This Is Us season 2, episode 16 recap: What happens in Vegas…
By Reed Gaudens
Las Vegas is no match for the Big Three! This Is Us tackles Kevin’s sobriety, Kate’s relationship with Beth and Randall, and Deja’s future while cutting loose in Sin City.
They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but we have a feeling that the Pearson family’s latest experience in Las Vegas will have a lasting impact. This Is Us heads to the desert for Kate and Toby’s bachelor and bachelorette parties, and it wouldn’t be a Pearson party if there wasn’t some sort of drudging up of emotions. Hey, you didn’t think we were about to have actual fun, did you?
Yes, we did have some fun with the Big Three in Vegas (particularly with Beth — girl knows how to party!), but most of the episode was devoted to teaching these Pearsons a little more about love, themselves, and their partners. As expertly usual, This Is Us juxtaposes the present with the past. Jack and Rebecca’s anniversaries punctuate beautiful storytelling about dedication, loyalty, and persistence in an episode that’s a breath of fresh air.
The Big Three are super romantic.
Of course, Jack and Rebecca’s anniversary is a big deal. Like, the biggest deal. I mean, it’s Jack and Rebecca Pearson we’re talking about. How could it not be? Even though Rebecca always gives Jack a small, thoughtful gift, Jack continuously upstages her with grand, romantic gifts. That’s Jack!
Well, once they’re old enough, the Big Three decide to try their hand at Jack Pearson-ing. Kate, Kevin, and Randall plan the entire occasion all the way down to dinner and a meteor shower. As it turns out, Kevin feared they would get divorced like Sophie’s parents, but his parents are perfect — even if the dinner he prepared wasn’t.
Beth lives her best life in Vegas, until…
Before Beth and Randall leave for Las Vegas, Deja returns to their home asking for money to pay her mother’s gas bill. She doesn’t want the social worker’s visit to go awry. But is she telling the whole truth? Deja’s visit doesn’t sit well with Randall, but Beth wants to focus solely on having a wonderful weekend away from home.
Randall’s worries about Deja persist in Vegas, much to Beth’s annoyance. It’s not that he was worrying about Deja, it’s that he couldn’t set it aside. The weekend starts falling apart once Randall crashes Magic Mike Live to talk to Beth about his phone call with Deja. Soon, their talk turns into a full argument, and Kate gets involved. So much for Beth living her best life.
Kevin faces temptation.
Our sweet, sensitive Kevin tries to be strong, but at the end of the day, each minute is a battle for the poor guy. When he arrives at his hotel suite in Vegas, he makes a deal with the housekeeper regarding the minibar, which soon seems up in the air when he runs into a former cast member and learns he could have been cut from Ron Howard’s movie. Ouch.
It takes a pep talk from Toby for Kevin to muster the courage to cold call Ron Howard. He discovers that he hadn’t been cut from the film. Rather, Howard cut other characters to focus on the father-son story between Kevin’s character and Sylvester Stallone. Toby also weathers Randall’s storm, as does Kate, whose new relationship with Beth is long overdue. No bets, but all the bonding!
The truth about Deja…
Throughout the episode, the truth about what was going on with Deja remained a topic of speculation. As Randall’s concern consumed him, the unsettling feeling that there was more than an unpaid gas bill on the line became real. In the end, Beth and Randall come together to check up on Deja, and they find her sleeping in a car with her mother. It’s time to intervene.
Will Beth and Randall invite Deja and her mother to stay in their home? Is Kevin headed to the Oscars with his new movie? Are Kate and Beth going to keep getting closer? Will we ever learn Beth’s backstory? And when in the world are Kate and Toby getting married? There’s only two more episodes left in Season 2 to find out!
What did you think of the latest episode? Let us know in the comments, and keep the conversation going on Twitter over at @thisisuscrying.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.