Randall’s story on This Is Us Season 6 Episode 10 concluded the Big Three trilogy and brought the future slightly more into focus while tackling the present and addressing just how the past got us to this moment.
Every single episode that focused on one of the Big Three’s storylines has featured their supporting cast, if you will. For Kevin that was Nicky, Cassidy and the twins, for Kate it was her children and Toby, and for Randall it was his family and his mother, Rebecca.
Sterling K. Brown excels at delivering all of the complex facts of Randall’s personality, including the leader and the boy that was forced to become a man to carry his family solely on his back. But before I dig deeper into that, let me just shout out Mandy Moore as Rebecca because she brilliantly conveys the emotions of a mother at every stage in her life.
This episode wouldn’t have been as touching without the wisdom she imparted at every stage of Randall’s journey.
Mom’s may not pick favorites — she clearly loves them equally as evidence by their keepsake boxes that I feel will play a big role in tying the series together in the final episode — but she always had a special bond that continued into adulthood. They understand each other in a way that the other’s don’t.
But Randall, in particular, always cared much more deeply than the other two, and I think that stems from the adoption. He truly loved Rebecca because she gave him this life of opportunity that he may not otherwise have had. They’ve had their tense moments and their near-fallouts, but it has always stemmed from a place of deep love and affection.
Even when he called her out for making Kate the executor of her big decisions instead of him, it came from a place of hurt, which stemmed from a deep love and admiration for his mother.
He has also become her rock, which obviously can take a toll on a person.
Rebecca acknowledged that when she sat him down by the pool in the present day and revealed that because he was forced to grown up following Jack’s death and be the person she could always count on and lean on, she didn’t think it was fair to ask more of him.
I love that the writer’s didn’t make her ignorant to how much Jack’s death affected Randall. He may not be the first to admit it, but it has been a heavy load, and one that never lessened.
When he’s a teen in the scenes at the pool, he protects and shields his siblings from reality by making jokes and allowing them to live in their own troubles without adding on anymore pressure.
In the future, he continues to be Rebecca’s rock, but he’s also guiding his own family now with Beth and the girls. And while Beth can definitely handle her own, he takes on so much of that burden, particularly as he’s raising teen girls.
The Pearson family Thanksgiving has always been dramatic, and Deja’s breakup with Malik simply added to an already rough night for Randall.
We felt the pain coursing through his body when she said he’s not her father — and Randall knows all too well how much those words could sting — but we also felt the very fear and anger he experienced when he found out that she ran away to visit Malik again.
Thankfully, Rebecca hopped along for the ride and was able to calm him down so that he could attack the situation with a level and clear head.
Randall may not have been a troubled teen, but she’s been through her fair share with Kate and Kevin, and she’s aware that no progress is made if you’re controlled by your emotions.
It was time for her to lessen the burden for Randall, so she allowed the situation to take its course. She suggested that he trust Deja, give her space, and be there when she needed him.
And, in turn, it gave them a really fantastic day of bonding where they could just let loose, take selfies that I’m guessing would mean the world to Randall in the future, and really discuss the ramifications of their present-day decision in the future.
Rebecca revealed that she was her son’s biggest fan, even drinking the same wine that he said he liked in a “five things about me” interview and reading his favorite book.
These fun facts may have seemed innocent and like a fluff pieces, but Randall informed his mom that they were part of a big strategy, and that seems to be true on the part of the show writers as well because the factoids, were in fact, a huge flash forward into Randall’s possible presidency.
Yes, PRESIDENCY!
Randall kept dodging calls from a senator who has him on his short list of recommendations upon his retirement.
Randall confided in his mother that if he runs, he knows that he’ll eventually become president, and it’s a huge ask of himself and his family.
But how could he not do it? Randall is a natural born leader. We saw it in action when he easily convinced the whole family to get into the pool.
He’s a great negotiator, as we saw when he talked the cop out of arresting them for trespassing and underage drinking.
Most importantly, he’s a man of the people. It was always said that one of his weaknesses was that he has a huge heart and wants to help everyone, and though that may not be possible, becoming a leader of the free world is definitely the biggest step in the right direction.
So, Randall Pearson, you have my vote!
The Big Three have been inspired to make big decisions and move on up in the world. Kevin is going to start Big Thee development, Kate put her name in the ring for a position in Los Angeles and told Toby that she’s not moving to San Francisco, and Randall set up a potentially life changing call with a Senator.
Elsewhere, Deja and Malik broke up. Malik informed Randall that he didn’t do it because Randall told him to but because it was the best thing for both of them.
The fact that everyone including Randall suggested that sometimes door reopen seems to imply that the timing wasn’t right now but it will be in the future.
Is Deja with Malik in the future scenes? I sure hope so because they had a pure and real love that really changes you as a person.
Beth and Migs spent some time together as they held down the fort back at home, and even though we didn’t get many scenes between them, I still love that duo!
It’s a shame that the third member of their Big Three, Toby, has been tainted by his new job and ambitions to the point where it’s hard to see him every redeeming himself as Kate’s soulmate and fiercest supporter.
The promos for the upcoming episode aren’t promising as we get a glimpse of the smoker that we’ve been led to believe hurts baby Jack and essentially implodes Kate and Toby’s already fractured marriage.
And if you were somehow remaining hopeful that all isn’t what it seems, the fact that the teaser suggests that this is what finally breaks the family isn’t the slightest bit comforting.
For a while — well, honestly, since Jack died — it has felt like the Pearson family has been hanging on by a thread.
The hope is that even as the devastation and loss hits with Toby and Rebecca’s memory, they will find the strength amongst each other and emerge stronger than ever.
We’ll see if that happens, but until then, let this episode serve as a reminder to live fearless in the present, hug your loved ones, and take a ton of selfies to make the memories last forever.
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