This Is Us - Memphis - Advance Preview

The episode picks up one week after the events of 1.15 and follows Randall & William on their road trip to Memphis while the flashbacks give us glimpses of William and his family throughout the years and here's what to expect:

— Beth makes a quick appearance, being her usual awesome self voicing her concern about Randall going on a road trip so soon after his breakdown but ultimately supporting his decision. Other than her, the kids and Jack, the other main characters don’t appear. I can’t really write about how Jack fits into the episode without spoiling it but feel free to share your theories in the comments.

— Something I really enjoyed about the episode is how it draws attention to all the different, little things we pass on from one to another. Similar to how Dr. K passed on the "no lemon so sour" saying to Jack who then passed it on to his children, the same is done with a lullaby, some toys and a certain gesture.

— The show continues its impeccable use of flashbacks. We pretty much learn everything we’ve been asking about William; We meet his parents, we see him as a young adult performing with his band, why he left and relocated from Memphis to Phittsburgh, how he met Randall’s mother and what pushed him to start taking drugs. It’s a lot of information and it almost feels like we see his life flashing before our eyes.

— In the present, the father-son duo are enjoying themselves on their road trip, having a great time which is a nice change of pace since these two usually carry the emotional weight of the show; But their blissful detour is cut short when one of them is admitted to the hospital. The scenes in the hospital are among the most poignant, moving and emotional sequences the show has done so far.

This Is Us’ new episode "Memphis" airs this Tuesday on NBC 9/8c.