‘This Is Us’ Fans Weep Over ‘Sad’ but ‘Empowering’ Kate Pearson Episode
On the heels of This Is Us‘ episode dedicated to Kate Pearson’s life journey, fans grew emotional over the character’s evolution. Throughout the episode titled “The Hill”, Kate (Chrissy Metz) realized that after years of believing she was not good enough, the confidence others had always seen in her had finally risen to the surface. Sadly, this realization comes as her marriage to Toby (Chris Sullivan) disintegrates. Viewers took to Instagram where they said they “wept” over Kate realizing her power, calling the episode “sad” but “empowering.”
Kate’s transition allowed the character to realize her strengths
Kate Pearson faced and perhaps even overcame the negative emotions that always held her back. Metz co-wrote the episode, directed by Mandy Moore (who plays Rebecca),
In “The Hill,” the second installment of the series final Big Three trilogy, Kate grew into the person she was meant to be. Subsequently, this meant growing apart from Toby. In this case, the show revealed the fissures that become the break-in Kate and Toby’s relationship.
The episode subsequently re-established the three timelines revealed in Kevin’s episode one week prior.
Present-day Kate learns about Toby’s San Francisco life while simultaneously looking back at a 20-year-old Kate who reveals her desperation to brothers Kevin and Randall.
Meanwhile, little Kate stood her ground as her parents attempted to coerce her to put her face in the water at the neighborhood pool.
‘This Is Us’ fans weep over the chatacter’s emotionally charged episode
In the comments section of an Instagram post shared by the series where Chrissy Metz asked viewers their thoughts about the episode, fans expressed a range of emotions.
“Weeping! Empowering but sad watching you both finding your happiness and realizing it may not be with each other,” wrote one follower.
“When Kate made it to the top of the hill, a new Kate emerged,” claimed a second viewer.
“I honestly couldn’t be more proud of Kate. I screamed, “You let go, and you walk up that hill, Katie girl!!!” So beautifully done, Chrissy. And so personally relatable and impactful. I’m torn because I love Kate and Toby both so much. When I first found out that Kate was with someone else a few years in the future, I was MAD about Katoby breaking up, but after tonight’s episode and how it’s so well written, I think it will all be OK,” penned a third Instagram user in the comments section of the post shared above.
Chrissy Metz shares Kate’s purpose moving forward
Metz spoke to People Magazine, where she discussed the dissolution of Kate and Toby’s marriage.
“Neither one of them is right, and neither one is wrong. They’re moving in different directions, sometimes you move together, and sometimes you move separately,” Metz subsequently explained to the publication.
“I think it’s essential to show the dissolution of a relationship in the most honest, real, and relatable way. However, these are two people that love each other very much, and they’re trying hard in every way that they know what they feel is best to keep this relationship going. Unfortunately, it’s not ultimately what each other wants. They want separate things,” she concluded.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST.
