Kate got some exciting baby news as Toby’s depression took a dark turn during the Tuesday, October 23, episode of This Is Us, titled “Toby.” Meanwhile, Randall and Kevin dealt with racism over their interracial relationships.
Becoming Toby
Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) were left with one viable embryo after undergoing IVF. Toby put on a brave face while waiting to hear if they were pregnant, but he was actually breaking down. He went to a pharmacy to try to get back on his antidepressants immediately and lost track of time as he tried to distract himself at an arcade. When he returned home, Kate told him she was indeed pregnant, but Toby crumbled and admitted that he’d been off his medication for five weeks. Kate called his doctor, which led to the scene viewers first saw in the season 2 finale of Toby lying in bed while Kate informed him his doctor wanted to adjust his meds.
Flashbacks also showed how Toby lived with his depression over the years. His mother seemed to suffer from the same affliction, while his father — who left them when Toby was a teenager — urged his son to get his “sad sack” routine under control. Toby later begged his wife Josie not to leave him, blaming his behavior on being off his medication, but he spiraled again when they divorced. After getting help from his doctor, Toby soon met Kate.
The Plot Thickens
Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Zoe (Melanie Liburd) traveled to Baltimore to meet Mr. Robinson (Charles Robinson), who served with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) in the Vietnam War. Zoe wondered if explaining to Kevin what it’s like to be black would be worth it after she encountered racism at a convenience store and her beau failed to realize why she slept on a silk pillowcase. She later concluded he was worth it, though she wasn’t willing to be called his girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Robinson told Kevin that Jack was a staff sergeant, rather than a mechanic. The veteran claimed he never heard from Jack after the war. Turns out that wasn’t exactly true since Robinson later gave Kevin some letters he received from his father. In one photo, a woman wore the necklace Jack gave to Kevin after he broke his leg.
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Randall (Sterling K. Brown) was eager to kick off his city council campaign, but the patrons at his BBQ luncheon didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Randall lashed out at them for their loyalty to Councilman Brown (Rob Morgan), but the restaurant owner filled Randall in on how the community owed the councilman their lives for all he’d done.
Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) was prepared to receive a job offer, but when she was asked about her firing in the interview, she got choked up and left, though she let on to Randall that the encounter went well.
Prom Night Fail
Prom night was an epic disaster for the Pearsons in flashbacks. Randall’s girlfriend Allison’s father was rude to him because he was black, so Randall didn’t attend. Kevin got drunk and passed out at Miguel’s (Jon Huertas). Kate didn’t go at all, instead somewhat bonding with Rebecca (Mandy Moore) over music at home. In the meantime, Miguel remembered how he promised Jack he would look after the bunch if anything ever happened to his friend.
This Is Us airs on NBC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
