Mazzeo argues: "That's a real advantage… a lot of shows just want to keep going, so wild things happen to keep it going or to keep the drama going. This is Us just always had this story in mind that it was going to tell, and I think that's important." Even in the pilot episode, we see hints about what will happen in the Pearsons' lives later on. Our worst fears that Jack could be dead are confirmed in Season 1, Episode 5 when Kate presents the urn of her dad's ashes. "Easter eggs" are planted throughout the six seasons and the direction the show was going in was always clear-cut "with exceptions", Frederick believes. These exceptions include the insertion of contemporary events like the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2020 resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement into the programme. These storylines received criticism because they touched upon current issues.
