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This Is Us

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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 episodes12 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Dan Fogelman
  • Jess Rosenthal
  • Charlie Gogolak
  • John Requa
  • Glenn Ficarra
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're similar and different.[1]

The series has received critical acclaim 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 episodes, 18 per season.[3]

Plot

The series follows fraternal twins Kate and Kevin along with their adopted brother Randall as their lives intertwine. Kate and Kevin were originally part of a triplet pregnancy, conceived in a bar bathroom during Super Bowl XIV;[4] however, their biological brother was stillborn. 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.[5]

Episodes weave through the stories of the past and present of the characters. The flashback episodes take place in Pittsburgh, while the current time episodes are split between Los Angeles, New Jersey, and New York City.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson (born August 31, 1944): Rebecca's husband, Kate, Kevin, and Randall's father, all of whom are born on his 36th birthday.[5] Jack always wanted to find out who Randall's biological father was, and never knew Rebecca had found him.[6] Jack is struggling with alcoholism.[7] It is revealed that Jack had died some time earlier, and Kate keeps his ashes at her house.[4] Jack is an architect 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.[8]
  • Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson (born 1950): Jack's wife, Kate, Kevin, and Randall's mother.[5] Rebecca strives to be a better mother to her children,[9] and has issues with Jack's alcoholism.[7] Rebecca always knew William was Randall's father, but kept them apart as she was afraid he would try and take Randall back.[6] After Jack's death, she marries his best friend, Miguel (Jon Huertas).[7] Rebecca always wanted to be a singer, but gave up on her dreams in order to focus on her family.[10]
  • Sterling K. Brown (modern day), Lonnie Chavis (age 9) as Randall Pearson (born August 31, 1980), originally named Kyle:[11][5] Jack and Rebecca's adopted black son, and Kate and Kevin's adoptive brother.[5] 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.[5] On his 36th birthday he finds his biological father, William, inviting him into his northern New Jersey home.[5] 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.[6]
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.[8] In high school Randall played football, wearing number 36.[10]
Randall sells commodity futures based on weather patterns, and is shown to be very wealthy.[8] 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 Pilgrim Rick.[12]
  • Chrissy Metz (modern day), Mackenzie Hancsicsak (age 9) as Kate Pearson (born August 31, 1980):[5] Jack and Rebecca's daughter, Kevin's twin sister and former personal assistant who lives in Los Angeles,[11] and Randall's adoptive 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.[13] 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.[14]
She is morbidly obese and struggles with issues of self-esteem that she greatly attributes to her estranged mother.[5] 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.[14] Kate decides that in order to lose weight she needs to join a support group.[5] 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.[5] After struggling with her weight control for so long, Kate decides at Thanksgiving that she is going to have gastric bypass surgery.[12] Before heading to New York for Thanksgiving, Kate breaks up with Toby, due to his inability to diet, thus being unable to support her.[12] 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.[14]
  • Justin Hartley (modern day), Parker Bates (age 9) as Kevin Pearson (born August 31, 1980):[5] Jack and Rebecca's son, Kate's twin brother, and Randall's adoptive brother. In high school Kevin played football, wearing number twelve.[10]
Kevin was an actor in Los Angeles, playing the lead role on a long-running sitcom called The Manny. He dramatically quits that show on his 36th birthday[5] in protest of the poor script quality and the producer's reluctance to add deeper elements to the show. He later moves to New York to pursue a career as a serious stage actor.[13]
Upon arriving in New York, Kevin gets the lead role as David, in Back of an Egg, the first play he auditions for.[13] 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.[8] Following this, Kevin and Olivia briefly date, but he breaks up with her after she brings her ex-boyfriend to his family cabin.[6] Following Olivia, Kevin began dating the writer of his play, Sloane, and attends Hanukkah with her family.[14]
  • 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).[7] 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.[10]
  • Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon: Kate's boyfriend, whom she meets on her 36th birthday at a weight-loss support group.[5] Very confident with his own obese image, he encourages Kate to have better self-esteem. Refusing to take Kate's hesitance about the relationship lightly, Toby continually comes up with sweet gestures to keep Kate coming back.[11] He often feels that he has to compete with Kevin for Kate's time and attention.[11] Despite breaking his weight-loss goals, Toby decides dieting isn't for him and goes off his diet, resulting in Kate breaking up with him.[6] 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.[14]
Toby was previously married to a woman whom Kate views as beautiful and successful. Toby states that she treated him like garbage. He put on 90 pounds in the first year after their divorce.[13]
  • Ron Cephas Jones as William Hill (nicknamed Shakespeare):[11] Randall's biological father. 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.[14] He's suffering from stage-four stomach cancer but is well enough to live with and enjoy his new-found family.[13] William can play the piano, which he learned from his father, as well as sing.[8]
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.[14] William returns to Philadelphia to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in hopes of bumping into Jessie to reconnect.[14]
Rebecca realized William was Randall's father when she saw him watch them leave the hospital, and eventually tracked him down,[7] a secret she kept from everyone, including Randall and Jack.[6] William always wanted to have a relationship with his child and regretted giving him up,[6] but promised Rebecca he would stay away for Randall's benefit.[11] William accidentally lets this secret slip to Beth one night when they got high together.[10] Randall accidentally finds out himself when he finds a letter in William's apartment while looking for cassette tapes.[12]

