This Is Us really surprised me in so many ways.
Before watching the Pilot, I was honestly expecting 'just another family comedy show', kind of. But ever since the first episode aired, I'm positively and repeatedly surprised and touched by just how beautiful and real this show is- on so many levels.
Yes, This Is Us is a dramedy focusing on three families that appear to really have nothing in common, but episode by episode one really learns and loves to learn to look deeper.
In a time like this, where TV seems to have reached some sort of quality peak, it doesn't happen too often do find a show that really stands out, especially in a genre like comedy. But This Is Us does pretty much everything right. The storytelling is superb, there's always new bits and pieces one picks up when watching the show, constant new revealings, a perfectly picked cast (really, they all work damned great together) and, as I said earlier, there's this honest and humble approach to it all that, for me, makes it stand out so severely.
This Is Us doesn't (need to) rely on heavy special effects, over-dramatization or flat jokes, nor does it try to deliver some sort of big and important political message. It's strapped of all this and by doing so, one can really enjoy the work, thoughts and incredible skills that have been put into all aspects of this show.
I find it really rare these days to find a pure gem like this and even more so to get so heavily attached to a show after just a couple of episodes. But, well. Here I am, already wanting This Is Us to never end, ever.
Being 5 episodes in, the first thing that Banana reminds me of, is Black Mirror, however weird that sounds.
Every episode focuses on a different person and they're all somehow connected with each other; some more, some less.
Also, every episode is more or less a standalone short story delivering great acting, great writing and perfect camera work, as well as a superb sound track pick.
I don't yet know why the last episode is so poorly rated, because I've yet to watch it; but leaving it out, Banana just delivers everything I want out of it. There's a lot of unforced and well-placed humor, a bit of great drama and a lot of characters that one can just connect with in an instant. Just a solid show that nobody ought to miss out on, no matter if they're LGBTQ or straight.