This is Us (2016) s05e04 Episode Script
Honestly
1
Previously on This is Us
How was football?
Coach said we have another
Terry Bradshaw right here.
Minus the hair loss.
Ten
You really think it's okay for Kev
to be pumping iron?
- Hey, I got this.
- I think I just got the part.
I mean, pending a-a good
meeting with the director,
(LAUGHS): I-I got the part.
I have a strong feeling about you guys.
(EXHALES)
I'm never leaving this bed.
You cannot make me.
I think I got
maybe two hours of sleep?
What? You got two whole hours?
- Who are you?
- (CHUCKLES)
(EXHALES)
I'm so tired, I can't even
remember the name of the guy
from the fairy tale,
the one who sleeps for too long.
Something
Something Von Something?
Hey, we-we can't keep doing this.
Miguel and Shelly said
we just got to let Kevin
cry himself to sleep.
I know, I know, I know.
Maybe we just,
maybe we just give it one more night?
Babe, we've been saying that for months.
Look, how is Kevin gonna
teach himself to sleep
if every time he cries, we're
just, we're rushing in there
- to pick him up?
- Rip Van Winkle.
Rip Van Winkle, that's the name
of the guy from the fairy tale
- I couldn't remember.
- Babe?
- What?
- Tonight's the night.
Tonight we let him cry it out.
Okay?
Okay. Tonight's the night.
JACK: Hmm.
(BABY CRYING)
(JACK LAUGHS)
I got it. I got it.
You stay and take a nap.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
Kevin is going to literally explode.
Coach says to bulk up,
I have to eat 50 eggs a week.
"Nobody can eat 50 eggs."
Cool Hand Luke?
Only one of the greatest movies
of all Tough room.
Tough room.
(YAWNS)
- You okay, Kev?
- KEVIN: Yeah, I
woke up early to work out with Dad,
and I was up late
memorizing the playbook.
Okay, well, just don't push it, bud.
When I have to memorize stuff
for a test,
I use rainbow flash cards.
The different colors help your
brain retrieve the information.
Ah, that's really cool.
- It is?
- No, you dork.
It's totally lame,
like everything else you do.
JACK: Kev, don't knock it, all right?
That is a straight-A system
that Randall's got right there.
All right, school time. Let's go, guys.
Finish up. Get your book bags, okay?
- Let's go.
- REBECCA: Can you grab him?
Yeah, no, I got it. Kev,
I'm gonna pick you up
after football today.
REBECCA: Wait. Lunches, Kev.
Randall, Bug.
Thanks.
- Jack.
- Yeah.
Kevin is totally exhausted.
Of course he's exhausted.
He's working hard
at something that he loves.
Babe, it's-it's the best kind
of exhausted.
See you in a bit.
- Kevin.
- KEVIN: Ava.
- Oh, my God, hi.
- Hi.
It's so good to finally meet you
in person. This is great.
I got to tell you,
I'm beyond thrilled to finally
- get to work with you.
- Thank you. Me, too.
You know what? I'm a little
nervous to meet Foster.
I his last film, right?
I-I thought it was the greatest
thing I'd seen all year.
Me, too. I'm obsessed.
- I've seen it at least ten times.
- Right?
I have to ask,
are we supposed to call him
Jordan Martin Foster or just Foster?
I have no I-I've heard both.
- Yeah.
- I don't know what he likes.
We'll just feel it out, I guess.
- We'll find out.
- FOSTER: Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Thank you for doing all the quarantining
and testing.
- Oh, I'll text you when we're done.
- ASSISTANT: Okay, thanks.
- See you later.
- FOSTER: Thank you.
Ava.
- Hi.
- Oh, my God.
I am so glad that you
agreed to do this film.
I told the producer,
I said, "If Ava says no,
"I'm not doing it either,
'cause there would literally
be no point."
AVA: Oh, my God,
ten pages into the script,
I called my agent and I was
like, "I have to do this film.
I have to."
- So, thank you.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
Yeah, I just I feel the same way.
You know? After your first film,
I thought, you know, any role
this guy wants me to play,
I will do it, let alone
a character like this.
You know, so complex, right?
- Unpredictable in a movie
- Film.
Uh, it's a film.
Anyway,
let's dig into the script, shall we?
Uh, I would like to start
with the two-hander scene
between you guys,
starting on page eight.
- Are you sure?
- I'm sure.
'Cause once we sign these papers
Babe, it's a birth plan,
it's not a deal with the devil.
Okay? Either party can change their mind
- at any time.
- Yeah, don't remind me.
We are totally at Ellie's mercy here,
until the baby is born.
Even after the baby is born,
we are at Ellie's mercy.
Until she signs
the relinquishment papers,
we are completely at Ellie's
- mercy.
- Mercy. I know. I know, Tobe.
Well, Ellie is going to her
ob-gyn appointment today
and only one person can go,
and she asked me to come,
so, I don't know, that's got
to be a-a good sign, right?
Yes. Yes.
Why do we call it an ob-gyn?
We don't call a cardiologist a C-A-R-D
or a dermatologist a D-E-R-M.
Okay, uh, will Serious Toby
be watching the ultrasound on FaceTime?
Or will Funny Toby miss seeing
Baby Chloe for the first time?
Baby Chloe?
So, have we decided
to go with that name?
I think we have.
Serious Toby is very excited.
It's just hard to tell
because he's so serious.
Okay.
Mother, can we please go
to the salon today?
- My hair is a fright.
- TESS: A fright?
Mom, I told you not to let her
watch Little Women again.
Okay. Politician's dilemma:
solid versus striped.
Solid says I stand by my convictions.
Hmm. Striped says I represent
my entire community.
It's very cute, you want
to look nice for your protégé.
Honey, I prefer to think
of him as my apprentice.
Thank you.
Hey, Dej.
Big day today.
Of all the people that Malik
could have asked to shadow
at work for his school project,
who did he choose?
Hint: his name rhymes
with Gandall Gearson,
and he's your gather
It's a civics assignment,
and you're the only city
councilman in his COVID pod.
- Who else is he gonna ask?
- Your father and your boyfriend
spending the entire day together.
- (DOORBELL RINGS)
- What could go wrong?
You're enjoying this way too much.
Something is wrong with you.
(LAUGHS)
- BETH: Hey, Malik.
- MALIK: Hey, Mrs. Pearson.
- Nice suit.
- Thank you.
TESS: Ooh.
8:06. Thought we said 8:00 sharp.
- Oh. I-I'm sorry, Mr. Pearson. I'm
- I'm just messing with you, man.
Striped. It's a good call.
And, look, thank you again
for letting me do this.
You know, I've lived
in Philly my whole life,
so I am excited to see
how the city runs.
Malik, it's my pleasure.
It's my pleasure.
- DEJA: Okay, a couple things.
- Mm-hmm?
Don't talk about us, okay?
Don't talk about me.
Don't talk about you.
Actually, just don't talk at all.
And good luck or whatever.
You look good in that suit.
Okay, we are now officially
seven minutes behind schedule.
That is seven minutes of
problems that don't get solved
because you were late, Malik.
Let's not make it eight.
Hey, yo, yo, yo.
Gandall Gearson gout.
(ANNIE LAUGHS)
(WHISPERING): Kate and Randall are down.
Yeah. Kevin, too, finally.
He fell asleep in my arms
and then I managed
to slide him into his crib
without waking him up.
- It was a real pro move.
- Such a pro move.
- Yeah.
