This Is Us: How Many Episodes Are There?
This Is Us is a heartwarming family drama series with a massive following. It captures the lives of a close-knit family and their experiences through their own individual flashbacks and current struggles. This article will explore the total number of episodes in the series and delve into its essential and skippable episodes. We will also rank the top 10 best episodes and identify the 5 worst ones. Additionally, we’ll analyze the characters in the series and how they impact the storyline. We’ll touch on fan theories and what to potentially expect in future episodes.
Recap Article: A Breakdown of the Seasons
First and foremost, let’s get to the total episode count of This Is Us. The show premiered in 2016, and as of October 2021, it has aired 88 episodes. Each season comprises 18 to 22 episodes, which is the reason for the substantial episode count.
This Is Us mainly follows the Pearson family through different timelines. It usually jumps from the past to the present, giving viewers a glimpse of the family’s adolescence and how it affects their present lives. The first season introduces the family’s dynamics, and we see their lives unfold twelve years later. It goes on with each consecutive season, and the significant moments and experiences of the previous seasons carry on to the following ones.
The events in the first seasons primarily surround the triplets’ upbringing: Randall, Kate, and Kevin. They are the children of Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), who experience the highs and lows of parenting and marriage. The show touches on themes such as family, love, grief, addiction, and identity, and it provides viewers with a relatable watching experience.
Ranking Articles: The Best and Worst Episodes
Now that we’ve gone over the series’ episode count let’s rank how they hold up to each other. This is purely subjective since every viewer might have their own personal favorites. For the top 10, we have the following:
- “Pilot”
- “Memphis”
- “The Big Day”
- “Jack Pearson’s Son”
- “The Dinner and the Date”
- “Number Three”
- “The Pool”
- “Super Bowl Sunday”
- “The Wedding”
- “Moonshadow”
The pilot episode is an excellent introduction to the family’s dynamics and leaves a lot of room for character development. It’s an emotional rollercoaster yet incredibly heartwarming and uplifting at the same time. “Memphis” is one of the most heart-wrenching yet emotionally satisfying episodes, and it gives deeper insight into Randall’s character.
On the other hand, the following episodes may not have landed as well with some viewers:
- “The Club”
- “Katie Girls”
- “Still There”
- “The Car”
- “The Fifth Wheel”
Although these episodes did have some excellent moments, indicated by the rating on IMDb, they fell short in terms of overall impact. They might not have been essential to the overall storyline for some viewers, which explains why they made this list.
Viewer’s Guide Article: Essential and Skippable Episodes
For new viewers, it can be challenging to know where to begin or which episodes to skip. For a better viewing experience, we suggest watching the following essential episodes, which are crucial for understanding the overall story:
- “Pilot” – Season 1, Episode 1
- “The Big Three” – Season 1, Episode 2
- “The Game Plan” – Season 1, Episode 5
- “The Pool” – Season 1, Episode 4
- “Memphis” – Season 1, Episode 16
- “Number Three” – Season 2, Episode 10
- “The Wedding” – Season 2, Episode 18
- “Super Bowl Sunday” – Season 2, Episode 14
- “The Beginning Is the End of the Beginning” – Season 3, Episode 1
- “Her” – Season 3, Episode 18
- “After the Fire” – Season 4, Episode 4
These episodes are critical for understanding the main storyline and the importance of the characters’ past experiences on their present-day lives. While some episodes are skippable, they do have their merits, such as expanding on specific characters and their individual personalities. These episodes include:
- “The Pool: Part Two” – Season 1, Episode 5
- “The Trip” – Season 1, Episode 11
- “The Most Disappointed Man” – Season 1, Episode 17
- “This Big, Amazing, Beautiful Life” – Season 3, Episode 9
- “Clouds” – Season 4, Episode 17
Cast/Character Analysis Article
One of the show’s strengths is its cast of main and supporting characters. They portray relatable, complex, and realistic individuals going through the same issues that real people struggle with every day. Here’s a brief introduction to each character:
- Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) is Rebecca’s husband and the father of the “Big Three.” He’s a former Vietnam War veteran and all-around “good guy” that everyone likes.
- Kate Pearson (Chrissy Metz) is one of the triplets and has struggled with weight and body image issues throughout her life.
- Kevin Pearson (Justin Hartley) is another of the triplets and is a successful actor, although he often feels unfulfilled.
- Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) is the third triplet, adopted by the Pearsons as a baby and raised alongside Kate and Kevin. He is a successful businessman and loving husband and father, but also struggles with anxiety.
- Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) is Jack’s devoted wife and mother of their three children. She’s a singer and event planner and is always there for her family.
- Miguel Rivas (Jon Huertas) is Jack’s close friend and business partner, but eventually marries Rebecca years after Jack’s death.
- Beth Pearson (Susan Kelechi Watson) is Randall’s wife, a former dance instructor, and fiercely supportive of her husband and family.
- Toby Damon (Chris Sullivan) is Kate’s supportive and loving husband.
Each character has gone through significant character development and has their distinctive personalities and arcs throughout the series. The show explores how their past experiences shape their individual behaviors and how they all interact with one another.
Fan Theories Article
Like with any popular series, fans come up with theories surrounding the characters and the show. Here are a few of the most popular:
- Jack is Alive – After Jack’s death, fans speculated that he faked his death or that the show would go back in time to when he was alive.
- Kate and Toby’s Son – In one episode, viewers saw a flash-forward to the future where Toby is holding his and Kate’s son, but the baby isn’t shown. Fans believe that the child might be born blind, as we see Toby using sign language in a later episode.
- Randall and Beth’s Future – Fans speculated that the reason for Beth’s animosity towards Randall in the flash-forward scenes in Season 3 was due to their separation or divorce.
It’s exciting to speculate about what will happen in the series. Which theories will end up being right and which will be wrong? Only time will tell.
Season Preview Article
The latest season of This Is Us, Season 6, premiered on January 4, 2022, and it will be the final season of the show. It’s expected that the show will continue to cover the main characters’ lives while also offering resolutions to hanging plotlines. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to such a beloved series, but it’s sure to be an emotional and satisfying conclusion to the show.
Conclusion
In conclusion, This Is Us is an exceptional series that has captured the hearts of many audiences. Even though it covers emotional themes, it’s a relatable watching experience that resonates with many individuals. Hopefully, this article has given a quick overview of the series and how many episodes are in it, as well as provided further insight into the characters, the necessary and skippable episodes, the best and worst episodes, fan theories, and potential previews of the series conclusion.
Have a favorite episode? Think one should’ve made the top 10 list? Where do you think the series will end? Let us know in the comments section.