"This Is Us"' pilot is an assured episode that introduces us to some very interesting characters, even if it falls into some cheesy and predictable moments.
The story introduces us to four characters whose birthday falls on the same day, four characters who are turning 36. We have Jack Pearson, whose wife is pregnant with triples. And then we have three more: a couple of twins: Kevin and Kate, the first an actor with an identity crisis, the second also having her own problems; and Randall, who has just found out his father is still alive and where he is. We will see how their lives evolve and interrelate in small vignettes that develop the characters and the story-line, jumping from one of the characters to the other.
For a pilot, this first episode is quite interesting. The plot is not overly complicated, and easy to follow, but it offers emotion enough that we will be involved with the stories quite soon. The direction is assured, and the characters are interesting, with quite good acting that makes us care for them even in the weakest moments of the pilot. Too bad for those couple of seen-a-million-times moments.
This is a good start. Let's hope the good acting and involving story lines continue, and that the most cheesy moments are kept to a minimum.