- Such a pro move.
(REBECCA LAUGHS SOFTLY)
(BABY CRYING)
- Oof.
- (GROANS)
Yeah, I should make sure
that he's in an okay position.
No, babe, babe, babe, come on.
W-We agreed we got to give him
a chance to calm himself down.
- He'll stop.
- (STAMMERS)
- (SIGHS)
- He'll stop.
(WHISTLE BLOWING IN DISTANCE)
JACK: How was practice?
Fine.
STIKES: Hey, hey.
- Oh, hey, Coach.
- Hey.
- How you doing? It's good to see you.
- Good to see you.
- Yeah.
- Good to see you.
Hey, I, wanted to, uh,
I wanted to clear something up.
(CHUCKLES) I didn't expect the
boys to actually eat 50 eggs.
It's a line from a movie.
Well, it sounds like
what we've got here
is a failure to communicate.
Ah. Clearly a man who knows his movies.
JACK (LAUGHS): Yeah.
We did have some bumps
on the field today.
- Kevin hasn't got the playbook down.
- Really?
Well, he-he's been studying real hard.
Well, to be honest, Kev's probably not
my biggest fan right now, eh, Kevin?
I was riding him pretty
hard out there today.
He's got something special, no doubt,
but he's got to be willing
to put in the work.
I have kids with half his talent
running drills
seven days a week.
My son is up for it.
Glad to hear it.
Allegheny College has a weekend QB camp
for seventh and eighth graders
right up in Meadville.
Kev would be a great fit.
But if I'm gonna recommend
him for a spot
- He's got to put the work in.
- He needs to earn it. Yes, sir.
He will. Right, Kevin?
- Right.
- STIKES: Thanks, Jack.
- JACK: Yeah.
- I'll see you later, sport.
You got yourself into some trouble.
I didn't get myself into anything.
Okay. Why'd they call me?
To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest"?
- Yeah.
Here's the thing, when somebody says
"To be honest" or
"If I'm being honest with you"
or "Honestly,"
it usually means they're
about ready to lie to you.
FOSTER: Okay, let's, let's hold there,
for a second.
Ava, excellent.
You are giving him
as little as possible,
but you're giving me
everything that I need.
And okay.
Let's just take it back
to the top of the scene.
AVA: Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
Yeah. Sure, okay.
(EXHALES)
Got yourself into some trouble.
I didn't get myself into anything.
So why'd they call me?
AVA: To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest."
- Yeah.
Hang-hang, hang on.
- Kevin.
- Uh-huh?
Just, just take it back a couple lines.
Sure. Sure.
So why'd they call me?
- To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest."
- AVA: Yeah.
- One more time?
(INHALES, EXHALES)
Then why'd they call me?
- AVA: To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest"?
Can I get that last line again?
You know, I just if you want
to give me a specific detail
No, no. Stay in the scene,
please stay
I'm trying to stay in the scene,
but you keep interrupting me.
Believe me, Kevin, I wish
I didn't have to interrupt.
(SOFTLY): Good to All right.
All right.
Um, just from the same s pickup.
Um
JAE-WON: We're hearing from a
lot of renters about evictions,
but we're also getting a lot
of complaints from landlords
- about delinquent rents.
- RANDALL: Yeah.
Let's finalize the language
on our motion and get it to the council.
All right.
We keeping you up, Malik?
MALIK: No. Sorry.
JAE-WON: Oh, unfortunately,
I won't be able to shoot
your livestream today.
I've got a budget meeting
at the same time.
RANDALL: All right. We livestream
a daily community bulletin.
I cover local news and answer
questions from constituents.
MALIK: Oh, yeah, I know.
That's the one Deja watches every day.
RANDALL: She watches every day?
MALIK: I am a dead man
- for telling you that.
- Oh, definitely.
RANDALL: Better call your lawyer
and draw up a will. (LAUGHS)
Hey, Malik.
How would you like to
cover the bulletin today?
- MALIK: Me?
- Yeah.
You're one of the more
capable young humans I've met.
We'll set you up at a desk
outside and you just have
to make sure the livestream
starts and ends on cue.
- Sound good?
- MALIK: Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- For sure. I'm on it.
- JAE-WON: Thank you, Malik.
Uh, let's just make sure
to get a camera angle
that doesn't go right up his nose.
RANDALL: I don't need to be
reminded, Jae-won.
I read all the comments.
JAE-WON: Never read the comments!
ELLIE: This probably sounds
insane, but did you ever wonder
what the ultrasound jelly tastes like?
Yes.
KATE: Every time that we're here.
ELLIE (LAUGHS): I know.
KATE: Oh, uh, speaking of eating,
Ellie, do you think you maybe
want to have lunch with me after this?
ELLIE: Yeah, I'd love to.
KATE: Okay.
DOCTOR: Here she is.
Looking great.
Heartbeat is strong.
KATE: There she is.
There's Chloe.
- (BABY CRYING)
- Well, it's a good thing
Randall and Kate are
such heavy sleepers, huh?
This-this-this isn't
normal crying, Jack.
He's never cried like this before.
Maybe something's wrong.
Maybe he's hurt.
Miguel and Shelly said he's
Enough with Miguel and Shelly.
Who made them experts, anyway?
Their kids are train wrecks!
(STIFLED LAUGH)
What's so funny?
That's, that's the sound of our son
being emotionally traumatized for life.
Rebecca, do you remember
this morning when we said,
"Tonight's the night"?
We held hands and
Yeah, I-I don't care
what I said this morning,
because I didn't know then
that he'd be crying
like a maniac for a half hour.
It's been six minutes.
- No way.
- Mm-hmm.
- What?
- Look, I know this hurts.
I know it hurts, babe,
but, but don't you want him
to show that crib who's boss?
No. I don't care.
I'm sorry, I have to go in there.
- Hi.
- JACK: Hey.
(DOOR CLOSES)
REBECCA: Is everything all right?
JACK: Yeah, just a few bumps
at practice.
But we'll run some drills after dinner,
I'll find the problems.
I just got home from practice, Dad.
It's fine, Kev,
you can take the night off.
No, he can't, okay?
The coach said the other kids
I don't care what Coach says.
(TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY)
I'm gonna quit.
- (TV TURNS OFF)
- No.
Kev, you're not gonna quit.
All right? You're the quarterback.
You made a commitment to that team.
You don't just quit the second
something starts to feel tough.
Okay?
I'm tired.
- (SIGHS)
- You should have talked to me
before making a decision like that.
Wh You seriously want
to let him quit?
After h-having one rough day?
He's clearly miserable, okay?
I'm-I'm gonna go up there
and tell him if he doesn't want
to play anymore, he doesn't have to.
Rebecca, I'm strongly asking you
not to do that.
You about ready?
I want to squeeze in
a quick jog after this.
- Yeah, it's looking like we're good to go.
- Great.
I will count you down
to start the livestream.
And you just let the bulletin
play until you hear me say
(LOW-PITCHED): "Thank you
for your time, Philadelphia.
We'll talk again tomorrow."
Just get the hell out of here, man.
These are trucks that can drive right in
and set up safe, clean testing sites
Dad's doing his bulletin.
Uh, we're trying
different spots around town,
so check my website for an updated list.
Food banks are starting to see
- (PHONE BUZZING)
- bumps in need as the weather changes.
Donations are always appreciated.
But please know
that everyone in this office
is working to make sure
that nobody in our community
Hey, Mom, I'm still at city hall.
