"Previously on This Is Us..." "The drinking has to stop." "You have to reign it in, baby, because I won't have it in my house." "I remember when we were together, she said she never wanted to get married." "What do you mean, together?" "Yeah, it was very brief." "It was another life." "Probably why she didn't tell you." "You think that I didn't deserve to know that you had history with him?" "You know, you never really talk about your dad's death." "It's been...just blocked... for a really long time." "Roll all your windows down, Randall." "Crank up the music." "Let someone else make your bed." "You don't have to pack up his stuff yet." "It's only been a couple days." "I know." "I don't know what to do, Beth." "How do I honor his legacy?" "Do I start wearing sweater vests?" "Drink more egg creams?" "Could get cooler frames." "Like, round ones, like the hipsters wear." "William was kind of the O.G. hipster, right?" "Baby." "Listen to me." "The only thing anyone expects you to do is to plan a service." "You already did that." "Like I said, show up for the service, be with your family, think of him dearly, and..." "You're gonna want to read this." "Hi." "Uh, it's Kevin Pearson calling." "I was calling to see if Brandon Novak was getting my voicemails, because I've left quite a few of 'em, and he..." "Hello?" "She hung up on me." "What, that theater critic's assistant?" "Well, not that theater critic." "The theater critic." "The Times, right?" "Shows live or die based on what Brandon Novak writes about them, which is why I need him to come to opening night of my play, but he won't come to opening night of my play, because he already came to opening night," "and I wasn't there, so..." "Well, can't you just explain what happened?" "No, I'm not..." "I can't, you know, tell them Randall's business." "He's been through enough, so that's that." "You know, you're-you're kind of sexy when you're loyal." " Really?" " Yup." "Because I give money to the same charity every year, you know?" "You're not sexy when you brag about it." " Right." " No." "You know what you should do?" "You should sit with my family at the play." " Why don't you sit with them?" " No." " Yes." "Come on." " No, uh-uh." "No, I am slinking in when the lights go down, back row, and then, when you take your bow, I'm-I'm sneaking out, successfully avoiding the entire Pearson clan." "Especially Kate." "Look, we haven't even told them that we're dating yet." "See, now that's not..." "You know what we should do?" "We should just tell them that." "We get 'em together, and we say," ""Hey, family, you remember Sophie, right, my ex-wife?" "Well, we're dating exclusively, even though she still won't let me sleep with her, which..." " Oh, s..." " I'm hoping is not because" "She's developed some, you know, weird moles on your body since the last time I saw you naked?"" " No." " Or that you think I've lost my touch, because I guarantee you I have not lost my touch." "What's happening?" "Where-where are we going?" " Why are you...?" " I've got to get to work." "Hey, what, you're gonna leave me here with a floundering career" " and a lukewarm Americano?" " Kevin." "You're dating the ex-wife you cheated on 12 years ago, yet somehow managed to woo back in a diner with a "C" health rating." "You really think you can't win over this Novak guy?" "So, it seems your grandpa left you some instructions." ""Dear Tess and Annie," "I know you're probably feeling a little sad right now," "And I'd like to get you back to smiling." "Because you have two of my all-time favorite smiles."" ""That's why I'd like you two to plan my memorial." "Adults make these things sad," "And I want you two to make it fun." "Fill it with things that make you smile."" ""And make sure your mom and dad help you execute your vision." "No questions asked."" "So, we're in charge of the memorial?" "Apparently." "It's tomorrow, right before Uncle Kevin's play re-opens, and I've already got" " the flowers and the lasagna and the..." " Okay." "We'll take it from here." "Um, if it's all right with you two," "I'd like to give a eulogy." "A eulogy sounds sad." "How 'bout we call it a toast, then?" "We'll allow it." "Well..." "I guess I'll cancel the caterer, and the flowers and the white doves." "You got white doves?" "They don't make black ones, Randall." "You