This Is Us is NBC’s hit new Drama that debuted this past Fall and is taking TV watchers by storm Tuesday nights across America. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Krissy Metz, and Justin Hartley. The show follows a unique ensemble as their paths cross and their life stories intertwine, from not only sharing the same birthday, but to so much more than anyone would expect. What was at once thought to be yet another NBC hopeful drama has quickly become the most watched show (aside from playoff football) over the past 3 weeks and looks to continue their stride as it was just announced last week This Is Us is being renewed with 2 more seasons.
I must admit, when I first saw previews for This Is Us I wasn’t all that thrilled. NBC’s track record with TV dramas has not been all that exciting (Up All Night, Outsourced, and 1600 Penn to name a few duds but you can certainly find a whole lot more). What did catch my eye though was the top talent involved in this casting. Top to bottom there’s a TON of talent here and that alone should have been a clue to me and the rest of us who didn’t board the bandwagon back in the Fall to add this to our regular DVR schedule. My wife and I caught up on the first half of the season in just a few days thanks to a special marathon and now we’re all aboard and ready to see more of this amazing story.
*Just a quick reminder: there are NO SPOILERS! This, along with any other “The Gospel According To…” reviews are always spoiler-free reviews to help you both understand the show/movie as well as illuminate the Gospel’s presence throughout. So feel free to read without the worry of having the show/movie ruined for you if you have not seen it quite yet. Remember too, these are my own feelings and you can might not always agree so feel free to disagree and share your own thoughts about it!
#1 – This Is Us is unlike any show you’ll find on TV today because of its honest content. For me at least, it takes those moments we all have had in our lives (or may one day face) and puts you in the midst of their tension. Whether the episode deals with relationships, family, money, race, coming-of-age, or the hardships of getting older, you empathize with them and relate in a way not many shows can do without it feeling like a cheesy Lifetime movie. The creative team behind this show has found a memorable balance between the goofy, silly humor of a show like The Middle and combined it with the realism of Parenthood. And what makes it so believable are the characters – they feel as real as if this show was a documentary like that of Boyhood. For example, you feel the tension and your heart aches when Randall (Sterling K. Brown) deals with racial issues even if in your own life that’s never happened. He makes it feel as real as it gets and by the end you go, “I have a new appreciation for people in my life like Randall’s character.” If you’ve ever felt the burden of self-image and weight issues, Kate (Krissy Metz) lives it out with all the emotions and down to earth realism that feels anything but fictitious. Sure, the show is going for that emotional pull and hoping by the end of the 60 minute run-time you’re blubbering with alligator tears flowing down your cheek, but the authentic nature of the show carries you week in and week out to a satisfying ending while still leaving you with questions you hope are answered. Each episode feels like a mini-movie without the need for major cliff-hangers to carry on the storyline.
#2 – As I mentioned above in the introduction and again in point #1, the acting is what carries this shows powerful moments to a meaningful place in the viewers hearts. I can’t say too much about each character without giving the main plot away, but I did want to touch briefly on each of the main characters and give you a sense as to why these actors deserve the recognition for the show’s success:
- Sterling K. Brown (Randall) – If this is your first encounter with Brown’s work, you’ll see that he is on his way to becoming one of the up-and-coming stars in the acting community. I first saw him in American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson portraying Christopher Darden in which he stole the show for me above Sarah Paulson and Courtney B. Vance (which if you missed you can catch coming to Netflix in February!). Every time he is on screen he is the most believable and complex of the main characters to me. He’s able to find that balance between the humor of a one-liner like Will Smith and combine that with the power of emotion comparable to Denzel Washington. The moment I feel that I have him figured out, there’s another layer to his complexity that adds to the richness of who Randall is at the core. And to top it off, he is able to bring viewers into his role as a father, husband, and brother from the perspective of someone who is Black to viewers of all colors. He is the crux of what this show is about to me and I love every moment he’s on screen. – – – Grade: A+
