A
This Is Us delivers an outstanding episode about brotherhood and war
In an attempt to fill some cinematic blindspots, I’ve found myself watching a lot of Vietnam War…
This Is Us
B+
This Is Us sings the bittersweet ballad of Rebecca Pearson
As a human being, I have innate emotional reactions to the media I watch, and as a critic, it’s my…
B-
This Is Us tries to tell way too many stories, at least stumbles upon some interesting ones
The third season premiere of This Is Us felt a little undercooked, and this week’s episode has the opposite problem of…
B-
This Is Us’ third season premiere offers new beginnings, new mysteries
Between last year’s second season premiere and tonight’s third season one, This Is Us has established a template for…
B
This Is Us ends its second season with love, hope, and a little fan service
“The Wedding” spends its runtime trying to convince us that something bad is going to happen. Will Kate freak out and…
A
This Is Us proves it’s one of the most formally inventive shows on TV
Even among those who like it, This Is Us often gets discussed as if it’s a conventional, old-fashioned family drama.…
B-
After a string of dramatic episodes, This Is Us blows off steam in Vegas
After three episodes focused on the devastating death of Jack Pearson, tonight marks the start of a new era for This Is…
B+
A lyrical This Is Us memorializes Jack Pearson
Taken together, the past three episodes of This Is Us have served as a mini-series about Jack Pearson’s death. “That’ll…
A-
This Is Us offers an answer about its past and a twist about its future
“I just need two minutes, okay? I’m going to step aside for two minutes.”
B
A game-changing This Is Us builds to a fiery cliffhanger
Given the dramatic way it was advertised and the fact that the lyric referenced in its title—“That’ll Be The Day”—ends…
B+
This Is Us throws every last care away, goes to the mall... today!
There’s a scene towards the end of “Clooney” in which Kate and her support group frenemy Madison have an emotional…
B
This Is Us heads to therapy to discuss some very meta issues
The most interesting idea at the core of “The Fifth Wheel” is that the Pearsons are a family of addicts. It’s an idea…
B+
This Is Us swaps melodrama for maturity as Randall takes center stage
I was really nervous heading into “Number Three.” As I mentioned in my review of “The Most Disappointed Man,” TV seldom…
B
Kate’s This Is Us episode tells a powerful but imperfect story about loss
TV dramas don’t necessarily shy away from depicting miscarriages, but more often than not they’re used as a plot device…
A-
A Kevin-centric This Is Us kicks off a unique trio of episodes
There’s an image in “Number One” that helped me understand Kevin Pearson more than the past 25 episodes of This Is Us…
B-
The Pearsons square off against the legal system, but This Is Us fails to make its case
This Is Us is a show that tends to build episodes around character rather than theme. Last week, Kate’s issues with…
B+
A Halloween-themed This Is Us explores the scariest thing of all: Your 20s
So let’s get one thing out of the way up front: Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley are all talented…
B+
Small moments make a big impact on a lovely This Is Us
One of the things I vividly remember about being a kid is the excitement of going somewhere new with your parents.…
B
This Is Us veers into after-school special territory, even more than usual
Racism is bad, personal hygiene is important, and pushing yourself too hard while recovering from an injury can be…
B
Sylvester Stallone helps This Is Us explore mental health and masculinity
“Déjà Vu” is an episode full of interesting ideas that spreads itself a little too thin in an effort to fit them all…