Anyone else not quite know what to do with yourself now that you don’t have This Is Us on Tuesday nights? I am planning to re-visit a few favorites and binge several podcasts. Here’s my list of the top things to watch, read and listen to while we wait for Season 3!

TV Shows:

Parenthood

If you’ve managed to watch This Is Us but have not started Parenthood, this incredible show has to be first on your list! Parenthood is a family drama that feels incredibly close to real life. It touches so many real-life experiences and it seems almost impossible to not relate to each character at least once during the run of the show. Also, it’s 6 seasons – so this one will keep you busy for a while! Grab some popcorn and get ready to binge!

Friday Night Lights

This show has a bit of actor cross-over with Parenthood, many of them have roles in both shows. It’s fun to see familiar faces pop up between the two. This is a great couple’s show so if you are looking for something to watch together, this is a great pick!

Gilmore Girls

You’ll fall in love with this show within minutes. It’s a classic when it comes to family drama. You’ll love the quick pace and witty jokes. The show focuses on the Gilmore ladies of course but also stars Milo Ventimiglia (Jack from This is Us!). Milo isn’t in the entire series but he’s just one of an amazing cast that carries the show. Once you’ve finished the seven seasons, there is a 4-part Netflix series that catches up with the Gilmores several years later.

Movies:

Crazy, Stupid, Love

This wonderful movie is written by Dan Fogelman (creator of This is Us). It also has an incredible cast, including Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. It’s a set of love stories from all different stages wrapped up in a warm and fun story about family. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, put it on your list.

A Walk to Remember

This movie is a Mandy Moore classic. If you’ve been a Mandy fan for a while, you may have already seen this one, but it’s worth going back to watch again. You’ll love seeing how she has grown as an actress and looking back at her beginnings. This movie is of course also going to spark a few tears. It’s also based on a book if you’d rather read the story!

The Big Sick

This is an incredible love story based on the real-life love story of Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley, Portlandia, etc) and Emily V. Gordon. They co-wrote the movie and Kumail also stars, playing himself of course. It’s a beautiful story and I think it ended up way under the radar so many people didn’t even hear about it. You can watch it free with your Amazon Prime subscription!

Podcasts:

Terrible, Thanks for Asking

Terrible, Thanks for Asking is a podcast that always brings the tears. It’s the honest answer to the question we almost always answer with a lie — “how are you?” Be sure to listen to this one on your way home from work instead of on the way there. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s fantastic.

The Longest Shortest Time

Another tear-jerker of sorts, The Longest Shortest Time chronicles the struggles of parenting. Lately, they’ve been focusing a lot of episodes on the actual process of becoming parents, and what that looks like for different kinds of people with different plans for the future. A great and inspirational listen for anyone that is a parent, yearns to become a parent, or was raised by parents!

StoryCorps

Definitely a unique podcast in the masses, StoryCorps’ mission is to “preserve and share humanity’s stories.” While doing so, they often feature stories that tug on your heartstrings and always feature stories full of emotion. A superb listen to gain valuable insights into other people’s lives.

Strangers

Similar to StoryCorps, each episode of Strangers is focused on true stories of real people. Strangers largely focuses on the relationships between those people, and we all know when relationships are involved, tears aren’t far behind. Strangers is poignant and direct, a rare gem.

Books:

All The Light We Cannot See

A tale of interwoven stories, perspectives, and times, All The Light We Cannot See is miles and years away from This Is Us, but still carries a similar theme of multi-ness. The connected and intertwined stories of a blind French girl and an orphaned German boy carry the reader along an intensely emotional ride during the devastation of World War II. It takes a lot for a book to touch on the plight of human existence, as this one does adeptly and with great care for the emotion the author is imparting.

A Man Called Ove

The story of Ove opens by introducing a grumpy man, an older man, who seems to feel the world is against him and his principles. He has a very precise routine that isn’t to be messed with and he is quick to anger. People avoid him. But beneath the tempered exterior, there is a story. The story is captivating: one of love, loss, sadness, and one none of his neighbors and local townspeople really ever knew. That story is charming.

For up to date info on when This Is Us will return, keep tabs on this site.

Anyone else have recommendations for great things to watch/see/listen to while we wait?? Let me know in the comments!

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