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This Is Us
Genre
Created byDan Fogelman
Starring
ComposerSiddhartha Khosla
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Running time42 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 20, 2016 (2016-09-20) –
present

This Is Us is an American television comedy-drama series created by Dan Fogelman that premiered on NBC on September 20, 2016.[1]

The ensemble cast stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan, and Ron Cephas Jones. It is about the family lives and connections of several people who all share the same birthday and the ways in which they are similar and different.[1]

The series has received positive reviews since its premiere, receiving nominations for Best Television Series – Drama at the 74th Golden Globe Awards and Best Drama Series at the 7th Critics' Choice Awards, as well as being chosen as a Top Television Program by the American Film Institute. The cast has received accolades, with Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz receiving Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress, and Sterling K. Brown receiving a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series.

On September 27, 2016, NBC picked up the series for a full season of 18 episodes.[2] In January 2017, NBC renewed the series through its third season, for a total of 36 additional episodes, 18 per season.[3]

Plot

The series follows siblings Kate, Kevin and Randall as their lives intertwine. Kate and Kevin were originally part of a triplet pregnancy, conceived in a bar, Froggy's, bathroom during Super Bowl XIV.[4] However, their biological brother was stillborn. While their due date was October 12, 1980, they were born six weeks early on August 31.[5] Their parents, Jack and Rebecca, intent on bringing home three babies, decide to adopt another newborn (Randall), a black child who was born on the same day and brought to the same hospital after his biological father abandoned him at a fire station.[6]

