This Is Us' second season finale proved this really is the most depressing show on TV. In addition to revealing that Toby (Chris Sullivan) has fallen into a deep depression after his wedding to Kate (Chrissy Metz), the final minutes of the finale featured a flash-forward of Randall (Sterling K. Brown) telling a reluctant Tess that "It's time to go see her."
This ominous cliffhanger could be centered on any number of female characters -- most obviously Deja (Lyrica Ross), Randall and Beth's (Susan Kelechi Watson) troubled foster daughter -- but many fans are already fearing for the worst, suspecting that Beth may be dead.
On a different show, this would seem like quite a leap to make, but on This Is Us, there's more than enough precedent to give these speculations a sound foundation. That doesn't mean fans are anywhere near accepting of the possibility of Beth's death, with many threatening to riot if the writers do anything to harm the loving matriarch.
if Beth dies I will burn this place TO THE GROUND #ThisIsUs pic.twitter.com/UkWfXMyYIs
— Sam Parker (@SamParkerParker) March 14, 2018if something happens to beth i'll light this whole damn place on fire #ThisIsUs
— Kayleigh (@kay_rae) March 14, 2018If anything happens to Beth I will RIOT #ThisIsUs pic.twitter.com/OpICX3CO6x
— Jane Schermer (@janeschermer) March 14, 2018Needless to say, tensions within the This Is Us fandom are extremely high right now, with many playing "Worst Case Scenario" themselves, wondering if -- like Randall and Beth once mentioned -- Deja killed her. If true, it would make sense that Randall and Tess would be going to visit Deja either in prison (another possibility Randall and Beth once raised during "Worst Case Scenario") or a psychiatric hospital for the first time after whatever actions she took that led to Beth's death.
Fans are, understandably, not thrilled about that possibility. Yet they aren't ruling it out either.
WORST CASE SCENARIO PT #1: Since Randall is most similar to his father, maybe his life follows similar events. He loses Beth from an unexpected but tragic event like Rebecca lost Jack. Déjà , losing two mom figures lashes out and makes some poor decisions ending in jail. #ThisIsUs
— Desiree (@desireepulmones) March 14, 2018#thisisus worst case scenario: deja kills beth & is in a psychiatric hospital and randall is making tess visit her to forgive her so she doesn't have to live with the hatred and can move on
— mother duck (@flourishandfowl) March 14, 2018Me trying to figure out if Randall & Tess are so upset because Beth died or because Deja ended up in prison. Or wait, what if Deja is in prison for murdering Beth...and not while she was sleeping 😳 #ThisIsUs pic.twitter.com/500JWjZLRO
— C Steele (@Miss_Steele12) March 14, 2018It remains to be seen whether the mystery of who the woman Tess and Randall are visiting will capture fans' attention the way Jack's (Milo Ventimiglia) death did -- and whether the series will draw it out as long -- but we have to give credit where credit's due: This Is Us sure knows how to get people talking.
Other Links From TVGuide.com This Is UsSusan Kelechi WatsonSterling K. Brown