This Is Us Season Premiere Review: Strangers (Season 4 Episode 1)

How could we have ever underestimated the Pearsons!

It’s almost infuriating that with stakes so incredibly high, This Is Us Season 4 Episode 1, “Strangers,” still manages to go above and beyond our expectations.

Last season no doubt left a bad taste in some fans mouths when the Big Three’s story began to show signs of fatigue. So when a massive renewal solidified that This Is Us would continue for years to come, it meant this show needed to step up in a big way.

And so they did with a stellar premiere that takes a bold step back from our three favourite siblings to show the audience the bigger picture — and it’s certainly a picture worth sticking around to admire.

Opening on a young Rebecca and Jack is the first of many smart moves this premiere makes.

Our history with this couple allows for their reintroduction to feel like the familiar embrace we need in order to navigate the impending unknown. They act as an important anchor throughout the episode and at times of impending lulls, they remind us that with all the new additions to the cast there is still plenty for the veterans of this show to offer.

Jack meeting Miguel first time at a suit shop and telling him about a woman Miguel will go on to marry is so smart and courteous to the chance encounters with strangers theme this episode looks to set up.

And Jack’s brewing showdown with Rebecca’s father gives a character that was starting to become a faded memory to viewers something to fight for once again.

Jack: Don’t worry, you’ll get to know me. I’m not going anywhere.

This out of the box episode that hinders mainly on the shoulders of strangers would not have worked had it not been for the one couple that makes even the lamest of date nights seem thrilling. Jack and Rebecca’s undeniable chemistry is the driving force of this premiere and leads the way for new faces to thrive alongside them.

THIS IS US — “Strangers” Episode 401 — Pictured: (l-r) Blake Stadnik as Jay, Auden Thornton as Lucy — (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)

While not the most intriguing of the three new strangers introduced, Adult Jack’s introduction is arguably the most important addition to the story and the one with the most pay off for this series so far.

The parallels between Jack Damon and Jack Pearson’s introductions really brings this new start full circle to the series pilot. Once again This Is Us does a wonderful job of masking the time period as they put a man at the center of the story with the promise he will be important to the other characters somehow and someway.

It’s a rather nostalgic nod to the roots of this show and still manages to be original by showcasing the Pearsons in a new light.

The crowning moment in Adult Jack’s introduction is when he steps out onto the stage and serenades a crowd of thousands with flashes of Rebecca’s own performances propelling the scene forward — that’s when everything really clicks for his character.

Although, one could argue the real crowning moment in Adult Jack’s introduction is when he dresses up his dog in a very fashionable tux to propose to his girlfriend. Seriously, is that not the most adorable grand gesture you’ve ever seen? Jack Pearson would be darn proud.

Seeing Jack fully realize the potential his mother and his grandmother so desperately devoted their hearts to perfecting is incredibly touching. His song, which reflects on the moment two strangers meet, not only ties the theme of this episode together beautifully but it ends this chapter with a need for more.

It also helps to know Blake Stadnik, who plays Jack, is legally blind just like his character. This Is Us took the time to go out and find an actor who could not only sing beautifully but had the same visual-impairment as the character he was representing. That’s incredibly important.

While television shows shouldn’t necessarily be commended for doing the bare minimum when it comes to inclusion, I do commend This Is Us for continuing to cast the right people for the right roles. And I commend them for creating roles that still aren’t mainstream in today’s television.

We fell in love with Jack Pearson’s past. Here’s to hoping we can fall in love with Jack Damon’s future.

Malik is hands down one of the most captivating of the new characters we’ve been introduced to so far.

Still coasting off his haunting portrayal as Kevin Richardson on Netflix’s When They See Us, Asante Blackk has caught our attention and what he continues to do with it is rather impressive.

There were several directions This Is Us could have taken this character and so when it’s revealed Malik is a teenage father with a love for his daughter and for cooking, I am instantly hooked on his story.

Malik’s character is already so fleshed out that it’s surprising to see the added wow factor of him being a father. But the added backstory is appreciated none the less for how much it will surely complicate things.

His story is different from everything on TV right now but still fits within this show’s emotional wheelhouse. By connecting his story to Deja’s, the show looks to give a character who has struggled to fit in something to finally smile about — and that, of course, makes us want to smile too.

Malik is a precious cinnamon roll and I am not prepared for the emotional turmoil This Is Us will throw this boy’s way.

When Jennifer Morrison joined the cast of This Is Us for its fourth season, we couldn’t help but get excited.

Morrison manages to bring a level of expertise and emotional depth to her characters that allows Cassidy to become an instant hit with viewers moments after meeting her.

I personally love seeing a woman soldier at the center of this new storyline. We still don’t see as many actresses as we should in gritty and unflinching roles such as this. There’s a curiosity that comes with seeing Cassidy on the front lines trying to salvage the remains of a bloody war on her own. It’s even more heartbreaking seeing her try to return to her old life.

Cassidy will undoubtfully be an important part of Kevin’s story going forward but I hope it isn’t as simple as a love interest. She has the potential to be so much more for Kevin. And I’m eager to see how her interactions with the Pearsons will begin to unfold because Cassidy is not going to be on board for all these heartfelt pep talks.

This premiere thrusts us back into what is essentially a pilot do-over for the series as the hit drama looks to prove itself once more.

This time, however, the audience is aware of what This Is Us is capable of doing and that makes the potential of each and every story all the more thrilling. Although some of these connections turn out to be quite obvious, it’s doesn’t make them any less valuable just because we saw them coming. Sometimes it’s just as rewarding to have the writer’s give us what we are expecting.

It’s clear a lot of effort was put into this episode, from the broken plate Jack keeps in a frame as a reminder for why he went to the diner that day to the Pearson campaign sticker on the bumper of a car in the autobody shop that tells us the timeframe and setting.

Every detail has been meticulously crafted for the audience to enjoy and it all plays into the beautiful idea that chance encounters with strangers can change everything — including this show’s dynamics.

If This Is Us keeps it up, we may, in fact, be looking at the best show on television right now.

What did you think of this episode of This Is Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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