‘This Is Us’ season 1’s episode 9, entitled “The Trip”, will follow Randall as he continues to struggle with anger after learning Rebecca and William’s secret. He will turn to his father Jack for answers.
The synopsis for episode 9 posted on Headline Planet reads, “Kate (Chrissy Metz), Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) head to their family’s cabin to get away after their chaotic family Thanksgiving. A very angry Randall finds comfort and explanation from his father, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia).
Olivia (Janet Montgomery) speaks a harsh truth to Kate, which drives a wedge between Kate and Kevin. Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Jack struggle with what to do when 9-year-old Randall tells them that he’s been looking for his birth parents.”
In the incoming episode, Randall will continue to struggle with the rage his feels towards his adoptive mother as well as his biological father. He may turn to his father Jack for an explanation about everything as his reality spirals out of control.
The preceding episode, entitled "Pilgrim Rick", was especially tough for grown-up Randall. He learned that his adoptive mother Rebecca and his biological father William (Ron Cephas Jones) knew each other all along and kept this a secret from him.
According to the recap on Entertainment Weekly, Randall discovered a letter and school picture of himself that Rebecca sent to William alongside William’s Thanksgiving recordings. Although Rebecca had been trying to tell him her secret the entire time following Beth’s warnings, Randall had to find out for himself. During the family’s Thanksgiving meal, Randall confronted his mother about her correspondence with William before storming out.
Series creator Dan Fogelman said, “Sterling played it so beautifully — more than anger he’s stunned, and you feel his entire world spinning on its axis. I think anger comes with processing. Right now is disbelief and emotion in all the visceral, weird, ugly ways.”
Fogelmann explained that Randall’s anger will be mostly for Rebecca. He said, “It’s fair to say that the carnal, original sin he views as being Rebecca’s. Everybody else is complicit, and it’s not that he’s letting everybody off the hook, but where he’s focusing is on his mother.”
‘This Is Us’ season 1’s episode 9, entitled “The Trip”, is scheduled to air on NBC on November 29, 2016. It will be followed by episode 10, entitled "Last Christmas", scheduled for December 6.
