This Is Us – “Pilot” Advance Review. Happy Birthday to Many.

Season 1, Episode 1

Air Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016, 10/9c on NBC

Rating: ★★★★★

“My water just broke.” – Rebecca

<i>This Is Us</i> – “Pilot” Advance Review. Happy Birthday to Many. 1

An uncomfortable first meeting.

Do you know the average person shares their birthday with over 18 million human beings? So far, there’s no scientific proof that any of them are connected in any other way other than sharing the day they were born. That said, This Is Us follows four people as they celebrate their birthday.

First up is Randall (Sterling K. Brown), a successful, married father with two daughters. Randall tracks down the biological father, William Hill (Ron Cephas Jones), who abandoned him when he was a baby. William invites Randall in and father and son talk for the first time. Time has not been good to William and despite being clean, he isn’t living the life he would like.
Then, there’s Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), loving husband to Rebecca (Mandy Moore), an expectant mother of triplets.. The already risky pregnancy takes a dangerous turn when Rebecca’s water breaks several weeks early. When their regular doctor becomes incapacitated, Dr. K (Gerald McRaney) steps in to deliver the babies.
Next is Kevin (Justin Hartley), an actor, who, despite starring in a new TV series called The Man*ny, is frustrated with his career. Wishing he were taken seriously as an actor, Kevin finds his roles aren’t satisfactory as they often involve him removing his shirt. Kevin’s career isn’t the only source of contention, though; despite being adored by women, Kevin seems distracted as he struggles to find his place in life.
Last but not least, there’s Kate (Chrissy Metz). Kate isn’t sure how she’s reached this point in life. Despite her efforts to lose weight, she simply can’t find the internal strength. At a support group for overweight people, Kate meets Toby (Chris Sullivan), who is also trying to shed some pounds.

Chrissy Metz as Kate —

I put off watching This Is Us for the longest time out of fear Kate’s storyline would hit too close to home as I am also overweight. A few years ago, I was injured on the job. The company determined my weight was to blame although a judge later ruled my weight had nothing to do with my injury.

A few years later, a local newspaper named me one of five unsung heroes in the community. Excited, I got up early to pick up extra newspapers. As I stood in line with a handful of papers, a kid looked at me and said, “Mom, look at him, he’s fat.” I paid for the newspapers and put them in the trunk of my car where they remain to this day.

Comments, glances, and other prejudices are common when you are overweight. Part of the problem is most people don’t want to talk about weight bias. Simply put, it makes them uncomfortable unless they are overweight. For as much as I let the one child destroy what should have been a special moment, I can’t even imagine the scrutiny Metz has opened herself up to.

Overweight characters on television may be rare but not new. Think Mike & Molly. What sets Kate apart is her weight struggles are not used as the punchline. I am extremely proud of Metz’s courage to take on what could turn out to be a groundbreaking role that puts a spotlight on the struggle of being heavy. Many, including myself, will inevitably view Metz as a role model and admire her for her courage. My hope is Metz’s role in This Is Us will help open up an honest dialogue about weight stigmas without losing sight of her performance, which, by the way, is fantastic. Regardless of size, many will relate to Kate’s struggles to find quality dates. I love how Kate’s eyes light up every time she sees Toby and the playful way the two use facial expressions to flirt with each other.

<i>This Is Us</i> – “Pilot” Advance Review. Happy Birthday to Many. 2

Gerald McRaney and Milo Ventimiglia share some powerful scenes.

One of the things that makes This Is Us compelling is there’s something almost everyone can relate to. Maybe you’ve struggled with your weight or you’ve had a falling out with a member of your family. Perhaps you find yourself questioning your career path. The writers do a wonderful job of finding the right balance, allowing each storyline to play out. Watching the “Pilot,” I never felt one character’s story was getting more attention than the others. That said, McRaney absolutely steals every single scene he’s in and is simply amazing.

Created by Dan Fogelman, This Is Us is a tear-jerking roller coaster ride as Fogelman uses almost every trick in the book to trigger emotional responses from the audience. The only thing missing is a box full of kittens and I suspect we might see those before the season is over. What makes this new series special is how genuine each of the special moments are.

My biggest complaint about This Is Us has less to do with the “Pilot” and more to do with the marketing. Even though the official trailer is incredibly moving, I thought it gave away too much. But what really irritates me is minutes before screening the “Pilot,” I saw another commercial for the series. Unfortunately, that one teases one of the major twists in the series premiere. When the scene in question finally happened, I immediately resented having seen the video clip. Much of the work creating this wonderful plot point with a magical moment is diminished because of the marketing.

The downside about doing advance reviews is when a show has a holy shit moment, you can’t talk about it because you don’t want to spoil it. What I can say is the way Fogelman and the writers weave the stories together is undeniably brilliant and will have many viewers talking about it for days. There’s a truly special moment I like to call ‘the thinking scene’ that’s simply amazing because despite having no dialogue and lasting only a couple seconds long, the information the audience gains could fill an entire episode. This Is Us is one of those series premieres you should DVR so you can go back and re-watch over and over.

Tune in to the series premiere of This Is Us, September 20, 2016, at 10/9c, only on NBC.
Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about This Is Us – “Pilot.”

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.