Everyone’s favorite family drama, NBC’s This Is Us, is back for a new season. Last season ended with a flash forward into the future with Randall and his daughter, Tess, during Kate’s wedding. This Is Us season 3 episode 1 began with an unknown character in the ’70s starting his day.
That Ten Percent
Kate and Toby went to see a fertility doctor about in-vitro fertilization. Kate had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and Toby’s antidepressants caused him to have a low sperm count. The doctor told her that she couldn’t take her on as a patient because her BMI was too high. And she added that it would be unlikely that Kate could find a doctor willing to do it. Visibly upset, Kate thanked the doctor and left.
It’s the Big Three’s 38th birthdays, and Madison threw Kate a party. Kate blew out the candle on her “carrot cake” and rambled about her frustrations. But the doctor had changed her mind and called Kate back. She warned her that there was still a 90% chance of failure. With that information and without Kate’s knowledge, Toby flushed his antidepressants down a toilet.
Not the Same
Randall took Deja to the apartment building that he and Beth and bought after William’s death. He talked about his experience and asked Deja if they could formally adopt her. The implication that Randall’s experience was similar to hers upset Deja. When they got back to the house, she snuck out to see her father. Deja came back with a pair of Nikes for Randall, and she told them they could sign the adoption papers.
Knocking Boots
Kevin and Beth’s cousin, Zoe, had been hooking up since Kate’s wedding. Beth immediately sensed it and confronted them as soon as Kevin got to their house for the party. Beth and Zoe argued, and Beth couldn’t even look at Kevin. However, Beth revealed to Kevin that it was Zoe that she didn’t approve of. She warned Kevin that Zoe had a complicated history. She feared that Zoe would break Kevin’s heart.
The Immaculate Reception
Jack and Rebecca were on their first date at a carnival. He paid $5 for tickets and $2 for a candy apple and hot chocolate that Rebecca wanted. When it started raining, he didn’t spend the $2 needed for an umbrella. When Jack drove her home, he confessed that he only had $9, and he wanted to make sure they had enough money in case she wanted to play some games. He apologized for the bad date, but Rebecca kissed him anyway. She left a scarf in his car so he would have to come back the next day. But when Jack returned, another man was at her doorstep, kissing her.
The night Jack and Rebecca met was the night of the Immaculate Reception, a famous football play involving Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris, the unknown character from the beginning of the episode. This might be a reason the Pearsons are such big football fans. The circumstances of the play are a metaphor for how Jack and Rebecca got together.
What did you think about This Is Us season 3 episode 1? Let us know in the comment section below!
