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See Kate and Toby fight — from Jack Jr.'s perspective — on This Is Us

Exec producer K.J. Steinberg calls Tuesday's episode "terrifying" and "heartbreaking," but also "heartening."

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Published on April 4, 2022 03:36PM EDT

Tuesday's episode of This Is Us, "Saturday in the Park," won't exactly be a walk in the park for Kate and Toby, even though they'll do exactly that. The tension between the couple has been building for a while now, and this episode ratchets it up a few more notches, especially when Jack Jr. (Johnny Kincaid) seems to have gone missing. Sorry, Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Miguel (Jon Huertas), but this might throw a wrench — or the whole tool box — in your 10th anniversary party.

In EW's exclusive clip of the episode's first minute, above, you will "see" the dissolution of their marriage from Jack Jr.'s eyes. "I didn't say never! I never said never! I just said, 'Not right now'!" says Kate (Chrissy Metz). "You refuse to move to San Francisco, but you will take a bigger teaching job here in L.A.! How does that fix our family???" snaps Toby (Chris Sullivan). Meanwhile, Jack Jr. is sighing, trying to tune out the noise or get them to stop. When he (accidentally?) creates a commotion, they come rushing into the room, and he explains that he knocked something over. He's okay (for now).

"A lot of the episode is — and this is something we've never done before — from the point of view of Jack Jr., an unsighted child," says executive producer K.J. Steinberg, who wrote the episode. "A lot of it is experiencing the conflict and the dissolution of his parents' marriage through his little ears, and through his milky, hazy eyes. Often when there's tension in that household, the child gets forgotten."

How concerned should viewers be for Kate and Toby, who seems closer than ever to a breaking point? "They should be very concerned," says Steinberg. "They are walking a tight rope right now."

Here are four words that she uses to describe "Saturday in the Park," which includes a flashback to a simpler time for Rebecca and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia): "Terrifying. Heartbreaking. Heartening. Funny."

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

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See Kate and Toby fight — from Jack Jr.'s perspective — on This Is Us

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