Here's Why There Won't Be A New Episode Of 'This Is Us' This Week

Our weekly visits with the Pearsons on This Is Us were repeatedly pushed back this year thanks to the delayed State of the Union address. Just when we thought the government's effect on our TV schedules was over, the show is taking another week off for a totally unrelated reason. Why isn't This Is Us on Feb. 26? Season 3 is on a quick break in order for NBC to hold a special premiere for another TV show.

Following a two-week absence, This Is Us returned on Feb. 12 and then aired on Feb. 19 with the Beth-centric episode "Our Little Island Girl." At the end of the episode, the credits promised a new episode on March 5, meaning that we have to go without a cry session on Feb. 26. In its stead, NBC's broadcast schedule has filled Tuesday's 9 p.m. slot with a special premiere of the third season of World of Dance, which runs until 11 p.m. ET. So, why the random break in routine?

According to Fansided, World of Dance used to run on Tuesdays at 10 p.m., definitely startling anyone who was particularly emotional at the end of a new This Is Us. However, the series is moving to Sunday nights for the rest of Season 3, so it seems that NBC is just using this opportunity to remind World of Dance fans about the change. I mean, wouldn't you want to know if This Is Us changed its day and time slot?

This isn't the first time This Is Us faced episode delays this season. After returning from its holiday hiatus, the show experienced an unexpected change in its regular Tuesday airings. As the government shutdown caused President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to move from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5, the delay caused two consecutive weeks without a new This Is Us episode. Before having to skip a Feb. 5 airdate to accommodate the rescheduled speech, the series was already preempted on Jan. 29. We would have seen some kind of break in new episodes either way, but you know the status of the country is especially dire when it causes a long absence of your favorite shows.

This change in schedule also means that the Season 3 finale originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, is delayed to April 2. This will be the latest that a This Is Us season has ever wrapped, which does mean a slightly shorter wait in between Season 3 and the show's all but confirmed fourth season this fall. I guess we can thank the government for that little bonus.

Until then, we have a new episode to look forward to on March 5. "The Graduates" promises another look into the early weeks of Rebecca's (Mandy Moore) widowhood. Still grieving the loss of Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), Rebecca is unsure of how to act when a man asks her out on a date. In the present day, Kevin (Justin Harley) is reeling from the aftermath of relapsing, but Kate (Chrissy Metz) is the one whose health may actually be in trouble.

Welp, it looks like I'll be using the short This Is Us break to stock up on more tissues.

Season 3 of This Is Us continues on Tuesday, March 5, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.