- (BABY CRYING OVER PHONE)
- I read every message
Uh, no, no, she-she was fine
this morning.
I know that folks
are struggling right now.
Look, I-I left a teething ring
in the freezer.
At a time when my birth father
didn't have a family,
this community was his family.
(SIGHS) When I'm having
a hard day at work
or get frustrated that things
aren't moving fast enough,
I remind myself that I
am doing this for him.
I'm doing this for William Hill.
Because you all were his family.
Which means that you're my family, too.
I'm not gonna cry today.
I know a lot of you like
to take bets on that, so
Thanks for your time, Philadelphia.
We'll talk again tomorrow.
(BLOWS RASPBERRY)
All right. (SNIFFLES)
- Yeah, no, okay. Listen, um
- RANDALL: Malik, I'm gonna change
- and go for that run.
- If she starts crying again,
just give her some baby Tylenol.
But remember to check
the dosage, please.
I know you know.
Uh, Beth?
Hold on, hon, I'm just
in the middle of something.
Uh, o-okay, but Randall's
taking his clothes off
in front of the whole city
of Philadelphia.
Mom? Dad's getting naked!
What?
Oh, my G Tess, call your father.
RANDALL: First you fold the left
Then you fold the right
Bring the hem to the shoulder
And press it tight
Press it tight, mm, yeah
He's not answering.
Of course he can't see his phone,
he's too busy dancing.
Mm-mm, girl, that's not dancing.
I don't know what that is,
but that is not dancing.
ANNIE: Mom, I want to watch.
Hey, hey, hey. Annie, you know what?
There's some things
you can't unsee, baby,
and this is one of them, all right?
All right, all right, bye.
Love you.
(PHONE BUZZES)
Hey, Dej, what's up?
Sh
I know.
I know. I just, I-I think
he needed to know that he wasn't alone.
- That's all.
- (SIGHS)
(BABY CRYING)
(GROANS)
REBECCA: He is a child.
He is a child playing a game.
It's supposed to be fun.
- Here we go.
- Here we go what?
You've been doing this
to him his entire life.
The second he starts to complain
about something being too hard,
you let him off the hook.
Excuse me?
Guitar lessons, uh, Boy Scouts.
Oh, I'm sorry,
our-our six-year-old got tired
of tying knots all day,
so I let him bail on Boy Scouts.
Put me in mom jail.
You just, you can be really easy on him.
And it's made him a little
- What? It's made him what?
- Soft.
It's made him soft.
Hey, nerd, tell me how your
stupid rainbow system works.
Very funny. But whatever the trick is,
I'm not falling for it.
For real.
(SIGHS)
I need your help.
I keep messing up the plays.
Please?
Hey, Foster.
Or, uh, Jordan Martin Foster or JMF?
I don't know what I don't know
what you (CHUCKLES)
I don't know what you want to be called.
Is that what
you waited around to ask me?
No. No. I-I, um
(CHUCKLES): Uh, you were
pretty rough on me in there.
You know? And I was, I was
just wondering if you had
any specific feedback for me
so that I could, you know
I want to give you
what you want, in the scene.
I didn't realize
you were the kind of guy
that needs an attaboy.
- No, no, it's
- Look, look, today
I learned that you are a good actor.
And there's nothing wrong
with being a good actor.
And when you die, people will say,
"Oh, yeah, I remember him. He was good."
Or you could be one of the greats.
Now, here's the good news,
Kevin: you get to decide.
Is today as close as
you get to greatness
or do you come back tomorrow?
See you tomorrow.
KATE: Hey.
Hey.
(SIGHS)
Okay, I'm really, really scared
that I tanked it in there
when I called the baby Chloe.
It was totally insensitive.
You know, I can't even imagine
the thousands of emotions
that you're feeling,
and then I go naming her and
But, Ellie, are you
are you having second thoughts?
Look, it caught me by surprise.
The name.
This is all a lot for me.
Yeah, of course it is.
Kate, I told you that my husband died.
We met in tenth grade.
But it took him a long time
to ask me out. (CHUCKLES)
And even when he did,
it was going slow.
We barely kissed.
So, one day we go to the beach,
and I decide, you know what,
I'm just gonna take charge.
And I pull my T-shirt off,
and I'm standing there
in my cute bikini top, and he
is just staring at my chest,
like, confused, and he's like,
"Wait, you don't have a big
hairy birthmark on your chest
in the shape of South America?"
What?
All year, his bio lab partner
had been telling him
these crazy stories about me.
And the lab partner
her name was Chloe Penner.
(WHISPERS): No.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So look, you
you deserve to name this baby
whatever you want.
- But does it have to be Chloe?
- (LAUGHS)
One time.
I went out just one time
two years after Doug died.
A few months ago, I
decided that I couldn't have this baby,
and I made an appointment
to have an abortion.
And I got as far as the
parking lot at the clinic.
And I know that some people
have very strong feelings
- about
- I'm not judging you at all.
For me
that wasn't the right choice.
(SOFTLY): Yeah.
So, am I having second thoughts?
Yeah.
About pretty much my entire life.
Except this.
Except you and Toby.
About that I am sure.
Hundred percent sure, Kate.
MALIK: Mr. Pearson, I am so
I am so sorry.
(RANDALL SIGHS HEAVILY)
(EXHALES)
I'm sure at your age
city hall's a bit boring.
But you asked to shadow me, Malik.
The work we do here is serious.
I expected you to take it seriously.
Not show up late,
yawn your way through it,
and forget to do the most important part
of the one thing I asked you to do.
I know. I-I messed up.
I did.
But
Mr. Pearson, do you know what
time I had to be up this morning
to get to your place
only six minutes late?
4:30.
I usually get up at 5:00,
so that I can make sure
that I prepare all
of Janelle's meals for the day,
do her laundry, wash all her bottles,
all before she gets up at 6:00.
Today I had to pack a lunch
and iron my shirt, so 4:30.
This stuff is not boring at all.
But I have a daughter.
What she needs
it always comes first.
Even if that means making the
things that I want for myself
that much harder.
I was 17 when I lost my father.
And I felt like I owed it to my family
to make my dreams smaller.
More practical.
But I was wrong.
Listen to me when I say this.
Do not make your dreams smaller.
Make 'em bigger.
Not in spite of your daughter.
For her.
(EXHALES)
Uh
I-I appreciate that, Mr. Pearson.
I don't think the size of my dreams
need to be worried about, though.
I get straight A's.
I'm going to go to an Ivy League college
and major in business.
Then I'm gonna go to culinary school,
so that I can open up
the first restaurant
in Philadelphia history
to get three Michelin stars.
Well, damn. Okay.
Seems like your dreams are of
the perfectly appropriate size.
Wh-What I do need, though,
is a killer internship
for these college applications.
I was thinking maybe city hall?
I think that can be arranged.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
You-you know Deja's gonna
lose her mind, right?
- Oh, I'm counting on it, bruh.
- (BOTH LAUGH)
(BABY CRYING)
- No, no, no. Out of my way, Jack.
- (CLOSES DOOR)
- Can't do that.
- (GRUNTS)
What we're doing isn't working.
I can't move from this door,
as much as I want to.
Just
a little longer.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
(REBECCA SIGHS)
- RANDALL: All right, you ready?
- KEVIN: Yeah.
- Uh, same ones?
- Same ones.
KEVIN: Um, pro-right split,
897 F motion right
- option zone?
- You got it!
- That's ten in a row.
