
NBC
Justin Hartley will make his “This Is Us” directorial debut with tonight’s episode of the NBC family drama — marking the second time a cast member has sat behind the camera for the show, following Milo Ventimiglia’s turn earlier this season.
And while Tuesday’s installment, “A Hell of a Week: Part Three,” is a big one for Hartley, it’s not a big one for his character, Kevin, who had his day in the limelight with the second episode of the “trilogy.”
No, tonight’s hour is all about his sister Kate (Chrissy Metz), with three interconnecting storylines that show her struggles in the present day, as a teen (played by Hannah Zeile) and as a tiny preschooler (played by Isabella Rose Landau).
Hartley says that it’s the present-day story that features a moment between Kate and her mother, Rebecca (Mandy Moore), that will “forever” change their dynamic.
“There’s something going on in the present storyline where their relationship is kind of evolving and it’s changing and becoming something we haven’t really seen before,” Hartley told TheWrap. “So it was important to tell that story in a clear and concise manner. It was important that the audience understands these two characters are communicating in a way that we haven’t seen them communicate before and that their relationship is forever going to change — and this is like the turning point. It’s something really nice. It’s something that you always hope you get with your mother or father, but we don’t always get.”
When it comes to the flashback storylines, Hartley didn’t want to give away much about either, but said that the one lead by the “adorable toddler version” of Kate will tie back into her present-day relationship with her mom — and we’ll even find out the origin of “Bug,” Rebecca’s nickname for Kate.
Also Read: Midseason TV 2020: Complete List of Premiere Dates for New and Returning Broadcast Shows
“As far as the teenage storyline goes, there’s a massive through-line between her relationship with Marc (Austin Abrams) and how she handles her life in the present day with Toby (Chris Sullivan),” Hartley said. He is, of course, referring to Teen Kate’s increasingly turbulent relationship with her beau — which fans have been anxiously waiting to see come to an end for a while now — and Adult Kate’s marital problems with her husband, who is deeply depressed over their infant son Jack’s blindness.
Hartley said that while these are “totally different relationships,” the connection is “the baggage that we carry and the things that we carry through life.”
“That was the important thing for me, to get that through in that storyline,” he said. “These people that come and go in our lives, the relationships that come and go, they leave lingering things with us and they shape us and they form these habits or these sort of personalities that we become and we evolve into throughout our life. And that shapes the decisions that we make. Also, the relationship that she has with Toby and the relationship that she has with Marc, the differences and similarities, and the danger that goes along with that. The pushing and the pulling, the togetherness and separation.”
He continued, “They’re obviously totally different relationships — but it’s the idea of being an arm’s length away from someone but, yet, you might as well be an ocean away because you can’t reach them on the level that you need to reach them.”
Also Read: Ratings: Sterling K Brown's Big 'This Is Us' Episode Tops Tuesday
Hartley obviously couldn’t give away the mystery of how Kate and Marc’s relationship ultimately comes to an end, so all we can do is tell you to keep tuning in to find out — possibly tonight.
As for the experience of directing his co-stars — and some actors he never gets to work with — Hartley says he was honored to be given the opportunity.
“When [creator/co-showrunner Dan Fogelman] told me that he was gonna let me do this, it was a bit of a surprise at first, but also what an honor and what a responsibility,” Hartley said. “I think we pulled off something really great, and I was just happy to get all those wonderful performances.”
See TheWrap’s exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of Hartley’s directorial debut below and check back with TheWrap tonight for our post-mortem interview with Hartley and Zeile about the episode.

Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Ron Batzdorff/NBC
“This Is Us” airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
Winter TV 2020: Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows (Photos)
-
ABC/AMC/NBC/Netflix
Winter is well underway and with it, naturally, comes the Winter TV season. In honor of the colder months and their small-screen offerings, TheWrap has rounded up the premiere dates for not just the new and returning shows on Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW, but also the ones for the eagerly anticipated series hitting cable channels and streaming services this winter. Click through our gallery to find out when your favorite winter shows will be back and when your possible new favorites will debut.
Also Read: Why Netflix Is Betting You’ll Want ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 – Before You’ve Seen Season 1
-
Netflix
Series: "Dracula" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 4 Time: N/A
-
TLC
Series: "Say Yes to the Dress: America" Net: TLC Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 4 Time: 8 p.m.
