeare
As a young man, William would ride the bus every day, writing and reading poetry. This is how he meets Randall’s mother, until that fateful day when Randall is born and William leaves him at the firehouse.
At the hospital, new parents Jack and Rebecca are overwhelmed with getting their new twins and adopted son ready to leave. Jack is nervous and hyper, while Rebecca just isn’t herself. As she waits outside for Jack to bring the car around, she sees William across the street. She tries to get his attention, but he walks away.
Back at home, Rebecca is bonding with twins Kate and Kevin but not Kyle. She even goes as far as to say he hates her. And when she tries to talk to Jack about seeing William, Jack keeps interrupting, blaming it on new parent nerves.
At a doctor’s appointment, Jack goes alone and bonds with the doctor again. The doctor explains that Rebecca is still dealing with the loss of their third baby and she needs time to heal on her own. Meanwhile, Rebecca is on a search for William. She asks some bus drivers about him and finds out that he goes by the name ‘Shakespeare.’ Eventually, she finds him at his apartment.
William tells Rebecca about Kyle’s mother, and she tells him how his baby came into their lives at the right time, as she lost a baby of her own. She also tells him that the name Kyle was what they were going to name the lost baby. When William asks if he can check in on Kyle from time to time, she tells him no. He understands. When she explains that she’s not bonding with Kyle, William suggests giving him his own name. She asks for the name of his favorite poet, and he hands her a book by Dudley Randall.
Later that day, Rebecca comes home to a worried Jack. They both confide that they miss their unborn child. Then Rebecca suggests changing Kyle’s name to Randall.
Not-So-Great News
Having no clue that Rebecca and William know each other, Randall gets ready to take William to his doctor’s appointment — except a worried William runs off. Randall finds him in the street and convinces him to go to the doctor. Of course, the prognosis isn’t good, and the doctor explains that there’s nothing else he can do.
Randall confides in his wife that he should have sought out William sooner so he and his daughters could have known him longer. However, Beth urges him to get to know him now and enjoy the rest of the time William has left with him.
Later, Randall tells William he’s going to tell his daughters who he really is, and William says he’s looking forward to that. Randall then asks William about his birth mother, which is a story William is eager to tell.
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A Twin’s Bond
After their night of drinking, Toby wakes up on the couch to Kate singing in the bathroom. Over a healthy breakfast, he asks her if she’s ever sang in public, and, of course, she shuts him down. Kevin then comes in and interrupts their conversation with his plans of their big move to New York. He tells Kate they are going together and asks her to get him some play scripts and make the plans. It’s clear Toby is not happy about this.
Later that day, Toby whisks her away in a limo with a red carpet. He explains that it’s a day all about Kate, as he’s booked her “first gig,” a small one-song show at his aunt’s nursing home. At first, she’s not happy at all, but after his big introduction and a few shaky verses, she belts out “Time After Time” and nails it. With the adrenaline pumping, they start hooking up in a supply closet, when Kevin calls and Kate picks up.
Kevin says that “Insane Elaine” is at his apartment tearing it apart and hiding in his closet. When Kate asks why, Kevin explains that because Kate didn’t pick up her phone earlier, he called Elaine because he was overwhelmed with their move to New York. Kate tells Toby she has to go, and Toby gets pissed. Kate explains that the bond she has with Kevin is a twin thing and not just a sibling thing. Toby doesn’t get it and asks if he’ll always have to play second man to her brother, and Kate says yes.
At Kevin’s place, Elaine is gone and Kate comes by to pick up the pieces. She tells Kevin about her day with Toby, and Kevin realizes that his neediness is hindering his sister’s happiness. He tells Kate she’s fired from being his personal assistant and that it’s time they go their separate ways for a while to find themselves. A hesitant Kate finally agrees.
She doesn’t seem too devastated, though, as she calls Toby later on, who reluctantly comes over. She immediately apologizes for everything. Toby plays hard to get, but when Kate propositions him to take their relationship to the next level, all is forgiven. As they sleep, Kevin calls Kate to tell her he’s taking a red-eye to New York.
A Sense of Normalcy
This is the first episode of This Is Us that felt more like a regular show just moving the storyline along. There was no big ‘oh my god’ moment at the end. And I have to say, I like that. Just how many times can one show shock an audience? Especially a drama. I do like how the show moves back and forth from the past to the present. And I like how many layers it has. There is clearly so much more to Rebecca than we know.
I still want to know what’s up with Miguel and what happened to Jack. I do wish they would focus on Kate or Kevin a little bit more, but I guess that will come in time since it is only season 1. I am curious if Kate will eventually end up in New York. And if not, how will that affect her close relationship with her twin brother?
What did you think of “Kyle”? Were you surprised that Rebecca already knew William or about the deal they made? Which storyline do you like the best? Let us know in the comments below.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC. Want more news? Like BuddyTV’s This Is Us Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
