With the premier of the fifth season of NBC's family drama 'This Is Us' last week, I am reminded that the show remains to be very underrated outside of the USA considering how good it is. After a recommendation from my mum (thanks, Mum!) , this show has aptly become a firm family favourite in my household with me and my sister having watched our favourite episodes several times over.
With a plot as simple as 'A heartwarming and emotional story about a unique set of triplets, their struggles and their wonderful parents' it's only natural to wonder what makes This Is Us so damn great. Read on for a few non-spoiler reasons why you should give the show a go, which is currently available in its entirety on Amazon Prime UK.
The Talent
As with a lot of shows, one of the first reasons you might tune in is because your favourite creators and actors are involved. This Is Us was created by Dan Fogelman who you might recognise as the writer of Crazy, Stupid, Love and Tangled. Speaking of the latter, the matriarch of the Pearson family, Rebecca Pearson, is played by singer and actress Mandy Moore, whilst her TV husband is played by Milo Ventimiglia, who you might know from Gilmore Girls and Heroes. The other big name in the cast is Golden Globe winning actor Sterling K. Brown who is the consistent powerhouse actor of the show. Moore, Ventimiglia and Brown all deliver truly wonderful performances and that's not even mentioning the other series regulars, Justin Hartley and Chrissy Metz, in addition to a sprawling list of memorable supporting performances, including at least six brilliant child actors (seriously all the kids are so great.)
A Tapestry of Life
The very first episode is quick to establish just what the show is all about in the form of a brilliant and sneaky twist right at the end. The rest of the series then builds on the characters and their lives until the next thing you know, you're emotionally invested in a rich, sprawling narrative tapestry chronicling the life of this one family and the strangers that help shape them into the people they are. The costume design, make-up, editing, writing, performances all come together beautifully to portray many moments in life often linked by a common theme.
Memories from a character's childhood are highlighted to demonstrate how that moment formed them and their relationships, personality and path in life as an adult. The writers juggle their detailed timeline masterfully meaning that just a few episodes into season 1, the audience is able to appreciate when a story is taking place and, even more crucially, what the mindset of the characters are in that moment.
Emotions, so many emotions...
Though it is not unfair to call This Is Us sentimental and glossy, it is (for the most part) able to balance its unerring positivity with a profound sense of sorrow. When I say there are at least a dozen or so sob worthy moments in this show, I do not lie or exaggerate. In building such a complex narrative and having such charming actors to bring to life the characters, it is near impossible not to care about their struggles and woes. With composer Siddhartha Khosla's moving score in the background, the show is able to spark very specific reactions with just a quick shot to something that we saw in a previous season.
It's incredible wholesome television, always choosing to highlight the beauty of family and friendship, and a show that cherishes the memory of childhood and the small moments in life.
Comedy!
It's not all doom and gloom though. Fogelman did write Crazy, Stupid, Love after all! There are so many funny moments sprinkled through each episode, and my favourite comedic performers here are definitely Sterling K Brown and Susan Kelichi Watson whose strong family dynamic with their onscreen children always leads to some really endearing humour. Not to be ignored is Justin Hartley, who is always able to balance the obvious humour that comes with playing a famous sitcom actor with the pathos of the character's emotional struggles.
Twists and Turns...
Though great characters, actors and writing are definitely crucial elements of any family drama, another element that sets This Is Us apart from the standard drama is the twists and turns in its narrative. Instead of laying out everything about the Pearson family, the writers masterfully peel back layer after layer, many of these revelations shifting the audience's entire perception about the story so far.
There is one event in the Pearson life in particular - which I will not spoil here - that will undoubtedly rivet you to the screen, forcing you to lap up every scrap of information that the show throws you over its multiple season spanning storyline. Yes, it is bordering on manipulative but the way this mystery (I'm trying to keep it vague!) is unravelled is brilliantly done. By the time you get the answers you want in the second season, it ends up becoming one of the most heart-wrenching storylines I have ever seen on television but one that was incredibly memorable to experience the first time.
Something for everyone...
There are so many other elements to praise about the show but perhaps the reason why it remains to be so beloved and to resonate with so many people is because it tackles a multitude of issues like race, poverty, grief, sexuality, fame, alcoholism, birth, death, addiction, adoption, motherhood, fatherhood, marriage, sibling dynamics and so much more. It does, of course, do all of this through rose-tinted glasses but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In these horrid times, we could all do with a little optimism.
I love This Is Us so much, and am so happy that Amazon Prime are adding Season 5 episodes weekly here in the UK! Have you seen This Is Us? If you have, I'd love to hear about your thoughts on the show.
I do not own any of the images used in this post.