As the English would say, this is it for This Is Us, which is leaving the air on Tuesday after six seasons. Failing to have transformed the television landscape, the offering of the American network NBC will leave the memory of an enormously popular series, highly tear gas, built with ingenuity (returns back, jumps forward!) and sip of good feelings .
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
Of course, Dan Fogelman’s work is no longer the phenomenon it once was. In 2017-2018, it attracted 18 million viewers each week in the United States, according to Nielsen. For two years, it has rarely crossed the 10 million mark.
We are seeing a similar decline in the ratings in Quebec, confirms Radio-Canada, which presents the version dubbed in French (renamed Our life). The serial however retains its place in the top 5 of ICI ARTV’s most watched shows.
This drop in audience has not dampened the ardor of fans, who feel their tears welling up just thinking of the farewells they will have to say to the Pearson clan, which includes parents Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore ), and their three children, Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown). Many diehards pray for a satisfying conclusion that will answer the many questions that plague their minds. What does the future hold for Kate? After crying for an hour last Tuesday night, is my stash of tissues enough to survive the final scenes? Should I stop boycotting my Crock-Pot?
PHOTO EFF LIPSKY, SUPPLIED BY NBC
Milo Ventimiglia (Jack) and Mandy Moore (Rebecca) in This Is Us
Since many of you are watching the offbeat series on Netflix, ICI ARTV (where the final season will be presented in December) or ICI Télé, this text will not include any spoilers. Let’s just point out that according to the actors, who have been making media appearances for some time, the conclusion will be “emotionally charged”.
The opposite would have been surprising.
An influence in Quebec?
Despite its popular and critical success, This Is Us did not lead to the arrival of an army of clones in the land of Uncle Sam, where police and medical dramas still abound. Its influence was not felt in Quebec either, although some believed they had detected it in certain series.
When TVA started broadcasting The perfect moments, last fall, the comparisons have indeed rocketed. Even the actors (Catherine Trudeau, Gabriel Sabourin) had drawn the parallel in the interview.
On paper, the series certainly have similarities. They combine drama and light comedy, and both revolve around a tight-knit family with three children.
PHOTO FABRICE GAËTAN, SUPPLIED BY TVA
Catherine Trudeau (Catherine), Gabriel Sabourin (Alex), Samuel Gauthier (Hugo) and Antoine Marchand-Gagnon (Tristan) in The perfect moments
Reached by telephone, the main author of the perfect momentsMarc Robitaille, is categorical: This Is Us did not influence his project, which had been percolating since 2004. The writer and screenwriter admits, however, that the incredible success of the American soap opera has “confirmed” him as to the chances of success of a family and warm series, devoid of guns , Shakespearean dramas and disaster calls to 911.
“I told myself that there was a way to attract people by telling stories full of humanity, which show people who are experiencing disillusionment, who live on small hopes, small betrayals… We are in an era with a lot of rough stuff, a lot of Game Of Thrones, lots of falling heads, lots of hemoglobin, psychopath characters. It makes the audience expect to experience strong emotions all the time. It creates an escalation of extreme situations. It gives streaks boosted on steroids. An abduction ? It is not enough. A child abduction? Not enough either. Abduction of a handicapped child? OK, we might be on to something…”
A “feel good” series
Producer Anne Boyer claims she hasn’t watched yet This Is Us when she found – with author Dominick Parenteau Lebeuf – the premise behind We, this heartwarming series depicting a group of endearing millennials. Directed by Yannick Savard (The blue Hour, trapped) and starring Marianne Fortier, the first season of the soap opera has been available on Vrai since December.
PHOTO ERIC MYRE, SUPPLIED BY TVA
Nicolas Fontaine (Alexis) and Marianne Fortier (Camille) in We
Over the years, Anne Boyer has caught up on This Is Us. So that today, she could claim her loyal viewer card. “Not all seasons have been equally successful, but overall it’s been a very good series. I like the feel good look. There aren’t tons of series like that. »
“I’m also jealous of the means they had! “, adds the producer.
For his part, Marc Robitaille did not diligently follow This Is Us. Annoyed by the stubbornness of the authors to constantly “look for tears”, he admits to having pulled the plogue after a season and a half. Nevertheless, he salutes their work.
“It’s admirable what they’ve done. It’s quite a challenge to explore the characters, to delve into their truth, into their dramas, without trying to go in bursts. It takes boldness. »
According to Simon Dupuis, Director of Acquisitions at Radio-Canada, This Is Us owes its success (in part, at least) to the central theme that it exploits with “authenticity”: the family.
“It touches anyone, regardless of your social class, where you come from, in what type of environment you evolve… It remains a blue flower show, but the public has identified with the characters. He recognized himself in them. There are not necessarily good ones, bad ones. They are approachable people. It can be your friends, your neighbours. »
NBC and CTV present the finale of This Is Us Tuesday at 9 p.m.