Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

This Is Us creator compares final moment to The Sopranos ending

Popular show concluded this week after six seasons

Roisin O'Connor
Wednesday 25 May 2022 07:58 EDT
Comments
'This is us' Trailer Season 5

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman has compared a moment in the show’s finale to the notorious conclusion of The Sopranos.

The popular drama series, starring Sterling K Brown, Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz and Milo Ventimiglia, ended this week after six seasons.

Appearing at a press conference for NBC, Fogelman said he felt Randall’s (Brown) “political journey ahead of him” could be compared to the cliffhanger in The Sopranos – where Tony Soprano sits in a diner with his family as a possible hitman enters, before the scene cuts to black.

During the This Is Us scene in question, as per E! News, the newly appointed senator decides to go to Iowa after a request from the Democratic National Committee, with the fate of his political career uncertain.

Fogelman said this was “probably the closest we come in the show to Sopranos going to black at the end of the episode”.

“You're left to choose your own adventure as to what you think happened with him,” he said (via E!). “I think it's up to the audience to decide what they think happens next with Randall.

“Does he even decide to run again? Does he and Beth decide they'd rather settle at home? If he runs, how much traction does he get? Does he win?”

He said that, in his mind, he knew what would have happened to Randall and his family, but it was a question that “was not meant to be answered”.

“There were definitely a lot of conversations about how we were showing the end of Randall's political journey,” he continued. “We all felt that if we had hypothetically flash-forwarded to Randall sitting in the White House, that wasn't what the show is. It would have broken a little bit.

“We loved ending it on the promise of further stardom for this exceptional and extraordinary character without going all the way there.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in