Kamryn Schnieder ~ Copy Editor
For this last week, I wanted to skip out on the Anime and save some good ones for the spring, so instead, I am going to talk about a show I binged Sunday night. A Million Little Things is a drama on ABC that explores the facets of adulthood friendship after the suicide of a close friend. It tackles issues like suicide, depression, relationship troubles, passion for work, and self-sacrifice. And while this show did make my eyes water and my heart hurt at times, it was also very inspiring and comedic due to how the characters handle their issues.
The show currently has two seasons out, with the third season airing its first episode on Nov. 19. The show is available to stream on Hulu and on ABC’s own website abc.com/a-million-little-things.
I think something this show does well without even getting to the plot is how it tackles diversity. It has representation that is not forced or used to progress the plot; it just is the characters. However, the show does not throw these facts by the wayside either. One example is Rome, a black man struggling with clinical depression, being at odds with his family because, in his culture, they just do not talk about that stuff. The character explains in a handful of scenes that in his house, being sad is just part of life and you get over it.
This show tackles other things, such as Danny, a young boy learning how to navigate puberty and being gay at the same time, in a similar fashion that helps it feel like it is not just trying to score diversity points for ratings.
As far as the plot itself, it is actually pretty loose. I will not spoil much in terms of specific events, but the show navigates itself with episodic events, with one overarching plot. That plot is the death of mutual best friend Jon Dixon. The four main men, Jon, Rome, Eddie, and Gary, all met one day in a broken-down elevator, and after two and a half hours they became close friends for years to come. The death of Jon rattled each of them and their wives and children, as well as revealed a few secrets that develop as the show goes along.
I feel like with the stress of COVID, plus the general stress of college, and the fact that our generation is one of the highest “stressed” generations in human history, this show can act as a kind of catharsis as we prepare to enter our own adult lives. Or it could be horrifying and dissuade from any positive views of adolescence, so watch at your own discretion. And, since I said all that, please be aware of triggers such as suicide, depression, and mentions of sexual assault.
I watched both seasons, all 36 episodes, in one night so you can tell it at least held my attention. Also, if you like the show Grimm, it features David Giuntoli, who played Nick Burkhardt, in the show as Eddie.
