This Is Us Review: There (Season 5 Episode 7)

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 7, “There,” is the first episode that seems to have a solid grasp on the story it’s telling after a host of production issues continues to sabotage this season’s momentum.

This Kevin-centric episode is strategic in its deceit but never cruel in its deliberate attempt to make Kevin’s first taste of parenthood memorable.

This Is Us is there for us when we need it to be and even for the casual TV watcher, that means something.

I want to be mad at This Is Us for leading us to believe Kevin’s life was in danger just as he is about to become a father. But, sometimes you have to throw in the towel and admit when a show’s deception is called for.

The relief of finding out Kevin’s car is not the one on fire in the opening scene may very well be orchestrated, coming off the cusp of verbally begging Kevin to keep his eyes on the road for half the episode. However, it’s a breath I am happy to exhale.

The alternative allows Kevin to continue living without so much as a scratch, and gives him the opportunity to pull a man from a burning car. Not only is saving a life while rushing back to your pregnant wife a total hero move, but it forces Kevin onto a path only Jack Pearson could walk.

And it forces this series down an interesting new path as well.

We know the price of Jack’s undying dedication to his children, but that doesn’t make Kevin’s determination to be the father he put on a pedestal any less fulfilling to watch unfold.

The same could be said for the moments spent with Kevin and his father, back when playing football was the greatest of their worries.

Despite the various daddy issues and family pairings present on this show, we still don’t have a complete grasp on Jack and Kevin’s relationship. Their father-son dynamic has always been unpredictable, down to the very last fight on Superbowl Sunday.

So it’s somewhat refreshing to see them confide in each other with such vulnerability.

Kevin struggles to let his father down and Jack struggles to admit no father is perfect, not even himself. It’s a raw moment between the two that sugar coats the parts Kevin will later immortalize and demonstrates to the audience the lengths Jack went to make these illusions of his can-do spirit seem achievable.

Kevin is no doubt the star of his stand-alone episode, owning that chivalry and kindness that has all but transformed his character these past few seasons into someone we can root for.

Hartley continues to bring authenticity to this Hollywood actor that allows us to invest in his story in ways we still struggle with other central characters.

But it is Madison in the final moments of this episode that really gets to us.

She’s been stoic and strong for the majority of Kevin’s story, but when it becomes clear she has no one to confide in, we see her slowly and ever so delicately begin to break apart.

It’s not until Randall and Beth call to check-in and remind Madison she is their family now, that the emotion full hits us too.

Just as it did with Kevin, This Is Us can make us feel the confinement of Madison’s situation, only to deliver swift and unexpected solace.

We all wish we could have that phone call come when we need it the most, and I’m glad it’s Randall that comforts Madison.

Not just because it’s so out of the left-field we’re not expecting it, but because Madison now has the support of all the Big Three and she needs that win. I mean, look how well Miguel is thriving under their praise!

I also find it interesting that in such a pinnacle life moment for Kevin and Madison, their relationship isn’t romantic in the slightest. And it’s not something I find myself wanting when a platonic parenting dynamic is already working so well for them.

“There” is very much the kind of high-class baby drama we’ve come to expect from This Is Us, with the bonus of another strong Jack Pearson storyline. 

This episode feels like it’s ramping up for the birth of the next generation of Big Three.

That might be too big for one episode to tackle but the final scene could have attempted to tie off some of that momentum with one of those well-placed montage scenes.

Instead, we leave Madison and Kevin rather abruptly, and many of the finely woven storylines throughout this episode are left in the wind. It’s somewhat jarring, but it’s not entirely effective given the ability this show has to create meaningful conclusions.

Here’s hoping Kevin can find a way to be there for his family, without losing himself in the process.

—

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

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

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

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

Alicia’s Top 10 TV Comedies of 2020