Episodes weave through the stories of the past and present of the characters, with most scenes taking place in 1980, 1989–1990, and the present day (2016–2017). Flashback scenes take place in Pittsburgh, while current scenes are typically split between Los Angeles, New Jersey, and New York City.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson (born August 31, 1944; death between 1996–1998): Rebecca's husband, Kate, Kevin and Randall's father. All three of his children are born on his 36th birthday.[6] Jack always wanted to find out who Randall's biological father was, and never knew Rebecca had found him.[7] Jack is struggling with alcoholism.[8]
Jack and his father have a strained relationship. When Jack found out he and Rebecca were expecting triplets, he went to his father and said he needed money for gambling debts, rather than to buy a house, as Jack's father did not even know he was married.[9]
Jack is a construction foreman who has dreams of opening his own firm, Big Three Homes, but he puts his dreams on hold in order to provide a steady income for his kids.[10] After finding out he is having triplets, Jack approaches his boss and gets a raise to $17,000 a year, making him the highest paid foreman.[9]
Jack died during his children's teenage years, and Kate keeps his ashes at her house.[4][11]
  • Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson, née Malone (born 1950 or 1951): Jack's wife, Kate, Kevin and Randall's mother.[6] Rebecca strives to be a better mother to her children,[12] and has issues with Jack's alcoholism.[8]
Rebecca always knew William was Randall's father, but kept them apart as she was afraid he would try and take Randall back.[7]
After Jack's death, she marries his best friend, Miguel.[8] Rebecca always wanted to be a singer, but gave up on her dreams in order to focus on her family.[13]
  • Sterling K. Brown (present day), Lonnie Chavis (age 9) as Randall Pearson (born August 31, 1980), originally named Kyle:[6][14] Jack and Rebecca's son, and Kate and Kevin's brother.[6] When he was a newborn, he was dropped off in front of a firehouse by his biological father William, and then taken to the hospital, where he was adopted by Jack and Rebecca.[6]
On his 36th birthday he finds his biological father, William, inviting him into his northern New Jersey home.[6] Although Randall's mother, Rebecca, always knew William was his father, she kept this from him as she was afraid William would try to take him back.[7] At age nine, his teachers informed the parents that he was a gifted kid who was not challenged, which resulted in them removing him from public school and sending him to Hones Academy.[10] In high school Randall played football, wearing number 36.[13]
Randall sells commodity futures based on weather patterns, and is shown to be very wealthy.[10] Randall loves Thanksgiving and has his family recreate their childhood Thanksgiving every year, including: a 3.4 mile hike, watching Police Academy 3, and imitating a hotel owner known as "Pilgrim Rick".[15]
  • Chrissy Metz (present day), Mackenzie Hancsicsak (age 9) as Kate Pearson (born August 31, 1980):[6] Jack and Rebecca's daughter, Kevin's sister and former personal assistant who lives in Los Angeles,[14] and Randall's sister. When Kevin decides to move to New York, he fires Kate in order to have her try to build her own life, apart from him.[16] Kate is an ardent Pittsburgh Steelers fan and has a routine that she follows while watching every game.[4] Kate had her appendix removed on Christmas Eve, when she was nine.[17]
She is obese and struggles with issues of self-esteem that she greatly attributes to her estranged mother.[6] Kate's relationship with her mother led to depression and eventually led to her taking Prozac, which she needed to stop taking due to the weight gain.[17] Kate decides that in order to lose weight she needs to join a support group.[6] Kate, despite attempting to not get involved with anyone until she can get her weight problems under control, falls for Toby, whom she met in her support group.[6] After struggling with her weight control for so long, Kate decides at Thanksgiving that she is going to have gastric bypass surgery.[15] Ultimately Kate instead decides to enter a fat camp to attempt to lose the weight.[11]
Before heading to New York for Thanksgiving, Kate breaks up with Toby, due to his inability to diet, thus being unable to support her.[15] Toby surprises Kate, showing up at Randall's house for Christmas, stating that he can live without pizza and junk food, but he cannot live without her.[17] After Toby's heart surgery, Kate and Toby decide to get married.[5]
  • Justin Hartley (present day), Parker Bates (age 9) as Kevin Pearson (born August 31, 1980):[6] Jack and Rebecca's son, Kate's and Randall's brother. In high school Kevin played football, wearing number twelve.[13]
Around his tenth birthday, Kevin became attracted to one of Kate's best friends, Sophie. They would later marry and divorce 12 years prior to season 1.[11] Prior to their divorce, Kevin and Sophie had decided she would stay in New York and he would move to California to pursue acting, believing their marriage could handle the distance.[18]
Kevin was an actor in Los Angeles, playing the lead role on a long-running sitcom called The Manny. He abruptly quits that show on his 36th birthday, criticizing the script quality and the producer's reluctance to add nuance to the show.[6] He later moves to New York to pursue a career as a serious stage actor.[16] Upon arriving in New York, Kevin gets the lead role as David, in Back of an Egg, the first play he auditions for.[16]
Kevin has trouble connecting with the emotions needed for his role, so he begins spending time with his co-star Olivia, who tries to get him to connect with his feelings.[10] Following this, Kevin and Olivia briefly date, but he breaks up with her after she brings her ex-boyfriend to his family cabin.[7] Following Olivia, Kevin began dating the writer of his play, Sloane, and attends Hanukkah with her family.[17] She takes over as the lead once Kevin decides he will self-fund the performance.[9] After Kevin and Sloane break up following a fight, he tries to reconnect with Sophie.[11]
  • Susan Kelechi Watson as Beth Pearson: Randall's wife, whom he married circa 1999. They have two daughters, Annie (Faithe Herman) and Tess (Eris Baker).[8] Her marriage with Randall is one of honesty, to the point where neither can nor wants to keep secrets from the other. So when William reveals his connection to Rebecca, she gave Rebecca an ultimatum, either tell Randall or she would. Beth grew up living with 14 people in a three-bedroom home, making it very difficult for her to share her space.[13]
  • Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon: Born in Palm Springs, California,[9] Toby is Kate's fiance,[5] whom she meets on her 36th birthday at a weight-loss support group.[6] Very confident with his own obese image, he encourages Kate to have better self-esteem. Toby was previously married to a woman whom Kate views as beautiful and successful. Toby states that she treated him like garbage. He gained 90 pounds in the first year after their divorce.[16]
Refusing to take Kate's hesitance about the relationship lightly, Toby continually comes up with sweet gestures to keep Kate coming back.[14] He often feels that he has to compete with Kevin for Kate's time and attention.[14] Despite breaking his weight-loss goals, Toby decides dieting is not for him and goes off his diet, resulting in Kate breaking up with him.[7] Toby surprises everyone, showing up at Randall's house for Christmas, stating he can live without pizza and junk food, but he cannot live without Kate.[17] Following his trip to New York, Toby winds up in the hospital with an arrhythmia.[9]
  • Ron Cephas Jones (present day), Jermel Nakia (in flashbacks) as William Hill (nicknamed Shakespeare):[14] Randall's biological father. William grew up in Memphis.[11] Formerly a drug addict, he got clean after he thought he saw a monkey on the streets, then realized nothing good comes from a person being on the street at 3:30 at night.[17] He is suffering from stage-four stomach cancer but is well enough to live with and enjoy his new-found family.[16] William can play the piano, which he learned from his father, as well as sing.[10]
William is bisexual and previously had a relationship with a man named Jessie (Denis O'Hare). William never broke up with Jessie, who assumed he died when he vanished one night to move to Randall's.[17] William returns to Philadelphia to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in hopes of bumping into Jessie to reconnect.[17]
Rebecca realized William was Randall's father when she saw him leave the hospital, and eventually tracked him down,[8] a secret she kept from everyone, including Randall and Jack.[7] William always wanted to have a relationship with his child and regretted giving him up,[7] but promised Rebecca he would stay away for Randall's benefit.[14] William accidentally reveals this secret to Beth one night when they got high together.[13] Randall accidentally finds out himself when he finds a letter in William's apartment while looking for cassette tapes.[15]

Recurring

  • Faithe Herman as Annie Pearson: Randall and Beth's younger daughter.
  • Eris Baker as Tess Pearson: Randall and Beth's older daughter.
  • Jon Huertas as Miguel: Jack's best friend in the past, originally married to Shelly however they ultimately divorce,[18] and is currently Rebecca's second husband. He is hated by Kevin after his dad's death.
  • Gerald McRaney as Dr. Nathan Katowski "Dr. K.": An elderly widower, whose wife of 53 years was named Caroline.[5] He has five children, but his first child was stillborn.[5] He works as an obstetrician, and delivers Kate and Kevin after becoming a last-minute substitute for Rebecca's regular doctor.[6] He gives Jack some fatherly advice after one of the triplets is stillborn, and unwittingly helps convince Jack and Rebecca to adopt Randall.[6]
  • Janet Montgomery as Olivia Maine: Kevin's former stage's partner and ex-girlfriend, she is very cynical. After breaking up with Kevin, Olivia vanishes and stops showing up for the show rehearsals,[17] but later returns to find Kevin dating Sloane.[9]
  • Ryan Michelle Bathe as Yvette: a close family friend of the Pearsons, and their initial conduit into black life.
  • Jill Johnson as Laurie: a member of Toby and Kate's obese club.
  • Milana Vayntrub as Sloane Sandburg: the writer of Kevin's play, she begins to date Kevin at his family's cabin following his breakup with Olivia.[7] Sloane brings Kevin to her family's Hanukkah dinner.[17] Kevin convinces her to take over the starring role of the show after Olivia vanishes.[17] After Sloane hears Kevin telling Olivia he cannot take her back and that staying with Sloane is the "right" thing to do, she misinterprets his comments and does not believe he truly wants her for who she is. The two break up following a fight over his conversation with Olivia.[11]
  • Denis O'Hare as Jessie: William's friend who was once his romantic partner.
  • Adam Bartley as Duke: works at a horse stable and provides a support system for Kate during her stay at an adult weight-loss camp
  • Alexandra Breckenridge (present day), Sophia Coto (age 10) as Sophie: Kate's childhood best friend and Kevin's childhood love and ex-wife. He tries to reconcile with her after his relationships with Olivia and Sloane end.[11]

Guest

  • Alan Thicke as Himself: Thicke is guest-starring on The Manny as Kevin has his on-set meltdown.
  • Brad Garrett as Wes Manning: A television network president tasked with negotiating Kevin's exit from The Manny.
  • Katey Sagal as Lanie Schulz: Kevin's Hollywood agent.
  • Jami Gertz as Marin Rosenthal: A woman who hires Kate to be an event coordinator.
  • Seth Meyers as Himself: Meyers sees Kevin and Randall fighting on a New York City sidewalk and approaches the pair, recognizing Kevin as a showbiz colleague.
  • Jimmi Simpson as Andy Fannan: A co-worker whom Randall talks out of committing suicide on Christmas Eve.
  • Elizabeth Perkins as Janet Malone: Rebecca's overbearing mother.
  • Mario Lopez as himself: Lopez is hosting a talk show that discusses Kevin's on-set meltdown.
  • Wynn Everett as Shelly: Miguel's wife

