This Is Us

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 20, 2016
Season #: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 210 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 160 out of 210
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 210
  3. Negative: 38 out of 210
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User Reviews

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  1. WilliamB
    Jan 29, 2017
    10
    By far the best show on television right now. If you don't like it you're just a turd with no heart and a short attention span. A certain amount of schmaltziness is part of the genre and, frankly, just part of being a decent human being with a heart.
  2. booth
    Mar 3, 2017
    10
    This is one of my favorite shows of all times. You fall in love with the cast. The writing is great, the way they make you feel like your part of the family is something a TV show hasn't done for me in a long time. I can't wait to see where they go with this show
  3. scrambledeggs
    Nov 19, 2017
    8
    I like the show and its uncommon characters (for American television). As a student of sociology and psychology, it always saddens me to see segregation and separation among ethnicities (and sometimes excluding mixed ethnicities) and social classes. Prejudice in certain social norms resulting several unfortunate outcomes, e.g. young black males having one of the highest unemployment rateI like the show and its uncommon characters (for American television). As a student of sociology and psychology, it always saddens me to see segregation and separation among ethnicities (and sometimes excluding mixed ethnicities) and social classes. Prejudice in certain social norms resulting several unfortunate outcomes, e.g. young black males having one of the highest unemployment rate in the US. I appreciate the writers in this show attempting to tackle racial issues, though not very well-executed. The scene on Thanksgiving when Rebecca answered "I will talk to them about it" after Randall said he felt uncomfortable that Rebecca's parents would take pictures of "just the twins" kept coming back to me. It's understandable how stressed out she must be, but she could've hugged him and ensured it won't happen again. Not to mention Kate and Kevin are surprisingly not very aware of racial issues even as adults... I felt extremely uncomfortable when Kevin kept mentioning Randall as his "adopted" black sibling, as if he never accepted Randall as his real sibling though they grew up together since day one. How I wish people will someday see race is really not what essentially makes us different from each other. Alas, often our ascribed status creates blind spots that we can't see. Overall, the show is more than decent in some ways. I was very impressed with the first episode. I hope this show will get better over time.… Expand
  4. Ravivenk
    Oct 13, 2016
    8
    The third epi, which I just watched, is the strongest so far in terms of writing and acting. Mostly very funny and very real, with fine acting from the entire ensemble. I also enjoy the music.

    It's hard to tug at the heartstrings without being mushy, but this episode does just that.
  5. Eienkei
    Sep 25, 2016
    10
    Give it a chance, do yourself a favor, watch the pilot, you will be hooked! After watching the pilot, I was very satisfied and I hope they keep up the quality!
  6. Singabob
    Sep 22, 2016
    9
    This show has some pretty good writing and wonderful acting. It interweaves four stories together blending time and characters together in a way that's unseen in other shows. It feels a bit like the 2004 film "Crash" except race is not explicitly discussed here (at least not yet). This show is worth your time and thoughtfulness.
  7. AryamanS
    Sep 21, 2016
    10
    'This Is Us' is a break from the usual legal/political/conspiracy/murder dramas and offers its viewers a drama which touches the quick and has all the ingredients to be a hit show among audiences and critics alike
  8. Karel86
    Apr 14, 2017
    9
    Excellent show. Haven't finished season 1 yet(almost done with episode 7) but it's awesome. Great character development in just 40 minutes per episode.
  9. Felindie
    Jul 15, 2019
    7
    The whole story is so captivating, sometimes cloying. By times it is too much, but I can take it.
  10. hwinterbutt
    Apr 4, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The structure of the show includes scenes from the triplet’s childhood and then will flash forward to a later time in life or the present day. This type of set up holds the audience’s attention throughout not only the episode but also the series as a whole. Each episode reveals an event from the past that provides an explanation for why each character behaves in the present day, such as the reason for Kevin’s addictive personality due to his father’s alcohol addiction when he was growing up. The “flashback” configuration is used in the majority of the episodes but not all. Sometimes an entire episode will be dedicated to one character’s life journey. For example, the audience is introduced to Randall’s biological father, William, in season one and we see him in various episodes but his story comes full circle when there is an episode solely about him. It begins at his birth and depicts his major life events up to the present, as viewers have known him until this point.