- Yes.
- Okay, let's do ten more.
- Okay.
(RINGTONE PLAYING)
- Hey, Kev.
- (GROANS)
Well, I had the worst first day
with this new director.
I feel like he put me in a bag
and just beat me with a baseball bat.
Why would he put you in a bag?
Why wouldn't he beat you up
outside of the bag?
No, because when you're in the bag,
you don't know where he's hitting you.
You know, just random spots
all over the body.
So you don't know where
the next blow's gonna land.
Oof.
I mean, are you sure working
with him is even worth it?
Um, I don't know, maybe, uh, I
I've been thinking a lot
about Mom, you know?
She's-she's stuck out
there at that cabin.
She's using her phone
to stay connected to the family,
and I just thought
how nice it would be to
do something really great.
Like take her to the Oscars.
Or, like, to win an Oscar,
and then I could stand up
in front of everyone and just thank her
for everything she did for me.
I'd like to do that while she
can still remember, you know?
First I got to give a
performance that's not so tired.
Kev.
Hmm?
(SIGHS)
Kate, come on, I'm too tired
for subtext. Just tell me.
Your big fight with Randall
I mean, didn't he say
that your acting was tired?
This has nothing to do
with Randall, Kate, all right?
This has
nothing to do with him.
You know, I had a
conversation with him
on, um, our birthday.
And he said some things
that I just can't stop thinking about.
You know, ab-about what it was like
as a black kid growing up in our family
with white parents,
you know, and-and white siblings and
how it must have felt for him,
and how unseen
- he felt.
- Unseen?
Kate, Mom and Dad
were obsessed with Randall.
All right? All we tried to do is
get five minutes a day with them
when they weren't paying
attention to Randall.
Kev
we don't even talk to him
about this stuff, though.
You know? And we don't talk
to him about what it was like
or-or what it's still like
for him.
Okay.
Look, I'm not an idiot, okay?
I
I understand it probably
wasn't a walk in the park
to be the only black kid
in that fancy private school he went to.
But let's not sit here and pretend
that Mom and Dad
did anything wrong, okay?
I'm just saying, we all have stuff
from our past that we're
still dealing with, okay?
And that's Randall, you and me.
What does that mean?
Nothing.
Honestly, I'm just tired.
It's been a really long day.
Honestly?
Yeah. I'm fine.
(RANDALL SIGHS)
BETH: Hey, baby.
RANDALL: Hey.
Yeah. I'm not
I'm not ready to laugh about it yet.
- BETH: Oh, no, not yet?
- RANDALL: No.
Okay, will you let me know when you are?
Because, um, I have so much laughter
on the inside of me, I just
would like to get that out.
RANDALL (WHISPERS): Appreciate it.
Malik told me about the internship.
You're ruining my life.
You know that, right?
I do.
Thank you.
You gonna give that boy an internship
after what he did today?
Look, after what happened today,
that kid will not allow himself
to screw up again.
Trust me. I was that kid.
(GLASSES CLINK)
All right. As long as his parents
don't have to come over for dinner.
- (PHONE BUZZING)
- (CHUCKLES)
Excuse me.
What up, Jae-won?
JAE-WON: Someone posted it. (SIGHS)
Today's, uh, bulletin.
And it's kind of going viral.
Well, viral how?
Your bulletins usually get 5,000 views.
This one is already over 100,000.
It might make the news tonight.
And not just the local stations, either.
Well, on the plus side,
the camera angle's very flattering.
You know, these ultrasounds,
they look like somebody
made a baby out of wax
and then left it out
in the sun too long. (CHUCKLES)
But I think
I think I love this melted wax baby.
Whatever her name will be. (CHUCKLES)
What's up?
I thought you'd be excited
knowing that Ellie is fully on board.
I'm fine.
Actually, I'm not fine at all.
Um, my talk with Ellie today
brought up some stuff for me.
Some stuff that I never
wanted to tell anyone.
I mean, not my mom.
Not my brothers.
And not you.
(EXHALES) When I was 18,
I was in a really,
really bad relationship.
(DIALOGUE INAUDIBLE)
And when it ended
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
Come in.
Are you sure
you don't want to come with us
- to New York?
- Yep.
Molly's gonna come over,
and we're gonna hang out
and make fun of Dawson's Creek.
(CHUCKLES)
Have fun.
- And tell Kevin I said congrats.
- All right.
- Love you.
- Love you.
- Bye, sweetheart.
- Bye.
(DRAWER OPENS)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Okay. Maybe you were right.
Maybe I am a little easy on Kevin.
Really? What changed?
Well, I just went upstairs
to talk to him,
and he was with Randall,
who is helping him
memorize his playbook.
Jack, they high-fived.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
It's just
it's so hard for me to push them
when they seem unhappy.
You know, my-my dad
had a nickname for me
- when I was a kid?
- Uh-uh.
Jack of All Trades.
- Hmm.
- I mean, I-I thought that sounded so cool.
You know, I-I thought that
that meant my dad thought
I was great at everything.
So, one day,
I decide to try and fix
the leaky kitchen faucet,
and I just couldn't do it.
I couldn't figure it out. And Stanley
(SCOFFS) He sneers at me,
and he says, "Jack of All Trades,
Master of None."
And that's when I got it.
The whole time, he'd been saying
I was great at absolutely nothing.
- Oh, Jack.
- No, it-it's fine.
I'm an ordinary man.
And for me, the way my dad treated me,
to get out of that
house an ordinary man,
that is an accomplishment in my book.
But (SIGHS)
Our kids,
I want them
to know their dad
sees greatness in them.
I will kill myself to
make them feel that way.
Even when
Even when deep down,
I just want to hold my kid
and-and tell him to go take a nap.
- Hey.
- (EXHALES)
I feel sorry for your dad.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
To have had a son like you
and to have not seen what
was right in front of him.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
You really saw them high-five?
Oh, yeah.
You sure they weren't just, like,
trying to smack each other in the face?
- Like, at the same time?
- (LAUGHS): No.
Uh-huh
I saw her today
At the reception
KEVIN: You really do this
every time you take a test?
That must take forever.
It does. But being me
at my school,
I have to be the best.
At her feet was a footloose man
No, you can't always get
What you want
You can't always get
What you want
(DOORBELL RINGS)
You can't always get
What you want
But if you try sometime
You find
You get what you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need
Mm-hmm
And I went down
To the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent
our frustration"
- (VIDEO REWINDS)
- When I'm having a hard day at work
or, uh, get frustrated
that things aren't moving fast enough,
I remind myself
that I'm doing this for him.
What you want
I'm doing this for William Hill.
- (REWINDS)
- I'm doing this for him.
What you want
I'm doing this for William Hill.
You can't always get
I'm doing this for William Hill.
But if you try sometime
Because you all were his family.
Well, you just might find
Which means you're my family, too.
What you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need, uh-huh
Uh-huh
I saw her today at the reception
(BABY CRYING)
In her glass
Was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art
Of deception
Well, I could tell
By her blood-stained hands
You can't always get
What you want
- (BABY CRYING)
- No, you can't always get
What you want
Yeah, you can't always get
What you want, no
But if you try, you try,
you try sometimes
You find
You get what you need
- Uh-huh
- Oh, yeah
- (BABY CRYING)
- You get what you need
- Uh-huh
- Oh, yeah
- (CRYING STOPS)
- You get what you need
- Oh, yeah
- Uh-huh
Get what you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need.
