S06.E17: The Train

[ItCouldBeWorse]

4 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

HEY! What happened to Uncle Nicky and why wasn't he at Rebecca's bedside like we saw in the earlier season's future-flash?

He was sitting by her bedside when Randall first arrived, while Kevin was out getting Chinese food.  Then he let her descendants and their spouses have their turn, after hogging the orange chicken.

13 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

And I guess future Malik goes through some kind of second puberty?

Great comment.

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse

[CSunshine76]

24 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Isn't Phillip from London? Wouldn't it have been so much simpler to say that Kate, Phillip and the kids were there to visit the Mean Jerk in-laws and Phillip/the kids caught an earlier flight or came home a day earlier or something?

Oh come on now, don’t go bringing common sense into the Pearson world. 😂

[sara416]

I loved this. I ignored everything that seemed out of place or took me out of this and just enjoyed being taken on this journey of an episode. I started crying with Beth's goodbye and pretty much didn't stop the rest of the episode. I absolutely loved all of the callbacks to earlier things, Gerald McRaney, William, the interaction between all the ages of the kids, and I even am okay with the train metaphor. Mandy Moore is absolutely stunning. That last speech by William knocked me into full sobs. I love the idea of him leading her through to the end. 

I said it last time we saw the aged up daughters of Randall, but that casting was amazing. I could honestly see all of them as grown versions of the younger ones. I don't know how they did it. 

My husband is currently working out of town and called me to say goodnight just as Kate was getting to the house. Thank goodness, because I needed something to take me out of this. There's a few things that made me go hmm... but in the end this episode was absolutely beautiful. 

[sara416]

1 hour ago, A.Ham said:

I have only watched a few minutes so far, but Randall questioning the fact that people are able to smile and joke and eat is soooo Randall. What does he want them to do, sit Shiva? A PIA through the end.

 

I know everyone is different, but I come from a big Irish Catholic extended family. I didn't know wakes were supposed to be sad until well into my teen years. There was always laughter and joking and food. There are no rules with grief. 

[MissT]

Just to nitpick here.  How would all of her albums survived the fire.  Didn't the house burn down?     
 

The soundtrack of songs is what makes every single episode for me since season one.   Whoever is in charge of music needs a Grammy.    I'm 54 and I start crying when the songs start.   They need to come out and sell the soundtrack. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by MissT

[txhorns79]

3 minutes ago, MissT said:

Just to nitpick here.  How would all of her albums survived the fire.  Didn't the house burn down?     

I suppose you could just fanwank and say she bought new records of her favorites again at some point.  They wouldn't be expensive or hard to replace. 

[Bulldog]

This episode did manage to show me an image I never thought I'd see:  Chrissy Metz running. 

So, was the only connection between the Pearsons and the family in the car accident really just that they happened to be at the hospital at the same time?  That's pretty weak if you ask me.  Yes, it would have been cliched to have Jack donate blood or an organ to save the young boy, but it also would have made a lot more sense. 

I think older Annie got more lines tonight than younger Annie got in the entire run of the series. 

I continue to be impressed with the casting of older Deja.  She even has the younger version's cadence of speaking down pat.  This show has always done an excellent job of casting characters at various stages of life.  

You'd think Kevin could afford a cook so they wouldn't be constantly eating take out. 

I guess Rebecca's mom didn't make the cut for the death train ride. 

[MissT]

2 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I suppose you could just fanwank and say she bought new records of her favorites again at some point.  They wouldn't be expensive or hard to replace. 

Probably,    I love albums.   I had a ton, but when I had a bitter breakup they were in the attic and  I couldn't retrieve them.   That's when cds started.     But there's nothing like an album.   

[chabelisaywow]

Lol FFS taking her curriculum international 

[hoosiergirl]

I actually loved the Deja parts, although I wished that she had wound up with someone other than Malik. Deja is my favorite of the Randall daughters. I would watch a spin-off about Deja and her baby’s father and her life in medical school. Until Jack showed up in the hospital, I thought Deja was going to be the trauma doctor who saved the boy’s life. 

I am a little disappointed that Miguel only had that short part on the death train. 

The whole thing with Kate not being present due to taking her curriculum international was so, so dumb. Good try, show. Kate didn’t need to be an internationally acclaimed educator in order to be successful. A better story would have been for her to be a great, working mom who struggled but figured it out in the end. 

