15 Reasons You Should Be Watching 'This Is Us'

If you're not watching This Is Us, there's only one question: why not?! This drama is widely being considered the biggest hit of the 2016 fall TV season, and it's an absolute dream of a show. If you haven't checked it out yet, you know at least one person who is absolutely obsessed, whether it's your best friend, your mom, or your favorite co-worker. You might know the general storyline, but here it is: there's a pretty massive twist at the end of the pilot that proves how every character is totally connected. The show is being compared to past fan faves like Parenthood and it definitely has that sweet, sometimes sappy and always charming vibe. Plus the acting is top-notch and the writing is, too.

So why should you watch this show? Here are 15 reasons you should be watching This Is Us. It's kind of impossible to talk about this show with zero spoilers, but you've probably read about the big twist all over your social media feeds, so we can't really be that sorry.

15 The Big Three

The big three absolutely make this show what it is: so completely loveable. It becomes clear near the end of the pilot that the couple Jack and Rebecca are parents to three siblings -- Randall, Kevin, and Kate -- and we learn that this is what they are choosing to call the three babies. Pretty adorable, right? They even wear matching onesies. Awwwww. The show really makes a point of talking about identity and whether you are the same or different from the people that you grew up with, aka your siblings. These three are all incredibly different from each other, but at the same time, they come from such a caring family that they carry that compassion with them. We get to see these three siblings as babies, as kids, and as adults (but more on how that could possibly happen later on). Let's just say that this show really gets siblings right.

14 The Acting

A TV show basically sucks if the acting isn't any good, and thankfully, This Is Us has pretty much the best cast around. Let's focus on the big three for now. There is Chrissy Metz who plays Kate, and Justin Hartley who plays Kevin, and Sterling K. Brown who plays Randall. There are two other major actors on the series, but let's save that for later. These three actors are absolutely incredible because they get to really showcase an entire rainbow of emotions. Even though there have only been a few episodes that have aired so far (6 to be exact), we have seen these three characters have super highs and super lows… kind of like life. Funny how that happens. If you want a really well-acted show that is always believable, then you should check this one out. There's no really no reason not to. Seriously, why are you still not watching?!

13 Two Words: Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore is just the greatest. Chances are, you grew up with her adorable pop music (remember her song "Candy"?) and have seen the seriously tragic A Walk To Remember where she starred opposite Shane West. Mandy Moore has said in several interviews that she had been a part of so many TV pilots that never went anywhere that it was tough to agree to yet another one. Thankfully for her and for us, this series went to air and now it is so beloved, it's crazy to think there have only been a few episodes. Of course, Mandy is a talented singer so she does sing in an episode (episode five, if you are wondering), and we are pretty sure that she's going to keep belting it out for the remainder of the series. Mandy does an amazing job portraying Rebecca, Jack's wife and mom to the big three. She shows so many emotions in her eyes and in her face, you always know exactly what's going through her head.

12 One Word: Jess

Okay, so Milo Ventimiglia has a name. But to every Gilmore Girls fan, he will always be Jess Mariano, the loveable bad boy that Rory dates briefly. So why wouldn't you want to watch a show that stars Jess? That would be pretty crazy, wouldn't it? In the decades since GG went off the air, Milo has been acting super steadily and has really proven his chops. He is really talented and it shows in this role. It's the absolute perfect part for him: he plays Rebecca's husband and dad to the big three, and you just totally believe him. You get that he cares about his kids, that he wants to do the right thing, and that he has some inner demons that might become a problem at some point or another. There's one episode in particular that takes him down more of a dark road, but we won't say which one. And we won't say what happens. You will just have to check it out.

11 The Time Changes

The thing that makes This Is Us so amazing and that makes us really want to tune in week after week is that every episode features a different time period. You get to see Kate, Kevin and Randall in the present day and you also get to see Rebecca and Jack in the past, along with the big three as either babies, kids, or teenagers. It's a really great, inventive way of telling the story and it's basically the closest thing that we will all get to time travel. So we think that's always a fun idea. We can't even remember the last show that used different time periods in this way… or that even used flashbacks in a way that was smart and not at all cheesy or lame. We're in awe of the storytelling on this show and we just know that it's going to get better and better. What's cool is that we are totally confident that this show doesn't have a single bad episode.

10 The Kids

Then there are the most adorable kids around, Eris Baker and Faithe Herman, who play Randall's two girls, Tess and Annie. OMG are they cute. They seriously bring so much sweet and adorable energy to every single scene that they are a part in. Then there's the fact that they are so funny, it's crazy. The humor mostly comes from how they are totally and completely themselves no matter what is going on, so they're always looking at their dad Randall like he's gone crazy or like they love him but just don't understand him anymore. Which is really funny when you think about it. In the pilot, the girls are playing soccer which is both a hilarious and a special scene that deserves to be watched again and again. It's always a bonus when a good show has cute kids that are talented actors as well, but that's just yet another reason why this show is so amazing.

9 The Twists

If you've heard anything about this show, you have heard about the twist at the end of the pilot. It's a major, major twist that changes the entire course of the series as well as really explains what went on during the past forty or so minutes. But that's not the only twist. A lesser show would have that big reveal and then just move on, but of course, if you've read this far, you know that This Is Us is definitely no ordinary show. There's another massive reveal at the end of episode two. But what's so fascinating about the twists on this series is that the emotional ones are just as big as the plot twists. Sometimes you can literally see a character realize that their entire life has changed, right now, right in the last five minutes. They're feeling so many things but you can see all of it written all across their face, which is again, proof of the top-notch acting on this show.

