The Big Three family opens episode four with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) promoting the idea to spend the whole day at the pool. Despite the triplets' excitement, Rebecca (Mandy Moore) doesn't look enthusiastic about this idea. "We just need a day to relax," Jack says to Rebecca, but tensions escalate as they try to keep the triplets under control, while facing the challenges of having responsibility for three souls that need to be nurtured. Kate's (Mackenzie Hancsicsak) weight issue is exacerbated, as she comes to grips with skinny girls' reluctance to play with her when she's wearing a bikini. The joke whether Randall (Lonnie Chavis) needs sunscreen or not isn't so funny because Rebecca feels uncomfortable to speak about Randall's adoption.
At this time, Kevin (Parker Bates) is deprived of his parents' attention, because he doesn't seem to have any obvious problems. However, the viewers witness him almost drowning in the pool, while Jack and Rebecca struggle to handle the other issues. The question is whether these challenges become overwhelming enough, that Jack and Rebecca will never be the same loving couple again. At the end, we see them resting in peace, all on the one sunbed, with Rebecca finishing her book – and this is the ending the audience wishes for the family.
In present time, Kate (Chrissy Metz) is still devastated by her weight problem, while we see Toby (Chris Sullivan) angry for the first time. He doesn't seem to handle Kate's annoyance with her weight anymore, when she follows his skinny and good looking ex-wife Josie (Natalia Cigliuti) in order to know her better. During her stalking, she calls Kevin (Justin Hartley) to explain her paranoid indulgence in scrolling down Toby's ex wife's Facebook feed. This behavior leads to Kate being employed by Toby's ex-wife, as she pretends to be seeking a job when visiting Joise's boutique. This news finally let the viewers to see Toby's real feelings, as he tells Kate about his disappointing experience with marriage: Joise cheated on him and took his life savings. The problem is, Kate is still unsure about his attachment to her, as she feels that she's not enough, especially in comparison with thin and successful Josie. For now, Toby is patient enough, as he doesn't leave the determination to build a relationship with Kate. However, her insecurity may surpass his tolerance.
As for Kevin, the viewers meet him in New York, while he's having a hard time with his first audition. The awkwardness of his introduction and attempts to read the lines almost assure everyone that he isn't getting the role. Later, Kevin bumps into his scene partner, Erin Maine (Janet Montgomery), who wasn't impressed by his performance. She takes him to have a drink and gives advice that he'd better go home and do some training in acting class. Her phone rings when she's in the middle of her slightly offensive speech – the news is that Kevin got the role. She finishes her drink and leaves the bar in an arrogant manner, leaving no doubts about her being slightly attracted by Kevin.
Meanwhile, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) expands a room for William (Ron Cephas Jones) in his family's life. And as it can be expected, his biological father induces Randall's concern about his roots. He's indignant at William being skeptical about his "blackness." "Because I grew up in a white house, you think I don't live in a black man's world," Randall says to his father, when revealing his feelings about numerous challenges he goes through to secure his family's well-being and his own composure. He mentions a notebook, where he marks every time he met a black man, while wondering if the stranger could be his father.
His son's problems make William feel sorry for his mistakes: "I did everything wrong by you," he says. And it's clear that Randall is doing right in his parenting, as his daughter is absolutely comfortable playing Snow White in the school production. The doorbell rings when William apologizes for being wrong in the past. Randall introduces William as his biological father – the gesture of his willingness to stay connected to his roots.
The episode shows our beloved characters grappling with their problems, which aroused from the background. This connection between the past and present works, as the viewers get the whole picture with complete and deep storylines able to evoke the real sympathy from the audience.
Reach Staff Reporter Mariia Kovaleva here.
Annenberg Media