'This Is Us' Event Reaction: "A Father's Advice" (2x01) — This Is the Season Premiere

This Is Us premiered last year with an incredible first season, numerous awards, and rave reviews. (If you haven't watched it yet, here is why you should.) The season two premiere was much anticipated all summer, and last night, it finally aired. Let's discuss!

Warning! This post contains major spoilers.

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First off, I'm kind of blown away by how many story lines were packed into one episode. After a whole summer without this show and these characters, it was everything I could have asked for.

Let's break it down.

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The one and only thing I didn't like about this episode was how many times they faked us out in the beginning. Randall has a baby? Oh, nope, psych, it's the neighbor's baby. Kevin is proposing? Just kidding, guys, he's shooting a movie. I found it a bit frustrating and cheap that they chose to open the show that way.

However, the one thing I absolutely loved was William's voiceover. That was touching and incredible. I didn't expect to see William back again so soon (if at all), and so it was an amazing surprise to see him again. I only hope that this wasn't just a gimmick for the first episode and that they continue to include him in future episodes. They do it with Jack, so I think they can for William too.

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The plot line with Randall and adoption was well-done and exemplified both the incredible acting of both Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson. It showed how Randall's adoption still affects him, both in positive and negative ways. I loved William's cameo (another example of how William can still appear), which added some amazing depth to Beth's character as well. I hope we continue to see her character grow. I loved her suggestion of taking in an older child, and I can't wait to see where that goes.

The conflict between Kevin, Kate, and Toby, though a bit awkward, seemed to be a natural progression of events. Of course Kevin and Kate are close. Of course Toby would find that a bit uncomfortable. And of course Kate has agency over herself and her own choices. I appreciated the avenue the writers took with her audition as well. It was a refreshing angle and a good one to take for her character growth.

However, I know you're all probably thinking about a different plot line. The one with Jack and Rebecca.

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This Is Us got a reputation for breaking our hearts last season, and this episode followed the pattern (with no hint of stopping anytime soon). My heart shattered when Jack told Rebecca he was drunk. And then I felt my heart get a little bit better when Rebecca begged him to come home. The moment was so happy. I was happy. They were okay.

(Trigger warning for discussion of fire and death in the following paragraphs.)

But then...

WHAT ABOUT THAT HOUSE FIRE? 

I mean... I knew finding out about Jack's death would suck, but I didn't realize just how much. My stomach sank when I saw the Pearson house smoldering. And trust me, it's been a hot topic of discussion (pun not intended) in my house ever since.

For instance, did Jack die in the fire? If so, how did Rebecca have his belongings in her car? Why does Kate feel responsible for his death? Where was Rebecca going? Did she know the house burnt down or did she just find out about it? How did the house fire start in the first place? What is Jack's actual cause of death? The showrunners say that this isn't a fakeout—the fire is directly responsible for Jack's death. (More info on that and the rest of the episode here.) So, what exactly does that mean?) We know a little bit, but there's still so much more to find out.

(End trigger warning.)

The This Is Us premiere left me with a lot of feels and a lot of questions—but isn't that always the case? Though I wasn't a fan of the bait-and-switch opening, the rest of the episode quickly made up for it with its commitment to its characters and a good story (plus all the feels). This Is Us may not be perfect, but, like Rebecca said about Jack, it's pretty damn close.

What did you think about the season premiere? Any theories about how the season will unfold?

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This Is Us Reaction: Season One, Part One

As Sky previously mentioned, This Is Us came along this September and captured many of our hearts. Now that they've had enough time to process the mid-season finale, Anna and Sky have a few things to say about this season so far.

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Anna Gensimore

I am not even sure where to begin with this to be honest. I mean, there really aren't any characters that I don't like, except for maybe Toby's ex-wife. The Pearson clan are relatable in a way that many television families simply aren't. Usually parents of adult characters aren't in the main cast, but Jack and Rebecca are just as much in focus as their children. Jack is an absolute darling. Yes, he is a deeply flawed human being, but overall he loves and supports his family to the best of his ability. Rebecca is emotionally all over the place, but most of all she wants to do right by her family. Her good intentions sometimes took the story line to places I wasn't expecting.

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I really liked getting to see Kate's confidence and security in her identity grow as Kevin encouraged her to follow her dreams when he released her from being his manager. She learned to make decisions for herself and her own happiness, even difficult ones. Taking steps to better your health can be difficult, and it was great to see Kate realize and acknowledge that she needed a bit of help meeting her goals. Her relationship with Toby was one of the highlights of the show for me (and just Toby in general, he is a dear). They have a great dynamic, and he is such a sweetheart. Their relationship has its issues, but they both end up committing to fixing their part of it. I was thrilled to see them reunite in episode 10. (And I'm still in denial about the end of the episode.)

 

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Randall's portion of the story keeps me on edge. I just want William to hang in there. I feel like this is going to be one of the bigger heartbreaks of the series for me.

I am shipping Kevin and Sloane so hard right now...that's all.

What I Need To See More Of

• Kate and Rebecca's relationship.

Mother daughter relationships are a slippery slope. There's a lot of hurt between these two, but seeing Rebecca attend Kate's appointment with the Bariatric surgeon seemed like a turning point. They both have responsibility in how they've interacted throughout the year,s and I'm eager to see them own up to it. I look forward to seeing Rebecca get to know her daughter as an adult and an equal.

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• Weight loss difficulties continually portrayed realistically.

In the support group Kate attends, a person was previously scoffed at for pursuing Bariatric Surgery. If a person who is morbidly obese aims to lose weight, it can be a really wonderful tool to help them in pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Any life change causes a multitude of emotions and a decision like this is a hard one and Kate chose to pursue it. She's struggled a long time as have many other characters who are also trying to make a lifestyle change. They do a good job of portraying not only the struggle to lose weight, but also the attitudes from others and struggles that people on that journey face.

