This Is Us (NBC)

[UncleChris]

Interesting. I guess it all depends on your situation. The last episode got me pretty good. Probably because I'm an old mom and I worry about leaving my daughter too soon.

I love this show, and will be sad to see it go. That said, I like that the writers said what they wanted to say and are tying it up when they see fit. Too many of my favorite shows either drug on too long and got convoluted (Lost) or felt rushed to get to the end (Game of Thrones).

I plan to rewatch the series this summer and rope Chris into it as well.

Truly a great show. Not perfect, mind you... not by a longshot, but I have yet to see one that was.... or for that matter, one that was better......

 

[82CardsGrad]

Truly a great show. Not perfect, mind you... not by a longshot, but I have yet to see one that was.... or for that matter, one that was better......

I turned 58 yesterday... is that "old?" I dunno... my kids seem to think so! It's been an incredible happenstance that this show intersected my life at the time it did. There are so many themes, stories and events that have played out on this show, that have an incredible correlation with my life...both past events in my life, as well as current goings-on.

I guess most of all I remain utterly stunned that a network TV show somehow grabbed me and pulled me ALL OF THE WAY in. Never expected that. It's never happened before. I mean, yea.. I loved Seinfeld - and still do! But I've never been the type of person to "waste" time on a tv show. And yet, for reasons that I'll likely ponder for many years now, this show hit me like nothing ever before.
It's not perfect... but, neither are we. And that too is likely what made it all the more relatable...

I think @Jersey Girl summed it very well... While it sucks to see the show coming to an end, the writers and producers appear to have gotten this right. Not dragging it out or racing to the finish line...
What a show. I can't imagine there has ever been better writing, producing, character selection acting in a network TV show.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

I turned 58 yesterday... is that "old?" I dunno... my kids seem to think so! It's been an incredible happenstance that this show intersected my life at the time it did. There are so many themes, stories and events that have played out on this show, that have an incredible correlation with my life...both past events in my life, as well as current goings-on.

I guess most of all I remain utterly stunned that a network TV show somehow grabbed me and pulled me ALL OF THE WAY in. Never expected that. It's never happened before. I mean, yea.. I loved Seinfeld - and still do! But I've never been the type of person to "waste" time on a tv show. And yet, for reasons that I'll likely ponder for many years now, this show hit me like nothing ever before.
It's not perfect... but, neither are we. And that too is likely what made it all the more relatable...

I think @Jersey Girl summed it very well... While it sucks to see the show coming to an end, the writers and producers appear to have gotten this right. Not dragging it out or racing to the finish line...
What a show. I can't imagine there has ever been better writing, producing, character selection acting in a network TV show.

A late happy birthday to you, and no 58 is not "old".

Its cool that you can identify with so much of the show. I love the show, but could not identify with it so much. Before Jack Pearson dies, and perhaps other than bringing third Randall into the family as an infant, the Pearsons seem like the standard iconic blue collar American family. The "kids" were raised well into their teens in a comfortable two parent home, and Jack as the dad did a stellar job of keeping the problems of his own childhood experience from invading the home. The characters go though all sorts of problems that life throws at them, but land on their feet in high achieving fashion, Kevin becoming a famous actor, Randall a senator, and even Kate's great success is mentioned in the last episodes. Things don't always work out so nicely in real life, but they did a great job capturing many of lives struggles along the way.

 

[82CardsGrad]

A late happy birthday to you, and no 58 is not "old".

Its cool that you can identify with so much of the show. I love the show, but could not identify with it so much. Before Jack Pearson dies, and perhaps other than bringing third Randall into the family as an infant, the Pearsons seem like the standard iconic blue collar American family. The "kids" were raised well into their teens in a comfortable two parent home, and Jack as the dad did a stellar job of keeping the problems of his own childhood experience from invading the home. The characters go though all sorts of problems that life throws at them, but land on their feet in high achieving fashion, Kevin becoming a famous actor, Randall a senator, and even Kate's great success is mentioned in the last episodes. Things don't always work out so nicely in real life, but they did a great job capturing many of lives struggles along the way.

Thx for the bday nod and confirming that I am not an old fart! I should probably clarify a little...specifically the comment about how I "identify" with this incredible show. Perhaps the term, "identify," isn't really the best term here. I certainly didn't grow up in a "standard blue collar American family." My dad left my family when I was just 5 yrs old. My mom was left to raise me and my two younger brothers...so 3 crazy-ass boys boys the oldest being 5 (me). My mom never graduated high school... she was a hair-dresser...and a restaurant hostess. We were dead broke. Moved around a lot. I grew up on welfare and one of the earliest memories I have - aside from watching my dad drive away, thinking he was going on a trip since I can recall helping put stuff into his suitcase... was standing in a grocery store watching my mom dig into her purse to pay for our groceries. She pulled out what I thought were stamps, but she then handed them to the clerk and our groceries were paid for.

Anyway... Randall's actual parents were certainly anything but the "standard blue collar family," his mom unable to be a mom due to her drug addiction, and his father suffering from the same addiction, bringing Randall to the local fire station in hopes he would end up in better conditions...

And though Kevin, Kate & Randall had the foundation of a solid family, there were so many dysfunctional undercurrents that ultimately needed to be dealt with.
The relational issues within the family are things I can relate to/identify with... Overcoming is a theme I can relate to...as no one who knew me as a youngster and knew the conditions of my early childhood would never have expected my life to have turned out the way it did...
The love shared amongst family that is able to weather and survive what feels like insurmountable dysfunction and separation...I can identify with that. When my daughter married a black man from Kenya, I can't begin to describe the firestorm it ignited throughout my family. I didn't speak with my mom and brothers for almost 2 whole years. But remarkably, we've been able to reconnect and though the cracks are still present, we can enjoy one another again...

