This Is Us, premiering on NBC in September of last year, has taken the television community by storm. The characters, intertwined storylines, and pure emotion captivate audiences each week. Every aspect of the show is so believable, and the show makes you feel real emotions. If it's not already, This Is Us should be your favorite television show of 2017.
1. The characters are relatable and dealing with their own problems.
Normally in television shows, the protagonists have one issue and are perfect outside of that. A lawyer might be struggling with a difficult home life while succeeding in court, or a doctor might be renowned as a great surgeon but have to deal with the passing of her husband. There's always something unattainable about characters in other television shows, but not in This Is Us. The characters are all struggling with their own problems.
From the beginning, we can see how real these characters are: a black man who struggles with being brought up in a home with white parents, an overweight woman struggling to live her life, a sort-of famous actor trying something new, and a couple trying to raise their family. Though not everyone can relate exactly to these characters, the emotions are similar. Everyone has felt defeat at not hitting a goal, everyone has felt the struggle of trying to achieve greatness but falling short, and everyone has felt different at some point. This Is Us follows these characters as they work to overcome their problems and shortcomings and achieve their own version of greatness, something that almost every person struggles with daily.
2. It represents life accurately.
One minute you're crying, and the next minute your cursing at your favorite character for making a stupid decision. It's not all happy, it's not all sad, it's just life. This Is Us comes close to showing us what life is made up of: a little bit of everything. The relationships are not superficial, you see the struggles adult siblings face when struggling to get along together, and the difficulties parents face when raising children. Every single aspect of this show is thought through in-depth, and it's easy to tell. Nothing seems fake. Everything is raw, emotional, and extremely believable.
3. You learn to appreciate those who you love in your own life more.
Above all, this show promotes love. There is so much love in this show and you can truly feel it. A father to two very adorable black girls works to make sure they never feel discriminated against. The overweight woman falls in love with an overweight man and attempts to build a relationship with him, though it makes her weight-loss all the more difficult. The starving actor works hard to hone his craft, but still makes time for his family. And, of course, we see the love most clearly through the couple trying to raise their children in the best way possible.
You see love from all angles in this show, from children, boyfriends, siblings, and parents, and it really puts into perspective the love in your own life. Whether it's a significant other, a sibling, or a parent, you learn to appreciate and love them just a little bit more because of the relationships in This Is Us.
4. It has been renewed for 2 more seasons.
You don't have to worry about if your favorite character will end up with the man of her dreams, or if the actor ended up landing his dream job. The show has been renewed up until its third season, so there's no fear of the show ending without conclusion. The emotional rollercoaster will continue for at least two more years.
