To the cast & crew of Once Upon a Time:
From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to thank you. I want to thank you for seven amazing years of storytelling and sharing your adventures with us. When I was younger, I wanted to be an amazing storyteller and I fell in love with the show Smallville. It was a series that lit a fire in me and helped me find my passion for storytelling in television. After the series ended, I had other shows I watched, but none that really moved me or touched my soul. I didn't watch Once Upon a Time when it first aired, but I had heard of the series from so many people and I had just started college right around the time I got into Season Two. I started the show, but I stopped after Season One Episode 7 to hilariously convince myself that it was worth watching after the death of Graham. I was considerably heartbroken in a funny way.
I'm glad I managed to continue on because Once has become one of my all time favorite shows and at a time where I started in film school, a time where I was trying to find my voice as an adult and a storyteller, your show inspired me more than words can really say. Yet again, I found another series that rejuvenated my imagination and created all of these new ideas for me to write about. There wasn't just one thing in particular I was motivated by, but what Kitsis and Horowitz have created is masterful. For me, it was the storytelling, the character development, the tone, and the overall message of the series. It's true when people say they grew up with these characters, so it truly makes me feel like a kid again.
I admired Emma's strength and truthfully, going through my depression and anxiety disorder was absolutely terrifying. To watch an incredibly talented woman like Jennifer Morrison portray this powerful character who was lost and very lonely at the beginning of the series made me feel not so alone in what I was going through. At times, I felt abandoned and forgotten in my life, so it was amazing to have someone like that to admire.
Thankfully, Once just wasn't one connection for me. In other ways, I connected to Regina and I can't tell you how much I adore Lana Parrilla. She is an incredibly strong woman and absolutely brilliant and watching her go through this massive transformation with her character was so moving. I was at a point in my life after my depression where I had to fight my darkest side and then I finally learned to not be afraid of my mental illness. Watching Regina accept her darker half really helped me get through that part of my depression for me.
I admired the incredible journeys that Emma and Killian had to go through together to fight for each other. It wasn't an easy road and that was more compelling to watch because it's important to create obstacles for those kinds of relationships. It was parallel to Snow White and Prince Charming and everything they went through to be with each other. I also love that Snow White and Charming weren't always these ideal heroes. They had their dark moments too and for me, the fact that your show was always willing to give these characters an opportunity to be flawed and not be heroic all the time is so human.
Being human is a huge part of this show because so many people look up to these heroes and even the villains are role models! Watching Robert Carlyle for this entire series has been ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Rumple has come so far and for him to finally get the chance to face off with the darkest part of himself really makes me so proud. I've been cheering for him to find his happy ending from day one. It's important for fans to see that even those who have spent their entire life doing wrong can do good.
There is just so much to this show I can boast about proudly. More importantly, watching Henry Mills go through his journey has been one of the best parts of this series. For me, he was always the heart of the show and he gave me hope in my life. He believed so much in everyone he loves and the fact that he finally has been given a chance to share his story this season makes me so happy!
I have come far because of this show as a writer. The cast and crew have outdone themselves for this series for a very long time and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you've given us your dedication, time, and energy into making these stories so great! It breaks my heart I'm losing you, but I will carry that spark you've given me in every single story I tell. You've given me so much hope in myself through these characters and I'm forever grateful for that!
Friday, May 18, 2018
Sunday, May 13, 2018
My Timeless Story
The #Timeless 2 hour Season Finale is upon us and fans are preparing to fight hard for the show as its fate is still undecided. From what I've seen, this show has some of the most loyal, passionate, and determined fans of any series. They not only show it through their initiative, but by sharing their stories of what Timeless has done for them.
My story is nothing special, but one I'm proud to share. I've been a writer since the age of 12 and I knew when I was in the 12th grade I wanted to be in the television and film industry. So when I watch shows, it isn't any ordinary story I look for. I watch shows with compelling characters, dynamic and interesting storylines, and shows with a lot of heart. I not only saw that in Timeless, but the cast and crew's dedication to this show, how genuine and heartfelt they all are, has inspired me as a creative and ignited that spark and love I have for storytelling all over again. So yes...this show has transformed a lot of us and it hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of what it can do and who it can inspire. Which is why it needs to continue on. It has a voice with an incredible power to change and affect people on a phenomenal level.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Save Lucifer Letter!
For avid Lucifer fans, it is a sad day. However, it doesn't have to be permanent. Fox released the list of shows that have been cancelled off of their network and among many of them this year, Lucifer was one of them. It would appear, despite that decision, fans of the show have been fighting back on Twitter with a #SaveLucifer campaign. The show will be airing its Season Three finale on Monday, which will now be considered possibly their last episode unless the campaign manages to resurrect the series.
Lucifer tells the story of Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) who surfaces from Hell to live his life on Earth. There, he meets a beautiful and intriguing detective, Chloe (Lauren German), who is one of the only people that manages to be immune to his Devilish charms. Fascinated by her, Lucifer decides to build a relationship with her as well as help her solve crimes all while dealing with the consequences of his return to Earth. The series is just finishing up their third season with one more episode to go and this season has brought about a lot of twists and turns. Not to mention, it has also brought some fresh faces to the series. Smallville actor, Tom Welling joined the cast at the beginning of the season as Marcus Pierce, who came in to shake things up between Lucifer and Chloe.
According to how consistent the ratings of Lucifer are compared to most shows, it startles fans that FOX cut this particular drama. There was no falter of relentless fan support, yet there is a possibility the show was cancelled to make room for something else. This isn't to come at FOX for its disappointing decision-making whether it be Lucifer or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Fans are also hoping and standing by #RenewGotham as that show still hasn't received its fate yet.
To FOX in regards to Lucifer:
There is no reason why this show had to be cancelled. Every year, networks such as yourself have to make these calls and the truth is, sometimes they are the wrong ones. Whether or not you recognize the incredible fan loyalty and support that Lucifer has is up to you, but all of them have waged a #SaveLucifer war on Twitter and will continue to fight for it. In the past, this hasn't just been done with your network, but it didn't work out so well for NBC when they cancelled Chuck after Season Two. That fanbase was loyal and brought it back, even if for only three more seasons. NBC made another mistake in cutting Timeless after Season One and once again, the fans rose to the occasion and brought it back and are continuously fighting for it as we speak.
My point is...I've seen what fan loyalty can do. I've seen relentless support of these television shows and how much people respond to the characters and the storytelling. I know because I am a fan of so many diverse shows. I don't watch ordinary television and I don't watch shows that have no purpose. I watch shows with extraordinary storytelling and incredibly well-developed characters that audience members can relate to and go on these emotional journeys with. I watch shows that have truly inspired others who suffer from mental illness or inspire them to be stronger individuals. It's not because of just the phenomenal writing from the writers' rooms or the stellar work of the crew and the directors, but it's because of the heart and soul of their cast. Every show I've supported has had the backing of humble, honest, and incredibly supportive cast members. They genuinely LOVE their projects and they LOVE their fans. Those are the kind of extraordinary shows that develop these passionate fanbases and that is why you made a mistake, FOX, in choosing to eliminate Lucifer. It's no ordinary show. And if you won't have it, we will find someone that will!
