Us Review: Episode 2 (Season 1 Episode 2)
Douglas continues his mission to find Albie and make things right again on Us Episode 2. He soon discovers that making things right may not always look like what he pictures in the end, serving up a bittersweet yet fitting ending for the Petersen family.
The flashback to the story of how they lost their baby girl is heartbreaking. It leads to a devastating, revelatory conversation as Douglas shares his thoughts about the loss with Freja as they share an evening.
An instant connection continues to grow as he shares more about what’s felt like an unspoken secret until this point with Freja.
Courtesy of Drama Republic and MASTERPIECE
Their conversation about losing Jane is interesting in that the usual expectation is that a tragedy pulls partners apart because of deep-seated resentments. But here, Douglas believes it kept them together for as long as they were.
Iain De Caestecker and Gina Bramhill do a phenomenal job of conveying the gut-wrenching grief in such a brief period in the flashbacks.
Younger Connie: The trouble with going away is you have to come back.
Douglas’ determination to find Albie and unwillingness to give up is so heartachingly sweet and makes his reunion in Spain even more emotional.
Their conversation at the steps in Barcelona is tear-inducing as Albie finally hears the words he’s been waiting for from his father for such a seemingly long time. It’s the beginning of a beautiful sort of redemptive arc for their relationship that plays through the end.
Tom Hollander and Tom Taylor do lovely work throughout the second hour playing the slow, tenuous growth between father and son as Douglas learn the art of keeping close but letting go.
It remains impressive how immersed in this family’s life you can get in the span of 4 hours in a way that leaves you feeling for everything they go through, from the heartbreaks to their triumphs to their small steps towards the closeness they wanted.
Us’ bittersweet ending feels honest and right in the face of a couple that has grown apart. It doesn’t stop from triggering the tears as Connie and Douglas divide the house up and pack up the last 25 years of their life together and begin their move on towards the newest chapter.
For editorial use only. Courtesy of Drama Republic and MASTERPIECE.
I’ve never seen such an amicable divorce depicted with both partners so absolutely devoted to supporting each other, and it’s honestly refreshing, especially when Connie shares with him that she didn’t regret a single moment of their lives together.
The closing shots of the Petersens at Albie’s art show, the trio happy with their lives as they are now, is a lovely uplifting note to leave the family on as they embark on whatever life has in store for them.
Random Thoughts
- The fact that Douglas wasn’t robbed when he passed out in the square in a busy city feels a little far-fetched to me.
- The backdrop of the Petersen family’s journey back towards each other is stunning.
- “I’ve been mugged by jellyfish”
- The near-death experience by Portuguese Man O War is new and one of the most traumatic.
What did you think of this episode of Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Make sure to catch Us on PBS.
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Brianna Martinez
Brianna spends her time away from briefs, legal research, and pleadings, watching TV and writing about it. She generally has a lot of feelings about TV, which you can read about here and on Twitter.