That Was Us

What would Jack Pearson do? In the moments before Kevin is due to take the stage on the opening night of his play, he asks himself this question. The answer had all of us crying. We watched Kevin run to his brother, Randall, who is still at the office, curled up on the floor, in the midst of a breakdown, and just hold him. A beautiful moment for brothers who have not had an easy going relationship, and a full circle moment for Kevin, to do the right thing. We also examine the other Pearson relationships played out in this episode and you better believe we’re taking sides! So today, we're talking about mental health, healthful relationships, and the return of Sophie all these years later… and yes, Alex Breckenridge (Sophie) is here with us too!

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Join us in welcoming the composer of “This Is Us,” “Only Murders in the Building,” and so much more… Siddhartha Khosla. How did he develop the most perfect heartstring-tugging music for the show? How did his roots and upbringing inspire the soundtrack? What was it like being college roommates with Dan Fogelman (creator of “This Is Us”)? You are in for a real treat! Performing his song, “Evergreen Cassette,” and bringing back all the feels, Siddhartha Khosla sends us down memory lane to relive the beautiful connection we all felt with the Pearsons when watching “This Is Us” for the first time.

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While Jack and Rebecca say, "I do," Miguel and Shelly say, "I don't," and we say, "Let's talk about it,"... Marriage, that is. Marriage is hard! It's constant work. Jack and Rebecca's marriage wasn't perfect, but they consistently worked together to push through all the hiccups along the way. They fought for each other, and they fought for their love. In this episode, we break down the budding, building, and rock-solid Pearson couples. How do you fight for your marriage every day? How do you keep the spark alive? How do you communicate conflict when it inevitably comes up? We're not experts, but we'll share what works for us! Ready for date night?

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Young Randall didn’t care that only three friends showed up to his birthday party. He was happy that his three good friends were there to celebrate with him. All his life, William dreamed of driving around in a cool car, with his favorite drink, listening to his favorite record. How special that his son was able to help make that dream come true. Sometimes, life’s defining moments aren’t grand. It’s a shift in perspective, the little things, that define who we are and impact our lives and the lives of those we touch. Join us as we recap and reflect on our own birthdays, parenting stories, and more.

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We are all about hot takes and the rehashing of a very big day! Yes, that means we're going back to the pilot, but from a different angle and a few new POVs. As the birth of The Big Three fast approaches, Rebecca forgets Jack’s birthday, Dr. K struggles with the loss of his wife, while firefighter Joe prays for a miracle. Speaking of miracles, we're gonna need one to get through this without crying, so grab your tissues, and let's get started.

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Jon Huertas, aka Miguel Rivas, is with us! That's right, Jack's best friend, and Rebecca's second husband... we'd say, "awkward", but now that we know the whole story, we can say, "we love Jon Huertas and we love Miguel too"! Right? Tune in to hear how Jon handled the Miguel hate that spanned several seasons and the process he went through to land the role. Join us as we pry for exclusive behind-the-scenes tidbits.

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The right thing to do isn’t always what you want to do and vice versa, so how do we know right from wrong? Jack knocks on his estranged dad’s door to ask for money so he can afford a home to fit his growing family; Toby initially fights against it, but reluctantly opts for additional surgery to avoid more serious complications down the road. Randall fights tooth and nail to find a treatment to give William more time, but stops when he is truly able to hear what William wants, which is to stop chemo; and Kevin doesn’t feel passion in his relationship with Sloane, but stays because he believes it’s the right thing to do. We all face moments where the right thing to do isn’t obvious, but all we can do is our best. Decisions, decisions… Let’s sift through.

Check out Your Mom Is A Podcast, a new podcast from Milana Vayntrub & Sandeep Parikh where they embark on the hilarious journey of parenting improvement.

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Rebecca promised us, “Nothing bad ever happens on Christmas Eve,” and if you rewatched “Last Christmas” like we did, you know it’s a close call. Kate gets her appendix out; Dr. K is in the same hospital, dying, about to go into surgery; Randall’s co-worker, Andy, is preparing to take his life; and Toby has a heart attack… and who is coding?!?! Navigating the holiday season is already a tricky thing to do. How do we celebrate the joys of life when we’re at death's door? Where do we find peace amidst the holiday season when it’s not always a joyful time? Who do we turn to when we need a hand to hold to get us through it all? Ring the bells and let’s talk it through because it’s Christmas time.

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The Big Three head to the family cabin after a chaotic Thanksgiving and Olivia heads over to join them with her ex-boyfriend, Asher, and Sloane in tow. What should be one last joyful trip before Rebecca sells the vacation home becomes quite the trip for Randall, thanks to Asher’s mushroom smoothie. And while Randall works through his anger for Rebecca with ghost daddy Jack, Kate and Kevin work through the hiccups in their own relationship. Sibling relationships, navigating one’s emotions, self-discovery, and forgiveness are all on the table, so let’s head to the cabin.

