This Is Us: We Need to Work Out Our Feelings About Miguel

Star Mandy Moore defended the NBC hit's most divisive character after the show's panel at the 2015 Winter TCA Press Tour

By Billy Nilles Jan 19, 2017 5:43 PMTags
This Is Us, Jon HuertasNBC

How do you solve a problem like This Is Us' Miguel?

Ever since fans of the breakout NBC series were hit in the gut with the surprising reveal at the end of episode two that, in present day, Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) was no longer married to Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), and instead remarried to his pal, they haven't exactly warmed to the character (played by Castle alum Jon Huertas). It didn't help matters when we learned even later that Jack wasn't simply off in a new marriage of his own, but was instead six feet under. How did our new favorite TV dad get replaced by his kind of sketchy friend? And will Kevin (Justin Hartley)—and the audience—ever come around on the guy?

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"I'm obsessed with Jon Huertas. We all are," Moore told reporters following the show's panel at the 2017 Winter TCA Press Tour (where the network made everyone's day by announcing a two-season pick-up). "And he is such a good sport on the fact that people are so down on Miguel at this point."

While she's still unclear on all the details about Rebecca's jump from Jack to Miguel, the Golden Globe-nominated actress assured that there was no infidelity—or so she thinks. "I think people have to have faith in Jack and Rebecca and realize that there's nothing untoward that happened. I don't even know the specifics of when and how Rebecca and Miguel got together and got married. We have a vague idea, but we don't know the specifics. We never know until we get scripts. We don't know the nuances of things. But I think people should have faith in the type of people that we are and that we would act accordingly."

NBC

And while Huertas wasn't on hand to defend his character, Moore did reveal that an upcoming episode of the series will hopefully get fans on board with the divisive character. "I know in particular in episode 15, for me, I walked away from the script going, 'If people aren't in love with Miguel at this point...'"

Whatever it is, it's going to have to work some real magic to remove the sour taste from our mouths after Miguel's advice to Jack to begin escaping his family commitments on the golf course while Rebecca was literally ready to pop. And if you think we're even close to forgetting about the Pearson family usurper putting on that Pilgrim Rick hat, think again. What we're trying to say here is that we're not sure what the show can do to redeem Miguel, but we're looking forward to watching them try.

Where do you stand on Miguel? And what are your theories on how he became Rebecca's second husband? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)