Not-to-be-missed if you’re an Ed Sheeran fan, this was a fun documentary series for my whole family.

My youngest kid (8yo) is a big Ed Sheeran fan so I knew we needed to watch this one together. There’s quite a bit that he didn’t enjoy: particularly the peek into Ed and Cheery’s relationship and marriage. But there was plenty he did enjoy, especially the songwriting and seeing how the loop pedal works.

This documentary pivots around the death of Ed’s best friend Jamal, who died around the same time that Ed’s wife Cheery was diagnosed with cancer and their second child was born (it was a big year for them). The last three episodes of this four-part series focus primarily on Ed’s grappling with grief while also attempting to balance fame, family, and songwriting. “Grief instantly ends your youth,” says Ed, and indeed it feels like we’re watching Ed Sheeran grow up on screen.

This documentary was well done. Ed and his family come off as likable, authentic people. I have an even deeper respect for Ed’s hard work in crafting his success. It’s a weird combination, but anyone with an interest in pop music or loss will enjoy this one.