[chabelisaywow]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

The big shock for me wasn’t the identity of the mystery family, it was that Annie was the only one of Randall’s daughters who got a moment with Rebecca. Go figure, the only member of the Pearson clan that remembers her is the one with severe dementia. Not so surprising? Both that Deja ended up with Malik, Pearsons really are quick to imprint on a life partner, and that Malik still hasn’t figured out how condoms work. 

Just started on PST. Please tell me different actor for Malik. Did the parakeet turn into at least a cockatoo?

[chabelisaywow]

1 hour ago, 30 Helens said:

But then we wouldn’t have been treated to our final image of Kate Savant, musical education genius extraordinaire, saving the world one disabled child at a time.

And yes, of course your reason would have been simpler (and more logical). But you know what show you’re watching, right? 😉

Lol she had one job….

[SunnyBeBe]

33 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

This episode did manage to show me an image I never thought I'd see:  Chrissy Metz running. 

So, was the only connection between the Pearsons and the family in the car accident really just that they happened to be at the hospital at the same time?  That's pretty weak if you ask me.  Yes, it would have been cliched to have Jack donate blood or an organ to save the young boy, but it also would have made a lot more sense. 

I think older Annie got more lines tonight than younger Annie got in the entire run of the series. 

I continue to be impressed with the casting of older Deja.  She even has the younger version's cadence of speaking down pat.  This show has always done an excellent job of casting characters at various stages of life.  

You'd think Kevin could afford a cook so they wouldn't be constantly eating take out. 

I guess Rebecca's mom didn't make the cut for the death train ride. 

Also, what about Beth’s mom?  It seems they cut her out real quick and I never heard a word about her til tonight when Beth made a short reference and it wasn’t very positive.    I think the show ghosted her after her comments supporting Bill Cosby winning his appeal.  Please chime in if that’s not right.  

Edited May 18, 2022 by SunnyBeBe

[ItCouldBeWorse]

42 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Also, what about Beth’s mom?  It seems they cut her out real quick and I never heard a word about her til tonight when Beth made a short reference and it wasn’t very positive.    I think the show ghosted her after her comments supporting Bill Cosby winning his appeal.  Please chime in if that’s not right.  

Beth's mom could simply be dead. We didn't see her this season.

I guess Rebecca only saw the people on the train whom she primarily had impactful fond memories of.  Her mother was not one of those.

Edited May 18, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse
Amended to reflect memememe76's comment.

[Cheyanne11]

Well, I cried—multiple times, so it mostly worked for me.  Loved the train metaphor and Dr. K and William’s interactions with Rebecca.  Appreciated the gathering of family and laughter mixed with sadness.  Beth’s goodbye was probably my favorite part if I go by number of tears.  Speaking of, man, Sterling is a champion crier.

Less successful for me: the entire other family’s ~connection to the Pearsons and the reason for Kate not being there.  Shocked she wasn’t on the space station bringing her curriculum to Mars.

shallow note: Mandy Moore looked gorgeous in this episode.  Just stunning.  

[memememe76]

Deja is in the Train, sitting next to Tess looking at the photo album. Toby is there with Baby Jack (no Hailey). Teen Sophie is there with Teen Kevin.

I thought the entire train sequence was beautiful. I think the mention of Kyle was enough, not sure a visual representation would have worked. I would like to know the intention of having all versions of Randall and Kevin, but only the young version of Kate (Teen Kate is my favourite young person amongst all of the iterations). Any ideas?

[ItCouldBeWorse]

8 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

Less successful for me: the entire other family’s ~connection to the Pearsons and the reason for Kate not being there.  Shocked she wasn’t on the space station bringing her curriculum to Mars.

Another great comment.

 

[Mediocre Gatsby]

4 hours ago, Jax7917 said:

Rebecca on the train is creeping me out . 

Same. To me, her eyes were weirdly large, as if she was holding them open in a way she didn't do throughout the series. Maybe MM was trying to be ethereal. 

3 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I like her seeing the kids at different ages all together.

Me too! 

1 minute ago, memememe76 said:

I would like to know the intention of having all versions of Randall and Kevin, but only the young version of Kate (Teen Kate is my favourite young person amongst all of the iterations). Any ideas?