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 and Rebecca's second husband. He is hated by Kevin after his dad's death.
  • Gerald McRaney as Dr. Nathan Katowsky ("Dr. K."): An elderly widower who works as an obstetrician, he delivers Kate and Kevin after becoming a last-minute substitute for Rebecca's regular doctor. He gives Jack some fatherly advice after one of the triplets is stillborn, and unwittingly helps convince Jack and Rebecca to adopt Randall.
  • 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,[14] but later returns to find Kevin dating Sloane.[15]
  • 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.[6] Sloane is Jewish and brings Kevin to her family's Hanukkah dinner.[14] Kevin convinces her to take over the starring role of the show after Olivia vanishes.[14]
  • Denis O'Hare as Jessie: William's friend who was once his romantic partner.

Guest stars

  • Alan Thicke as Himself: Thicke is guest-starring on The Manny as Kevin has his on-set meltdown. (Episode No. 1; One of Thicke's final roles prior to his death.)
  • Brad Garrett as Wes Manning: A television network president tasked with negotiating Kevin's exit from The Manny. (Episode No. 2)
  • Katey Sagal as Lanie Schulz: Kevin's Hollywood agent. (Episode No. 2)
  • Jami Gertz as Marin Rosenthal: A woman who hires Kate to be an event coordinator. (Episode No. 6)
  • 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. (Episode No. 7)
  • Jimmi Simpson as Andy Fannan: A co-worker whom Randall talks out of committing suicide on Christmas Eve. (Episode No. 10)
  • Elizabeth Perkins as Janet Malone: Rebecca's overbearing mother. (Episode No. 11)

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[16]
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. Hunky sitcom star Kevin, her twin, is celebrating his 36th birthday by acknowledging his dissatisfaction with his role and dramatically 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's 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[17]
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's revealed that they've 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[18]
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 isn't able to bond well with "Kyle", and Jack eventually admits he can't either. Rebecca prevents William from seeing his son, but renames him Randall after William's favorite poet, Dudley Randall. Randall's daughters still don't 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 he's second fiddle 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[19]
The Pearsons go to the pool, but encounter some judgmental people. Kevin is hellbent on landing a serious role on Broadway, but even his nieces won't let him forget The Manny. William is wrongly accused of loitering in Randall's nice neighborhood and is annoyed when Randall doesn't put up more of a fight during the confrontation that ensues. Toby runs into his beautiful 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[20]
It's Super Bowl XIV and the Pittsburgh Steelers are winning, 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's 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[21]
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 doesn't talk to her mom, Rebecca, anymore. 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[22]
The Pearson children are teenagers by now in the flashback, 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 wouldn't have to be alone, but he abruptly leaves when he finds out Randall hasn't actually seen The Manny. Kate is working hard on trying to lose weight but is disappointed with the results; meanwhile, Toby isn't even trying, is hitting his weight-loss goals, and wants to abandon the diet altogether. Beth and William smoke weed together and he accidentally reveals to her that he has known Rebecca since Randall was a baby, which Randall doesn't know. Ironically, Beth moved Kevin's stuff to the basement.
8"Pilgrim Rick"Sarah Pia AndersonIsaac Aptaker & Elizabeth BergerNovember 22, 2016 (2016-11-22)1AZC089.00[23]
It's Thanksgiving. In the past, the Pearsons, as children, are going on a 6-hour road trip to Rebecca's parents' house, 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's had 36 years to tell Randall the truth, but he finds out before Rebecca can tell him. William tells Olivia to stop being so cold-hearted before life passes her by. 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[24]
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" can't believe 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 doesn't like how Olivia and Asher are behaving and kicks them out. He 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[25]
When Kate comes down with appendicitis on Christmas Eve, the Pearsons take her to the hospital, where they run into Dr. K, who 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[26]
Toby didn't have a heart attack; he has cardiac arrhythmia. Jack and Rebecca are looking for a house that could fit their growing family, but didn't 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's 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[27]
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. Rebecca wants to make Jack a big homemade cake for the birthday, but can only make it as far a liquor store, where she buys a muffin, Twinkies, and a Terrible Towel for Jack. 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. A baby (eventually Randall) is dropped off at the firehouse by William, and Joe decides to take it first to his wife, who refuses it, even though they could not conceive. Joe takes the baby to the hospital and Jack decides to adopt him, because of the death of the third triplet. The next day, Dr. K decides to throw out his wife's belongings and eat dinner at his friend's house; Joe and his wife decide to recreate their first date; Jack shows his children (a few years older) Rebecca the day they were born.
13"Three Sentences"[28]UnknownUnknownJanuary 24, 2017 (2017-01-24)1AZC13N/A
14"I Call Marriage"[29]UnknownUnknownFebruary 7, 2017 (2017-02-07)1AZC14N/A

