This is Us (2016) s03e14 Episode Script

1 Previously on This Is Us You've always said that you wanted to finish school.
I think the time is now.
Randall, it's a struggle for me to get out of bed every morning.
It takes every single ounce of energy that I have, and then I have nothing left for the rest of the day.
Nothing.
I take office in the next few weeks, and God only knows what kind of effect that's gonna have on my family.
I'm ready to tell you what I want to do next.
I want to teach.
Kevin is newly sober, just like his father.
And he's had a really tough year.
Babe, I'm begging you, please, just pick one.
I'm gonna zoom in on that.
- Did-did you just say "just pick one"? - Stop.
Jack, come on, I'm covered in triplet spit-up.
Stop.
Bec, you realize that the camera that we choose today is gonna document the most important moments of our family's lives? You become a completely different person in this store.
You know that, right? Yeah, I do.
Radio Shack Jack.
- Radio Shack Jack? - Yeah.
Well, maybe he can tell me why we need a new video camera.
Because the old one doesn't have sound.
Okay? And there-there are things happening in the Pearson house that I think we should hear.
Look, when we're old and gray and we don't remember what we ate for breakfast, you're gonna be so happy that we've got tapes of these three at their absolute cutest.
Present moment excluded.
- Should we swap them? - Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
Come on, come on, come on.
There you go, there you go.
It's okay.
Here, sweetie, look.
Here's your sister Kate.
It's Kate right here.
Hmm.
Yeah.
- It's crazy how they soothe each other.
- Yeah.
Oh, I should've gotten that on tape.
Customer needs assistance in aisle four.
Customer needs assistance in aisle four.
Rebecca? Hey, I thought that was you.
Uh, Matt.
Matt Dixon.
Our kids went to middle school together? Oh.
Yeah, hi, Matt.
Hi.
Yeah, you were the only, uh, guy in the PTA.
Yep.
Yep.
Comes with the single-dad territory.
You need some help? Actually, yes.
Please, I I-I need a new camera for graduation tomorrow.
Actually I have two graduations tomorrow.
'Cause my other son Randall's at a different school, and he's valedictorian.
Wow.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Let's see.
Well, um I mean, I have this one right here, and I love it.
Yeah, it has a-a flip-out monitor there and a really good digital zoom.
I don't know what that means.
Sorry, my husband, he used to handle all this stuff.
Yeah.
You know, I-I've been meaning to reach out to you - ever since he - That's all right.
Thanks.
Uh Okay.
- Yeah, that looks good.
- All right.
Um well, it was very nice to see you.
And I appreciate this recommendation.
Thanks.
Hey.
Rebecca? Would you like to I don't know grab a cup of coffee or something sometime? Or you know, I-I shouldn't have Uh, I-I'm I'm gonna go pay.
Yeah, okay.
So, Tess's stuff is in turquoise marker, Deja's is in dark purple marker, Annie's is in light purple which, now that I look at it, looks a whole hell of a lot like that dark purple.
Dadgum it.
Hey, baby.
Damn, woman.
How am I supposed to keep my head on straight with you all up on this kitchen island like that? Uh-uh.
Oh, my.
Oh, goodness.
Mmm.
- Oh, okay.
- Mm-mm.
You messing with my schedule? I'm adding my dance classes because I am now a dance teacher.
Happy first day, baby.
I have beginner's ballet every Monday and Wednesday morning, and then - Yeah.
- modern three evenings a week.
- Want to use the red marker? - And Wow.
How are we gonna do this, Randall? Our schedule is already crazy.
What happens when you get sworn in next month? You'll be in a car three hours a day, and I'm teaching all these nights.
I won't be home until 9:00.
Look, we will hire someone to help out with the girls a few days a week, pick 'em up from school.
I know you were expecting me to get a higher-paying job.
No, uh, hey.
Forget about that.
We will figure out a way to make this work.
We're us.
- Beth.
- Hmm? I need you to do me a favor.
- What? - Will you knock 'em dead? - Thanks, boo.
- Yeah.
- Love you.
- Love you.
Hey, Deja.
