Kevin takes a trip down memory lane during the Jan. 28 episode of ‘This Is Us’ to say goodbye to someone he loved. He crosses paths with Sophie and makes a connection with someone new.
First, baby Randall comes downstairs when he can’t sleep and now it’s Kevin. He misses his mobile. Jack is right there to comfort Kevin and distract him as he figures out what to do. This episode focuses on Kevin’s “hell of a week” and it’s a doozy. In the present day, Sophie keeps on calling Kevin while he’s at work. When he finally gets a hold of his phone, she tells him that her mom has died. Kevin was close with Sophie’s mom, Claire, back in the day so this hits home.
Sophie is still very much engaged but it doesn’t change her connection to Kevin. You never forget your first love. Back in their teen years, when Kevin and Sophie need to kill some time while waiting to celebrate Rebecca’s birthday dinner, they go to Sophie’s place. Claire gushes over Kevin and his “appearance” on Days of Our Lives, something his mom forgot. Claire always builds him up no matter what.
Claire tells Sophie that she’s bought them a trip to see the Northern Lights. Sophie’s mad that her mom spent their money on that. When Sophie storms out, Kevin asks about her grandmother’s ring. Claire tells Kevin the story about the ring. Despite loving him, she can’t give him the ring — not yet. “Your marriage is too new and you’re too young,” she says. “You gotta earn it, baby doll.”
Kevin goes to Pittsburgh for Claire’s funeral. Sophie speaks and sees Kevin in one of the pews. She’s instantly relieved. Afterward, Kevin shows up at Sophie’s place. He calls her from outside the house. He’s brought her donuts and asks if he can come inside. Sophie doesn’t think it’s a good idea but she comes out and asks him to take her away.
On the night that Jack died, Sophie and Kevin decide to go to the movies after getting to the bonfire. They go see Good Will Hunting but the movie stops halfway through. They agree to never watch the real ending of the movie so they can imagine their perfect ending. Kevin and Sophie head back to the bonfire.
In the present day, Kevin and Sophie just drive around. Sophie admits that her fiance never knew her mother really well. Claire was too sick. She thinks it’s crazy how she’s going to spend the rest of her life with someone who never really knew her mother. Sophie tells Kevin that she was about to lose it at the funeral until she saw him. Kevin says that grief is a tricky thing. You never know how to prepare for it.
He takes her to the woods where the bonfire was. This is where his childhood ended. The moment everything changed for him. For so long, Kevin has felt like he couldn’t come back here. But as time goes on, you heal. They both realize they’ve never watched the ending of Good Will Hunting so they do that right then and there. Before they say goodbye, Sophie goes to get an old autographed photo of Kevin that Claire held on to all these years. Claire was always Kevin’s biggest fan. Kevin goes to Claire’s grave and talks to her. He admits that he wishes he had another crack at earning that ring. He pays his respects and nearly leaves the old autograph there but thinks it’s “super weird.”
Kevin calls Kate on the way to the airport and heads over to her place as soon as he lands. He finds Madison at Kate’s house taking care of Audio. She makes him tea and goes on and on about being dumped. Kevin’s never been dumped because he’s always the first one to “cut and run.” He ends up sleeping with Madison! She’s the girl in the bed!
When Randall calls the next morning, Kevin picks up right away. Kevin asks Randall if he wants to go to the cabin. They agree to invite Kate. Kevin calls her and she admits that her marriage is about to implode. Kevin patches Kate into his call with Randall. They all agree that they’re the Sad Three right now.
In the past, Jack tells baby Kevin something that means so much more now than it did then: “Sometimes we lose things that we love and it makes us feel sad. Very sad. And I know right now it feels like the worst thing in the world, but I promise you you’re gonna find something else to love.” Just when Jack puts Kevin to bed, Kate comes downstairs. “We have a problem,” baby Kate says. The next episode is all about Kate and we’ll finally learn what happened between Kate and Mark. During the teen years, Rebecca has to cancel her birthday dinner because Kate called her crying. She rode off with Mark to the cabin and something has happened. Rebecca thinks Kate is in trouble and they have to go get her.
