Ep 5. A Long Road Home

A Long Road Home, the fifth episode of This Is Us's fifth season, centers around the Pearsons as they continue to navigate their lives under the unique circumstances brought upon them during the pandemic. The episode is a poignant exploration of love, family, and loss, and its various themes and plotlines intersect beautifully to create an emotionally satisfying hour of television.

The episode primarily follows Kate and Toby as they embark on a road trip to California to see Kate's mother Marcia, whom she hasn't seen in years. Along the way, they reminisce about their past and ponder their wills and estate planning. As they talk about the future and the kind of legacy they want to leave behind, they start to realize that they want to make the most of the time they have with each other and their loved ones. The road trip also gives them a chance to bond with their son, Jack, and discuss some of the issues they've been having with him recently.

Meanwhile, Kevin reflects on his own parenting as he tries to help Nicky bond with his godson, Little Jack. As Kevin watches the two of them interact, he begins to see parallels between Nicky's struggles with his own father and his own struggles with parenting. The episode delves into themes of generational trauma and the ways in which trauma is passed down through families, as Kevin tries to help Nicky break the cycle of neglect and abandonment he experienced as a child.

The other major plotline in the episode revolves around Randall and Beth's ongoing struggle to balance their work and personal lives. As they contend with the stress of working in the medical field during a pandemic, they also grapple with their own feelings of frustration and resentment towards each other. The tension between them comes to a head as they have a fight over the phone, and they're forced to confront the deep-seated issues that have been brewing beneath the surface.

Throughout the episode, the themes of family and love are front and center, as the characters learn to lean on each other and support each other through difficult times. The show's trademark style of interweaving flashbacks and present-day scenes is used to great effect, as we see how the characters' past experiences have shaped who they are today. The overall effect is a touching and introspective exploration of the many facets of life in the time of COVID-19.