While many people in America are tuned in to the MLB World Series, a lot of other folks are tuned into NBC’s newest show “This Is Us.”
“This Is Us” has become the best new show of the fall, as ratings have been going through the roof. Surely, even a channel like NBC couldn’t even have predicted that “This Is Us” would be as much of a hit, that’s it actually competing well with the World Series for ratings.
The show airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. The show follows multiple story lines. It all starts with Jack and Rebecca Pearson, an overly romantic couple that is expecting triplets. However, they only bore two of their own- Kevin and Kate- as they lose the third baby.
That’s where Randall and William come in. Randall is the Pearson’s adopted, black son. William is his birth father, who left him on the front steps of the fire station when he was just only hours old. The Pearsons adopt Randall and he’s one of the “Big Three,” a nickname that Jack gave his triplets. To make it even more exciting, Randall was born the same day as his adopted siblings Kevin and Kate.
The show shows flashbacks to when Jack and Rebecca were new parents and even when the kids were 8-years-old. The show also records the now 36-year-old lives of Kate, Kevin, and Randall.
To me, being an adopted child myself, Randall’s story is the most interesting. Randall goes out to find his father, William. He finds him and he starts to form a relationship with him. In a later episode, William even apologizes to Randall and calls him “son.” The two work on building their relationship in the midst of the short time William has due to his cancer.
As for Kate, she is focused on losing weight, a problem she’s had her entire life. Kate meets Toby, who eventually becomes her boyfriend. The two actually met at a weight help support meeting.
Kevin is now a famous Hollywood actor who quits his show “The Manny” and moves to New York to try Broadway, where he’s in a love-hate relationship with the leading female cast member.
Another great thing about “This Is Us” is the plot twists and the cliffhangers. I don’t think there’s been an episode yet where I haven’t been crying during the beginning, middle, and the end. Then when it comes to the end, I sit there staring at my TV and asking, “Why!? What!? It can’t end that way!” Just ask my roommate, the show brings out my emotions I didn’t even know I have.
The really amazing thing about “This Is Us” is that it’s not just a show. It teaches so many life lessons and gives really amazing advice for tough situations. It’s not a reality show and it’s not a show that’s just for laughs (even though Toby provides plenty of laughs). It’s a show that humanizes real problems and shows how love, family, and friendship can overcome those problems, as cheesy as it sounds.
That’s why I love “This Is Us”. The show is raw and real. It touches on plots, stories, and issues that other shows are afraid to tackle. They’re not afraid to make you feel and to make you cry. That’s what their goal is to do, as Mandy Moore (Rebecca Pearson) said, “We’re not going to apologizing for making you feel.”
I don’t expect “This Is Us” to apologize for making me feel. Honestly, it’s one of the best things about the show.
If you’re not busy on Tuesday nights, tune in to This Is Us. It’s not just a show, it’s a life experience and there are a lot of lessons that can be learned.