This Is Us has been a popular T.V. show on NBC and is currently airing the fifth season. The show is about the lives of three “twin” siblings: Randall, Kate, and Kevin. Kate and Kevin are biological siblings, however their third twin died at birth, and that is when their parents, Jack and Rebecca, adopted Randall. The show focuses on the past and present day, giving the viewer a glimpse of their past allows the viewer to understand where underlying emotions and trauma come from in the characters lives today. The show tackles tons of heavy issues that we see at the forefront of today’s society. Season 5 really emphasizes the topics of socioeconomic class and racism.
Socioeconomic class is evident after both Kate and Kevin have children. Kevin is an actor and has money easily at his dispense, never thinking about a purchase or transaction. On the other hand, Kate and her husband Toby are struggling to get by. Especially after Toby loses his job during the COVID 19 pandemic. The show depicts how this financial strain leaves Toby and Kate with tough decisions. They can’t afford childcare or to have a full-time nanny like Kevin and his wife are able too, so one of them has to stay at home and compromise their contribution to financial earnings. This is just one example of socioeconomic class on display in the show.
Racism is heavy topic on season five as well. Season five has a strong focus on Randall and his childhood. Randall expresses his feelings about growing up as a black boy in a white home, white school, and white community. After bottling up many emotions and looking past many racist comments towards him growing up he finally decides to share with Kate and Kevin how he felt during their childhood. During this time there are lots of flashbacks and reflections of their childhood that display the racism and treatment Randall experienced. This topic reminded me a lot of our time spent reflecting on “Can the Subaltern Speak?”. In Randall’s childhood he felt powerless and felt as though he was restricted to expressing himself and adhering to the world around him. I think the series also relates to Adichie’s, The Danger of A Single Story. Kate and Kevin always had the perception that Randall had a great childhood, just as they did. However, it wasn’t until they grew up and Randall expressed his feelings that Kate and Kevin saw their childhood through his viewpoint.
Overall, I think this show does a great job of addressing current day social injustices and tackling tough conversations in a way that viewers feel connected with.