Top 20 This Is Us Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
#20: Kate & Toby’s Wedding “The Wedding”
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It isn’t out of the ordinary for wedding episodes in TV shows to leave you teary-eyed. But Kate’s wedding scene took those emotions to a whole new level. As she walks down the aisle to marry Toby, escorted by her brothers, we see a flashback of her young self with her father Jack. At first, the memory seems tender. Jack assures his “Katie-girl” that she’ll find a much better husband than him. However, the sinking realization of Jack’s passing hangs over the sweet scene [“Your mom and I, we’re gonna be there.”]. And we fully lose it when he imagines being at her wedding [“I may even cry a little,”]. We’re definitely crying as Kate concludes the bittersweet ceremony without her father.
#19: Deja Says Goodbye “Number Three”
When Randall and Beth decided to open their home to a foster child, fans quickly fell in love with the equally tough and tender Deja. Her backstory is complicated, and while there are many rocky moments between her and the Pearsons, none compare to her leaving them. While we’re thankful it wasn’t ultimately the end of their story as a family, it doesn’t make this scene hurt any less. Maybe you’re strong enough to make it through the emotional goodbyes between Deja, Beth and the girls. But it’s fully impossible not to tear up at Randall’s heartfelt farewell as he watches his daughter go.
#18: Kate Watches the Steelers with Her Dad “The Game Plan”
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Since the show’s format weaves together multiple, often initially unspecified, timelines, the audience is left to their own devices to solve the Pearson puzzle. Jack Pearson is a prominent character from the very beginning, but in the fifth episode of the first season, we’re hit with a shocking reveal. When Toby asks Kate why she wouldn’t watch the football game with him, she explains she likes to watch the games with her dad. The audience assumes it’s because of how important the Pittsburgh Steelers are to the Pearson family. But when he asks to meet her father, she grabs an urn. This scene sets the context for the following episodes, as the tragedy of Jack Pearson’s death looms over the interwoven storylines.
#17: The Time Capsule “The Cabin”
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The family cabin where many tear-jerker episodes take place, and this season four storyline is no exception. This time around, the siblings struggle to confront the reality of their mother Rebecca’s impending memory loss. It’s difficult not to cry when they dig up a family time capsule and find a tape recording where Jack sings her praises and sends a message to their future selves. It’s incredibly poignant seeing them hear their late father’s voice again. But it also marks a touching turning point for the siblings, with Kevin notably making his father’s architectural dream come true. Even after his untimely passing, Jack is still guiding his kids through life, and we’re a mess just thinking about it.
#16: Kevin Breaks Down on the Football Field “Number One”
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At one of Kevin’s lowest points in his struggle with addiction, he travels to Pittsburgh for an event at his old high school. We begin to understand the root of his pain as he continues to numb himself with more and more alcohol. The episode comes to a tragic climax when he returns to the football field and relives his life-altering injury. He walks through the pain of his past like a sports announcer, and our hearts break for him when he hits us with an devastating line ["Kevin Pearson will walk again, just in time to bury his beloved father."] In witnessing just how deeply his father’s passing is still affecting him, we see Kevin at his most vulnerable, clinging to a past he never processed.
#15: Kate’s Harmful Relationship “A Long Road Home”
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When a teenage Kate’s boyfriend Marc is introduced, the audience quickly gets the sense that he’s bad news. However, it isn’t until more of the couple’s storyline is revealed that we understand the extent of the harm he’s causing her in the relationship. After finally breaking things off with him, she discovers she’s pregnant. It’s completely gut-wrenching to watch her wrestle with this reality on her own. She knows she can’t stay tied to her horrible ex, but doesn’t even tell her mother when she decides to get an abortion. Her strength is undeniable, but just as it impacts us seeing it unfold, it’s also clearly left a mark on present-day Kate.
#14: Rebecca’s Last Wishes “Taboo”
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By season six, Rebecca’s condition has worsened to a point where the family has to get serious about the time they have left with her. During a traditional family Thanksgiving up at the cabin, the Pearson matriarch calls a family meeting. She becomes uncharacteristically forceful as she lays out the harsh reality awaiting her. She explains that her condition will only worsen, and she needs her family to understand her wishes while she still has a clear mind. Any attempt at resisting tears becomes futile as Rebecca insists her children never compromise their dreams for her sake. While we sense her desperation and fear, this moment is also the ultimate display of a mother’s love for her children.