Previously on This is Us
How was football?
Coach said we have another
Terry Bradshaw right here.
Minus the hair loss.
Ten
You really think it's okay for Kev
to be pumping iron?
- Hey, I got this.
- I think I just got the part.
I mean, pending a-a good
meeting with the director,
(LAUGHS): I-I got the part.
I have a strong feeling about you guys.
(EXHALES)
I'm never leaving this bed.
You cannot make me.
I think I got
maybe two hours of sleep?
What? You got two whole hours?
- Who are you?
- (CHUCKLES)
(EXHALES)
I'm so tired, I can't even
remember the name of the guy
from the fairy tale,
the one who sleeps for too long.
Something
Something Von Something?
Hey, we-we can't keep doing this.
Miguel and Shelly said
we just got to let Kevin
cry himself to sleep.
I know, I know, I know.
Maybe we just,
maybe we just give it one more night?
Babe, we've been saying that for months.
Look, how is Kevin gonna
teach himself to sleep
if every time he cries, we're
just, we're rushing in there
- to pick him up?
- Rip Van Winkle.
Rip Van Winkle, that's the name
of the guy from the fairy tale
- I couldn't remember.
- Babe?
- What?
- Tonight's the night.
Tonight we let him cry it out.
Okay?
Okay. Tonight's the night.
JACK: Hmm.
(BABY CRYING)
(JACK LAUGHS)
I got it. I got it.
You stay and take a nap.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
Kevin is going to literally explode.
Coach says to bulk up,
I have to eat 50 eggs a week.
"Nobody can eat 50 eggs."
Cool Hand Luke?
Only one of the greatest movies
of all Tough room.
Tough room.
(YAWNS)
- You okay, Kev?
- KEVIN: Yeah, I
woke up early to work out with Dad,
and I was up late
memorizing the playbook.
Okay, well, just don't push it, bud.
When I have to memorize stuff
for a test,
I use rainbow flash cards.
The different colors help your
brain retrieve the information.
Ah, that's really cool.
- It is?
- No, you dork.
It's totally lame,
like everything else you do.
JACK: Kev, don't knock it, all right?
That is a straight-A system
that Randall's got right there.
All right, school time. Let's go, guys.
Finish up. Get your book bags, okay?
- Let's go.
- REBECCA: Can you grab him?
Yeah, no, I got it. Kev,
I'm gonna pick you up
after football today.
REBECCA: Wait. Lunches, Kev.
Randall, Bug.
Thanks.
- Jack.
- Yeah.
Kevin is totally exhausted.
Of course he's exhausted.
He's working hard
at something that he loves.
Babe, it's-it's the best kind
of exhausted.
See you in a bit.
- Kevin.
- KEVIN: Ava.
- Oh, my God, hi.
- Hi.
It's so good to finally meet you
in person. This is great.
I got to tell you,
I'm beyond thrilled to finally
- get to work with you.
- Thank you. Me, too.
You know what? I'm a little
nervous to meet Foster.
I his last film, right?
I-I thought it was the greatest
thing I'd seen all year.
Me, too. I'm obsessed.
- I've seen it at least ten times.
- Right?
I have to ask,
are we supposed to call him
Jordan Martin Foster or just Foster?
I have no I-I've heard both.
- Yeah.
- I don't know what he likes.
We'll just feel it out, I guess.
- We'll find out.
- FOSTER: Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Thank you for doing all the quarantining
and testing.
- Oh, I'll text you when we're done.
- ASSISTANT: Okay, thanks.
- See you later.
- FOSTER: Thank you.
Ava.
- Hi.
- Oh, my God.
I am so glad that you
agreed to do this film.
I told the producer,
I said, "If Ava says no,
"I'm not doing it either,
'cause there would literally
be no point."
AVA: Oh, my God,
ten pages into the script,
I called my agent and I was
like, "I have to do this film.
I have to."
- So, thank you.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
Yeah, I just I feel the same way.
You know? After your first film,
I thought, you know, any role
this guy wants me to play,
I will do it, let alone
a character like this.
You know, so complex, right?
- Unpredictable in a movie
- Film.
Uh, it's a film.
Anyway,
let's dig into the script, shall we?
Uh, I would like to start
with the two-hander scene
between you guys,
starting on page eight.
- Are you sure?
- I'm sure.
'Cause once we sign these papers
Babe, it's a birth plan,
it's not a deal with the devil.
Okay? Either party can change their mind
- at any time.
- Yeah, don't remind me.
We are totally at Ellie's mercy here,
until the baby is born.
Even after the baby is born,
we are at Ellie's mercy.
Until she signs
the relinquishment papers,
we are completely at Ellie's
- mercy.
- Mercy. I know. I know, Tobe.
Well, Ellie is going to her
ob-gyn appointment today
and only one person can go,
and she asked me to come,
so, I don't know, that's got
to be a-a good sign, right?
Yes. Yes.
Why do we call it an ob-gyn?
We don't call a cardiologist a C-A-R-D
or a dermatologist a D-E-R-M.
Okay, uh, will Serious Toby
be watching the ultrasound on FaceTime?
Or will Funny Toby miss seeing
Baby Chloe for the first time?
Baby Chloe?
So, have we decided
to go with that name?
I think we have.
Serious Toby is very excited.
It's just hard to tell
because he's so serious.
Okay.
Mother, can we please go
to the salon today?
- My hair is a fright.
- TESS: A fright?
Mom, I told you not to let her
watch Little Women again.
Okay. Politician's dilemma:
solid versus striped.
Solid says I stand by my convictions.
Hmm. Striped says I represent
my entire community.
It's very cute, you want
to look nice for your protégé.
Honey, I prefer to think
of him as my apprentice.
Thank you.
Hey, Dej.
Big day today.
Of all the people that Malik
could have asked to shadow
at work for his school project,
who did he choose?
Hint: his name rhymes
with Gandall Gearson,
and he's your gather
It's a civics assignment,
and you're the only city
councilman in his COVID pod.
- Who else is he gonna ask?
- Your father and your boyfriend
spending the entire day together.
- (DOORBELL RINGS)
- What could go wrong?
You're enjoying this way too much.
Something is wrong with you.
(LAUGHS)
- BETH: Hey, Malik.
- MALIK: Hey, Mrs. Pearson.
- Nice suit.
- Thank you.
TESS: Ooh.
8:06. Thought we said 8:00 sharp.
- Oh. I-I'm sorry, Mr. Pearson. I'm
- I'm just messing with you, man.
Striped. It's a good call.
And, look, thank you again
for letting me do this.
You know, I've lived
in Philly my whole life,
so I am excited to see
how the city runs.
Malik, it's my pleasure.
It's my pleasure.
- DEJA: Okay, a couple things.
- Mm-hmm?
Don't talk about us, okay?
Don't talk about me.
Don't talk about you.
Actually, just don't talk at all.
And good luck or whatever.
You look good in that suit.
Okay, we are now officially
seven minutes behind schedule.
That is seven minutes of
problems that don't get solved
because you were late, Malik.
Let's not make it eight.
Hey, yo, yo, yo.
Gandall Gearson gout.
(ANNIE LAUGHS)
(WHISPERING): Kate and Randall are down.
Yeah. Kevin, too, finally.
He fell asleep in my arms
and then I managed
to slide him into his crib
without waking him up.
- It was a real pro move.
- Such a pro move.
- Yeah.
- Such a pro move.
(REBECCA LAUGHS SOFTLY)
(BABY CRYING)
- Oof.
