This Is Us (2016–…): Season 4, Episode 18 - Strangers: Part Two - full transcript

Previously on This Is Us...

Uh, he's here.

It's a boy.

He's really, really small.

Ladies and gentlemen, Jack Damon.

I'm pregnant.

Lucy, oh, my God.

I'm not gonna do that trial, Randall.

Well, Mom, whatever you want
to do, that's what we'll do.

I'm gonna ask you for something now.

Mom, you have to do this clinical trial.



Okay.

Anything?

Nothing.

They'll want to induce soon.

You're only a few days late.

What can I do?

I'm good, baby.

This one, however, has another request.

Anything in particular?

Hmm...

Everyone always wants to hear the hits.

Mm-hmm.

♪ Can one wrong turn ♪

♪ Give me new direction? ♪



♪ Can one false move ♪

♪ Bring me one true friend? ♪

♪ Could a stranger ever end up ♪

- ♪ Being you? ♪
- Whoa.

- Whoa...
- ♪ We took it back ♪

Whoa, son.

♪ In all directions... ♪

Whoa! Whoa!

How much you pay for that thing?

He was free.

Paid too much, you ask me.

♪ Is there a message ♪

♪ A pathway, something more? ♪

... incredible distribution of light.

But I'll give you a
moment to think about it.

♪ Oh, in the quiet way ♪

♪ You caught my eye ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ I got enough... ♪

Why, hello, Hailey.

I was just wondering if you've given

any thought to the question
I posed to you yesterday.

Zach, you're a really great guy.

I mean, you're probably
my... best friend.

Can you get the pencils
out of your nose, please?

But I think...

that us going on a date right now

would be a really bad idea.

You're hung up on that guy, aren't you?

Your famous big shot one-night stand?

At least tell me who it
is. Is it a movie star?

Not someone too old for you.

Oh, my God.

- Is it Leo?
- Zach...

Welcome to the Kohn Gallery.

It's a movie star.

Jack?

That song is so good.

Aw, thanks, boo.

That's sweet of you to
say after all this time.

Like, it's so good, I
think you just made me

start having contractions.

Jack?

Yep, I'm coming.

Suit's on?

Yes, ma'am.

Your birthday suit.

- Only one I've got.
- All right.

That is an incredibly bulky bathrobe.

If you think that I'm gonna
stand in front of you naked

in the daylight

a year after giving birth
to multiple children...

Them is the rules.

Well, the rules have
changed. Have a cupcake.

Yeah, but I don't want a cupcake.

I want...

Oh, God.

Well, maybe next year, slugger,
'cause it's their birthday, too,

and... they can't
really be ignored. Sorry.

All right, one-year-olds,
Mommy's comin'.

Okay, Bug, so now that the cake has set,

we are gonna lay in the second layer

- of frosting.
- All right.

We really need a full-on
three-layer birthday cake

for this guy, huh?

I'm pretty sure Jack would be happy

mainlining sugar right off the counter.

- Yeah, it's tradition, Toby.
- Yeah.

Okay? It's the Big Three.
There's three layers.

Uh-huh.

Well, Jacky Boy, it
looks like it's three times

the sugar rush for you.

- Oh, that looks amazing, hon.
- Da-da-da, no.

Jack, it's Mommy. Hi.

Hey, when do, uh,

Randall and the girls get in?

I don't know.

Um, later today.

But we probably won't see them
till the party tomorrow, so...

And remember, we're doing cake
and presents early tomorrow,

'cause, uh, in the afternoon...
I'm not gonna say what it is.

- Right.
- But it's a... kind of a special...

Well, it's a secret thing
just for the three of us.

Yeah.

I thought that you
were intermittent fasting.

What happened to that?

Well, Miguel needs frosting.

Oh, they don't care
about our secret thing.

No, they most certainly do not.

- Okay.
- But Jack does.

Don't you?

It's exciting!

What?

Or, "Hey, nephew. Good morning.

Glad to hear from you".

What?

Look, I was just calling to say
that I got your gift for Jack.

Well, least I could
do. You did, after all,

get me a luxury mobile home.

I mean, I got him a...

