This Is Us Season Finale Review: Strangers: Part Two (Season 4 Episode 18)

All is fair in love and war at a baby’s first birthday party.

This Is Us Season 4 Episode 18, “Strangers: Part Two,” celebrates one year with Baby Jack the only way this show knows how; with juicy surprises, clever time jumps, and a sibling showdown to end all showdowns — because This Is Us finales are nothing if not consistent.

Let us dive into the conclusion to a rather ambitious season of story successes and sibling squabbles, knowing this is just another normal day in the Pearson household.

This Is Us started this season with an intimate and emotional look into how everyday strangers can impact our lives. The bold new direction was arguably the reason for the season’s long-term success as the introduction of fresh meat allowed the story to push through what would have been damaging low points for our core characters.

My only complaint is that this show didn’t attempt to integrate these strangers into the second half of the season.

Thankfully “Strangers: Part Two” attempts to right this wrong by bringing back our new favs for one last hurrah. Whether it’s as momentous as Jack Jr. welcoming Hope into the family or as quick as Cassidy checking in on Nicky, seeing these characters one more time reminds us of all this season did right.

But the blatant use of these characters as plot fillers raises an important question: does This Is Us need 18 episodes to tell its story properly?

Randall and Kevin’s falling out had the potential to derail this entire finale because when it comes down to it, This Is Us does not handle conflict with the same elegance and dignity as it does its storytelling.

Defying those odds, the Pearson brothers deliver an over the top sibling squabble with killer blows and pity jabs. It’s an ugly mess of a fight that is by no means elegant or dignified. Yet it’s the most realistic conflict the series has yet to introduce.

Siblings fight and sometimes they say things that can’t be taken back. That’s a realistic element of any family relationship and it is on full display as Kevin and Randall keep at each other until one of them takes it too far. The moment Randall comes for Kevin with Jack’s death, you can feel the atmosphere shift and the dialogue slip into a place of pettiness.

Randall and Kevin don’t need to fight over Rebecca’s diagnosis but with Randall going behind Kevin’s back to push Rebecca to do the trial, it is an inevitable course of action for their story.

I’m by no means happy to see a relationship fall to ruins but witnessing This Is Us go for the throat and not once make it feel like anything less than a realistic sibling brawl is commendable. It also demonstrates to the audience that this show is still capable of growth.

Regardless of where your allegiance lies after that nasty fall out, you should be all in on Kevin Pearson.

He has shown immense growth over the course of four seasons, transitioning from damaged Hollywood goods to the vulnerable underdog of the Pearson clan. He is one of the few characters this season that has benefitted from the strangers’ storyline and has brought a likeability to every relationship he has cultivated along the way.

A baby surprise from Madison, while inevitable, should have easily derailed his progress. Instead, Kevin’s choice to go all-in on family and embrace the miracle they have been given feels like the right way to continue this character’s journey.

This Is Us uses the momentum of Kevin’s current storyline to enrich the use of future timelines. This new future brimming with wedding bands, twins, and promising embraces between brothers is elevated by Kevin’s success this season.

The future of this show is looking rather bright thanks to Kevin and Madison’s little mishap.

It’s hard to top Dr. K’s iconic lemons speech — in fact, it is nearly impossible.

Yet This Is Us continues to surprise us during this finale with another kickass speech from the doctor about allowing the tragedies and the triumphs to cozy up to each other; to allow the good and the bad to co-exist.

We can always count on Dr. K to tell us exactly what we need to hear.

Dr. K: So, you’re having some trouble thinking about the child that you’ve lost, and you thought the old man might have some words of wisdom.
Jack: That’s about it.
Dr. K: I did the one about the lemons already, right?

And we can always count on Jack to celebrating the gift of life in his birthday suit.

Yes, this finale gives us a number of joyous throwbacks to the good old days, including a cameo from the terrible towel. The finale also gives us an important callback to Kyle, the triplet Rebecca lost at birth.

Kyle is hardly ever mentioned, so it’s refreshing to see Rebecca and Jack tackle the difficult discussion head-on and with such a gripping honesty from both grieving parents. 

While Kevin and Rebecca have fought their way to a proper character redemption arc this season, it seems Kate is still stumbling to find her stride. She had some truly lovely moments this season with her neighbour Gregory and with Rebecca on their weekend retreat.

But between the gross Marc storyline that resolved itself abruptly and Kate’s lack of presence in the debate between Kevin and Randall over what to do with Rebecca, it seems like her place in the Pearson patriarchy is dismal these days.

One thing is clear from this season, This Is Us doesn’t know what to do with Kate Pearson.

Kate, who has expressed concern in her mother’s sudden change of heart, really should be present for the discussion. And while it is a disappointment to see her go off on some secret side mission with Toby, the adoption surprise is arguable a nice touch.

Any excuse to have Adelaide Kane (of Teen Wolf and Reign fame) join this motley crew is a good one. I also believe going forward this extra incentive will not only have positive effects on the use of future baby Jack and Hailey but it will finally give Toby and Kate content we can work with.

From Nicky’s white baby sneakers to Toby’s narration of the Big Three in their natural habitat, there are plenty of little moments to wrap ourselves up in.

This season finale does a wonderful job of tying up loose ends from the dozens of storylines introduced this season and reiterates the prominent role Rebecca Pearson will continue to play in her children’s story post-Jack.

In a time of uncertainty for many TV series, it’s reassuring to know we can always bet on the success of This Is Us.

What did you think of the Season 4 finale of This Is Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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This Is Us will return in the fall of 2020.

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