The problems in the relationship between Kevin (played by Justin Hartley) and Zoe (played by Melanie Liburd) on This Is Us has gotten complicated. It will get worse in the upcoming episode with the return of Alexandra Breckenridge as Sophie.
Promo clips from This Is Us season 3 episode 16 shows Sophie running into Kevin in the rain after his heartbreaking conversation with Zoe. The preview also hinted that while Zoe promised to stick around and help Kevin recover from his alcoholism, she's likely not staying because she and Kevin want two different things.
This Is Us season 3 episode 16 will find Zoe telling Kevin that she never wants to have children. So, she told him, as shown in the preview, that Kevin shouldn't be wasting his time if he's planning on having kids in the future.
Sophie's return on This Is Us, after a year-long absence, comes at another pivotal time in Kevin's life. His high school sweetheart had a huge impact on him and their long history together as a married couple could be the very relationship that could mend Kevin's inner struggles.
But does this mean Zoe is now out of Kevin's life? Are the writers just re-introducing Sophie back because it's convenient now?
Young Kevin actor Logan Shroyer told TV Line that the writers have come up with everything from the beginning. "The writers are very specific about the stuff that they bring up," he said. "They're not going to set up something for nothing."
Viewers last saw Sophie in the early parts of This Is Us season 2, where Kevin's substance abuse problem first resurfaced. Sophie didn't know what her boyfriend was going through and instead chose to break up with him because she thought he was cheating on her.
In truth, Breckenridge had to leave the series because she was pregnant in real life. This Is Us planned on making her a series regular, but she had to scale down her appearances to temporarily take a break from acting.
Meanwhile, the rest of This Is Us season 3 episode 16 shows a potential exposition in the childhood of Jack (played by Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (played by Mandy Moore). It also comes at the right timing as Kate (played by Chrissy Metz) and Toby (played by Chris Sullivan) are struggling to parent their medically problematic baby, Jack.
This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. on NBC. The network has not yet announced its fourth season renewal, but it's likely going to return next season since it is NBC's highest-rated drama series.
