Our Top 10 "This is Us" Episodes (So Far)

“First came…”

This is Us gives us an explorative, in many ways ordinary look at one particular family. As we venture through the highs and lows of the Pearson family, we are constantly given humongous twists and turns from show runner Dan Fogelman.

But, which episodes stand out the most? Our team of of This is Us experts have listed their top 10 episodes of the hit show. Look below to see the results!

PLEASE ALSO BE AWARE OF SPOILERS! IF YOU ARE YET TO BE UP-TO-DATE WITH THE SHOW OR ARE WANTING INFO WITHOUT SPOILERS, TURN BACK NOW.

10. “Number One” (2×08)

If you want to get your best look into the psyche of Kevin Pearson, this is your top hit. Up until this point in the show, we were used to Kevin keeping his feelings close to the chest and always wanting to appear as the alpha. This episode focuses solely on Kevin, meaning we get a full, in-depth look into his addiction and his emotional struggles. His substance abuse. The long-lasting grief over his father’s death. His thoughts on everything that led him to this point in his life.

A great character study in general. More importantly, an incredible performance from Justin Hartley who was given critical acclaim for this outing.

9. “Pilot” (1×01)

It’s not so often that an opening episode would make it onto a list like this, right? This is Us is a show about one family’s daily woes. Sounds a bit boring. But, the DNA of the show is very much about expecting the unexpected, and the pilot episode does just that.

By leading us to believe that we are about to learn about a group of people only connected by their birthdays, we are left discovering that we are witnessing one family. All the tidbits of info from throughout the episode suddenly stack up. This really raises the bar for standards of a opening story.

8. “A Hell of a Week: Part 1” (4×11)

Throughout the first few years of the show, we learnt quite heavily about Randall’s issues with anxiety. So, how would you expect him to behave when he’s dealing with being Philadelphia’s city councilman whilst an intruder breaks into his home?

In the show’s second lot of episodes focusing solely on each of the Big Three, we follow Randall as he grapples with the aftermath of coming face to face with a burglar. Spiralling as he worries for his family’s safety and being powerless against an armed low life, we watch as Sterling K. Brown proves he’s one of the great actors of our generation. Best three words to describe this episode? Tense, emotional and honest.

7. “Strangers” (4×01)

The fourth season’s opener has us following the lives of three complete…you guessed it…strangers. This is This is Us, so you know there’s some kind of connection with these characters and the Pearsons. It is more a question of how are they connected.

Needless to say, we get very satisfactory answers by the episode’s end. These answers also propel our main characters into their stories for the season. Smart, shocking and exciting – a great way to kick off a new season and still have our interests piqued.

6. “After the Fire” (4×17)

It may feel like a bit of a filler episode, but this is a “what if” scenario that definitely serves it’s storyline well. “After the fire” has Randall and his therapist discussing how the former thinks life would have gone if his adoptive father hadn’t died.

Not only does the results of this penultimate episode lead the show into family-breaking terrain during the finale, but it’s also fun to witness parallels of Randal’s life had certain things changed in his past. Once again, Brown delivers an amazing performance and has us glued to our seats from start to finish.

5. “So Long, Marianne” (4×09)

A Thanksgiving episode with the Pearsons is always bound to have a twist or two given that they usually act as the mid-season finale. That is very much the case here, and we are left with many questions afterwards.

Not only do we get more time and exploration with Griffin Dunne’s Nicky Pearson, a welcomed addition to the show, but we also get a shock flash-forward that we don’t even realise we are watching throughout the episode! And with said flash-forward, comes burning questions of what is going to happen between the present day and the start of the fifth season. Want to know how to deliver a great, edge of your seat mid-season finale without needing any kind action or thrills? Take notes.

4. “Songbird Road: Part 2” (3×12)

The “Songbird Road” two-parter finally answers the mystery of Uncle Nicky surviving Vietnam. Easily one of the biggest and best twists of the entire show to date.

As we learn more about Nicky’s final days at war and the aftermath between him and Jack, we watch as everything takes it’s tole on one of the Pearson siblings and we watch as Rebecca comes face to face with the brother-in-law she never knew she had. A big episode for the Pearson’s as they learn more about Jack’s past and an incredible entrance for Griffin Dunne.

3. “R+B” (3X17)

“R+B” almost works as it’s own, self-contained short film. Throughout this penultimate episode, we touch on the milestones of Beth and Randall’s relationship, leading them up to the potentially make-or-break argument they are having in the present.

Again, a bit of a filler episode, but a welcome one at that. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson work wonders with the dialogue and make us love their coupling even more. Though their is a lot of emotional investment for viewers watching the show in full, feel free to watch this episode purely as a standalone and learn about the perfect/no perfect relationship of Randall and Beth.

2. “Super Bowl Sunday” (2×14)

The episode that answered the big, gaping hole question that This is Us has been teasing since day one: How did Jack die?

Throughout the first part of the second season, we are led to believe we have all the answers to how the family matriarch lost his life…that is all until the opening moments of this episode when you find out you’re probably only half right. From waiting patiently throughout the episode to watching Mandy Moore’s heartbreaking performance when the events unfold, this is the perfect example of a bait and switch. Tears should be anticipated and praise should be hurled at the writers room for this episode.

1. “Birth Mother” (5×06)

To date, the latest episode to air and also nabbing the top spot – how coincidental. “Birth mother” ties up everything concerning Randal’s real family and the questions he has been asking since he was a child. We get a Notebook-esque story, a lot of questions answers and also…you guessed it again (probably)…another amazing performance from Sterling K. Brown.

This episode is powerful in the fact that it closes the door on everything Randal has been wondering about his lineage and also allows for a beautiful scene between him and (the spirit of?) his birth mother. Everything about this top notch episode earns it first place on our list: the music, the performances, the pacing etc. A great episode for a show that is becoming long in the tooth.

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What are your thoughts on these episodes? Are there other choices you think we should have made? What do you think deserved the top spot? Make sure you let us know in our comment section below!

This is Us returns to NBC February 9 in the US and Amazon Prime for UK viewers on February 11.

Our Top 10 This Is Us Episodes (So Far)