Why "This Is Us" Is What the World Needs Now | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why "This Is Us" Is What the World Needs Now

It takes us out of the usual crime scenes and romance, comedy and romance, law and romance, and brings up facts and necessities of life - fear of not being good enough, fear of losing those closest to us, finding love and rich feelings, and finding a way to accept ourselves.

10
Why "This Is Us" Is What the World Needs Now
This is Us Family

*Watch out for spoilers or watch the show before reading on*

Admit it, while NBC's "This is Us" may not be totally realistic, it pulls on the heartstrings and depicts the honest hardships, emotional ups and downs, and unique experiences in life. It seems like at the end of each episode there is a profound realization that can only come from intensive therapy or introspection. It is that kind of genuine storytelling that the world needs today.

It takes on sibling rivalry and family dynamics. With 3 siblings the same exact age, there is bound to be issues that come up as they grow up and into their own individual and independent skin. But then you see the two superhero-like and exhausted parents collaborate, maybe fight and disagree, and then resolve the issue. Not only do we see the struggle of the children through adolescent, we also see a picture of two people trying to be parents and husband and wife.

It takes on anxiety. We see one character, Randall, experience a panic attack brought on by the overwhelming experience of going above and beyond as a father, son, husband, and employee. Slight signs of agitation and stress lead up to a quiet phone call to his brother, Kevin, and Kevin showing up, unlike when he was young and ignored Randall when he was in need of comfort.

It takes on weight gain and loss. We are on a journey with the family, but especially Kate's weight loss attempts. We see snippets of her noticing her size when she is young, but we are still in the dark as to what will come of her change.

It takes on issues of race. By setting it up so one of the children is black while the rest of the family is white, they don't brush it under the rug, they face the complexity of having a black son in a white family by showing his experience growing up and all that he learns when he meets his birth father.

So, why do we need this show? Because it is daring and bold. It takes us out of the usual crime scenes and romance, comedy and romance, and brings up facts and necessities of life - fear of not being good enough, fear of losing those closest to us, finding love and rich feelings, and finding a way to accept ourselves. From the soundtrack to the ability to smoothly show time going forward and backward, the show is a lesson to viewers on how to communicate with family, how to be bounce back set back after set back, how to rely on one another, and how to make the best of a bad situation. If you can get all of that out of a TV show, I say watch more TV!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

813
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

507
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199547
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20492
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments