Series showcases complex family life

Series showcases complex family life

WARNING: SPOILERS

It is no secret that NBC’s This Is Us was one of the breakout shows of 2016.

Starring Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia, the comedy-drama has stolen the television spotlight and captured the hearts of viewers everywhere. The series highlights the ups and downs of both childhood and adulthood, focusing on the incredibly loveable yet extremely dysfunctional Pearson family.

In the first episode, Jack and Rebecca Pearson rush to the hospital to deliver their triplets. Two of the triplets, Kevin and Kate, are born healthy; however, Rebecca tragically loses her third baby during delivery. The young parents are devastated by the loss of their child, but unbeknownst to them, a miracle is in the works. A baby boy is brought to the hospital the same night, after being abandoned by his father at a fire station. Seeing this as more than a coincidence, Jack and Rebecca decide to adopt the baby, naming him Randall.

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This Is Us keeps viewers on their toes by flashing between the past and the present, delving into the lives of the young couple and their children.

As viewers, we are able to watch the triplets as newborns, middle-schoolers, high-schoolers and even present-day adults. We see them grow up, and in turn, we fall in love with them and their parents. And although the Pearsons may at times seem like they have it all together, they really are just like the majority of American families: complicated.

It is clear that Jack and Rebecca do not have a flawless marriage by any means, as he battles alcoholism and she strives for the impossible ideal of being a perfect mother. Kevin, the popular kid turned handsome actor, struggles to find out who he really is and what exactly he wants to do with his life. Kate, the lone girl of the triplets, has always had issues with her weight. And lastly, Randall, the adopted son who is now the successful father of two, desperately wants to find his biological father.

Full of laughter, tears and love, This Is Us tackles so many relevant issues of today’s time. Let’s be honest—everyone and their mother can relate to this show. And just for future advice, bring a box of tissues if you watch it with your mom. I promise she will cry.

This Is Us puts a spin on the age-old dysfunctional family storyline. By constantly shifting from the past to the present, viewers are always learning new things about the Pearsons. This Is Us fans are able to understand why the triplets, otherwise known as the “Big Three,” are the way they are. The show has an ability to suck you in and never let you go.

There are so many reasons why I love this show, and I give it a solid 10/10 rating. I have been hard-pressed to find someone who did not enjoy This Is Us, and this fact alone is a testament to its inherent reliability and charm. Watch it with your mom, dad, sister, brother, significant other or really any living, breathing human on Earth and I guarantee you will all enjoy it. It airs on NBC, on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

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