This Is Us - Season 4
The fourth season of the American television series This Is Us continues to follow the lives and connections of the Pearson family across several time periods. The season is produced by Rhode Island Ave. Productions, Zaftig Films, and 20th Century Fox Television, with Dan Fogelman, Isaac Aptaker, and Elizabeth Berger serving as showrunners.
This Is Us - Season 4
The series was renewed for a fourth, fifth, and sixth season in May 2019, with production for season four beginning that July. The season stars an ensemble cast featuring Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan, Jon Huertas, Niles Fitch, Logan Shroyer, Hannah Zeile, Mackenzie Hancsicsak, Parker Bates, Eris Baker, Faithe Herman, Lonnie Chavis, Lyric Ross, Asante Blackk and Griffin Dunne.
On Thanksgiving, 1969, Jack and Nicky ditch their bickering parents to spend the day together. Nicky buys a five-pound shrimp tower and analyzes the song "So Long, Marianne". They agree to spend every Thanksgiving this way, but Nicky is drafted a week later. In the present, Shauna is thriving, but Deja is upset that Shauna wasn't like that for her. Beth reminds Deja that she had "perfect" moments with Shauna. Kevin helps Tess gain the confidence to come out on Instagram. Nicky cries when Randall plays So Long, Marianne and Randall relates Jack's interpretation--Nicky's own, verbatim. Nicky serves the family five pounds of shrimp, a tradition adult Jack Damon preserves in the future.
On May 12, 2019, NBC renewed the series for a fourth, fifth and sixth season of 18 episodes each, for a total of 54 additional episodes.[1] Dan Fogelman, Isaac Aptaker, and Elizabeth Berger serve as the season's showrunners.[4]
NBC's tearjerker family drama returned for a fourth season Tuesday and greatly expanded its world, introducing three story lines that have the potential to shake up life for the Pearsons, now and in the future. The new narratives, and the new characters that go with them, could add energy to the series after a woefully tiresome Season 3. If the premiere episode, "Strangers," is any indication, the new trio (and talented actors who play them) are just what "Us" needs.
We see New Jack through more life stages than anyone else in the episode, and the reason becomes clear when his identity is finally revealed. He's the only new character not in the present timeline. (So we might not see as much of him this season as the other two.).
This Is Us wrapped up its fourth season with an hour that encompassed four different time periods, introduced two new key characters, brought back many more recurring players and still managed to set up storylines that will reverberate throughout the final two seasons for which the show has already been renewed.
This Is Us kicked off the second half of its fourth season on Tuesday, and the winter premiere, titled "Lights & Shadows," marked the introduction of Sophia Bush's character -- and a special cameo by John Legend, who debuted a romantic new ballad. (More on Legend later.) While speculation was that Bush could be playing Kevin's (Justin Hartley) future, pregnant fiancee, this episode answered all of those questions. So, is Bush sticking around on This Is Us?
Kevin and Lizzie's connection was immediate. Her cute dog is even named Adrian Balboa, a reference to Rocky Balboa's wife, if that wasn't fate enough -- and Kevin, the hopeless, all-in romantic he is, thought the same. (Rocky's portrayer, Sylvester Stallone, guest-starred on This Is Us in season two.) Unfortunately for Kevin, he quickly learned that Lizzie -- whom he's starting to believe could be The One -- is only in town for a conference and jumping on a plane back to Chicago (cute nod to P.D., This Is Us writers) the following day. So Kevin does what any well-meaning (ahem, wealthy) Hollywood star with connections would do: He gives Lizzie the ultimate day in L.A., so she can't help but fall in love.
But things took a turn for the worst when she stopped it from going any further, taking Kevin by complete surprise. "I can't do this," Lizzie said, pushing him away before letting it slip that Kevin was her "hall pass." Her... what? Turns out, Lizzie isn't who she says she is. She's married. Rubbing salt in the wound, she's actually been texting with her husband all this time -- not her mom, like she said before -- and getting his approval to "go for it" with The Manny. Yikes.
Is Kevin's first love and ex-wife now back in the picture and possibly his future fiancee? Sophie's re-emergence in his life is a bit shocking and unexpected, considering the last time they reunited in a season three episode, Sophie (Alexandra Breckenridge) seemed to happily be in a relationship and moving on with her life. She even forgave Kevin, a huge move considering how rocky their relationship was. While it remains to be seen how significant a presence Sophie will have in Kevin's life, there are some clues pointing to where this storyline could go.
