Fear not, as This Is Us is only on a short break, not an extended winter hiatus.
NBC seems to be throwing fans for a loop with its January scheduling of some of its top prime time dramas — including This Is Us.
Generally, the broadcast networks give their dramas the holidays off before coming back with new episodes in January and going straight through for about a month or so before the next repeat. NBC did something different, coming out of the winter hiatus with just a few new hours and then taking more time off.
Fortunately, This Is Us is on the shortest possible timeout, missing only this week before getting back to its regular schedule. The next new episode, “I Call Marriage,” arrives on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
Here’s the official synopsis for that episode, courtesy of NBC:
"Toby throws a wrench in Kate’s weight-loss journey. Randall struggles to accept his father’s deteriorating health. Miguel and Shelly break some devastating news to Jack and Rebecca, which makes them worry about their own relationship. Rebecca receives an amazing work opportunity. Kevin examines his romantic past."
So far, This Is Us has been a ratings and critical success in its freshman season for NBC. Its live broadcasts have averaged just under 10 million viewers through episodes, and more than 14 million people watched weekly once delayed viewing was added in.
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Those ratings lost just a little bit of steam in January, but this week off could prove to be an “absence makes the heart grow fonder” deal, especially since it’s just one repeat. There’s also a new episode on Feb. 14, so there shouldn’t be any confusion about the This Is Us schedule for a while after this.