The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Arts Tuesday, September 27, 2016 — 5 Since “Parks and Recreation” and “Parenthood” left the air in 2015, NBC’s lineup has been miss- ing shows that carry their ban- ners. NBC started programming more mainstream, plot-based content like the procedural “Chicago” fran- chise and dramas like “Blindspot” and “The Black- list,” but were missing shows that were warm, sweet and incredibly enjoyable to watch on a weekly basis. It took 18 months, but NBC might have found something to fill those holes in their lineup with “This is Us.” The pilot episode contains char- acter development and emotional payoff that suggest a show that will effectively go for the jugular each week, and will only become more effective as time goes on. “This is Us” follows a few dif- ferent groups of people as they move through their lives. There’s Jack (Milo Ventimiglia, “Heroes”) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore, “Tangled”), who are about to become parents as Rebecca gives birth in the first episode; Kate (Chrissy Metz, “American Hor- ror Story”), an overweight woman who starts to attend a weight loss support group where she meets Toby (Chris Sullivan, “Stranger Things”), an overweight man who she begins dating; Kate’s brother Kevin (Justin Hartley, “Small- ville”), an actor who stars on a multi-cam sitcom; and Randall (newly anointed Emmy Award Winner Sterling K. Brown, “The People vs. OJ Simpson”), a success- ful professional who tracks down his biological father. These stories are simple at the surface, but “This is Us” excel- lently digs into them. The drama isn’t necessarily for plot significance; instead, it’s focused on developing its characters. That’s what’s most suc- cessful in this pilot. Until the last few minutes, the hour is about getting to know the people who the show will be following, setting up what they need to do to grow on a week-to- week basis. It’s a classic character- focused format, and it’s something that’s been sorely missing from NBC’s lineup. Much like “Parenthood,” “This is Us” goes for the emotional jugular in its emotional payoffs. Each story ends with some sort of moment where the music swells and the characters share some sort of “moment.” Whether it’s Jack and his wife’s elderly OBGYN (Gerald McRaney, “House of Cards”) hav- ing a heartfelt conversation as the doctor tells Jack about what hap- pened during the birth, or Ran- dall bringing home his biological father to meet his grandkids, the last ten minutes are filled with effectively treacly scenes. There is an element of emotional manipu- lation; because this is only the first episode, and I’ve only spent 40 minutes with these characters, it’s hard to care for them as strongly as I did for the Bravermans toward the end of “Parenthood,” which is how the show seems to expect me to feel. Hopefully, this will become easier as the show goes on and they spend more time growing these characters. It’s impossible to talk about “This is Us” without discussing the huge twist at the end of the pilot. If you don’t want to know what happens, stop reading here, go watch it and come back. The last moments of “This is Us” reveal the children Jack and Rebecca have are Kate and Kevin, and they adopt Randall after he’s brought into the hospital by a fire- man and they lose their third trip- let in the birth. So, this is a show that will be taking place across two different decades, with Jack and Rebecca in the ’70s and their now adult children in the present. It’s a compelling bait-and-switch that’s only matched in this week’s premieres by creator Dan Fogel- man’s (“Galavant”) other drama, “Pitch.” This could easily become a gimmick, where the drama relies on the twist to force its emotional payoffs (especially because it doesn’t reveal the fates of the par- ents in the present). However, if used well, it can connect the les- sons the parents learn in the past with what the kids are doing in the present. The trick will be to not force ties between past and pres- ent where they don’t belong. The twist in “This is Us” has somewhat overshadowed discus- sion of the other aspects of the pilot. It’s a very good twist, but it wouldn’t work without all the convincing character work earlier in the episode. “Parks and Recre- ation” and “Parenthood” are two of my favorite shows, and compar- ing them to “This is Us” is setting an awfully high bar for the new series to cross. However, if this drama reaches its full potential, it will easily be up there as one of the best on network television. NBC “Don’t die. We’re only 1 percent to 100 episodes.” NBC’s ‘This Is Us’ fills the family drama hole vacated by ‘Parenthood’ New pilot comes with big emotions, big twists and big talent All it took was six seconds. This small blip of time was enough to launch Shawn Mendes from his popular Vine account to releasing two solo albums. Working with the basics of popular songs, Mendes covered others’ tracks while putting his own acoustic spin on them. The newest of his albums, Illuminate, steps outside the realm of young, male pop stardom and into more mature, complex territory. As would be expected, the album deals almost exclusively of love, of heartbreak, budding physical intimacy and how to handle a relationship gone sour. Instead of focusing on the gooey center of a fresh relationship, Mendes often chooses to tackle its hardened end. Tracks like “Three Empty Words” and “Don’t Be a Fool” hint that Mendes is wise beyond his years; he confronts the imminent