‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 9 Recap: Kate and Toby’s Marriage Starts to Crumble in ‘The Hill’
This Is Us fans have been waiting for the moment Kate and Toby’s relationship took a significant turn for the worst, and tonight’s episode teased the beginning of the end for the couple. They have struggled to maintain a healthy marriage since Toby got a new job in San Francisco. And after This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9, the cracks in Kate and Toby’s relationship are more prominent.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9, “The Hill.”]
Jack taught Kate how to swim in ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 9
Per IMDb, Mandy Moore directed “The Hill,” and Chrissy Metz, Casey Johnson, and David Winsdor co-wrote the episode. The synopsis reads, “Kate visits Toby,” which didn’t give fans a lot to work with. But going off of This Is Us Season 6 Episode 8, viewers knew that they would see young Kate’s perspective of the pool day.
Rebecca tried to get Kate in the pool, but she was afraid. After Kevin almost “drowned,” Rebecca ran off to find him, and Jack took over with Kate. He tried to help Kate overcome her fears, but she told him she would never let go of him. Jack and Kate got out of the water in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9, and Jack told Rebecca that “Today is not the day.”
Kate contemplated her future as a young adult
Flash-forward to the late ’90s, Kevin, Kate, and Randall retreated to the closed pool after an awkward Thanksgiving in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9.
As fans saw in episode 8, Kevin laid out his insecurities about himself following his breakup with Sophie. Now, it was Kate’s turn to unload her doubts on her brothers seeing as they were locked in, thanks to Randall and Kate moving the brick that kept the gate open.
While trying to find a way out, Kate told Kevin and Randall that she felt trapped in Pittsburgh. Her brothers then asked her what she wanted to do with her life. And Kate told them, “When I look into my future, I literally see nothing. No job. No family. Nothing.”
Randall climbed over the fence to get out, as did Kevin did. They encouraged Kate to do so too, but she couldn’t in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9.
Kate visited Toby in San Francisco in ‘This Is Us’ Season 6 Episode 9
After Rebecca’s emotional plea to her kids to live their lives to the fullest despite their mother’s illness, Kate set out to repair her marriage with Toby in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 9. The couple agreed to spend some time together in San Francisco. But before their weekend together, Kate enjoyed her week with her kids and coworkers in Los Angeles. She also confided to Madison that she missed the old Toby, the Toby before he lost weight.
Before Kate departed, Toby informed her that he couldn’t pick her up at the airport because of work. When she hung up with him, she pictured the old Toby and said he would’ve met her at the airport. When Kate got to Toby’s apartment in San Francisco, they slept together for the first time in a while. Afterward, Toby had to make a work phone call. When he left, Kate imagined she was with the old Toby.
Toby came up with an extensive plan for him and Kate the next day. But she just wanted to spend a chill day with him. And they seemingly had a great day until Toby showed a Kate a house he wanted them to buy, which overwhelmed Kate.
Kate and Toby then attended a cocktail party at his boss’s house, where all of his coworkers expressed their love for Toby. Toby’s boss casually let it slip to Kate that her husband turned down a job offering in LA to stay at his company. Kate confronted Toby, and they returned to his apartment, where they got into a big fight. And Kate confessed that she had been picturing the old Toby. They also addressed that they were happy in their separate lives — Kate in LA and Toby in San Francisco.
The next day, Toby told Kate that he was happy that they had both recognized their worth. But he also said that moving to San Francisco was their only option to stay together and be a happy family. Kate left and climbed up a hill. After she made it to the top, she called Phillip and told him that she wanted to be considered for a promotion.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