know, I heart N.Y., but I'm kind of psyched to get back to L.A." "and get shacked up with my boo." "Yes, Bryce, I need 50 rainbow balloons." "Tomorrow." "They're for a funeral." "My nieces gave me one job." "Can I speak to your supervisor?" "If you want to talk about William... or anything," "I know funerals can be difficult." "Especially since you lost your..." "I just want things to be special for Randall and the girls." "Okay." "Oh, I don't know, Sharon, can you help me?" "Oh, come on." "Don't do this, Jack." "*For he's a jolly good fellow*" "*Which nobody can deny*" "Thank you, everybody." "Uh, Jack, you told me to tell you when it was 5:30." "Okay." "It's 5:30." "Uh, yeah." " Jack?" " What?" "What?" "We're-- we're celebrating Pench's retirement." "We hate Pench." " You hate Pench." " I do hate Pench." "Look, just-- it's time for you to go home and say a proper good-bye to your wife." " Yeah." " Staying here is not gonna keep her from leaving." " With her ex-boyfriend." " Jack..." "Two weeks, five hotels." "Night after night, getting back late." "That is ridiculous." "This is Rebecca we're talking about." "Yeah." " Now, go." " Yeah." "You leaving?" "The real party's happening after work at Joe's Tavern." "You should come." "Night, Heather." "Hi, Amy, yeah, it's Rebecca." "What time did he leave?" "Okay." "Yeah, thank you." "Bye." "Hey, Dad." "Kitchen, please." "How could you be late today, of all days?" " Is Ben here yet?" " No." "Then I guess I'm not late." "Well, you said you'd be home at 5:30." "No, I said I would knock off at 5:30." "I called your office and you didn't." "So, you're checking up on me now?" "This is just passive-aggressive, Jack." " Okay, the kids." " Yeah." "They need a ride to Joel's party tonight." "Parents are home, I already checked." "And Randall's robotics class, do you see?" "It's moved to Tuesdays." "I can read, Bec." "And please, please do not let Kevin and Sophie be by themselves in the basement." "They're all over each other." "What's so funny?" "It's disturbing." "You know, the other day, I came in... she was nibbling on his ear." "Don't say the word nibbling in reference to our son." "That is the only way to describe it." "Those ears haven't seen Q-tips in years." "No." "Time to hit the road." "Yeah." "I'm leaving." "Good luck, Mom." "You're supposed to say "Break a leg."" "Oh, am I?" "Bye, baby." "Bye, sweetheart." "Oh, I love you." "I promise I'll call twice a day, every day." "Have fun, Mom." "Seriously." "I will." "I love you, Mom." "I love you more." "I love you most." "Be good to each other." "Take care of each other." "Bye." "Dad." "Okay, okay." ""His name was William H. Hill."" "Everybody knows his damn name, fool." "Oh, man..." "Hey, Jessie." "Hi, Randall." "Is this an all right time?" "I'm happy for the distraction." "How you doing?" "Not terribly well, as it turns out." "William and I had our good-byes privately, before you left, but it's still a shock." "I know." "I'm with my sister in Chicago right now." "It's, um... it's a very slippery slope for me." "And I needed time." "You know, time away?" "Uh, understood." "I told our N.A. group about his passing, and, uh, there wasn't a dry eye in the house." "A young man named Sebastian insisted that I pass along his condolences." "He was a young athlete who was addicted to Vicodin when he first came to our meetings and, uh, wanted nothing to do with us." "But William feigned an interest in football so the boy would have someone to relate to." "I'd have loved to have seen" "William pretend to know anything about football." "It was..." "It was quite a laugh." "He was a soft armrest for weary souls to lean on, you know?" "Anyway, I..." "I'm sure you've got things going on there." "I don't want to keep you." "Hey, that's okay." "Thanks for calling, Jessie." "Be well." "Take care." "Bye." "Mr. Novak." "Sorry to just, you know, barge in like this, but I really need to talk to you." "I'm Kevin Pearson, by the way." " I know who you are." " Oh, good." "How'd you get in here?" "Oh, just bribed the assistant, Tracy." "You know, big Manny fan." "I came here to beg you to come to opening night of my play." "I did go to opening night, you didn't." "I know, I know that, and I know what you must be thinking..." "I think that you choked." "I think that you realized