‘This Is Us’ Season 3, Episode 10 ‘The Last Seven Weeks’ Recap: Vote Pearson

Before its hiatus, This Is Us left us with quite the bomb drop. Nick Pearson is alive, people! Unfortunately, as great as that news sounds, it left us with more questions rather than answers. And it might just change the Pearson patriarch’s story.

On the other hand, Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) have finally and fully accepted their child doubts and all. Sadly, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) didn’t have as fine luck as them. Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) has called it quits with his campaign. And what makes it worse is that in a short clip of the future, there’s some kind of foreboding for their relationship.

In an episode titled “The Last Seven Weeks,” we get a terse rundown of the last seven weeks of the Pearsons’ life. Beth and Randall aren’t still on the same page. And another relationship standing on the rougher side of things is Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Zoe’s (Melanie Liburd). The most peaceful relationship of the moment is Kate and Toby’s. They might still have little hitches here and there but, considering Pearson drama, they’re safe. Everything is tense but, as always, the Pearsons find a way.

There is no we

Beth wakes up Randall early in the morning so their kids won’t see the remnants of their big fight. But, the argument isn’t over. Randall remains adamant on attending his campaigns despite Beth’s disapproval. And it doesn’t sit well with Beth leading to her cutting off the ‘we’ from Randall’s protests. Defeated, Randall thinks back on one of his talks with his dad. He and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) walk along the memorial wall for the Vietnam war. As they settle onto a bench, Randall admits that he’s thinking of taking up political science. Jack beams at him and tells him what a great man he’s going to be.

Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Meanwhile, Kate and Toby agree on turning one of the rooms in their apartment into a nursery. However, it means Toby has to sell all his toys. At the same time, Kevin and Zoe arrive from Vietnam. And Zoe casually mentions how good it was to be home. Kevin perks up at this and subtly asks if she’d like to move in with him. After a moment’s hesitation, Zoe accepts the John Stamos apartment key Kevin offers.

Down in Philadelphia, Jae Won (Tim Jo) is tugging on Randall for a buttload of other campaign activities. And Randall is left with the dreadful responsibility of informing his wife of his absence once again. Meanwhile, Kate and Toby’s toy clear out has gone south with Kate accidentally selling off Toby’s original 1977 set of Star War action figures. Toby gets upset mourning over the fact that he has nothing to pass onto his kid from his childhood anymore.

The Breakup Email

Kevin and Zoe try to get hold of the documents regarding Nick Pearson’s stay in Vietnam. But, they’re denied access seeing as they’re not Nick’s next of kin. So, Zoe volunteers to get an endorsement from a congressman who she dated a long way back.

Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Three weeks before the election, Randall overhears how his image has turned into a family man without a family. He turns to Beth. And she slaps him the evidence of his absence which includes the gifts Beth bought by herself for the children. Randall snaps and serves up his own burn about Beth’s unemployment. And Beth walks out.

Kevin and Zoe’s meeting with Congressman Reeves also went South pretty quick. Reeves agrees to the endorsement. However, he soon angrily alludes to how Zoe broke up with him through email. After apologizing and ensuring he’ll send an email, he leaves. Zoe tells Kevin that things got serious between them up to the point that Reeves asked her to move to New York. Then, Zoe sent the breakup email. Later that day, Kevin comes home to Zoe’s unpacked boxes scattered in his living room.

Booberry Pie

Come nightfall, Jae Won presents Randall with some dirt on Councilman Brown (Rob Morgan). It turns out, Brown was arrested for drunk driving and he paid off the police and the papers to keep a lid on the whole thing. And Jae Won assures it’ll be the answer to their prayers. Randall heads out to get Beth’s customary New Year “booberry” pie. But, he gets to the shop just as they’ve sold the last one. He desperately begs for one to no hope.

Reverend Hawley spots Randall and calls him over. Soon, Randall starts pouring out his frustrations. He admits that he’s sitting on some incriminating facts that could change the whole game but, it’s not the way he wants to win. Hawley sits him down and reminds him to live the life that’ll make him smile in the future. If he does that, he’ll be the great man he wants to be. Then, he gives Randall his blueberry pie. After offering his gratitude, Randall walks out and drops the evidence on Brown into the garbage.

That same night, Randall comes home and apologizes to Beth and the kids. To Randall, it’s his family that makes him great. With this, the tension melts away into the New Year.

In sickness and in Health

Kate and Toby track down the guy who bought Toby’s action figures and try to convince him to give it back. But, he downright refuses. Kate brings up the pregnancy card. Soon, it turns to a tearful confession of how she lost everything in the house fire, even the handmade stadium Jack made for her when she was a kid. But in the end, they still go home empty-handed.

On the other hand, Kevin snaps about Zoe’s unpacked boxes. Zoe is forced to admit that she only moved in to keep Kevin happy. And that he’s been pushing her too much from day one. Finally, she declares she needs some space and leaves.

One week before elections, Randall isn’t as on top of things as he previously was. But, things for the family were happy. On church day, he wakes up to Beth waiting for him. This time, it’s Beth who apologizes. With a tear-filled realization, she pledges her full support to him. And the family goes down to Philadelphia for mass.

At church, Reverend Hawley puts in some good words for Brown in his sermon as usual. Unexpectedly, he puts in a lot more of these kind words for Randall as well. It surprises Beth and Randall, and the Reverend ends it with a statement leaving the people to decide.

Unclear

Kate finds Star Wars action figures on eBay and tries to pass them up by Toby. But, he knows. So, she convinces him that he doesn’t need to pass down anything to their son. Because as far as they’re concerned, he’s going to be their son’s favorite thing ever.

Ron Batzdorff/NBC

On election night, Toby surprises Kate with a replica of the handmade stadium Jack made for her. In it were the action figures she bought for him. Suddenly, Kate starts to cry silently. This time, Toby’s the one who tells her that she’s going to be their son’s favorite.

On the other hand, Kevin and the others are waiting for the results down in Philadelphia. Kevin approaches Zoe, and she hands him back the John Stamos key saying she can’t do it. On the other side of the room, Jae Won finds Randall. He tells him that no matter what the result, Randall has done something pleasantly unheard off. After all, the polls have shown that Randall and Brown were neck-to-neck now. But, the results won’t be in until after midnight. So, after a heartfelt speech, Randall lets the people go home.

Something in Randall’s speech clicks with Zoe. And she chases Kevin outside. She finally admits that she’s so hesitant with moving in with him because she’s afraid to give up her safe space. She finds it so difficult because of what her father did to her. But, she loves Kevin, and she does want to move in with him. With that, she asks for John Stamos back.

Clark Kent

As Kevin and Zoe start to unpack her boxes, Zoe comes across a box filled with Jack’s things. There, she finds a card signed from Clark Kent. Because of this, Kevin realizes that his dad knew Nick was alive. And yet, he kept it from them. Back in the past, Randall asks if Jack wants to find his brothers name on the memorial. But, Jack refuses saying it just makes him sad.

The morning after the election, Randall and Beth lay in bed. Randall drones on about the difference of a good man and a great man and what it is to be a person merely. But, it’s interrupted by the ring of his phone. He answers it, and when he puts it down, he turns to Beth and says “I won.”

This Is Us returns Tuesday, January 22nd, with “Songbird Road: Part One” at 8/7c on NBC.