There is no show that gets us in the feels quite like This is Us does. And just when we thought that the show made us cry our eyes out enough, it looks like we might need to grab some more tissues because showrunners say the show may end sooner than we’d expect.
In a February 7th interview with Deadline, This Is Us showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Dan Fogelman discussed the future of the hit NBC show, saying the series may end after season six.
According to Aptaker, the show, which is currently in its third season, has a finale planned for “about three seasons in the future.” Aptaker revealed that he and Fogelman have a pretty solid story arc that will take them to the end of season six, and Fogelman has had the ending in mind since the very beginning.
“From day one, Dan came in with his master plan for the big picture stuff of the show and said, ‘I think this is where we end up. I think this is what I know. Let’s figure out the rest together.’ So all of the writers and the actors really know everything,” Aptaker said. “We’re all pretty good at keeping secrets by now, it’s been three years, but it’s a total open book for everyone who works on the show, so there are no secrets from each other.”
While it’s completely understandable for fans to be devastated by the news and that it will be a struggle to say goodbye to the Pearson family, Aptaker and Fogelman said they are confident viewers will find the series finale “elegant” and “satisfying,” Hello Giggles reports.
“I would hope that when we reach our ending, people think it’s a really satisfying end place, that makes sense, and it feels like they’ve watched something that is a complete piece of work because that’s really how we’re trying to plan it,” Aptaker added.
The showrunners wanted viewers to feel satisfied with the ending rather than having the show go on for too long.
“We’ve had this end in mind for a long time,” Aptaker said. “So we’re able to plan for it, and try to make it feel like it’s a whole, as opposed to a series that’s going to go endlessly.”
We know that shows can’t go on forever, and honestly, six seasons is a pretty good run. But we’d be lying if we didn’t say that our hearts will be broken when This is Us comes to an end.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.