This Is Us fans are divided on a possible alternate timeline featuring present-day Jack
By Reed Gaudens
Could This Is Us break the mold and introduce an alternate timeline featuring present-day Jack Pearson? You never know, but fans are divided.
When we found out that Jack Pearson was no longer with us in the present tense in that fateful first-season episode of This Is Us, it dashed our hopes of watching Milo Ventimiglia involved in scenes with the adult Big Three. Even though the series has found its way around that, it’s still true that Jack isn’t part of the current timeline, and it could end up limiting how often we see America’s favorite TV dad on screen.
But should This Is Us put its time-hopping prowess to work and introduced an alternate timeline that explored what if Jack hadn’t died in the fire? POPSUGAR wondered that same option after Milo Ventimiglia gave a very vague answer to a fan question for Elle. Would we see Jack in the future? The actor didn’t offer a yes or a no, which means it’s most definitely up for grabs. Still, would fans be up for another tug on the old heartstrings?
We asked fans on Twitter and Facebook if they thought This Is Us should include an alternate timeline and show viewers what would have happened if Jack didn’t die. A whopping total of 120 responses came in, but for the most part, fans very much eluded a majority consensus.
On Facebook, many fans simply wrote “yes” or “no,” while others were much more impassioned. One user wrote, “No. Life doesn’t have that option so just let the tears flow and cherish the ones you love a little more because of the Pearsons’ loss.” Another wrote, “Then it wouldn’t be This Is Us. It would be This Is Make Believe.”
Others buoyed for one episode, while an optimistic fan wrote, “Yes! I would love to see Jack giving advice to adult Randall, Kevin, and Kate! Plus, seeing him with the grandchildren would be so cute!” None are more right than the others, but it’s an interesting difference of opinion.
Over on Twitter, 52% of the responses to the same question opted for “Yes, I’ll cry forever,” while 12% said they’d save their tears and 36% would give the alternate timeline a shot for one episode. Again, even with the majority voting for a solid yes, there’s still a level of uncertainty underneath the response. And that means, it’s probably a great idea to explore.
Personally, I’m with the fans giving the timeline a shot for an episode. There’s no room for a fantasy element to be all of the sudden incorporated into a series that’s grounded so deeply in reality and, not to mention, that already jumps to multiple timelines. It’s unrealistic. But for one episode? Who wouldn’t want to see Milo Ventimiglia and Chrissy Metz act together as Jack and Kate? Our hearts wouldn’t be safe, and we’d be perfectly cool with it.
Next: Don’t worry, This Is Us fans: Milo Ventimiglia (and Jack Pearson) aren’t going anywhere
Whether This Is Us will take the plunge and dive into the “what if” question that surely remains on the minds of every Pearson family member remains to be confirmed. With a future timeline now in the picture and further flashbacks to Jack’s past on the docket, an alternate reality probably rests somewhere on the back burner. But whenever the award-winning series gets around to telling that story, it’ll be heavy, unmissable, and poignant.
What are your thoughts on an alternate timelines featuring present-day Jack? Let us knowing the comments, and keep the conversation going over on Twitter at @thisisuscrying!
This Is Us returns Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 9/8c on NBC.