I got him those dopey white
sneakers you always wear,

you know, with the green backs on them.

Only, you know, in baby size.

Yeah, the Stan Smiths. Very thoughtful.

Which, by the way, you can just return

and get something better, if you want.

I mean, it's no skin off my ass.

Nicky, they are perfect.

Yeah, I thought they
were kind of cute, too.

You know, for...

- a baby, not a grown man.
- Okay.

Oh, you know, there
are billboards of you

all over town.

I think it's an ad for your nipple?

Uh, it's a cologne ad,
okay? And people love it.

Hmm. Well, it always makes me laugh.

I think 'cause I know you.

All right, listen, I got
to get into this meeting.

But, hey, tomorrow is
my, uh, one-year sober.

My one-year is also Jack's birthday.

Oh?

Thought you might want
to congratulate me.

I'll congratulate you tomorrow.

Okay. Well, I do miss your gentle touch.

Have a good meeting.

Thank you.

Gonna miss you so much.

I think you're just scared to
take your first plane flight.

Also that, yeah.

Impressionable children coming through.

Keep it clean, people.

Hey, Beth! Come on, let's go!

Okay!

Sorry, sorry. You know black don't pack.

Is that a thing?

I don't know, I just came up with it.

Are the doors locked?

- Gonna set the alarm.
- Yep.

Got Mom some travel
books about Saint Louis.

She's gonna be there for nine months.

- She can get her barbecue on.
- Mm-hmm.

What'd you say?

I said, "Mm-hmm".

It's... it's a noise.

Yeah, it's a noise that you make
any time I bring up my mom

going to Saint Louis.

Set the alarm.

All right, we got 30 seconds

before this place self-destructs.

- Let's hit it!
- Hey, Beth, do you not think

the clinical trial is a good idea?

I think that your mom made her decision.

I think the tactics you used
to get her to change her mind

are... "mmm".

I mean, did she even tell your brother

that she changed her mind?

Because that's... that's
gonna be something.

I think she's planning
on telling all of us

once we get out there.

Don't say, "Mmm".

Look, I just hope you
know what you're doing.

- But you usually do, so...
- Mm.

All right?

- Let's go!
- Ah...

Just 'cause you're
cute. That's all it is.

Alarm set.

- "Abigail" for a girl?
- Hmm.

They call her Abby,
rhymes with "scabby",

and she has a terrible life.

We should have just learned the sex.

It would have eliminated
half the awful options.

No, it'll come.

We both wanted it to
be a surprise, remember?

You're right.

Jack.

We're having a baby today.

We're having a baby today.

Okay, how we doing?

You ready to get this little
girl out into the world?

Yeah.

Oh, hey, bud.

Hey, it's okay.

Check out this cake that Mom made, huh?

You okay?

I'm fine.

Go. And he is...

He's in. Look at him.

- Look at your shoes.
- That's quite handsome.

All right, go show 'em
off. Go show off your kicks.

All right.

Hey.

Hi.

- Excuse me, ma'am, but your husband here
- Jackie, look at those shoes.

has been "oogling" me all day.

Is it "oogling" or "ogling", by the way?

- Ogling.
- You sure?

- No.
- Huh.

All right.

Okay, that's my cue.

I'm gonna go house some cake.

All right.

We haven't really got a
chance to talk since New York.

So...

Randall, I know that you just
wanted what's best for Mom.

And I also know that you
wouldn't have asked her

to do that trial if you hadn't done

an insane amount of research.

I mean, like, Claire Danes in Homeland

insane research.

I get that, but...

I want you to know
where I'm coming from.

You know? I just...

Mom is in a really good place right now.

She's here with her family.

It's what she wants.

It's what's best for her.

Congrats, by the way.

What?

One year.

Thank you.

Does Baby Jack have
an adorable outfit change,

you ask?

Uh, do skunks smell?

Hmm?

Ladies, shall we?

Thanks, girls.

Um...

Guys, so I have, um...

I have a little bit of an announcement.

Uh...

Oh, damn.

I think I left my thing
in the... That's odd.

Um...

I know in New York I told you boys

that I was looking forward to enjoying

however much time I have left.

