With just one episode remaining of NBC's This Is Us, fans of the beloved Pearson family are definitely curious to see how these characters' journeys will end. Over the course of six seasons, the series has deftly woven together storylines spanning multiple generations of the Pearsons, ranging as far back as Jack Pearson's grandfather in the early 1900s and as far forward as Jack Damon and his family in the 2040s.
The final run of episodes has focused on events taking place between the late 2020s when Kate and Phillip get married, and the mid 2030s, when Rebecca is nearing death. But This Is Us has featured many more time periods, and fans have definitely loved watching all of these stories unfold. But from a storytelling standpoint, some time periods are just better than others.
Adult Jack Damon (2040s)
There's nothing particularly wrong with the future timeline in which This Is Us provides a glimpse at the life of an adult Jack Damon. The least amount of time has been devoted to this time period, which makes it harder to invest in than the many other time periods.
In the 2040s, Jack Damon grows up to be a successful singer and is married to a woman named Lucy, with whom he has a young daughter named Hope. But apart from that, viewers don't know much else, which leaves these brief flash-forwards ringing a little hollow.
Kate's Second Wedding (Late 2020s)
First glimpsed at the end of the This Is Us' shocking season 5 finale, the late 2020s focus on Kate's second wedding, and this time period has played a major role in the second half of the sixth and final season. But even with that intense level of focus, it's hard to feel too invested in much of these happenings.
Some events that take place during Kate's wedding to Phillip are long overdue, such as the reunion of Kevin and Sophie. Others are incredibly painful to watch, including Rebecca forgetting that Jack is dead. But the central event — Kate marrying Phillip, after a courtship sped through over the course of a single episode — is hard to be interested in.
Kevin's Future House (Mid 2030s)
It's the timeline that This Is Us has been building toward all along, but that doesn't make it any easier to watch. First introduced in season 2, the events that take place in the mid 2030s at Kevin's home revolve around the many branches of the Pearson family tree gathering at Rebecca's bedside as she declines in health.
Following Rebecca's diagnosis with advancing Alzheimer's, it has been clear that her story would always end this way. But watching one member of the family after another grapple with it, as well as Rebecca's own gradual decline, has been incredibly painful for devoted fans to witness, especially as This Is Us approaches the end.
Jack And Rebecca's Young Love (1970s)
The great love story between Jack and Rebecca has been one of the show's most beloved plots from the very beginning, so naturally, it has always been a delight to see the earliest days of their relationship play out in real time in the 1970s.
Jack and Rebecca are one of those incredible television examples of love at first sight: their lives changed forever from the moment they locked eyes at a bar where Rebecca was singing karaoke and Jack intended to commit a burglary. After that first meeting, the two embarked on a whirlwind romance, traveling across the country after barely knowing one another, settling into life as a married couple, and embarking on a new journey as expectant parents.
Young Jack and Nicky (1960s-1970s)
One time period that only becomes more heartbreaking is the era focusing on brothers Jack and Nicky Pearson. As children, they are inseparable, with big brother Jack serving as a guardian and fierce protector for his younger, weaker brother, Nicky. Their father's abuse weighs heavily on both of them, even when they only bear witness to his outbursts.
But that changes once Nicky is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, and Jack follows to be there for his brother. A tragic accident in Vietnam does irreparable damage to the brothers' relationship, making subsequent flashbacks to this time period equal parts painful and precious.
Teen Big Three, After Jack's Death (Late 1990s-Early 2000s)
Jack's death after the Pearson family home catches fire is a tragic turning point. The family struggles to stay together as a unit in the years following this sudden loss, with Kevin spiraling into alcoholism and moving across the country, Kate lashing out, and Randall attending college.
Rebecca tries her best to keep the family in one piece. She does as well as she possibly could given the circumstances. The highlight of this tumultuous time period is the bond that develops between Miguel and Rebecca, as they are the only two people who can understand each other's pain.
Littlest Big Three (Early 1980s)
It was inevitable that This Is Us would introduce a new, younger version of the Big Three once the original young versions got older. Thankfully, the new trio — known to fans as the "littlest three" — is incredibly adorable and endearing, and provides some wonderful storylines.
In these early years of parenthood, Jack and Rebecca are still struggling to find the balance between their relationship and raising their kids, all while the Pearson kids are figuring out the responsibilities of what it means to be a sibling, including Kevin and Randall's intensely defensive actions toward anyone who upsets their sister Kate.
Teen Big Three, Before Jack's Death (Early 1990s)
The Pearson family goes through a few periods of upheaval once the Big Three become teenagers. Randall begins to struggle with his anxiety and his identity more, and Kevin's football future is shattered forever after a gruesome injury on the field. Jack and Rebecca's marriage begins to experience some strain as well when Rebecca admits she resents being just a housewife while Jack gets to have his career.
But most significant of all to this period is Jack's admission of his alcoholism, and his resolving to become sober for his family. This storyline leads to some incredibly emotional scenes, particularly between Jack and Kate, and shows that even the most perfect-seeming family has their flaws.
Present Day (2016-2022)
As the main timeline, the present-day events that take place between 2016 and 2022 are some of the most beloved of them all. Rooted in the daily lives of the adult Big Three, these stories have included key arcs such as Randall finding his birth father William, Kate and Toby's pregnancy attempts, Kevin's sobriety journey, the family finding Nicky, and Randall running for public office.
All versions of the Big Three are important to the world of This Is Us, but without the performances of Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley, and Chrissy Metz, it's hard to imagine the show working as well as it has.
Little Big Three (Mid-Late 1980s)
As important as the adult versions of Randall, Kevin, and Kate may be, the best time period in the entire series is the one that depicts the original child versions of the Big Three, set in the mid to late 1980s. This early era involves some of the most important moments of character establishment, such as the introduction of Randall's anxiety and identity issues, and Kate's discomfort about her weight.
It also features some of the most loving and enduring depictions of Jack and Rebecca as parents and as husband and wife, with key episodes such as "The Pool" and "The Trip" standing out.