without the help of five takes and a laugh track, you're nothing but a 40-year-old playboy with no talent." "36 years..." "Doesn't matter, doesn't matter." "Neither here nor there." "I literally uprooted my entire life for this play." "It's the only reason I'm here, sir." "And the crazy part about this whole thing is it's actually really good-- it is." "But no one's gonna come see it, sir, unless you tell them to, so I am begging you, please... give us another chance." "It's worth it." "Just think about it." "Morning." "Sorry to ring," "I saw this crate of perishables out there, and I thought I..." "Lot of pears." "Yeah, uh, thank you." "I hope you don't mind me asking... how's William doing?" "I haven't seen him lately and I was starting to get worried." "I know his health wasn't all that good." "Uh, William died last week." "In Memphis." "Well, he always wanted to get back there." "I didn't realize you two had gotten to know each other." "Yeah, on his morning walks." "We got to talking." "You know, people don't stop to just talk anymore, you know?" "We became friends." "He always asked about my daughter." "I'm sorry for your loss." "This neighborhood will miss him." "Who's it from?" "What?" "Really?" "Your father dies, and this is what work sends you?" "They've been good to me, Beth." "I've been out of the office for a while now..." " After not taking a vacation in three years." " Beth..." "Okay." "Are you all right?" "Okay, here we go." "You guys have fun." "Call me, call me when you want to come home." "Thanks, Mr. Pearson." "Do you want this taxi to stop somewhere else?" "Are you and Mom all right?" "Stop it, we're fine." "You don't seem fine." "Look, it's marriage." "Okay?" "It's just stuff." "Honestly, we're fine." "Why didn't you go to her show tonight?" "Well, first off, it's two hours away." " Yeah, it's two hours away." " Kate..." "Hey, look, you've got more important things to worry about being a teenager." "Boys and-and grades and that band that sounds like they're always kidding..." " what's their name?" "Weezer?" " Weezer." " Yeah." " Weezer." "Look, your mom and dad, we're the... we're last thing in the world you need to worry about." "Okay?" "Okay." "Don't sit home tonight all sad." "How can I be sad when I've got a kid like you?" " Bye, dad." " Okay." "Have fun." "Rebecca, it's-it's gonna be okay." "They invited us." "No, the girls invited us." "You know things haven't been the same since he found out, he just... he tolerates me." " You don't know that he..." " Yeah, I know my son." "Honey." "Don't get them tangled up." "It was one... it was one balloon." "Hey, geez, you guys bring enough balloons?" "No, actually, we didn't." "Do not poke the bear, man, okay, I beg you." "The kids asked her to bring 50." "I popped one in the car." " Everything okay?" " Yeah, I'm fine." "Well, don't you all look ready for a fun-eral." "No?" "Not even a smile for "fun-eral"?" "All right, well, thanks for coming." "If you need anything... cooking, cleaning." "You need help with his will?" "I don't know anything about wills, but I'm willing to take an online course." "That's, uh,..." " Hey, guys." " Hey." "Randall." "Come on, let's get started!" "All right." "Those aren't coming back." "Grandpa said we're supposed to celebrate his life and not be sad, so today we're going to act out" "William's perfect day." " Starting with breakfast." " He loved breakfast." "Please help yourselves." "And remember to take his pills." "They're just MM'S." "You sure you don't have anything stronger?" "I want all the toppings." "Are toppings disrespectful?" " Top away." "Go ahead." " All right." "There were few people on the streets as the Cincinnati archdiocese canceled classes at two..." "What are you suddenly being sore about?" "What did you expect me to be?" "Do you think women live in vacuum-sealed containers, like tennis balls?" "I just thought you were different, that's all." "Get smart." "There hasn't been a woman in love different since Eve." "So it's love?" "Yes, Max, it's love." "Hey, Pearson!" "You made it!" "Now, this is a first." "Bring it in, come on." "Yep." "All right." "Okay." " Hey, Jack." " Heather." "Can I get you a drink?" " Beer." " Coming right up." "Baby, I think I figured out this toast." "Baby?" "I refilled all his pills." "He knew he wasn't