-
TLC
Series: "Sister Wives" Net: TLC Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 5 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Discovery Channel
Series: "Naked and Afraid: Alone" Net: Discovery Channel Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 5 Time: 10 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "America's Got Talent: The Champions" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
-
ABC
Series: "The Bachelor" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
-
VH1
Series: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Net: VH1 Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Manifest" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Ellen's Game of Games" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
-
ABC
Series: "Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
-
VH1
Series: "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N' Out" Net: VH1 Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Fox
Series: "Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
-
OWN
Series: "The Haves and the Have Nots" Net: OWN Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Pop TV
Series: "Schitt's Creek" Net: Pop TV Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Bravo
Series: "Vanderpump Rules" Net: Bravo Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
-
CBS
Series: "FBI: Most Wanted" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 10 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Cheer" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: N/A
-
CBS
Series: "Undercover Boss" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
-
MTV
Series: "Catfish: The TV Show" Net: MTV Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
-
CBS
Series: "Criminal Minds" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
-
A&E
Series: "America's Top Dog" Net: A&E Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Freeform
Series: "Party of Five" Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Medical Police" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 10 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "AJ & The Queen" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 10 Time: N/A
-
NBC
Series: "Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 10 Time: 8 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "The Outsider" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 12 Time: 9 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "The New Pope" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 13 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Grace & Frankie" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: N/A
-
Syfy
Series: "The Magicians" Net: Syfy Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Paramount Network
Series: "68 Whiskey" Net: Paramount Network Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
-
CNBC
Series: "Listing Impossible" Net: CNBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: N/A
-
Freeform
Series: "Grown-ish" Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Freeform
Series: "Everything's Gonna Be Okay" Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 16 Time: 8:30 p.m.
-
Apple TV+
Series: "Little America" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 17 Time: N/A
-
Disney+
Series: "Diary of a Future President" Net: Disney+ Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 17 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Sex Education" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 17 Time: N/A
-
BBC America
Series: "Seven Worlds, One Planet" Net: BBC America Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 18 Time: 9 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "Avenue 5" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 19 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Fox
Series: "9-1-1: Lone Star" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 19 Time: 10 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 19 Time: 10:30 p.m.
-
Nat Geo
Series: "Brain Games" Net: Nat Geo Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 20 Time: 9 p.m.
-
HGTV
Series: "Home Town" Net: HGTV Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 20 Time: 9 p.m.
-
The CW
Series: "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 21 Time: 9 p.m.
-
History
Series: "Project Blue Book" Net: History Channel Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 21 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Comedy Central
Series: "Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens" Net: Comedy Central Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 22 Time: 10:30 p.m.
-
CBS All Access
Series: "Star Trek: Picard" Net: CBS All Access Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: N/A
-
ABC
Series: "Station 19" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Fox
Series: "Outmatched" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 8:30 p.m.
-
Freeform
Series: "The Bold Type" Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "The Ranch" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
-
Hulu
Series: "Shrill" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Goop Lab with Gwyneth Paltrow" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
-
Showtime
Series: "The Circus" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 26 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Showtime
Series: "Our Cartoon President" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 26 Time: 8:30 p.m.
-
YouTube
Series: "Justin Bieber: Seasons" Net: YouTube Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 27 Time: N/A
-
USA Network
Series: "Biggest Loser" Net: USA Network Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28 Time: 9 p.m.
-
TBS
Series: "Miracle Workers: Dark Ages" Net: TBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28 Time: 10:30 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Next in Fashion" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 29 Time: N/A
-
USA Network
Series: "Miz & Mrs." Net: USA Network Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 29 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "The Stranger" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 30 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "BoJack Horseman" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 31 Time: N/A
-
Amazon Prime Video
Series: "Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 31 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Ragnorak" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 31 Time: N/A
-
Fox
Series: "The Masked Singer" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 2 Time: 10:30 p.m.
-
Spectrum
Series: "Manhunt: Deadly Games" Net: Spectrum Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 3 Time: N/A
-
HBO
Series: "McMillions" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 3 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Showtime
Series: "Desus & Mero" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 3 Time: 11 p.m.
-
Getty
Series: "Lego Masters" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 5 Time: 9 p.m.
-
CBS All Access
Series: "Interrogation" Net: CBS All Access Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: N/A
-
The CW
Series: "Katy Keene" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
-
USA Network
Series: "The Sinner" Net: USA Network Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Indebted" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 9:30 p.m.
-
CBS
Series: "Tommy" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
-
USA Network
Series: "Briarpatch" Net: USA Network Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Apple TV+
Series: "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Locke & Key" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: N/A
-
CBS
Series: "MacGyver" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "High Maintenance" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: 11 p.m.
-
Showtime
Series: "Homeland" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 9 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Showtime
Series: "Kidding" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 9 Time: 10 p.m.
-
OWN
Series: "Cherish the Day" Net: OWN Premiere Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11 Time: 10 p.m.
-
ABC
Series: "For Life" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11 Time: 10 p.m.
-
CBS
Series: "Survivor" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 12 Time: 8 p.m.
-
E!