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"John Requa & Glenn FicarraDan FogelmanSeptember 20, 2016 (2016-09-20)1AZC0110.07[19]
The intertitle references a Wikipedia-sourced statistic about how many people share the same birthdays. Jack Pearson is celebrating his 36th birthday when his wife Rebecca goes into labor with their triplets. Personal assistant Kate is celebrating her 36th birthday by recommitting to lose weight and befriends Toby at counseling. Her brother Kevin, famous for starring on the sitcom The Manny, is celebrating his 36th birthday by acknowledging his dissatisfaction with his role and abruptly quitting in front of a live audience. Successful businessman Randall is celebrating his 36th birthday by tracking down the father who abandoned him at a fire station on the day he was born. Rebecca loses one of the triplets during birth. It is revealed that Kate Pearson and Kevin Pearson are the surviving pair, while Randall Pearson – brought to the same hospital by a fireman – is their adoptive brother. Jack and Rebecca's story takes place in 1980.
2"The Big Three"Ken OlinDan FogelmanSeptember 27, 2016 (2016-09-27)1AZC028.75[20]
Rebecca and Jack are having marital issues. Randall's wife, Beth, has suspicions about his biological father's motives. Toby and Kate start getting closer. Kevin is contractually obligated to stay on his sitcom for two more years. Kevin tries to turn to Randall for advice, but it is revealed that they have had a strained relationship since childhood. In the present day, Rebecca is remarried to Jack's best friend, Miguel.
3"Kyle"John Requa & Glenn FicarraDan FogelmanOctober 11, 2016 (2016-10-11)1AZC039.87[21]
Randall's name was initially going to be Kyle. His biological father William (nicknamed Shakespeare) met his birth mother on a bus ride where they bonded over poetry, but it's clear that at some point they also developed substance abuse problems. William is shown on the bus as he takes his newborn son to the fire station. Rebecca is not able to bond well with "Kyle", and Jack eventually admits he cannot either. Rebecca prevents William from seeing his son, but renames him Randall after William's favorite poet, Dudley Randall. Randall's daughters still do not know who William really is but, after Rebecca scolds him at Randall's home, he leaves – Randall then scolds him even harder. Kevin is serious about moving to New York and wants to bring Kate with him, who is shown to have a talent for singing, but no desire to showcase it. Toby makes grand gestures for Kate, but feels like she gives precedence to Kevin. William's cancer is terminal. Kevin fires Kate out of love. Toby and Kate finally have sex.
4"The Pool"John Requa & Glenn FicarraDan Fogelman & Donald ToddOctober 18, 2016 (2016-10-18)1AZC049.71[22]
The Pearsons go to the pool, but have set-backs: Kevin almost drowns while his parents attend to Randall and Kate; Kate is ostracized for being overweight by her classmates; and while Randall befriends other Black children, Rebecca takes it especially hard when one mother suggests some grooming tips for her Black son. While Kevin is determined to land a serious role on Broadway, even his nieces will not let him forget The Manny. William is wrongly accused of loitering in Randall's nice neighborhood and is annoyed when Randall does not defend him. Toby runs into his ex-wife while on a date with Kate. Kevin royally bombs his audition, but his Tony-nominated scene partner begrudgingly tells him he got the role because of his The Manny fame; in a flashback, Kevin is shown to have been insecure since childhood, which may have led him to acting. Kate gets a job from Toby's ex-wife Josie, who Toby professes is not the angel she seems to be; in fact, her affairs led to his weight gain and caused him to contemplate suicide. Kevin temporarily moves in with Randall.
5"The Game Plan"George TillmanJoe LawsonOctober 25, 2016 (2016-10-25)1AZC058.68[23]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are winning the Super Bowl XIV, but Jack and Rebecca are fighting about not having kids; Kevin and Kate are conceived that night. Miguel and his wife are present at the time. Beth Pearson believes she may be pregnant again, but it turns out she is not. William reveals to Kevin he is a big fan of The Manny and helps Kevin realize he should stop doubting himself. Kevin believes he moved to New York out of fear and uses the play to teach a life lesson to his nieces; he also has a penchant for painting like Jackson Pollock. Kate acts weird about watching a Steelers game and has to tell Toby why football games are personal for her. It is then confirmed that Jack died at some point.
6"Career Days"Craig ZiskBekah BrunstetterNovember 1, 2016 (2016-11-01)1AZC068.48[24]
Randall trades commodities for businesses based on weather futures, a job no one seems to understand, and he tries unsuccessfully to explain that on Career Day. Flashbacks reveal that Randall has been extraordinarily intelligent since he was a child, which got him transferred to an elite private school. Kate starts a new job as a personal assistant for Marin (Jami Gertz) and has to deal with Marin's bratty teenage daughter, Jemma. Jemma, who is overweight, is sure that her mom hired Kate over the other candidates as a way to get through to her. Kate reveals she no longer talks to her mom, Rebecca. Olivia has unorthodox methods of teaching Kevin how to deal with grief. Randall decides he wants to take piano lessons, but not from William.
7"The Best Washing Machine in the World"Silas HowardK.J. SteinbergNovember 15, 2016 (2016-11-15)1AZC079.50[25]
The Pearson children are teenagers by now in the flashback and Kevin and Randall are bickering harder than ever. Kevin moves out of their room and into the basement and wants Randall to stay away. In the present, Kevin and Randall go out to dinner by themselves when Rebecca and Miguel have to cancel. It appears Kevin purposely sat them at a large table with other people so that they would not have to be alone, but he abruptly leaves when he finds out Randall has never actually seen The Manny. Kate is working hard on trying to lose weight, but is disappointed with the results; meanwhile, Toby is hitting his weight-loss goals without trying and wants to abandon the diet altogether. Beth and William smoke marijuana together and he accidentally reveals to her that he has known Rebecca since Randall was a baby. Ironically, Beth moves Kevin's stuff to the basement.
