This Is Us Receives Massive 3-Season Renewal at NBC
This Is Us is renewed for three more seasons over at NBC. The hit family drama debuted in 2016 centering on the Pearson family as they cope with their day-to-day lives. Shortly after its premiere, it was hailed as the hottest new show of that year and has since then continued to keep their massive following tuned in every Tuesday nights for more of the beloved clan. It scored a two-year renewal in the middle of its debut year but with season 3 long finished, fans have been asking when the series will be officially ordered for a fourth year. Now, all the waiting is over with the show locked in for three more years.
Season 3 ended with a pivotal flash forward scene that revealed the status of the remaining members of the Pearson family. It's unclear what year the scene was supposed to take place in, but it can't be that far into the future seeing an older Rebecca who seems to be on her deathbed, with Nicky - Jack's estranged brother by her side, but without Miguel. After weeks of strained marriage, it also confirmed that Randall and Beth have stayed together all these years - contrary to theories that they may break up. Meanwhile Kevin's revealed to have a son, although the mother of the boy remains a mystery. A struggling Toby comes in with a grown-up Jack supposedly on his way to the the family gathering. No mention or citing of Kate, however, causing fans to be worried about her well-being. The season 3 finale answered a myriad of questions regarding the clan, but it also planted plot seeds that they will expectedly tackle in the nest three years of This Is Us.
Deadline is reporting that NBC officially made the order for three more seasons of This Is Us - each year consisting of its standard 18 episodes. When asked whether or not the show is bowing out after six seasons (as teased by creator Dan Fogelman), NBC co-chairman Paul Telegdy said during upfronts press call over that weekend that they're keeping the door open for more. In light of the announcement, Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment also expressed their glee for the renewal, having nothing but good things to say about the show:
“In a television landscape with nearly 500 original scripted series, there are very few, if any, that have the critical and cultural impact of This Is Us, and we couldn’t be more proud to bring fans three more seasons of a show that so well represents the NBC brand. A huge thank you and congratulations to our executive producers, cast and crew who reach new heights every week with the show’s inventive and compelling storytelling.”
Multi-year renewals are a rarity especially in the traditional TV landscape with CBS' The Big Bang Theory the only show in recent memory that was picked up for three years in 2014, and then a few more leading to its current final outing. There was no question about This Is Us returning for season 4 seeing that it continues to be a critical darling and fan-favorite, but it was odd that this news came at a much later date. Apparently, the reason for the delay is ensure that Fogelman will continue his involvement in the series as his overall deal with 20th TV was ending. He took it to his official Twitter account to celebrate the news:
In terms of the narrative, This Is Us is originally written to run for six seasons, meaning that Fogelman and his team know exactly how they're going to end the show. The first three seasons was mainly devoted to Jack's story and how his death impacted his family. Considering the flash forward, it's safe to say that the next three years will be devoted to Rebecca, potentially leading to her death. The question is, how they're going to keep the fan-favorite Jack in the show since his main arc was mostly wrapped up at the end of season 3. Ratings show that fans are more invested when it comes to narratives that involve him. Perhaps the series can show more of the couple's life before the arrival of the Big Three since their courtship in the early episodes of season 3 were big hits to the public.
Source: Deadline, Dan Fogelman