- (GROANS)
Yeah, I should make sure
that he's in an okay position.
No, babe, babe, babe, come on.
W-We agreed we got to give him
a chance to calm himself down.
- He'll stop.
- (STAMMERS)
- (SIGHS)
- He'll stop.
(WHISTLE BLOWING IN DISTANCE)
JACK: How was practice?
Fine.
STIKES: Hey, hey.
- Oh, hey, Coach.
- Hey.
- How you doing? It's good to see you.
- Good to see you.
- Yeah.
- Good to see you.
Hey, I, wanted to, uh,
I wanted to clear something up.
(CHUCKLES) I didn't expect the
boys to actually eat 50 eggs.
It's a line from a movie.
Well, it sounds like
what we've got here
is a failure to communicate.
Ah. Clearly a man who knows his movies.
JACK (LAUGHS): Yeah.
We did have some bumps
on the field today.
- Kevin hasn't got the playbook down.
- Really?
Well, he-he's been studying real hard.
Well, to be honest, Kev's probably not
my biggest fan right now, eh, Kevin?
I was riding him pretty
hard out there today.
He's got something special, no doubt,
but he's got to be willing
to put in the work.
I have kids with half his talent
running drills
seven days a week.
My son is up for it.
Glad to hear it.
Allegheny College has a weekend QB camp
for seventh and eighth graders
right up in Meadville.
Kev would be a great fit.
But if I'm gonna recommend
him for a spot
- He's got to put the work in.
- He needs to earn it. Yes, sir.
He will. Right, Kevin?
- Right.
- STIKES: Thanks, Jack.
- JACK: Yeah.
- I'll see you later, sport.
You got yourself into some trouble.
I didn't get myself into anything.
Okay. Why'd they call me?
To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest"?
- Yeah.
Here's the thing, when somebody says
"To be honest" or
"If I'm being honest with you"
or "Honestly,"
it usually means they're
about ready to lie to you.
FOSTER: Okay, let's, let's hold there,
for a second.
Ava, excellent.
You are giving him
as little as possible,
but you're giving me
everything that I need.
And okay.
Let's just take it back
to the top of the scene.
AVA: Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
Yeah. Sure, okay.
(EXHALES)
Got yourself into some trouble.
I didn't get myself into anything.
So why'd they call me?
AVA: To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest."
- Yeah.
Hang-hang, hang on.
- Kevin.
- Uh-huh?
Just, just take it back a couple lines.
Sure. Sure.
So why'd they call me?
- To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest."
- AVA: Yeah.
- One more time?
(INHALES, EXHALES)
Then why'd they call me?
- AVA: To be honest, I have no idea.
- "To be honest"?
Can I get that last line again?
You know, I just if you want
to give me a specific detail
No, no. Stay in the scene,
please stay
I'm trying to stay in the scene,
but you keep interrupting me.
Believe me, Kevin, I wish
I didn't have to interrupt.
(SOFTLY): Good to All right.
All right.
Um, just from the same s pickup.
Um
JAE-WON: We're hearing from a
lot of renters about evictions,
but we're also getting a lot
of complaints from landlords
- about delinquent rents.
- RANDALL: Yeah.
Let's finalize the language
on our motion and get it to the council.
All right.
We keeping you up, Malik?
MALIK: No. Sorry.
JAE-WON: Oh, unfortunately,
I won't be able to shoot
your livestream today.
I've got a budget meeting
at the same time.
RANDALL: All right. We livestream
a daily community bulletin.
I cover local news and answer
questions from constituents.
MALIK: Oh, yeah, I know.
That's the one Deja watches every day.
RANDALL: She watches every day?
MALIK: I am a dead man
- for telling you that.
- Oh, definitely.
RANDALL: Better call your lawyer
and draw up a will. (LAUGHS)
Hey, Malik.
How would you like to
cover the bulletin today?
- MALIK: Me?
- Yeah.
You're one of the more
capable young humans I've met.
We'll set you up at a desk
outside and you just have
to make sure the livestream
starts and ends on cue.
- Sound good?
- MALIK: Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- For sure. I'm on it.
- JAE-WON: Thank you, Malik.
Uh, let's just make sure
to get a camera angle
that doesn't go right up his nose.
RANDALL: I don't need to be
reminded, Jae-won.
I read all the comments.
JAE-WON: Never read the comments!
ELLIE: This probably sounds
insane, but did you ever wonder
what the ultrasound jelly tastes like?
Yes.
KATE: Every time that we're here.
ELLIE (LAUGHS): I know.
KATE: Oh, uh, speaking of eating,
Ellie, do you think you maybe
want to have lunch with me after this?
ELLIE: Yeah, I'd love to.
KATE: Okay.
DOCTOR: Here she is.
Looking great.
Heartbeat is strong.
KATE: There she is.
There's Chloe.
- (BABY CRYING)
- Well, it's a good thing
Randall and Kate are
such heavy sleepers, huh?
This-this-this isn't
normal crying, Jack.
He's never cried like this before.
Maybe something's wrong.
Maybe he's hurt.
Miguel and Shelly said he's
Enough with Miguel and Shelly.
Who made them experts, anyway?
Their kids are train wrecks!
(STIFLED LAUGH)
What's so funny?
That's, that's the sound of our son
being emotionally traumatized for life.
Rebecca, do you remember
this morning when we said,
"Tonight's the night"?
We held hands and
Yeah, I-I don't care
what I said this morning,
because I didn't know then
that he'd be crying
like a maniac for a half hour.
It's been six minutes.
- No way.
- Mm-hmm.
- What?
- Look, I know this hurts.
I know it hurts, babe,
but, but don't you want him
to show that crib who's boss?
No. I don't care.
I'm sorry, I have to go in there.
- Hi.
- JACK: Hey.
(DOOR CLOSES)
REBECCA: Is everything all right?
JACK: Yeah, just a few bumps
at practice.
But we'll run some drills after dinner,
I'll find the problems.
I just got home from practice, Dad.
It's fine, Kev,
you can take the night off.
No, he can't, okay?
The coach said the other kids
I don't care what Coach says.
(TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY)
I'm gonna quit.
- (TV TURNS OFF)
- No.
Kev, you're not gonna quit.
All right? You're the quarterback.
You made a commitment to that team.
You don't just quit the second
something starts to feel tough.
Okay?
I'm tired.
- (SIGHS)
- You should have talked to me
before making a decision like that.
Wh You seriously want
to let him quit?
After h-having one rough day?
He's clearly miserable, okay?
I'm-I'm gonna go up there
and tell him if he doesn't want
to play anymore, he doesn't have to.
Rebecca, I'm strongly asking you
not to do that.
You about ready?
I want to squeeze in
a quick jog after this.
- Yeah, it's looking like we're good to go.
- Great.
I will count you down
to start the livestream.
And you just let the bulletin
play until you hear me say
(LOW-PITCHED): "Thank you
for your time, Philadelphia.
We'll talk again tomorrow."
Just get the hell out of here, man.
These are trucks that can drive right in
and set up safe, clean testing sites
Dad's doing his bulletin.
Uh, we're trying
different spots around town,
so check my website for an updated list.
Food banks are starting to see
- (PHONE BUZZING)
- bumps in need as the weather changes.
Donations are always appreciated.
But please know
that everyone in this office
is working to make sure
that nobody in our community
Hey, Mom, I'm still at city hall.
