This Is Us: Season 3 | Episode 1 “Nine Bucks” Review

The Pearsons are back and as expected steal our hearts once again! In the Season 3 premiere, It’s the Big Three’s birthday and there is a lot going on with all of the Pearsons. We see Jack and Rebecca meeting for the first time and the beginning of their love story. Randall and Beth are trying to handle the issues they have with Deja past and present. Also Beth finds out that Kevin and her cousin are “knocking boots”. However the storyline that really got me this episode was Kate and Toby. They went to a fertility doctor and got heartbreaking news that Kate will most likely never be able to have children. Due to her health issues and her weight, it will be extremely hard for her to carry a baby again.

This episode is mainly in the present time but all the flashbacks are of Jack and Rebecca’s first date and it was something to watch! They first meet at a bar and eventually Jack brings Rebecca to a carnival. Before leaving the bar, Jack goes outside to wait and bumps into his friend. He says “I met the girl..” His friend then replies with “Oh you met a girl?!” and Jack says “No! I met THE girl.” OH JACK. He asks to borrow some money from his friend so they can have a nice time at the carnival. Well things didn’t go as planned. Their conversation was not anything of substance and Rebecca was not happy. Before dropping her off, Jack explained to her why he had been acting so weird. She explains her friends told her if she really likes a guy she has to leave something in their car. She leans in for a kiss and “accidentally” leaves her jacket. Jack comes back the next day with flowers but painfully sees Rebecca kissing another man. Who is this mystery guy?!

At Beth and Randall’s, they are trying to juggle dealing with Deja’s troubles and the fact that Kevin and Zoe are seeing each other secretly. Beth of course is giving the both of them the third degree when Kevin comes over for their birthday celebration. While this is going on, Randall decides to take Deja for a drive to William’s old neighborhood and tries to show her they come from similar backgrounds. Randall also brings up about him and Beth wanting to adopt her. She gets frustrated and just wants to go home. She sneaks out and goes to see her biological father which ends up being a positive thing. Deja shows up thinking Beth and Randall would be upset but comes with a birthday gift which Randall is thrilled about. Also Deja agrees to sign the adoption papers which makes everyone very happy!

The heartbreaker of this weeks episode is Kate and Toby’s situation. They are still recovering from the miscarriage and trying to continue on with life. Kate and Toby go see a specialist where they are told that because of Kate’s PCOS and weight, it will very difficult for her to get pregnant or carry to full term. She advises them there is not much else she can do for them. They both leave very upset and disappointed because they want a baby more than anything. Toby is concerned with Kate and tells her that they don’t have to go to the birthday party. She decides to go anyway because she doesn’t want to cancel. Kate has a difficult time keeping it together during the party and even has a small breakdown during cake expressing her struggles in front of her friends. Toby and Kate get home and discuss their feelings on fertility when they get a call from the specialist explaining how she would like them to come back in. The specialist wants to give the discussion another try and review their options. This puts Toby in a bind because he wants to cut back on his antidepressants thinking it will help their fertility. I have a bad feeling about this but there may be hope for them!

No surprise, it looks like this season will be yet again a roller coaster ride!

Don’t miss This Is Us on NBC Tuesdays at 9/8c!