Why Isn’t ‘This Is Us’ On Tonight? Return Date Revealed

UPDATE: NBC has pushed back the return date by a week. Season 2 will return Jan. 9.

Original story: “This Is Us” left off in a pretty heartbreaking place, and the Pearsons aren’t going to resolve their issues this week or even this month. The hit NBC show is on winter hiatus.

The Nov. 28 episode of “This Is Us” concluded the Big Three’s trilogy of stories that took place at the same time. However, Randall’s (Sterling K. Brown) episode finally brought the story further into the future. Kevin (Justin Hartley) was driving while drunk, but he was shocked when he realized Tess (Eris Baker) snuck into the back seat of his car. The cops pulled him over and arrested him, and Randall and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) got a call to pick them up at the police station.

“This Is Us” will not reveal what happens next until 2018. Season 2 of the NBC drama returns Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. EST.

Milo Ventimiglia was asked about the heartbreaking midseason finale, which also featured Kevin and Randall learning about Kate’s (Chrissy Metz) miscarriage. The Jack Pearson actor promised that “This Is Us” will continue to balance the tearjerker moments with some lighthearted fun.

“With the pain of course there is… pleasure,” Ventimiglia told Extra. “The one thing that I do appreciate about the painful moments, there’s levity, there’s light, it’s not something that leaves you totally broken.”

Those light moments probably won’t be around much when Jack’s death is finally shown. As previously reported, the show will not drag the mystery of the Pearson patriarch’s demise into Season 2. They will show how exactly the father died in the 2018 episodes. Earlier this year, the show revealed that the Pearson family’s house burned down, but it wasn’t clear how it started or why Jack was in there.

There will be some lighter shows on in place of the NBC tearjerker on Dec. 5. Instead of “This Is Us,” NBC will be airing new episodes of comedies “Will & Grace” and “Superstore.” First, the fab four will flashback to Christmas celebrations of the past and realize they’re probably better off in the present day. Then, on “Superstore,” Amy (America Ferrera) tries to make the Christmas Eve shift more fun.