News & Interviews for This Is Us: Season 5

Critic Reviews for This Is Us Season 5

All Critics (8) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (0)

Maybe it's enough that "This Is Us" found a genuine and productive way to engage with COVID and police brutality without becoming too preachy, too saccharine, or too distanced from its core self.

Oct 28, 2020 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Ben Travers

indieWire

Top Critic

As we watch the past unfold, it reminds us, we're also watching tomorrow being born; and we watch today with an understanding of where it came from. All of this is thoroughly engrossing: lyrical, moving, and totally irresistible.

Nov 11, 2020 | Full Review…

Tom Ryan

The Age (Australia)

Top Critic

Brown was, as usual, sensational, as Randall dealt with issues that he has previously been reluctant to discuss... The mix of micro and macro most successfully collided within that character, offering a promising foundation for the season to come.

Oct 28, 2020 | Full Review…

Brian Lowry

CNN.com

Top Critic

All of this is to say that watching the Pearsons go through normal Pearson problems, on top of watching them go through very real and very raw problems, provided two extremely depressing hours of television.

Oct 28, 2020 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Maggie Fremont

New York Magazine/Vulture

Top Critic

Though my immediate instinct was that the show should've just ignored COVID entirely, this episode handles the pandemic far more gracefully than I would've thought possible.

Oct 28, 2020 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Caroline Siede

AV Club

Top Critic

Yet putting aside these important plot developments, what is most impressive about this return of "This Is Us" is its mature way of commenting on the world to which it returns. It's the perfect show to do so.

Oct 30, 2020 | Full Review…

Alci Rengifo

Entertainment Voice

It's a good episode, notwithstanding the far-fetched shocker, and as far as TV goes, having the highest-rated network drama back is the closest thing to normal we've experienced in months.

Oct 30, 2020 | Full Review…

Dustin Rowles

Pajiba

Few shows have a strong grasp on their winning formula this late into the game, but This Is Us isn't most shows. The series somehow juggles a dozen character arcs, the worst of humanity's struggles, and Kevin's weird obsession with Chris Evans.

Oct 29, 2020 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Alicia Gilstorf

Tell-Tale TV

View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for This Is Us: Season 5

• 5h ago

  I am amazed at all the poor user reviews. Notice the great critic reviews. I'm guessing the user reviews are all having political issues. Is it strange to have COVID weaved in? Yes....it is....a bit. That said, it doesn't take away from the great show which continues to show you to past to help you understand the future and all the other things that result in the "This is Us" for families. Love it!
  

  Jules T
• 2d ago

  Extremely disappointed and could barely get through the season premiere. If I wanted political opinions shoved down my throat at every turn, I would watch CNN and FOX. Something for this show's creators and team to consider...whether your political leanings are liberal or conservative, people should feel free to form their own opinions and conclusions. I regret that this show seems to feel otherwise this season, doing their best to make sure I believe the "correct" things concerning police brutality and racial issues and COVID. I'm not sure I can continue to watch and support this show anymore. And I was so excited for this new season. Again, so very disppointed.
  Debbie F
• 4d ago

  I used to love the show, enjoyed all 4 seasons, couldn't stop watching, but the 5th season - it is total disappointment!!! I tryed my best to watch the 2d episode of season 5, but no... I just cannot waste my time any longer... so sad!
  

  Olga B
• 4d ago

  This Is Us was my favourite programme ever!! ... Until to my disappointment discovered it was about Covid, a topic of which I am actively trying to avoid by ESCAPISM via TV series. The last thing I wanted to do was see more people wearing masks and claiming Covid is a deadly disease for all viewers to believe. I feel I'm being tricked, brainwashed and its seriously disturbed me that now my favourite programmes feel to need to invade my head too. I coudn't rate this series low enough and I'm very upset that now my once favourite show has become my most hated :(
  Naomi D
• 5d ago

  In an already disastrous year 2020 gives us another disappointment. We learn the themes of this season is 1) segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever as we learn Randall had a horrible childhood and would have been far better off if the Pearson's had never adopted him and 2) in fact that contrary to what we had been led to believe the Pearson's were terrible parents who raised three dysfunctional, damaged adults. So sad. Watch the ratings fall off a cliff. So sad.
  Chad B
• 6d ago

  I don't watch TV shows, which should be by definition fictionary despite dealing with real-life problems, to watch more of current politics and covid. There's a difference between the reality of emotions, universal people's dramas like deaths of their parents, health issues, family relationships with the reality of current events. For those, I could watch the news. So no, just no. Happy to see the audience score is 30%.
  

  Kamila W
• Nov 17, 2020

  And the biggest disappointment of 2020 goes to This Is Us S5. It's lame. How the hell did the show went downhill. The acting is OK, but a steptdown from the final seasons. It's so depressing.
  

  Dragos A
• Nov 16, 2020

  I agree with the others, this show used to be an outlet for people to watch and enjoy and now it's just as bad as scrolling through social media. I am sick of this narrative being shoved in our faces everywhere we look. So I ridiculous that it has gotten to this point.
  Kara W
• Nov 16, 2020

  I felt that the extreme portrayal of including the life events of the police brutality and pandemic into the story line took away from the story of their lives and also attached a very focused view in Randal's life. Of course the story is supposed to focus on what is going on with each of the children and how they differ, but also how they connect with similarities. Randal's side to the story was so extreme and also lost the reason for his feelings of being upset which was the issue of police brutality rather than police to the black community.
  Angelica S
• Nov 15, 2020

  Season 5 is so depressing, political, and just sad. Not sure we will continue to watch.
  

  Johnny M

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