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Thanksgiving comes early this year! That’s right, in this episode, we’re introduced to Pilgrim Rick and the birth of the Pearson’s favorite holiday traditions. A 3.4 mile hike, Police Academy 3, hot dogs with Kraft singles and crushed Saltines, a ball of yarn, and the hat of “Pilgrim Rick” are essential. Will Miguel ever get a chance to play Pilgrim Rick? No dice. Will we talk about Randall confronting Rebecca about her letter he found at William’s? Absolutely. Let’s break bread and dig in.

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Family secrets can create a strong bond, or be divisive. When William and Beth bond over special brownies, a major secret is spilled: Rebecca and William have known each other all this time with no one, not even Randall, the wiser. Meanwhile, also divisive is that of the relationship between Randall and Kevin. It all comes to a head, and so as we break down the episode, we also break down familial relationships and discuss the moral responsibilities we face within our own family networks.

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Susan Kelechi Watson, aka Beth Pearson, is in the house, which means so is R&B! We hear about everything from her audition process to the behind-the-scenes efforts that went into portraying and building Beth's backstory. Join us as we reminisce and rediscover the anchor that is Beth Pearson. Pantry wine optional.

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What do you want to be when you grow up? It's the age-old question most of us were asked when we were little. Sometimes a childhood dream job becomes a reality. And sometimes there's a pivot or sacrifice made along the way that leads to a career path different than imagined. Life's twists and turns allow the Pearsons (and us) to discover new passions/gifts and use them professionally. So as the Pearsons consider (or reconsider) what they're meant to do and how they got to where they are, we do the same.

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Life is full of color, and we each get to add our own color to the painting of life. Even in death, we’ve still left our mark. We’re still a part of the painting. Kevin Pearson illustrates the beauty of this message, which also serves as the meaning behind what “That Is Us” is all about. As Kevin said, “There’s no you or me or them. It’s just us.” Come be a part of our painting and join us in conversation.

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Jack, Rebecca, and The Big Three are off to the pool, which sounds fun, but in actuality, feels a bit like Rebecca’s book: Misery. Randall and Kevin fight with each other, Kevin fights for attention, and Kate opts not to fight her bullies. Kevin miserably auditions for his first Broadway play, Toby bumps into his ex-wife, and William is mistaken as a loiterer. There are a lot of dynamics at play - parenting, self-discovery, racial injustice, weight insecurities, bullying, and forgiveness - and we get into it all.

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Grief. Where do you begin when you feel like you’re slipping through quicksand? Jack and Rebecca bring home three babies while grieving the loss of another. Randall just reunited with his birth father, William, but now grieves his terminal illness. All channel their grief differently. How do we go through the process of grief with care and ultimately come out on the other side of it? Who do we lean on in these moments of darkness so we don’t have to face it alone? Kate reminds us of the importance of being there for each other, no matter the circumstances… time after time. Deep breaths.

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It’s been eight years since The Big Three were born, and there’s friction in the Pearson household. We see the early signs of disconnect between Kevin and Randall, and we see that a decade’s worth of marriage and child-rearing has taken its toll on Jack and Rebecca’s marriage. Kate wrestles with weight insecurities and did Tess just call Miguel “Grandpa”?? In this episode, we explore navigating the highs and lows of marriage, sibling dynamics, body image issues, advocating for yourself in relationships, and putting in the work.

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Dan Fogelman (This Is Us, Tangled, Cars, Fred Claus, Crazy, Stupid, Love) is a legend around here. He brought us the Pearsons, and he brought us together! Dan joins us to discuss what went into writing the show, and how he was able to surprise us with bombshell reveals and leave us hanging week after week. Mandy, Sterling, Chris, and Dan talk about the evolution of the Pearson’s stories through time, the process of filming when working with kids who grow up fast, and the importance of weaving in the historical moments that were happening in real-time as filming took place.

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Tissue Tuesdays are back! In our premiere episode, we travel back in time to the early days of This Is Us and the making of the “Pilot”. We break it all down, from the audition process to our first impressions of each other, and we introduce you to the first of many fan segments. What did the Pearsons teach us? What does “This Is Us” mean to us? How did the reality of what these characters were going through affect the reality of our own lives and perspectives on life’s trials and challenges? Join us to find out!

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Join hosts, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan as they dig back into each episode of This Is Us on That Was Us, a rewatch podcast. Every Tuesday, hosts will explore the overarching themes of the Pearson’s stories, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never before heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and watch new episodes on YouTube.

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