- Krissy Metz (Kate) – If you or someone you know struggles with weight issues and body image, Kate knows how you feel and painstakingly owns the fact that she needs to change her life before she loses it too soon. Krissy Metz has openly said in behind the scene footage and post-show interviews that Kate’s struggle is her daily struggle as well. As viewers, we see that and the hurt that she feels of her weight. A scene that describes her best comes when she boards a plane and tells the passenger in the window seat giving her a critical look, “Don’t worry, I bought both seats (the middle and isle).” But only a few minutes later after the plane goes through turbulence and both grip each others hands as if this is their last moment, the window passenger no longer sees the weight, she sees the person of Kate – loving, kind, loyal, and above all else…beautiful! She carries this shows emotions and this past weeks episode my wife and I watched, should put her in the running for an Emmy. – – – Grade: A
- Justin Hartley (Kevin) – ‘Boy wonder who seems to have lost his way searches for a life away from the big screen and to something with more meaning.’ Kevin is the stereotypical oldest child who has plenty of issues he could be the center of a reality TV show and yet cannot find what satisfies him. One moment he thinks it’s sex, the next it’s family, and soon after he’s a hot mess of disaster pleading on the phone for help. Hartley has done fairly well I’d say portraying this role of Kevin and when he’s great, the show is better for it, but sadly there isn’t much for him to do. I’ll talk about him more in the “dislikes” but to me his character hasn’t been developed enough yet like the other main characters have been. If Kevin isn’t interacting with another main character, his storyline falls flat. And I’m not blaming Hartley, I place more of the disappointment on the writers who haven’t keyed in yet it seems on his big arch (though I will add, the last episode [1.13] adds a whole new level to the character that I think will begin to fill those holes). – – – Grade: B (But looking up!)
- Milo Ventimiglia (Jack) and Mandy Moore (Rebecca) – These two have been in the spotlight before and are regular veterans of TV dramas for Ventimiglia’s roles in things like Heroes and Gilmore Girls to Moore’s performances in more movie roles like that of A Walk to Remember and the voice of Rapunzel in Disney’s Tangled. Their story is heartwarming, raw, and yet strung together with a million mysteries yet to be shown. You fall in love with these characters in the pilot episode and the message of their marriage and family speaks volumes to the world watching. But neither are perfect – just like real life. From episode to episode they are not always stellar, but these 2 together create a powerful couple that drives the message home to us on the couch. I SOOO wish I could say more, but to satisfy you just a little bit more – a side character tells Jack this in the very first episode and I find it to be the overarching life lesson again and again in this series: “I like to think that one day you’ll be an old man like me talkin’ a young man’s ear off explainin’ to him how you took the sourest lemon that life has to offer and turned it into something resembling lemonade.” Grade: A –
#1 – A character that appears in just about every episode is a guy named Toby. He quickly befriends Kate at a weight loss meeting and asks if they can be “fat friends”. That friendship buds into more romantic things as the show goes on but what I find to be most disappointing about his character is his ever changing motives. Chris Sullivan does a great job portraying Toby and throughout the series you fall in love with his charm and wit, but so often I never quite know what’s going on in his head. One moment he only cares about having sex with Kate and constantly brings it up hoping she’ll concede due to his insistence, then in the next episode he’s all about making Kate feel special and not caring about their physical relationship, only to return to his previous motives an episode later. And as I guy, I should be able to understand him to at least some extent and quite often I find his intent to be missing the mark on a rather consistent basis. The American culture applauds the need for physical and intimate interaction above all else which only feeds further to the idea that men only care about sex. Sure some men do, but I’d like to have faith that there are a healthy portion of men who respect women more than their needs. Thankfully though, this is only the main arch in a few episodes and for the most part, Toby is handled with great charisma and is a delight to have in Kate’s life plus you’ll bust out laughing a handful of times from his quips.