Reception

Critical response

The first season of This Is Us has received positive reviews, with critics praising cast performances and series plot. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has fresh 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."[30] On Metacritic, the season has a normalized score of 76 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".[31] 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."[32] 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."[33]

The series generally received positive reviews to date from various media outlets and critics. 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."[34] 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."[35] 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."[36] 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."[37]

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."[38] 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."[39] 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."[40] Other publications critics such as USA Today,[41] The Atlantic,[42] The Hollywood Reporter,[43] and Los Angeles Times,[44] 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.[45] 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).[46] 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."[47]

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[16] 1.8 4.55 4.6 14.61[49]
2 "The Big Three" September 27, 2016 2.6/9 8.75[17] 1.9 5.12 4.5 13.87[50]
3 "Kyle" October 11, 2016 2.8/9 9.87[18] 1.9 4.95 4.7 14.82[51]
4 "The Pool" October 18, 2016 2.6/9 9.71[19] 2.0 4.86 4.6 14.57[52]
5 "The Game Plan" October 25, 2016 2.4/8 8.68[20] 2.1 5.11 4.5 13.83[53]
6 "Career Days" November 1, 2016 2.3/7 8.48[21] 2.1 5.09 4.4 13.57[54]
7 "The Best Washing Machine in the World" November 15, 2016 2.6/9 9.50[22] 2.1 5.20 4.7 14.70[55]
8 "Pilgrim Rick" November 22, 2016 2.4/9 9.00[23] 2.1 5.46 4.5 14.46[56]
9 "The Trip" November 29, 2016 2.7/9 10.56[24] 1.9 4.96 4.6 15.46[57]
10 "Last Christmas" December 6, 2016 2.8/9 10.95[25] 2.1 5.45 4.9 16.40[58]
11 "The Right Thing to Do" January 10, 2017 3.0/11 10.48[26] TBD TBD TBD TBD
12 "The Big Day" January 17, 2017 2.6/8 9.53[27] TBD TBD TBD TBD
13 "Three Sentences" January 24, 2017 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
14 "I Call Marriage" February 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 [59]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Most Exciting New Series This Is Us Won [60]
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 [61]
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 [62]
Episodic Drama Vera Herbert (for "The Trip") Pending
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Chrissy Metz Nominated [63]
Mandy Moore Nominated
Best Television Series - Drama This Is Us Nominated
Screen Actor Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Sterling K. Brown Pending [64]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series This Is Us Pending [65]
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Sterling K. Brown Pending
Outstanding Performance by a Youth Lonnie Chavis Pending
ACE Eddie Awards Best Edited One Hour Series for Commercial Television David L. Bertman (for "Pilot") Pending [66]

Broadcast

This Is Us premiered on September 20, 2016, in the U.S. on NBC.[67] The series premiered on CTV in Canada on September 21, 2016,[68][69] on TVNZ 2 in New Zealand on September 27, 2016,[70] and in the UK on Channel 4 on December 6, 2016.[71] The series will premiere in Australia on Channel Ten on February 8, 2017.[72]

References

  1. ^ a b Bianco, Robert (September 20, 2016), "Review: 'This is Us' is heartfelt (if sweet-toothed) family drama", USA Today
  2. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 27, 2016). "'This Is Us' Gets Full-Season Order At NBC For Total Of 18 Episodes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  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.
  4. ^ a b c "The Game Plan". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 5. October 25, 2016. NBC.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Pilot". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 1. September 20, 2016. NBC.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Trip". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 9. November 29, 2016. NBC.
  7. ^ a b c d e "The Big Three". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 2. September 27, 2016. NBC.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Career Days". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 6. November 1, 2016. NBC.
  9. ^ "All hail the rise of the reasonably competent TV heroine". Toronto Star, November 5, 2016, Sophie Van Bastelaer.
  10. ^ a b c d e "The Best Washing Machine in the World". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 7. November 15, 2016. NBC.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Kyle". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 3. October 11, 2016. NBC.
  12. ^ a b c d "Pilgrim Rick". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 8. November 22, 2016. NBC.
  13. ^ a b c d e "The Pool". This is Us. Season 1. Episode 4. October 18, 2016. NBC.
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