This Is Us fans blast ‘unnecessary’ Marcus storyline that only left ‘confusion’ ahead of series finale

THIS Is Us fans have blasted the show for introducing a new character, Marcus, in the penultimate episode on Tuesday.

As the series is coming to an end with its big finale next week, viewers hated that they wasted time on an “unnecessary” and “confusing” storyline.

During the second-to-last episode on Tuesday, NBC viewers were introduced to Marcus Brooks and his family.

In true This Is Us fashion, the character appeared in various flashbacks from different pivotal moments throughout his life.

For most of the broadcast, fans had no idea who he really was or how he connected to the Pearson family, which angered them considering they only had a limited amount of time left with the show.

One upset Twitter user wrote: “The series finale is NOT the time be introducing new people. 

“Na’ WHO is Marcus?!!?!”

Another said they couldn’t understand what “this storyline could be for.”

“I was all the way confused,” tweeted a third fan, while a fourth wrote: “I feel like Marcus’ storyline was unnecessary, especially since he had no personal connection to the family.”

The small Marcus Brooks connection to the Pearsons became clear when adult Marcus met up with his siblings, lamenting his inability to cure cancer on the first try.

His sister and brother reminded him of their dad’s favorite saying… something about there “not being a lemon so sour, you can’t make lemonade”.

Although Marcus didn’t actually meet the Pearson family, his father ran into Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) at the hospital on the day Jack died from smoke inhalation, following their house fire.

Marcus’ family had been in a car accident that same night, and Jack told Marcus’ dad the lemonade story, which he then passed on to his kids whenever they were struggling with something.

Aside from Jack having met Marcus’ dad years ago, the latter also had another connection to the Pearsons.

After he failed to find a cure for cancer, he was inspired by the lemonade line and seemed to have developed an effective Alzheimer’s treatment.

While it was too late for Rebecca, who had been battling Alzheimer’s throughout the final season, this treatment could help families like the Pearsons who were affected by the disease.

Though it was a nice connection, Rebecca’s declining health and eventual death in the episode was actually one of the big reasons fans were not too excited about the Marcus storyline.

They said that it took a little bit of time away from everyone’s goodbye to her.

Onscreen loved ones and viewers at home, alike, all had to send off the family matriarch in the emotional penultimate episode.

Rebecca (Mandy Moore) had been battling Alzheimer’s throughout the final season, and in episode 17 she sadly passed away.

Fans thought she wouldn’t die until the series finale next week and were shocked to see it happen an episode earlier than they’d hoped.

They were a bit more upset that the whole broadcast wasn’t dedicated to her, as the Marcus storyline took up some of the time, as well.

As this character and his family seemed to them to come out of nowhere, some viewers felt it stole some onscreen time that could’ve been used for more moments with Rebecca and her mourning family.

“Rebeca’s send-off was beautiful and emotional, but the episode felt SO RUSHED,” one fan said. 

They added: “I love that Marcus went on to work on curing Alzheimer’s and his family adopted the Pearson motto.

“But [Rebecca’s late husband] Miguel got 2s of screen time and I expected more Jack and even Kyle in the Train.”

Another wrote: “You are spending all this time on new characters and poor Miguel got like 2 seconds? 

“That was not enough of a moment between them. Not cool.”