Lucifer tells the story of Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) who surfaces from Hell to live his life on Earth. There, he meets a beautiful and intriguing detective, Chloe (Lauren German), who is one of the only people that manages to be immune to his Devilish charms. Fascinated by her, Lucifer decides to build a relationship with her as well as help her solve crimes all while dealing with the consequences of his return to Earth. The series is just finishing up their third season with one more episode to go and this season has brought about a lot of twists and turns. Not to mention, it has also brought some fresh faces to the series. Smallville actor, Tom Welling joined the cast at the beginning of the season as Marcus Pierce, who came in to shake things up between Lucifer and Chloe.
According to how consistent the ratings of Lucifer are compared to most shows, it startles fans that FOX cut this particular drama. There was no falter of relentless fan support, yet there is a possibility the show was cancelled to make room for something else. This isn't to come at FOX for its disappointing decision-making whether it be Lucifer or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Fans are also hoping and standing by #RenewGotham as that show still hasn't received its fate yet.
To FOX in regards to Lucifer:
There is no reason why this show had to be cancelled. Every year, networks such as yourself have to make these calls and the truth is, sometimes they are the wrong ones. Whether or not you recognize the incredible fan loyalty and support that Lucifer has is up to you, but all of them have waged a #SaveLucifer war on Twitter and will continue to fight for it. In the past, this hasn't just been done with your network, but it didn't work out so well for NBC when they cancelled Chuck after Season Two. That fanbase was loyal and brought it back, even if for only three more seasons. NBC made another mistake in cutting Timeless after Season One and once again, the fans rose to the occasion and brought it back and are continuously fighting for it as we speak.
My point is...I've seen what fan loyalty can do. I've seen relentless support of these television shows and how much people respond to the characters and the storytelling. I know because I am a fan of so many diverse shows. I don't watch ordinary television and I don't watch shows that have no purpose. I watch shows with extraordinary storytelling and incredibly well-developed characters that audience members can relate to and go on these emotional journeys with. I watch shows that have truly inspired others who suffer from mental illness or inspire them to be stronger individuals. It's not because of just the phenomenal writing from the writers' rooms or the stellar work of the crew and the directors, but it's because of the heart and soul of their cast. Every show I've supported has had the backing of humble, honest, and incredibly supportive cast members. They genuinely LOVE their projects and they LOVE their fans. Those are the kind of extraordinary shows that develop these passionate fanbases and that is why you made a mistake, FOX, in choosing to eliminate Lucifer. It's no ordinary show. And if you won't have it, we will find someone that will!
The Season of Renewal & Cancellations
It's that time of year! The time where all major networks begin putting their television shows on the chopping block. For massive fans, it is the worst time of year because that means potentially losing their favorite television shows. FOX Network is taking the heat of a million fans from multiple shows this year because of their quick-to-cut attitude towards Lucifer and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a half hour comedy very familiar to shooting styles such as The Office and Parks & Rec. The series had SNL familiar, Andy Samberg playing Jake Peralta and also starred Terry Crews as well. When the news of the series being cancelled came out, fans took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the decision. Let's just say none of them were pleased with this decision at all. There has been a massive #SaveBrooklynNineNine campaign in hopes that streaming services like Hulu or Netflix will scoop it up. This has of course been done before and wouldn't be surprising since Hulu already streams Brooklyn Nine-Nine on their service.
Fox continued their massacre by canceling Lucifer next, starring Tom Ellis as the front-man Lucifer Morningstar and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Once again, already, there have been over 200 million Tweets and rising to come to Lucifer's defense. Fans of the series are campaigning to also have Lucifer either picked back up by another network or streaming service or for Fox to reconsider their decision.
ABC has also joined in the massacre by canceling shows such as Zach Braff's Alex Inc., Deception, Kevin Saves the World, and Designated Survivor. NBC might possibly join the massacre if they go after fan favorites such as Timeless to take down like they did previously after Season One. However, this year, there has been a massive fight to keep Timeless remaining on air. Sadly, NBC has already cancelled Rise, starring Josh Radnor and Rosie Perez.
There seem to be a few underlying problems when it comes to network television these days.
One: Look at the surplus amount of shows that have the same or similar storylines. I can't count how many shows are now about medical dramas. It started with Grey's Anatomy. Now we have shows like The Resident or The Good Doctor. Even more in surplus came Modern Family and The Middle. Then they release more family sitcoms such as Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, and Black-ish. These aren't to say these shows aren't great, but television is saturated with them. This also includes Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, CSI, etc. These are all currently on air and creating constant spin-offs. Again, there is a saturation of these shows. So it's not shocking when shows with a slightly different format airs and ends up cancelled.
Now this isn't always true.
Two: Pilot season is upon us and the networks are interested in what is being pitched right now and need to do some major cutting in order to welcome new material. However, this is probably one of the largest amount of cancellations that has been going on for most of the networks.
One network that seems to always maintain its shows is the CW. The network stands by their superhero, fantasy, teen drama platform with Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Supernatural, Riverdale and iZombie. If ever a network were loyal to their series, it's the CW. Which is why it's no surprise that they usually don't receive too much backlash for their cancellations.
NBC has received plenty of backlash for the cancellation of Timeless in the past and also the action series, Chuck. There was also a fan campaign to save that series when it was cancelled after Season Two.
THREE!
This is by far the most important thing that networks need to understand. They have used a system that is archaic now. Nowadays with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more, people no longer pay for Cable television. There is absolutely no need to buy thousands of channels through DirectTV or DishNetwork when nobody watches all of them. People are busy in their days and nights. The conventional work hours are no longer conventional, so people are working graveyard shifts to make ends meet. It's more convenient for them to stream these shows on Hulu and Netflix, rather than watch it live when it airs. Netflix was invented in 1997, but when it first was found, it's only contribution was sending DVDs to your door.
Friends in 1994 aired its Pilot episode to nearly 22 million viewers. ER in 1994 aired to 23 million viewers. Charmed aired to 7.7 million viewers in 1998. Let's go up a few years. 2006, How I Met Your Mother debuted to 10.9 million viewers. The Office debuted in 2005 to 11.20 million viewers.
If you come up even farther when Netflix and Hulu started streaming and not to mention airing their own television shows, series like Lucifer aired in 2016 at 7 million viewers. Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired at 6.17. What was consistent back in 1994 when Friends aired isn't what is consistent now. The numbers have considerably dropped and the truth is shows like Chicago Fire or Fresh Off The Boat have the same consistency as Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Lucifer. They maintain about the same average viewership. The other issue with standard network television is people can get through a 10 or 13 episode Season on Netflix rather than try to maintain attention for a full hour of television for 22 episodes straight.