Hey Deja, you all right? What? What are you doing? It's graduation day.
I'm the master of ceremonies, Emcee Cum Laude.
You are loud-ay.
Come on, kid.
Get out of bed.
You waited 16 years to graduate college.
It's time to celebrate.
I completed eight credits at a community college.
It's really no big whoop.
Uh, it's a big whoop.
It's a huge whoop.
Enormous.
Something we should celebrate by eating whoopie pies or having a Whoopi Goldberg marathon or - Okay.
It's just it's - Okay.
We don't need to do this whole thing.
- I want to do a whole thing.
- No.
It's me.
It's gonna be a whole thing.
Babe come on, let me celebrate you.
- No.
- Please, let me celebrate you.
- Thank you, thank you.
- Oh, please, oh, please.
- No.
- No, but if you're gonna go out there, you should probably put a robe on.
- Why? - Well Wait what? - Ah! - Mom? Hi, Bug.
Aw, congratulations.
We are throwing you a graduation ceremony over on campus.
So whoop.
Wait.
You flew across the country for this? - Mm-hmm.
- It's very sweet.
It's wildly over the top but so sweet.
I'm just sorry that Miguel couldn't make it.
But you know who is coming? He looks like Chris Hemsworth had a baby with the other Hemsworth.
Oh.
- Hey.
- Guess where I am.
Uh, you are in New York at HBO, talking to them about your documentary.
No.
They rescheduled, so I came to L.
A.
for Kate's thing.
I am on my way to your hotel.
Surprise! So, how have all your meetings been going? Steven Soderbergh was this morning, right? Yeah.
No, he's-he's ni he's great.
He's a nice guy.
You know, he's awfully chatty, though.
You know, he I literally just got back not not too long ago.
How close are you? Close.
Like ten or 15? - What room are you? - Uh, you know, here's the thing.
I was actually just on my way out the door, to be honest with you.
I'm supposed to go meet Toby and Kate to help them, uh set up for their party.
I'm running late, so maybe you should just meet me at the party.
Are you sure? Yeah, just-just meet me there.
I'll text you the address on my way over there, and, um and I can't wait to see you.
I'm looking forward to it.
- I miss you.
Love you.
- Kevin, I love you.
- Did you touch my box? - What? - How does this thing even go? - My box.
Did you open it? I I didn't even know you had a box.
Randall, isn't your graduation tomorrow? - Gonna sleep in that thing? - Lay off him.
Wow.
That's, um that's three whole words, Kate.
More than you've said to me in weeks.
Got you your cap and gown.
Kate, this is stupid.
I get that you're pissed at me, but, like, you're gonna have to talk to me eventually.
Fine.
You want to talk about it? Dad died four months ago.
And now you're going to abandon us to follow Sophie to New York to become an actor? What do you have against actors? I don't need this.
I'm not going to graduation.
Hello! Bought a video camera.
What's wrong? Kate says she's not going to our graduation.
What? Kate, sweetheart, come on.
That's crazy.
You've worked so hard to get here.
And I don't want you to regret not going I'm not gonna walk across some stage for for a thousand people to look at me, like, "Oh, there's that poor girl whose dad died.
" And, "Oh, did you hear that she has no plan whatsoever "while everyone else is going off to college and starting their lives?" I invented a drink.
It's called the Commence-Mint Cocktail.
Oh.
Soda water, agave, rum, lime and fresh mint.
So, a mojito? Just make it.
Hey, babe, who are these chairs for? Uh, your family, your friends and the other graduating students of the winter term.
- What other students? - I invited the other three students who are graduating this semester.
There's Peter, who's a chem major.
Claudia's pre-premed.
And Eduardo moved here in 1952 to escape economic persecution.
But now that his kids are grown, he has decided to reclaim the education that was ripped from him in his youth.
Wait, how old is he? Extremely.
Extremely old.
How's my beautiful graduate? Mom, come on.
I don't know.
This is very thoughtful.
It really is.
- And I'm so glad that you're here.
- Mm-hmm.
But I shouldn't be celebrating graduating college - 16 years late.
- Heyo! - There she is.
