One of the big themes of season 5?
“Births and rebirths,” says Dan Fogelman.
It’s gigantic for them, creator Dan Fogelman tells EW.
Credit: NBC
Randall is a man who has defined himself by his role in his extended family.
With that fractured, what does that do to him?
And Kevin is a well-meaning but slightly narcissistic, privileged movie star.
There’s stuff here, stuff that’s borne out of decades of competition and family and fighting.
They have a journey ahead of them.
First stop: a milestone birthday celebration.
Our show is going to be covering a lot of ground in our big two-part season premiere.
The two-hour premiere was difficult to write, too.
The season premiere also covers another milestone birthday the Big Three’s very first one.
Its a day that viewers have revisited over the years, but they dont knoweverything.
It’s a story line we’ve been talking about doing for a while.
When Fogelman thinks about the stories of season 5, what comes to mind?
Births and rebirths, he answers.
There are a fair amount of babies.
But think of other Pearsons, too.
His sister, Kate, will be at the center of another key episode.
It’s going to be a real powerhouse episode for Chrissy, says Fogelman.
And you’ll go Oh!
Justin has always reminded me in this role a lot of Tom Cruise inJerry Maguire, says Fogelman.
I think fatherhood is going to be a really good color on him.
But people are going to like where we’re going.
Did they just do that one?"
Find out exactly what they did do when the season 5 premiere airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Looking for more preview intel?
Chrissy Metz alsodropped hints about the new season, asdid Chris Sullivan.
And you might want to hear whatMilo Ventimiglia had to say.Susan Kelechi Watson, too.
Oh, andSterling K. Brown.
