The One Show Husbands and Fathers Should Be Watching Each Week

Recently, my wife and I were trying to cut back on some of our bills.  One of the first things we thought of was cutting back on TV.  We currently have no cable and no broadcast channels because we live in the middle of nowhere and cable is too expensive.  Thus, we rely on streaming services like Hulu and Netflix to bring us our entertainment.  Well, I initially thought Hulu would be the first to go as we hardly watch anything on it.  Really, we watch two shows on it.  $10 a month for two shows seems like a lot.  But one of those shows makes it worth the price.  It is NBC’s new family drama called This Is Us.

Now, right off the bat, there are some things I do not like about the show.  Namely, the morals do not perfectly align with my own.  That being said, I would say that out of all of the shows on television, this one aligns the closest with the way I feel about family.  There is just example after example about how awesome and amazing families are.  Whether it is the husband wife relationships, the parenting relationships, or the sibling relationships, they all come back to putting family first. 

Perhaps the character I like the most on the show is the patriarch of the family:  Jack.  Really, I am not sure there is a better role model for fathers currently on television.  He is loving and kind.  He is super respectful of his wife.  Heck, he is even super interested romantically in his wife (and she in him – Wow, what an idea!). He is nothing if not earnest, and he is always trying to do the right thing.  Plus, he is an amazing father.  In fact, he adores his children every bit as much as he loves his wife (and he expresses it often).   Yes, he makes mistakes, but he is quick to correct the mistake, take responsibility, and reassure the offended party of his love for them.  He often sacrifices his own desires repeatedly for the good of the family.  In short, he is a realistic yet inspiring character for those of us trying our best to be good fathers and husbands. 

So, in the end, the best show on television is not about solving violent crimes, or chasing superheroes, revenge on old foes, or betrayal in the music industry.  It is not about medical drama, intense law proceedings, or incestuous kings.  Rather, I am willing to pay $10 a month for a service I hardly use because of simple show that reminds me every week of the important work of dads and how beautiful families really are.