Hope for heavier women on TV
“This is Us” is promising
The pilot for NBC’s Tuesday-night drama “This Is Us” shocked a lot of viewers when it revealed how the lives of its ensemble cast of characters intersect. But the tearjerking plot twist isn’t the only thing that sets the drama apart.
One of the show’s main characters is Kate (Chrissy Metz), a 36year-old woman confronting an ongoing struggle with her weight. In the pilot, we see her attend a weightloss support group and go to extreme lengths to stop herself from eating junk food. But we also see her go on a date with a sweet guy who makes her laugh and makes it clear he’s attracted to her.
Television hasn’t had the best track record with overweight female characters, who have typically been the subject of punchlines. Recent efforts, including the late CBS sitcom “Mike and Molly,” Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” and the short-lived ABC Family drama “Huge” took a step in the right direction, but tended to focus on the fact that a lead character was overweight.
There is similar criticism when it comes to Kate, whose storyline so far revolves around her desire to “lose the weight.” (Salon’s Melanie McFarland called her storyline “distressingly awash with problematic messages about food and fat shame.”) But Kate is one of several characters with dynamic stories, and there is also something to be said about seeing a plussize woman court a genuine love interest in a non-comedic way.
Last year, “Empire” got people talking when one episode opened with a steamy love scene between Lyon family confidant Becky (Gabby Sidibe) and her slimmer paramour, rapper J Poppa (Mo McRae). The somewhat unexpected scene provoked both praise and ridicule.
“This Is Us” has an opportunity to shift the dating conversation through Kate’s relationship with Toby, who she meets at her weight-loss support group. While the pilot is fairly onenote when it comes to Kate’s issues, her resolve to change her life indicates that we could see character exploration that isn’t tied to a love interest.
But the NBC drama can still ensure that Kate’s story evolves beyond her efforts to lose weight.