The hit show This Is Us is only in the middle of its second season, but it has already become an instant classic with audiences everywhere. Some might say they’re not interested in these sappy, tearjerker kinds of shows, but VALLEY can assure you that this is so much more than that.
In the pilot episode, viewers are introduced to the main characters of the show, who are newlyweds living in Pittsburgh in the late ‘70s. Mandy Moore plays Rebecca Pearson who is married to Jack Pearson, played by Milo Ventimiglia. The couple plays parents to newborn twins who were supposed to be triplets, and end up adopting a baby that was brought to the hospital after being left at a fire station nearby.
The show travels back and forth in time between this period where the “Big Three” triplets, as they call themselves, are young kids, and then follows them as they are growing into adults in their 30s. This might seem confusing, but anyone who watches knows that it’s easy to follow and provides an added element of surprise, always keeping the audience on their toes.
The main reason that this show has been such a hit with viewers everywhere is because audiences are seeing their own emotions and experiences unfold in front of them while watching. The show skillfully tackles some of the most important incidents families can face, such as adoption, interracial issues, alcoholism, cancer, loss and love.
While most times the show brings tears to the eyes of those watching because of the heart-wrenching misfortunes the characters have to go through, there are also many times when it brings out the happy tears. And for each time the show makes audiences cry from sadness, there is a sigh of comic relief that is there to emphasize the amount of love and hope shared within this twisted family tree.
The show does not have an outrageous setting or plot; it’s really just about the ups and downs of life. While critics may argue that this is not enough to keep a series alive, they continue to be proven wrong with each episode that airs. The show is so successful because it really is us. There is something, big or small, within one of the characters or one of the experiences that makes audiences feel things they didn’t know they could or even wanted to.
At the core of the show, the characters are good, decent people who always fall back on the love in their hearts. Maybe part of the reason the show resonates with so many is because we want to be reminded of all the good that is out there. Lately, people have found every reason to be discouraged and cynical in this world, and This Is Us could not have blessed our TV screens at a more perfect time.
