Is This is Us the fresh, groundbreaking, issue-raising show it has been proclaimed by some to be? Or is it simply indicative of the business of regulated innovation model its host network ascribes to? To understand the show’s success, I will explore the role of network television in the post-network era.

    

Network television in its era was defined by its weekly time-slot structure. Shows were created for the captive masses; the whole family who may or may not be tuning in weekly. Because of this, episodes needed to be accessible to those without prior knowledge of the show’s characters and plot lines. This lent itself to simplified plots and static characters. With new technologies such as DVR, cable, premium, and streaming channels; the linear programming schedule was no longer the only viewing option. The consumer could now control their viewing experience with much more freedom. Networks, albeit slowly, have adapted to these new trends by also moving towards complex narratives. Enter: This is Us, with its convoluted plot lines, non-linear timelines, long-arc storylines, and very complex characters. The show relies on the steady aggregation of events that complexify each character and their overlapping relationships. This is the epitome of the post-network era domestic sphere centered show, reliant on the family (and its extensions to include many others, in this case mainly adopted children, the in laws, and family friends).

  

Its form and content is the modern adaption of the family melodrama and soap opera. These shows somewhat pioneered the serial plotline, as women at home watched soaps daily and could follow the elaborate narratives. This is Us reflects this seriality, the dialogue driven plotlines, and the domestic realism of the genre. To bring it into modern day and evade these genres’ reputations for cheesy, low-brow, women’s fare; they downplay the melodramatic style and soap opera-y plots and focus more on character and relationship development.

    

The structure of the program conforms to traditional TV by nature of its broadcast form. Because of the network’s reliance on advertising, the show is structured around the commercial breaks, loosely creating a four-part structure that keeps the flow and audiences engaged. Each act ends with a small climactic point right before it cuts to commercial. As someone who watches a lot of made-for-streaming content, this structure appears very obvious and almost cheesy to me.

    

It is almost comical to me the content differences between This is Us and the shows I analyzed on cable and premium services. The sharp contrast is intentional to separate themselves from network TV, but I had not noticed just how much this shapes storytelling. The dark and grim worlds of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, populated by morally questionable characters and punctuated by obscenities, sex, and violence; show a very different worldview from the hopeful and mundane world of This is Us, with characters we root for who are generally clothed and non-violent. Network television, traditionally self and FCC regulated, has loosened its rules on censorship since the onset of a highly saturated market and non-network television that takes mature content to the extreme, in order to compete while still existing in the public sphere under generally accepted notions of family fare. Though it sees the greatest degree of content regulation on TV, the networks still need to differentiate their content amongst so much competition. The show’s creators have done this by attempting to include new aspects typical of socially centered post-network era programming.  They try to tackle issues such as addiction, depression, adoption, sexuality, and racism. But I do not think they cover much unchartered territory or do this in any groundbreaking way. They do include some racial diversity, but also in a way that is palatable to the white masses. I was excited and surprised at the discussion of Randall’s detachment from his blackness and his otherness in a white experience, but disappointed at the quick wrap-up of the issue. Rebecca and Jack are the well-intentioned white liberals that make white viewers feel okay about themselves. So this innovation is controlled to appease advertisers and avoid alienating viewers. I think the show is good, but not daring, which can be expected. Also to keep up with post-network era TV, like the other programs I analyzed, it seeks unconventionality through unpredictability and plot twists, making it more “highbrow” and “different”.

    

Though not as vigorously as many premium or cable channels, networks have long since been branding themselves to compete amongst each other and now amongst hundreds of programming providers. NBC positioned itself as the “young and hip” network, staying current, popular, and in-the-know with desired demographics. So while This is Us features an age range of actors, the show focuses most heavily on the all of the characters pre-middle age. Though I would say this is questionable in its delivery, it presents itself as a place for current discussions and topical issues in an attempt to stay socially relevant and appeal to young, educated consumers.

    

Although seemingly the antithesis to the other shows I analyzed, This is Us is no less successful. I think this comes from its appeal to our shared and specific experiences. Everyone can see themselves represented in some shape or form in its long list of characters and plot points. It upholds our cultural reverence for the family structure and affirms our desire to find the goodness in humanity. It is a catharsis to our daily struggles, letting us laugh and cry and fall in love with a fictional family. It is like the trashy novels and soaps that have distracted women from the turmoil of their own lives for generations, but packaged with a seal of quality under huge budgets never before afforded to the genre; effectively abating our guilt towards enjoying something “feminine”. Like the soaps before it, it roots itself in the mundane beauties and rhythms of life. People want to feel good amidst so much negativity and horror in the 24 hour news cycle. It is a somewhat old-fashioned show, but I think that is much of its appeal.

    

This is Us reflects the forum-like model and the publishing model. Mostly, its distribution follows the weekly broadcast structure that lends itself to group viewing. Because it is produced by a network, it is not only family friendly, but appeals to a wide range of demographics. So the whole family can see and discuss, not to mention the proliferation of articles, blog posts, and social media posts that foster a community experience. The show’s huge viewership is proof the broadcast model is not dead; but in keeping up with the publishing model, NBC has made it available on their streaming platforms, including Hulu. The show is a communal and individual experience.

    

I predict that the modern soap opera has been created with this program, and has already been the inspiration for a collection of copycats. Shows like this one will also bring audiences back to filmed content on broadcast networks.