Some would say that currently, the fact that these television networks are cutting all of these shows makes it a television bloodbath.
I would have to agree.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a half hour comedy very familiar to shooting styles such as The Office and Parks & Rec. The series had SNL familiar, Andy Samberg playing Jake Peralta and also starred Terry Crews as well. When the news of the series being cancelled came out, fans took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the decision. Let's just say none of them were pleased with this decision at all. There has been a massive #SaveBrooklynNineNine campaign in hopes that streaming services like Hulu or Netflix will scoop it up. This has of course been done before and wouldn't be surprising since Hulu already streams Brooklyn Nine-Nine on their service.
Fox continued their massacre by canceling Lucifer next, starring Tom Ellis as the front-man Lucifer Morningstar and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Once again, already, there have been over 200 million Tweets and rising to come to Lucifer's defense. Fans of the series are campaigning to also have Lucifer either picked back up by another network or streaming service or for Fox to reconsider their decision.
ABC has also joined in the massacre by canceling shows such as Zach Braff's Alex Inc., Deception, Kevin Saves the World, and Designated Survivor. NBC might possibly join the massacre if they go after fan favorites such as Timeless to take down like they did previously after Season One. However, this year, there has been a massive fight to keep Timeless remaining on air. Sadly, NBC has already cancelled Rise, starring Josh Radnor and Rosie Perez.
There seem to be a few underlying problems when it comes to network television these days.
One: Look at the surplus amount of shows that have the same or similar storylines. I can't count how many shows are now about medical dramas. It started with Grey's Anatomy. Now we have shows like The Resident or The Good Doctor. Even more in surplus came Modern Family and The Middle. Then they release more family sitcoms such as Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, and Black-ish. These aren't to say these shows aren't great, but television is saturated with them. This also includes Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, CSI, etc. These are all currently on air and creating constant spin-offs. Again, there is a saturation of these shows. So it's not shocking when shows with a slightly different format airs and ends up cancelled.
Now this isn't always true.
Two: Pilot season is upon us and the networks are interested in what is being pitched right now and need to do some major cutting in order to welcome new material. However, this is probably one of the largest amount of cancellations that has been going on for most of the networks.
One network that seems to always maintain its shows is the CW. The network stands by their superhero, fantasy, teen drama platform with Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Supernatural, Riverdale and iZombie. If ever a network were loyal to their series, it's the CW. Which is why it's no surprise that they usually don't receive too much backlash for their cancellations.
NBC has received plenty of backlash for the cancellation of Timeless in the past and also the action series, Chuck. There was also a fan campaign to save that series when it was cancelled after Season Two.
THREE!
This is by far the most important thing that networks need to understand. They have used a system that is archaic now. Nowadays with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more, people no longer pay for Cable television. There is absolutely no need to buy thousands of channels through DirectTV or DishNetwork when nobody watches all of them. People are busy in their days and nights. The conventional work hours are no longer conventional, so people are working graveyard shifts to make ends meet. It's more convenient for them to stream these shows on Hulu and Netflix, rather than watch it live when it airs. Netflix was invented in 1997, but when it first was found, it's only contribution was sending DVDs to your door.
Friends in 1994 aired its Pilot episode to nearly 22 million viewers. ER in 1994 aired to 23 million viewers. Charmed aired to 7.7 million viewers in 1998. Let's go up a few years. 2006, How I Met Your Mother debuted to 10.9 million viewers. The Office debuted in 2005 to 11.20 million viewers.
If you come up even farther when Netflix and Hulu started streaming and not to mention airing their own television shows, series like Lucifer aired in 2016 at 7 million viewers. Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired at 6.17. What was consistent back in 1994 when Friends aired isn't what is consistent now. The numbers have considerably dropped and the truth is shows like Chicago Fire or Fresh Off The Boat have the same consistency as Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Lucifer. They maintain about the same average viewership. The other issue with standard network television is people can get through a 10 or 13 episode Season on Netflix rather than try to maintain attention for a full hour of television for 22 episodes straight.
Some would say that currently, the fact that these television networks are cutting all of these shows makes it a television bloodbath.
I would have to agree.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Renew Timeless Letter
To NBC in regards to Timeless,
On behalf of the entire Clockblockers, I say with great and intense passion that you MUST and SHOULD continue to air this television series. As an avid fan, this isn't a show you should keep on for one more season, but for many more. Timeless does an incredibly unique and wonderful thing every single week. The show brings history closer to the world. These are pivotal moments in time that are honored, remembered, and now reintroduced to a new demographic in a creative and compelling way. History was one of my favorite classes in high school, so I have a constant admiration for it and no show has been able to best represent history the way that Timeless has. They've done it through brilliant and masterful screenwriting, phenomenal cinematography and storytelling, and a passionate, supportive, and dynamic cast. The show conquers important storylines that relate heavily to current events and you would not only being doing a disservice to the fans, but to the world. You would be halting what could potentially be one of the most inspirational and groundbreaking shows in history. Don't be Rittenhouse and destroy the future. Make history and #RenewTimeless!
On behalf of the entire Clockblockers, I say with great and intense passion that you MUST and SHOULD continue to air this television series. As an avid fan, this isn't a show you should keep on for one more season, but for many more. Timeless does an incredibly unique and wonderful thing every single week. The show brings history closer to the world. These are pivotal moments in time that are honored, remembered, and now reintroduced to a new demographic in a creative and compelling way. History was one of my favorite classes in high school, so I have a constant admiration for it and no show has been able to best represent history the way that Timeless has. They've done it through brilliant and masterful screenwriting, phenomenal cinematography and storytelling, and a passionate, supportive, and dynamic cast. The show conquers important storylines that relate heavily to current events and you would not only being doing a disservice to the fans, but to the world. You would be halting what could potentially be one of the most inspirational and groundbreaking shows in history. Don't be Rittenhouse and destroy the future. Make history and #RenewTimeless!
Monday, April 16, 2018
The Timeless Connection of History
WARNING: This review contains spoilers!
Last night on NBC hit another home run for the television show, Timeless. The brand new episode, "The Kennedy Curse" aired on its usual time slot on Sunday night and not only did the writers bring the energy up for this one, but the show took a new direction from their regular format. It's no surprise Timeless offers just about everything for audiences of all kind. The show offers a great amount of suspense, romantic storylines, and twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing and constantly intrigued. This show is so smart and well-written, that it always keeps the audience wanting more each week.
The usual format for Timeless for the past season and a half so far has been following Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) in the time machine to another point in history. The show has taken their fans on epic adventures throughout time like the Hindenburg, the Salem Witch Trials, 1940s Hollywood, and more. One of the most difficult challenges that comes with time travel in television is constantly keeping a balance between present time and past time, but the show has no problem with that at all. The writing flows effortlessly that it never confuses the audience and the characters are easy to keep track of.
While Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus are a huge part of the show, as well as Flynn (Goran Visjnic) and the entire time team, perhaps one of the most incredible reasons this show stands out is the historical characters they feature every week. "The Kennedy Curse" took so many brilliant risks that it elevated the strength of the already established Timeless energy. Rather than going back in time, Wyatt and Rufus go with Flynn to 1934 to chase Rittenhouse to stop them from killing a young John F. Kennedy. However, in order to protect Kennedy, Wyatt and Rufus kidnap him, leave Flynn behind, and bring Kennedy to present time 2018.
For the past season and a half, Timeless has brought their Time Team to history and last night, the writers brought history to the fans. Each historical character has been magnificent to watch in each episode. From Bonnie and Clyde to Lincoln to Hedy Lamarr and more; the show has created impressive and lovable versions of monumental figures in time. When it comes to introducing such an important historical figure like John F. Kennedy in the show, Timeless didn't disappoint.
Grant Jordan played the beloved young JFK in the episode and blended well with the other Timeless veterans. Kennedy woke up in the bunker and was greeted by a stunned Lucy, who couldn't believe Wyatt and Rufus kidnapped him. When Kennedy asked what was going on, Lucy informs him that someone tried to kill him and his father requested security watch out for him. She tells him that Wyatt and Rufus saved his life, but when they leave the room, something feels off to Kennedy. Lucy goes back into the room later on to find out that Kennedy has escaped the bunker through the air vents.
Wyatt, Lucy, and Wyatt's wife, Jessica form a search party to find Kennedy. At this point, Jessica has been informed of the time traveling Lifeboat in the previous episode and has come back into Wyatt's life, causing some uneasiness between Lucy and Wyatt. Meanwhile, Agent Christopher is kidnapped by Carol (Susanna Thompson) and threatened when she is trying to find out where Kennedy is.
Kennedy has made his way around present time to a gas station and immediately discovers it is the year 2018 from a magazine. He then, meets a few young students and hitches a ride with them to a party. While on the way to the party, Kennedy's issues with his health start to affect him and he ends up in the hospital. Knowing his history very well, Lucy manages to track Kennedy to the hospital with Wyatt and Jessica. The only problem is that Emma (Anna Wersching) tracks Kennedy to the hospital and tries to kill him.
Kennedy makes it to the party with help from his new friends and eventually tells the young girl he is with that he is John F. Kennedy from 1934. Rather than think he is crazy, she indulges his proclamation and she shows Kennedy who he becomes. Kennedy finds out that he becomes President of the United States, but also that his family suffers tragedy after tragedy. Finally, he discovers he is killed two years into his term.
For every moment in this show, the biggest thing that was important to Lucy and the others was to never mess with history. Lucy was the one member of the team who cared the most about keeping the timeline the same. Timeless decided to take an entirely different route and informed a major historical character of his future before it happened. Grant Jordan's genuine reactions to these events came off the screen phenomenally.
His portrayal as one of the most amazing Presidents in the world was real and heartfelt. His character fit in effortlessly with the Timeless cast. The reason this episode made more of an impact on most of the fans was because Timeless has spent the past season and a half following history, but in this episode the show redefined history.
By bringing Kennedy to 2018, the show created an incredible and unique connection between this amazing historical figure and the fans. The idea that a show can profoundly affect viewers in this timeframe by bringing them closer to people who made huge impacts on the world is one of the most impressive and exciting feelings ever.
When they return Kennedy to his time, he asks Lucy if he was a great President. Lucy informs him that he was one of the best. This moment is a real defining point in Lucy's transformation as well because Rufus tells Kennedy to not go to Dallas. He tries to stop Kennedy from being assassinated and while Rufus makes the mistake in telling him the wrong city, Lucy didn't stop Rufus. Lucy wanted Kennedy to change his fate and knowing how strongly she felt about keeping history the same, watching her make that kind of decision shows how passionately she felt about this amazing human being.
When fans feel that connection with the main characters, when they sense the passion and admiration that Lucy and Rufus have for Kennedy and what he accomplished, it is heartbreaking. Because Timeless has redefined a moment in history for an entire generation that brought them closer to John F. Kennedy himself.
That is the impressive and beautiful thing about this show. Watching it every week is a Timeless Connection to History.
You can catch Timeless on NBC on Sunday night at 10/9c.
Last night on NBC hit another home run for the television show, Timeless. The brand new episode, "The Kennedy Curse" aired on its usual time slot on Sunday night and not only did the writers bring the energy up for this one, but the show took a new direction from their regular format. It's no surprise Timeless offers just about everything for audiences of all kind. The show offers a great amount of suspense, romantic storylines, and twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing and constantly intrigued. This show is so smart and well-written, that it always keeps the audience wanting more each week.
The usual format for Timeless for the past season and a half so far has been following Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) in the time machine to another point in history. The show has taken their fans on epic adventures throughout time like the Hindenburg, the Salem Witch Trials, 1940s Hollywood, and more. One of the most difficult challenges that comes with time travel in television is constantly keeping a balance between present time and past time, but the show has no problem with that at all. The writing flows effortlessly that it never confuses the audience and the characters are easy to keep track of.
While Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus are a huge part of the show, as well as Flynn (Goran Visjnic) and the entire time team, perhaps one of the most incredible reasons this show stands out is the historical characters they feature every week. "The Kennedy Curse" took so many brilliant risks that it elevated the strength of the already established Timeless energy. Rather than going back in time, Wyatt and Rufus go with Flynn to 1934 to chase Rittenhouse to stop them from killing a young John F. Kennedy. However, in order to protect Kennedy, Wyatt and Rufus kidnap him, leave Flynn behind, and bring Kennedy to present time 2018.
For the past season and a half, Timeless has brought their Time Team to history and last night, the writers brought history to the fans. Each historical character has been magnificent to watch in each episode. From Bonnie and Clyde to Lincoln to Hedy Lamarr and more; the show has created impressive and lovable versions of monumental figures in time. When it comes to introducing such an important historical figure like John F. Kennedy in the show, Timeless didn't disappoint.
Grant Jordan played the beloved young JFK in the episode and blended well with the other Timeless veterans. Kennedy woke up in the bunker and was greeted by a stunned Lucy, who couldn't believe Wyatt and Rufus kidnapped him. When Kennedy asked what was going on, Lucy informs him that someone tried to kill him and his father requested security watch out for him. She tells him that Wyatt and Rufus saved his life, but when they leave the room, something feels off to Kennedy. Lucy goes back into the room later on to find out that Kennedy has escaped the bunker through the air vents.
Wyatt, Lucy, and Wyatt's wife, Jessica form a search party to find Kennedy. At this point, Jessica has been informed of the time traveling Lifeboat in the previous episode and has come back into Wyatt's life, causing some uneasiness between Lucy and Wyatt. Meanwhile, Agent Christopher is kidnapped by Carol (Susanna Thompson) and threatened when she is trying to find out where Kennedy is.