#2 – To no fault of its own, this is NOT the kind of show you can just hop in and watch when it comes on this week. Sure, each and every week there is the standard “previously on…” that helps to fill in some gaps, but if you haven’t started at the very beginning there is a ton of great character backstory that will be left out for you as the newcomer. It can be frustrating and believe me, I was there too. I had heard a lot about it after the first few weeks and got more interested but knew there was something missing. There are many other shows out there on TV today that are more suited for causal fans like a Big Bang Theory. On that show, if you miss one or you aren’t a die-hard life-long fan of it you’ll be able to slip back in with little to no missing storyline. This Is Us just isn’t one of those shows. This polarizing show is predicated upon you knowing, watching, and living with these characters from day 1 – and the payoff is worth it. I don’t say that to push you away from the show. Instead, I encourage you to set your DVR now and store away these newer episodes and keep your eyes open for a marathon or locate the shows earlier episodes in your On Demand. You will enjoy the show that much more if you see it from the beginning and overall the story will come to life even more for you (plus you’ll know some of the ‘easter eggs’ they talk about in later episodes).
My little mantra: “I love TV shows and Movies. I also love God. And when those two things collide – I love them both even more!” Here on This Is Us, there is so much richness to be found in every single episode about life, tragedy, faith, personhood, and I’m excited each week to see what this creative team along with the stellar cast are bringing to the screen.
Off the top, I want to encourage church leaders and counselors/therapists – this is a MUST watch show! As a pastor and someone who attends seminary with many marriage and family specialists, I am finding it more and more often that when I watch a movie or a show I see people in my own walk of life coming to my TV and it challenges me. More than just this show – this stuff we face is REAL life, with REAL struggles, and REAL heartaches that people are combating on a daily basis. That’s why the show is called: This Is Us. The foundation of the show is the up and close parts of life that are messy every person will face and the show doesn’t put a pretty “boe-tie” on it to make it better or happy because that’s not how life works. These characters are anything but fake in the depth that writers went to express who each of them are and the issues in their lives. A key example is Kate. She’s not just believable when she talks about weight issues – she’s dying to change her life before it kills her. And in our American culture fond of gluttony (except on Thanksgiving – that’s a cheat day…right?) we all know a neighbor, co-worker, church member, and even close family member or friend who are in the same boat as Kate. Can I get an “Amen”? They didn’t cast a “barbie doll” girl and put fake clothes on her to look heavier. Take the time and watch Krissy Metz (actress who plays Kate) and you’ll see authenticity in every word on and off screen. That’s the realness of it all and the real issues we as pastors and counselors face when people come to us for help.
Throughout the show the writers and producers touch on a variety of topics that are heavily Gospel centered. As I keep talking about, body image is a huge issue for Kate, Toby, and even Rebecca. Other themes include family and marriage which plays a vital role in the show. With that comes conversations we all have in our families about what it mean to be honest to ourselves, our kids, and our spouses, how to love and respect in a way that honors something bigger than us all, and how to deal with loss. I can’t say much without giving away key plot lines, but remember too that Jesus dealt with stuff like this. He had a family that was as messed up as they come: Mary, Joseph, Maratha, and the whole system goes awry in John 11 when Lazarus dies. Sisters are pleading with Jesus to help him while he’s on his deathbed, but does Jesus freak out and immediately go and fix everything? No. Actually it takes him 4 days to even get to the tomb where his friend is buried. But Jesus had a plan and what he needed most was a family who believed in him. In This Is Us, Kevin just needs someone who will lead him towards success and find what’s missing in his life. Randall needs to be confident in who he is, both inside and out, and know that God created him to be special with a plan all his own. Kate needs to know she’s beautiful inside, outside, and she has the power to change. You’d be hard-pressed to NOT find the Gospel woven in and through this show.
Overall Grade: A
For more reviews of This Is Us:
– Plugged In
– Christianity Today – “I Saw Myself in This Is Us”
What did you think of This is Us? Do you love every minute of it or do you think it is more of a sappy mellow-drama as some critics have said? Who is your favorite character and where do you see the story going?
What have you recently seen where you saw the Gospel? Feel free to share your thoughts on this show as well as other likes/dislikes/Gospel moments you saw in the film (remember don’t spoil it for others who haven’t seen it yet).
Don’t forget to stay in touch here on our website as well as at our church! Feel free to comment AND SHARE on what you agree with, what challenges you here, or push back a little on what I’ve said. Don’t want to miss out on new posts? Be sure to check back for more Monthly Snapshots (always on the 1st of the month), “The Gospel According to…” reviews, and lots of other great things here on our church blog!
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