Sterling K. Brown Says Randall’s ‘This Is Us’ Flash-Forward Isn’t What You Think
The withdrawals are real when it comes to NBC’s hit series This Is Us, as fans continue to obsess over that shocking Season 2 finale twist.
For those not up to speed, the last moments of “The Wedding,” which featured Toby (Chris Sullivan) and Kate’s (Chrissy Metz) marriage, also included three minutes of cliffhanger material. From Kevin’s (Justin Hartley) mysterious trip with his new girlfriend to Toby’s depression triggered by something yet to be known, there was plenty to leave fans hungry.
But none of those moments were as concerning as Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and adult Tess’ (Iantha Richardson) conversation involving an unidentified “her.” Needless to say, “It’s time to go see her, Tess,” and “I’m not ready,” are two statements that have been gnawing at fans brains since March 13.
Now, Sterling K. Brown is revealing that this flash-forward isn’t necessarily what fans think it is. “I know who the person is that future Randall is referring to, but [Dan] Fogelman would cut off my big toe if I actually told you who it was,” Brown told Entertainment Weekly this week. “But I can tell you it’s probably not what you suspect. In classic Fogelman style, it will be like, ‘Oh, wow — didn’t see that coming.'”
So while fans have been playing the guessing game of whether or not the “her” that Randall and Tess are talking about is Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson), Deja (Lyric Ross), or Annie (Faithe Herman), it could be someone else entirely.
Brown explained that Fogelman “has a very keen understanding of what the beginning, middle, and end of our show is, and that’s important because he often likens our show to Lost in terms of its structure.”
These sentiments by Brown echo what Milo Ventimiglia told us earlier this year post-Super Bowl episode. “You know, [Dan] Fogelman had been wanting to do that since the pilot,” the actor, who plays patriarch Jack Pearson, revealed to TV Insider about the first flash-forward. “He’s been wanting to jump several years into the future to explore what a member of the Pearson family would be like, that maybe we wouldn’t expect to see. And I knew from what he had said [that] it was always one of Randall’s children.”
So Fogelman clearly has his mind made up in terms of where the story is going, but just because we have had a glimpse of the ending, doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty more show to be had. This Is Us was initially picked up for two more seasons beyond it’s first outing, and it seems unlikely that it won’t be renewed for a fourth shortly after the premiere of Season 3.
As for the potential that these flash-forward scenes have, Brown continued, “You’re dealing with present-day circumstances, and then you have these flashbacks which further illuminate the present circumstances of the characters.” So what could this mean for Randall? Fans will just have to wait and see.
“When you see that flash-forward to the future, it will ultimately help to illuminate what the end of our story will be,” Brown concluded. “That’s pretty big. Without telling you anything, I actually told you quite a bit.”
Well, until then, we’ll just continue to spiral down the rabbit hole of fan theories.
This Is Us, Returns Fall 2018, NBC