coming back." "I didn't know." "How could I have known?" "You got your trip to Memphis." "The girls got their memorial." "He left you all with a way..." "I loved him, too, Randall." "I never even got a chance to say good-bye." "Honey..." " Come on, people." " It's toast time." "Thank you, my dear." " What is this?" " It's a Blue Hawaiian." " Oh, is that William's favorite drink?" " No." "I think the girls misunderstood a conversation that we had." "Blue Hawaii his favorite movie?" "It's his favorite strain of weed." "Attention, everyone." "I guess I'm kind of breaking the rules by speaking today, as William didn't ask me to say anything." "He was a master of words, and he knew I was no poet." "But I think the real reason why he didn't ask me to speak was that he knew there was someone else who was much more deserving of this mic than me." "The person who was in it with him, like, really in it, every single day." "I really don't know what to say actually because..." "I'm pretty mad at him." "For leaving, I guess." "William was a lot of things." "He was a father, an artist," "a cheater at every card game." "God, he was my friend." "I can look all over this house and... see the memories that we shared." "Every time I walk past the bathroom," "I can hear him humming when he brushed his teeth." "At first it used to grate on me." "Like, "you love your dental hygiene, we get it."" "But... pretty soon I came to expect it." "Y'all know that he could dance?" "Right there, right where Randall is standing, is where he showed me that even a frail old bag of bones, his words," "William's moves weren't fast, but they were endearing as hell." "He was endearing as hell." "And even though we only had him for a few months, he's part of our fabric now." "We'll remember things as "before William"" "and "after William."" "Hey, Kate." "Come here, talk to me." "Please, just not now." "Toby, don't." "Just don't." "I'm sorry." "I know I should be comforting you." "It's okay." "You know, ever since that camp just, like, broke me open," "and all that therapy, and just all this stuff is coming up about Dad." " It's okay." " I'm so sorry that you had to go through this twice." "I'm so sorry, Randall." "Kate," "I'm okay." "It's..." "Had a dream last night that Dad and William met." "I walked into the living room, and, they were sitting on the couch, just talking and laughing like old friends." "And William was telling Dad" " how I taught him how to drive a car. - teach me how to drive." " Whoa, wait, wait." " And Dad was like..." "Really?" "Randall?" "Did he tell you about the time that I taught him how to drive?" "No, no, you've got to tell me this, Jack." "I got all three kids in the driveway there." "Randall hops in the car, excited..." ""Oh, the kid just threw it in reverse and zoomed straight back" " like a bat out of hell."" " Bat out of hell." "Dad loved that story." "He did." "I'm not the guy to tell you how to handle your feelings." "But I've learned that you got to let 'em out." "You got to share them with the people that love you." "I know." "Do you?" "'Cause there's a really sweet, really big guy in my living room right now who might think otherwise." "I know." "Come back." "Where's the family tonight?" "Kids are with their friends and wife is out of town." "In Cleveland." "What's in Cleveland?" "Oh, she's... following her dreams." "No one's dreams are in Cleveland." "Well, it's Cleveland, and then Boston, then New York, Trenton, Philly." "She's on tour with her Ben." "Her band." "She's in a band, she's on tour with the band." "I knew something was up." "Nothing's up." "Come on, Jack, I see you every day." "You have that look a man gets when something breaks and he can't fix it." "Heather, enough, enough." "Enough with this crap." "I'm a married man." "You're embarrassing me, and you're embarrassing yourself." "I'm gonna make-make a phone call." "Every morning and afternoon," "Grandpa would put on his old man hat and walk around the neighborhood." "So now we're gonna go on his walk." "Come on, everyone, get your hats." "All right." "Uncle Kevin, Grandma?" " Picking the green one?" " Yeah." "You gonna do that one?" "Daddy, you wear Grandpa's real one." "I don't know, sweetheart." "Put it on, babe." "Yeah." "I want to tell you what's been going on with me." "About... my