This Is Us 4x11 "A Hell of a Week: Part One" Episode Review
Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.
I’m glad the series is bringing back the trilogy episodes. The last time they did this format was in season two. My favorite episode with Kevin Pearson was created, so trilogies do work… however Kate also got a centric episode, and I don’t remember enjoying that all that much. Maybe since the show is starting with Randall, Kate’s storyline might not be so bad… especially since we’re getting answers on this bad boyfriend of hers.
Kevin might also endgame with Sophie at this point. I don’t know how I feel about it, but I do want her to come back to fully resolve whatever needs resolving in present day. I hope Kevin slept with Sophie in that cliffhanger. Bringing in a new love interest seems unlikely.
Back to Randall-centric episode review:
The episode starts with flashbacks dedicated to Randall’s inability to deal with fear until Jack basically tells 3-year-old Randall to not be as problematic as his brother and sister. It stuck with Randall, what Jack said, well into his college days. Randall had to be strong on behalf of everyone else. Then, he was close to getting help during college, thanks to Beth, but ends up leaving because he needed to help Kate with the stupid boyfriend. We’ll get answers about that probably in the Kate-centric episode.
All those flashbacks build to Present Day Randall face-to-face with an intruder holding a knife. Randall is rattled but tosses the man his money, declaring he won’t let the intruder get pass him. In addition, Randall bluffs and says the intruder set off their security alarm. The intruder grabs the money, and runs out of there before the cops show up.
Everything is too much for Randall, but he keeps moving anyway. The new security system, job obligations, and hard time sleeping through the night. Kevin also calls Randall, and Randall has to lie to Kevin about the airport and their mother ‘s issues.
After that brother scene, Beth notices her jewelry is missing from their bedroom. Randall freaks out and realizes the intruder had been upstairs after all.
Randall tells the police not to sweep upstairs, and tries to keep his head together after the whole thing. The suppressed anxiety problems building up inside + smiley facade were brilliantly portrayed by Sterling K. Brown. I was feeling his intense lack of control the whole time.
Beth wants the two of them to clear their schedules so they can figure this shit out. She recognizes that Randall might have another breakdown.
He’s also unwilling to change his work schedule which annoys Darnell, Malik’s dad, when they had a meeting about something important for the city.
However, Darnell and Randall have a heart to heart after the explosive Q&A meeting at City Hall. They talk about the intruder—Malik told Darnell about the home invasion—and how therapy is helpful in dealing with those feelings of helplessness. Randall’s idea of therapy is to literally run away from the problem, and that’s what he does afterward. I wasn’t ready for this episode at all.
Randall comes across a robber trying to steal a woman’s purse in the middle of the day. Randall hits the robber without mercy. Randall hurt his hand, but it’s the praise at the office that pushed him off the edge. He goes home, breakdown and cries and makes a call to his brother Kevin. They have an amazing heart-to-heart that reminded me why this show was one of my favorites.
The cliffhanger is that Kevin had slept with another woman. I’m hoping it’s Sophie, but it could be someone else. We shall see in this upcoming Kevin-centric episode. I’m excited!