As of late, it seems all anyone can talk about is This is Us. Don’t worry, I also felt left out at one point. I felt like I was the only one not watching NBC’s critically acclaimed drama. I never wanted to start the show because of the inevitable emotions that came with it.
However, I was actually lucky enough to get tickets to see Jimmy Fallon during my spring break trip to New York, and Sterling K. Brown was supposed to be the guest that night.
Sterling K. Brown plays one of the main characters, Randal Pearson. I had never seen him in anything before. I wanted to prepare for his appearance, so I told myself I would watch only one episode. You know, for research. That’s how my addiction to the show started.
The perfect team of writers and actors
This Is Us follows the story of three siblings, all born on the same day: two twins, and one adopted brother. The unlikely family makes for a compelling storyline. There are very few well-crafted television series on-air right now.
According to Deadline.com, out of all the television ratings for the past year, This Is Us was ranked sixth. If you exclude sports, This Is Us was ranked second, right behind The Big Bang Theory. That’s impressive.
The writing team knows how to tell a story through their captivating dialogue and direction. Every episode was thoughtful. The show is very resourceful of using flashbacks to help tell a story and able to get a message across through different characters in different time periods.
I applaud whoever cast the show because everyone is perfect for their roles, especially the three main characters. You can see the strength and vulnerability that comes with three siblings and their amazing parents.
Every character has a backstory
I’m currently taking a television in American society class, where we learned that the number one thing that drives a television series is character identification. I think everyone watching this show can find a character they can relate to, even if you don’t look anything like them.
Since these characters were so well thought out, you can see how they have changed and grown over time. Not just within the flashback, but how they’ve grown throughout the seasons. It always feels like there’s a message at the end of every story that the characters have to figure out.
The show’s cast members are all talented actors, so their characters jump right out of the TV. They really invite you into their world and make you feel like a family member. When happy or sad events happen on the show, you feel them, too.
“It’s okay not to be good”
Expect tears. Lots, and lots of tears. Since you get so invested with the characters and the writing, they are able to steer your emotions any way they want.
They handle real topics and present them in such an interesting way such as race, adoption, obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse, depression and even death.
I never realized how many serious topics they really tackle, but they take their time and deal with everything so effortlessly that it never feels they are shoving it down your throat. I love when shows don’t baby you with information, but tell it like it is.
The characters keep you engaged in figuring out their difficult childhood and their struggles into adult life.
Even though I started the show thinking I would end up seeing Sterling K. Brown in real life, he ended up not being my guest when I went to the Jimmy Fallon taping. However, if I never took a chance with This Is Us, I would never be part of this family.
I made the right choice in the end. I learned from my television class that we watch sad TV shows and movies not because we also want to be sad, but because we can appreciate it. I appreciate This Is Us, and it’s never too late to try appreciating it as well.