Over the past few months, I’ve been watching a Netflix series called This Is Us. I try to catch an episode after my husband has fallen asleep, though I often fall asleep myself. That’s probably why I haven’t finished the series yet, though I do not look forward to it ending. What will I watch then?

From the very first show, I was captivated—though I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Perhaps it’s the portrayal of real-life people facing genuine real-life issues. Perhaps it is because there are no antagonistic villains, deceit, criminal activity, excessive drug use, or gratuitous sex. As I’m now more than halfway through the six-season series, I feel compelled to share my thoughts about it with you primarily because, if you haven’t seen it, you might want to check it out.

Milo Ventimiglia

I gave the drama a shot because of Milo Ventimiglia, though the trailer hooked me as well. Jess (Milo’s character on Gilmore Girls) started out as a troubled bad boy but ended up being good for Rory in the end. This was a series I really liked… until A Year in the Life. Gilmore Girls reminded me of the dynamic I had with my mother, single, hard-working. It left us with a feeling of hope, a future uncertain but brimming with possibilities. Rory was smart, determined and received many advantages. Though, A Year in the Life, when they came back eight years later, Rory had little ambition, was jumping from bed to bed, literally, and hadn’t found much of any success in life. It was nice to watch, but an utter disappointment, as I am sure most of us wanted a happier ending for her. But I digress…

This Is Us is series that follows the lives of two parents, Jack (Milo) and Rebecca and their three children, Kevin, Kate, and Randall. They take us through their story in several different time frames. I find that aspect fascinating but more so how they connect it all together. Each time I have a spare hour I find myself wanting to watch it. I love the human connection. How they work things out, catching the story from three sides as it pulls together seamlessly. The fact that they are there for each other, no matter what comes up in their lives. The fact that each person has their own situation but it isn’t so dire you just want to give it all up. It pulls at human emotions that we rarely tap these days.

Lifetime Movies & Hallmark Christmas

In an entertainment world filled with dystopian shoot-em-ups, violence, low morals, and content so shocking our grandparents would have had a heart attack, I find the simplistic story-line a joy to escape into. While I am female, and of course love Hallmark Christmas movies and Lifetime dramas, I find the tropes over-used, the stories a repeat of past movies, and the forgiveness of lies, deceit and wanting to steal the family vineyard, until they fall in love, absolutely despicable.

I don’t believe the majority of the people on this world willfully act that way. That married peoples lips turn magnetic if they get too close to someone of the opposite sex. I believe that we each have morals and know right from wrong. When Hollywood shows us, over and over again, that we can’t be friends with a guy, that the wife is going to be jealous, it keeps all of us from growing close with one another, cultivating friendships, and being a part of each other’s lives.

K-Dramas

I think that’s also why I love Korean Dramas. Dubbed K-Dramas, for my husband. Did you know their episodes are an hour and twenty minutes long? Almost twice as long as American dramas. Did you know that out of twenty plus episodes, they two main characters likely won’t figure out their feelings and kiss until episode eighteen? And did you know that the artistic way they develop their stores and wrap up the endings in an extended feel-good way gives you multiple hours of satisfaction? I also love learning about another culture, a clean culture.

Hollywood loves to make the show about the challenge, the hardship. They struggle to get over the hurdle for 99% of the movie and in the last couple of minutes, they get their happy ending, the music swells, and then it is a fade to black. You don’t get to live in that happy moment that you spent hours fighting to get to. Maybe I am just tired of the fight.  

AI Stories

With AI taking over so much, including becoming the topic of most of the discussions on social media, I find the escape into This Is Us just plain necessary. It takes us back to simpler times. It keeps us involved with the human aspect of life. AI may be writing books and the Screen Writers Guild may be worried AI will soon start writing and producing our entertainment, but as long as we remember what it is like to be human, we win.

Are life’s stresses getting you down? Does the news just seem too dire? If the same old challenge-filled shows are not your cup of tea anymore and the evil they are trying to pass as entertainment is turning you off… then I highly encourage you to check out This Is Us.

And no – I am not getting a kick back or anything from saying all of this and recommending the show. I just want to encourage inspirational, clean entertainment. I also hope it ends well, especially after saying all of this.

This is us