“This Is Us” Season 3 will be returning sometime in January 2019 and it has a lot of issues that need to address. The finale of this installment’s first half had a lot of things going on that made it difficult for audiences to follow what the episode is conveying.
But it isn’t just the fans who are confused but it seems that creator Dan Fogelman is equally overwhelmed by the finale’s plot-filled narrative. The most questionable twist during the episode is the revelation that Nicky Pearson (Michael Angarano) is actually alive. One of the things that “This Is Us” Season 3 needs to iron out is how exactly did this character return to the U.S.?
The fact that Nicky went AWOL, managed to find his way back to the United States, and didn’t even change his name to avoid repercussions from his actions really undermines the plot twist employed in the finale. There’s also the fact that he opted to live just three hours away from where his family resides, which would increase his chances of running into someone that might recognize him. Putting all of these together, it’s really difficult justifying this plot twist and “This Is Us” Season 3 certainly has a big hole to patch up.
Of course, the episode wasn’t all that bad and it had a few scenes that have been well-delivered. One of these is the confession of Tess (Eris Baker) to her parents that she’s gay. The exchange was so brilliantly done that it perfectly conveys the pain and fear of someone who is confused about their gender; to go against the societal norm and be different. “This Is Us” Season 3 is expected to explore more of Tess’s character and how she’s going forward with this new found support from her parents.
While Baker did a remarkable job of portraying Tess’s fear, Susan Kelechi Watson’s performance is equally impressive. Watson did a phenomenal job of being the strong, reassuring anchor that’s sorely needed by Tess at that moment. Hopefully, “This Is Us” Season 3 will have more scenes like this and cut down from unnecessary twists that only adds confusion rather than emotion.