- Aha! - My God, you actually look smarter.
- Hey! - I'm glad you showed up.
- Aw.
But I do want to know why I haven't seen you all week.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Are you? Sorry.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I had, um I've had all these meetings, you know? I just kept running back and forth.
I-I I'm here now, right? - You are.
- I'm here now.
Yeah.
I'm gonna go say hi to Toby.
You look great.
- Toby.
- Yeah.
- Agave, not sugar.
- All right.
What the? Deja.
Deja, what are you doing? Hey.
Hey.
Stop.
I was on my way to get you.
What are you doing? If I didn't get out of that school, I was gonna punch a hole through a wall.
So I decided to take a walk.
All right.
I appreciate your restraint.
Now, will you tell me what's going on? So, in English class last week, we had to write these personal essays.
"Personal" as in "private.
" Okay, did you get a bad grade or something? No, no, I got a "A," but today, I get to school, and everyone's looking at me.
And all weird, like-like like they know something about me.
And it turns out they do.
'Cause Ms.
Cunningham published my essay in the school's online paper.
And now all the kids are calling me Pontiac.
Pontiac? The essay was about the time we lived in my mom's car.
And your teacher, she didn't ask you first? No.
No, she just went and did it behind my back.
Okay.
Okay Nope.
No.
Because Okay.
No, I Will you go get in the car, please? I'm gonna straighten this out.
Hey.
Ready for the graduation double feature? Wow.
First stop, Hanes Academy.
- Then on to McKinley High.
- One would think they would have these things on separate days.
Well, most families have kids that go to the same school, Mom.
Well, most families don't have a kid who's an absolute genius.
I'm looking for Ms.
Cunningham.
Oh, well, you found her.
I'm her.
That's, uh I'm Ms.
Cunningham.
It's me.
Right.
Uh, I'm Randall Pearson.
I'm Deja's dad.
Oh.
Yes, wow.
Deja is just Mortified.
She's mortified, Ms.
Cunningham.
You posted her personal essay on the Internet.
Her very sensitive, very exposing, very private personal essay that you made very public without her consent.
She trusted you.
She trusted you, and you - completely violated that trust.
- Uh - I - No, I'm not done yet.
Do you know my daughter just ran away from school because kids were calling her Pontiac? I I am so sorry.
I just, um I thought I mean, I wasn't I didn't think.
I wasn't thinking, and, um I will take the post down right now.
Um Uh the post is down.
Sorry if I made you cry.
Oh.
It's okay.
It's, um It's really not very hard.
I was just, uh, really proud of her, you know? Of how far she's come.
But I never should've published it.
It was stupid.
Um, look, I know this is probably not the best time to discuss this, but you chose to hold Deja back and have her repeat seventh grade again? Per her caseworker's recommendations.
'Cause of all the moving around she's done.
Well, she's caught up.
Very quickly.
Frankly, I think she's ready to skip right into ninth grade next year.
So she'd just, what, skip the eighth grade? And I've spoken to her other teachers, and they agree.
Wow.
All right, these are one size fits all.
Here we go.
There you are.
- Tamaño único.
Yeah, huh? - Oh, gracias.
I didn't know Toby was bilingual.
That's sexy.
Hey, Kev? Are you good? Are you okay? I mean, after everything with Nicky, we haven't even - had a chance to talk about it.
- Cocktails for everyone.
- Oh, yes.
- Mocktails for you two.
- Thank you.
- Pregs, sobes.
Thank you.
You haven't talked to him at all? I know the whole thing was hard for you.
- Kev - Kate Hey! Sorry I'm late.
I think I put in your address in Santa Monica instead of L.
A.
Two-hour detour.
I hate this city.
There she is.
Mwah.
Mwah.
So how has your week been together? I heard you had a spa day.
- Uh, we were going to - Uh, we didn't.
I was gonna, um I scheduled some facials, and we were gonna do a whole thing, and then the meetings happened and kind of messed with everything, and I've been running her out.
Let me ask you a question.
Is it too early to do a toast? - Please don't.
- You know what? Screw it.
I invented the early toast.
We're doing a toast.
