This Is Us premiered on the NBC network on September 20, 2016 with each episode we learn one or two new things about the characters in the show. In the first episode we know that three people share a birthday and a couple are awaiting the arrival of their triplets. Sadly, one of the triplets doesn’t make it but a baby was left at a fire house and the said couple adopt him. At the end of the show we realize that the couple are 36 years in the past and the people celebrating their birthday are the “triplets.” Or as the parents call them The Big Three.
Since it’s coming back soon, I thought I’d share some of my favorite aspects of the show.
CONTAINS SPOILERS
1. Jack and Rebecca
Jack and Rebecca are played by Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore. While very early in the second episode we see that Jack and Rebecca have a few road bumps in their relationship. But they are also 100% everybody’s TV relationship goals. Sadly, as the season goes on we learn that Jack and Rebecca aren’t together anymore. Rebeca, however is married Jack’s best friend Miguel. Later on, we learn that Jack passed away.
2. Kevin and Kate
Kevin and Kate are the two biological babies of Jack and Rebecca that survived. So technically their twins and they have the twin bond through and through. Kate is also Kevin’s personal assistant as he is an actor in Hollywood. Or I should say was since he went ballistic on the set of his TV show and quit in front of a live audience. As the season progressed we learned more about Kate and Kevin. Such as Kevin’s failed marriage, Kate’s weight issues and how she blames herself for Jack’s death.
3. Multiracial Family
Everyone in the family is Caucasian expect for Randall who is African American. He was the baby that was left at the fire house who Jack and Rebecca took home with Kevin and Kate. Being African American I’ve heard people having issues with people of different races adopting children outside of their own race. But does it really matter? If you can give a child a good home, treat them like your own why does it matter that you’re of a different race. This show is big on flashbacks, and when the show visits the family’s younger years we see how Rebecca favored Randall a little more than the other two children. Which in turn caused a rift in the relationship between Kevin and Randall.
4. Randall and Beth
Beth is Randall’s wife and she is basically her husband’s protector and backbone. As you already know Randall is adopted and under the circumstances didn’t know much of his birth family for his whole life. On his 36th birthday he got an e-mail from the private investigator that he hired to find his father. Randall went to the man’s home and confronted him for leaving him at a fire house. Randall then invites the man to his home where he later invites him to stay. Beth being the protective wife she is grills Randall’s dad to find out where he’s going every day and what his intentions are. Sadly, we learn that Randall’s birth father, William is dying of cancer. The season ended with Randall’s adopted family, wife and kids celebrating William’s life.
5. Kate and Toby
One of the main focal points of the show is that Kate is a plus sized woman. She attends a support group and she leaves post it’s on the junk food in her fridge to tell herself not to eat it. At her group she meets Toby who I guess you can say is her boyfriend.” Toby tries to make Kate feel like she’s the most beautiful woman on earth regardless of how much she weighs.
6. Kevin and Randall
Growing up Kevin and Randall weren’t always the best of friends. Randall suffers from anxiety and he often has break downs. When he was a kid his dad had a way of calming him down and letting him know that everything would be OK. On the night of Kevin’s big play, Randall stayed late at work. He called his brother and told him that he wasn’t going to make it to see his play. Even though Kevin was supposed to be on stage in a matter of minutes, he heard something in his brother’s voice. Kevin ran from the play all the way to his brother’s office. Randall was huddled in a corner crying and Kevin just held him. Earlier in the season Kevin called Randall in the middle of the night. He told Randall, “I haven’t always been a good brother to you.” And Randall replied with “no but you still have time.”
7. The Pearson Family
I can’t remember the last time television had a good family drama. I have to take my hat off to NBC for featuring a family like this especially since some people don’t know that it’s 2016. And that America is a melting pot of cultures.
