This Is Love.
18 Episodes. Starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan & Ron Cephas Jones. Created By: Dan Fogelman.
"I cry watching 'This Is Us'"! Theo Rossi's gangster Shades character from 'Luke Cage' (S.O.S. Save Our Shows) season 2 says in response to his best friend telling him not to trust someone based on the drawn conclusion that he turns on the waterworks everytime he turns on NBC's hit show on the tube. You cry at 'This Is Us'?! Word! It's a marvellous meta, M.C.U. self-aware, Easter Egg nod of respect towards 'Black Panther's' cameo stealing star Sterling K. Brown. Not to mention and let's not forget Chris Sullivan's 'Guardians Of The Galaxy's' Taserface...don't laugh! Or how about another galaxy guardian? As the older Starhawk to Chris Pratt's Star-Lord, Sylvester Stallone arms up for a celebrity cameo in this ensemble cast family drama. Yep the real 'Rocky' playing himself. Getting his 'Rambo' on in a faux military movie directed by Ron Howard (also actually here in living cameo...Happy Days!). And as wise as-you should give more credit for-ever Sly shows us his shy, sweet side in easily one of the most outstanding episodes, in the stellar second season that refuses to slump like those sophomore streaming shows facing the Netflix axe before Halloween. Trick or treat. Knock on any Pearson door on their white picket dream street and you'll see there's more bruised souls and generations of unsolved issues in each family, behind the manicured lawns and the Hollywood never rains production drive lots. So for any time this looks right off the cob corny or contrived then just remember these guys are just as confused and conflicted as we all are day to day. Hiding behind the filters of all sorts of devices like the selfies on our phones camera rolls. Producing more pictures than their mantle can handle. Yet, still they strive to find peace inside this family frame. Their mind is on more. Like trying to make sure the ills of this world-discrimination, depression, death-don't make it to their front door. This is the U.S. and the watching world right now. It's more than what you see on television. Or the screens you can't switch off when you try to get some sleep at night. Modern love and life has changed, but for us this is one that tries to keep it the same.
Just like the good old days. That sort of 90's, Dave Matthews Band nostalgia in a show that is still so up to date now. For a cast of characters that were all probably twenty-somethings during the Central Perk coffee 'Friends' generation. In their prime before this primetime. But this is what real life looks like when you're deep into your thirties and your young indestructible feeling of youth is replaced with an 'in this together' good fight with a good wife, husband, brother or sister. Which is what marriage is all about, partnerships. Just like family. Blood or not. Whether your adopting. Trying for a baby. Or just trying to touch base with your parents, father figures, or the kids you grew up with. We are all always trying to grow in this life. And even though we may spend some years apart, the real way to do this is together. Intertwined like a family tree. And this is what 'This Is Us' shows to us all with every branch, arc and strand of storytelling. Sure there's conflict, drama and in-fighting. Some solved in each episode of the show. Some never resolved...at least this season. But what family doesn't go through tough stuff like that? What relationship, or marriage isn't even like that? If it ain't like that it ain't real ladies and gentlemen. But no matter what, for every problem there is a solution like Tom Hanks tells us in 'Philadelphia' with Denzel Washington. And each time you think this series doesn't get you. It truly will get you as you'll be left with those excuses like there's something in your eye. It's that darn air conditioning...ah damn it. I forgot Winter is coming. Cue the Sterling K. Brown crying gif. Or the Theo Rossi one. Because there's genuine emotion behind what everyone is talking about on your hopefully spoiler free Facebook feed the next day, like something Trump said or Kanye did. Except West of all that mess this right house and it's inhabitants are bringing positivity to a small world that needs to feel a little closer right now. A little more like family.
A master move of 'This Is Us' and this life itself creator Dan Fogelman is showing us in a 'Boyhood' or Richard Linklater, 'Before...' trilogy the life of a family unit, growing up from childhood to adulthood. We get to relate to what life is like now and what it was like in the memories of way back when. And what all that means across the generations and lessons passed down like family heirloom stories. Timeless, hallmark Americana and what the dream we are now woke up from today looked like back in the head in the clouds day sure was beautiful. And it still exists now in-between the margins of all the lines drawn, scrawled out and drawn again. These are the characters in us keeping it alive. Like 'Gilmore Girls' slick favourite Milo Ventimiglia. All grown up and bearded with a Springsteen sense of bootcut, American blue jeans dream workmanship. Hammer and handyman nail. Always ready with a life lesson before his memory hauntingly delivers his lasting one. Which will leave you with a lump everytime you see a fire hazard in the home for this hero. For the love of God Jack. Don't leave the stove on. You will have to take it to the mattresses. And how about the magnificent Mandy Moore? The anchor of this show. This story. This family. Us all. The heartbreaking 'A Walk To Remember' star maturing from her prime to the made-up, older version of her character she plays, whilst her former on-screen flame Shane West of 'E.R.' fame bulks up to play Bane on the small screen in 'Gotham'. Emmy winning Sterling K. Brown who by law anxiously broke out heart in 'The People vs. O.J. Simpson' is even better at home here. In the biggest couple of years that has seen him hit the blockbuster big-screen this calender with 'Black Panther' and 'Predator'. As the charming, charisma machine with feeling shows us this is one of the greats of our generation. With wonderful wife Susan Kelechi Watson standing by his side in perfect partnership, as Randall and the growing Pearson family's calm and coordinated center. Just like sister Chrissy Metz. As great as it gets. Really coming into her own with this and Netflix's new 'Sierra Burgess Is A Big Loser' headed by no other than Barb of 'Stranger Things'. Now that looks like justice to me. Speaking of which her on-screen husband Chris ('Taserface') Sullivan has had our heart too. Since the moment it broke in two just as we were falling for his character from the upside down. If you know then yes you're not crying, we're crying. But it's 'Young and Restless' and 'Smallville' star (yep...remember the original Arrow? Forgive the green get-up) Justin Hartley who really shows depth and dark shadows beneath those Hollywood actor good looks that look like they've been up all night, addicted to the booze bruised wrong side of partying. And if you don't think there's heart in that soured soul then you may just be more beat than this in and out of work actor character, played by one who should always be guaranteed a payday now. Still the real spine of this story lies in the spindly Ron Cephas Jones. Also of...wait for it like Easter, 'Luke Cage' fame. Not to mention 'Venom' for all you Marvel superhero eggheads. His beast of an old as father time tale is as tragically beautiful as his love for a Billie Holiday mural across the street by nightfall. God bless the child that's got its own. And this one has it all. Like everyone else, even if they just don't know it yet. 'This Is Us'. This is you. This is me. This is love. This is life ('Life Itself'). This is it. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Life Itself', 'Boyhood' , 'Desperate Housewives'.
No comments:
Post a Comment