- (BABY CRYING OVER PHONE)
- I read every message
Uh, no, no, she-she was fine
this morning.
I know that folks
are struggling right now.
Look, I-I left a teething ring
in the freezer.
At a time when my birth father
didn't have a family,
this community was his family.
(SIGHS) When I'm having
a hard day at work
or get frustrated that things
aren't moving fast enough,
I remind myself that I
am doing this for him.
I'm doing this for William Hill.
Because you all were his family.
Which means that you're my family, too.
I'm not gonna cry today.
I know a lot of you like
to take bets on that, so
Thanks for your time, Philadelphia.
We'll talk again tomorrow.
(BLOWS RASPBERRY)
All right. (SNIFFLES)
- Yeah, no, okay. Listen, um
- RANDALL: Malik, I'm gonna change
- and go for that run.
- If she starts crying again,
just give her some baby Tylenol.
But remember to check
the dosage, please.
I know you know.
Uh, Beth?
Hold on, hon, I'm just
in the middle of something.
Uh, o-okay, but Randall's
taking his clothes off
in front of the whole city
of Philadelphia.
Mom? Dad's getting naked!
What?
Oh, my G Tess, call your father.
RANDALL: First you fold the left
Then you fold the right
Bring the hem to the shoulder
And press it tight
Press it tight, mm, yeah
He's not answering.
Of course he can't see his phone,
he's too busy dancing.
Mm-mm, girl, that's not dancing.
I don't know what that is,
but that is not dancing.
ANNIE: Mom, I want to watch.
Hey, hey, hey. Annie, you know what?
There's some things
you can't unsee, baby,
and this is one of them, all right?
All right, all right, bye.
Love you.
(PHONE BUZZES)
Hey, Dej, what's up?
Sh
I know.
I know. I just, I-I think
he needed to know that he wasn't alone.
- That's all.
- (SIGHS)
(BABY CRYING)
(GROANS)
REBECCA: He is a child.
He is a child playing a game.
It's supposed to be fun.
- Here we go.
- Here we go what?
You've been doing this
to him his entire life.
The second he starts to complain
about something being too hard,
you let him off the hook.
Excuse me?
Guitar lessons, uh, Boy Scouts.
Oh, I'm sorry,
our-our six-year-old got tired
of tying knots all day,
so I let him bail on Boy Scouts.
Put me in mom jail.
You just, you can be really easy on him.
And it's made him a little
- What? It's made him what?
- Soft.
It's made him soft.
Hey, nerd, tell me how your
stupid rainbow system works.
Very funny. But whatever the trick is,
I'm not falling for it.
For real.
(SIGHS)
I need your help.
I keep messing up the plays.
Please?
Hey, Foster.
Or, uh, Jordan Martin Foster or JMF?
I don't know what I don't know
what you (CHUCKLES)
I don't know what you want to be called.
Is that what
you waited around to ask me?
No. No. I-I, um
(CHUCKLES): Uh, you were
pretty rough on me in there.
You know? And I was, I was
just wondering if you had
any specific feedback for me
so that I could, you know
I want to give you
what you want, in the scene.
I didn't realize
you were the kind of guy
that needs an attaboy.
- No, no, it's
- Look, look, today
I learned that you are a good actor.
And there's nothing wrong
with being a good actor.
And when you die, people will say,
"Oh, yeah, I remember him. He was good."
Or you could be one of the greats.
Now, here's the good news,
Kevin: you get to decide.
Is today as close as
you get to greatness
or do you come back tomorrow?
See you tomorrow.
KATE: Hey.
Hey.
(SIGHS)
Okay, I'm really, really scared
that I tanked it in there
when I called the baby Chloe.
It was totally insensitive.
You know, I can't even imagine
the thousands of emotions
that you're feeling,
and then I go naming her and
But, Ellie, are you
are you having second thoughts?
Look, it caught me by surprise.
The name.
This is all a lot for me.
Yeah, of course it is.
Kate, I told you that my husband died.
We met in tenth grade.
But it took him a long time
to ask me out. (CHUCKLES)
And even when he did,
it was going slow.
We barely kissed.
So, one day we go to the beach,
and I decide, you know what,
I'm just gonna take charge.
And I pull my T-shirt off,
and I'm standing there
in my cute bikini top, and he
is just staring at my chest,
like, confused, and he's like,
"Wait, you don't have a big
hairy birthmark on your chest
in the shape of South America?"
What?
All year, his bio lab partner
had been telling him
these crazy stories about me.
And the lab partner
her name was Chloe Penner.
(WHISPERS): No.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So look, you
you deserve to name this baby
whatever you want.
- But does it have to be Chloe?
- (LAUGHS)
One time.
I went out just one time
two years after Doug died.
A few months ago, I
decided that I couldn't have this baby,
and I made an appointment
to have an abortion.
And I got as far as the
parking lot at the clinic.
And I know that some people
have very strong feelings
- about
- I'm not judging you at all.
For me
that wasn't the right choice.
(SOFTLY): Yeah.
So, am I having second thoughts?
Yeah.
About pretty much my entire life.
Except this.
Except you and Toby.
About that I am sure.
Hundred percent sure, Kate.
MALIK: Mr. Pearson, I am so
I am so sorry.
(RANDALL SIGHS HEAVILY)
(EXHALES)
I'm sure at your age
city hall's a bit boring.
But you asked to shadow me, Malik.
The work we do here is serious.
I expected you to take it seriously.
Not show up late,
yawn your way through it,
and forget to do the most important part
of the one thing I asked you to do.
I know. I-I messed up.
I did.
But
Mr. Pearson, do you know what
time I had to be up this morning
to get to your place
only six minutes late?
4:30.
I usually get up at 5:00,
so that I can make sure
that I prepare all
of Janelle's meals for the day,
do her laundry, wash all her bottles,
all before she gets up at 6:00.
Today I had to pack a lunch
and iron my shirt, so 4:30.
This stuff is not boring at all.
But I have a daughter.
What she needs
it always comes first.
Even if that means making the
things that I want for myself
that much harder.
I was 17 when I lost my father.
And I felt like I owed it to my family
to make my dreams smaller.
More practical.
But I was wrong.
Listen to me when I say this.
Do not make your dreams smaller.
Make 'em bigger.
Not in spite of your daughter.
For her.
(EXHALES)
Uh
I-I appreciate that, Mr. Pearson.
I don't think the size of my dreams
need to be worried about, though.
I get straight A's.
I'm going to go to an Ivy League college
and major in business.
Then I'm gonna go to culinary school,
so that I can open up
the first restaurant
in Philadelphia history
to get three Michelin stars.
Well, damn. Okay.
Seems like your dreams are of
the perfectly appropriate size.
Wh-What I do need, though,
is a killer internship
for these college applications.
I was thinking maybe city hall?
I think that can be arranged.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
You-you know Deja's gonna
lose her mind, right?
- Oh, I'm counting on it, bruh.
- (BOTH LAUGH)
(BABY CRYING)
- No, no, no. Out of my way, Jack.
- (CLOSES DOOR)
- Can't do that.
- (GRUNTS)
What we're doing isn't working.
I can't move from this door,
as much as I want to.
Just
a little longer.
(CRYING CONTINUES)
(REBECCA SIGHS)
- RANDALL: All right, you ready?
- KEVIN: Yeah.
- Uh, same ones?
- Same ones.
KEVIN: Um, pro-right split,
897 F motion right
- option zone?
- You got it!
- That's ten in a row.
- Yes.
