If you haven’t already been utterly charmed by NBC’s new hit series “This Is Us,” then you are missing out—big time. It’s a show that moves me to tears every episode, be them happy tears or sad ones. One of my best friends and I watch it together, and each week we both end with the same thought it mind: I wish the episode could go on forever! Yes, it’s that great. Great enough to leave us wanting more after the hour hurries by in what feels like five seconds.

The show follows two separate timelines: the 1980’s and 2016, which actually works wonderfully, so if you are skeptical of time switches in general, don’t be dissuaded from watching; “This Is Us” handles them deftly, unwrapping new layers of the characters and their past episode to episode. The Characters are diverse and have depth to them; they aren’t flat and one dimensional which adds to the welcome realism of the show. Furthermore, the relationships between the characters are strong and captivating, none of them straight forward.

The 80’s focuses on Rebecca and her husband, Jack, as they navigate motherhood/fatherhood—they have triplets!—and the ups and downs of marriage. The other half of the show, occurring in 2016, shows their three children all grown up and dealing with their own issues. Kate, Randall, and Kevin are the Big Three, and I love each of them, flaws and all. Kate is a lovable, determined woman with an infectious laugh. She is struggling with her weight and her love life (Wait until you meet Toby, he's the best!). Randall is an incredibly intelligent father who adores his wife and daughters, but has always felt like an outsider having grown up as the only black child in a family of white people. Finally, Kevin is a well-known TV actor trying to break out of his silly “Manny” role into something more substantial. They are not perfect. We see them fail and we see them succeed, which is what makes the show so enthralling and relatable; they are humans living realistic lives of both heartache and happiness.

The acting is impeccable (I wouldn’t cry so much if it wasn’t). Milo Ventimiglia (Jack), Mandy Moore (Rebecca), Sterling K. Brown (Randall), Chrissy Metz (Kate), Justin Hartley (Kevin), and many more embody their roles to such an extent that I fully believe they are the characters they portray. They pull me into the story, and only once the credits roll do I get pulled back out. So many other actors shine on this show, but if I go into too much detail, I might spoil things, so i’ll refrain from blabbing on and on—which I could, believe me.

I’m no expert on the making of TV shows, but what I do know is that the way “This Is Us” is shot coupled with the nostalgic music is another reason it tugs at my heartstrings. Everything is saturated in meaning, in love, in emotion...it’s truly one of the best shows on television right now. Plus, it can be of interest to all ages, my mom and I both adore it, which is why you need to start watching it ASAP. (And have tissues close by!)