This week Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat about first kisses, how dogs teach us how to die, and the magic of the writers on This Is Us. They break down 213, That’ll Be the Day, where Kevin takes a major step in making peace with his past, Randall learns the hard way about the realities of being a landlord, and Kate’s visit to a dog shelter brings unexpected surprises. Plus, the talented Lena Waithe, who guest-starred on 213, makes an appearance on the podcast this week!

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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This week on That Was Us, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling discuss the importance of the “strays always find who needs them” theme running through the episode, from William’s cat Clooney to the lost pieces of each character’s past. Kate finally sees Madison, Kevin finally sees the sacrifices Jack made, and Randall realizes William’s lost love is the view from his window – but at the heart of this story is Randall’s desire to connect with William and his former life. Plus, the hosts also chat with Olivia Allen who shares how the show inspired her family to reconnect with a loved one.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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This week on That Was Us, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling break down all the family dynamics and emotional layers happening when the whole Pearson family visits Kevin at rehab and goes through therapy together.

They chat about how introspection is uncomfortable and how motherhood can be the most rewarding but most challenging time. They also discuss “The New Big Three” (not to be confused with the That Was Us Big Three) and how Toby, Beth, and Miguel banded together in this episode.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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Get excited because This is Us Co-Showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger join us to share their experience leading the beloved series for all six seasons. They take us behind the scenes of their creative process, from how episodes were assigned to writers to their synergy with creator Dan Fogelman. We also dive into the art of bringing humanity to every episode, the challenge of handling actor improvisations, and the debate over incorporating COVID into the show. Plus, they reveal which storyline was the toughest to write and why small, deeply personal stories can impact audiences the most.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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In the third and final episode focused on the Pearson siblings, we follow Randall as he revisits childhood memories, feels the impact of having Deja in his life, and contemplates how his life might have changed if just one thing had happened differently. Sterling chats about all the scenes from this episode that made him emotional, while Mandy and Chris discuss how the show made them think about how their life could’ve taken many different turns. Plus, the talented Niles Fitch, AKA 17-year-old Randall, stops by for a chat!

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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In this week’s episode, we follow Kate’s journey and the moments from childhood that shaped her into the woman she is today. From secretly dreaming of attending the Berklee College of Music to navigating life’s toughest heartbreaks, this episode gives us a greater understanding of why Kate is guarded. 

Mandy, Chris, and Sterling discuss how parents provide more than just physical shelter—they shape emotional security, too. Plus, we unpack Ka-Toby’s heartbreaking miscarriage, how they process grief in entirely different ways, and the powerful wisdom Rebecca shares with Kate about truly feeling her pain before it consumes her.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

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Welcome back to That Was Us! We’re so happy to be back after our hiatus. This is the first of three This Is Us episodes dedicated to each Pearson sibling. First up…Kevin Pearson!

We dive into the struggles teenage Kevin faces during the college application process and the life-altering news Jack has to deliver to him after his injury. Mandy, Chris, and Sterling break down how adult Kevin spirals after returning to his high school while on a bender, where he’s being honored—only to truly hit rock bottom. We also explore Kevin’s complex coping mechanisms and Chris opens up, sharing some vulnerable stories about his own past. Lastly, we answer the burning question on everyone’s mind: is Justin Hartley’s beard real or fake in this episode?! Plus, don’t miss a heartfelt fan letter that reminds us why this show resonates so deeply.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions.

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RE-RELEASE episode! This week, we revisit the fascinating conversation with the composer of “This Is Us,” “Only Murders in the Building,” and so much more… Siddhartha Khosla. The hosts talk about Sidd’s music being a “warm musical hug,” the reverse engineering that went into not only the writing of the show but scoring as well, how Sidd's upbringing inspired the soundtrack, what it was like being college roommates with This is Us creator Dan Fogelman and so much more! Performing his song, “Evergreen Cassette,” and bringing back all the feels, you don't want to miss this episode with Siddhartha Khosla!

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions.

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RE-RELEASE episode! Before we get back to new episodes, we're continuing with our special re-releases for anyone who may have missed out on these fan-favorite episodes! This week, Jon Huertas, AKA Miguel Rivas, is with us! That's right, Jack's best friend and Rebecca's second husband. Jon chats about his audition process for the role of Miguel, the epic way he found out Miguel married Rebecca, how he handled negative comments about Miguel’s character, the prosthetics process, what Jon felt as an actor during emotional scenes, and so much more!

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions.

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RE-RELEASE episode! We're looking back on some of our listeners' favorite episodes over the next few weeks and re-sharing them for anyone who might've missed the conversation! This week, we're starting with Susan Kelechi Watson aka Beth Pearson! We hear about everything from her audition process, what it meant to Susan to portray a modern black woman in America on television, the importance of a hair and makeup team who understands the individual's needs, the behind-the-scenes efforts that went into the portrayal and building of Beth's backstory, and so much more! Join us (again) as we reminisce and rediscover the anchor that is Beth Pearson.

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions.

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