#13: Doctor K’s Story "The Big Day"
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We meet Dr. Katowski in the very first episode of “This Is Us.” At that time, though he makes a big impact, we don’t know much about his life. Later in the first season, when “the big day” is revisited, we learn that Dr. K’s wife passed away more than a year previously and that he still hasn’t come to terms with her death. Seeing him talk to her out loud is completely heartbreaking, and realizing that he kept all of her things completely intact since she died is even more so. Luckily, the Pearsons unwittingly gave him the push he needed to move on.
#12: The Death of Jack’s Mother “Don’t Let Me Keep You”
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It’s no secret that Jack’s relationship with his family is complicated. Considering his toxic father and his estrangement from his brother, he only really has his mother. However, this episode turns their close bond on its head after he learns of her passing. When he goes to attend the funeral, he realizes just how much he didn’t know about his mom, and the guilt is overwhelming. He feels that he sacrificed being a good son in order to become a good father and husband for his own family, and has to grapple with that reality. All of the emotions build to the service, and when Rebecca and the kids show up, Jack delivers a breathtakingly vulnerable and completely stirring eulogy.
#11: Nicky’s Vietnam Story “Songbird Road: Part 1”
Season three features a new part of Jack’s story: his time in Vietnam. Through extended flashbacks, we learn that he actually enlisted in order to protect his brother Nicky. As their time as soldiers plays out, the terror and heartbreak of the war builds to a horrfying scene where Nicky accidentally causes a Vietnamese boy’s death. The tragedy tears him and Jack apart, simultaneously crushing our spirits. This notably sheds light on Jack’s silent suffering. But beyond that, it sorrowfully shows how the weight of Nicky’s guilt has crushed him, and how his PTSD rules his life. Luckily, an all-too-determined Kevin helps him get help and stands by him as he turns his life around.
#10: Kate’s Miscarriage "Number Two"
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Throughout this entire episode, we know that Kate has lost the baby, so seeing her and Toby prepare to become parents is difficult to watch. Her refusal to grieve and Toby’s efforts to avoid having that package be delivered are an interesting juxtaposition. When Rebecca arrives to offer her support, it’s a bittersweet moment considering the conflict they’ve already had over Kate’s pregnancy. Seeing Rebecca break down in a grocery store after her own loss puts it all into perspective, reminding us that people aren’t always able to share their grief with family and friends, but that it’s still very much there.
#9: The Funeral “The Car”
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Okay, you know we’re leading up to the big stuff here and we’ll of course be getting to the fire eventually, but the episode following Jack’s death was almost just as heartbreaking. The Pearsons are preparing for Jack’s funeral and we’re simultaneously seeing flashbacks to Jack buying the family Wagoneer years earlier. We also see Dr. K. attempt to comfort Rebecca in another tough moment. Rebecca brings the kids to Jack’s favorite tree after the funeral, and makes a quiet pledge to her husband that they’re all going to be okay. If you were able to get through this episode with dry eyes, we salute you.
#8: Miguel’s Death “Miguel” & “Family Meeting”
While Rebecca’s eventual passing is hinted at throughout the seasons, Miguel’s death comes as a completely unexpected blow. He begins to feel helpless as he realizes his declining health means he can’t take care of Rebecca as much as before. Still, it seems only natural that he’ll remain by her side until the end. So his sudden death is downright distressing, and brings the family together to confront what the future holds for their mother. It’s insanely hard to watch as a sick Rebecca continues to wake up panicked, asking for Miguel. And it’s even harder to see the show’s almighty matriarch in such a vulnerable state. We grieve him and feel our hearts crack open for her all at once, and it’s impossible to bear.
#7: Rebecca & Jack Losing the Third Baby “Pilot”
From the very first episode, we knew this show was going to yank at our heartstrings. We were already weeping for these characters we barely knew when Dr. K. delivered the devastating news that Rebecca and Jack had lost the third triplet in childbirth. His speech about turning the sourest lemon into lemonade has become something of a cornerstone of the show, and Milo Ventimiglia’s performance in that scene is simply outstanding. When Jack later has to deliver the news to Rebecca, the audience is devastated all over again.