- Okay, let's do ten more.
- Okay.
(RINGTONE PLAYING)
- Hey, Kev.
- (GROANS)
Well, I had the worst first day
with this new director.
I feel like he put me in a bag
and just beat me with a baseball bat.
Why would he put you in a bag?
Why wouldn't he beat you up
outside of the bag?
No, because when you're in the bag,
you don't know where he's hitting you.
You know, just random spots
all over the body.
So you don't know where
the next blow's gonna land.
Oof.
I mean, are you sure working
with him is even worth it?
Um, I don't know, maybe, uh, I
I've been thinking a lot
about Mom, you know?
She's-she's stuck out
there at that cabin.
She's using her phone
to stay connected to the family,
and I just thought
how nice it would be to
do something really great.
Like take her to the Oscars.
Or, like, to win an Oscar,
and then I could stand up
in front of everyone and just thank her
for everything she did for me.
I'd like to do that while she
can still remember, you know?
First I got to give a
performance that's not so tired.
Kev.
Hmm?
(SIGHS)
Kate, come on, I'm too tired
for subtext. Just tell me.
Your big fight with Randall
I mean, didn't he say
that your acting was tired?
This has nothing to do
with Randall, Kate, all right?
This has
nothing to do with him.
You know, I had a
conversation with him
on, um, our birthday.
And he said some things
that I just can't stop thinking about.
You know, ab-about what it was like
as a black kid growing up in our family
with white parents,
you know, and-and white siblings and
how it must have felt for him,
and how unseen
- he felt.
- Unseen?
Kate, Mom and Dad
were obsessed with Randall.
All right? All we tried to do is
get five minutes a day with them
when they weren't paying
attention to Randall.
Kev
we don't even talk to him
about this stuff, though.
You know? And we don't talk
to him about what it was like
or-or what it's still like
for him.
Okay.
Look, I'm not an idiot, okay?
I
I understand it probably
wasn't a walk in the park
to be the only black kid
in that fancy private school he went to.
But let's not sit here and pretend
that Mom and Dad
did anything wrong, okay?
I'm just saying, we all have stuff
from our past that we're
still dealing with, okay?
And that's Randall, you and me.
What does that mean?
Nothing.
Honestly, I'm just tired.
It's been a really long day.
Honestly?
Yeah. I'm fine.
(RANDALL SIGHS)
BETH: Hey, baby.
RANDALL: Hey.
Yeah. I'm not
I'm not ready to laugh about it yet.
- BETH: Oh, no, not yet?
- RANDALL: No.
Okay, will you let me know when you are?
Because, um, I have so much laughter
on the inside of me, I just
would like to get that out.
RANDALL (WHISPERS): Appreciate it.
Malik told me about the internship.
You're ruining my life.
You know that, right?
I do.
Thank you.
You gonna give that boy an internship
after what he did today?
Look, after what happened today,
that kid will not allow himself
to screw up again.
Trust me. I was that kid.
(GLASSES CLINK)
All right. As long as his parents
don't have to come over for dinner.
- (PHONE BUZZING)
- (CHUCKLES)
Excuse me.
What up, Jae-won?
JAE-WON: Someone posted it. (SIGHS)
Today's, uh, bulletin.
And it's kind of going viral.
Well, viral how?
Your bulletins usually get 5,000 views.
This one is already over 100,000.
It might make the news tonight.
And not just the local stations, either.
Well, on the plus side,
the camera angle's very flattering.
You know, these ultrasounds,
they look like somebody
made a baby out of wax
and then left it out
in the sun too long. (CHUCKLES)
But I think
I think I love this melted wax baby.
Whatever her name will be. (CHUCKLES)
What's up?
I thought you'd be excited
knowing that Ellie is fully on board.
I'm fine.
Actually, I'm not fine at all.
Um, my talk with Ellie today
brought up some stuff for me.
Some stuff that I never
wanted to tell anyone.
I mean, not my mom.
Not my brothers.
And not you.
(EXHALES) When I was 18,
I was in a really,
really bad relationship.
(DIALOGUE INAUDIBLE)
And when it ended
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
Come in.
Are you sure
you don't want to come with us
- to New York?
- Yep.
Molly's gonna come over,
and we're gonna hang out
and make fun of Dawson's Creek.
(CHUCKLES)
Have fun.
- And tell Kevin I said congrats.
- All right.
- Love you.
- Love you.
- Bye, sweetheart.
- Bye.
(DRAWER OPENS)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Okay. Maybe you were right.
Maybe I am a little easy on Kevin.
Really? What changed?
Well, I just went upstairs
to talk to him,
and he was with Randall,
who is helping him
memorize his playbook.
Jack, they high-fived.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
It's just
it's so hard for me to push them
when they seem unhappy.
You know, my-my dad
had a nickname for me
- when I was a kid?
- Uh-uh.
Jack of All Trades.
- Hmm.
- I mean, I-I thought that sounded so cool.
You know, I-I thought that
that meant my dad thought
I was great at everything.
So, one day,
I decide to try and fix
the leaky kitchen faucet,
and I just couldn't do it.
I couldn't figure it out. And Stanley
(SCOFFS) He sneers at me,
and he says, "Jack of All Trades,
Master of None."
And that's when I got it.
The whole time, he'd been saying
I was great at absolutely nothing.
- Oh, Jack.
- No, it-it's fine.
I'm an ordinary man.
And for me, the way my dad treated me,
to get out of that
house an ordinary man,
that is an accomplishment in my book.
But (SIGHS)
Our kids,
I want them
to know their dad
sees greatness in them.
I will kill myself to
make them feel that way.
Even when
Even when deep down,
I just want to hold my kid
and-and tell him to go take a nap.
- Hey.
- (EXHALES)
I feel sorry for your dad.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
To have had a son like you
and to have not seen what
was right in front of him.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
You really saw them high-five?
Oh, yeah.
You sure they weren't just, like,
trying to smack each other in the face?
- Like, at the same time?
- (LAUGHS): No.
Uh-huh
I saw her today
At the reception
KEVIN: You really do this
every time you take a test?
That must take forever.
It does. But being me
at my school,
I have to be the best.
At her feet was a footloose man
No, you can't always get
What you want
You can't always get
What you want
(DOORBELL RINGS)
You can't always get
What you want
But if you try sometime
You find
You get what you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need
Mm-hmm
And I went down
To the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent
our frustration"
- (VIDEO REWINDS)
- When I'm having a hard day at work
or, uh, get frustrated
that things aren't moving fast enough,
I remind myself
that I'm doing this for him.
What you want
I'm doing this for William Hill.
- (REWINDS)
- I'm doing this for him.
What you want
I'm doing this for William Hill.
You can't always get
I'm doing this for William Hill.
But if you try sometime
Because you all were his family.
Well, you just might find
Which means you're my family, too.
What you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need, uh-huh
Uh-huh
I saw her today at the reception
(BABY CRYING)
In her glass
Was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art
Of deception
Well, I could tell
By her blood-stained hands
You can't always get
What you want
- (BABY CRYING)
- No, you can't always get
What you want
Yeah, you can't always get
What you want, no
But if you try, you try,
you try sometimes
You find
You get what you need
- Uh-huh
- Oh, yeah
- (BABY CRYING)
- You get what you need
- Uh-huh
- Oh, yeah
- (CRYING STOPS)
- You get what you need
- Oh, yeah
- Uh-huh
Get what you need
Uh-huh
You get what you need.