Kate and Philp’s wedding stretched over two episodes, getting a sequel as Kevin spent the night before the wedding trying to figure out his love life.
Our TV Fanatics Christine, Laura, and Jack discuss the details of the events of This Is Us Season 6 Episode 13 and This Is Us Season 6 Episode 14.
Read on for our takes on how well Philip fits into the family, Kevin and Sophie’s reconciliation, and more.
How does Philip seem to be fitting in with the Pearsons so far, from what little we’ve seen at the wedding?
Christine: From the moments we’ve seen, he fits in seamlessly. Philip makes Kate happy, and he’s there for her. I think that’s all the rest of the family needs to know to accept him.
Laura: I love how well Philip meshes with the rest of the Pearsons. They seem to appreciate that he makes Kate happy.
Jack: I was sold on Philip when he admitted to Randall privately that he was worried about Rebecca singing but didn’t want Kate to know. He adores Kate and fits in fine with the other Pearsons.
Do you think Miguel’s hand tremors and high blood pressure are all due to stress over caring for Rebecca now that her cognitive decline has advanced, or does he have a serious illness of his own?
Christine: This could go either way, but I’m hoping it’s just stress and medication-induced.
But this was a stark reminder that, while Miguel is always there for Rebecca, there is no one there for Miguel. The Big 3 never seem to ask if Miguel needs help or what they can do to make things easier on him.
Laura: I’m hoping it’s stress range age-related. Neither of them is young anymore, and Miguel has been Rebecca’s main caregiver since her illness began.
Jack: I’m worried. So far, Miguel hasn’t been in the flash-forward to Rebecca’s deathbed, and with Rebecca making Kate her proxy if Miguel predeceases her, I’m concerned he may not make it. But I hope it’s just stress-related.
Did the little Big Three flashbacks add to the story, or would you rather have focused more on the present/future this time?
Christine: Sometimes, the flashbacks add to the story, but they felt unnecessary in this episode. With so few installments left, I want every single scene to count and give me something new!
Laura: I appreciate seeing Jack and Rebecca and how she wanted to live life to the fullest, but the flashbacks did feel unnecessary.
Jack: I always enjoy the flashbacks. The show isn’t the same when it’s only focused on the present or future, so I loved that they included a small storyline for the younger Big Three this time.
Were you surprised that Randall was unaware of how much Rebecca’s disease had progressed?
Christine: No. Randall lives on the opposite coast and was just involved in a political campaign that must have taken up much of his time. Plus, the wedding threw off Rebecca’s normal routine, which tends to make symptoms of mental decline more obvious.
Laura: No, Randall lives far away, so he’s not in touch with how it had affected Rebecca.
Jack: Randall is on the other coast, but considering how overinvolved he was before, it was somewhat jarring to see that he’d let go to the point that he wasn’t aware of how far Rebecca’s disease had progressed.
Kevin ended up with Sophie after all, despite her not wanting to move backward with him. Are you thrilled, disappointed, or in between?
Christine: I didn’t go into this episode rooting for Kevin and Sophie, but I was happy with the ending.
Kevin and Sophie have loved one another their entire lives but couldn’t make it work. Now, they’re both single and more mature. They know what they want in their lives, and it’s great to see them happy and choosing one another.
Laura: I’ve always had a soft spot for Kevin and Sophie, so I was very happy with the ending. They’ve loved each other since they were kids but never had the timing right.
This is Us likes to play with first love (i.e., Jack and Rebecca and Randall and Beth). However, Kevin and Sophie really did have a storybook romance. Hopefully, the third time is the charm now that they have grown up.
Jack: I’m in the minority here, but I was incredibly disappointed.
These two have already had two failed attempts at marriage, and I was thrilled when Sophie told Kevin she thought hooking up again would be a mistake. I thought it would have been a much more satisfying ending for Kevin and Sophie to part as friends and for Kevin to fall for someone completely new instead of holding on to a dream of a past relationship.
Did the entire hour being centered on Kevin’s escapades work for you, or would you have preferred something else?
Christine: This worked for me. It’s clear each character will have at least one episode focused on them in this final season, and I’m good with that.
