A Million Little Things Is Inspired by a True Story — Here Are the Details

Updated on 9/11/2018 at 6:20 PM

The Fall TV season is almost upon us, and one show is already standing out from the crowd. ABC's upcoming friendship drama A Million Little Things is drawing comparisons to This Is Us, and it's easy to see why. All of the trailers for the show have been full of emotion, suggesting that this series will be all about giving you a serious case of the feelings, just like the Pearson family's drama. Having another show full of heart and incredible actors on your to-watch list is never a bad thing, and now is the perfect time to find out everything you need to know about A Million Little Things. September is just around the corner, and the friends at the center of this ABC drama are just waiting to win you over.

The Plot

The official ABC synopsis reads:

"They say friendship isn't one big thing, it's a million little things; and that's true for a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it's just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way they discover that friends may be the one thing to save them from themselves."

While the network has been keeping many of the major plot details quiet, we do know a little bit more about what's ahead. The show centers on eight friends — four men and four women. The guys all meet while stuck in an elevator, and their shared love of hockey leads to lifelong friendship. However, when one of them dies by suicide, the rest are left to reexamine their own lives and learn how to truly lean on each other.

The Inspiration

Heartbreakingly, the series is inspired by something that happened to series creator D.J. Nash. In a behind-the-scenes teaser, Nash explained that he ran into an old friend one day and they made plans to have lunch. Shortly afterwards, he learned that his friend had died by suicide. Nash said, "At his funeral, I promised myself I'd live differently. I think that's what you do when someone goes too soon. You use their death as a way to remind yourself to keep living."

Now Nash is continuing to honor his friend's memory with a show about the important role that friendships play in our adult lives.

The Cast

The A Million Little Things cast is full of familiar faces to TV fans. The series stars Grimm's David Giuntoli as Eddie, Ron Livingston as Jon, Romany Malco as Rome, Allison Miller as Maggie, Christina Moses as Regina, Christina Ochoa as Ashley, Psych's James Roday as Gary, Hawaii Five-O's Grace Park as Katherine, Stephanie Szostak as Delilah, and Lizzy Greene as Sophie. Each member of the group is dealing with their own issues. Roday's Gary is worried his cancer is coming back, while the trailer reveals that Malco's Rome is struggling with depression. Add in marital and work issues, and it's clear that this capable cast is going to have lots of meaty material to work with.

The Trailer

There are several teasers available on ABC's official YouTube page, but the most informative (and potentially spoiler-filled) one came out shortly after the show was announced.

The Premiere Date

Go ahead and mark your calendars for Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m. on ABC. The show is taking over the time slot previously held by Designated Survivor, and it also happens to be premiering one day after the This Is Us season three premiere, so you might want to buy Kleenex in bulk to prepare for all of the tears.