A Million Little Things Review: Pilot (Season 1 Episode 1)
On A Million Little Things Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot,” a group of friends are left seeking answers, and reevaluating their lives, after their lively, bubbly friend suddenly commits suicide.
Boasting a stellar cast, A Million Little Things is a show that has the potential to be outstanding in its own line of storytelling, if the network desists from marketing it like NBC’s This Is Us.
Needless to say, the deceased character, Jon, is towing the lines of Jack in terms of remaining inspirational and relevant in death, with flashbacks to him every now and again.
Prior to the premiere, the show was sold as an emotional hit, which is expected, especially with the heavy subject of suicide at its forefront. Instead, the episode leaves a huge emotional void.
I love that at certain points, there are humorous one liners, but it still hasn’t found its emotional beat, which is supposed to drive the other plot lines going forward.
It would have been emotionally gratifying to see the four friends together, and gain an insight into their relationships, before Jon’s tragic death happened.
The show probably intended to jump right into the business of life after Jon’s death but that approach has the tendency to rob viewers of the opportunity to create the needed emotional connection with the characters.
We are expected to feel the grief that the characters are feeling as a result of Jon’s death, but Jon barely makes a lasting impression before his tragic death, such that the only empathy to be felt comes from the pain of losing someone to suicide.
He may have been a plot device to kick off the story, but if his friends will keep making reference to his life for inspiration, then viewers aIso need to get into that headspace. They need to be taken along on that journey. At this point, it will take more than flashbacks and somber music to relate to the pain the other characters are feeling towards Jon as a character.
On the bright side, A Million Little Things has a great story to tell. While touching on the sensitive, current subject of suicide, it is also seeking answers to why people commit suicide, as well as trying to find a positive side to help relatives of victims cope with their loss.
I understand that some people may be offended by the constant mention of, “everything happens for a reason” because it’s difficult to convince someone that there is a “good reason” for their loved one to have committed suicide, but that is obviously not what the show is trying to convey.
It is basically proposing that rather than asking rhetorical questions, and sinking into depression from brooding that a loved one has died, one could see the situation as a wake-up call to start living better.
So far, the show has struck a relatable chord with how real life plays out. The fact that these friends are seemingly close but have no idea what each of them is really going through, is a reality that hits home.
To even imagine that Eddie has been having an affair with Jon’s wife, still has me surprised. What does that say about the true nature of their friendship? Was that the reason Jon committed suicide? Did he know about it? We don’t have any answers yet.
Another interesting angle about Jon’s situation comes from the fact that he is presented as the friend who was the life of the party, the one who would chat with everyone, who had everything going on for him, yet he’s also the one who committed suicide for no identifiable reason.
This is why it is often said that it is possible to be lonely, even if one is not physically alone. Nothing can be truer to real life.
One more reason to applaud this show would be in the way it has brought visibility to male breast cancer, a much needed diversion from the tired trope of female breast cancer stories.
Overall, the future of the show looks promising, but it needs to find its audience by staying original.
In my opinion, the story doesn’t need to be sad and depressing. This is not to invalidate the grief that comes with losing someone to suicide. However, the show is not so much about suicide, as it is about dealing with life afterward.
Hence, if it intends to encourage and strengthen relatives of suicide victims, then it could be lighter. They can afford to tell a positive story about suicide without trying to make it a tear-fest, which has fallen flat so far.
More so, only a few shows can reproduce the sob stream of This Is Us, but if A Million Little Things must, it has to do it right, and as soon as possible.
Favorite Quotes:
- “Friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s a million little things.”
- “Sometimes what happens is so hard to believe, you refuse to accept the truth”
What did you think of the Pilot of A Million Little Things? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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A Million Little Things airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Cynthia Jones
Cynthia is a Sociologist but most especially, a TV enthusiast, with an undeniable attraction to authentic storytelling and powerful portrayals. Her interests also revolve around discovering ways of achieving social change through strategic strides in movies and television. Though she can barely strike a vocal note, she has an endless love for music and her piano is her bff.