Series: "The Soup" Net: E! Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 12 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Narcos: Mexico" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 13 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Love Is Blind" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 13 Time: N/A
-
Hulu
Series: "High Fidelity" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: N/A
-
Hulu
Series: "Utopia Falls" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: n/A
-
Apple TV+
Series: "Visible: Out on Television" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: N/A
-
Starz
Series: "Outlander" Net: Starz Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
-
ABC
Series: "American Idol" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Fox
Series: "Duncanville" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8:30 p.m.
-
HGTV
Series: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Net: HGTV Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 9 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Good Girls" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 10 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 11 p.m.
-
Facebook Watch
Series: "Sacred Lies" Net: Facebook Watch Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 20 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "The Chef Show" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 19 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Gentefied" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 21 Time: N/A
-
Amazon Prime Video
Series: "Hunters" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 21 Time: N/A
-
AMC
Series: "Better Call Saul" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 23 Time: 10 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "The Voice" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 24 Time: 8 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Little Big Shots" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 24 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "I Am Not Okay With This" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 26 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Altered Carbon" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 27 Time: N/A
-
MTV
Series: "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" Net: MTV Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 27 Time: 8 p.m.
-
Vh1
Series: "RuPaul's Drag Race" Net: Vh1 Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 28 Time: 8 p.m.
-
AMC
Series: "Dispatches From Elsewhere" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, March 1 Time: 10 p.m.
-
FX
Series: "Breeders" Net: FX Premiere Date: Monday, March 2 Time: 10 p.m.
-
BET
Series: "Twenties" Net: BET Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 4 Time: 10 p.m.
-
CNBC
Series: "The Deed: Chicago" Net: CNBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 4 Time: 10 p.m.
-
FXX
Series: "Dave" Net: FXX Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 4 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "Castlevania" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, March 5 Time: N/A
-
FX
Series: "Devs" Net: FX on Hulu Premiere Date: Thursday, March 5 Time: N/A
-
FX
Series: "Better Things" Net: FX Premiere Date: Thursday, March 5 Time: 10 p.m.
-
FXX
Series: "Cake" Net: FXX Premiere Date: Thursday, March 5 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Apple TV+
Series: "Amazing Stories" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, March 6 Time: N/A
-
Hulu
Series: "Hillary" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, March 6 Time: N/A
-
FX
Series: "The Most Dangerous Animal of All" Net: FX Premiere Date: Friday, March 6 Time: 10 p.m.
-
AMC
Series: "Ride With Norman Reedus" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, March 8 Time: 11 p.m.
-
Nat Geo
Series: "Cosmos: Possible Worlds" Net: Nat Geo Premiere Date: Monday, March 9 Time: 9 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "Council of Dads" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, March 10 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Netflix
Series: "On My Block" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 11 Time: N/A
-
Netflix
Series: "Elite" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, March 13 Time: N/A
-
Pop TV
Series: "Flack" Net: Pop TV Premiere Date: Friday, March 13 Time: 10 p.m.
-
NBC
Series: "The Wall" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Sunday, March 15 Time: 7 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "Westworld" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, March 15 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Showtime
Series: "Black Monday" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, March 15 Time: 10 p.m.
-
The CW
Series: "Roswell, New Mexico" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Monday, March 16 Time: 9 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "The Plot Against America" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, March 16 Time: 9 p.m.
-
HBO
Series: "My Brilliant Friend" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, March 16 Time: 10 p.m.
-
Freeform
Series: "Motherland: Fort Salem" Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 18 Time: 9 p.m.
-
Hulu
Series: "Little Fires Everywhere" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 18 Time: N/A
-
IFC
Series: "Brockmire" Net: IFC Premiere Date: Wednesday, March 18 Time: 10 p.m.
Here’s when 137 broadcast, cable and streaming series debut and come back
Winter is well underway and with it, naturally, comes the Winter TV season. In honor of the colder months and their small-screen offerings, TheWrap has rounded up the premiere dates for not just the new and returning shows on Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW, but also the ones for the eagerly anticipated series hitting cable channels and streaming services this winter. Click through our gallery to find out when your favorite winter shows will be back and when your possible new favorites will debut.
Also Read: Why Netflix Is Betting You’ll Want ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 – Before You’ve Seen Season 1
Related Content
-
TV
‘This Is Us': Sterling K Brown on Randall’s Terrifying Week and How Jack Fed His Bottled-Up Anxiety
By Jennifer Maas | January 21, 2020 @ 7:00 PM -
TV
‘This Is Us': Sterling K Brown on Why Randall and Kevin Are Estranged in That Flash-Forward
By Jennifer Maas | January 11, 2020 @ 12:36 PM -
TV
Sophia Bush, Pamela Adlon Join ‘This Is Us’ Season 4
By Jennifer Maas | January 11, 2020 @ 11:14 AM