But Miguel and I have
been doing the research,

and...

I have decided to do

the clinical trial.

So, three weeks from now,

Miguel and I are moving to Saint Louis.

For how long?

It's nine months.

But-but then we're gonna be
back here with all of you.

We will come visit you
as much as we can, Mom.

- Yeah?
- Whatever it takes.

- Right, guys?
- Thank you.

- Thank you, sweetheart.
- Yeah.

Appreciate that.

This is what you want?

Mm-hmm. Yep.

It is.

Well, then yeah.

You know? Yeah, of
course. Whatever you want.

Thanks for understanding.

Of course.

Ooh.

Whoa! Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

Didn't know 7:00 a.m. was amateur hour.

Cute. 'Cause I have a faint memory

of teaching you everything you know.

Morning, baby.

Morning, Dad.

This new bay may be a lemon.

Whoa.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Whoa.

Sadie. Sadie.

It's okay.

Hi. You're okay.

It's okay. Hey. It's okay.

Hey.

Let me take him.

Come on.

I love the way he uses
color to challenge the eye.

You see? The juxtaposition
of opposing colors.

It's just... it's so compelling.

- If you'll excuse me.
- Yeah.

- Hey, will you cover for me?
- Yeah, of course.

- Okay.
- Wait, where are you going?

Is it him?

It's him, isn't it?

I just don't get it.

I mean, Mom was so sure last week.

I know.

We had this whole talk when
she came back from New York,

and she said she was excited
to spend time with Jack,

to travel.

She said "carpe diem", like,

- 12 times. It was like...
- Mm.

She didn't say anything to you, Randall?

No, she probably just
sees the clinical trial

as an investment in her future.

Oh...

A what?

- An investment in her future?
- Yeah.

Yeah.

- Question for you.
- Yeah.

Do you get progressively
weirder as you get older?

- Is that what happened?
- Of course. Yes, that's what's happening.

- He gets weirder as he gets older.
- Okay. So then when does it end?

- Course that's what's going on.
- Is it like you're gonna wake up

one day and, like, you're Steve Buscemi?

He's... That's...
Steve Buscemi is, like...

That's his baseline.

- Okay.
- When-when it comes to Randall.

- His baseline.
- Coming from you two pillars

- of normalcy over here.
- What are you talking about? We're normal.

- You guys are freaks.
- You hear that, Jack?

That's the sound of the Big
Three just teasing and laughing.

It's pretty much the most
beautiful sound in all the land.

Hey, Kate.

Hi. Sorry. Kate.

- Kate. Hi.
- Yes? Hi.

Is it time to go see
that guy about that thing?

Yes, it is time to see
that guy about our...

secret, special thing.

- Cool.
- Okay.

It's a special, secret thing
just for the three of us,

- so...
- Yeah.

Have fun with it.

Enjoy it.

Nobody cares about our
secret, special thing.

I know, babe.

I wonder what happened
to change Mom's mind.

Hmm.

Kids are all down.

Took a while,

with all that sugar
coursing through their veins.

Thank you, babe.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

I've just been thinking a lot
about their first year, Jack.

Kate's first tooth and...

Randall's first words.

Kevin's first steps.

But then I've been thinking a
lot about what his firsts

would have been, too.

Kyle.

We never even say his name.

It's like I can't...

allow my brain to go there.

I mean, I can't even bear to
watch the home movies of me

when I was pregnant,

- because that's the only image I have...
- Yeah. No, I know.

I think about him, too.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

A lot.

I just...

I didn't know if there was something

we were supposed to do.

Yeah.

I just knew that...

thinking about him made me feel sad,

and...

I-I didn't know what to do with that.

Me, too.

Hey, you up... for a ride?

Yeah?

Well, isn't this a surprise?

Come on in.

Yeah, well,

it's their birthday, and,
uh, they wanted to see you.

They couldn't shut
up about it, honestly.

Well, I do leave an impression.

Gracious, they're getting big.

Yeah.

You want out of here.

- She does.
- Mm-hmm.

Come here. I remember you, Kate.
I've known you all your life.

Okay, Jack.

Wow, do you remember this place?

Huh?

This is where you...

