Following last night's shocking fall finale that had absolutely nothing to do with Jack's death, some This Is Us fans may be wondering exactly when (or if) we're ever going to see any details behind how the Pearson patriarch bit the dust. Those pessimistic about it never happening needn't worry, as Randall actor Sterling K. Brown said fans should see the big event happen within the next eight episodes of the hit series:
Before the season is over, we see how Jack dies. So I can say it will be within the next eight episodes of This Is Us....
That sounds like a super-telling reveal that Sterling K. Brown gave to EW, but he essentially just repeated Jack's death is going to happen before the end of Season 2. With Episode 10 being the midseason finale, that means there are only eight episodes left in the season. Still, that's extremely exciting, since it means one of the biggest mysteries will finally be solved, even if it's just the "how."
This Is Us has a lot of stuff to work out on the road to Jack's death, though, and most of the emotionally pressing stuff happening in the show is taking place in the present. That said, with all the missing pieces of the puzzle regarding what was happening the night of Jack's passing in place, it's theoretically possible the show could do it the first episode back. It's not very likely though, as it seems fairly obvious at this point This Is Us' creative team is saving Jack's death for as long as they possibly can without pissing people off.
The Season 2 finale seems like the safest bet from that perspective, although if the series is aiming for a large audience, the post-Super Bowl time slot on February 4th would absolutely be the most attractive option. Sterling K. Brown revealed the show already has something big planned for that night, teasing the young boy that fans briefly saw in the fall finale will have his storyline resolved in that episode:
There's a significant payoff to this story line, and I can tell you that you'll see it manifest in our Super Bowl episode, and that's the only thing that I can say about it without Dan [Fogelman, the show's creator] getting really pissed off at me.
Get the theory machine rolling, because This Is Us is currently on break, but it will return to NBC with new episodes beginning Tuesday, January 2, at 9 p.m. ET. For a look at other shows that will be returning or making their debut in the new year, be sure to visit our midseason premiere guide. Additionally, CinemaBlend also has a fall premiere guide that has plenty of shows still airing in the final weeks of 2017. For a look at some shows that didn't make it out of 2017, visit our cancellation guide.