end in his relation- ships rather than unnecessarily stringing them out. Echoing art- ists like John Mayer, the open- ing song “Ruin” allows Mendes’s voice to echo as the guitar rolls and drawls on with him. Though much of the album is well developed in sound and lyr- ics, there are moments when the talk of romance and relationships becomes too much. Slipping into repetitive territory, sections of the work are plagued by lulls. Never spanning more than three tracks, these low moments are char- acterized by recur- rent reassurances that Mendes wants only what is best for his soon-to-be-ex and that the break- up isn’t any easier on him than it is the other party. While all is well and good, when used in excess these traits become stretched and slightly unbeliev- able. “Like This” and “Don’t Be a Fool” are two songs that unfortu- nately fall victim to this phenom- enon. Despite its low points, Illumi- nate is made up of successes. Play- ing on his various vocal abilities, Mendes pairs his dynamic voice with an equally as varied instru- mental scape. Slower tracks fea- ture drawn out, ringing guitar while others, like “Patience,” use strum and slap techniques paired with round, atmospheric tones to create a lively sound. On these lighter tracks, Mendes’s voice shifts from that of a more serious ballad to a spry, soft delivery. Following in those nimble footsteps, the most notable tracks are those that played into some element of the pop-tune machine. Songs like “Mercy” and “No Promises” have choruses fea- turing energetic backup vocals and lyrics that are easy to catch on to. Scratching the surface of the playboy pop persona, “No Promises” depicts a no-strings- attached relationship. Even though the album is filled with talk of love and pas- sion, Mendes barely touches the topic of sexuality and, as this is an album penned by an 18-year-old- boy, its absence leaves something to be desired. That being said, the one track that does tackle this topic head first, “Lights On,” does it very well. Feeding Mendes’s “good guy” persona, “Lights On” is playful as Mendes sings of appreciating his lover’s body. One can almost hear the longing sighs of dedicated fans as Mendes croons, “I can’t deny I want your body.” In directly addressing physical intimacy, “Lights On” branches out from other tracks while pointing toward the poten- tial future of Mendes’s sound. The mature nature of Illu- minate is even more impressive when considering this is only Mendes’s sophomore album. Though young, Mendes’s tal- ent is undeniable — spewing out vocal riffs far more soulful than his years and perfectly executing Ed Sheeran-esque instrumenta- tion. Having only recently turned 18, the possibilities for the young Canadian are multiplying by the minute. ISLAND/UNIVERSAL “Can’t a Vine star get a cab in this town?” CARLY SNIDER Daily Arts Writer ‘Illuminate’ takes Mendes into more mature, complex territory B- Illuminate Shawn Mendes Island/Universal A Vine star grows up on Shawn Mendes’s new LP ALBUM REVIEW TV REVIEW ABC has added yet another series to its roster of formulaic family sitcoms, but this one’s a little different. “Speechless” cen- ters on the DiMeo clan –– a fam- ily with a special- needs child named J.J. (Micah Fowler, “Labor Day”). J.J., who has cerebral palsy (as does the talented young actor who portrays him), is quickly revealed to be an audacious teen in his own right, not unlike his two siblings Ray (Mason Cook, “The Goldbergs”) and Dylan (Kyla Kenedy, “The Walking Dead”). In the series premiere, the three teens are forced to change schools yet again as their mother, Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver, “About a Boy”), relentlessly searches for a school that will accommodate J.J. Maya fights the commonly futile struggle against a system that fails to provide the neces- sary resources to students like J.J. The latest pretext in their series of moves is a school that provides a “voice” for J.J., a cloyingly chip- per school staff member who is constantly at J.J.’s side to help him communicate with those around him. Though the “voice” is a win for Maya, she soon finds another cause for protest: the school’s handicap ramp is the same ramp used to load and unload trash. In a hilariously piercing comment, Maya asks the school principal what kind of disabilities the trash being carried out has, pointing out the neglectful injustice in her son being required to use such a ramp. Driver executes her role as the unfettered advocate for her son’s rights with such moxie that it’s impossible not to find her feroc- ity charming. Her indignation at every obstacle faced by her son is heartwarming, yet the show estab- lishes that her char- acter is as strong as she is endearing. The town’s police seem to agree –– when she speeds past a parked cop car no less than two times, a seasoned officer stops his partner from pursuing her, simply shak- ing his head and saying, “Not her. Life’s too short.” Though the title would have you believe otherwise, “Speechless” is actually full of sharp, unfiltered dialogue wielded primarily by the charming-as-ever Driver. The family’s unconventional, outspo- ken matriarch adds a refreshing dose of brazen quirkiness to the stale family dynamic seen in most of the network’s sitcoms. That isn’t to say that everyone is eas- ily persuaded by Maya’s persistent charm. J.J.’s younger brother Ray questions whether his parents’ decision to move into a shabby home along the bustling high- way is a necessary change or just another rash