'This Is Us' had its Episode 8 of Season 2 out for scrutiny a few days ago. It was an uncharacteristic play with the action totally focusing on how Kevin Pearson is dealing with his own issues. A complete radiography of the character wouldn't have been possible during a 40 minutes stretch but a compelling picture surfaced by the end of the episode.
A bad knee opened a dark path for Kevin who seems to have totally abandoned himself in the lap of painkillers addiction.
Moreover, traveling back to his high-school, he sees himself emerging even deeper into what be called his biggest nightmare. Once again, he had to re-live his possible route as a professional football player, his unfortunate knee injury and finally, the death of his father Jack Pearson. That last element remains the biggest mystery of 'This Is Us' TV series. It seems that all characters were shocked when Jack's death occurred and that shadow is still present.
The precarious condition allows Kevin to do some valuable introspection
While the officials from his former high-school are seeking to please him any way they can, Kevin seems rather off and that mostly due to withdrawal symptoms he's experiencing.
In a paradoxical way, the lack of any mental comfort allows him to undergo some introspection. The pick of intensity is being reached when Kevin step outside of the crowd to continue his deep reflection while on the football field.
The steam of alcohol and the flurry of emotions converge into a dangerous cocktail that can easily be translated into a mental breakdown.
Overrun by emotions, Kevin is losing his way
Although he failed to make it to NFL as a professional player, Kevin reached fame as an actor. the sitcom The Manny provided him with a great financial deal and hoards of fans. It's a different kind of celebrity and somehow the trigger of all the negative emotions he has been through recently.
Fully aware of the disaster he had caused in his relationships with Sophie, Kevin decided to put an end to what should have been his ticket to a normal life. Struggling to cope with his addiction, he fails to process the news of Kate being pregnant. Ultimately, he has a similar reaction when Randall informed him that Kate lost the pregnancy.
A rough estimation gives several weeks during which Kevin was subject to a severe abuse of painkillers. That plus a huge alcohol consumption can terminate well for him. Now that his twin sister lost her first pregnancy, he may let himself driven even further by the negative flow of events. Thus, it's fair to say that his life can bump into greater challenges in the near future.