This Is Us season 6 episode 8 recap: The Guitar Man

This article contains SPOILERS for This Is Us Season 6 Episode 8.

Kevin travels across the country with his twins to ensure the Pearson family home construction is going well in this week’s episode of This is Us season 6.

Catch up on everything from the last episode here!

This week’s episode of This Is Us season 6 begins with a flashback to the town pool that has been the location of many stories so far, having its grand opening on the first day of summer. Little Kevin wants to jump off the diving board, but Jack and Rebecca won’t let him obviously because he is unable to swim.

This is something he could know if he wasn’t being stubborn and went to lessons as Randall did. Jack decides to take Kevin into the pool to help his son learn how to swim.

This Is Us Season 6 Episode 8: Kevin goes east with the twins

Jumping ahead to the night after the awkward Thanksgiving dinner from last week, young adult Randall and Kate find a drunk Kevin at the aforementioned pool, which is closed and about to be demolished. After this, the episode jumps to full-grown adult Kevin listening to elderly Rebecca tell her children to live fearless in life.

We then see a montage of Kevin doing his best to balance his life with fatherhood that culminates with him telling everyone he is traveling with the twins alone from LA to the Cabin, via first-class commercial flight. It goes as well as expected with one person flying with two toddlers.

When he arrives, Uncle Nicky and Edie are naturals with the babies which frustrates the struggling and too proud Kevin.

Up at the construction site, Kevin learns Cassidy found a setback with the foundation. He is disrespectful about the whole situation because of his established stress from traveling.

Eventually, everyone settles in at the cabin. They are able to live in harmony with Kevin, the twins, Uncle Nicky, Edie, Cassidy, and her son Matty sitting around the table for an unconventional family dinner.

During this dinner, Kevin is able to take a step back and enjoy these people in his life.

This Is Us Season 6 Episode 8: Kevin’s emotional foundation

A small interlude cuts in going back to Jack teaching child Kevin how to swim in the pool. After Kevin learns the notion of treading, Jack lets the naive Kevin try to swim a short distance.

Jack lets him struggle for a brief moment. When he finally pulls his son back above water, Kevin is upset because he thinks his dad tried to drown him.

After Rebecca tells him that his dad was trying to help, seeing as the two boys are alike, Kevin goes back into the pool. This interlude continues with the young adult Big Three all sitting at the bottom of the abandoned pool.

Kevin is telling his brother and sister about his adolescent dreams when he admits he belongs in the shallow end because he’s not smart. But Randall and Kate do because of their potential and brains.

Kevin talks about how his foundation is unable to grow. As they are leaving, Kate and Randall assure Kevin that he is a screw-up, but he will figure it out.

In the middle of the night, Kevin receives a phone call that Cassidy has been in a car accident. After checking to see if she was sleeping like he last saw her, Kevin and Uncle Nicky go to the hospital to check on her.

The doctor comes out to inform them that Cassidy is stable but can’t take painkillers because she is a recovering addict, and instead needs rest.

This Is Us Season 6 Episode 8: Kevin puts others first

Other than some scratches and a broken bone in the arm, Cassidy is ok, and the doctor says the pole she hit head-on took the most damage. This fact clearly sticks with Uncle Nicky.

Outside, Uncle Nicky gets to Kevin when he says people like them do not just get better on their own since it took him over fifty years to even begin getting over his time in Vietnam. Cassidy is nowhere near that time away from her tours.

Kevin decides to stay in the waiting room all night pacing.

Finally, he is able to go in and see Cassidy. The first thing he tells her is that Matty is a little rattled but is ok since his mom is alive.

Kevin admits he won’t ask invasive questions but rather he will just be here for her. The two sit in silence for a bit before Cassidy explains she brought back poor sleeping from overseas and sometimes she goes for a drive to clear her mind.

She further explains everything going on which leads to her breaking down and crying as Uncle Nicky arrives to lend his shared experiences and tell her everything is alright. Back at the cabin, Kevin is giving directions to Cassidy’s ex-husband so he can pick up Matty and bring Cassidy’s son to visit her.

Because he took a liking to it, Kevin gives Matty his guitar before sending him off with his dad. After talking with the construction workers, who Cassidy hired since they were vets, and after ensuring Cassidy is getting the help she needs for her PTSD, Kevin has the idea of starting Big Three Homes and hiring more vets.

On his plane ride home, Kevin is much more successful with looking after the twins.

With the next episode focusing on Kate, will this be the end of her marriage with Toby? How do you think Kevin will bounce back from this emotional episode? Let us know your answers and opinions in the comments below!

Watch the new episode of This Is Us season 6 next Tuesday, only on NBC!