• Toby to be okay. 

I just need this to happen for reasons. I will not forgive them if they kill off another Chris Sullivan character. I just want to see he and Kate grow as a couple okay?? Toby just made the decision to fully try to commit to better choices for himself and no one else. Which is something that circles around to my last point.

• To find out what on earth happened to Jack and why Rebecca married Miguel... and where his wife and children went. 

This point is sort of self-explanatory. Jack apparently died and his best friend Miguel, previously portrayed as married with kids, is now married to Rebecca with no sign of his kids or previous wife. I guess I'm just waiting for more flashbacks because Jack Pearson is a cinnamon roll, and I am in utter agony waiting to find out what happened to him.

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Sky Destrian

When I first saw the trailer for This Is Us, I was a bit skeptical because drama shows aren't usually my thing. And yet, here this show was, already tugging at my heartstrings. I was undecided about whether to watch it until I read a review of the first episode, which revealed that MIND-BLOWING TWIST. Of course, I had to watch it. I convinced my mom and sister to give it a try along with me, and um... we were all hooked. And we're still hooked. And now, after the winter finale, our constant refrain is this: "IS TOBY OKAY?!" 

If you ask me who my favorite characters are, I will say... all of them. I honestly cannot pick. I love them all for different reasons. I love them all like they're my family. (It's official, everyone, I wanna be a Pearson.)

I love Jack and Rebecca both for their imperfectly perfect parenting (and like Anna said, Jack is a cinnamon roll, too pure). I love Kate for her personality, resilience, and the valuable representation she provides. I love Kevin because he's so innocent and naive even though he's a celebrity, and he's just trying to do the best he can. I love Randall because of his willingness to be vulnerable with his emotions, yet his determination to get through the difficult time he finds himself in. I love Toby because... who on earth could not love Toby? (AND IS HE OKAY?) I love William more than I can express, and the episode where he was withheld from his son had me sobbing in a puddle on the floor. (Speaking of that episode, the nuances are so well done. I found myself relating to everyone in the difficult adoption scenario--I related to Rebecca, William, and Randall equally, and they each had my sympathy. No one was the bad guy. I loved them all.)

What I Need to See More Of

• Kevin and Sloane. And maybe Olivia? Is it terrible that I kind of liked her?
• Kate learning to love herself exactly as she is.
• TOBY. IS HE OKAY?
• William. Always more William. It would be great if he could be magically cured and stick around (because if he doesn't, I will sob).
• I'd love to see more of Jesse and William especially.
• Kevin being his adorable self.
• Randall and Rebecca sorting through their relationship, as well as Randall and William sorting through their relationship.
• What happened to Jack? I need more flashbacks of him, always. Maybe even more hallucinations, too.
• More of Annie and Tess, please. They're adorable.
• More of everyone.
• More of everything.
• Anything. All of it.

I kept waiting for This Is Us to stumble, but it never did. Every episode has hit exactly the right notes. From people getting high (accidentally or intentionally) to Rebecca trying to protect her family, I'm amazed by how hilarious, emotional, and evocative this show is. The amount of times it's made me cry is ridiculous, but I'm completely willing to have my heart broken by it.

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This show is not afraid to tackle the hard, real issues, and it's stronger because of it. In a sea of television shows, This Is Us shines so bright. I will never be over this amazing show, and I absolutely cannot wait until it returns on January 10th.

Have you seen This Is Us? What did you think of it?

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Here’s Why You Should Be Watching This Is Us

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If you haven't at least heard of NBC's new primetime drama This Is Us, you may be living under a rock (and should probably investigate that ASAP). Seemingly out of nowhere, the first trailer for This Is Us debuted this summer, went practically viral, and was splashed colorfully across our TV screens for months. Its first episode premiered on September 20th and proved that we were all right to keep an eye on this show. After five episodes, This Is Us is still going strong. Have you given this show a try? If not, here's why you should!

Characters

For me, the heart of the show is arguably its characters, and for that, This Is Us does not disappoint. Our characters come from all different walks of life, but they're all well-written and well-developed. Not only that, but the writers make us care about them, their trials, and their triumphs.

Relationships

At its core, This Is Us is a story about family. It's also a story about love: both love lost and love found. Relationships are the absolute heart of this show. Whether it's the relationship between parents, brothers, or a biological father and his son, we have a smorgasbord of relationships to explore. They're real, well-written, and interesting to watch.

Story lines

With so many families to focus on, This Is Us is stuffed full of interesting plot lines that intersect and weave in and out of each other beautifully. Though this does fall under the genre of "drama," I don't think This Is Us ends up being overly sappy or emotional. It manages to strike the right balance between difficulty and hope.

Representation

This Is Us has representation, which is extremely important. Though it could be better (since much of the cast is white), we have several main players who are people of color. Additionally, a couple of characters struggle with their weight. These portrayals are good to see, and they only add to the richness of the show.

Relatability

Though I'm not usually one for drama shows, This Is Us hasn't annoyed me yet, and I think this is why: it's very real. Each struggle, plot line, and line of dialogue is saturated with reality. This show speaks to things we all go through and experience--plus, it isn't afraid to tackle the hard subjects. No matter what your walk of life, I think it would be hard not to find some aspect of this show that you can relate to. That's why I think everyone should give This Is Us a try! Just don't forget to grab a box of tissues before you start.

Have you seen This Is Us? Why do you recommend it?

(All stills were taken from the NBC website.)

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