The “This Is Us” second season finale cliffhanger will set the tone for the remainder of the series, actor Sterling K. Brown says.
The episode’s “bombshell” interaction between Brown’s character, Randall Pearson, and his oldest daughter has become the show’s new fan-theorized moment — especially now that the details behind patriarch Jack Pearson’s death have been revealed.
“Obviously, you have this bombshell with old Randall talking to older Tess and saying like, ‘We need to go see her, we’re running out of time, don’t know if I can see her,’ and everybody’s wondering who the ‘her’ is in that scenario,” Brown explains during a telephone interview promoting his new thriller, “Hotel Artemis,” out June 8.
The March finale ended with a glimpse into the future where a much-older Randall and adult Tess (Iantha Richardson) appear distraught.
“It’s time to go see her, Tess,” Randall says. “I’m not ready,” Tess replies.
The circumstances around the interaction remain unclear entering the third season, expected this fall. But Brown assures fans this nail-biting moment — and the mysterious “her” — will be teased throughout the rest of the entire series.
“I know who the ‘her’ is,” Brown says. “I don’t think anybody can anticipate who it actually is if you’re not me.
“I do know that is something that we’ll continue to revisit throughout the course of the show. It sort of points to where the series will ultimately end. You’ll be seeing future Randall in those last episodes.”
Brown didn’t clarify, though, how long we’ll have to wait to find out who the unidentified person in question is.
“This Is Us” was renewed for its second and third seasons in January 2017. Information on any future seasons has not yet been revealed by the network.
The series return will also delve into Jack’s past in Vietnam, which Brown describes as “quite eye-opening.” Other flash-forward finale teases, including the status of Kate and Toby’s marriage, Deja’s adjustment to the Pearson household and Kevin’s “budding romance” with Beth’s cousin are expected to shape the narrative.