Since the season four fall finale, fans have theorized over who Kevin's mystery woman could be. One popular season four theory was that Cassidy, Kevin's Alcoholics Anonymous friend-turned-one-time-hookup, was the mother to Kevin's mini-me, who viewers briefly met in the future flash-forward. Though it appeared that This Is Us nipped that theory in the bud after having Cassidy return to her husband and son, it wouldn't be surprising if she came back into Kevin's life in the months after Thanksgiving.
Or it could end up being Sophie; surely, her late-night phone call would fuel even more speculation. Or, Kevin's mystery fiancee could be someone who hasn't been introduced yet. Is this mystery woman The One for Kevin? Considering everything he's gone through, especially on the heels of Lizzie's heartbreaking rejection, fingers crossed that's the case.
Suffering from PTSD, Cass returns home from the war and struggles to adjust to normal life. Flashing back to her time in the Middle East, she lashes out at her child, Maddie, and promptly leaves, shocked at her own actions. Deciding she needs help, she heads to counselling. Her life is at a stand-still and a lot of this stems from the sheer guilt she feels over the cost of civilian lives out on the front lines. That figure happens to be a measley $1200. Before she can continue talking though, a man throws a chair through the window. That man happens to be Nicky.
Acting as a throwback to the very first episode, This Is Us does well to add new characters to the fold while using the Jack and Rebecca storyline to anchor everything together. Of course, due to the extended amount of time dedicated to the trio of new faces, fans expecting more screen-time for their favourites may well be left disappointed with this.
At baby Jack's birthday party, Rebecca and Miguel announced their intention to move to St. Louis, where they'll live for nine months while Rebecca receives treatment. However, in a flash-forward, Kevin, his mystery fiancée, and Kate join Rebecca at the family cabin to celebrate their 40th birthday (no Randall in sight). Does this mean the trial didn't work, or did Rebecca forgo it after all?
In the near-future flash forward, Kate (Chrissy Metz) is wearing her wedding ring, but she signs documents on behalf of Rebecca as Kate Pearson and Toby is nowhere in sight. Could this mean the tensions between her and Toby (Chris Sullivan) were too much to continue in their marriage?
This Is Usis getting some fresh blood in Season 4! Series creator Dan Fogelman announced at the Television Critics Association winter press tour that Chicago P.D.'s Sophia Bush and Better Things' Pamela Adlon would be guest-starring in the show this season, though he was secretive about the details.
Fogelman kept quiet about Bush's upcoming role, but he had the following to say about Adlon's character: "A little bit later in the season, involved in Sterling's very intense storyline that I can't speak about, Pam Adlon is going to be doing [a role]... I can't say what she plays because it's a spoiler for Sterling [K. Brown]'s story," Fogelman told a small group of reporters after the This Is Us panel. "But Sterling has an unbelievable arc in the back half of the season, and she plays a very important -- limited but important role in his story."
When This Is Us premiered back in 2016, the first season focused heavily on the early days of Jack and Rebecca's time as parents: the run-up to the birth of their triplets, the loss of their son Kyle, and Randall's adoption. It also featured their OB-GYN, Dr. K. Since then, the show has drifted away from that era and their doctor. But he returned in the Season 4 finale, and Dr. K's "Blue Skies" song on This Is Us was just the moment fans needed. Warning: Spoilers for This Is Us follow.
Jack's response is to pack up the family and take a trip back to Dr. K. Though the show has long left the character behind, for this era of the couple, Dr. K. is still someone who they see on a semi-regular basis during the post-pregnancy wrap-up.
After Jack and Rebecca leave, they go home and finally allow themselves to grieve and move on from this emotional time. Meanwhile, Dr. K. finds himself sitting alone in his office, singing to himself. "Blue skies....smiling at me...."
Season five of This Is Us is finally premiering on Oct. 27 and there's a lot to catch up on. We last saw the Pearson family reunite at Kate and Toby's house to celebrate baby Jack's first birthday. While it's great to see everyone back together, it wouldn't be a This Is Us episode without gut-wrenching drama. We were left frantic over sibling rivalries, heartbroken over Rebecca's health diagnosis, and euphoric over the news of growing families at the end of season four. Major things are happening to every character and there's plenty of cliffhangers that set the tone for season five. First, let's play a bit of catch-up! 041b061a72