Last year, it seemed like everyone was talking about "This Is Us" and everyone had seen it except for me. Whether it be from online ratings, my friends raving about it, or the girls that lived in my sorority house getting together every Tuesday night to watch it together, not a single bad word came up about the show.
I’ve never been the type of person to watch a show just because everyone else is, because often times when I try to watch the shows my friends love, I can’t get into them (sorry, "Gossip Girl").
Recently, Spotify decided to collaborate with Hulu to provide its student users with the opportunity to use Hulu without having to pay for it separately. Without hesitation, I made a Hulu account, obviously. This is beside the point, but with a new Hulu subscription under my belt, I noticed that "This Is Us" was available on their streaming services, so I thought I would give it a try.
The pilot episode of any series is always hard to get into, no matter how good the show is, and I must admit I scrolled through Instagram a couple times when I watched the first episode of "This Is Us." I went 45 minutes not thrilled, but not disappointed, but then it ended. The show ended with the most heart-wrenching plot twist ever, totally changing the tone of the show. It was the type of ending that makes you gasp out loud and drives you to click the “next-episode” button before the end credits finish.
"This Is Us" is one of the best shows on TV right now, hands down. I watched the whole first season, along with the episodes from the second season which is currently airing in two weeks – I couldn’t stop watching. After binge watching it way faster than I should have, I am now dealing with the struggle of waiting a whole seven days until I am able to watch the next one.
"This Is Us" brings you into the lives of five typical Americans, living regular lives just like you and me. The show skips the over-dramatic scenes, and scenarios that are too good to be true, and stick with the nitty gritty. The show brings the viewer on a rollercoaster of emotions, from heart-warming homecomings to tear-jerking heartbreaks.
"This Is Us" follows the lives of four families, going through their day to day lives, whether it be raising their children, rekindling a relationship, or dealing with any card the universe deals them – good or bad.
I will recommend this show to anyone and everyone, because no matter if you’re in 19 or 99, you will love this show and I can guarantee you will find something you relate to in the show, making it even more special.
The characters in the show teach you what it means to love your family and one another unconditionally, no matter how hard it may be sometimes and to get back up and fight, no matter how hard life kicks you down. It reassures its audience that they are not alone – giving off words of encouragement and advice through the character’s conversations. Their words are driven into the hearts of the viewers without us even noticing until we are reaching for our tissue box to wipe away the tears.
Next time you watch your favorite series on Netflix for the fifth time, do yourself a favor and watch "This Is Us" and I promise it’ll be just as binge-worthy as the show you just finished.