It’s the story of “the big three, ” a situated of triplets( a biological brother and sister, and their adopted friend ), and the two parents, Jack and Rebecca, who shaped their adult lives.
“This Is Us” is the shamefully, unapologetically tear-jerking NBC hit that has millions tuning in every week to ugly-cry together, and it just wrapped its first season.
The show isn’t always perfect, but is thoughtful in its portrait of characters we’re not used to seeing maybe none more so than Jack Pearson, the dutiful and altruistic daddy of the family .
“This Is Us” though good at sprinkling in humor here and there is not a comedy. Jack is not obligated to be funny, which likely is part of the reason he’s been spared from becoming the buffoonish daddy we’re used to seeing in TV and movies.
It’s not just that( and the fact his mustache/ beard are #goals) that stimulates Jack such a compelling character. There are( at the least) five things that induce Jack a somewhat damn good modeling of manlines in an age where being a blustering, blathering “alpha male” can get you somewhat far .
By the style , no spoilers for the season finale here.( But if you don’t already are well aware that Jack does not live to grow old with Rebecca, where have you even been for the last three months ?)
1. He doesn’t apologize for showing a full range of human emotions.
GIF from “This Is Us”/ YouTube.
When we first fulfill Jack in the series’ pilot episode, he is a man in total control. When he and a pregnant Rebecca arrive at the hospital, the children on their style, medical doctors cautions them the risks during delivery will be high.
“We’re walking out of this hospital with three healthy children and a healthy wife, ” Jack reassures medical doctors while also supporting Rebecca during contractions.
Unfortunately, the third baby, a little son, is stillborn. When Jack gets the news, he breaks down in tears in the waiting room, before ultimately deciding to bring home Randall, an abandoned baby being treated at the same hospital.
It’s not the last hour we understand Jack’s emotional vulnerability. Because, you know what? It’s OK for dudes to exclaim .
2. He’s fiercely loyal to his family.
Yes, Jack is the main breadwinner for the family, but it’s not what stimulates him a boy. It’s dedication that goes far beyond just operating long hours.
For example, theres a secretary at work constantly batting her eyes at him, and in one episode, she eventually makes a move. He becomes her down with ease, and candidly, the show doesn’t make a big deal of it. Jack doesnt get any hero degrees for remaining faithful, as he shouldnt.< strong> Jack demonstrates real humen can be complex beings with morals and values that aren’t based around sex .
It also becomes clear afterwards in the series Jack was the one who pushed for marriage and children with Rebecca, a nice change of pace from the commitment-allergic humen we’re used to seeing on TV.
“To me, you are every proportion my son.” GIF from “This Is Us”/ YouTube.
3. He’s a great, great, great dad.
A lot of TV fathers love their kids and will show it through goofy hijinks, roughhousing, or gruffly bonding over athletics.< strong> But not Jack. He manages the tough stuff too .
Like who could forget the time he remained up all night sewing Madonna gloves for his daughter’s birthday party and, when things didn’t go as schemed, tried to applaud her up by asking her to teach him how to “vogue”?
In one of his best minutes, though, Jack realizes he as a white man can’t be the only role model in his black son’s life, so he takes him to an all-black karate class where he can learn how to face the difficulties that “re coming with” being a boy of color.
GIF from “This Is Us”/ YouTube
4. He’s a true-life romantic.
TV and movies are rife with dunderheaded humen forgetting birthdays and anniversaries, clambering around to cover their tracks with thoughtless, last-minute gestures. Not Jack. In one episode, he rents his and Rebecca’s now-vacant first apartment for a night, fills it with candles and champagne, and challenges the both of them to never forget the things they love about each other.
He constantly find hour and energy to induce his wife( and his kids, for that matter) feeling special, enjoyed, and acknowledged .
Doesn’t get much more manly than that.
“Rebecca, you have changed the style I think about love.” GIF from “This Is Us”/ YouTube
5. Despite all of these things, Jack is a flawed man.
Throughout much of the series, Jack seems perfect. Rebecca even describes him as a “superhero” more than once.
But Jack battles with a booze trouble. Later, he has trouble reigning in his resentment of another man in Rebecca’s life. He occasionally crumbles under the weight of being the familys boulder.
Through it all, Jack needs his wife, and he knows it. In these minutes, it’s Rebecca who picks him up and helps him be a better man.
Because no matter how “manly” you are , no one can do it all alone .
“From now on, I’m going to be an 11[ out of 10] for you, baby.” GIF from “This Is Us”/ YouTube.
We know Jack dies before his kids are grown, but with the show’s jump-around timeline, let’s hope he shows up plenty in season two.
After all, he still has a lot more to teach us dudes about what it actually means to be a boy.
Read more here: http :// www.upworthy.com /~ ATAGEND