Kevin has been such a screw-up when it comes to love, and he desperately wanted to get this right but was so lost on how to do that. It was good to see him debate all of his options to get to where and with whom he wanted to be.
Laura: It worked for me too. We need to see centrics of all the major characters, and it was fun to see how Kevin realized that Sophie was always the one.
Jack: It worked, but I thought it could have been blended in with Kate’s wedding the week before so that we’d have more time for other stories as the series wraps up.
What did you think Randall was trying to say with his analogy about the Buffalo Bills?
Christine: Heck, if I know! What was that?
I think it was supposed to be something about how life doesn’t work out the way you plan and sometimes makes no sense, but you have to go for it anyway. If someone else has figured this one out, I’d love to hear their explanation.
Laura: No idea! That was a weird speech. I think he meant they made sense.
Jack: I’m glad I’m not the only one who had no idea what Randall was trying to say! I think he was trying to say something that fails at one time can succeed at another? I don’t know.
Considering that Rebecca thinks Sophie and Kevin are still 20 years old and married, did it make sense to you that her words to Sophie helped Sophie decide to give Kevin another chance?
Christine: Rebecca’s concept of time is fluid right now. Her brain isn’t processing things correctly.
When she saw Sophie and Kevin looking happy, she remembered them as young newlyweds. When she saw Sophie looking depressed, she flashed to their divorce.
But Rebecca telling Sophie she knew younger Kevin was an idiot was oddly sweet. And Sophie needed to hear that Rebecca believed that Kevin would one day become the man she needed him to be.
Laura: While it’s sad watching Rebecca lose time, I loved that she knew Sophie was the one.
I loved her chat with Sophie and how even Rebecca knew Kevin made mistakes but would grow up, and they would find each other again.
Jack: It was a bittersweet moment, to be sure. Rebecca was herself but not herself. I didn’t think it was a great idea for Sophie to pursue Kevin based on Rebecca’s advice.
Which “date” did you enjoy the most? Sophie, Cassidy, or the wedding singer?
Christine: I loved that Cassidy reiterated to Kevin that they weren’t each other’s “person.” They make fantastic friends. They’ve inspired one another to be better people, but a romance wouldn’t be good for either of them.
I wanted to hug Cassidy at that moment. Also, it’s great to see she’s gotten to such a good place in her life. She deserves that.
Laura: I loved Kevin and Sophie’s date while they hunted for a dress for her. I appreciated that she confided she used to have to get dresses from the cleaners.
Jack: I also loved that Cassidy told Kevin that he was not her person. I was glad she had the self-respect to do that and that she saw clearly that Kevin was using her as a rebound.
This is the second time she has told him this, and I’m glad it stuck this time.
Address anything else not covered in these questions.
Christine: Kevin and Sophie have a lot of details to work out, and I hope we get answers to some of those questions in the final few episodes.
Will Sophie continue to be a traveling nurse, or will she choose to settle down in LA with Kevin? Will the two of them decide to have children, or is Sophie content to be stepmother to Kevin’s twins?
Given her nursing background, will Sophie help with Rebecca’s care or leave that to Miguel and the rest of the family. I’m curious to see how Kevin and Sophie’s relationship plays out moving forward.
Laura: I agree with Christine that Kevin and Sophie have lots to work through. I hope we’ll see her by his side through the rest of these episodes.
Jack: I was wondering about Sophie’s travels too. I was wondering how Sophie felt about being one of Rebecca’s caregivers. I am curious whether she and Kevin will have children of their own too.
What was your favorite scene, quote, or storyline from this week’s This Is Us?
Christine: Rebecca telling Sophie that she knew Kevin was an idiot made me laugh. And Kevin was an idiot, but he always had the potential to be better, and Rebecca and Sophie both knew that.
Thankfully, Kevin finally got to where he needed to be.
Laura: I appreciated the Valentine’s Day card. It was such a Jack move. Kevin is a born romantic like his dad.
Jack: I loved Nicky and Kevin’s conversation in the hallway. And Nicky wanting to tell everyone his and Edie’s plans for that ice was so Nicky!
Your turn, This Is Us fanatics. Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know your answers to these questions.
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This Is Us airs on NBC on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST / PST.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.