    Another aspect of This Is Us that I find appealing is the varied character choice. There are a range of ages, races, genders, etc. that allows the show to be more relatable. Although it requires a certain amount of emotional maturity to understand, I believe it still appeals to a more expansive audience than other shows of its kind. The issue of race relations is a huge issue in our world today. We see how Randall never feels like he is truly part of the Pearson family. Even when he grows up to be incredibly successful with a big house and fancy car, his Caucasian neighbors still closely monitor him and his family’s every move. In addition to the diverse cast, the depiction of a family structure is not uniform. In my opinion, this is an attractive characteristic about the show. No family is perfect. Therefore, portraying an assorted collection of family structures makes the show more relatable to a wider range of viewers.
    The final and most attractive element of This Is Us is the storyline itself. The producers do an excellent job of making it easy to follow while being entertaining, heart-warming, funny and mildly suspenseful all at the same time. There are sad parts to it but not too sad. It’s just the right amount of television’s form of catharsis to leave viewers with a warm feeling afterwards. The overall gist of the plot is that everything happens for a reason or some things are just meant to be. Kevin may have never made amends with his mother without the help of his rehab therapist. Kate may have never met the love of her life, Toby, if she wasn’t overweight and attended the support group. Jack and Rebecca wouldn’t have adopted Randall if their third child lived through childbirth. The list of circumstances continues. It is comforting to watch the stories unfold and see that even bad situations can lead to positive outcomes.
    This Is Us is not a new type of show. There have been many others of its kind that have come before it, such as Friday Night Lights and Parenthood. Although they all depict the lifestyles of different loving families, This Is Us depicts a universe where accidents do not seems to exist. Friday Night Lights, on the other hand, contains a storyline based on the fact that bad things can happen to good people for no apparent reason, but we need to be strong and persevere. For example, Matt finds out his father died in Iraq during season 4 of the show. It wouldn’t be fitting for This Is Us to portray such a tragic and raw event such as that. Additionally, the filming of Friday Night Lights is more documentary-style contrary to This Is Us. Parenthood is more similar to This Is Us because of its softer storyline with less catastrophic scenes but it mirrors Friday Night Lights with the idea that terrible life circumstances are inevitable. For this reason, This Is Us has become more popular than both shows because it all comes together to make sense at the end. It also resembles real life but only to the point that makes us feel comfortable. There are sad scenes but nothing too tear-jerking. It’s the perfect coping mechanism for reality.
    Overall, the unique structure and organization of each episode, the dynamic character personalities and identities and the clever dialogue that leads viewers through the appealing storyline make This Is Us a truly enjoyable show. It receives an A grade for the perfect harmony of suspense, sadness, confusion, frustration and pure joy to leave viewers wanting more after every episode.    … Expand
  11. NikolayG
    Apr 8, 2017
    10
    This Is Us is the best show being produced on television today. There will be plenty of cynical people who don't like it because it isn't about jaded heartless sociopaths, and therefore is not 'cool', but that's their loss. The show tracks a family in the early 80s (though it looks and feels a lot more like the 70s) following the parents and their kids, intercut with scenes of today whenThis Is Us is the best show being produced on television today. There will be plenty of cynical people who don't like it because it isn't about jaded heartless sociopaths, and therefore is not 'cool', but that's their loss. The show tracks a family in the early 80s (though it looks and feels a lot more like the 70s) following the parents and their kids, intercut with scenes of today when the kids are grown. It works surprisingly well. The acting is great and the characters are living through circumstances you don't often see dramatized on TV.… Expand
  12. anesfrog
    Feb 22, 2017
    10
    One of the best shows on TV in years (and years). The writing is superb, the acting is real (they must all be method actors) and the story lines are heartwarming and satisfying. If you have time for just one show this season, This is Us is it!
  13. TheCrazyCritic
    Oct 28, 2017
    10
    I absolutely loved the emotion of the show along with it's story. Not only this but the characters are very engaging and the way all three plot lines intertwined was amazing. All in all This is us is a show I definitely recommend watching no matter what.
