What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThis Is Us
Dan Fogelman · Series · 2016
If you loved This Is Us, start with That Was Us — a podcast on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to This Is Us across media.
What hooked you in This Is Us was the way these stories map the messy, beautiful, and enduring architecture of family.
Books on the same thread
It Ends with Us
Colleen Hoover · Book · 2016
Explores: cycle of abuse, resilience, past trauma.
Like This Is Us, this story centers on the weight of past trauma and the resilience required to navigate complex relationships while forging a path toward personal healing.
Crossroads
Jonathan Franzen · Book · 2021
Explores: generational trauma, moral ambiguity, religious disillusionment.
This family saga mirrors the generational depth of This Is Us, exploring how moral ambiguity and long-held secrets shape the lives of parents and their children over time.
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale (Pantheon Graphic Library)
Art Spiegelman · Book · 2022
Explores: The Holocaust, Family Trauma, Intergenerational Trauma.
If the intergenerational trauma portrayed in This Is Us resonated with you, this profound work offers a similarly raw look at how history and memory define family identity.
Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng · Book · 2018
Explores: Mother-daughter relationships, Class differences, Race and privilege.
Much like This Is Us, this narrative digs into the intricate dynamics of mother-daughter relationships and the quiet, suburban secrets that dictate the course of a family life.
Films on the same thread
The Fabelmans
Steven Spielberg · Film · 2022
Shares a thread with This Is Us: family secrets.
This film captures the same tender, semi-autobiographical spirit found in This Is Us, focusing on how a shattering family secret forces a young protagonist to reconcile his artistic ambition.
This Is Where I Leave You
Shawn Levy · Film · 2014
Shares a thread with This Is Us: Family Drama.
You will recognize the familiar emotional landscape of This Is Us here, as four siblings are forced to confront their shared grief and long-standing conflicts after a parental loss.
Life Itself
Dan Fogelman · Film · 2018
Shares a thread with This Is Us: Melodrama.
Written by the creator of This Is Us, this film features the same signature focus on fate and the way small, interconnected moments ripple through multiple generations of a family.
Ordinary People
Robert Redford · Film · 1980
Shares a thread with This Is Us: Family Drama.
This film explores the heavy themes of grief and guilt within a fractured household, mirroring the intense emotional scrutiny that defined the most poignant arcs in This Is Us.
Podcasts on the same thread
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
These personal narratives capture the same human condition that makes This Is Us feel so intimate, blending funny moments with deep feelings to reveal our shared, interconnected lives.
That Was Us
Podcast
Explores: family dynamics, emotional storytelling, behind-the-scenes.
This podcast serves as a direct extension of the Pearson family experience, offering the same behind-the-scenes emotional depth and nostalgia that made watching This Is Us so rewarding.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of This Is Us?
This Is Us follows the lives and families of three adults living in the United States. The series explores their paths as they grow up in both present and past times, revealing how their life stories intertwine through shared birthdays and unexpected connections.
Does This Is Us follow a linear timeline?
No, This Is Us does not follow a strictly linear timeline. The narrative structure shifts between the present and the past to show how the lives of the three central adults have grown and developed over time as their stories intersect.
Who created This Is Us?
This Is Us was created by Dan Fogelman. The television series premiered in 2016 and focuses on the interconnected lives of three adults who share the same birthday while navigating their family histories across different time periods in the United States.
Is This Is Us focused on a single family?
This Is Us centers on the lives and families of three adults. As the series progresses, the show demonstrates how these individuals share more than just a birthday, illustrating how their unique life paths and family experiences are connected in curious ways.