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2 • October 27 - November 2, 2019 • Brainerd Dispatch By Breanna Henry TV Media M any of us need a good cry every now and then, which may be why "This is Us" has become one of the most popular prime-time soap operas since "Dallas" defined the genre in 1978. Showrunner Dan Fo- gelman (who also brought us "Gala- vant" and "Pitch") has created a beautiful, touching family drama that is as timeless as it is modern. You can watch it Tuesday, Oct. 29, on NBC. In case you haven't managed to catch one of the 58 episodes that have aired since the series premiered in 2016, "This is Us" is a family dra- ma rife with tragedy, romance and even some laughs to counteract the tears you will inevita- bly shed as you spend time with the Pearson "triplets," their parents and everyone else who comes into their lives. Since Season 4 of the series has just begun, I'll do my best to avoid any spoilers, and instead attempt to introduce "The Big Three" to anyone who may not know them yet. The series opens in 1980, with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia, "Heroes") and Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore, "Tangled," 2010) celebrating Jack's 36th birthday. Rebecca's year- ly rendition of "Happy Birthday Mr. President" is a little different this time — she's heavily pregnant with triplets, so a sexy dance isn't really in the cards. Though it opens with sweet comedy, I spent the last half of the first episode ugly-crying into my very confused dog's fur. Jack and Rebecca lose one of their triplets during childbirth, but after an emotional talk about lemonade with the doc- tor (that made me cry), a chance encounter with a fire- man (that made me cry) and Jack consoling his wife as she wakes up to the news (that really made me cry), the couple end up fill- ing all three cribs they have waiting at home after all. They are known as "The Big Three" and we are introduced to them on their 36th birthdays in 2016. Justin Hartley ("The Young and the Restless") plays Kevin, the eldest triplet, an oft-shirtless sitcom star teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown. Second-born Kate, played by Chrissy Metz ("Break- through," 2019), has issues with weight that have defined her since childhood. The final "triplet," played by Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown ("Black Panther," 2018), is Randall, who, after being abandoned on the steps of a fire station moments after his birth, was adopted by the Pear- son family. Their lives are messy and imper- fect. Kevin and Randall aren't on speaking terms, and Kate resents their mother — but they are family, and this is them. "This Is Us" also shows the changes in dynamic as spouses and significant others, like Randall's wife Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson, "Louie") and Kate's hus- band Toby (Chris Sullivan, "The Knick"), become part of the family. The show punches you right in the feelings and will make you contem- plate your own family relationships, no matter how dysfunctional they may be. You, the viewer, have loved and lost and fought and feared, and over in the writer's room, they know that Jack's drinking problem or To- by's depression or Kate's insecurities or Rebecca's grief (or all of the above) will speak to you. Something in this series will remind you of your own life, and you will cry. But you will laugh, swoon, rage and cheer, too. The ensemble cast of "This is Us" is so talented and diverse that I could easily have used all of my allotted words just mentioning them all, es- pecially since the same characters are played by three or more different actors at different stages in their lives. Part of the reason the cast is so real is because Fogelman is commit- ted to creating diversity behind the scenes as well. He ensured that di- rectors, writers and consultants for the series were people who could understand the many issues that are important to the characters: black- ness, womanhood, weight and more. One of the most beautiful things about "This is Us" is the way it tells its story through time, weaving mo- ments in the triplets' lives from be- fore they were born to further on in the future seamlessly within a single episode. You are never confused as to what time period you're watching, despite the show flip-flopping from decade to decade within moments. Effort has been taken to subtly date each scene, from a split-second shot of Kevin's G.I. Joe lunchbox (the car- toon ran until 1986), to the MacBook Air in Randall's office (which was first issued in 2008). "This is Us" stretches from the mid-1940s to years into our future, and if you look hard enough, there are clues as to what the future holds for the Pear- sons in each and every scene. "This is Us" may be a soap opera, but it does soapy-drama in such a re- alistic, down-to-earth way that I didn't even get to say, "Hush! I'm watching my soaps!" because I didn't catch on until someone point- ed it out. Still feeling iffy about get- ting into a series with a massive cast and even longer timeline? Ask a friend who keeps up with the show and watch the expression on their face as they relive the moment Jack and Rebecca met, the death of Ran- dall's biological father, Kate's wed- ding, Kevin's first crush and Jack's time in Vietnam. Family time New season of 'This Is Us' continues on NBC Cover Story this week Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia in a scene from "This Is Us" The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon In the next few days, top White House aides are going to present Trump with an impeachment response strategy. Just in time! That's like the captain of the Titanic being like, "Ah we should have taken a left, I'm sorry. Is it too late?" It's officially October, and stores are already putting up their Halloween decorations. Unfortunately, those aren't fake cobwebs at Forever 21. They're even putting up Halloween decorations at the White House. Just to frighten President Trump, instead of a scarecrow they're using a cardboard cutout of Nancy Pelosi. Beto O'Rourke posted an Instagram video of himself getting a flu shot. It's the first time since the campaign started that we can honestly say Beto's got a shot. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Bill Barr is traveling the world trying to prove that all of Trump's conspiracy theories are true. He's going to find Obama's birth certificate! He's going to find all the people that aliens abducted from Trump's inauguration crowd! And finally, he'll bring help to hurricane-ravaged Alabama! The Late Late Show with James Corden The way to look at it is like this: the Democrats are Oprah, and subpoenas are free cars. "You get a subpoena! You get a subpoena! You get a subpoena!" According to a new study, living close to the water is good for your mental health. Those who live less than a mile away from the ocean are less likely to have depression or anxiety — yeah, because you're rich! Researchers are saying that people who live close to water have lower levels of anxiety … unless, of course, that water is a trench filled with snakes or alligators. Late Laughs To help support BCA: Make a tax deductible donation: BrainerdCommunityAction.org and use the "Click Here to Donate" Button. Brainerd Community Action is looking forward to launching its very first COMMUNITY GIVE BACK GRANT! Contact Cassie with questions at Cassie@BrainerdCommunityAction.org Truth Lutheran Church 501 Kingwood Street, Brainerd, MN (Corner of 5th & Kingwood) truthlutheranchurch.com An LCMC Congregation …Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ Sunday worship 9 AM Fellowship and Sunday school following worship Downloadthe"VistBrainerd"App intheAppleorGooglePlayStores. Events,lodgingandthingstodo inthepalmofyourhand. VISITBRAINERD PlanningYour VisittoBrainerd JustGotEasier. TheOfficialDMOforBaxterandBrainerd,MN EntertainmentGuide_July_2x4.indd 1 6/26/2019 12:42:53PM

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