THIS IS US: The First Season: The Trip
An insightful family drama about love, loyalty, and betrayal.
Should You Watch It?
This episode takes family pain seriously. Randall is devastated by what he sees as his adoptive mother’s betrayal, while the family cabin becomes an attempt to bring the three siblings together. The episode is especially insightful about adoption, fear, unwantedness, loyalty, and the power families have both to wound and to heal.
That emotional strength comes with serious content concerns. A bedroom scene, implied fornication, strong language, and accidental drug use make this unsuitable for children and young teens. The mushroom-laced beverage leads to hallucinations, adding another concern for families making a careful choice.
If you are a discerning adult looking for a thoughtful family drama, this episode is WORTH WATCHING — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESRandall is angry and devastated after learning that his adoptive mother knew his biological father. Kate suggests that the three siblings go to the family cabin in hopes of reuniting them.
Kevin invites Olivia, who arrives with two uninvited guests and quickly creates tension. As old fears and family wounds surface, the siblings must face what loyalty, honesty, and love mean when trust has been broken.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this episode is emotionally strong and insightful. Its greatest strength is the way it portrays family bonds as powerful enough to wound and to heal. The story also thoughtfully addresses adoption, fear, family, relationships, marriage, and the father-son bond.
The episode brings several strained relationships together in one setting and uses those tensions to explore difficult feelings rather than treating them lightly. Its emotional seriousness makes the content concerns more consequential, but the source review finds the episode deeply worthwhile for discerning adults.
The Worldview
This episode presents a strong moral worldview centered on love, honesty, family, marriage, and children. It treats family loyalty as significant and shows how betrayal, lying, anger, bitterness, and selfishness damage relationships. At the same time, the episode recognizes that family members can help one another work through pain and begin moving toward healing.
The story gives particular attention to adoption and the emotional struggle of feeling unwanted. Randall wrestles with betrayal, while Rebecca wrestles with fear. Kate and Olivia also face fears connected to family and relationships. The episode’s moral vision aligns with Scripture in valuing truth, family bonds, and faithful love, though its account of healing remains focused on family relationships rather than explicitly on reconciliation with God.
The longing for honesty and restored family relationships points toward the biblical call to speak truthfully and practice love: “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
<b>
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Strong moral worldview with an emphasis on love, honesty, the value of family, marriage, and children, with a stress on the father-son relationship; <b>
Foul Language
</b> Six<b> </b>obscenities and five profanities; <b>
Violence
</b>No violence; <b>
Sex
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Implied fornication when a man and a woman are seen in bed together, and a man mentions having intercourse; <b>
Nudity
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Light nudity with men shown shirtless; <b>
Alcohol Use
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Mild alcohol content with several people shown drinking beer; <b>
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>No smoking but a man mentions attending Narcotics Anonymous, and a man drinks a beverage containing mushrooms, and it causes him to hallucinate; and, <b>
Miscellaneous Immorality
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Anger, betrayal, lying, bitterness, selfishness.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Randall feels unwanted after learning painful truths about his adoption. How can families speak truth while also showing steadfast love?
Ephesians 4:15 · Psalm 27:10The episode shows betrayal and lying creating deep wounds. Why does honesty matter in close relationships, and how can truth be spoken with grace?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22Family members in the episode struggle with fear about relationships and belonging. Where can we take our fears when we feel rejected or uncertain?
Psalm 56:3–4 · 1 Peter 5:7The story presents family love as able to wound and heal. What does Scripture say about forgiving one another and pursuing restoration?
Colossians 3:13 · Romans 12:18The Final Word
This is a thoughtful, emotionally powerful episode about adoption, family loyalty, honesty, and healing. Its bedroom scene, language, and accidental drug use make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH WATCHING — ADULTS ONLY. For other options, see.
