This is Us (TV)

[Totenkindly]

Has anyone been watching this on NBC?

It's not a genre show (i.e., it's not scifi, fantasy, western, crime drama, or anything else). It's more a relational/character drama with a number of interlocking characters.

I've seen two episodes so far (there are five that have aired). What I like about it, aside from characters, is that it seems to have pulled in elements that tend to show up from the other genres. Like when LOST perfected the flashback, flashforward, etc technique. I don't want to say more, the pilot will help explain what I mean, but it's more of interlocking stories with allusions to things that you can piece together if you watch and listen; so it involves some mental work that is rewarded from time to time.

There's a short appearance by Gerald McRaney in the pilot, I just think it's memorable -- he did a really beautiful job with it. Alan Thicke does a few minutes too but not much there to talk about.

 

[Totenkindly]

I've finished with five episodes (seven have already aired) and it's still pretty solid. It's also a show that while being serious makes me laugh a great deal with its natural and understated humor.

The criticism of it as possibly being too "feel good" in the sense that things seem to resolve on the more positive end regardless is probably true, but basically it's less a cynical show than a hopeful one as it explores questions of family, race, commitment, and other problems of daily living. In today's environment where much seems to be dark or cynical, it seems to have found an open niche for its own blend of narrative. And it's creative in how it flips back and forth between generations, only revealing a bit of the personal narratives at a time. Maybe it harkens back a bit to a show like "Life Goes On" but with the creativity and complexity of today's level of TV storytelling.

I liked dark gritty stuff, but this show seems to be just a welcome relief in the world of today of conflict and division, where working together in a personal and unified way seems little more than a lost fantasy.

Episode Five finally seemed to drop the "mission statement" that explains the show's title, so that was a nice bit.

 

[loveruins]

Love the show. These are just preliminary thoughts on their types as there's only been 10 episodes.

Kevin - ESFP
Randall - XSTJ
Kate - INFP or ISFJ (she reminds me soooo much of me as a kid)
Rebecca - ISTJ?
Jack - ESTP
Beth - ESTJ
William - INFJ?
Toby - ESTP

 

[Totenkindly]

This thread is in Arts & Entertainment to discuss non-type aspects of the show (like, story elements).

Type discussions of the characters should go over in the Popular Culture & Type forum:
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/forum40/

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I did finish watching all the broadcast episodes awhile ago. Lovely show. I liked the Thanksgiving episode. After raising my own kids, it's interesting what kinds of things become rituals or HOW they became rituals, whether it's how we open presents on Christmas morning or movies we used to watch together or foods we used to eat that were unique.

I think what I appreciate is how people navigate their own flaws and disappointments in life and each other to maintain relationships and their love for each other.

 

[loveruins]

It's interesting relating to characters so much but not having similar lives to them as they are 36 and I'm 24. I do hope they show us their twenties at some stage - seeing a bit of the 2000s would be fun.

I usually am not a fan of Thanksgiving episodes (we don't celebrate it in Australia so it always feels a bit weird to watch) but theirs was lovely and so well done.

Which character(s) are your favourite/least favourite?

 

[Totenkindly]

It's interesting relating to characters so much but not having similar lives to them as they are 36 and I'm 24. I do hope they show us their twenties at some stage - seeing a bit of the 2000s would be fun.

I usually am not a fan of Thanksgiving episodes (we don't celebrate it in Australia so it always feels a bit weird to watch) but theirs was lovely and so well done.

Which character(s) are your favourite/least favourite?

I actually find them all interesting, although the most incomprehensible to me is Kevin Pearson. But I "recognize" the character, he is consistent at least and thus still real. So I don't think he's bad, he's just very different than me. I guess I would have to say I don't like the Tony-award winning girl he was dating and who walked out on the play; I should state I think she's a decent character, but as a person I don't like her much.

I like Jack and Rebecca a lot (esp Jack). Interestingly, one of my favorite characters is a side character -- the aging Dr. Nathan Katowksy played by Gerald McRaney. He's just really really good.

Your thoughts?

 

[Totenkindly]

This just got picked up ALREADY for two more seasons, and it has put NBC back on the popular TV drama map.

If you're into stuff like this, I highly recommend it.

The format where they show clips from different time periods (including the same characters but at different ages) interspersed through an episode is really effective in terms of (1) allowing them to do "thematic" episodes versus linear plot-based episodes and (2) preserves an aura of mystery since the show can change scenes they've already shown by providing unexpected context that makes you reinterpret something you've already seen. For me, that makes it really really interesting.

But the characters are endearing and pretty likeable. After a lot of "dark" shows capturing headlines, here's an interesting show about (at core) good people trying to stick together, enjoying the great things of life together and finding ways to work through the hard stuff.

I didn't realize the showrunner was the guy who did "Crazy Stupid Love." That's actually a low-key but favorite movie of mine.... funny and endearing. "This is Us" is the same thing, it is both funny and painful at once, dealing with big stuff but able to be connected with and often amusing.

 

[Amethyst]

Sometimes it's too much of a feels trip for me, especially the last episode. I find the writing for it to be incredible and inspiring.

 

[Frosty]

I liked this show at start... and then I liked it less and less as it went on. I dont watch it anymore. I didnt like most of the characters- they all seemed really... lame kinda. I guess that was supposed to make them seem more real... but it seemed like they were trying so hard for that that it ruined it- really did the opposite of that.

I liked William though. If it was a show just about William- and they didnt ruin him- I would probably watch it. He seemed, even with his past, like an incredibly wise and decent man. And he would have SUCH a story...

 

[Totenkindly]

I liked this show at start... and then I liked it less and less as it went on. I dont watch it anymore. I didnt like most of the characters- they all seemed really... lame kinda. I guess that was supposed to make them seem more real... but it seemed like they were trying so hard for that that it ruined it- really did the opposite of that.

I liked William though. If it was a show just about William- and they didnt ruin him- I would probably watch it. He seemed, even with his past, like an incredibly wise and decent man. And he would have SUCH a story...

I'm sorry you had that experience. I didn't really share it, I felt like it simply got better as the season progressed, depending on the thread. Kevin's was probably the least compelling overall, since I can't even much identify with the guy .... his issues seem to be way different than what I deal with in life. But I could recognize him as a consistent kind of character type, just one who is different than me and likely frustrating to me much of the time.

William was great, culminating in the episode Memphis (episode 16) where Randall and William drive south to explore William's roots. There are just some great touches in the series, and one is how formative moments from one area of a person's life will show up in their moments with other characters. It's simply how people work in general and contributes to our sense of individual lives being woven together into tapestries of relationship culturally.