8"Pilgrim Rick"Sarah Pia AndersonIsaac Aptaker & Elizabeth BergerNovember 22, 2016 (2016-11-22)1AZC089.00[26]
In the past, the Pearsons, as children, are going on a 6-hour road trip to Rebecca's parents' house for Thanksgiving, but they get into a car accident and abandon the dinner completely. Kate takes a break with Toby before Thanksgiving, saying she needs to get a handle on her weight and her life. Kevin invites Olivia to come celebrate Thanksgiving at Randall's house. Beth gives Rebecca an ultimatum, since she previously had 36 years to tell Randall the truth, but he finds out before Rebecca can tell him. William advises Olivia be kinder to Kevin while she has the chance. Kevin allows Miguel to participate in a Pearson Thanksgiving tradition. After a disastrous flight, Kate announces a life-changing decision.
9"The Trip"Uta BriesewitzVera HerbertNovember 29, 2016 (2016-11-29)1AZC0910.53[27]
Randall is unbearably devastated by his mother's lies and betrayal. He, Kate, and Kevin make a trip to their family cabin; Olivia tags along with her uninvited ex-boyfriend Asher and playwright Sloane. Olivia makes a rude comment to Kate, driving a wedge between her and Kevin. Child Randall thinks he can find his birth parents by the genetic trait of tongue rolling. Rebecca has never told Jack that she knows who his real parents are and she never will. Adult Randall has a vision of Jack at the cabin. Though "Vision Jack" is shocked Rebecca lied to him too, he tells Randall to understand his mother's point of view. Kate still wants to be friends with Toby, but he would rather not. Kevin does not like how Olivia and Asher are behaving and kicks them out, ending his relationship with her. He later ends up sleeping with Sloane. Randall tells his mother he will not speak to her again until Christmas.
10"Last Christmas"Helen HuntDonald ToddDecember 6, 2016 (2016-12-06)1AZC1010.95[28]
When young Kate comes down with appendicitis on Christmas Eve, the Pearsons take her to the hospital, where they run into Dr. K, whom they realize needs their support as he is dying. Kevin celebrates Hanukkah with Sloane's family and convinces her to star in her own play when he sees she has acting talent. Kate consults a doctor with her mother about the life-changing surgery she wants to have. Randall talks his co-worker out of a suicide attempt. William is revealed to be bisexual. Toby comes to Randall's house to surprise Kate, and they get back together, but he later collapses and is sent to the hospital and operated on.
11"The Right Thing to Do"Timothy BusfieldAurin SquireJanuary 10, 2017 (2017-01-10)1AZC1110.48[29]
It is revealed that Toby has cardiac arrhythmia instead of a heart attack. Jack and Rebecca are looking for a house that could fit their growing family, but did not expect to be having triplets. Randall feels William's time spent with Jesse is taking precious moments away from their family but is assured it is only to help him with his medical needs. Kevin and Sloane are doing well--until Olivia comes back. Jack asks his estranged, abusive father for money and builds a bigger house. Kate and Toby discuss marriage.
12"The Big Day"Ken OlinDan Fogelman & Laura KenarJanuary 17, 2017 (2017-01-17)1AZC129.59[30]
The episode is completely based around the lead-up to the triplets' birth. Rebecca is going through a mental breakdown, which includes forgetting it is Jack's birthday. Miguel tries to encourage Jack to celebrate one more birthday before he becomes a father by taking him golfing. Dr. K struggles to accept the death of his wife, who died 14 months earlier, including refusing to dispose of her belongings, and also declining an offer for dinner at a widow's house. Fireman Joe is struggling with his marriage, and he asks a priest for a miracle. William drops off Randall as a newborn at the firehouse. Joe decides to take it first to his wife, who refuses to look after him even though they could not conceive. Joe takes the baby to the hospital and Jack decides to adopt him following of the death of his third triplet. The next day, Dr. K decides to throw away his wife's belongings and eat dinner at his friend's house.
13"Three Sentences"Chris KochJoe Lawson & Bekah BrunstetterJanuary 24, 2017 (2017-01-24)1AZC139.63[31]
The triplets' tenth birthday is approaching, and instead of keeping of the family tradition of celebrating the day, Kevin and Kate encourage their parents to throw them separate parties, in which each of the triplets has to invite their entire class. At the birthday party, Randall only has a handful of classmates show up while Kevin and Kate have full parties. When Kate's best friend Sophie arrives, she and Kate's entire party merge into Kevin's party, leaving Kate alone, in which Jack comes to comfort her. In the current day, Randall is trying to bid for a project in Calgary, but is interrupted by William, who recently stopped chemo treatments and is now energetic. Kate's doctor encourages her to attend a camp instead of having weight loss surgery. After Kevin breaks up with Sloane and Toby drops Kate off at the camp, the two go to a bar together. Following Toby's advice to pursue the woman he really loves, Kevin visits and tries to reconcile with Sophie, his childhood love and ex-wife. A mysterious worker at the camp tries to talk to Kate, who is now engaged to Toby, and acts like he is trying to seduce her.
14"I Call Marriage"George Tillman Jr.Kay OyegunFebruary 7, 2017 (2017-02-07)1AZC149.57[32]
15"Jack Pearson's Son"Ken OlinIsaac Aptaker & Elizabeth BergerFebruary 14, 2017 (2017-02-14)1AZC159.03[33]
16"Memphis"[34]UnknownUnknownFebruary 21, 2017 (2017-02-21)1AZC16N/A
17"What Now?"[35]UnknownUnknownMarch 7, 2017 (2017-03-07)1AZC17N/A