dad." "So maybe after the show tonight?" "Okay, everybody, this is where I leave you, it's time for me to head to the theater." " Break a leg, man." " Thank you." "All right." " Okay, we'll see you in a few hours." " I know." "Front and center, buddy." " You might have the whole theater to yourself." " Bye." "Peace." "So, William seems to have really connected with the girls in a short time." "Yeah." "That's what he did." "With everyone he met, it seems." "You know your father." "Jack, I mean." "He, um... he taught you a lot about honesty and courage." "But the truth is, you came into this world pretty perfect." "You always had this, uh... gentleness, this inner kindness to you, from the start, and I think... you got that from William." "I really thought I was doing the right thing for you and for our family..." " Mom, you don't have to do this." " I do." "I have to." "I haven't said this to you before." "I need to, okay?" "When I first met him, he was so far gone, Randall." "And then when I saw him again, years later, he was so much better." "And you got curious." "And I got scared." "I always planned on telling you, I did." "I would set an age in my mind." "I'd say, "When he's 15." "I'm gonna tell him when he's 15."" "And 15 would come and go, and I'd lose my nerve, and then I would decide on 16." "Because the truth is, I was so terrified." "Because I knew it would devastate you." "It was such a big lie." "And such a long lie." "I knew..." "I knew that I could lose you over it, and I couldn't lose you, Randall." "I couldn't." "But that is no excuse." "It was... selfish, and it was wrong." "And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart that I am so sorry you didn't have more time together." "That it is my fault." " you didn't have more time with him." " I-I got enough." "I got enough." "It was enough time to know that I loved him." "I loved him." "And I know that he loved me." "I'm so glad." "I love you, Mom." "I love you more." "I love you m-- no, no, I mean, I meant what I said, but I'm a grown-ass man and this is gonna cross a very weird line." "Fair enough." " I'm so sorry." " It's okay." "Let's go." "Yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather, red leather." "I-D-I-D-I-D-I-D" " Hey!" "Hey." "Hey, uh, I was just curious, if Brandon Novak picked up his ticket?" " I'll check." " Thank you." "Yeah, we'll see." "Okay." "Just need to meditate." "I want to see Wicked tonight-- am I in the right theater?" "Yeah, yes." "Yes, you are, as a matter of fact, in the right theater." "Come over here and kiss me before I paint my face green." "Mmm." "What are you doing back here?" "I'm sorry, am I destroying your focus?" "No." "No, no, no, this is great." "Okay, just came to give you this." "It's what I always wanted." " It's a crutch." " I know what it is." "Break a leg, okay." "Yeah." "Well, the E.R. staff thought it was hysterical." "Well, thank you very much, for sneaking back here; it means a lot to me." "Half hour, everyone." " Ay, ay, ay, ay." " I know." "Thank you." "I know I can't go back." "There is no back, Jess." "It's just this continuous thing." "It's me, isn't it?" "You gonna leave me?" "Just stay a little bit longer." "Kevin!" "Hello?" "Oh, my God." "That monologue at the end?" " God, it was incredible!" " Thanks." "You had such a presence up there." " Really?" " Oh, sweetheart, yes," "Oh, Mom, thank you." "I'm so proud." "Wasn't he captivating?" "I just can't get over how you can remember all those words." "So impressive." "Good move not showing your penis." " Yes." " Stage penis is so 2015." "Thank you, Toby." "There's now a man where the Manny once stood." "Oh, come on." "Hey." "Never been prouder, brother." "Really?" "Never been prouder." " Thank you, man." "Thank you." " Way to go." "You guys, you're gonna make me cry." "This is amazing." "Look at all of you here!" "We're late to relieve the babysitter." "I got to stop by the office." "Babe, it's 10:00 p.m." "Yeah, they're all still there." "Big deadline." "There's just something I got to take care of." "Randall, thank God." "Ten years, Tyler." "I've worked here for ten years." "I've brought in 80% of our clients." "I grew this company from a six-man operation into a 60-person machine." "I've given you 20-hour days, man." "Like, nights away from my wife and