For six tear-jerking seasons, NBC’sThis Is Ustold the story of the Pearson family over the course of six decades. The series featured one of the most captivating and innovative story structures, allowing viewers to see many of its main characters evolve from childhood to adulthood. This unique approach is why viewers became so deeply invested in the lives of Jack, Rebecca, Kevin, Kate, and Randall.The Pearsons began to feel like familyto the people watching at home. The showwasn’t afraid to depict its characters at their lowest points and highlight their flaws, which sparked strong opinions from many viewers, myself included.
Of all the characters on the show, Kevin was always the most controversial. He was the Pearson sibling whom viewers found the hardest to relate to, thanks to his big ego, messy life, and the poor way he sometimes treated his family. Butthose are the very reasons I always found Kevin to be the most interesting character on the show, even if he was hard to like at times.Justin Hartley, who played Kevin commented on how his character was misunderstood, and while this might be an unpopular opinion, I tend to agree with him.
Why Kevin Is Such A Hated Character
When a show has a large ensemble cast likeThis Is Us,viewers naturally gravitate toward certain characters and pick favorites. AndThis Is Uscertainly offers a wide range of incredible characters. Jack is the world’s greatest dad, always there for his kids. Rebecca has a beautiful heart, and her love story with Jack is the ideal relationship many of us strive for. Randall is noble and selfless, while Kate is someone we can’t help but root for as she strives to turn her life around and gain confidence.
Paradise Trailer: Sterling K. Brown Is A Secret Service Agent Accused Of Murder In This Is Us Reunion Show
The first trailer has been released for Paradise, which marks a reunion between Sterling K. Brown and This Is Us showrunner Dan Fogelman.
But Kevin was different. He often carried a chip on his shoulder and had an inflated ego. The show began with him quitting a successful TV show because he believed he was too good for it, and throughout the series, Kevin made impulsive decisionsthat reflected this mindset. When his father, Jack, acted impulsively, it was perceived as fun and spontaneous. However, with Kevin, his privileged background and occasionally smug personality made his actions come across as reckless instead.
Kevin’s Treatment Of Randall & His Many Love Interests Rubbed Viewers The Wrong Way
While Kevin Did Many Questionable Things, He Was Still Deep Down A Good Person
The main reason viewers disliked Kevin,was how he treated his brother Randall and the women he dated. It’s hard to argue with this, as Kevin often mistreated Randall during their childhood. Randall was a fan favorite and one of the show’s most inherently good characters, so seeing Kevin be so blatantly mean to him—and witnessing the impact on Randall—naturally made viewers turn against Kevin. However, the show went out of its way to explainwhy Kevin acted the way he did, which, while not excusing his behavior, at least made it understandable.
These critiques also overlook the many positive things Kevin did and how hard he worked to make changes in his life. The mistakes he made with women,especially his first wife Sophie, were difficult to watch—but what made them relatable was that they stemmed from Kevin’s insecurities and his struggles with self-worth, deeply rooted in his childhood.He was a character who often thought he was making the right decision in the moment because it felt good, even if most viewers would disagree with his choices.
Why Justin Hartley Thinks Kevin Is Misunderstood
The This Is UsActor Admits That Sometimes Kevin Behaved Poorly, But He Can See Beyond His Flaws
Recently, Justin Hartley went on the Max showWho’s Talking To Chris Wallace?and reflected on playing Kevin. He admitted that while his character sometimes acted inappropriately, and was at times his worst enemy, he still had a lot of love for the character he played for six seasons (viaEW):
“When you take on characters, a lot of times they become your children and your friends, part of you. And so you sort of feel that. It was just like, the guy can’t get out of his own way, but he’s not a bad guy, but everyone thinks he’s kind of an a–hole, you know what I mean? But he’s really not.He’s misunderstood, but maybe kind of an a–hole, you know. So, so you just, you you sit there and you go, Man, I wish I could help this guy, but you just can’t.
It is refreshing to hear an actor talk so honestly about their character. I definitely agree with him that the character is misunderstood. While Kevin constantly made questionable choices that were hard to defend, he also did just as many endearing things. He wasthere for his Uncle Nicky at his worst moments, worked hard to overcome his addiction issues, helped Tess come out to her classmates, and eventually built the family cabin. It’s easy to make assumptions about a person based on their mistakes, but a person shouldn’t only be judged by their bad decisions.
Kevin experienced a lot of trauma—over the death of his father, his sudden football injury in high school, and being perpetually overlooked as a child because his siblings needed more attention.
It’s always difficult to get into a character’s head while watching a show. So often, viewers judge them based on their actions rather than their history. WhatThis Is Usdid so brilliantly was that, because of its structure, you were able to get a full picture of the character.Kevin experienced a lot of trauma — over the death of his father, his sudden football injury in high school, and being perpetually overlooked as a childbecause his siblings needed more attention.
He also had a father who was perfect in his eyes, which made it impossible for any of his kids to live up to the image they had of him, even though they all tried. While none of these things excuse the bad things he did,I was able to look past many of them because I understood why he did them, and it made me root for him to do better, knowing he was capable of it.
Kevin Changes More Than Any Other Character OnThis Is Us
While Every Pearson Sibling Evolves, Kevin Has The Most Growth
This Is Usis a show about reflection. By witnessing all of the significant moments in the Pearsons' lives,it becomes clear how people evolve over time and are capable of change.Sure, big moments like Jack and Rebecca adopting Randall or Jack’s death are significant and have a huge impact on all of the characters' lives, but life is made up of millions of small moments that ultimately determine who a person truly is. No one is defined solely by the best or worst thing they have ever done. Kevin sums this up perfectly in season 3, episode 18, “Her,” when he says,
“I think that’s sort of how it works you know? We go through life slowly but surely collecting these little pieces of ourselves that we can’t really live without until we eventually have enough of them to feel whole.”
Kevin’sjourney in the series is about finally coming to terms with his past so he can feel whole.Of all the characters on the show, he changes the most over time, especially in the present timeline. Many viewers judged Kevin based on his behavior as an adolescent or his bigger mistakes as an adult, without fully reflecting on all the moments that shaped his life. But when I think about Kevin,I think of the man who faced his demons head-on, took responsibility for his actions, worked on himself in therapy, and became more empathetic toward others.
All of this is reflected in his relationship with Randall,which is why Kevin’s reconciliation with his brother works so well. The two have experienced tension since they were kids, rooted in their truthful anxieties about their place in the family. As adults, they have said horrendous things to each other—words that would be unforgivable to most people. But eventually, Kevin relented and reached out to make amends and heal their relationship. Hefinally understood the impact of his actions on Randall and the challenges his brother faced.This moment represented Kevin coming full circle and feeling whole.
This Is Usis a show about flawed people trying to be better, and Kevin tries harder than anyone, even though it takes him a bit longer than the rest of his family, with many mistakes made along the way. It’s a shamethat many viewers were unable to look past Kevin’s flaws and misunderstood his journeyby making rash judgments about his character. Kevin Pearson was far from perfect, but his journey to becoming a better person was truly special to watch.
This Is Us
Cast
This Is Us chronicles the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) as young parents in the 1980s to their 37-year-old kids, Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) searching for love and fulfillment in the present day. This grounded, life-affirming dramedy reveals how the tiniest events in our lives impact who people become and how the connections people share with each other can transcend time, distance, and even death.