Same, I love that actress. 

Thanks for the explanation of the end of the show. Even though my Tivo had it going 3 minutes long, it still cut off just when Rebecca sat on the bed. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, memememe76 said:

I would like to know the intention of having all versions of Randall and Kevin, but only the young version of Kate (Teen Kate is my favourite young person amongst all of the iterations). Any ideas?

There weren't many happy times with teenage Kate?  Adult Kate even apologized to her about it later. Teenage Kevin was far from perfect, but Rebecca had happy memories of him with Sophie.  After Jack died, Kate was either sulky or belligerent.

Also, Randall and Kevin recounted specific memories at Rebecca's bedside, which prompted snippets of those events on the train (we mostly heard stories about their early years, but they probably told other stories, as they were there all night.).  Kate only had time to say that Bug was there and to thank her, so Rebecca only saw young Bug. (Kate would probably have had trouble telling nice stories about her teenage years.)

Edited May 18, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse

[funnygirl]

My one nitpick: 

It should've been Kate who got the hand squeeze from Rebecca. Kate barely got a few words in, and as usual Randall gets the final word. The boys were with her all day/night. Kate had just gotten there, she should have been the one to have that final moment. Rebecca was waiting for her, after all. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by funnygirl

[3 is enough]

Well, that made me cry.  I wish Miguel had gotten more screen time, but otherwise I have no complaints.  

[debbie311]

Let down.  I have cried during previous episodes but didn't shed a tear tonight.  Glad that I could read the explanations here about the other family.  Trying to figure out who those people were took away from the main plot, for me. Seemed so unnecessary and took up too much time.  I usually DVR the show, but watched it in real time tonight.  So many commercials!  I usually fast forward during commercials, they really took away from the show for me. Maybe my expectations were too high after all the hype. 

[ProudMary]

I'm someone who's been waiting for the show to end, yet I was pleased with this episode overall. I liked most aspects of the train with just a couple of nitpicks. As the whole concept was based around Rebecca riding the train with her dad as a kid, I expected to her see him on this train ride to eternity. Plus, I'd have been up for a Tim Matheson cameo. 😉 

While I enjoyed Rebecca's conversation with Dr. K and thought it was lovely at that point in the episode, when Rebecca's sees Miguel shortly after, it was jarring that he got only about 35 seconds with her when she spent about 4 minutes screen time with Dr. K. While I assumed that Jack would be at the end of her journey, especially since Sophie brought up yet again that they had a love for the ages 🙄, Miguel deserved more than such a cursory send-off.

William has been one of my very favorite TIU characters all along, so I loved that he was her guide. It wouldn't surprise me if Ron Cephas Jones wins another Guest Actor Emmy for this. He was so good here.

I liked the way the voices of the family members who were saying their goodbyes to Rebecca at her deathbed, were coming through the loudspeakers on Rebecca's train. It was a lovely way of illustrating that she was, in fact, hearing what her family members were saying to her. Speaking of which, I only teared up once during the episode and that was when Beth was saying her goodbye to Rebecca. I'm more than ready to see this show end but I will sincerely miss seeing Susan Kelechi Watson's Beth Pearson on my screen.

I would normally be rolling my eyes at the introduction of yet another set of unknown characters, especially in the second to last episode(!), but I literally squealed when I saw Dulé Hill on my screen. 

I liked having Kate be on a plane for the bulk of the episode. I've had about enough of her character over the past several weeks. I'm glad she was important to the plot, but mostly sidelined. The reason for her trip, not so much. It's like the writers just can't help themselves. 

Overall, probably my favorite episode of the season.

Can someone please tell me what it said on the plaque over the door to the caboose when Rebecca said to William, "Not yet, I'm waiting for someone?" I was watching on a smaller TV and couldn't make it out. I get the gist, of course, but would like to know what the actual words were.

 

[Leeds]

5 hours ago, wonderwoman said:

on the nose (otn):

“representing someone or something with indelicate or awkward directness; lacking subtlety or nuance.”

I'm not sure what you're referring to as "on the nose", but the phrase itself doesn't have to represent something negative.  It just means accurate.

4 hours ago, A.Ham said:

I have only watched a few minutes so far, but Randall questioning the fact that people are able to smile and joke and eat is soooo Randall. What does he want them to do, sit Shiva? A PIA through the end.

