Randall’s Storyline Was the Most Important Part of Last Night’s ‘This Is Us’
As someone who’s struggled with anxiety for most of her life, Randall has always been the most relatable member of the Pearson family for me on This Is Us, and on Tuesday’s episode, his mental health was at the forefront. Even though this is something he’s dealt with throughout the series, there was something different about how it was covered last night. Seeing Randall ask for help for his anxiety was important for everyone who’s watching and has experienced the same things that he has.
[There are spoilers ahead from last night's episode of This Is Us. If you’re not caught up yet, proceed with caution.]
When Randall found out his mom has dementia and wasn’t able to share that with Kevin and Kate, it seemed like something bigger was about to happen. Then a man broke into his house with a knife while his wife and kids were sleeping. That would be enough to stress anyone out, but seeing how it tied to his childhood experiences, especially with Jack, it made it all the more real that this would a triggering event for him.
Finally, in a separate incident, Randall ended up fighting off an attacker who tried to steal a woman’s purse, and his community lauded him as a hero. The attention was just too much for something that he had done partially out of his own fear.
It really seemed like this was something Randall was trying to handle himself, and he kept shutting down all offers of help, but then he hit his breaking point. Coming face to face with his emotions after his entire office congratulated him for being a hero finally made him realize he needed help, and it was so good to see him reach out to Kevin and ask for it.
It’s definitely not easy to admit that you can’t handle things on your own, and for someone who’s as independent as Randall, it can feel impossible. He might not be ready for therapy yet, but he admitted to someone close to him that he couldn’t do it on his own, and that’s huge. Even taking a small step like that is so important.
Hopefully, This Is Us will give us more of Randall tackling his anxiety head-on this season. Seeing him share the same struggles that a lot of fans face themselves means so much (40 million Americans struggle with anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America). It could be even more powerful for audiences to see him work through that anxiety and come out on the other side of it, more equipped to handle what life throws his way.
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