Kennedy has made his way around present time to a gas station and immediately discovers it is the year 2018 from a magazine. He then, meets a few young students and hitches a ride with them to a party. While on the way to the party, Kennedy's issues with his health start to affect him and he ends up in the hospital. Knowing his history very well, Lucy manages to track Kennedy to the hospital with Wyatt and Jessica. The only problem is that Emma (Anna Wersching) tracks Kennedy to the hospital and tries to kill him.
Kennedy makes it to the party with help from his new friends and eventually tells the young girl he is with that he is John F. Kennedy from 1934. Rather than think he is crazy, she indulges his proclamation and she shows Kennedy who he becomes. Kennedy finds out that he becomes President of the United States, but also that his family suffers tragedy after tragedy. Finally, he discovers he is killed two years into his term.
For every moment in this show, the biggest thing that was important to Lucy and the others was to never mess with history. Lucy was the one member of the team who cared the most about keeping the timeline the same. Timeless decided to take an entirely different route and informed a major historical character of his future before it happened. Grant Jordan's genuine reactions to these events came off the screen phenomenally.
His portrayal as one of the most amazing Presidents in the world was real and heartfelt. His character fit in effortlessly with the Timeless cast. The reason this episode made more of an impact on most of the fans was because Timeless has spent the past season and a half following history, but in this episode the show redefined history.
By bringing Kennedy to 2018, the show created an incredible and unique connection between this amazing historical figure and the fans. The idea that a show can profoundly affect viewers in this timeframe by bringing them closer to people who made huge impacts on the world is one of the most impressive and exciting feelings ever.
When they return Kennedy to his time, he asks Lucy if he was a great President. Lucy informs him that he was one of the best. This moment is a real defining point in Lucy's transformation as well because Rufus tells Kennedy to not go to Dallas. He tries to stop Kennedy from being assassinated and while Rufus makes the mistake in telling him the wrong city, Lucy didn't stop Rufus. Lucy wanted Kennedy to change his fate and knowing how strongly she felt about keeping history the same, watching her make that kind of decision shows how passionately she felt about this amazing human being.
When fans feel that connection with the main characters, when they sense the passion and admiration that Lucy and Rufus have for Kennedy and what he accomplished, it is heartbreaking. Because Timeless has redefined a moment in history for an entire generation that brought them closer to John F. Kennedy himself.
That is the impressive and beautiful thing about this show. Watching it every week is a Timeless Connection to History.
You can catch Timeless on NBC on Sunday night at 10/9c.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Timeless: Making a Mark on History
Warning: This post contains spoilers!
Back in 2009, around that timeframe, NBC had an action-packed comedy series premiere called Chuck starring Zachary Levi (Tangled, DC's Shazam). The show had aired for two seasons and then after the season two finale, NBC was putting Chuck up on the chopping block until a fan campaign with Zachary Levi and Subway at the forefront saved the series for another three seasons.
After the cancellation of Timeless, the loyal fanbase gained from season one banned together for another campaign against NBC's decision. With their dedication and efforts, the show was given a second season on the network and has recently started airing their new episodes. This show's tribute to historical moments throughout the years is phenomenal.
For those who don't know the show very well, Timeless follows three main characters: Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett). The team is brought together in season one to chase after Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić) who steals a time machine from Mason Industries. Flynn makes it his mission to travel throughout time to stop certain things from happening in an effort to take down the organization called Rittenhouse. Without knowing his exact intentions, the Department of Homeland Security puts together the team of Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus in order to stop Flynn. In the first season, Flynn is portrayed as the enemy when slowly it is revealed that Rittenhouse is the real threat.
When the series returned for their second season, the Time Team started off separated as Lucy was missing and Wyatt and Rufus were desperately trying to recover from an explosion that occurred at Mason Industries. Wyatt and Rufus work together with Agent Christopher (Sakina Jaffrey), Jiya Marri (Claudia Doumit), and Connor Mason (Paterson Joseph) to get Lucy home by taking the other time machine back in time to save her. Lucy has been kidnapped by her mother who turned out to be Rittenhouse and is being forced to go throughout time to work for them. When Wyatt and Rufus reunite with Lucy, they discover that Rittenhouse has planted agents throughout history to disrupt the order of time. Even after Lucy is rescued, it appears now the Time Team is going head to head in a literal race against time with Rittenhouse to stop their agents from threatening history itself.
Currently, the show has thrown amazing twists and turns at the audience by resurrecting Wyatt's dead wife, Jessica, which causes a bit of a rift between him and Lucy. Fans knew in the past that there was a romantic connection between the two leads and just when the writers gave the fans a taste of Lucy and Wyatt, they took it away. With Wyatt stepping down in the recent episode, the Time Team needed another partner to join the trip to the Salem Witch Trials. They instilled the help of prisoner, Garcia Flynn, who was captured at the end of season one.
The show did start off finding its own footing throughout season one and was in a competitive race with other shows that aired around the same timeframe like Time After Time. However, coming into season two has clearly shown the fans that Timeless isn't going down without a fight. Season Two offers a great sense of energy. The show is fast-paced with interesting twists and turns, strong character developments, and exciting adventures.
Timeless stands out with well-written characters brilliantly performed by the actors in the role. Abigail Spencer is strong, confident, and empowering in her role as Lucy. Spencer dominates her scenes with grace and intelligence. Just recently Lucy has gone through some powerful and heartbreaking character transformations as her mother is a part of Rittenhouse and has numerous times betrayed her own daughter. Watching Spencer deliver the heartbreak and pain that Lucy feels for what she's going through is absolutely stunning. She has a real connection to the audience and it is clear that Spencer has helped embody a character that fans really respect and adore. This season also has given Spencer a chance to show off her singing ability in a recent 1940s Hollywood episode.
Time Team members Wyatt and Rufus have had to go through a bit of a transformation as well. Lanter's character has gone through heartache when he thought he lost Lucy and then discovered his true feelings for her. While Wyatt still remains determined, stubborn, and strong, he's also been more reckless and emotional this season. Matt Lanter is absolutely powerful in these more emotional scenes, which is no surprise as his experience in drama television is extensive. There is undeniable chemistry between Spencer and Lanter when Lucy and Wyatt are together and it is written in a way where it doesn't overpower the actual purpose of the series. Sometimes two characters' love story can overpower a show and this one definitely doesn't take away from what makes Timeless special.
Malcolm Barrett has continued to offer his comedic sense of timing in the role of Rufus, but has also become more of the leader of the group. Rufus is the one who continues to keep the team grounded, provides a support system for what Jiya is going through, and has an admirable loyalty to the entire team. Rufus is currently going through a change of his own, starting to experience the dark sides of messing with time travel. Whenever Barrett is on the scene, he not only dominates with his humor, but his heart and his honesty.