children." "My father died, man." "And on the day of his memorial, you sent me pears, which..." "I'm allergic to." "And you know this." "Because at the lunch where you hired me, we ate roquefort salad" " and I went into anaphylactic shock." " Randall..." "And along with the pears that could have killed me, you sent a card with a one-line Hallmark message and a typed-out signature:" ""From the team."" "And for all this, Tyler, I thank you." "You see, for days, I've been plagued by this question:" "How do I honor my father's legacy?" "Then I realized, I honor it by taking what I've learned from how he lived his life and having it shape the way I go on living mine." "And so, here it is, Tyler." "I quit." " Hold on." " No hard feelings, man." "I walk out of here in triumph." "I came, I saw..." "I conquered." "Sanjay... it's all you now, brother." "Peace." "What are you gonna do?" "I don't know." "Maybe instead of running in the morning, I'll go for a walk." "Slow it down a little." "Talk to my mailman." "That seems like a good way to start the day." "Does it hurt?" "Your leg." "You broke the hell out of that leg." "Did I?" "You know you did." "I know I did." "So..." "Novak?" "Oh, yeah, Novak was a no-show." "Yeah, it doesn't matter." "You know?" "Yeah, but you've been talking about it for days." "It's because I thought the play was the only thing that mattered." "You know?" "I looked out at that crowd tonight, I saw that empty seat." "It made me sad, I'm not gonna lie to you." "But then I saw the other seats." "You know, I saw my family and..." "I saw you all the way back there and I realized" "I didn't come to New York to be in a hit play." "I came to New York to win back my girl." "My girl who would drag a crutch all the way across town after a 12-hour shift for a stupid joke." " 14-hour shift." " Okay." "Great joke." "I'm not messing things up with you again." "And however long it takes for me to convince you of that, I" "I'll just wait." "I came here for you, Sophie." "Is everything all right?" "You okay?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm just looking for weird moles." "Okay." "Something simple, yeah." " Right on." " This is the one." ""Told you I'd send you a postcard." "Good-bye, my dearest Beth." "The daughter I never had." "Love, William."" " Hello." " Hey, Kevin, it's Ron Howard calling." "Hi, Ron Howard." "You're really cute, Randall." "What-- what the hell number are you calling from?" "No, no, this is-- this is Ron." "Ron Howard." "This is-- this is my number." "Wow." "Okay..." "I am a huge fan of yours." "Now, what-what-what-- what can I do for you?" "Well, my 16-year-old niece is visiting us, and against my better judgment, we decided to take her to this-- this little play because it starred her favorite actor in the world, The Manny." "You were at my play?" "And I-I'm sorry to be calling you so late, but I-I just" " I just had to tell you, man, you were phenomenal." "I-- wow, thank you." "I, um..." "So, here's the thing:" "I'm prepping a movie right now that I'm gonna direct." "It-it shoots in a couple of months in Los Angeles." "You would be perfect." " I would?" " Absolutely." "I'd really like to send you this script." "Hey, Carol, it's Jack Pearson." "I was wondering if it wasn't too much trouble for the kids to stay the night tonight?" "That's great, thank you." "Thank you." "Yeah, I'll..." "I'll be by in the morning to pick 'em up." "Hey." "Can I-- can I speak to Kate, please?" "Wasn't he great?" "I mean, I've always told Kevin he was great, but this is beyond what he's ever done." "And to see him up there, not just pursuing his passion, but freaking crushing it?" "He was so inspiring." " He was awesome." " Yeah." "Hey, I thought we were gonna talk about... you know." "Yeah, you're right." "You-You're right." "I mean, if we're gonna start... a life together in L.A.," "then there is something that I need to tell you." "Okay." "You remember when I told you I... couldn't talk about my dad's death?" "Yeah, of course." "Well, that's because it's my fault." "I'm the reason that he's dead." "Hey, princess, it's Dad." "I wanted to tell you something." "I-I wanted" " I wanted you to know that you were right." "I'm gonna fix things with your mom." "I love you, Katie girl." "All right, you have fun with your friends." "Bye."