This Is Us Review: The Trip (Season 1 Episode 9)
Milo Ventimiglia is something out a dream.
His portrayal of Jack is the embodiment of masculinity combined with the tenderness of a warm soul, which could not be more evident than in This Is Us Season 1 Episode 9, “The Trip.”
In light of an exposed secret that jeopardizes Randall and Rebecca’s relationship, this week’s episode largely centers on Randall’s relationship with Jack, something that has not been explored in the present day timeline up until now.
While taking a trip to the family cabin (which is now on the market) with his siblings, Randall accidentally consumes a mushroom milkshake made by one of Olivia’s uninvited hippie friends, and starts hallucinating Jack, immortalized in his 80’s self.
Jack’s appears as a guide, as a voice of reason out to help bridge Randall’s anger towards his mother by offering glimpses of empathy. Randall even has an out-of-body experience and watches a happy scene from his own childhood unfold.
These scenes are complemented by the episode’s past timeline. In the 80s, Randall’s desire to meet his birth parents grows, much to Rebecca’s dismay.
Jack on the other hand, gets it, and after receiving advice from Yvette (who I just learned is played by Sterling K. Brown’s real-life wife, Ryan Michelle Bathe), Jack wants to ensure that Randall has influence from black men in his life, because it’s important to him and his identity.
As much as Jack’s choices and point-of-view contrasts Rebecca’s, her decision to keep William a secret from both Randall and Jack is never painted as monstrous.
In fact, Rebecca’s choices are humanized in this episode.
This Is Us does a fantastic job in making Jack and Rebecca’s motives as parents sympathetic and righteous. Even if Rebecca did Randall wrong, her instincts as a mother are understandable, and to an extent, justified.
When she cries to Jack about her fears of losing Randall, it is gut-wrenching. Her painful visit with young William, played phenomenally by Jermel Nakia, exemplifies what could go wrong if she allows him to meet Randall. They will grow close, and William might have a legal hand in taking Randall back.
Later, Jack enrolls Randall in a martial arts class, which is full of young black boys just like Randall. Part of the initiation process is to have Jack do push-ups with Randall clinging to his back, as a way of uplifting his son by literally holding him up.
It is one of the show’s most poignant and lasting images as it illustrates strength, selflessness, and the kind of love that I’d imagine is sacred to parenthood. The scene encapsulates everything Jack and Rebecca have done for Randall.
This powerful connection is what allows Randall to make a small step towards Rebecca, acknowledging that the secret must have eaten away at her.
Apart of the scenes mentioned above, I wasn’t very impressed with the rest of the episode. The cabin scenes — save for when Kate and Kevin tell Olivia off — are a bit stilted and awkward.
I know we probably need to see Olivia be a massive jerk so that Kevin could have the realization about her, but she ruins the mood of the episode by being her entitled self. Nestling into her hippie ex right in front of Kevin? Super jerk move.
What did Kevin see in her in the first place? A pretty face with a nice accent? Maybe she has some depth buried deep inside, but her attitude is off-putting, and it’s not enjoyable to watch.
However, one thing I did like about Olivia is that she alludes to the trajectory of Kate’s story line. What if Kate loses the weight and her insecurity issues remain? It’s an interesting question, even if it’s Olivia who poses it.
Other final thoughts:
- It’s kind of cool seeing the Big Three look at pictures or home-videos of their past selves.
- Kate was overall pretty solid in this episode. It’s clear that she loves both her brothers and looks out for them. She also starts having doubts about the surgery and tries to reach out to Toby.
- Between This Is Us and Gilmore Girls, I’d say Milo Ventimiglia wins Fall.
What did you think of this episode of This Is Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
Shabnaj Chowdhury
Shabnaj is a pop-culture enthusiast who spends much of her time enabling her coffee addiction and thinking about Jon Snow's hair. Some of her favorite shows include Friday Night Lights, The Leftovers, and Game of Thrones. Shabnaj also loves to write creative non-fiction.