Just recently, Goran Višnjić has come back into the Time Team as ally, Flynn, and has immediately offered an unorthodox, but refreshing energy to the team. While they spent an entire year chasing after Flynn, having him on the team now makes the dynamic on the show more unpredictable and exciting. It is clear that Višnjić brings great fire to the role and there is no doubt fans are eager to see how his connection with Lucy plays out this season.
Timeless clearly shows their appreciation and love of history throughout the series by not only creating these incredible and strong characters, but by doing historical figures justice. The characters throughout time that are brought onto this show are portrayed in such a pure and honorable way that it seems fans can really find a new appreciation for history. The show connects people to these characters as if they could have actually lived in that timeframe and been a part of that moment. Timeless also does this through their brilliant wardrobe team and production design.
The cast and crew is also dedicated to their product, which means a lot to their fans. Constantly, the cast keeps their connection to their loyal fanbase by participating in live Twitter postings and sharing BTS photos from the set. Their love and passion for the show, not to mention their off-screen friendships with each other add to the spirit and heart of Timeless and is apparent whenever they are on screen together.
Overall, Kripke and Ryan have brought a new appreciation to history and have done it in such an exciting way that makes it enjoyable for everyone. The characters are well-written, especially in season two, and the storyline continues to flow effortlessly in a fresh way. Hopefully NBC doesn't make the same mistake twice and cancel Timeless as there is a chance a fan campaign won't keep the show afloat for a second time.
At this point, the only way to save Timeless is to continue to watch it on NBC every Sunday at 10/9c.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Alex, Inc is the New Show the World Needs
Alex, Inc tells the story of a 37-year-old father and husband who quits his job at a company called Cheer Up because they constantly enforce a positive based product. The series is based on a podcast called "StartUp" from Gimlet Media. The show follows Alex Schuman, played by the charming and talented Zach Braff, as he makes the decision to start his own podcast company while maintaining his personal life as a husband and a father to two children. Zach Braff is at the helm of this series not only as an actor, but as a director and an executive producer as well. Prior to the series airing, Braff's passion and love for the series was clear from his constant support on his social media accounts. After watching the first three episodes of the series, it is no surprise as to why Braff is proud of the series. In a time where a lot of negativity has been going around and a lot of struggle, Alex, Inc offers a refreshing break from all of that. It is charming, funny, heartwarming, and creative. Fans of Zach Braff can gain that sense of Scrubs familiarity as Braff incorporates his voice-over narration through the episodes like he used to do as J.D. Dorian.
Braff's humor is also familiar to Dorian's. Rather, his portrayal of Alex Schuman is pretty much effortless as if the character was someone he was born to play. In any scene, Braff is natural, fun, and genuine. Schuman is a lovable father, husband, and friend who has a great sense of humor and a wonderful outlook on life. Not only does Braff's talents light up the screen and make this show special, but the cast he is surrounded by add to the greatness of this series.
Tiya Sircar plays Alex Schuman's wife, Rooni, a lawyer and a fierce woman. It's refreshing to see Sircar portray a female lead that represents not only a supportive partner for Alex, but one that challenges him and believes in him. Sircar offers a sense of grace to the role as well as assertiveness that is not so overpowering. The first three episodes already also prove the heart of the series comes from Schuman's kids, Ben and Soraya, played by Elisha Henig and Audyssie James. Alex Schuman, in the past three episodes, has found a lot of inspiration from his children, making the relationship between his kids and himself all that more special to watch. Braff's family man persona is warm and lighthearted and the strength of the show is apparent whenever the entire family is on screen.
To balance out the family aspect of the series, Alex Schuman works at his podcast office alongside his two teammates, Deidra and Eddie, played by Hillary Anne Matthews and Michael Imperioli. Deidra is a producer and appears to keep Alex more on the ground, offering up ideas that are reasonable and beneficial to the podcast. She also has an adorably and slightly creepy infatuation with Alex, but who wouldn't? Zach Braff has always been a charming fellow. Meanwhile, Alex's second cousin, Eddie, is a bit more extreme. He is the one who challenges Alex and sometimes makes his job tougher. There is always a necessity for someone to push a lead into doing things that they normally wouldn't do and Eddie is that catalyst for Alex. This is apparent when Eddie builds a booth to record the podcast in since the office they work in is noisy and has multiple start-up businesses.The show offers a subtle humor that isn't trying too hard to be funny. Each character is written so well that they hold their own without needing to steal from another character's energy or spotlight. Zach Braff truly has something to be proud of along with creator Matt Tarses.
Alex, Inc is a refreshing break from all of the regular television on air right now. While superhero shows are great and the surplus of cop shows, medical dramas, and sitcoms that seem too hard to be like each other are filling up the time slots, this isn't a show that should fall behind on ABC. In fact, it should be considered at the forefront of most currently. Fans can find a lot of familiarity with a mid-life crisis, but also develop a genuine connection with these characters as they are your neighbors, friends, and family. While one great reason to watch the series is the at-home feel of Braff's monologue narrations and his light, genuine humor, it is truly the heart in this show that makes it worthwhile. ABC has a winner on their hands with this show and here's to hoping that they do not make the mistake in letting this one go. And might I say, the dad look looks great on you, Mr. Braff!
You can unwind from your stress and troubles by tuning into Alex, Inc at 8:30 PM EST on ABC every Wednesday night.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
This is Us, This is Real, This is Genuine
SPOILER ALERT: THIS IS US SPOILERS!
One of the most honest and most brilliant shows on television right now is NBC's This is Us. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, and Sterling K. Brown. The show centers around the lives of five characters taking place over a certain period of time. In the first episode, fans come onto Kevin, Kate, and Randall Pearson (Hartley, Metz, and Brown) celebrating their 36th birthday in the present time. The three of them are siblings and we immediately see that they are trying to figure out their lives. The show also shows flashbacks following the lives of Jack and Rebecca Pearson (Ventimiglia and Moore), the parents of Kevin, Kate, and Randall. Rebecca is pregnant with triplets and when she gives birth to her children, one of them doesn't make it in the birth. Jack Pearson sees that a baby has been abandoned and left at the hospital on the same day his kids are born. Jack and Rebecca take Randall in to raise him as part of their family.
In the present day, we discover that Jack Pearson is no longer alive and Rebecca is married to Jack's friend. Kevin struggles to redefine his identity as he is a famous comedic actor on a television show he doesn't like anymore. When he has a breakdown on the show and quits, Kevin must figure out what he wants to do with his life and what direction he wants to go in. Kate currently holds a job as a waitress and she struggles with her weight. Randall has two children and a wife in a house that he built, living a life he earned from hard work and school, but he decides to find his biological father who abandoned him and ends up rekindling a bond that he lost.
