This Is Us Is His Long before he created last season’s top-rated new TV show, Dan Fogelman got his start listening to his Penn housemates’ stories and making them laugh with his. BY ALYSON KRUEGER the evening of March 7, 2017, fi fth most popular program overall for This Is Us tells the story of the Pearson Hollywood writer and producer the 2016-17 season, according to Nielsen family—biological twins Kate and Kevin; Dan Fogelman C’97 had a ques- ratings. But from the start of his career, adopted son Randall, born on the same ON tion for his 24,500 Twitter fol- Fogelman’s fi lm and TV work has always day; and parents Jack and Rebecca. Some lowers: “Everyone okay?” tried to reach viewers by giving them of the story is set in the present, as the It was one week before the season fi - everyday stories to which they can relate, siblings are turning 36 years old, but there nale of his television show This Is Us was then turning things up a notch (or more) are also extended fl ashbacks to their child- scheduled to air on NBC. There were from real life so they can’t look away. hoods and to Jack and Rebecca’s early many plot lines still unresolved on the His entrée to writing for fi lms was an relationship and the day of the kids’ breakout-hit show—the rare broadcast early screenplay mining the real-life emo- birth—when, in the big emotional moment network program to capture the zeitgeist tional upheaval of a New Jersey teenager— that sets the series action in motion, Jack in the current era of prestige cable and with more than a passing resemblance to and Rebecca decide to adopt Randall, an streaming sites—and the show’s loyal the author—going through his Bar Mitzvah. African American infant abandoned at a viewers were an emotional mess. One of his most successful movies—Crazy, nearby fi re station, after the third of their “Um … no … not even close,” respond- Stupid, Love, from 2011—is rooted in the expected triplets dies at birth. ed @sassycrazygal. “Gonna have to watch misadventures of a long-married couple The adult siblings all have their diffi cul- next week in a corner somewhere.” (played by Julianne Moore and Steve ties: Kate (Chrissy Metz) hates herself “MY HEART IS ON FIRE!” posted @ Carell) trying to rekindle a romantic spark for being overweight. Kevin (Justin iAMgaither. “Why must you do this to in their relationship. Another, 2012’s The Hartley) stars in a hit TV-show—whose me?!?!?!?!!” Guilt Trip, starring Barbara Streisand and punning title, The Manny, tells all you This Is Us struck a special chord with Seth Rogen, involves a mother and son need to know about it—but can’t focus audiences—Variety reported in May that bickering and bonding their way through on his serious acting ambitions or a re- it was the number one new show and a cross-country road trip. lationship. In addition to struggling gen- 54 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Sep|Oct 2017 ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN BARTLETT Sep|OctSep|Sepp|OctOcO t 20170177 THEHEE PENNSYLVANIAPENPEPEENNNNNSYSYYLVYLLVLVANIAAANINIANINIAA GAGAZETTEAZEETTTTETTTTEE 5555 erally with his position in the family a lot of it is really, really good. Any program about how much the show aff ected them. because of his race and adopted status, that breaks through that is a big deal.” Entertainment Weekly called This Is Us over the course of the season, Randall The response on social media was even “a bear hug for a culture desperate for a (Sterling K. Brown)—a successful trader bigger. On the day of the show’s fi nale, little bit of that human touch.” The Atlan- in “weather commodities”—has to come March 14, 2017, #thisisus was the number tic headlined its analysis with, “This Show to terms with fi nally meeting his bio- two trending topic on Twitter. Will Make You Cry.” Singer-songwriter logical father, who is dying. Meanwhile, “When a show breaks out like this, John Mayer tweeted while watching: “Not in the past segments Rebecca (Mandy where people are watching it when it airs even wiping away tears for the next epi- Moore) is torn between motherhood and and live tweeting it, that’s exceptionally sodes. Just gonna let the fi rst ones create pursuing a singing career and Jack (Milo rare in our age,” says Birnbaum. “People tracks for a more even, effi cient fl ow.” Ventimiglia) struggles with an inherited don’t want to miss this because they want Comedian Sarah Silverman said it more drinking problem. (He appears to have to be part of the conversation.” simply with, “I’m a puddle of tears.” died before the story’s present, in which Count me in, too. Critics