I am willing to give him a bit of a pass if he does better, but it’s not looking good.

Back to watching!

 

4 hours ago, buckboard said:

When we were sitting shiva for my dad, during a slow time when we weren't expecting anyone, we played Trivial Pursuit, which my dad loved to play.  We were laughing and telling stories when the doorbell rang and who was at the door but his very Orthodox aunt in her 90s.  We scrambled to get the game into another room.  Glad it wasn't Randall at the doo

There's no problem sharing joyful and funny memories during shiva.

3 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

x

Kisses to you, too, ItCouldBeWorse!

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Leeds

[Mediocre Gatsby]

4 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I only teared up once during the episode and that was when Beth was saying her goodbye to Rebecca.

,,,,

Can someone please tell me what it said on the plaque over the door to the caboose when Rebecca said to William, "Not yet, I'm waiting for someone?" I was watching on a smaller TV and couldn't make it out. I get the gist, of course, but would like to know what the actual words were.

 

I was coming back to say this about Beth's scene -- that was the best one for me, too. 

The plaque said "Caboose car," I believe. 

[Gemma Violet]

Easter egg alert:  Someone on Twitter pointed out that "caboose" was the word Rebecca couldn't remember in an earlier episode.

[debraran]

6 hours ago, LexieLily said:

HEY! What happened to Uncle Nicky and why wasn't he at Rebecca's bedside like we saw in the earlier season's future-flash?

We were supposed to assume he said his goodbyes already and maybe any tarnish on Jack with him saying how much he enjoyed meeting her, maybe there was the unsaid "missing years". IDK. I thought he'd be there for a moment.I don't think they wanted to bring up the beginning in his talk but 30 seconds would have been nice.

I thought if Dan/Ken really don't plan a spinoff the Marcus, car crash, lab scenes took away from the ending the fans wanted. Maybe some didn't care but I didn't cry one tear. I just kept thinking how is this tying up and when they gave Miguel the short shrift, after his wonderful show, made him young and almost hitting on her, it pissed me off and effected other scenes. No wonder she seemed "off". What were they thinking, fans couldn't handle her welcoming 2 men who were her husband for 18 years on a train? She couldn't give him a smile, a hug? Then Kevin and Randall were fine but their talks were fine but something just seemed missing. Waiting for Kate to run in, I knew she was who Rebecca was waiting for, I liked that, seemed real (not where she was) and that happened with my uncle coming to Hospice from Texas to CT for his mom. Told her he was there, held her hand and she passed.

I guess when in my head, I had Jack in caboose looking out window and then turning and he had a baby, was not seeing a bed (please) and her having him lying in it with her. I know some fans might have thought how lovely that was, but not to me, just seemed silly. I thought I was crazy but saw some "instant reviews" online that said similar so there will be the "I was crushed" to the "I felt nothing" fans who felt cheated.

I did like one fans comment that it should have been William showing her one train, Dr.  K another and Miguel another.

But that's ok, I had Miguel and other episodes I liked and if the last is just a montage of old scenes and not future ones, I'll be disappointed but I wont miss it as much and that's good.

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by debraran

[NeenerNeener]

9 hours ago, MissT said:

The soundtrack of songs is what makes every single episode for me since season one.   Whoever is in charge of music needs a Grammy.    I'm 54 and I start crying when the songs start.   They need to come out and sell the soundtrack. 

Seconded. The music for this show almost always makes me cry.

My Tivo cut the episode off when William put on his hat. I am not amused.

ETA: started watching New Amsterdam and there was the stuff you all were talking about. Didn't finish, tho, so they probably chopped the end off NA and I'll have to watch it on Hulu to see it all.

Edited May 18, 2022 by NeenerNeener

[Lisa418722]

I didn't cry, but somehow I didn’t expect I would since the only episode I cried during was Miguel’s episode. I wish she had gotten more of a goodbye with Miguel.  I would have liked to see Jack holding Kyle at the end when she walked into the caboose rather than a bed. 

When Marcus got turned down on continuing the cancer research, I knew he was going to create the "cure" for Alzheimer's.  I wish they hadn't had this family (even though I understand why they did) and more goodbyes with the family like with Tess and Nicky. But I was very happy to see Annie got the grandchild goodbye with Rebecca.  