The show is currently on its second season and is airing the season two finale. The fate of the show is unknown right now, but judging on how incredibly compelling the series is, there is no doubt fans will see more of the Pearson family.
This is Us is beautifully written and also very well casted. Each of the characters are relatable, compelling, and real. This story is about struggle, love, friendship, family, having faith, and learning to go through the trials of life together. These are characters that you can be friends with and have real conversations with. They resemble your neighbors, your family, and your friends.
Fans immediately connect to this show at the beginning when they go through the midlife crisis with Kevin (Hartley) as he quits a show that has pretty much defined his whole identity. When he takes a chance on abandoning that identity, he has to begin this journey to find out who he really wants to be and many people can relate to that in real life.
On one hand, you also have Kate (Metz) who is in a weight loss group. She works as a waitress and she has big dreams that she let go of. She wants to be a singer, but her whole life has also been put on the back burner by insecurities and fears. When she meets this joyful and genuine spirit in her weight loss group, Toby (Chris Sullivan), she starts to fall in love and find a way to love herself too.
Randall Pearson (Brown) is this hardworking father married to Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) who has spent his entire life being different from his brother and sister. When he tracks down his biological father, he starts to form a bond with him. Randall brings his father into his family and transforms the people around him.
In the flashbacks, Jack goes through alcoholism and growing up with a judgmental father who also struggled with alcoholism. Jack works a dead end job he doesn't really love, but he makes the sacrifice to provide for his family even though he had dreams of his own. Meanwhile, Rebecca raises three children and she wants to pursue her dreams as a performer and go on tour singing. Together, as a married couple, they struggle to be parents while pursuing their own dreams.
These are every day, real, honest struggles among families and friends. These characters create such a genuine and pure show that makes it so incredible to watch every week. Perhaps one of the most amazing storylines that has happened so far is in the newer season. The show has picked up considerably with storylines.
Kevin had inherited his father's alcoholism when his career had started to fall apart. He ended up becoming dangerous to his friends and family and he was losing a huge part of himself. In one particular episode, Hartley had really went above and beyond in being raw and heartbreakingly beautiful when Kevin was desperate to find his father's necklace, begging a girl he slept with outside of her house to find it for him. He, at that point, was beyond repair and it was an incredible performance to see come across the screen. Many people have experienced hopelessness and heartbreak to that capacity. Kevin has never really dealt with his father's death because we discover later in season two that on the day of his father's death, he wasn't home. With his identity being one thing his whole life, it's understandable that his childhood follows him into his adult life because he spent his childhood trying to be the star of the family. He was in football and he got injured during a game and lost his chance to be a great athlete, so he had to redefine his identity early on. Kevin was also always the alienated sibling of the family as he never had a close relationship with his father or mother.
In regards to Kate's experience with her childhood, every person has experienced this before as well. Growing up, she wasn't perfect and she hated shopping with her mother or even talking about beauty with her mother because in her eyes, Rebecca was absolutely stunning. Rebecca had a beautiful singing voice, thin body, and a gorgeous face. Meanwhile, Kate's dad, Jack, always saw Kate as this beautiful, strong woman. He always endorsed her singing and believed in her more than anyone. You can immediately tell that Jack and Kate had a strong bond. Into adulthood, Kate carries her insecurities with her weight and she doesn't pursue singing because of her mother. She never felt good enough and she also carries blame into her adult life for her father's death as she left her dog behind in the house fire and Jack ran back in to save the dog. (No. He didn't die in the fire.) You can see as Kate talks to her mother when she's older that she still doesn't want to tell Rebecca that she sings or that she had a miscarriage. However, when Kate experiences her miscarriage it creates a closeness between her mother and her when Rebecca shares what she went through when she lost her other son, Kyle.
Randall's life seems perfect almost. He has this strong, supportive wife who sometimes can seem abrasive and non-supportive. He has two talented daughters and a beautiful house that he built. Randall has a good job that pays him well. Growing up he was the intelligent and responsible sibling who always received relentless support from his father and mother. However, he had a strained relationship with Kevin as they never got along and his bond with Kate was better since she always saw Randall as this amazing person. Despite having a good childhood, Randall knew he was different from his siblings because of his color. He wanted to know who his biological father was so when he turns 36, Randall tracks his father down and shares how angry he is about being left at the fire station. When Randall gets to know his father, he realizes that he was missing a piece of himself for most of his life. Currently, Randall took it upon himself to leave his job and find more meaning after his father died of cancer. Randall wanted to do the same thing his mother did for him and take a foster kid in, which causes some ups and downs in his family.
Out of every character in the show, it appears clear that the heart of the entire series is Jack Pearson. Rather than make him a distant memory, the show has built the entire framework around Jack Pearson. He is truly the heart and soul of the series. Jack is a hardworking father with flaws, but above all his family always comes first. When he reaches the point of his life where his alcoholism starts to affect his family, Jack doesn't hide from his wife and kids. He is honest with them and he promises to work on his addiction. With the support of his family, Jack starts to heal and he finds ways to combat his vice. Through this transformation, Jack becomes stronger for it and the fans can relate to his inner demons. However, Jack is also loving, forgiving, and beyond supportive. He gives the whole world to Rebecca and supports her endeavors as she does his. They are a strong couple that combat the world's challenges as a team. Whenever Kate doubts herself, Jack is there by her side reminding her how incredibly talented and beautiful she is. Jack constantly represents what a good man is for his family simply because of the love and strength he instills in everyone around him.
Perhaps it's heartbreaking when Super Bowl aired the episode which started the heartbreaking story of how Jack is no longer alive. On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack Pearson clearly tries to bring his family together for an important event, but by then, his kids are 17 years old and would rather do something other than spend time with family. Kate leaves. Randall has a girlfriend. Kevin is with his girlfriend. It leaves Jack to celebrate with his wife, Rebecca, but it's heartbreaking to watch as Jack wants a little more time with his kids. The sacrifice he also makes to rescue Kate and Randall from the fire and help them get out of the house with Rebecca shows how incredible this character really is.
Jack Pearson is selfless. He's honest. He's loving. He's strong. He's truly the heart and soul of this entire show and the reason I believe This is Us holds up well as one of the best shows of all time.
The season two finale airs on NBC on Tuesday, March 13.
One of the most honest and most brilliant shows on television right now is NBC's This is Us. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, and Sterling K. Brown. The show centers around the lives of five characters taking place over a certain period of time. In the first episode, fans come onto Kevin, Kate, and Randall Pearson (Hartley, Metz, and Brown) celebrating their 36th birthday in the present time. The three of them are siblings and we immediately see that they are trying to figure out their lives. The show also shows flashbacks following the lives of Jack and Rebecca Pearson (Ventimiglia and Moore), the parents of Kevin, Kate, and Randall. Rebecca is pregnant with triplets and when she gives birth to her children, one of them doesn't make it in the birth. Jack Pearson sees that a baby has been abandoned and left at the hospital on the same day his kids are born. Jack and Rebecca take Randall in to raise him as part of their family.