speculated on why the show was Rebecca is married to his best friend, I am a triplet, and for my family, the getting the reaction it did. Was Fogelman’s Miguel, played by Jon Huertas.) show has been a form of therapy, giving writing that good, or was it just fortunate Family stories have been a staple of TV us a glimpse into how another family with timing that he created an emotionally ca- from the beginning and have been set multiple births operates. My parents and thartic show at a moment when Americans everywhere from the sitcom suburbs of two sisters all watched it every week, and needed an outlet for their feelings? Another Ozzie and Harriet and The Brady Bunch then we would analyze it together over theory proposes that the acting is the key— to the Cartwrights’ wild west, the Rob- text or the phone. When we have family the cast is so good, no one can turn away. insons’ outer space, and the Depression- drama, we’ve started saying, “This is us.” Whatever the reason for the hold This Is era mountain country of The Waltons. Us had on audiences, the network took Modern Family—still going strong after ince the show appears on NBC rath- notice. In January, NBC announced it was eight seasons—is a more, well, modern er than, say, HBO or Netfl ix, this renewing the show for two more seasons, example of the phenomenon. audience enthusiasm fueled media which hardly ever happens in this era of “We had Parenthood, we had thirtysome- Sreports hailing it as a sign that broad- fi ckle viewers and generally declining TV thing,” says Debra Birnbaum, executive cast television could still hold its own in audiences. (Empire, the big new network editor for TV at Variety, naming two more the face of the rising popularity of cable hit of 2015-16, is still popular, holding the standouts. “It’s not like [Fogelman] dis- and streaming services. A New York Times number six slot in 18-49 viewership, but covered this new genre or pot of gold that article carried the headline: “‘This Is Us’: saw a 33 percent drop in 2016-17.) Which no one has thought about.” Why TV Networks Are Hopeful.” leads to another question: Can This Is Us But the extent to which This Is Us took The program also ended the drought of keep up and retain its devoted following? hold across the country surprised near- industry recognition for network shows, Fogelman is certainly thankful for the ly everyone. which have been largely shut out from show’s success—“I’m blessed,” he says re- The trailer for the show amassed 50 consideration at the big awards programs peatedly—but he’s not much interested in million views on Facebook—as compared by cable and streaming entries. This Is Us the speculation around why it’s become to 15 million for Star Wars Episode VII: won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite such a phenomenon. (Pitch, meanwhile, The Force Awakens. Since premiering on New TV Drama last January, and was the the other Fogelman-created TV show that September 20, 2016, This Is Us averaged only broadcast network show nominated debuted last season, about the fi rst female 15 million viewers each week, close to the in its category, Best Television Series, pitcher in Major League Baseball, strug- numbers reached by perennial audience Drama, at the 2017 Golden Globes (Netfl ix’s gled to fi nd its audience despite positive favorite The Big Bang Theory, and trailing The Crown won). And in July the show was critical response and was cancelled after only that show and various iterations of nominated as Best Drama Series—again one season by the Fox Network.) primetime NFL broadcasts for viewers in as the only broadcast network entry—and “I just write,” Fogelman says. “And I’m the sought-after 18-49 age demographic Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia trying to get really, really good.” to earn the fi fth spot overall. were among the contenders for Best Actor Throughout the fi rst season of This Is “That’s huge for a scripted drama,” says at the Emmy Awards, scheduled to be Us Fogelman checked on his viewers Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier broadcast on September 17. through Twitter. Randall’s learning about Center for Television & Popular Culture at Besides the love from regular viewers, and coming to terms with his biological Syracuse University. “There are around celebrity fans and critics alike couldn’t father was a major dramatic arc. During 460 scripted shows currently active, and stop themselves from publicly talking the episode in which the father died, he 56 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Sep|Oct 2017 “I just write.