For a family drama, This Is Us operates a lot like a mystery series. There's so much we don't know about the future of the Pearson clan that has thus far only been teased out in flash forwards. Fortunately — and also unfortunately — Season 6 marks the end of This Is Us, meaning that all of our questions will finally be answered.
The Season 6 premiere of This Is Us, titled "The Challenger," didn't exactly deliver many of those answers — but it did tee us up for the drama that will unfold, teasing new threads for the show to pull and clues as to where we may be heading with the storylines we've been following for some time now. Now that we've fully absorbed the new episode, here are the questions we have about what's to come for the Pearsons, and the Pearson-adjacents.
What's the Deal With Madison and Kevin?
Madison and Kevin broke off their engagement (at their wedding) after Madison realized that Kevin wasn't in love with her. It was a sad moment, but at the time, it seemed like Madison was right — Kevin loved their kids, but not necessarily their mother in a romantic sense. Now, Kevin and Madison are living together, kind of, with Kevin in the garage so he can be closer to his twins. It seems like the co-parents get along swimmingly, but is it more than that? Kevin seems pretty jealous when Madison buddies up to her book club pal Elijah, who certainly seems smitten with the mom. Will Kevin realize that he doesn't just like Madison as a mom, but as a romantic partner? And if not, will Elijah become stepdad to Nicky and Franny?
How Quickly Will Rebecca's Alzheimer's Progress?
Rebecca spends the episode struggling to find the word for "caboose," and shares that it's hardly the only word she'll forget in the upcoming months — thousands will slip from her mind, according to her doctors. While we know that Rebecca's scans aren't good, exactly how long it will take for her to progress from the Rebecca we know now to the one we've seen in the flash forwards is unclear.
What Happens Between Kate and Toby?
Toby is currently working in San Francisco while Kate is living in Los Angeles with their two kids, and while the separation definitely seems like it's causing some issues, the two appear to be on pretty solid ground. Toby sends Kate a birthday masseuse, and then later appears in person to surprise her. Knowing that the two will eventually divorce is kind of a bummer, given that they seem to be trying pretty hard to make things work. On the flip side, Kate is also seeing a new side to Phillip, the teacher she works under, who we know that Kate will eventually fall for and marry — yet right now there's no romantic connection to speak of. What will change?
Is The Manny 2.0. How Kevin Gets Rich-Rich?
Exactly how much money Kevin has in the present timeline is unclear, but he never seems short of any of it. (Guess network sitcoms still pay pretty well?) He takes the offer to do a reboot of The Manny, the show he famously stormed off the set of in the first season, and given how fancy his home is in the flash forward, it's quite possible that this reboot is ultimately a very lucrative career choice for him. Who needs to win an Oscar, anyway?
How Does Randall Become "A Rising Star" In Politics?
We know that Randall is a much-loved congressman, but it's possible that the Season 6 premiere offers a clue as to how he becomes a popular political figure. In the premiere, he meets the man who broke into his house, and learns that he is struggling with addiction. He later tells Beth that he wants to help those in his district and beyond dealing with substance abuse, considering how many people it has affected within his orbit. Could Randall's work in this space lead him to get national attention?