Season Analysis

This Is Us

Season 2 Analysis

Season Woke Score

4.6

out of 10

Season Overview

After a devastating loss of a member of his family and a nervous breakdown, Randall decides to change all their lives by making some bold decisions in order to honour the legacies of his father(s). Kate finally decides to pursue a career in singing, supported by her fiancé Toby, which will put their relationship to the test. Meanwhile, Kevin is reunited with his first love Sophie and about to become a huge movie star, until the ghosts of his past catch up with him. Turns out that "The Big Three" depend on Jack and Rebecca - in more ways than they allow themselves to admit it.

Season Review

Season 2 of This Is Us continues its focus on the emotional intricacies of the Pearson family while leaning more heavily into the politics of identity. The narrative prioritizes Randall’s experience with transracial adoption, often suggesting that his white parents were ill-equipped to handle his racial identity. While the show maintains a high level of reverence for the patriarch, Jack Pearson, and the nuclear family unit, it increasingly filters character struggles through the lenses of systemic failure and intersectional trauma. The introduction of the foster care system via Deja highlights socio-economic and racial divides. The season remains grounded in family values but begins to trade universal themes for more specific socio-political commentary.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics6/10

The plot frequently centers on Randall’s race as a defining struggle. The narrative suggests that 'whiteness' created a void in his upbringing and focuses on the systemic difficulties faced by his biological father and foster child Deja.

Oikophobia3/10

The show largely respects the American family unit and historical lineage. However, it occasionally frames past societal structures as roadblocks to the personal fulfillment of its minority characters.

Feminism4/10

Female characters like Kate and Rebecca pursue independent careers and personal ambitions. While motherhood is celebrated and treated as a primary goal for Kate, the narrative also highlights the domestic burdens placed on Rebecca compared to Jack.

LGBTQ+5/10

The series normalizes alternative lifestyles through the character of William, Randall's biological father, whose past same-sex relationship is presented as a core, soulful part of his identity with no moral pushback from the family.

Anti-Theism5/10

Characters do not look to traditional religion for guidance, instead finding meaning in secular 'fate' and emotional connections. Faith is replaced by a vague spirituality and the pursuit of subjective personal truth through therapy.