Excuse me, everyone.
Early toast, everybody.
Clink, clink, clink.
Can I have your attention, please? I want to make a toast to my sister Kate.
Kate is 28 weeks pregnant, and she wanted to graduate before she gave birth to her son.
So, for the past few months, she's been working really hard.
All while creating life inside her body, which, if you ask me, that is some ultimate multitasking.
Right? My sister is smart, she's determined And, um anyway, listen, anyway, I love you.
Um I'm proud of you.
Congratulation To Kate, everybody.
To Kate.
Oh, wow.
Oh, um - Don't kill me.
- What? It's just, my, um my agent texted me, and he said that Soderbergh's producers want to meet with me, - like, right now.
So, I-I got to - Oh, my God.
Yeah.
- It's amazing.
- It could be, right? - So, I got to take that.
- Yeah.
I know, I You should go.
- But-but congratulations.
- Thank you.
And, by the way, I'm gonna come right back after this is done.
And, uh Mwah.
I will see you in a bit.
Okay? Promise.
Break a leg.
- I'm gonna get a drink.
- Okay.
I still can't believe you made Ms.
Cunningham cry.
I didn't mean to.
Or maybe I did.
Hey, no one messes with my girl, right? Um Ms.
Cunningham says that you're you're doing better than every other student in your class.
Deja she posted your essay because she was impressed, because your work is advanced.
So advanced that she thinks that you should skip right to high school next year.
- Wh-What? - Yeah.
No.
No, no, no, no, no.
I'm not doing that.
Look, I know it's a lot, but the fact that you've caught up to everybody already, Deja, that's a really big deal.
You know what's a big deal? Bumping up a black girl - who used to be homeless.
- That's not what she's doing.
She said that she talked to all of your other teachers All the other white teachers? Mm-hmm.
Deja, I read your essay.
It's spectacular.
Look, a lot of kids have good essays.
I'm only getting special treatment because I used to live in a car.
And I don't want it.
I'm not like you.
- What does that mean? - Nothing.
No, no.
No, no, no.
Come on.
You can say it.
You know, it's just every article that's come out about you talks about how you were dropped off at a fire station.
Okay.
And then it goes on to say how I beat the odds and won - a very important election.
- Mm-hmm.
They're writing about my journey.
- You know, I'm a councilman.
- You're a story.
And no offense, Randall, but I don't want to do it that way.
Welcome, friends, family.
On behalf of the fine students at Encino Community College, I present to you the graduating class of 2019.
Kate Emily Pearson.
Congratulations.
Hey, Bug.
- Hey.
- Could we, um Could we get a selfie? - Yes, we can get a selfie.
- Yeah? Okay.
Can you take it? 'Cause I always mess it up.
Hopefully, I won't.
Here we go.
- You got it.
- All right.
Cheese.
Ah, I love it.
- Let me see.
- Okay.
- Oh, God.
Mom, are you crying? - No, I'm not.
I'm just I always wanted a picture of you in your cap and gown.
Okay.
Well, I will text it to you.
Kate, I am your mom.
Let me have a moment, okay? You know, after your father died, what I hated the most? Time.
I was so angry at it.
I just despised clocks and calendars.
And anything that was telling me that life was moving on and I needed to move along with it.
Rebecca? Rebecca, hey, where are you going? And I think you and I are really alike in that way, you know? We really didn't want the next big moments of our life to come.
I can't do it.
I can't go in there.
I can't be in there right now.
- I can't.
Just - What's going on? This is all wrong.
He was supposed to be here.
I can't breathe.
Not without him.
Not for a very long time.
Just try to breathe.
Rebecca, um maybe it's maybe it's, uh I-I think it might be good for you to-to talk to someone about this.
They have groups for this kind of thing.
- Gr-Grief counseling.
- I don't want I don't want grief counseling, Miguel.
I want to rewind the clock.
I just want to rewind the clock.
- Rebecca.
- I Listen to me, Rebecca.
Randall is about to graduate.
Okay.
Here.
I'll I'll hold the camera, okay? And all you have to do is just be there for your son.
- Okay.
