This Is Us recap: 5 things you might have missed in season 1, episode 17

Have you forgotten the smaller moments of This Is Us? Let’s rewind to Season 1, Episode 17 and recap five things you might have missed.

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Following its most intense episode to date, This Is Us took a reflective step back for its penultimate episode of Season 1. Yes, the divisive eighteenth episode, “Moonshadow,” technically acts as the season finale, but the episode prior features all of the typical season finale harbingers. Cliffhangers and emotional revelations and life changing decisions, oh my!

Rather than wallowing in the sadness of William’s death, the Pearson family gathers in celebration of his life to throw a fun-eral, curated by Randall’s daughters Tess and Annie per William’s request. Still, the afternoon of candy “vitamins” and hat-clad walks through the neighborhood wallops its fair share of heft on the family. Randall and Beth contend with their grief in different ways as Kate’s guilt about Jack’s death resurfaces and Kevin prepares for his play. Do you remember Kate’s revelation, Randall’s huge decision, and Kevin’s cliffhanging career development? Let’s rewind and revisit five things you might have missed in Season 1, Episode 17.

1. Randall wants to honor William’s legacy.

In the wake of William’s death, Randall isn’t sure what to do with himself. He struggles to find a means to appropriately honor his biological father’s legacy. After a talk with the mailman, who delivers a box of pears from Randall’s office and reveals his friendship with William, Randall realizes that William touched people’s lives in an instant. Killing himself for an employer that sends him fruit he’s allergic to doesn’t honor that legacy. So, he quits. Now what?

2. Kevin breaks a leg.

Because he walked out on his play’s original opening night to run to Randall’s aid, Kevin must weather all of the nerves again. He tries in vain to secure the presence of a big shot critic, but when he sees Sophie (who hides out from the Pearsons) and his family in the audience, he feels pride for his hard work and performance on stage. As it turns out, someone better was in the audience than that critic: Ron Howard. The director calls Kevin later that night to offer him a role in his next blockbuster movie. Will he take it?

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3. Kate feels responsible for Jack’s death.

Although Kate and Toby vowed to be more open with each other, she still can’t quite muster the courage to delve into her father’s passing. Of course, confronting her brother’s father’s death drums up more emotions from the past and leads to the biggest piece of information we have gotten about Jack’s demise: Kate says his death was her fault. Come again? Teenage Kate did push Jack to reconcile with Rebecca during her tour, but there must be more to that story.

4. Beth gives the fun-eral toast.

During William’s battle with cancer, Beth had been her family’s rock. She took care of William and she took care of Randall, all while forming her own personal connection with her father-in-law. For this reason, she feels cheated by William’s death given that she didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. William headed to Memphis knowing he wouldn’t be coming back, but Beth didn’t plan for that. After delivering a beautifully emotional fun-eral toast, Beth receives a postcard in the mail from William, and he calls her the daughter he never had.

Next: This Is Us rewind recap: 5 things you might have missed in season 1, episode 16

5. Jack doesn’t kiss Rebecca goodbye.

Say what you will about Jack Pearson, but you can’t say that he doesn’t harbor stubborn pride. As Rebecca prepares to leave home for her tour, Jack retorts with passive aggression. Clearly, they didn’t patch things up after their Valentine’s Day fight. Don’t they know you’re not supposed to go to bed angry? When he doesn’t kiss her goodbye, Kate openly shows her disappointment in her father. He avoids fixing the matter until he has a few drinks and his coworker, Heather, comes onto him. It’s then that he decides to hop in the car and catch Rebecca’s show. Is this how he dies?

What were your favorite moments from “What Now?” Let us know in the comments, and keep the conversation going on Twitter!

This Is Us returns for Season 2 on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9/8c on NBC. Season 1 is currently available to stream online.

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This Is Us rewind recap: 5 things you might have missed in season 1, episode 17

By Reed Gaudens | Sep 20, 2017