"This Is Us" is quite literally one of the greatest and mentally exhausting shows that you could possibly watch. It will send you on a roller coaster ride of being full of pure joy, to then have your heart not only crushed, but stomped on, and then left to stay that way. Right when things are back to good, it has you fooled.
If you are trying to watch this show, turn away now to avoid spoilers. I am here to tell you all of the moments from "This Is Us" that ruined my life.
1. Jack and Rebecca Pearson's love story
OK, so one would not think that the love story of the century would not ruin my life, but guess what it did. It gave me this hope that a love that Rebecca and Jack have for one another exists. I do not know if it does, but you can bet that I will not allow myself to settle anything less than their love for one another. Like, these two are the definition of soulmates. Seriously. GOALS.
2. Jack Pearson's Struggle With Alcoholism; Kevin's Addiction Problems
When you have a seemingly perfect character, it is hard to accept the fact that they have a fatal flaw about them. This fatal flaw for Jack was his addiction to alcohol. Seeing Jack struggle through this is heartbreaking because you just want him to be happy. Then Kevin starts struggling with his addiction to painkillers and alcohol. He literally almost destroyed his already fragile relationship with Randall. Kevin ruins his second chance with Sophie. Kevin really reached rock bottom and seeing him that way hurts. Like he is too pretty to be so sad. At least we are getting to see him build his life back up from the ground.
FYI Kevin is single, and starting to look better than ever. Can I be his next love interest or...?
3. Toby's Heart Attack
Kate is a beautiful person inside and out, and we constantly see her struggle with her food addiction, and her not being able to be happy. She is handed Toby, who is a humorous big hunk of man that is perfect for Kate. Right when we are so happy that these two have each other, we end up witnessing Toby having a heart attack. They have this happen right at the end of an episode and make it this huge cliffhanger. I was not OK until I saw the following episode and literally crushed my heart.
4. Kate's Miscarriage
So we are going on the trend that they cannot just let Kate be happy, so why not bring this up? Kate and Toby got pregnant, and lost the baby. She was literally just at the point where she was getting excited about it too. It literally broke my heart to think that we won't see a little Toby running around in the near future, but at least she is now open to try again. Kate's growth at this point as a character is inspiring.
5. Kate and Toby Getting A Dog
Well, Kate has issues with dogs. The back story is that Jack went back into the house to get her dog when she was a kid, and that is what caused him to inhale a lot of smoke, and thus his untimely death. So when Toby wants a dog, Kate goes to the shelter, and starts to look for one. She finds one, and they fool us into thinking that she is not going to bring it home. Well she does, and Toby's face when he sees this dog is, priceless. I kid you not I was ugly crying tears of joy.
6. Randall's Breakdown
Randall is one of the most hardworking people on the show. He literally extends himself way too far, and he is inspiring as a person. So when he has a break down, and Kevin is there for them, I kid you not my heart crumbled. This show hands us these perfect looking people on the outside, but on the inside, they truly are not. Like, they really put us through it with these characters, and I just want a moment of bliss.
7. William
We are literally set up to hate William, the awful, irresponsible man who gave Randall up at the fire station because he wanted drugs, not his son. Well, we end up loving him, because he ends up being this great guy, and then we find out he is dying. So what does Randall and Beth do? Take him in, and love him. Like William ends up being this wise old man that we do not want to lose, but do anyway, and wind up depressed for weeks afterwards.
8. Jack Pearson's Death
We knew pretty early on that Jack is dead in the present time and died with Kate, Kevin and Randall were in their teen years. Well, season 1 and 2 lead up to the episode where Jack dies. I guessed he was going to die in the fire that destroyed their house, well he didn't. He survives, and then he is at the hospital. We actually get hope he is going to be OK. Like, he doesn't die yet, even though we know he does, and then he ends up dying by a heart attack, when Rebecca already said he was doing fine and was not in the room. Everything following literally just made my cry harder. I literally got a headache how hard I cried. It was awful, and it literally ruined my life, and everything good.
So here's the thing, above does not cover everything that is emotionally devastating in the show. This is a truly one of the best shows I have ever experienced in my life, and I recommend it to everyone. If you have not seen it, crawl out from underneath your rock, and please watch it. Enrich yourself and become obsessed just like the rest of us already are. For the writers, can you start letting us actually be happy for a bit.