  14. manningn15
    Nov 8, 2019
    10
    This is one of the best things I have ever watched and is one of the happiest and saddest shows I have ever seen. The writing and story was beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. The acting is phenomenal especially from Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown, Ron Cephas Jones, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan, Gerald McRaney, Jon Huertas,This is one of the best things I have ever watched and is one of the happiest and saddest shows I have ever seen. The writing and story was beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. The acting is phenomenal especially from Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown, Ron Cephas Jones, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan, Gerald McRaney, Jon Huertas, Alexandra Breckenridge, and Milana Vaytrub. This Is Us is one of the very best tv shows of all time and one of my top 10 favorite tv shows of all time and was a A+ first season.… Expand
  15. Schroeder
    Dec 8, 2017
    8
    This Is Us, along with great writing and acting, shows that the importance of family and the bond it carries is still important in America today. The beauty of the show and the theme of the family is that despite all that drives them apart, the fact that they are family keeps them together. The world may seem like it's going to crap, but this show gives a great reminder to the viewer thatThis Is Us, along with great writing and acting, shows that the importance of family and the bond it carries is still important in America today. The beauty of the show and the theme of the family is that despite all that drives them apart, the fact that they are family keeps them together. The world may seem like it's going to crap, but this show gives a great reminder to the viewer that family - whatever that looks like - is constant. When the characters encounter heartache and trials, the family is there to support them. The kind of love and care displayed here seems lost in the world from a wide perspective, but it is encouraging to see that constant compassion and forgiveness is still present in the world (at least in media). Let it be a reminder that these aspects exist in the world, not just in theory.… Expand
  16. megstone24
    Feb 4, 2018
    9
    "This Is Us" is a show that pulls you in right away. After watching the pilot episode, it leaves you wanting to know more about the stories of the characters and what brought them to who they are today. The show is mixed with heartwarming moments and heartbreaking ones that really allow you to connect with the family. Definitely one of the best shows on TV in a while.
  17. hornysoul
    Sep 22, 2018
    9
    Eu simplesmente amo a emoção da série juntamente com a sua história. As personagens são muito envolventes e a maneira como todas as três linhas de enredo foram entrelaçadas é incrível. Eu devo fortemente recomendar esta série para aqueles que gostam de um verdadeiro drama emocional.
  18. judyjislands
    Oct 24, 2018
    10
    This is the most amazing show that I have ever seen. Very emotional, very family orientated and brings the struggles of real life to the screen. I love it, keep it coming, best ever !!!!!
  19. Michele_J
    Apr 5, 2019
    8
    This is Us is a beautiful show about family and togetherness. I love how they connect life events of each characters to events that took place in their childhood, and how it impacted their lives. Each episode makes you tear up at how amazing the execution is.
    It discusses so many life-problems in such a way, that a lot of people from their audience would find relatable. In the modern    This is Us is a beautiful show about family and togetherness. I love how they connect life events of each characters to events that took place in their childhood, and how it impacted their lives. Each episode makes you tear up at how amazing the execution is.
    It discusses so many life-problems in such a way, that a lot of people from their audience would find relatable. In the modern world we're living, we're losing the essence of family and how important it is and this show captures this in a spectacular way.
    It perfectly addresses how important the bond of family is, and despite whatever drama goes on, you can always lean on them for support and care. This is us is probably one of those family-drama shows, that don't sugarcoat situations and represent them, as they exactly are. In my opinion, the most exceptional performances are given by Milo Ventimiglia, Chrissy Metz and Sterling Brown. They are also definitely my most favorite characters, by far.
    Although, the show might seem like a drag at times, but at the end of the day, it is one of the most amazing and entertaining shows you'll find, if family and drama is your preferred genre. I don't understand the hate around it though, sure it can be improved, but the emotion in the characters and strength in the plot cannot be ignored. Despite that, it still makes you stay glued to your screen and always want more of it. Writers have spent a considerable amount of effort in character development and that is why I love this show, since that is so rare these days.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best TV Season of 2016
44
#44 Most Discussed TV Season of 2016
53
#53 Most Shared TV Season of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Oct 6, 2016
    80
    There's so much, and so many, to love in This IS Us, which even at its corniest somehow becomes four-hanky popcorn TV. [10-23 Oct 2016, p.18]
  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Ellen Gray
    Sep 21, 2016
    80
    Fogelman's charmingly intricate pilot benefits from strong performances.
    Read full review
  3. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Emily VanDerWerff
    Sep 21, 2016
    60
    Once you start looking at the individual characters’ storylines--Jack and Rebecca are going to be parents, Kate struggles with her weight, Kevin wants his acting career to have meaning, Randall tracks down his biological father-- they feel less like actual stories than like placeholders, characters to be filled in later. It’s hard to hold too much of this against the show when the characters are played by great actors, and when the pilot has a script as emotionally adroit [as] the one crafted by Dan Fogelman.
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