At a ‘For Your Consideration’ event, ahead of upcoming Emmy nominations, the cast and crew of This Is Us got together to talk about some of the big moments from season 1 as well as some (vague) information that alludes to what we can expect in season 2.
On Jack’s death, Dan Fogelman gave a bit of a clue when asked by PEOPLE and EW’s editorial director, Jess Cagle.
He also told the audience that he doesn’t read many of the fan theories about Jack’s passing, but his writers do. So far, he’s ‘not quite seen anybody in the vicinity of being right.’ Which makes us feel a little bit better about some of the popular theories we’ve read that were especially heartbreaking. He also said that he didn’t expect Jack’s death to still be igniting such chaos.
‘(I) Never in a million years expected that this chaos about Jack’s death would still be going on at this point.
However, Jack’s death, or rather, the promise of more life for him in the series, was just a small part of the conversation on Wednesday night. The cast discussed, as we said earlier, some highlights (and heartbreaking moments) of the first season as well as a few other ‘hints’ at what to expect (or what not to) in season 2.
Like Toby and Kate – they won’t be rushing down the aisle, and while that’s something fans were aware of, we didn’t wonder if we’d see them discussing nuptials at all in season 2. Chrissy Metz said that the pair has more to learn about each other, and themselves before that happens.
‘I sort of don’t want to rush in — I think that Toby and Kate have a long way to go to really get to know each other and to know themselves. They don’t just want to step into a marriage.‘
Chris Sullivan, who plays Toby, added on that they’ve got a long way to go ‘four or five seasons, at least’ and that he knows his heart problem can take Toby out at any time.
‘We got a long to go – like four or five seasons to go, at least. That heart problem I know is a shot across my bow. And I know, it’s like, ‘Know your place. Because like that, I can take you out.’ So, I’ll be good.’
Milo Ventimiglia laughed and told him, ‘Sully, don’t worry, death is okay. On this show, death is okay.‘
Speaking of death, Susan Kelechi Watson begged Dan not to kill William off in the series. So she’s basically us, except she got to do that begging to his face, not into a box of tissues at home. The begging wasn’t enough to change the way of life – and death – for William but Dan did mention that he was so wowed by Susan’s delivery of Beth’s speech to William
At one point in the panel, Sterling K. Brown said this of the series, and what they’d done with filming of the hardest episode for Randall at this point, and quite possibly ever.
‘They’re trying to destroy me, they’re trying to suck every tear out of my body.’
We feel the same way, Sterling.