The final episode of the season, episode eighteen, is scheduled to air on March 14, 2017.[36]

Reception

Critical response

The first season of This Is Us received positive reviews, with critics praising cast performances and series plot. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 90% based on 50 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Featuring full-tilt heartstring-tugging family drama, This Is Us will provide a suitable surrogate for those who have felt a void in their lives since Parenthood went off the air."[37] On Metacritic, the season has a normalized score of 76 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[38] TVLine gave the series "A-" saying, "With emotionally resonant dialogue and top-notch performances, This Is Us should fill that Braverman-sized hole in your heart."[39] TV Guide placed This Is Us at ninth among the top ten picks for the most anticipated new shows of the 2016–2017 season and called it, "a well-acted drama about love, life and family."[40]

Writing for The Star-Ledger, Vicki Hyman lauded the series and said, "This Is Us (from Crazy, Stupid, Love screenwriter Dan Fogelman) methodically weaves four seemingly disparate stories into a believable and emotional whole through tiny telling details, relatable moments, and conversations and confrontations that are funny, tender or painful, or all three at once."[41] Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen wrote, "A 21st century thirtysomething for a TV generation that likes a splash of high concept in their shows and isn't afraid of melodrama."[42] Gwen Ihnat of The A.V. Club also reviewed the series positively saying, "The hour accomplishes what it set out to do. It creates characters so compelling that we compulsively want to tune back in to see them again."[43] In a review for Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert said, "The pilot is beautifully shaped, the themes of building your own meaning in life are smart, and the actors already seem to know their characters."[44]

The Washington Post critic, Hank Stuever said, "While I'd like to see another few episodes to make sure, there's something comfortably gooey right away about This Is Us, reminding us once more that amid all the high-functioning detectives, emergency-rescue personnel and secret-agent superheroes covered in cryptic tattoos, there are very few network dramas aimed at viewers who are simply interested in everyday people and how they feel."[45] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's TV critic Rob Owen wrote, "Created and written by Dan Fogelman, This is Us manages the tricky task of telling emotional stories without getting too saccharine. And in each story, the characters are quite relatable."[46] James Poniewozik of The New York Times also gave the series positive reviews and said, "The first hour works its way efficiently through an economy-size box of tissues with cleverly turned dialogue and well-inhabited performances."[47] Critics at other publications such as USA Today,[48] The Atlantic,[49] The Hollywood Reporter,[50] and Los Angeles Times,[51] reviewed the series positively.

