15 Favorite Moments from This Is Us Season 2

This Is Us Season 2 may have ended recently, but we’re still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster that it took us on.

Season 1 was a huge act to follow, but in its sophomore season, This Is Us found new and interesting ways to tell the Pearson family’s story. It uncovered more of the past, built more on the present, and even teased a little bit of the future.

Picking just some our favorite moments of the season wasn’t easy, but here’s our top 15 list:

And beware, for there are spoilers.

1. Jack has a brother

Learning that Jack has a brother was certainly surprising, but it felt like a perfect layer to add to his character.

With an abusive, neglectful father and a small brother to look after, this is probably how Jack got his nurturing and protective side.

We didn’t learn a lot about Jack’s brother, Nicky, but we do know the two of them fought in Vietnam together. There are still so many questions to be answered and so much untapped potential for the story.

Hopefully, with Kevin making his way to Vietnam for reasons unknown to us, we’ll see more of Jack and Nicky’s relationship.

2.  Kevin cries out for help

When a drug-addled Kevin Pearson realizes he’s lost Jack’s necklace at the home of a one-night-stand, he appears on her front lawn.

“Can’t you see I’m in pain?” he chokes out.

Watching Kevin panic and beg for help is hard to stomach, but Justin Hartley kills this scene. It is gutting and raw and a perfect showcase of Hartley’s talent.

3. Rebecca consoles Kate after her miscarriage  

After Kate has her miscarriage, nobody is able to comfort her like her mom.

Kate and Rebecca have one of the more painful relationships on the show. It’s a classic case of a mother and daughter struggling to connect and find common ground.

However, over the course of Season 2, we watched these two resilient women mend their relationship and come to a place of understanding, and this particularly beautiful scene really got the tears flowing.

4. Randall says goodbye to Deja

Randall developing a relationship with his foster daughter was one of the most touching things we’ve witnessed this season.

Deja started off cold and removed, and eventually softened up thanks to Randall’s persistence and corny dad jokes. When it was time to say goodbye to her, Deja let Randall hug her, which was especially poignant given how she would initially flinch whenever anyone touched her.

And what made this scene even more painful was the perfect use of “Heartbeats” by José González.

5. Jack’s tidies up the kitchen the night he dies

Speaking of great song choices, this scene featured another one.

“To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra plays over Jack cleaning up the kitchen on his last night on earth.

It’s such a simple moment, but it evokes so many feelings — dread, regret, and sadness for the tragedy that’s coming. It’s memorable in its ordinariness, which in some ways describe the overall aesthetic of This Is Us.

6. Kate and Madison become friends

Okay, let’s take a break from the tearjerking moments and enjoy this heartwarming one.

We didn’t know that we needed Kate and Madison to even be friends, but when Kate had her miscarriage, she found an unlikely confidant in her fellow support group member. Likewise, Kate helped Madison when she realized she had an eating disorder.

While this show can be heavy at times, these two provided some levity and lightheartedness through their friendship, and it’s been a joy to watch.

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