This Is Us Review: Flip a Coin (Season 4 Episode 4)

In a rare move for the series, This Is Us Season 4 Episode 4, “Flip a Coin,” looks to the lighter side of things to bring us a few good laughs.

It’s certainly unprecedented, given how well This Is Us does crippling despair and heartbreak.

But with a cast of hidden comedians and impeccable timing, some lighthearted humour is something we desperately need to see more of from this series.

The sass is strong with this episode.

Before This Is Us even has the chance to kick-off this latest episode, it’s characters are already running their mouths. Personally, I couldn’t ask for a better reintroduction into the Pearsons’ world.

Gregory continues to prove his delivery is unmatched as he mocks Kate’s baby singalong class with that signature deadpan tone.

Randall and Carol, played by the always lovely Phylicia Rashad, are another comedic duo worth highlighting here. Their borderline dislike for each other leads to some rather funny outbursts from Randall as he attempts to take charge and some quippy comments from Carol.

If this isn’t the most accurate representation of a son and mother in law relationship, I don’t know what is.

The decision to introduce Malik to Randall is a clever one as This Is Us continues to keep things on the lighter side with this latest installment.

I admire the orchestration of the scene between Randall and Malik. Having the baby word quietly slip from Malik’s mouth as he charms Randall gives the audience a minute to catch up and settle in for Randall’s reaction before chaos erupts.

The riveting saga of whether it’s a dead possum or a dead possum family living in Beth’s dance studio frames the reveal nicely with even more humour. I’m glad Beth gets to join in on the fun with that beautifully delivered possum line.

The comedic timing of a scene that relies mostly on silence to deliver really makes this Babygate scandal worth the wait.

I will always welcome a visit from the teenage Big Three. However, I can’t help but feel like their presence during this episode is misplaced at times.

The constant interchanging storylines is not new territory for this series and nailing those transitions is nothing new either.

However, the seamless timelines the last two episodes have looked to construct turns bumpy with an added Kate storyline that has nothing to tether itself to present-day Kate. Throw in another past version of Kate and it’s honestly too many Kates to keep track off — let alone enjoy.

It’s a touch overwhelming to follow Kevin’s Manny flashbacks, Randall’s attempt to win Beth back, and Kate’s hunt for a new CD collection while still finding the time to enjoy living in these moments.

This Is Us may have bitten off more than it can chew with this one. And with plenty more time this season to give us all these little feel-good moments, I don’t quite understand the need to bunch these scenes together when they clearly don’t work together effortlessly.

That being said, these misplaced moments in the timeline still manage to convey their own separate and important messages to viewers. These scenes are nothing less than great on their own, it’s just disappointing to see them all bide for the same spotlight.

I love the nineties vibes Kate and her grunge aesthetic are giving off. I mean is there anything that screams teenage 90s nostalgia more than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and falling in love with a boy you met in a record store?

I also love the small moment Kate has with Rebecca when she chooses to sacrifice her opportunity to buy the music she likes for her mother’s own happiness. It’s an incredibly sweet moment for a mother-daughter duo that desperately needed it.

Kevin reflecting on Manny ending opens up the door for proper flashbacks. The first few glimpses into that part of Kevin’s life seems confusing when we could be in the present with him and Cassidy.

By the end, however, This Is Us works its magic and pulls a defining moment for Kevin out of seemingly nowhere. Learning that Kevin is the reason the Manny changed from a hopeless comedy to a heartfelt series is inspiring and a testament to the new side of him we continue to see untangle from the “douchebag Hollywood” persona he held onto for so long.

There’s a new Big Three in town.

It seems only fitting that with the other three struggling to find their place, Kevin and his new posse would feel right at home.

Kevin, Cassidy, and Nick manage to make the tedious act of shopping for RVs feel absolutely riveting. Each of these three people has lived separate but equally heartbreaking lives. So it’s kind of fascinating to see their personalities mesh together so well despite still coming to terms with the fact that no individual has had a worse go than the other.

I can already see the makings of this healing partnership as Kevin offers to help Cassidy mend fences with her husband and Cassidy helps Nick find his Sally. It gives these broken characters purpose as they lean on each other for support — but not without some much needed back talk.

And I’m glad Kevin agreed to help Cassidy win her husband back, his face void of anything but a determination to help his new friend. Romance is cute and all, but unconditional male and female friendships are a commodity I wouldn’t dare balk at.

Thrown together by circumstance and forced to begrudgingly become friends is just as good as any other trope.

This Is Us continues to navigate this new world with its head held high.

“Flip a Coin” is the ride-along buddy comedy we didn’t know we needed until now with infusions of inspiration and heartbreak to keep itself grounded.

If every episode of This Is Us could be this fun maybe we wouldn’t have to keep investing so many tears into this show.

Here’s hoping the Pearsons remember to laugh more often.

What did you think of this episode of This Is Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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