The Brainerd Dispatch - Today's Entertainment Magazine
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Brainerd Dispatch • October 25 - 31, 2020 •20 By Rachel Jones TV Media T he last episode of Season 4 of NBC's viral series "This Is Us" aired on March 24, which seems like an eternity ago. Usually, by now we'd already be deep into Season 5 and surrounded by tis - sue boxes but, thanks to the filming difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the new season was considerably delayed. But now the wait is fi - nally over. Originally slated for broadcast in November, the Season 5 pre- miere is being shown a little ear- lier and is now firmly scheduled to return to NBC on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The even better news? The show will kick off the latest sea - son with an unexpected, two- hour episode. Your favorite Pearson family characters — Jack (Milo Ven- timiglia, "Heroes"), Rebecca (Mandy Moore, "A Walk to Re- member," 2002), Randall (Ster- ling K. Brown, "Black Panther," 2018), Kevin (Justin Hartley, "Smallville") and Kate (Chrissy Metz, "American Horror Story") — are all slated to return for the new season. Spoiler alert! Season 4 ended with a memorable and devastat- ing fight between Randall and Kevin, so the Season 5 premiere will likely open with them still not on speaking terms. After ev - erything that was said, it will probably be a while before they figure things out. But try not to worry, there's plenty to keep fans coming back for more. In an interview for TV Insider, Moore said that although it is al- ways going to be Jack and Re- becca that fans cherish, getting viewers invested in the some- what controversial Rebecca and Miguel storyline is sparking their interest, too. And Metz has re- vealed that the season will in- clude a new back story of a trau- ma that shaped Kate's character as an adult. There are also likely to be some newcomers to the season, but who they will be is still a bit of a mystery. It could have some- thing to do with the major twist they're predicting for Kate. The teenage version of her character left off with relationship strug- gles, but the show's creators are promising some twists we defi- nitely won't forget. Interestingly, "This Is Us" is expected to address events that have happened in the real world this year. Brown has hinted that the upcoming fifth season of the show might even address issues and events such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the coronavirus pandemic, making it one of the first shows to weave these current events into their actual storylines instead of just a special or side note. For those of you who haven't watched this top-rated NBC se- ries, you're probably wondering what all the fuss is about. "This Is Us" revolves around the Pear- son family and tells the tale of their triumphs and heartaches across the decades from the '80s to the present day. Unlike many other shows that revolve around dysfunctional families, "This Is Us" is remarkably life-affirming rather than dwelling on all things negative. It shows that where family and friends are concerned, we're all connected, and that even the smallest of decisions can ulti- mately change your life complete- ly. The format of the show is unique as well, with some epi- sodes taking place in the present, some in the past and some stories that are told, in their majority, through flashbacks. This makes it even easier to see how choices made decades ago can have con- sequences in the present. "This Is Us" is an addicting look at a fami- ly you can't help but love. Series creator Dan Fogelman ("Crazy, Stupid, Love," 2011) has commented that Season 5 will be an uplifting experience for viewers, which is something that's sorely needed right now. Given its tremendous popular- ity, it is not surprising that "This Is Us" has won a medley of awards both for its individual ac- tors and the show itself. In 2018, Brown became the first African- American actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Televi- sion Series - Drama. That same year he also be- came the first African-American actor to win a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. In 2017, Brown also won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2017 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and that same year, Gerald McRaney ("The Best of Me," 2014), who plays Dr. Nathan Katowski in the se- ries, won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Ron Cephas Jones ("Luke Cage"), who played Ran- dall's biological father, William H. Hill, also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in both 2018 and 2020 — that's a lot of accolades in just a few years, but the awards just keep coming. The show also received the prestigious GLAAD Media Award in 2018 — an award celebrating works that accurately represent the LGBTQ community and its relevant issues — while for two years running, 2018 and 2019, "This Is Us" also had the plea- sure of winning the Screen Ac- tors Guild Award for Outstand- ing Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Impressive wins aside, the se- ries (and many of its actors) have been continuously receiving praise for their uplifting and genu- ine performances, proving that the world truly needs the inspira- tion and positivity that this show heralds. Make sure you catch the Season 5 premiere of "This Is Us" on Tuesday, Oct. 27, on NBC. The Big Three are back Season 5 of 'This Is Us' premieres on NBC Feature Story this week Chrissy Metz, Sterling K. Brown and Justin Hartley star in "This Is Us"