8 The #RelationshipGoals

Okay, so you know by now that you have to watch this show because of a.) Milo and b.) Mandy. But the characters behind the adorable actors are also amazing. What is interesting about this couple is that they are totally and completely in love, but they prove that things are not 100 percent perfect. They go through a lot of happy and sad times and we are sure that we will see more as the series progresses. They are seriously #relationshipgoals, even though as you will see from the second episode, somewhere along the way there is some real trouble in paradise. But that is kind of the whole point. When you think about your ideal relationship, you want one that is totally real. You do not want some fairy tale thing that is not going to last or that is going to be a total lie because it's so unrealistic.

7 The Unconventional Love Story

You may have heard that Kate's love story is a bit different because it centers around weight loss. In the pilot, she meets Toby at a weight loss support group and she jokes that she can't "date a fat person right now." But the words are said in such a sweet and charming way -- and his answer is that he'll lose the pounds, which is so adorable -- that it's not offensive or awful at all. This show is very understanding of and compassionate toward wanting to lose weight and change how you look, and that's why this unconventional love story between Kate and Toby is worth watching. You will definitely never see this kind of love story on television, that's for sure. Kate is such a cool, fun, hilarious and sweet person that it's really great to see her fall for someone, and you would feel that way regardless of how she looks.

6 The Family Drama

What is interesting about this show is that while the plot lines are pretty juicy, they are also respectful and intelligent and heartwarming. There is some real family drama because Randall was adopted by Rebecca and Jack and he always wondered who his biological father was… and, naturally, he meets him in the pilot. This family drama is at its finest because, of course, he never told his wife, his girls have to meet him, and oh yeah, he has not told his siblings or the rest of his family, either. Learning about his biological dad is a massive change in his life, and it creates some happy tension in his household. There is also some family drama between Kevin and Kate since they have always had this dynamic where she kind of takes a backseat to whatever's going on in his world, and now that is starting to change.

5 The Show Within The Show

Yup, Kevin is an actor, and in the pilot, you see that he's the star of a sitcom called The Manny. Yes, this sitcom is as hilarious as it sounds… or at least the small bit that we get to see. You will love this show within the show and you will probably wish that it actually existed so you could watch it on a regular basis. Full disclosure: something happens and you don't get to see this show behind the pilot. But we think that's totally okay because you get to see so much of it, it's really enough. It's always really fun when a show will have a show within the show because it's just kind of a cool satirical look at what television is like. You will definitely recognize some real life sitcoms in The Manny which will make the viewing experience even more fun and even more hilarious for you, which is always a bonus.

4 The Emotions

You will absolutely love this one scene in the pilot between Jack and the doctor (Dr. K) that delivers his and Rebecca's babies. The doctor helps Jack through a really huge turning point in his life and a difficult time, since the delivery does not go the way that that anyone thought that it would. It is a truly sad and tragic and heartbreaking moment, but Dr. K talks him through and helps him see that you have to figure things out because life will not always be great. It's a really emotional thing to say and if you don't cry when watching them talk, well, you might not be human. And your tear ducts might not be working properly. So yes, that means that you are really going to cry and cry (and cry). Don't be ashamed. Don't feel bad. Just remember that you would feel weird if you didn't cry watching this.

3 The Humor

Like Parenthood, This Is Us totally blends humor and sadness, jokes and tragedy, and the light and the dark of life. It's an amazing combination and it's what makes you want to keep watching, no matter how sad things seem. The humor on this show is really great. Every character seems to be hilarious, from Jack to Rebecca to the big three to Randall's two girls to his wife to his biological father. It's sometimes amazing just how funny everyone is. The comic timing of the script is really perfect, too, because just when you think that you can't possibly be sadder or feel any more feelings or handle any more tears, a character says something funny and there you are, laughing. You can seriously go from crying to laughing in a matter of seconds and that really helps bring some levity to this series so it's not too heavy and weighed down.

2 The Social Commentary

Randall was adopted, and as a black kid growing up in a super white family and community, the show delves into how that affected him. The fourth episode "The Pool" deals with how much of an outsider Randall felt like when he was a kid, and you see his mom Rebecca really struggle with how to make him feel like part of his family, community and the society at large. That's also another reason why Mandy Moore does such an incredible job acting in this show. You also get reminded that he was growing up in a different time period, of course, so that might have been why things were a lot more difficult for him. But it's truly heartwarming to see a show deal with these topics that are a bit more controversial than your average family drama… and to see characters who care that their kid feels good about himself.

1 The Realness

What's so amazing about this show is that it is totally and completely real. It's not about being perfect. It's not about having a perfect life, either. It's about doing your best, being real, and admitting when you're not okay with something. It's about standing up for what you believe in and standing up for what's right. It's about caring about your family and loving where you came from, but being able to move on and grow up and do what you want as a (hopefully) grown adult. It's also about being okay with your emotions, being able to forgive, and realizing that the past is never really the past. There's a reason that most of the show takes place in flashbacks, right? That must be because the show is trying to say that the past always makes who you are and it always comes back to haunt you or form you once again. So again, why aren't you watching This Is Us?! It's totally going to be your new favorite show.