So far, This Is Us has shifted between three decades, for the most part: the 1980s, the early '90s, and the present. The '80s provide the backstory for Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore), while the early '90s showcase the childhood of the big three. The chronology of the show is now a hallmark of This Is Us — the show uses multiple timelines to allow the drama of the Pearson family to unfold slowly. It was also the major plot twist in the pilot; we thought we were watching a single timeline, until the final shot of the episode, which revealed two separate timelines, one of which took place in the '80s. (The pilot also featured a generous shot of Milo Ventimiglia's butt , which went semi-viral.)