This is Us season 3, episode 1 recap: ‘Nine Bucks’

The season premiere of fan-favorite This is Us aired Tuesday night on NBC.

Get your tissues ready; This is Us is back! And I only cried three times!

I wish I could say this is progress.

The episode begins with an unrecognizable man calling home to his mother before heading off to play a game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It turns out; the man is Franco Harris. I’m a football fan, but I never heard of him. But I did hear of The Immaculate Reception. More on that later.

Let’s see what the Pearsons are up to, shall we?

Jack and Rebecca’s first date

More from Show Snob

• The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!”
• Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII
• Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy”
• Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?”
• Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”

After seeing how Jack meets Rebecca–in a bar during one of her singing gigs–Episode 1 picks up their story where it left off last season.

They have a polite conversation over a couple of beers, and then Rebecca suggests that they “get out of here.” But don’t worry, she doesn’t mean to “knock boots.” After borrowing a few bucks from Miguel outside the bar (before Rebecca exits), Jack has a total of $9 to woo the woman of his dreams.

He takes her to a carnival, where at first, they seem to be having a good time. But after buying admission, a candy apple, and hot chocolate for Rebecca, he’s only left with $2.

They briefly talk about Vietnam, which prompts Jack to become snippy with Rebecca. The realize she likes cats; he likes dogs. They also don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to pizza toppings. And when it begins to rain, Jack won’t buy an umbrella for $2.

Jack comes clean to Rebecca after driving her home that he only had $2 left and he was afraid she would want to play games at the carnival. He also tells her talking about the war and his brother makes him sad.

Rebecca softens up and kisses Jack! She also leaves her jacket in his car, on purpose, so that he can return it the next day.

When he returns with her jacket and a modest bouquet of flowers, he arrives just in time to see a blonde guy with a large bouquet of flowers at her door kissing her.

Thank God we know they get together or else this would really suck!

The Big 3 turn 38

We briefly see flashes of what happens immediately after Kate and Toby’s wedding.

Still, in their wedding attire, Kate tells Toby, “Let’s make a baby.” But after taking numerous pregnancy tests, Kate still isn’t pregnant. She finds out she has PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), which is challenging in and of itself. But her weight is also causing fertility issues. Toby also gets checked and finds out he has a low sperm count.

Kevin and Zoe “knock boots” presumably after the wedding. They carry on their relationship through secret texts.

Deja’s mom signs away her rights as a mother and informs the court that Deja’s father has never been involved in her life.

Randall gives Deja a choice

After months of practicing his speech and waiting for the perfect moment, Randall takes Deja to William’s apartment building, which he and Beth now own, to ask Deja if it was ok for them to adopt her.

It was very sweet, trying to make the connection that they both didn’t know their biological fathers. He didn’t get a choice, but he’s giving her a choice. But Deja quickly points out that they aren’t the same, because he had two dads that loved him and she had none.

Randall apologizes for comparing their situations but says he just wants it to work out because he and Beth think she’s exceptional.

Later, Deja sneaks out to find her birth father, (she knows where he is all along) and basically tells him off. He’ll never know her and the exceptional things she will do one day. She asks him for one favor, to give her money so that she could buy Randall new running shoes for his birthday.

She also agrees to the adoption.

Kate and Toby’s baby troubles

On Kate’s birthday, she and Toby visit the fertility doctor, who confirms that the low sperm count may be due to Toby’s use of antidepressants. She also closes the door on working Kate because her weight makes it too risky.

Even though they know the risks, they’re still willing to go for it. The only problem is Doctor Dream Dasher isn’t willing to take the risk, and she assumes the other doctors in her practice feel the same way she does.

Kate is absolutely crushed.

After Madison’s birthday brunch for Kate, she receives a phone call from Doctor Dream Dasher asking them to come back to the office. She tells them she changed her mind and wanted to “make the impossible possible.” But she warns them that there’s a 90% chance of failure.

Toby determined to make Kate’s dream a reality, throws away his anti-depressant pills. This explains the flash forward we saw at the end of the Season 2 finale.

“She will break you”

Beth suspects that Kevin and Zoe are “knockin’ boots.” Randall isn’t so sure without proof and makes Beth swear on Oprah not to say anything.

As soon as Kevin shows up for their birthday party, Beth confronts them. It turns out, she’s not so much concerned about Kevin dating Zoe, but more worried about Zoe dating Kevin, and destroying him.

I loved the tender moment between Beth and Kevin where she tells him how much she loves him and doesn’t want to see him get hurt by her man-eating cousin. “She will break you.” I hope she doesn’t!

Who is “her?”

We also see a bit more of a mystery the show established last season. Future Randall and future Tess go to see “her.” When Tess excuses herself to go to the bathroom, Randall calls future Toby and asks if he wants to come down because “she’ll want to see you.”

Tell us ho her/she is!

The Immaculate Reception

Harris’ amazing, real-life play is a backdrop throughout the episode. I’m still not sure if it has anything to do with the show, or they just wanted to pay homage to the Pearson family’s favorite team. If it is somehow connected, I wonder if Zoe and Beth are somehow connected to Harris? Could he be Zoe’s father? I doubt it since Harris is a real person.

I guess we’ll find out soon enough! Join us next week for our recap of This is Us episode 2!