- Okay? You and me, we needed to go at our own pace.
But these past few years, you have absolutely blown me away, Kate.
You've just you've-you've seized the big moments of your life, and now you're having a baby.
I'm having a baby.
And not because time told you to, but because you were really ready for it.
You know? And I-I know you think this whole graduation party's really silly 'cause it's 16 years too late, but I got to tell you, I think it's right on friggin' time.
Okay? Wait, did Rebecca Pearson just drop the "F" bomb? I did.
It was called for.
Is everything okay, Bug? What? That really was a great speech, Randall.
Thanks for dropping me off, Mom.
Kate, are you sure about this? Yeah.
Just-just come to our graduation.
You're gonna have to get your diploma.
They can mail it.
Uh, the-the Kornhabers are having a party after, Kate.
Oh, good.
You can tell them all about your big move to New York.
Oh, Kev, that's so sweet, but she has her own food.
You don't have to share yours.
Kevin? Come on, it's me.
Open up.
Kevin.
Kevin, I know that you're in there.
Will you open the door? Hey.
What are you doing here? I was just gonna come back to your party.
Kate.
I'm not gonna sit here and lie to you.
All right? I wouldn't do that.
The Nicky thing, it messed me up a little bit.
Okay, and it triggered my whatever.
And I had a drink.
Maybe maybe that got out of hand.
Okay.
Here's what we're gonna do.
You, first, have to tell Zoe.
- No.
No, no, no, no, no.
- Yes.
Listen to me.
You don't understand.
I am begging you, okay? I'm begging you, trust me, she's got stuff, all right, and if she finds out I was lying to her, Kate if she finds out I was lying to her, she's gonna leave.
- You don't know that.
- What do you want me to do? What do you want me to do? What? I'm What, you want me to go to the meetings? I'll go to the meetings, all right? I'll go to the meetings.
Just give me a week.
Just-just let me get a week of meetings under my belt before you say anything, please.
Then I'll tell her, okay? Kate? Okay.
But, Kev, you have to get a sponsor this time.
- I'll get a sponsor.
- You didn't get one before.
I'll get a sponsor this time.
I'll do the whole thing right.
Okay? I promise.
Hey.
And you know what? What are you doing? I'm looking for a meeting.
Oh, look, there's a 5:30 in Hollywood.
Great.
Come on, I'll take you.
Come on.
- Kev.
- Kate, I You can.
You can.
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm.
Hey, little mamas, dinner in five.
Are you done already? You just breezed through your geometry, like that? Oh, do I have to start pretending things are harder for me now? 'Cause I can reopen this book.
No, no, no, of course not.
Hey, listen.
What you said before, I get it.
I do.
There's always gonna be people out there who act like it's extra special when you do something impressive because of where you came from.
You can't control that.
All you can control is what you do.
Just think about it.
That's not the only reason why I don't want to skip a grade.
Oh? I'm finally getting used to things the way they are.
And it's not just at school; it's it's, like, the ride to school and all of us going at the same time.
You or Beth waiting out front at the end of the day to pick us up.
Skipping to high school is going to change things.
And for the first time in my life, I don't want things to change.
Crap, I got to call Toby.
And I'll-I'll just tell him Well what should I tell him? You know, you could tell him you have a meeting with Soderbergh.
Kev.
Oh What? I don't know.
Uh Something's wrong.
Something is What is it? - I think my water just broke.
- What? Okay, uh Let-let Uh, let's-let's-let's pull over.
Pull-pull the car over, okay? - Okay.
Okay.
- Just pull the car over.
Okay.
This can't be happening.
It's too soon.
It's too soon.
I'm only I'm only 28 weeks.
It's too soon.
We should go to the hospital.
Will you call Toby? Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Toby, it's me.
Listen, I'm in the car with Kate, and, uh, her water just broke.
I really think we should call an ambulance.
Because I can't drive right now.
Because I've been drinking all day.
I'm sorry.
I'm-I'm sorry, Toby.
I I'm gonna call an ambulance, okay? You're gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay.
Okay.
- Kate? - Toby! Kate, hey! Hey.
