Children use a number of tactics to steer the spotlight in their direction.
They want to be seen, heard, and understood.
In some cases, this behavior puts them on a path theyll follow for years.
Credit: Ron Batzdorff/NBC
Insecurities are buried deep down so as not to deter from promising career goals.
They have the choice to remain at odds with the unknown, or stare it square in the face.
Tonights episode opens with a montage of Jack worrying about money.
Miguel has been promoted and wants Jack on his team.
Jack has a different plan: Big Three Homes.
He wants to strike out on his own.
Rebecca informs Jack that Randalls teacher has requested a meeting.
As it turns out, even though Randalls grades are average, hes actually gifted.
Were talking special-school gifted.
Jack balks, claiming Randall cant attend a smarty-pants school because he needs his brother and sister as buffers.
And by the way,allof his children are exceptional.
Rebecca persuades Jack to at least check out the school.
As he suspects, This school is whiter than Randalls already pretty white other school.
Its clear this conversation has morphed from Randalls future to Jacks unhappiness at work.
He confesses his dream of building his own business, and Rebecca is completely supportive.
She just wants her husband to be happy.
Say goodbye to the expensive school with blonde-haired, blue-eyed kids.
Randall will be just fine.
That night, Kevin repeatedly reminds his dad theyre supposed to build model planes together.
Jack pats his boy on his head and confirms their date.
Meanwhile, Kate finds Rebecca standing in the bathroom in nothing but a towel.
She compliments her mother, admiring her beauty.
When Kate hands Rebecca her size-medium shirt, shes quick to check her own tag which reads extra-large.
Cue the falling face.
Later that day, Jack picks up Randall from a play date at Yvettes house.
Yvette: You want to hold him back because hes black?
Yvette: Then dont deny him this special opportunity.
In this moment, Jack realizes hes been holding his son back.
Hes worked for eight years to try and convince the world Randall is no different than the others.
He does stand out, in more ways than one.
He encourages Randall to be as different as he can be.
Dont be afraid of it.
Randall comes home to find William playing the piano as his children watch, mesmerized.
William also plays the trumpet!
Tess invites her grandfather to be the speaker at career day.
Randall immediately shuts down the idea.Hewill be speaking at Tesss career day.
Who wouldnt want to learn about trading commodities based on long-term weather patterns?
Its going to be lit!
Randall doesnt understand the context of lit, which makes him absolutely adorable.)
Randall practices his speech in front of an uninspired Beth.
Shes confused about why her husband is so passionate about proving himself worthy on career day.
The answer, Randall says, is genetics.
He has an entire artistic side that was never explored in his youth.
Instead, he was always a math geek.
This must be why hes secretly wanted to play the saxophone.
Beth smiles as if to say, Bless his heart.
He sits behind a piano and bangs out a horrific original piece about corn crops and weather investments.
He never had a chance following Kendalls mom, the firefighter.
Randall puts on a suit the next morning and addresses his family at breakfast.
My dad put on a tie every day because he had to, he announces.
I put one on because I want to.
Its important you know that.
Also, hes going to start piano lessons and hopes everyone can support him during the spring recital.
Annie: What was that about?
Beth: That was a midlife crisis, baby, but just a little one.
Using her organizational skills and personal insight into the Hollywood lifestyle, Kate excels.
She even agrees to drive the ladys daughter around.
Gemma treats Kate like an intern, demanding she chauffeur her around town.
Kate slams on the brakes and kicks her employers kid out of the car.
Kate finds Gemma and casually says she knows exactly what Gemma is going through.
Its hard to have a mom who is skinny and gorgeous.
Kate admits she and Rebecca barely talk, because its impossible to not compare herself with her perfect mother.
(So this is why we never see them together!)
But moms arent perfect.
And neither are daughters.
NEXT: RIP Frank
You know who else isnt perfect?
He cant seem to grasp the pinnacle of grief his character experiences after losing his wife.
Olivia decides to help him by inviting him to a party.
And by party, I mean a memorial service for a stranger named Frank.
Olivia stuffs her face with bereavement cheese while Kevin freaks out about crashing a funeral.
All Kevin can do is look dumbfounded.
Kevin agrees to take them off her hands.
She laughs, offering her new friend sport coats and holiday ties.
Her 15-year-old son, Jeremy, doesnt want anything to do with them.
When he died, Kevin threw them all away.
Grace asks Kevin how old he was when his father passed.
It was a long time ago.
Kevin pulls out a necklace from under his shirt.
Its the only thing he has left.
He used to not want to wear it, but now he cant take it off.
Suddenly, Kevin is crying into the pickles as Grace comforts him, snot and all.
He finds sanctuary in a bedroom.
This isnt a play.
This is a real woman who just lost a person she loves.
Olivia watches as Kevins walls break down.
His dad died, and he hated him for it.
Olivia encourages him to use the pain.
Its a part of him.
She can feel it.
Then she feels his tongue in her mouth as they fall onto Franks (or is it Jeremys?)
This is the definition of inappropriate.
The next day, Kevin forgives Olivia for taking him to Franks funeral.
The trick worked and hes ready to tackle his character.
Olivia warns him there was another lesson during their field trip.
Nowthatswhat I call method acting.
