3 Black writers discuss some of the themes on NBC's 'This Is Us'

3 Black writers discuss some of the themes on NBC's 'This Is Us'

As the hit drama - This Is Us - airs its final episodes, three Black writers from the series speak on how the program has explored themes of race and inclusion.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Tonight, you can catch a new episode of NBC's hit drama "This Is Us." This is the show's sixth and final season. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans helps us kick off Black History Month by sharing his conversation with three Black writers from the series.

ERIC DEGGANS, BYLINE²: Kay Oyegun remembers the moment when she understood just how different a TV drama "This Is Us" would be. Early in the show's development, writers pitched creator Dan Fogelman ideas about William, biological father to Sterling³ K. Brown's character, Randall Pearson. Oyegun suggested making William a con¹ man. Fogelman had a different idea.

KAY OYEGUN: Dan sat there and listened to all of our pitches. And then he was like, OK, what if he's just an old man who had a really hard life, who just wants to get to know his son? And I was like - in that moment, I was like, well, get the out of here.

DEGGANS: In other words, the drama on "This Is Us" comes from small moments between characters living everyday lives. "This Is Us" centers on three siblings⁴, twins Kevin and Kate and adopted son Randall, along with mom Rebecca and dad Jack⁵. The show slips back and forth⁶ in time, showing the characters at different ages in different years. Oyegun has been with the show since 2016 and now serves as an executive producer/director. She's been central to writing many of the show's unique scenes dealing⁷ with race, often centered on Randall Pearson, a Black child adopted into the white Pearson family as a baby. I told her that Randall's journey seems unique because he's chosen to be Black in a way, seeking out his biological parents and raising a Black family. Oyegun says Randall was also so well-rounded because creator Fogelman put a lot of himself into the character.

OYEGUN: Randall's character, you know, is written from a place of real compassion⁸ and a place of real sort of, like, identification. He's not like, oh, here's this Black character who I have to now put these things onto you. It's like, no, he sees the character very much as himself.

DEGGANS: Back in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Oyegun wrote a scene where Randall tried to explain to Kate, played by Chrissy Metz, his yearslong, silent struggle with the trauma⁹ of seeing Black people killed by police.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THIS IS US")

STERLING K BROWN: (As Randall Pearson) Growing up, I just had to keep so many things to myself because I didn't want you to have to worry about saying the wrong thing.

CHRISSY METZ: (As Kate Pearson) Well, you're right. I mean, we never talked about it as kids, and

BROWN: (As Randall Pearson) And normally, I would hug you. I would try to make it all OK for you. But if I did that, Kate, then where does that leave me?

DEGGANS: Eboni Freeman, a co-producer on the show, says the scene captured how tough it was for some Black people to talk about Floyd's death, inspired by tough conversations they were having in the writers room.

EBONI FREEMAN: It was just a really interesting conversation to have, but also a conversation I think a lot of people related to because it was something that they were doing at the same time with their White co-workers, White friends and all that stuff.

DEGGANS: Freeman wrote a script for the third season called "Our Little Island Girl." In one of those scenes which often brings tears from fans, Randall's wife, Beth, played by Susan Kelechi Watson, hears her mother, Carol, played by Phylicia Rashad, apologize for making her abandon dreams of being a ballerina.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THIS IS US")

PHYLICIA RASHAD: (As Carol Clarke) Bethany, I don't know if I made the right decision for you, but I didn't have time to question myself. Your father was gone. I just had me and my worries, wanting my last child to be OK - our little island girl who danced before she could walk.

FREEMAN: I remember that day on set, just sitting there watching and being like, this is crazy that they're saying these words that I wrote. And it was just beautiful.

DEGGANS: Freeman was nominated for a Humanitas Prize and a Writers Guild¹⁰ Award for that script. Writer Jon Dorsey remembered a moment during the production of a script he wrote from season four, where he, the director and several other people were gathered in front of video monitors. Co-star Watson was shocked.

JON DORSEY: And she did a double take and then stopped and came back and took a picture because she was super shocked that it was filled with just Black people. And it's so rare that Susan had to, you know, backtrack, moonwalk back into the area and take a picture of it.

DEGGANS: Oyegun credits the show's top boss, creator Fogelman, who hired a diversity of people and then let them create.

OYEGUN: I think that having a boss who is receptive to the people he hires and who he or she hires is the model to follow, as opposed to a boss who is like, la, la, la, la, I know everything.

DEGGANS: As "This Is Us" ends its final season, here's hoping these writers put the lessons learned there to use creating their own hit shows. I'm Eric Deggans.

(SOUNDBITE OF SIDDHARTHA KHOSLA'S "JACK'S THEME [THREE SENTENCES]")

1 con   

n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的

参考例句：

• We must be fair and consider the reason pro and con.我们必须公平考虑赞成和反对的理由。
• The motion is adopted non con.因无人投反对票，协议被通过。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

4 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

9 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

10 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。