Let me tell you, today was a day to end all first days.
That's what's up.
What happened? Deja wrote this essay, and her teacher shared it without asking.
She thinks that Deja could skip right to high school next year.
That sounds like good news.
Deja doesn't want to skip a grade.
Because she loves her routine.
For the first time in her life, she has stability.
I, um I started looking into hiring a sitter.
Not some college kid, but a an experienced adult to be here when we're working.
Someone who knows their way around adopted kids and newly out daughters.
And it's not cheap.
I know.
And money aside do we really want some stranger picking up the slack? Is that what's best for our girls? What are you trying to say? You sacrificed a lot when I was campaigning.
You were here with the girls when I couldn't be.
All while struggling to figure out what you wanted next for your life.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.
How much I appreciate you.
But your dance schedule, the nights and weekends, that's when our girls are around.
That's when they need us here the most.
And I was just wondering if maybe we should put a pin in your being a dance teacher.
But not forever, okay? It's just for a little while.
And we get a job with normal hours so you can be here with the kids.
So, you get to have your dream, and I'm just supposed to quit mine? I Hold on a second.
Sorry.
Hey, Mom.
Kate what? That's too soon.
Not even Mr.
Addison.
Especially not Mr.
Addison.
Well, I guess that's all my news.
Babe.
- Hmm? - What are you doing? I'm in my PJs watching Moonlighting.
What about this is remotely interesting? - Everything.
- No.
Not true.
- Hey.
- Oh You know, you missed my mouth by an inch.
- Yeah.
Well, give me that.
- An inch.
What? No.
Yeah, I'm gonna give you a taste of your own medicine.
- See how much you like it.
- I'm - Whoa, there he is.
Uh-huh.
- Come on.
No, come on.
Come on, look.
You know that I-I'm a I'm a behind-the-scenes guy.
Yeah? Well, put on a show.
Ready? - Really? You want me to put on a show? - Yeah.
- Okay, hold on.
- You ready? - Wait, wait.
Wait.
Count of three.
- Okay.
- Ready? One - One.
- Two - Two.
You didn't get to three.
- You faked me.
- Did I get you? Miguel, hi.
It's Rebecca.
Um so the kids are at a party tonight, and this apartment is horrible.
I mean, I really can't be here right now.
I can't I can't be anywhere right now.
But maybe there is one of those, uh those, um grief support group meetings you were talking about.
Maybe there's one of those t-tonight.
And maybe you could come pick me up? I'll be right here waiting for you.
Okay.
Here goes.
You're here.
You're a genius.
Where's Sophie? It's warm.
Yeah, sorry.
I've been out here for a while.
I've been thinking about the whole New York thing, and, um, you were right.
It's a stupid idea, so I can stay here with you No.
No way.
You're going.
It's not your job to stay here and protect me.
Okay, not anymore.
Just just promise me that if some weird guy asks you to audition for a movie in his basement you run.
Okay? Hey.
- Better safe than sorry, pretty boy.
- Okay.
Randall, get over here.
Why are you lurking, creeper? I thought you two were about to lean in for a kiss or something.
Shut up, dude.
Weird that high school's over.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
What do you think's gonna happen to us? What do you mean? Like, are we gonna hang out much? Like, you know, when we get older.
Barbecue.
Celebrate our kids' birthdays.
Spend the holidays together.
- Of course.
- I don't know.
Kevin.
I mean, you two will obviously end up sharing an apartment or something.
What are you talking about? It's the Big Three, okay, - not the Big Two.
- No.
You two got your own thing, and I don't want any part of what's going on there.
Yeah, 'cause Mom would probably get jealous.
Probably.
Hey, well, I'm gonna head out.
Okay.
- Hey.
- Toby's talking with your doctor, okay? All right.
Listen, it's okay.
That shot that they gave you, it's working.
It's delayed your labor, what, ten hours so far? I don't need hours, Kev.
I need weeks.
Hey.
I know the answer.
What's gonna happen to us? As long as we stay in each other's lives we'll be okay.
This this baby can't die, you guys.
- He won't.
- He won't.
You promise? I promise.