‘This is Us’ captivates families

There is a lot to be said for a show that was renewed for two additional seasons after only the pilot episode had aired. Little did the stars of “This is Us” know at the time, but this show was one that would take the nation by storm.
Both heartfelt and heartbreaking, “This is Us” follows the separate lives of each member of the Pearson family. With alternating time lines, viewers of the show get to watch the Pearson triplets grow up throughout the 80s and 90s in Pittsburgh, seeing the loss and love found from infancy to
adulthood.
This set of triplets, however, is far from typical. When Rebecca gives birth in episode one, one of the triplets was stillborn. However, after some advice from the wise obstetrician, Dr. Katowski, who
delivered the children, Jack and Rebecca choose to adopt a black baby born the same day as their children, who was abandoned at a fire station.
Kevin Pearson, the oldest of the three, pursued a career in acting after high school, where he thrived in the football program.
Kate, the lone daughter and the middle child, wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and make a career out of being a performer.
Randall, the youngest son and the adopted child, is the father to two daughters, Tess and Annie, and works as a weather-derivatives trader.
Viewers also get to watch the marriage of Jack and Rebecca, the parents of the triplets, stand the test of time – until tragedy strikes and tears the family apart.
Dan Fogelman, the show’s creator, is the mastermind behind hit films including Pixar’s “Cars, “Tangled” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”
The show also manages to tackle important issues including fertility issues, weight loss, racism, addiction and death. Each viewer can take away a different lesson from each episode. With the family consisting of an alcoholic father, a mother seeking a dream late in life, a daughter with an eating disorder, an adopted black son and another son struggling with substance abuse, an array of touchy topics is confronted episode to episode. “This is Us” allows conversations about these topics to be started in families who watch the show together, creating a dialogue that may not have ever been initiated if not for the show.
The show is not only a hit with viewers, but with critics as well. Most recently, the cast received the award for “Best Ensemble” at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January.
Additionally, Sterling K. Brown, who plays Randall Pearson, has received a Critics’ Choice Award, Golden Globe and SAG Award for his portrayal of Randall on the show.
To me, one of the parts of the show that makes it most relatable is the comedy scattered throughout each episode. The show doesn’t fight to be funny, but simply is because of the humor each of the characters finds within their lives. Everyday occurrences and snide remarks between siblings are things we laugh at in real life, and the fact this show acknowledges that humor rather than opting for slapstick is not taken for granted.
Considered a “dramedy” (drama and comedy), this show has sparked conversation in households across America. Some families have group chats dedicated solely to discussing what happens each episode, and others have been inspired by the show enough to recreate Jack and Rebecca’s wedding for their own.
Although the show just wrapped its second season and won’t return until
September, that gives plenty of time to get caught up on a show that will make you cry until you laugh and laugh until you cry.