Before Hulu’s Paradise, watch Sterling K. Brown’s best performance in this Emmy-winning family drama
Sterling K. Brown exudes consistency. The multi-talented performer won an Emmy a decade ago for his portrayal of Chris Darden in the fantasy crime drama, The People v. OJ Simpson. Brown has also received critical acclaim on the big screen, earning an Academy Award nomination in 2023. American fiction. Brown is now the star of the post-apocalyptic thriller Heavenwhich returns to Hulu for its second season on February 23.
In HeavenBrown displays a new side of his acting persona – an action hero – as Special Agent Xavier Collins. Although Brown has the looks and charisma of a warrior, his best work occurs when he plays an emotionally vulnerable character. Brown’s best performance came as Randall Pearson It’s usNBC’s Emmy Award-winning drama series that ran for six seasons from 2016 to 2022.
This Is Us presents a spectacular pilot
Meet Randall Pearson
In today’s streaming landscape, the art of a pilot episode has lost its luster. There are some recent examples of exciting pilots…The last of us, The boysAnd Breakup prove the importance of a fantastic first episode, one which sets the tone and the stakes of the series. However, TV pilots have lost their sense of urgency. Since many shows now receive a series order immediately, there’s less pressure to immediately attract an audience. Shows can now take their time in the pilot episode and establish the world before raising the stakes in subsequent episodes. Until recently, many TV shows couldn’t afford to air the pilot for fear of cancellation.
It’s us premiered in 2016, and the pilot, which can be streamed on Hulu, didn’t make a splash when it premiered. I’m going to proceed as lightly as possible to avoid spoilers, because the pilot includes a twist that shaped the landscape of the series. Basically, It’s us is an ensemble drama with several intertwining plotlines: Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) are expecting triplets; Kevin (Justin Hartley) is an actor suffering from a mid-life crisis; Kevin’s sister, Kate (Chrissy Metz), is part of a weight loss support group; and Randall (Brown) searches for his biological father, who abandoned him at birth.
The twist revealed the characters’ connection, and if nothing else, it will convince you to watch at least one more episode to witness the payoff. It’s difficult to protect a plot twist in the age of social media, where spoilers surface online immediately after an episode airs. In 2016, you could still attend a show late without things being ruined.
Whatever the twist, it’s a fantastic pilot that feels like a series from another era, where one drama can captivate an entire family. Many current shows are aimed at a niche audience. I love dragons and backstabbing as much as anyone, but I wouldn’t say my parents spend time in Westeros. It’s us is a drama about family dynamics and how the past shapes our present. What’s more relevant than that?
It’s us
- Release date
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2016 – 2022
- Network
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BNC
- Showrunner
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Dan Fogelman
- Directors
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Ken Olin, Chris Koch, Kevin Hooks, Anne Fletcher, George Tillman Jr., Jessica Yu, Milo Ventimiglia, Rebecca Asher, Catherine Hardwicke, John Fortenberry, Jon Huertas, Roxann Dawson, Sarah Boyd, Uta Briesewitz, Zetna Fuentes, Justin Hartley, Craig Zisk, Helen Hunt, Joanna Kerns, Kevin Rodney Sullivan, Mandy Moore, Regina King, Sarah Pia Anderson, Silas Howard
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Milo Ventimiglia
Jack Pearson
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Mandy Moore
Rebecca Pearson
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Sterling K. Brown
Randall Pearson
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Chris Metz
Kate Pearson
Sterling K. Brown shines as Randall Pearson
Watch the episode about Randall’s journey with his father
It can be difficult to stand out in an ensemble drama. There is a limited amount of screen time that can be spent with a character before the series moves on to its next storyline. In the pilot it is obvious that It’s us creator Dan Fogelman, who also developed Heavenknew that Brown and his portrayal of Randall Pearson would carry the series, especially in this first season.
Randall was adopted as a baby after his father, William (Ron Cephas Jones), left him at a fire station. Most of Randall’s story in the first season involves him trying to reconnect with William and develop a relationship with his father that he never had. Time is limited for Randall, as William is dying of cancer. Towards the end of the season, Fogelman cleverly gives Randall and William the spotlight in Memphisan episode dedicated to a road trip to William’s hometown.
Memphis is a wonderful episode of television that will leave most people in tears. It’s the perfect encapsulation of vulnerability and a heartwarming demonstration of the bond between a parent and child. Brown and Jones are sensational in this episode, especially in the final moments as a son says goodbye to his father. Brown’s ability to elicit strong emotional reactions from an audience is rare. Brown’s performance in Memphis resulted in a win for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series at the 2017 Emmy Awards.
Sterling K. Brown brings that same vulnerability to paradise
Paradise returns for season 2
It’s us was a dramatic showcase for Brown, who delivered a raw and uplifting performance as Randall Pearson. Heaven this is not a family drama; it’s a post-apocalyptic thriller following a disastrous event that forces society to live in underground bunkers. Heaven is also a mystery show, as Collins, a Secret Service agent, becomes a prime suspect in the death of President Cal Bradford (James Marsden).
The gender could be different from It’s usbut Brown still delivers an immersive performance in Heavenone underpinned by ferocity and sensitivity. Even if psychological thrillers aren’t in your wheelhouse, Heaven worth seeing because of Brown. Heaven Season 2 premieres February 23 on Hulu.
Heaven
- Release date
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January 26, 2025
- Network
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Hulu
- Showrunner
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Dan Fogelman
- Directors
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Gandja Monteiro
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Sterling K. Brown
Xavier Collins
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Julianne Nicholson
Samantha ‘Sinatra’ Redmond
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Sarah Shahi
Dr. Gabriela Torabi
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If you’re looking for other thrillers, check out Netflix’s selection of political dramas set in Washington, D.C., or give Jason Statham’s one. Consumables franchise a shot if you need action.
