This Is Us Review: Miguel (Season 6 Episode 15)

Miguel finally gets his moment, and what a moment it is!

Often the unsung hero of this series, This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15, “Miguel,” is a poignant backstory for a character that has asked us for nothing but gave Rebecca everything after an unthinkable loss.

Split into two dueling storylines, This Is Us gives Miguel Rivas the grand farewell he deserves after enduring years of short-changed storylines and misplaced anger.

“Miguel” may not seem like it at first glance, but this is a love story and one that beautifully rivals the complicated love between Kevin and Sophie from the previous episode.

We find out Rebecca and Miguel were brought together reluctantly by Jack, but his death is not what triggers their love. Instead, loss and time bring Miguel to the conclusion that Rebecca is the home he wants to come back to.

What follows is one of the most swoon-worthy kisses of the entire series.

It’s even more rewarding to see the fallout as a de-aged Big Three grapple uncomfortably with the news. Let it be known Beth always knew Miguel and Rebecca were end game. She was in that man’s corner from day one.

Rebecca and Miguel’s relationship is very different from Jack and Rebecca’s, but it’s clear Rebecca was loved by two great men. This Is Us gives us two epic love stories that do not tarnish each other in the slightest.

By exploring Miguel’s childhood, this series finally embraces his struggles as a Puerto Rico immigrant that grew up in working-class America with quiet heartbreak and unflinching honesty.

Miguel’s heritage has never been a secret, but it’s not something This Is Us has made a focal point of his story either.

So to see Miguel’s family strains, his struggles with racial profiling, and the pain of never feeling accepted by either country runs deep, unearthing a complicated human experience so many people can relate to, and so many others can learn from.

Maybe Miguel’s story didn’t dive into his family nearly enough as it should, but by anchoring his stand-alone episode in his heritage, this episode has more than enough validity.

The scorching confession that “Mike” sent in two resumes because Miguel never gets a call is delivered impeccably by Huertas and is such a powerful note to start his adult journey on.

Plus a Wizards of Waverly Place jumpscare from David DeLuise; who doesn’t love that?

That final shot of Kevin and Miguel’s son sprinkling his ashes in Puerto Rico as Kate and Randall sprinkle them outside the cabin is when this beautiful concept of dueling storylines comes together and when I fell apart, sobbing.

Miguel’s death is inevitable, yet there are moments throughout this episode where the thought of losing him at the end of this character study fills me with dread.

But surprisingly enough, Miguel leaves this world the way he lived, as quietly and unproblematic as he can.

He passes away off-screen and leaves the Pearsons to give him the solum, dialogue-less mourning he deserves. He has proven his worth to this family; there’s nothing more to show.

His final moments are spent doing what he vowed to do, taking care of Rebecca until death does them part. In return, the Big Three give him the house alive with the love and family he always strived to have.

Kevin getting involved to rectify the father-son farewell he and Jack never had is the last dam to break before the waterworks. It’s a perfect parallel for Miguel and his son, and gives Kevin the keys to this show’s emotional sweet spot yet again.

Jack Pearson’s legacy has never felt more alive between Miguel and Kevin.

My biggest complaint with this episode? Wasting years of potential to deliver a beautiful tribute to Miguel in the final hours.

We get his life story in one go, and you can’t help wondering how rewarding this story would have been if it had teased Miguel’s inner struggle these past six seasons. If threads of that conflicting heritage were weaved through his existence more as the series progressed.

Miguel was a complicated man, one who did not know what a home was until he fell in love with Rebecca. His inability to fully connect with his American/Puerto Rico culture is a rich, topical struggle This Is Us could have explored more.

This series devoted a three-episode arc to Toby and Kate’s divorce and seasons to Randall’s identity crisis. So, forgive me for being a little salty this show could only give Miguel one episode to truly flourish.

We waited six years to hear Miguel’s story, and this brilliant character study proves just how much we were missing out on.

—

What did you think of this episode of This Is Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

Ghosts Scares-Up a Season 2 Renewal From CBS