The sense of loss - when Jack died... or, that feeling Randall always had, knowing his "parents" weren't his real parents and therefore, he had a mom and a dad who gave up on him... I can relate to that as well.

The show is historically popular and to a great extent, it is because there are a multitude of themes and story-lines that are in fact, relatable and identifiable...

Yes, in far too many instances, real life stories don't end up as solid as this story/stories did... But, many sure do... People overcome every day... Maybe they don't become tv stars, or politicians, or enjoy the type of career fulfillment as did Kate (though, there are TONS of very successful people who have overcome unspeakable odds!), but "overcoming" is ultimately a state of being that should only be gauged and enjoyed by the one who has experienced it. We shouldn't judge someone's degree of overcoming...(not saying you are AZ). So for me and apparently a BILLION others, perhaps we can simply relate to dealing with dysfunction in our own respective ways... and, in our own respective ways, overcoming...

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

Thx for the bday nod and confirming that I am not an old fart! I should probably clarify a little...specifically the comment about how I "identify" with this incredible show. Perhaps the term, "identify," isn't really the best term here. I certainly didn't grow up in a "standard blue collar American family." My dad left my family when I was just 5 yrs old. My mom was left to raise me and my two younger brothers...so 3 crazy-ass boys boys the oldest being 5 (me). My mom never graduated high school... she was a hair-dresser...and a restaurant hostess. We were dead broke. Moved around a lot. I grew up on welfare and one of the earliest memories I have - aside from watching my dad drive away, thinking he was going on a trip since I can recall helping put stuff into his suitcase... was standing in a grocery store watching my mom dig into her purse to pay for our groceries. She pulled out what I thought were stamps, but she then handed them to the clerk and our groceries were paid for.

Anyway... Randall's actual parents were certainly anything but the "standard blue collar family," his mom unable to be a mom due to her drug addiction, and his father suffering from the same addiction, bringing Randall to the local fire station in hopes he would end up in better conditions...

And though Kevin, Kate & Randall had the foundation of a solid family, there were so many dysfunctional undercurrents that ultimately needed to be dealt with.
The relational issues within the family are things I can relate to/identify with... Overcoming is a theme I can relate to...as no one who knew me as a youngster and knew the conditions of my early childhood would never have expected my life to have turned out the way it did...
The love shared amongst family that is able to weather and survive what feels like insurmountable dysfunction and separation...I can identify with that. When my daughter married a black man from Kenya, I can't begin to describe the firestorm it ignited throughout my family. I didn't speak with my mom and brothers for almost 2 whole years. But remarkably, we've been able to reconnect and though the cracks are still present, we can enjoy one another again...

The sense of loss - when Jack died... or, that feeling Randall always had, knowing his "parents" weren't his real parents and therefore, he had a mom and a dad who gave up on him... I can relate to that as well.

The show is historically popular and to a great extent, it is because there are a multitude of themes and story-lines that are in fact, relatable and identifiable...

Yes, in far too many instances, real life stories don't end up as solid as this story/stories did... But, many sure do... People overcome every day... Maybe they don't become tv stars, or politicians, or enjoy the type of career fulfillment as did Kate (though, there are TONS of very successful people who have overcome unspeakable odds!), but "overcoming" is ultimately a state of being that should only be gauged and enjoyed by the one who has experienced it. We shouldn't judge someone's degree of overcoming...(not saying you are AZ). So for me and apparently a BILLION others, perhaps we can simply relate to dealing with dysfunction in our own respective ways... and, in our own respective ways, overcoming...

Awesome post 82, I see where you are coming from, and am impressed you made it out of your early life situation the way you did. Sounds like your mom was put in a really difficult situation with your dad's exit, she must be an amazing person to have navigated through all that with three little kids.

What strikes me about the main Pearson clan that I can't relate to is Jack Pearson's wonderful influence. Yes, he died after his kids were pretty well raised, but he was right there being an awesome example most of the time before that. I haven' experienced anyone like that in my life. My dad died when I was 2 years old. So like you, I grew up in a single parent home, but with only one older brother. I guess my mom was a great example of overcoming, completing her education, working hard as a nurse, and having very high ideals and ethics. But there was no Jack Pearson around to model for me how to be a solid dad when I started my family years later. That's probably true of a lot of people. But I truly had no clue and just naively cruised along with it as the "dad" for my family, lol. I still don't know what I am doing, especially with my now grown sons who are part of this new generation that has a waaaaaaay different approach to life than our generation. And I think since things were easier for them growing up, they lost out on experiencing the hardship I did which can make one a stronger person.

But I think you are right on with the "overcoming" theme of the show. A lot of this is overcoming pain that is under the surface, like's Randall's experience. On the outside, his character seems he totally has his act together. Like many of us though, his character has been through a lot of hardship that he had to keep pushing through.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

We just watched another episode last night. Apparently, we thought the last episode was the last episode so now we watched the funeral episode and that should be the last one, unless they have another one after that, I don't know. I guess Hulu will let me know. Good stuff.

 

[JerkFace]

I thought if the show would of ended on the second to last episode I would of thought, “that was a great finale, they nailed it”. Unfortunately for some reason they tacked the last one on which was just kinda boring and pointless. Still a great series though.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I thought if the show would of ended on the second to last episode I would of thought, “that was a great finale, they nailed it”. Unfortunately for some reason they tacked the last one on which was just kinda boring and pointless. Still a great series though.

Kinda thought the same.