Some were more critical towards the show, Daniel D'Addario of Time wrote, "The show has promise, but its cynicism in terms of trying to evoke an emotional response is both what viewers will be tuning in for and its least accomplished aspect. If it could work to wring out a real response, not just an easy one, this might be a show worth watching each week.[52] Chief TV critic of Indiewire, Ben Travers quipped, "'It all works out' seems to be the main takeaway from the pilot, but where things specifically go from here is one whopping question mark. Perhaps if this was an episodic anthology series with new characters flooding in every week and new arcs every season, This Is Us could repeat the mysterious highs of its subjectively mediocre pilot (depending on how you like that ending)."[53] In a moderate review of Variety, Sonia Saraiya said, "It's deceptively difficult to build a surprising and complete story in just 40 minutes with so many characters. Yet This Is Us manages to both craft an intimate series of portraits and stitch them together. But at the same time, waves of cloying sentiment threaten to submerge everything."[54]

Critics' top ten lists

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of This Is Us
No. Title Air date Rating/share
(18–49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 DVR
(18–49)		 DVR viewers
(millions)		 Total
(18–49)		 Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" September 20, 2016 2.8/10 10.07[19] 1.8 4.55 4.6 14.61[56]
2 "The Big Three" September 27, 2016 2.6/9 8.75[20] 1.9 5.12 4.5 13.87[57]
3 "Kyle" October 11, 2016 2.8/9 9.87[21] 1.9 4.95 4.7 14.82[58]
4 "The Pool" October 18, 2016 2.6/9 9.71[22] 2.0 4.86 4.6 14.57[59]
5 "The Game Plan" October 25, 2016 2.4/8 8.68[23] 2.1 5.11 4.5 13.83[60]
6 "Career Days" November 1, 2016 2.3/7 8.48[24] 2.1 5.09 4.4 13.57[61]
7 "The Best Washing Machine in the World" November 15, 2016 2.6/9 9.50[25] 2.1 5.20 4.7 14.70[62]
8 "Pilgrim Rick" November 22, 2016 2.4/9 9.00[26] 2.1 5.46 4.5 14.46[63]
9 "The Trip" November 29, 2016 2.7/9 10.56[27] 1.9 4.96 4.6 15.46[64]
10 "Last Christmas" December 6, 2016 2.8/9 10.95[28] 2.1 5.45 4.9 16.40[65]
11 "The Right Thing to Do" January 10, 2017 3.0/11 10.48[29] 2.0 5.33 5.0 15.81[66]
12 "The Big Day" January 17, 2017 2.6/8 9.53[30] 2.5 6.20 5.1 15.80[67]
13 "Three Sentences" January 24, 2017 2.8/9 9.63[31] 2.4 6.16 5.2 15.79[68]
14 "I Call Marriage" February 7, 2017 2.6/8 9.57[32] TBD TBD TBD TBD
15 "Jack Pearson's Son" February 14, 2017 2.4/8 9.03[33] TBD TBD TBD TBD
16 "Memphis" February 21, 2017 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
17 "What Now?" March 7, 2017 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2016 American Film Institute Awards TV Program of the Year This Is Us Won [69]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Most Exciting New Series This Is Us Won [70]
Best Drama Series This Is Us Nominated
African-American Critics Association Awards Top Ten TV Show This Is Us Won
2017 People's Choice Awards Favorite New TV Drama This Is Us Won [71]
Favorite Actor In A New TV Series Milo Ventimiglia Nominated
Favorite Actress In A New TV Series Mandy Moore Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards New Series This Is Us Pending [72][73]
Episodic Drama Vera Herbert (for "The Trip") Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Chrissy Metz Nominated [74]
Mandy Moore Nominated
Best Television Series - Drama This Is Us Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Sterling K. Brown Nominated [75]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series This Is Us Nominated [76]
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Sterling K. Brown Won
Outstanding Performance by a Youth Lonnie Chavis Nominated
ACE Eddie Awards Best Edited One Hour Series for Commercial Television David L. Bertman (for "Pilot") Won [77]

Broadcast

This Is Us premiered on September 20, 2016, in the U.S. on NBC.[78] The series premiered on CTV in Canada on September 21, 2016,[79][80] on TVNZ 2 in New Zealand on September 27, 2016,[81] and in the UK on Channel 4 on December 6, 2016.[82] The series premiered in Australia on Channel Ten on February 8, 2017.[83]

