This Is Us Season 3 Episode 13 Review: Our Little Island Girl
Brandon Vieira
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Beth, I hear you calling, and it's time for you to come home right now.
After being put on the backburner for multiple episodes, Beth Pearson finally got her moment in the sun on This Is Us Season 3 Episode 13, and if anyone thought it was going to be a quaint, happy trip, you were sadly mistaken.
We're so used to hearing all about the trials and tribulations the Pearson family had to overcome throughout the years that it takes us a minute to realize that their significant others have gone through the wringer as well.
Beth Pearson formerly known as Beth Clark didn't just go through the wringer, she danced through it.
Frankly, this episode was long overdue, and I would've have preferred if we learned more about Beth and her life pre-Randall in small doses throughout the show, rather than just one episode.
Beth deserved more.
Related: This Is Us Season 3 Episode 12 Review: Songbird Road Part 2
Still, I can't dispute the fact that this was a remarkable episode due in large part to Susan Kelechi-Watson and Rachel Naomi Hilson, who played Teen Beth.
They both deserve serious praise for their performance, especially Hilson who did a masterful job of embodying the character of Beth, that I was almost convinced the actresses were related.
Also, their dancing was off the charts good! They both deserve Emmys or Tonys or something! Just give them awards!
While Hilson did a phenomenal job of becoming Kelechi-Watson, she also made sure to change up the character a little bit because Beth Clark and Beth Pearson are two very different people.
The main reason for that being her father, Abe Clark.
Related: This Is Us Season 3 Episode 11 Review: Songbird Road Part One
Jack Pearson might have met his match when it comes to winning the father of the millennium award. While we didn't get to see Abe as much as I would've liked, he did manage to bring a smile to my face anytime he was on screen.
As Carol Clark told Beth, Abe didn't take anything seriously, and his infectious energy was contagious. It felt as though he possessed qualities from both Jack and William, which means he was a pretty remarkable man.
He brought light to everyone he was around, and once he passed, the light in the Clark family vanished with him. Carol's no-nonsense way of looking at life was no longer balanced out by Abe's carefree attitude which affected Beth's view of life as well.
When her father was alive, Beth was his "little island girl." She loved to dance more than anything else, and wasn't afraid to dream big.
Abe: My baby girl, 18 months old before you started walking.
Beth: I know dad.
Abe: And your mother was scared to death! She took you to all kinds of doctors, wanted to find out what was wrong with you, but nobody could tell her anything. And then one day, we were all in Kington and Uncle Clem put on some Burning Spear, you know the song?
Beth: Dread River.
Abe: That song started playing and it felt like it just picked you right off the ground because you stood and danced straight over to me. Your mother would never admit it now but she sobbed. We were so happy. Our little island girl would dance before she walked. That's who you are. Never forget, baby girl.
Those dreams pretty much vanished as soon as Abe died. While it would be easy to blame Carol for taking dance away from Beth, Beth always had a choice, and she decided to stop being their "little island girl" and instead became her mom.
Beth would never admit it, but up until now, she has become her mother. We never knew it until we met the woman, but it seemed pretty obvious as soon as Carol opened her mouth.
Related: This Is Us Season 3 Episode 10 Review: The Last Seven Weeks
Both Carol and Beth are strong, confident women who refuse to let their emotions cloud their judgment. Abe brought lightness to his family, and it affected both Carol and Beth in the same way. Beth was afraid to dream, and Carol was afraid of watching her children fail.
Abe provided his family with air, and Carol's decision to not allow her and her family to grieve properly never gave the Clark family a chance to breathe.
Dad, I'm going to forget. I'm going to forget that part of me. Dad, I want you to know that I'll be happy. I'll find love, great love with a man that reminds me so much of you it's scary. But I can't be me without you. How could I be?
Beth
I imagine not only the loss of their fathers, but their inability to talk about their grief is what brought Randall and Beth together. Their meet-cute at the freshmen mixer was super cute, and I'm hoping to see more of their early days of dating.
Getting to see these young kids grow into adults together would be romantic AF, and bring some much-needed joy to This Is Us.
"Our Little Island Girl" also provided a reason for why Beth was so afraid of Randall's campaign. While it seemed like she was worried about how it would affect her family, it was merely a reminder that she married a man like her father.
A man who wasn't afraid to dream and ever since the death of her dad, dreaming big has always been Beth's biggest fear.
I haven't had my head in the clouds for years. My husband he dreams and he dreams these big ideas and he's never ashamed to do it because no one ever made him feel like he should be. But me? I can't even look at him, I can't even look at the person I am closest to in the world, I cannot look him in the eye and tell him I want to be that little girl who dances again.
Beth
"Our Little Island Girl" also explained one of the most confusing flashforwards This Is Us showed us in the first half of This Is Us Season 3.
Beth's visit and closure with her mother and father helped her rediscover her love of ballet and dance.
Now, she will start a new journey as a dance instructor and might even become a much better version of her dance instructor Vincent.
We already know that Beth is an excellent mother and being a dance instructor would be the perfect fit for someone who is the perfect blend of firm and compassionate.
My biggest concern with "Our Little Island Girl" though is that the show will think this is enough for Beth. She's been relegated to the background so many times before this, and if this episode proves anything, it's that there's still so much to explore about Beth and the Clark family.
While this might be the last time we see Abe and Carol, we know Zoe isn't going anywhere and thank goodness because she's a gem. It was especially nice to see her in a family setting instead of a romantic setting with Kevin.
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Don't get me wrong, I love Kevin and Zoe together, but it's essential to get to know who people are outside of their significant others, and it turns out Zoe's one awesome chick.
Despite a horrible early childhood, she managed to be a loving and supportive child in the Clark family. Unlike Beth, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind around Carol, but she also embraced Abe's words of wisdom. She dreamt big and followed her passion of being a documentarian.
Carol: Time for bed young lady, you've been watching TV for hours now.
Zoe: It's not even that late...chill.
Carol: You did not just tell me to chill child!
Abe: That girl is giving your mother a run for her money.
Zoe and Beth need to spend more time together on This Is Us.
They share so much history, and Zoe knows how to get Beth to relax and have some fun whether it's singing in the car or getting high in the bathroom.
She also knows how to get Beth to open up and as Beth moves forward with her dream to be a dance teacher and Zoe deals with Kevin's dip in sobriety, the two sister-cousins are going to need each other more than ever.
What did you think of "Our Little Island Girl"?
What revelation about Beth's past life surprised you most?
Would you like to see more of Beth and Randall's relationship as teens explored?
Who is the better TV dad: Jack Pearson or Abe Clark?
Let us know in the comments below, and if you need to catch up make sure to watch This Is Us online right here on TV Fanatic!
Brandon Viera was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in May 2019..