It's where you started.
It's where it all started.

Yeah.

Ready?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

Okay.

- Here we go.
- You made it, buddy.

The Wall of Fame.

"Yay!"

Here we go.

Ready?

Okay.

That's the picture.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

It's really strange, being back.

Yeah.

Hey, do you remember

right after you woke up?

It was just...

It was just me and you
right after the C-section.

Foggy. Not really.

Hi.

It's a boy.

How big?

He's... small,

but he has really good color and...

How big?

Two and a half.

- Two...
- He's small, Kate,

and he's... and he's not
breathing on his own yet.

But he is here.

Okay?

And I'm here.

And we're gonna get
through this together.

All right? The three of us.

I haven't been the best version
of myself this year, Kate.

And I'm sorry.

But I am still here.

The three of us... are here.

Yes, we are.

But I don't know, you know?

Your whole life has
been defined by family.

And I love that.

I-I love watching you all together.

And today, I was watching

Randall and his daughters,

I was watching you with your brothers,

I was watching all of
you, and I was thinking,

"Doesn't Jack deserve that?"

Doesn't he deserve someone
to spend his childhood with?

To lean on long after
you and I are gone?

Toby, what are you saying?

I'm saying, don't you think

our amazing little man...

... deserves a sibling?

Toby, I...

I can't get pregnant again.

I mean, not with all
the complications and...

- I know.
- ... the risks.

No. I know. I know.

But the Pearsons have a pretty
good track record with adoption,

don't they?

What?

So, you're having trouble

thinking about the child that you lost,

and you thought that the old man
might have some words of wisdom.

Yeah, that's, uh... that's
it in a nutshell.

Hmm.

I did the thing about
the lemons already, right?

You did. You did. Uh...

- A year ago today.
- Hmm. Damn.

'Cause that was a good one.

Yeah. It had a...

- sizable impact on our lives.
- Mm-hmm.

I-I think I told you last year, Jack,

that my wife and I lost our first child.

Yeah, mm-hmm.

Well, imagine me way
back then, if you can,

full of hope,

full head of hair,

expecting my first child.

I used to sing to my
wife's pregnant belly.

Never had much of a voice,
but that didn't stop me.

My go-to was, uh, "Blue Skies".

You know that one?

Uh...

♪ Blue skies smilin' at me ♪

♪ Nothin' but blue skies ♪

♪ Do I see ♪

♪ Bluebird singin' a song ♪

♪ Nothin' but blue skies ♪

♪ From now on. ♪

I sang that song every
day to my unborn child.

And then we lost that child.

For the first month after that,

my wife and I would... sit in our den

and listen to that song on
our scratchy old record player

over and over and over again.

It made us so sad.

It was like we were punishing ourselves.

Yeah.

But then one day,

my wife got pregnant again.

And to my great surprise,

I found myself singing
that very same song

to that very same belly.

And then, 25 years later,

I'd dance with my daughter
to that song at her wedding.

That song. Ah.

It made us happy, it made us sad,

it made us happy again.

The whole human experience
just wrapped up in that one...

song.

Hospitals are kind of
like that, you know.

These bizarre buildings
where people experience

some of their greatest joys and...

some of their most awful tragedies.

All under one roof.

I think the trick is...

not trying to keep...

the joys and the tragedies apart.

But you kind of got to let 'em

cozy up to one another. You know,

let 'em coexist.

Hey, Toby, our marriage
barely survived the year.

We have a son with special needs,

we have a crazy mortgage,
and adoption comes with risks.

You know? I just think
we're setting ourselves up

for a major body blow here.

Yeah, maybe being in the NICU

just made us emotionally high.

I mean, will we even really want this

once we've left the parking lot?

Probably not.

Yeah.

And I think that if you
can do that, if you can

manage to forge ahead

with all that joy and heartache
mixed up together inside of you,

never knowing which one's
gonna get the upper hand...

All right, we're out of the parking lot.

Yeah.

I still want it.

Me, too.

Well, there you have it.

Boy or girl? Boy or girl?

- Ma'am?
- It's okay.

- She's my sister.
- It's a girl.

Oh, thank God.

Let me see my niece.

