This Is Us (6×01) The Challenger Review

For our review of the last episode of This Is Us, click here.

Synopsis: The Big Three celebrate their 41st birthday. (IMDB)

We are back ladies and gentlemen! This Is Us has officially begun its final season, and suffice to say, I am not ready for any of it. I remember when it was Season 2 and I was already dreading the end, and now just a few years later, here we are.

The Challenger opens up with a flashback of the Pearson Big Three celebrating their birthdays over the years including the launch of the ill-fated Challenger launch, the day they were born, and then bringing us back to the present, their 41st birthday.

Let’s start with Rebecca’s story line in this episode, which truly broke my heart. There is a huge focus on her mental health, particularly the decline of her memory. It’s tough to see her get lost in her thoughts and then try to recall memories of the past. While out with Miguel, Nicky, and Kate and Toby’s kids, Rebecca recalls a childhood memory where she was on the train with her dad. Sadly, she can’t remember the very final piece of it, and that haunts her throughout the entire episode. Until the very end, of course.

This Is Us ties in with the Big Three learning about Rebecca’s mental state in the present with how they each reacted to the news of the Challenger explosion in the past. It’s a very clever way to see how these guys haven’t changed much since they were kids, and how Rebecca has always known them the best.

After watching the Challenger explode on live television, Rebecca and Jack attempt to talk to the kids about what happened. Young Kate has the most logical understanding of it while Kevin seems to completely disregard what happens as “made up” because it was on television. Randall, the sweetheart of the three, views the situation from the perspective of the children who lost their parents. He even asks Rebecca if she could possibly send over some mac & cheese to the kids who may not be getting dinner tonight. Oh, my delicate heart, how sweet is that?!

Watching the explosion, however, does ignite the fear and idea of death in their minds. Even young Kevin had that realization as she told young Kate that their parents would die one day. It’s a dark and grim thought from a young kid, but one that could not be more true.

In the present, Kate is dealing with Toby’s absence. If viewers recall, he took a job up in San Francisco and they are just figuring out how to manage. Even though he is not there for her birthday, he sets up an at-home massage and makes sure the kids are taken care of by Rebecca and Miguel. It’s all very sweet but she’s used to Toby’s in-person grand gestures, which, don’t worry, he comes through with at the end by showing up at home and surprising Kate.

The return of Phillip this time around comes with a strange feeling knowing in the future he and Kate apparently get married. So, that means Toby and her get divorced at some point, and then Kate moves on. It all makes sense based on the flash-forwards we have seen, but it is still heartbreaking. Anyway, Phillip gets Kate to show up at school under the guise of an emergency, but really all the kiddos have secretly prepared for a birthday performance for her. It’s quite possibly the cutest thing ever.

Randall is seen dealing with the arraignment of the man who broke into their home. It has been a bit of a time since then but he has been dealing with the repercussions of it ever since. He decides to go to the arraignment, but his heart melts when he learns the guy who broke in was helpless and confused. Instead, he bails the guy out and offers to help him at the shelter. Sadly, the guy doesn’t show up at the shelter, but Randall is also more eager to help people in his community.

And then there’s Kevin. He’s been living in Madison’s garage ever since they decided not to get married. He wanted to be near the kids so that was the arrangement he thought was best. They seem to be great at co-parenting, that is until Kevin comes to drop off the kids and sees Madison hanging out with a guy from book club. It rattles him enough to make the decision to move out of the garage. He heads to Kate’s place, but I’m sure we’ll see some changes in the coming days.

In terms of work, he decides that he’s going to take up an offer he got to do The Manny reboot. Work hasn’t been so easy and he’s been going back and forth to Vancouver for random roles. This way he can stay close to the kids too. We’ll have to see how this turns out but as Kate pointed out, their lives have improved for the better over the last few years, and they will continue to!

I’m so excited This Is Us is back and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for us for the final season (I’m not ready!).

Check out my TV blog to read reviews, recaps, and much more! Be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and like my Facebook page! @watchwithreebs

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, follow us on Instagram, and also like us on Facebook.

Ariba Bhuvad