#6: Kevin Runs to Randall "Jack Pearson's Son"
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From the outside, Randall has got his life together as an adult. He’s got his big house and fancy car, and of course his incredible wife Beth and their two daughters. Internally though, he’s just as much of a mess as his siblings, and we get to see the full breadth of his anxiety in this episode where he suffers from a breakdown. We’ve seen that Kevin and Randall’s relationship can be a tenuous one, but in Randall’s moment of need, Kevin is the one who realizes something is wrong and runs to be by his side. Seeing Kevin put his brother’s needs above his own is as heartwarming as Randall’s breakdown is heartbreaking.
#5: Kevin’s Breakdown "Number One"
This season two episode is all about Kevin, and we get a lot of insight into how he became the person he is. We see the injury that effectively ended his football career, and the tender moment with his father when Jack gave him his Vietnam pendant. In the present, Kevin is struggling with substance abuse and is on a bender when he makes an appearance at his old high school. After having a one night stand with an old classmate (and misusing her prescription pad), he realizes that he left his pendant there, and has a full breakdown on her front lawn when she won’t let him back in to find it. It’s heartbreaking.
#4: William’s Death "Memphis"
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Almost from the moment we meet William, we know our time together is limited. He states right out the gate that he’s dying, and as much as Randall and Beth try to help by seeking out the best doctors, ultimately there’s nothing anyone can do to stop the inevitable. In this episode, Randall and William go to Memphis together and we also get to see flashbacks to William’s younger years and his own struggles with his mother’s death. Seeing Randall call William “dad” in his dying moments is almost too much to watch. Beth’s tribute in the following episode shows she can be just as vulnerable as her husband, even if she is “the head”.
#3: The Fire Montage “Super Bowl Sunday”
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This was the episode that we were all anxiously waiting for, the one where we’d finally find out exactly what happened to tear the Pearson family apart. The episode opens with a bang, with their family home already engulfed in flames. You can’t help but be on the edge of your seat even though you know how it all turns out. Seeing Jack get his whole family to safety feels like a huge relief until you realize...wait...isn’t he not supposed to make it out alive? When he runs back in to get the family dog and keepsakes we all held our collective breath...only to see him confusingly come back out safely again.
#2: Jack’s Death “Super Bowl Sunday”
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We found out part way through season one that Jack had died years earlier, but that didn’t make it any easier to finally see it play out. The creators of the show took an interesting approach, not letting Jack go out in a (literal) blaze of glory but rather in a quiet moment in a hospital room when no one saw it coming. This shocking turn of events meant that we were surprised, even though we knew it had to happen. Seeing it all through Rebecca’s eyes and then watching as she completely broke down was almost too much to handle. We were right there with her. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Randall Confronts Rebecca, “Pilgrim Rick” His Heartbreak Over Her Keeping His Birth Father a Secret Is Palpable The Martial Arts Class, “The Trip” Jack Movingly Does Pushups with Randall Kate & Toby’s Big Fight, “Saturday in the Park” Tensions Rise After a Scary Experience with Their Son Jack Beth’s Backstory, “Our Little Island Girl” Her Father’s Passing & Her Ballerina Past Are Movingly Explored Kate Lets It All Out, “Three Sentences” She Finally Starts Processing Her Trauma & Grief in a Deeply Powerful Moment
#1: Rebecca’s Death “The Train”
There’s truly nothing that could have prepared us for Rebecca’s unavoidable death, but the penultimate episode found a deeply moving way to soften the blow. It uses a beautifully executed train metaphor as Rebecca approaches her final hours, and we’re immediately devastated. William guides her through train cars filled with loved ones, and as the Big Three say their final goodbyes, Rebecca reaches the end. As if that isn’t enough to get you grabbing the tissue box, she enters the caboose, lies in bed, and sees Jack there next to her. Their gentle greeting marks a bittersweet conclusion, giving the audience a comforting yet completely gut-wrenching sense of closure. We’re definitely not sobbing uncontrollably just thinking about it…