References

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  3. ^ Roots, Kimberly (January 18, 2017). "This Is Us Renewed for Seasons 2 and 3". TVLine. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
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  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Trip". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 9. November 29, 2016. NBC.
  8. ^ a b c d e "The Big Three". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 2. September 27, 2016. NBC.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "The Right Thing to Do". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 11. January 10, 2017. NBC.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Career Days". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 6. November 1, 2016. NBC.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Three Sentences". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 13. January 24, 2017. NBC.
  12. ^ "All hail the rise of the reasonably competent TV heroine". Toronto Star, November 5, 2016, Sophie Van Bastelaer.
  13. ^ a b c d e "The Best Washing Machine in the World". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 7. November 15, 2016. NBC.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Kyle". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 3. October 11, 2016. NBC.
  15. ^ a b c d "Pilgrim Rick". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 8. November 22, 2016. NBC.
  16. ^ a b c d e "The Pool". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 4. October 18, 2016. NBC.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Last Christmas". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 10. December 6, 2016. NBC.
  18. ^ a b "I Call Marriage". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 14. February 7, 2017. NBC.
  19. ^ a b Porter, Rick (September 21, 2016). "Tuesday final ratings: 'NCIS,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' adjust up, 'This Is Us' & 'Bull' steady". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
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  34. ^ "(#116) "Memphis"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  35. ^ "(#117) "What Now?"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  36. ^ de Moraes, Lisa (February 8, 2017). "NBC Shuffles 'This Is Us' Season Finale, 'Trial & Error' Launch To Accommodate Donald Trump's "SOTU" Address". Deadline. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
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  40. ^ ""Our 10 Most Anticipated New TV Shows of." Fall 2016"". TV Guide. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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  42. ^ Jensen, Jeff (September 19, 2016). "Fall TV reviews: This Is Us, Speechless, Designated Survivor, Pitch, and The Exorcist". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 22, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  43. ^ Ihnat, Gwen (September 20, 2016). "This pilot sets a high bar for the rest of This Is Us". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 22, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  44. ^ Gilbert, Matthew (September 20, 2016). "This pilot sets a high bar for the rest of This Is Us". Boston Globe. Retrieved September 22, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  45. ^ Stuever, Hank (September 15, 2016). "TV Fall TV Preview 2016". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 22, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  46. ^ Owen, Rob (September 20, 2016). "Tuned In: Fall's best drama pilot: Pittsburgh-set 'This is Us'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  47. ^ Poniewozik, James (September 19, 2016). "Review: 'This Is Us' Is Skillful, Shameless Tear-Jerking". The New York Times. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  48. ^ Bianco, Robert (September 20, 2012). "Review: 'This is Us' is heartfelt (if sweet-toothed) family drama". USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  49. ^ Bianco, Robert (September 20, 2012). "This Is Us Is Must-Weep TV". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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  51. ^ McNamara, Mary (September 20, 2016). "Fall TV's hottest pilot hits 4 out of 5 of its marks. Will 'This Is Us' fill the 'Parenthood' gap". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  52. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (September 20, 2016). "This is Us Knows Exactly What It Is and Who It's For". Time. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  53. ^ Travers, Ben (September 20, 2016). "'This Is Us' Review: Even After All Those Twists, We Don't Know What 'This' Is (Spoilers)". Indiewire. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  54. ^ Saraiya, Sonia (September 20, 2016). "TV Review: 'This Is Us'". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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  58. ^ Porter, Rick (October 27, 2016). "'This Is Us,' 'Big Bang,' 'Designated Survivor' lead broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 10-16". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  59. ^ Porter, Rick (November 4, 2016). "'This Is Us' and 'Agents of SHIELD' score in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 17-23". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  60. ^ Porter, Rick (November 10, 2016). "'This Is Us,' 'Designated Survivor' stay on top in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 24-30". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  61. ^ Porter, Rick (November 17, 2016). "13 shows double, 'This Is Us' & 'Big Bang' lead broadcast Live +7 ratings for Oct. 31-Nov. 6". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  62. ^ Porter, Rick (December 1, 2016). "'This Is Us,' 'Big Bang,' 'Designated Survivor' are the Big Three in week 9 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  63. ^ Porter, Rick (December 7, 2016). "'New Girl' and 'Quantico' double in week 10 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  64. ^ Porter, Rick (December 21, 2016). "6 shows double in week 11 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  65. ^ Porter, Rick (December 22, 2016). "'This Is Us' reaches season highs week 12 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
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