This is Us: Why We Needed Kate Pearson
I typically do not comment or talk about any kind of pop
culture on my page, but with this post I decided to make an exception. One of
the newer shows on television, This Is
Us has really exploded in popularity and is talked about and watched by
so many. To be completely honest here, as soon as I saw Milo Ventimiglia in the
preview a few months before the premiere date I was sold, however, once I
started watching the show I found myself quickly getting involved with the
characters. Laughing with them, crying with them (and let me tell you there is
A LOT of crying with them), and just all around feeling a connection with these
fictional characters played by lovely actors.
I
actually was watching the latest episode while doing my cardio at the gym last
night, not something I recommend doing as you are either smiling like an idiot
or crying your eyes out… but hey I live life dangerously. The reason I bring
this up on my page here is because of one very specific character. I will say
this right now, if you have not watched the show and do not want anything
ruined, then do not continue to read this entry. SPOILER ALERT! The character I am talking about is Kate
Pearson. If you have watched the show I am sure you basically know why I am
bringing her up, but there is so much more behind her.
Kate is
played by the beautiful Chrissy Metz. Kate is a newly 36 year old woman with a
weight issue that affects her physically and very clearly emotionally as well. In
one of the first scenes you meet this character you see her completely strip
down before stepping on a scale. She puts her toes on it then backs up and
removes her earrings. Anyone with any sort of weight issue will know just how
relatable this is. This may be too much information here, but I too weight
myself with nothing on. I find it is just going to be the most accurate reading
that way. I have, however, found myself thinking if I should remove my fitbit, earrings,
or if I have my glasses on instead of contacts because they may add just enough
weight to show a difference. This is of course really silly, but I am almost certain
it is a common occurrence. In the first few minutes of screen time Kate is a
highly relatable character for someone going through a similar issue in their
life.
Fast forward a little into the same episode and Kate decides she wants to change her
eating habits. You see her taking her armful of junk food to her trash can
outside and tossing it all in. She looks up to see a neighbor walking her dog.
After a short pause she asks the neighbor for the dog’s droppings the neighbor
has cleaned up during their walk and put in a bag. Once she has them, she empties
the bag of the dog’s waste on top of the food in the garbage. She knows herself
well enough to know that she may be tempted even by this food in the garbage
can, so she steps in and does something to make this food completely
undesirable and not edible. To me, this is the first sign of strength in her.
To recognize that and take steps to prevent it from happening.
To
continue with that theme, you later see her at a support group meeting for
people with the same issue as her. This is where she meets Toby. Toby basically
hits on her at the coffee table after the meeting is over. She responds to him
by saying “I can’t fall for a fat person right now,” which at first seems a bit
harsh. After considering it a bit more it really becomes clear that she knows
someone with similar problems and habits as herself may be a strain on her
weight-loss journey (haha see what I did there). Sometimes relationships can
trigger old habits and losing progress because people get comfortable around each
other and Kate clearly is aware of this. Toby, however, responds with “Well I
guess I will lose the weight” triggering a grin from Kate (and a big stupid
smile from me) as he walks away… and their relationship continues to grow, but
I won’t give too much away here. Quite frankly though, Kate and Toby are
relationship goals!
A few
episodes later and Kate is getting frustrated at her lack of progress (which I
really can relate to right now, but I am not letting it get me down). She
starts considering gastric bypass surgery as it will be a quick and easy fix
(or so she thinks) to her problem. You see here just how strained her
relationship is with her mother, as her mother attends her meeting with the
doctor as well. Her mother, Rebecca is played by the gorgeous Mandy Moore. Kate
had a weight issue even as a child and always felt like she was nothing
compared to her mother. You see a little of this when a young Kate is comparing
the size of her sweater to her mother’s. You also see bits and pieces or
Rebecca trying to help Kate with her weight issue and is really concerned she
is going to be made fun of. A very sweet and motherly action that to a kid
seems mean and upsetting. Rebecca blames herself in a way and tries to do her
best to remedy the situation, but this only causes a huge strain on their
relationship… something that Kate is bothered and feels guilty for even as an
adult. You see a bit of this in another episode as well.
In the
very last episode that has aired (the episode that aired on 1/24/2017) the
audience starts to see the start of where Kate’s main emotional issues came up
that what I assume was the start of her real downfall. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT UP: You find out
that Kate’s father’s death occurred while the kids were in their teenage years.
This is only shown in little flash memories of the funeral service, and the
three kids (Kate and her two brothers) are by the looks of it only in high
school. This is such an emotional memory that Kate actually screams out and is
crying when they are flashing in her memory. To me, I read this as what could possibly
be the major turning point in Kate’s emotions and quite possible a huge trigger
in weight gain as well. An emotional time period that the audience is still
quite in the dark about, but I am sure will learn more as the series continues.
So what
is my main point to bringing this character randomly up on my blog? To me, the
world really needed a Kate Pearson. The world needed to see the different sides
to someone struggling with a weight problem other than just assuming they eat
horribly and lay around all day. I identified with this character almost
immediately but not just because of my weight problem. I see a strength in Kate
that I have in myself and for the longest time did not see either. It is
actually refreshing to see an overweight character shed in an almost
sympathetic and understanding light rather than an almost comical one. The
first season hasn’t even ended yet and Kate has already grown so much.
Kate is
made out to be a person who puts everyone else ahead of her in the beginning of
the series. That slowly changes throughout the season. She stops catering to
her brother Kevin’s every little request and need. That was a huge step alone.
When Toby later on decides he isn’t dieting anymore and goes on a binge she recognizes
this as toxic to herself and steps away from that situation as well. Kate
absolutely recognizes what she needs to do and is slowly starting to do it. Kate
hasn’t shown a drastic progress in her weight-loss at this point, but she is
making progress in so many other great ways. Many ways in which I have myself over
the past year or so. I think that is reflected within the entries of this blog.
I so
look forward to seeing how this character continues to grow and change as the
next few seasons continue. The world really needed this character as I already
said, but felt it needed to be said again. A huge round of applause goes to
both Chrissy Metz and of course to the producer Dan Fogelman and of course the writers as well. Thank you and I look
forward to seeing what else this beautiful show brings.
0 comments