The new NBC dramedy seriesΒ weaves its characters together with a great deal of success.
NBC’s latest show,Β This Is Us, debuts tomorrow night, attempting to fill the network’sΒ Parenthood void.The show stars Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Gilmore Girls) and Sterling K. Brown (recent Emmy winnerΒ The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story). The series strings together several different family storylines, touching on various issues. From obesity to triplet delivery, all the characters have deep & personal conflicts rooted in reality.
The characterization and tone work beautifully for this show. Thankfully,Β This Is UsΒ doesn’t overstep itself with juggling too many protagonists. By focusing on only a handful of people, we really get to see into their lives. While the bond of shared birthdays seems silly, it does serve as a good trigger for the characters’ conflicts. Stand-outs include Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Kevin (Justin Hartley), two siblings struggling with very different body issue problems. The twist that comes in the end, especially, ties the characters together in an interesting way. No spoilers, but once it is revealed, it will bond the characters in an even more heartwarming way.
Overall, the pilot feels more like a movie. Its handle of genre and plot makes for a very concrete work. Everything flows properly, and no element feels extraneous or unnecessary. It has just the right amount of laughs and heart to keep you glued to the screen. It clearly has a general blueprint for its characters, and understands them to their core.
It’s this movie-esqe quality that givesΒ me concern. The storylines are interwoven well, but they all seem to have a shelf life.Β They work wonderfully for the pilot, but how will each last for a whole season? On top of that, how many more seasons couldΒ This Is UsΒ have in it? Additionally, the “twist” that makes for a nice reveal seems like it could complicate the narrative. Again, no spoilers, but the way the characters are connected seems more like a complication overall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUiKg28r_M&feature=youtu.be
That being said,Β This Is Us is still a show worth checking out. It’s hard to say exactly how everything will play out following the pilot. White the show’s future may be uncertain, its pilot is definitely worth your time.