In the present day, we discover that Jack Pearson is no longer alive and Rebecca is married to Jack's friend. Kevin struggles to redefine his identity as he is a famous comedic actor on a television show he doesn't like anymore. When he has a breakdown on the show and quits, Kevin must figure out what he wants to do with his life and what direction he wants to go in. Kate currently holds a job as a waitress and she struggles with her weight. Randall has two children and a wife in a house that he built, living a life he earned from hard work and school, but he decides to find his biological father who abandoned him and ends up rekindling a bond that he lost.
The show is currently on its second season and is airing the season two finale. The fate of the show is unknown right now, but judging on how incredibly compelling the series is, there is no doubt fans will see more of the Pearson family.
This is Us is beautifully written and also very well casted. Each of the characters are relatable, compelling, and real. This story is about struggle, love, friendship, family, having faith, and learning to go through the trials of life together. These are characters that you can be friends with and have real conversations with. They resemble your neighbors, your family, and your friends.
Fans immediately connect to this show at the beginning when they go through the midlife crisis with Kevin (Hartley) as he quits a show that has pretty much defined his whole identity. When he takes a chance on abandoning that identity, he has to begin this journey to find out who he really wants to be and many people can relate to that in real life.
On one hand, you also have Kate (Metz) who is in a weight loss group. She works as a waitress and she has big dreams that she let go of. She wants to be a singer, but her whole life has also been put on the back burner by insecurities and fears. When she meets this joyful and genuine spirit in her weight loss group, Toby (Chris Sullivan), she starts to fall in love and find a way to love herself too.
Randall Pearson (Brown) is this hardworking father married to Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) who has spent his entire life being different from his brother and sister. When he tracks down his biological father, he starts to form a bond with him. Randall brings his father into his family and transforms the people around him.
In the flashbacks, Jack goes through alcoholism and growing up with a judgmental father who also struggled with alcoholism. Jack works a dead end job he doesn't really love, but he makes the sacrifice to provide for his family even though he had dreams of his own. Meanwhile, Rebecca raises three children and she wants to pursue her dreams as a performer and go on tour singing. Together, as a married couple, they struggle to be parents while pursuing their own dreams.
These are every day, real, honest struggles among families and friends. These characters create such a genuine and pure show that makes it so incredible to watch every week. Perhaps one of the most amazing storylines that has happened so far is in the newer season. The show has picked up considerably with storylines.
Kevin had inherited his father's alcoholism when his career had started to fall apart. He ended up becoming dangerous to his friends and family and he was losing a huge part of himself. In one particular episode, Hartley had really went above and beyond in being raw and heartbreakingly beautiful when Kevin was desperate to find his father's necklace, begging a girl he slept with outside of her house to find it for him. He, at that point, was beyond repair and it was an incredible performance to see come across the screen. Many people have experienced hopelessness and heartbreak to that capacity. Kevin has never really dealt with his father's death because we discover later in season two that on the day of his father's death, he wasn't home. With his identity being one thing his whole life, it's understandable that his childhood follows him into his adult life because he spent his childhood trying to be the star of the family. He was in football and he got injured during a game and lost his chance to be a great athlete, so he had to redefine his identity early on. Kevin was also always the alienated sibling of the family as he never had a close relationship with his father or mother.
In regards to Kate's experience with her childhood, every person has experienced this before as well. Growing up, she wasn't perfect and she hated shopping with her mother or even talking about beauty with her mother because in her eyes, Rebecca was absolutely stunning. Rebecca had a beautiful singing voice, thin body, and a gorgeous face. Meanwhile, Kate's dad, Jack, always saw Kate as this beautiful, strong woman. He always endorsed her singing and believed in her more than anyone. You can immediately tell that Jack and Kate had a strong bond. Into adulthood, Kate carries her insecurities with her weight and she doesn't pursue singing because of her mother. She never felt good enough and she also carries blame into her adult life for her father's death as she left her dog behind in the house fire and Jack ran back in to save the dog. (No. He didn't die in the fire.) You can see as Kate talks to her mother when she's older that she still doesn't want to tell Rebecca that she sings or that she had a miscarriage. However, when Kate experiences her miscarriage it creates a closeness between her mother and her when Rebecca shares what she went through when she lost her other son, Kyle.
Randall's life seems perfect almost. He has this strong, supportive wife who sometimes can seem abrasive and non-supportive. He has two talented daughters and a beautiful house that he built. Randall has a good job that pays him well. Growing up he was the intelligent and responsible sibling who always received relentless support from his father and mother. However, he had a strained relationship with Kevin as they never got along and his bond with Kate was better since she always saw Randall as this amazing person. Despite having a good childhood, Randall knew he was different from his siblings because of his color. He wanted to know who his biological father was so when he turns 36, Randall tracks his father down and shares how angry he is about being left at the fire station. When Randall gets to know his father, he realizes that he was missing a piece of himself for most of his life. Currently, Randall took it upon himself to leave his job and find more meaning after his father died of cancer. Randall wanted to do the same thing his mother did for him and take a foster kid in, which causes some ups and downs in his family.
Out of every character in the show, it appears clear that the heart of the entire series is Jack Pearson. Rather than make him a distant memory, the show has built the entire framework around Jack Pearson. He is truly the heart and soul of the series. Jack is a hardworking father with flaws, but above all his family always comes first. When he reaches the point of his life where his alcoholism starts to affect his family, Jack doesn't hide from his wife and kids. He is honest with them and he promises to work on his addiction. With the support of his family, Jack starts to heal and he finds ways to combat his vice. Through this transformation, Jack becomes stronger for it and the fans can relate to his inner demons. However, Jack is also loving, forgiving, and beyond supportive. He gives the whole world to Rebecca and supports her endeavors as she does his. They are a strong couple that combat the world's challenges as a team. Whenever Kate doubts herself, Jack is there by her side reminding her how incredibly talented and beautiful she is. Jack constantly represents what a good man is for his family simply because of the love and strength he instills in everyone around him.
Perhaps it's heartbreaking when Super Bowl aired the episode which started the heartbreaking story of how Jack is no longer alive. On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack Pearson clearly tries to bring his family together for an important event, but by then, his kids are 17 years old and would rather do something other than spend time with family. Kate leaves. Randall has a girlfriend. Kevin is with his girlfriend. It leaves Jack to celebrate with his wife, Rebecca, but it's heartbreaking to watch as Jack wants a little more time with his kids. The sacrifice he also makes to rescue Kate and Randall from the fire and help them get out of the house with Rebecca shows how incredible this character really is.
Jack Pearson is selfless. He's honest. He's loving. He's strong. He's truly the heart and soul of this entire show and the reason I believe This is Us holds up well as one of the best shows of all time.
The season two finale airs on NBC on Tuesday, March 13.
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