Oh. Yes!

And,

well, life does have a way

of shaking out to be more beautiful

than tragic.

Not as good as the lemon thing,

but it's the best I
can do at short notice.

- It's pretty good.
- Yeah.

Come on, George. Come on.

Come on.

He was cooped up in a small pasture

with three other horses
before we found him.

You're asking him to be still
when all he wants to do is run.

Come on, George.

Little early to give up
on him, don't you think?

You haven't even given him
a chance to be himself yet.

Whoa. Come on. There you go.

You're getting too tall and too smart.

I got to shower and head to the office.

Okay.

- I love you, honey.
- Love you.

Okay.

And how are we feeling today?

Same... really.

I'll take "same" every day.

Oh, blood work looks good.

Everything seems...

Sorry.

I just still can't believe I'm here.

Uh, bulimia.

I didn't have my period for years.

They told me I'd probably
never have children.

Well...

you definitely proved them wrong.

Madison, this is your...

third appointment alone.

Is there anyone you can... ?

I haven't told anyone.

I'm, um...

I'm not close with my family, and, um,

I only have one good
friend, and I can't tell her.

I told a barista at Starbucks.

He was not invested.

And the father... ?

We barely know each other.

Actually, the only thing I
definitively know about him

is that he...

comes from a long line
of great love stories.

And this...

This would not be what he wants.

There's no way he'd...

There's no way he'd want this.

Little early to give up on him.

No?

You haven't even given him
a chance to be himself yet.

Hey, Mom.

Hey, sweetheart.

We were just about to, uh,

show Beth and the girls
Hollywood Boulevard

and the, um...

the... the footprints.

- Footprints, yeah.
- Yeah.

Did you get enough to eat?

Uh, no. Movie stars never
get enough to eat, Mom.

Have I taught you nothing?

Silly.

Mom, you know, I was really surprised

about your announcement
earlier. I just...

You-you seemed so adamant
in New York, you know.

No, I-I-I know. I, um...

I guess when I really started
to think about it, I...

Mm, I just had a change
of heart, that's all.

It's a big change of heart, though.

I think I just came to...

view it as... a-an
investment in my future.

What did you say?

Hmm? What?

That's what Randall said.

Oh.

Hey, Kevin?

Hey, Rebecca, what do
you say we get out of here

and go see those Hamptons?

- No, I...
- Rebecca.

Let's get Miguel and the
girls and just clear out. Okay?

- Hey, Miguel? Girls?
- Okay.

What'd you say to her?

- Sorry?
- Oh, no. Like hell you are.

What did you say to Mom to
convince her to go to Saint Louis?

- I have no idea what you're talking...
- Don't do that.

I did whatever I needed to do

to give our mother the
best possible chance.

You couldn't do it, huh?

You just... you couldn't let
her side with me, Randall.

Did you just say I couldn't
let her side with...

You know what, man?

- We're not doing this. Yeah.
- No, like hell we're not.

She was clear about what she wanted.

She was clear, Randall,
that whatever good time

she had left, she wanted
to spend with her family.

And whenever that good time
inevitably comes to an end,

Kevin, every one of you will regret

not having fought for more of it.

Don't do it. Don't walk away.

Randall.

Randall.

- Randall. Hey, hey.
- What, man?

- Man, take your hand off me.
- Oh, what are you gonna do, huh?

What are you gonna do, Randall?

I'm not some out-of-shape
purse snatcher.

You gonna sucker punch me?

I did what I needed to
do to help our mother.

- Okay?
- Yeah. Regardless of what she wanted, right?

Regardless of what she needed.

Who the hell is it?

- What?
- Hey.

Sorry I'm late for the party.

This is really not a good time, Madison.

Actually, it's a perfect
time. I'm taking a walk.

Randall.

What's going on?

- Where is everyone?
- This is literally

the exact definition
of "not a good time".

Kevin...

we need to talk, and...

we need to do it now,
before I lose my nerve.

Look. Just, I'm...

I'm not sure what we need to
talk about, honestly, okay?

Uh, look, you were lonely.

I get that. I was, uh, heartbroken.

