TV Show review
September 20, 2016 · TV-14
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
This Is Us follows the Pearson family over many decades as they face love, loss, addiction, health struggles, and the ups and downs of everyday life. The story centers on three siblings born on the same day, including a Black son adopted into a white family. Race and personal identity come up often as major parts of the characters' growth and family talks.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for This Is Us.
Woke representation / casting
The Black lead and interracial adoptive family sit at the center of the story and create visible emphasis on racial differences from the start.
Woke political dialogue
Several episodes include direct character talks about racism, police violence, and what white family members owe Black relatives in awareness and action.
Identity-driven story themes
Randall's ongoing struggle with his Black identity, sense of not belonging in a white family, and search for his roots drives a large part of the series across seasons.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The show questions colorblind parenting and urges white characters to actively recognize and respond to the racism their Black family member faces in daily life and society.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Production
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Limited online complaints and articles called out white guilt and family blame in the 2020 race episode; no major widespread backlash hit the long-running hit show.
Creator track record context
Dan Fogelman made diversity hiring a priority and brought real-world racial events into the narrative; his earlier films stayed mostly mainstream and non-political.
