This Is Us: The Pearson Family’s Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Photo: 20th Century Fox
If you’re a fan of This Is Us, there are three things we know to be true: you cry in front of your television every Tuesday night, you’re afraid of Crock Pots, and you probably want a nostalgic Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
The final reveal of Jack Pearson’s death was tragic for everyone involved. Episode 15, ‘The Car,’ deals with the aftermath, but it also gives us a little bit of insight into the Pearson’s beloved family vehicle: a circa 1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
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The Pearson family made their way into Doug Henley Automotive on the hunt for a family hauler. A friendly salesman was eager to show them the all-new Jeep Grand Wagoneer, but Rebecca insisted that the family’s tight budget wasn’t going to budge. “Do you see those kids over there?” Rebecca asked, pointing to the triplets. “We don’t really need anything bright and shiny. We just want something reliable and affordable and safe.” With that being said, Jack and Rebecca split off from the kids to take a look at some used cars on the lot.
Jack, being the good father that he was, glanced into the showroom and saw his three triplets piling into the Grand Wagoneer with undeniable smiles on their faces. You could tell by the look on Jack’s face that he wasn’t leaving the dealership without it. He told Rebecca to wait in the lobby with the kids while he went in an office with the salesman.
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Jack emerged from the salesman’s office with a grin spreading from ear to ear. “We got the Wagoneer,” he said. Jack insisted they got a good deal on the car, but refused to give away his secrets of persuasion. Although, as the audience, we got to peek inside that office at the end of the episode. We took a trip down memory lane in that Jeep Grand Wagoneer, courtesy of Jack Pearson.
“Here’s the thing, Mel,” said Jack. “I don’t want to buy one of those used cars out there. But that Wagoneer? That’s my family’s car. I can see it so clearly. It’s sturdy and tough. Pearsons, we need tough. ‘Cause I can tell you right now, there’s gonna be scrapes and dings and stains – so many stains. But that’s okay. Because every battle scar is going to be another memory. And eventually that car out there – that car is going to tell my family’s story just by looking at it.”
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Photo: 20th Century Fox
The Pearson family went through everything in that Jeep Grand Wagoneer: road trips to the cabin, bumps and scratches serving as learning experiences, and taking the family all the way to Jack’s funeral. Rebecca pointed out during the episode that watching movies with Jack was frustrating, because he always seemed to predict the ending. The Wagoneer tells a story, the Pearson family’s story, just as Jack predicted, reminding the kids of the light that he brought into their lives.
Bonus:
We’re feeling nostalgic this morning, too.
— Jeep (@Jeep) February 7, 2018
Meg Thomson is a writer, photographer, blogger, and activist. When she isn’t writing, Meg can be found immersing herself in television scripts, adopting and playing with animals, or updating lists of her dream travel destinations (the list never ends). Meg believes writing is power, and equality is essential. She is determined to make a difference in the world, one word at a time. See more articles by Meg.