This Is Us is coming to an end after six seasons, with storylines that seem to have been planned out by the writers for many years. However, some of the plots and character introductions have been random and unfulfilling.
Fans have gotten to watch as Rebecca and Jack's love story has unfolded over time, Kate fell in and out of love, and Randall pursued different ions and career paths. They've also had to watch Kevin's love story have no clear ending, recurring characters make no real impact, and years of character development become undone via flash forwards.
Nicky & Sally
Jack got the perfect love story with Rebecca, so it was only fair that his brother Nicky would get to explore his own. The problem though, was that his romance with Sally was around the same time as Jack and Bec first meeting, meaning that Nicky harbored his feelings for Sally for over 40 years before finding her again.
The realistic part of the storyline was that Sally and Nicky didn't get back together after decades apart, but the whole reconnection felt unnecessary given that nothing came of it. Nicky could've still met his future wife on the plane as he did, and didn't need to upend Sally's marriage by surprising her out of the blue.
The Drama With Ellie
Much like its predecessor Parenthood, This Is Us explored secondary infertility and adoption with one of the central couples of the show. In this case, it was Kate and Toby adopting a baby from a woman named Ellie, who at first seemed all in on adoption before questioning if it was the right decision at the last minute.
Ellie almost changed her mind right as she was giving birth and the moments after, but ultimately decided to go through with the adoption. Afterward, Ellie was never mentioned again as Toby and Kate were the legal parents of Hailey. It seemed like the storyline would've had the same outcome without Ellie's anxiety-inducing doubts and the television cliché of a failed adoption.
Implementing COVID
This Is Us made a decision that differed from many other shows of the time by implementing COVID into their storylines. The characters were shown wearing masks, social distancing, and going through safety precautions before traveling.
About mid-way through season 5, it seemed like COVID had disappeared from the This Is Us universe, and the pandemic hasn't been referenced by any of the characters since. It was a weird change of pace, especially since it was made to be an integral part of the fifth season's storyline.
Madison's Doctor
When Madison shared her pregnancy news with Kevin at the end of season 4, fans believed that her doctor would play a big role in her story like Dr. K did for Jack and Rebecca.
However, when the show returned for season 5 and COVID became a part of the storyline, Madison's doctor (who had his own side-plot in the season 4 finale) was nowhere to be found. Upon rewatch, his large presence in the one episode seems misleading and odd.
Randall's Louisiana Property
Season 5 had one of This Is Us' most shocking (and unrealistic) twists that undid much of the information given to fans in season 1. Viewers learned that Randall's biological mother Laurel didn't die the day he was born, but lived another 30 years.
After learning this, Randall and Beth traveled to Louisiana to get more information about Laurel. While there, a close friend of Laurel's, Hai, revealed that she ed away a few years before and the property he was living in belonged to Randall as her biological child. It was a moment of closure for Randall as he never knew his birth mom, but the property and Louisiana were never mentioned again.
Cassidy's Entire Arc
Cassidy was one of the best This Is Us characters introduced after season 1, entering season 4 as a recurring character with a strong connection to Nicky and Kevin. It seemed like maybe she would play a big role in Kevin's romantic life, but that was quickly squashed when she made the decision to get back together with her husband.
Cassidy has made sporadic appearances since leaving to make her marriage work, serving as a friend for Nicky and overseeing the home being built for Kevin. It was revealed that she and her husband ended up divorcing, leaving the door open for a Kevin reconciliation. Much of her time on the show has been a red herring, one that has taken up a lot of screen-time in lieu of the backstories of main characters like Miguel or Madison.
Kevin's Career
Kevin made the rash yet brave decision in the pilot episode to quit his job as The Manny in order to put himself first and explore other acting ventures.
But in season 6, Kevin returned to sitcom acting on The Manny reboot in order to be closer to Madison and the twins and make a decent living. Kevin's success as an actor was never explicitly revealed, but it was made clear that he had a lot of money. Why he would return to a job he hated so much in the first episode is confusing, and his career as an actor was never fleshed out enough to make sense.
Randall In Therapy
In season 4, Randall finally pursued finding a therapist to help him sort through the many issues in the Pearson family. It was a moment of character growth and was supposed to help him individually and within his marriage to Beth.
However, about mid-way through season 5, the storyline was dropped. Randall had switched therapists and was doing the process over Zoom during the pandemic. Even though it seemed to be helping him, Randall's journey in therapy was left open-ended, as was the possibility of any other Pearson family following in his footsteps.
Kate And Marc
When Kate and Marc's relationship was first introduced it seemed like it was a defining moment in the Pearson daughter's life despite adult Kate failing to mention it until the show's fifth season. As the storyline progressed, it was revealed that Kate was in a tumultuous, toxic relationship and had an abortion at 18.
In season 5, adult Kate found adult Marc and finally confronted him for how he treated her years ago. He failed to recognize her, and the whole storyline was never mentioned again. It seemed strange that Kate would dig up such a traumatic part of her past and face it, considering she was happily married with a family in 2021. The storyline was unrealistic and ultimately didn't move the story forward.
Kevin's Love Life
Kevin's "Jack Pearson-esque" love story has been teased since the very first season of This Is Us, with many possible candidates vying to be his one true love. As the show comes to a close, it's clear that the writers never had a real idea of who Kevin would end up with.
Kevin had his great love story with Sophie, but cheated on her and messed up again when they reconnected in their late 30s. The timing didn't work out for Zoe or Cassidy, and Madison birthed his children but eventually moved on to someone else. Kevin's quest for romance has been central to his arc, but with no clear ending in sight, it feels like the show has been running in circles.