And I don't know why
we have to relitigate

the whole stupid thing. I just...

- You know, we made a mistake...
- I'm pregnant, Kevin.

You're the father.

It's the question I would ask.

And... you are.

I'm sorry.

I know I am a complete stranger to you.

I am just your sister's friend.

And... I honestly
know nothing about you,

other than how much you love
your high school girlfriend.

I've decided I'm gonna
go through with this.

You don't know my medical history,

but this is kind of a miracle for me.

But I need you to know I
will not ask anything of you.

Emotionally, financially...

all of it.

You can still find the
great love story you deserve.

Madison.

I think I might pass out.

I'm just... I'm gonna...
I'm not walking away

from this conversation, okay?

- I just... I need a minute to...
- Yeah. No.

I'm sorry.

Just...

One second.

You know what, Kev, I'm not
gonna walk away from this.

- Randall, please, I can't do this right now.
- You think you know what's best

for her because you
spent a day with her?

Because you took her
to a movie premiere?

I think I know what's best
for her because she told us,

- Randall, and you took that from her.
- How dare you, man?

How dare you waltz in
here after 40 years?

- How dare...
- No, no, no. How dare I what?

How dare you pretend
that you give a rat's ass

about what anybody else
wants other than you?

You want Mom to spend
more time with the family

because you want to
spend more time with her.

You want Mom to decide with you.

- You, you, you.
- Are you kidding me right now?

- This is about me?
- Huh.

This isn't about me,
Randall. This is about you.

It's not about Mom. It's
about you wanting to save Mom.

- You have no idea.
- That's what this is about.

You have no idea what
you're talking about, Kevin.

You have no idea what it means
to actually take care of people.

Oh, yes. Oh, exactly.
Because I left, right?

Because I left and you
stayed and played martyr.

I stayed, and I took
care of our family, man.

Well, you did a good job
taking care of Dad, didn't you?

- What the hell is that supposed to mean?
- You want to do this now?

- Please. By all means.
- You want to do this now, finally, after all these years?

Let's do it. You know,
this whole narrative

that you keep spinning, this narrative

that you took care of the family,

where the hell did that come from? Huh?

- 'Cause all I know is, if I had been there,
- Mm-hmm.

I would've walked through literal fire,

and I would've pulled that man out.

Mm.

Well, Kev, I guess we'll never know,

because you weren't there.

And he died ashamed of you.

And I think... I think that's the part

that really gets you, isn't it?

The shame that he felt for you

and the pride that he felt for me.

I mean, you're not even
chasing Dad's shadow, Kevin.

You're chasing mine.

But you'll never be him
and you'll never be me,

because you'll never know what
it's like to devote yourself

to anyone other than yourself.

You'll pretend,

but it'll just be a performance.

A tired, stale performance.

Like all of your performances.

You know, I used to think the
worst thing that happened to me

was the day that Dad died.

It's the day they brought you home.

Hand to God, Randall, the worst
thing that ever happened to me

was the day they brought you home.

♪ Blue skies ♪

♪ Smilin' at me ♪

♪ Nothin' but blue skies ♪

♪ Do I see ♪

♪ Bluebirds ♪

♪ Singin' a song ♪

♪ Nothin' but blue skies ♪

- ♪ From now on ♪
- _

Hey, old man.

We got a meeting to hit.

Kevin.

♪ Never saw the sun ♪

♪ Shinin' so bright ♪

♪ Never saw things goin' ♪

♪ So right ♪

♪ Noticing the days hurrying by ♪

♪ When you're in love ♪

♪ My, how they fly ♪

♪ Blue days ♪

♪ All of them gone ♪

♪ Nothin' but blue skies ♪

♪ From now on. ♪

I'm so sick of chasing ghosts.

I'm tired of doubting myself.

I'm all in, Madison.

Whatever you need, I am all in.

How are you?

I want this.

And maybe I-I didn't think it would...

I want to be a father.

I think I'd be great at it.

Hi, Mom.

The love of my life will be my child.

Hey, Dad.

Hey, kiddo. How are you?

Children.

It's twins, Kevin.

Hey, baby.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm okay.

What's her name?

Hope.

Her name is Hope.