Here's Why I Refuse to Buy Miguel As a Good Guy on ‘This is Us’

Miguel may fix refrigerators, deliver pianos and try (and fail) to wear flannel, but there can be only one Jack. As much as I’d love to accept Miguel with open arms, the show has given me zero reason to believe his involvement with the Pearson family is anything other than an unnecessary story line.

Why? He’s just there. (And by “there,” I mean the kind of person who blends into the background, contributing nothing useful.) The problem? Jack couldn’t be more opposite, which is why I’m having a hard time accepting Bec’s rebound, and I’m not the only one.

In fact, executive producer Glenn Ficarra previously revealed the show is low-key designed to make us hate Miguel. “Miguel is treated very unfairly because he’s put up against Jack, who we know very well and is wonderful and everything,” he told The Wrap.

My biggest problem with Miguel comes down to this: What are his intentions? Because stealing your best friend’s girl isn’t considered typical for most people. To top it off, the show barely touches on Miguel’s back story, leaving us to question whether his relationship with Rebecca is a coincidence or part of his master plan. (My bet is on the latter.)

It would be one thing if Miguel established himself as a separate patriarchal figure, but his flannel shirts and Jack-esque pep talks are in no way original. Besides, even Huertas thinks the character wants what Jack and Rebecca had.

“A lot of people thought Miguel might have been in love with Rebecca, but he was in love with the idea of Jack and Rebecca and in love with the idea of their relationship because his relationship was nothing like that,” he told TV Guide.

Season three isn’t helping the poor guy’s case. Episode five takes place in the aftermath of Jack’s tragic death. While the Pearson family attempts to adjust to their new apartment, Miguel shows up with a piano for the living room. Just then, the refrigerator makes a loud pounding noise, prompting him to spend the rest of the episode fixing it, jump-starting his eventual romantic relationship with Rebecca.

Some may argue that Miguel vindicates himself in the flashback, when Jack makes him promise to “look out for them” if something were to happen to him. While I applaud Miguel for fulfilling his promise, a “Fun Uncle” role would have sufficed.

Regardless of how he and Rebecca got together, one thing’s for certain: Miguel hasn’t given us a reason to like him. From pointless one-liners to broken relationships with the Big Three, I’m still waiting for that big “aha!” moment, which executive producer John Requa assures is coming soon.

“If there’s one thing I know about [creator Dan Fogelman] and the writing staff, you’re going to frickin’ love Miguel when it’s all said and done. Because Rebecca wouldn’t just settle—you know there’s a good reason,” he told The Wrap.

I’ll be waiting.