Kevin's Whole Life Will Implode On 'This Is Us' If He Doesn't Get Help Soon

Pretty boy Kevin Pearson has had most things go right for him on This Is Us — he’s the Manny! He’s handsome! He’s a famous actor! He always gets the girl! Well, not quite. Right now, Kevin (and his addiction) are really messing things up, and the question must be asked — will Kevin and Sophie get back together on This Is Us?

When This Is Us started, Kevin was just along for the ride with his fame, women, attention, and all that. Unfortunately, it left him unfulfilled and emotionally empty. After some soul searching and dating two red herring women, Kevin ultimately ended up on the doorstep of Sophie, his ex-wife and the woman he has been trying to impress for literally his whole life. Why they broke up in the first place is simple — Kevin cheated — and while viewers don’t know the specifics, it’s easy to see that Kevin has the self-destructive, addictive streak that his father, Jack, had, and it’s ruining his relationship with Sophie yet again. Kevin is struggling with pills and possibly alcohol. If he has his father's addictive tendencies, he needs help, because he may not be able to help himself.

These issues he's facing don't leave much room for Sophie, and she says as much when Kevin tries for a third time to cancel his trip to see her. Sophie also hasn’t completely forgiven him for disappearing on her at the benefit gala (he was drunk and trying to get a prescription refill). But instead of being honest with Sophie about what’s happening in his life, Kevin has visions of their future and hypothetical child and believes he's going to mess fatherhood up, too. So, Kevin dumps Sophie. "I don't have anything to give you," he says. "There's nothing inside of me."

And, while I can understand that Kevin clearly has a problem, that doesn't mean his behavior doesn't affect those around him. It's not Kevin's fault if he's an addict, but it's not hard to feel for Sophie also. She was completely fine without Kevin in her life. She had moved on, she was dating, and she was living, and then he showed up on the porch and promised to be there for her if she took a chance. She did, and now he's shattered her.

Kevin’s relationship with Jack hasn't been in the spotlight as much, but, in Season 2, we’re starting to see a lot more of how Jack’s behaviors ultimately shaped his children. Jack’s addictive nature comes out in Kevin (see: Kevin’s pill problem), but his inability to communicate until its too late shines through, too. Kevin doesn’t tell anyone about his problems. Instead, he pushes people (like Sophie) away so that he can’t get hurt first. Jack did the same thing the first time he was dealing with his alcoholism.

And maybe that’s part of the problem — Randall and Kate were clearly much more emotional kids growing up, and that could have left Kevin in the dust to deal with his problems alone. Kate and Randall did a lot of talking with their parents, and Kevin did a lot of sleeping alone in the basement and slamming doors. Not talking about problems equals not solving them, and now Kevin is the adult equivalent of Frankenstein from Adam Sandler’s Big Daddy, spreading newspaper all over the spilled milk of his life and praying — begging to himself — that no one notices the mess.

Sophie is the only person, outside of Kevin’s family, that has loved Kevin for who he is. He’s not the smartest, he’s not the handsomest, and he’s a little desperate and cloying at times, but Sophie’s always loved him. And, it seems Kevin doesn't feel he can return that love, so he's cut himself off completely from it. If Kevin and Sophie are going to get back together, he’s going to have to make some big changes, to the tune of therapy for both his addiction and emotional issues. He’ll have to work on himself before he can consider Sophie. For her sake and for his, he needs to get some help before it's too late.