‘This Is Us’ fans should probably be worried about Toby and Kate

One of the hardest things about this pandemic (in addition to isolation and the health scare of it all), has been the financial struggle that so many people have faced. So many people have been laid off or forced to take time off to care for their children, leaving them wondering how they’re going to pay the bills. Enter Toby, Kate and the current pandemic-fuelled storyline on This Is Us (Tuesdays, 9 pET, CTV). 

Rocky things ahead

This show has made a name for itself by delving into the nuances of everyday family life, but this year with the coronavirus affecting the storylines, the writers have managed to tap into a whole new layer of dramatic everyday living.

Last week, after bringing their newborn baby girl Hailey home, Toby (Chris Sullivan) revealed to Kate (Chrissy Metz) that he had been laid off. While Toby’s profession has always been something of a mystery to fans, the family has been comfortable financially over the years. So this twist is a big gamechanger for the couple, as Toby wonders what he’s going to do next and Kate heads back to work. 

Obviously, it’s going to go deeper than that, if Tuesday’s episode was any indication. Toby is a guy who has had some dark depressive episodes in the past, and he’s also a guy who takes a lot of pride in being able to provide for his family. With that gone, he’s at a loss, and probably wondering about his place in life.

A job loss is one of the biggest life changes a person can go through (right up there with a newborn baby, by the way), so things are going to be tough for the guy over the next little while. And that could very much take a toll on his mental health.

Add to that situation the everyday struggles all partners face when it comes to money (which was also captured in the Jack and Rebecca flashbacks this week), and it feels like Kate and Toby are heading on a rocky road.

Could this be the start of the flashforwards, in which Kate is absent and Toby had a hard time getting out of bed? It’s hard to say. But if the duo do end up divorced as some fans have predicted, this major financial situation could be a catalyst.

An unexpectedly awesome partnership

Considering all that, Kevin (Justin Hartley), in his oblivious sushi-dinner-party haziness, is right to be worried about Toby, Kate, and his niece and nephew. And while a compound in Malibu sounds like a nice idea and all, Kevin needs to find a new way to reconnect with his brother-in-law—one that involves a little less cash and fewer materialistic things. 

To be fair, Kevin’s heart is in the right place. He just wants to spread the wealth and have his entire family together as he continues to see the world through his New Dad goggles. Can you really blame him for that? After all, if you could have picked one character at the beginning of this show who would be rocking parenthood five seasons in, Kevin would have probably been the underdog. “Manny-ing” on TV is a far cry from parenting IRL.

Now, with some career success (and a bunch of cash for hired help) Kev is thriving in his dad role, not to mention being a pretty great partner to Madison (Caitlin Thompson).

It will be interesting to see how the night’s cliffhanger, AKA the return of Uncle Nicky (Griffin Dunne) will factor into that new world view. 

Nicky obviously decided he needed to emerge from his trailer and come visit his new grand-niece and nephew, but it also seems like he may stay for a while. This pandemic has made even those who enjoy solitude crave company and like everyone else, Uncle Nicky isn’t immune to what’s been going on in the world. 

A new indefinite houseguest 

Someone else who has been feeling that loneliness hardcore is Beth’s mom Carol (Phylicia Rashad). In a storyline that was completely separate from the rest of the Pearsons (minus the awkward dinner party theme of it all), Carol had long overstayed her welcome and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) were counting down the days until she was ready to leave. 

Having an overbearing mother isn’t a new storyline in a TV drama or comedy, but This Is Us did it in the most Pearson way possible, by reminding viewers just how hard this pandemic has been on people who are living by themselves.

While families are dealing with extra loud households and big feelings, parents whose kids have left home and those who are by themselves have had to find ways to fill their hours in solitude. Being around the family was what Carol needed, and while she definitely put her judgey face on for lots of situations, she too was basking in the chaos of it all. 

So did Beth want to ask her mom to stay indefinitely? Probably not. But she asked her, because that’s what family does in these situations. And if Randall and his basil plant have a problem with it going forward, well, as Beth said—his family swings by whenever they want. Now it’s her turn to have family crash for a while. 

And considering her family in question is the one and only Phylicia Rashad, no one could blame the writers for wanting her to be a larger part of the story, at least for a while.

Watch new episodes of This Is Us Tuesdays at 9 pET on CTV and catch up here.

BEFORE YOU GO: Michelle Obama weighs in on the Harry, Meghan, royals situation

[video_embed id='2161541']BEFORE YOU GO: Michelle Obama weighs in on the Harry, Meghan, royals situation [/video_embed]