I have to admit I was skeptical about all of the hype. It was sweeping award shows, trending on social media, and featured in countless publications. It looked okay from previews, and had clearly gotten an enormous response, but did I really need another tv show in my life? Turns out, I did. In forty-eight hours and sixteen episodes, I have become completely swept up in the world of ‘This Is Us’. There is something special about this show- it’s not just another trendy drama to watch for the attractive celebrities in the leading roles (though it does have an incredibly attractive cast)- it has a depth to it that I absolutely did not expect, and of which I cannot get enough.
I’ll admit that a large reason for wanting to watch the show was my love of Milo Ventimiglia, who plays father Jack Pearson on the show, and my favorite of Rory Gilmore’s love interests on Gilmore Girls. After only one episode, however, I came to find that there was so much more to this show than just this one actor (though I do love him even more now).
This show represents family in an incredibly honest way, exploring the dynamics between spouses, parents and children, and siblings, as well as many others. For those who don’t know, the format of the show has us switching between eras of the Pearson family’s life- from Jack and Rebecca as newlyweds to them as new parents, the kids as babies and then teenagers and now adults, and sometimes back another generation that we have never met before. Somehow the show manages to do this seamlessly, and to let us into the intimate life of this family in a way that makes us feel like we are part of them too. Just when you think you have learned everything there is to know about one of the characters, something else is introduced that adds a whole new layer of depth and emotion.
I am only on season one but cannot speak highly enough of this show. ‘This Is Us’ is poignant, funny, heartwrenching, and absolutely worth watching.