solution to the perva- sive issue of J.J.’s schooling. John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory”) plays Jimmy DiMeo, Maya’s equally eccentric, yet complacent parenting partner. Without being overshadowed by Maya, Jimmy complements her character with a subtle quirkiness and grounding acceptance. He and Ray also share a bond that deepens the audience’s relationship with the DiMeo family through yet another lens into what feels like an authentic family dynamic. Though Ray’s maturity and determina- tion to be heard in his parents’ decision-making process borders on absurd at times, as do Maya and Jimmy’s antics, these qualities feel like exaggerated personifications of their real-life counterparts. While the resonance of the series is partly due to creator Scott Silveri’s (known for “Friends”) own experiences growing up with an older brother with cerebral palsy, it has all the components of a great comedy. Poignant moments are countered with warm humor, making the plot and its charac- ters feel familiar. The show pro- vides insight into what it’s like to live with a disability without overtly politicizing the subject matter. Simply, in a time where network television has fallen under criticism for failing to accu- rately portray diversity on screen, “Speechless” has successfully found its voice through an identity that has rarely, if ever, been repre- sented in the media in an accurate and relatable manner. Though “Speechless” has the feel of a network TV sitcom, it tackles a reality far beyond the grasp of most network shows cur- rently on air with refreshing heart and humor. The new show is more than a deftly executed series with a stellar cast, it’s a win for both ABC and for network television comedies. SHIR AVINADAV Daily Arts Writer ‘Speechless’ premiere shows how to transcend an average TV sitcom B+ “Speechless” Series Premiere ABC Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. FILM REVIEW A woman’s struggle to balance her career and family is well-trod- den ground in narrative cinema, but “Mia Madre” goes beyond the surface to illus- trate one woman’s own experiences in nuanced — albeit dull — detail. The film cen- ters on Margherita (Margherita Buy, “A Five Star Life”), a film direc- tor having difficulties shooting a film about labor rights while deal- ing with her distant relationships with loved ones. The driving force of the movie is her elderly mother Ada (Giulia Lazzarini, “Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspira- cy”), who is being hospitalized and is slowly dying after pneumonia enlarged her already weak heart. Though this sounds quite dra- matic, the film buzzes around so many other people in Margherita’s life (her crew, her daughter and ex- husband, her new boyfriend) that it never gives Margherita time to truly share her feelings and let the viewer feel what’s going on inside her head during these difficult times. She’s too busy, no thanks to her American leading man Barry (John Turturro, “Barton Fink”) delivering his lines in bad Italian and accommodating Margheri- ta’s firm directing decisions with unwanted interjections. Barry’s first meeting with Mar- gherita makes it clear that he’s an asshole. After being personally picked up by her from the airport late at night, he tries to sleep with her and then claims he’s joking when he’s rebuffed. This immediately establishes him as an unlikable character from the get-go. Though he doesn’t try any- thing that problematic for the rest of the movie, he does pull these “jokes” after making diva demands on set one too many times to be totally likable. Thankfully, Barry and the rest of the crew become more likable after respecting Mar- gherita’s directorial choices to a fault and listening to her concerns about her mother. This not only adds depth to secondary charac- ters, but gives Margherita a cru- cial sense of authority that avoids the stereotypical “bossiness” that might have been come across oth- erwise. Unfortunately, the same tech- nique is used to convey how Margherita conflicts with her family, with less effective results. Her family tells her she isn’t around enough and make her feel bad when they display a stronger connection to her mother. But the director is never shown choosing to film over spending time with her loved ones, making the true cause of their frosty relationship unclear. Plenty of people have a full plate at work, and as a result spend less time with their family than they would like. Is Margher- ita upset now because she didn’t consider the long-term conse- quences of living like this before? For such a dedicated woman, this seems unlikely. Since we only see what she can see, it’s impos- sible to understand the effect her busy work schedule has on those around her. There’s no way to tell how valid her family’s complaints of her distant relationship with them are. Though the plot gets a little murky as it tries to incorporate the struggles of the many people who populate Margherita’s life, the pacing is swift and the actors are engaging. The focus of the movie could have been narrowed to give Margherita enough time to give meaning to what’s happening in her life. But it still manages to portray her existence realistically, giving her complexity and life, which is no easy feat. ‘Mia Madre’ is a dull but well-made, mature film with realistic detail B+ “Mia Madre” Michigan Theater Music Box Films A- “This Is Us” Series Premiere NBC Tuesdays at 10 p.m. TV REVIEW ALEX INTNER Daily Arts Writer ANA LUCENA Daily Arts Writer