I can't even say anything about Kate now being the savior of worldwide education.  We've always joked about St. Jack, now we have St. Kate.  Since she was in London was she meeting with Queen Elizabeth?  

I didn't mind William being the conductor of the train and I was very happy to see Dr. K. I'm looking forward to next week, but I always feel like after a certain amount of time that it is time for shows to end and it is time for TIU to end IMO.  

[Jillybean]

I came here to say the show must be trolling us with Kate's meteoric career success, and someone upthread beat me to it. I literally laughed out loud at the "international curriculum." I have to wonder if there was originally a different storyline planned for Kate's absence in the flash forwards. This one just seemed dumb. Why would Kate leave the country with her mom nearing death?

I told my husband at least 50% of viewers wouldn't understand the Marcus storyline or its significance and from glancing at comments on TIU Facebook posts, it looks like that's about right. I enjoyed the tie-in with William's speech about the bigger picture. But there was a bit too much time spent on Marcus. And commercials. We watched live instead of starting 20-30 minutes late like we usually do so we can FF the commercials. There were so many freaking commercials. 

I feel bad for the original kid Big Three. Once they aged out, we never saw them again.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Jillybean

[Cristofle]

I definitely did cry. First with Beth, then with Dr. K, and finally at the end with The Big Three telling Rebecca they loved her. Sterling, Chrissy, and Justin were heartbreaking to me. No matter how old you are and no matter how long you've known this was coming, losing your last, most steady and constant parental figure is devastating. 

I'm not surprised it was Randall's words that allowed her to fully let go. She needed Kate to be there, needed all three of them to be there, but Randall has struggled the most with accepting his inability to change the outcome of her disease and he's struggled the most with letting go. When he told her they were good, that she could go say hi to Jack now, I can see it being the final thing that allowed her to slip alway. 

I love Ron Cephas Jones, he has the most soothing voice, so I didn't mind William leading her through the train. I didn't expect Miguel to be the key figure she'd been waiting for, but that the moment was so brief and that she didn't talk and they didn't touch was a bit odd. 

I didn't expect Kyle to be there at the very end either. I would have put him somewhere on the train somehow, though. Who knows, if we see more of Jack and Rebecca in the afterlife next week, maybe we'll see him. 

I suppose I always knew it would be Jack when she finally let go, and it ultimately resonated with me, especially with one of her last thoughts (outside of the kids) seemingly being that drive to their house with his things on the seat. And she remembered walking out of the hospital alone as she walked towards the caboose. She's waited to see him for so long. She pushed through and made a good life for herself and her kids, she found happiness with Miguel again, but still. Part of her has been waiting and wanting to see Jack for all of that time. 

[Chatty Cake]

I was enjoying the episode until the Kate took her curriculum international bs. She was a miserable shrew the past few seasons and now she’s this amazing educator. I also wanted Marcus to be Dejas significant other. I felt the only reason to  showcase him and his family was to make him part of the Pearson’s by extension. 

[nlkm9]

9 hours ago, Katie111 said:

Anyone think they’re setting us up for a spin-off with this new family?    Otherwise, I don’t think they added much to the story tonight.  
 

Otherwise I thought it was a great episode.  Besides maybe the ridiculous notion that Kate now has an “international curriculum”.  

I havent watched yet and will just ff through those scenes. Lol

[Artsda]

The goodbyes were hard to watch.

Kate choosing to travel now is just dumb, knowing how bad she was.

Interesting Miguel is just barely nothing on the train, everyone leading to Jack.

[greekmom]

6 hours ago, chabelisaywow said:

Just started on PST. Please tell me different actor for Malik. Did the parakeet turn into at least a cockatoo?

They did use a different actor.

But how funny and cringe would it have been if they tried to age up the current actor?!

[Johnny Dollar]

Poor Kate! She so deserved that Nobel Peace Prize! To go from failed diner waitress to failed singing telegram singer to international acclaim as the developer of the World’s Most Bestest Curriculum for Blind Kids all after the age of 40 is much more impressive than a six year old solving the Middle East Crisis. 

[Haleth]

That was lovely.  You know what Rebecca's train journey reminded me of?  The Five People You Meet in Heaven, a book I read in one sitting and cried buckets, buckets for hours.  This felt a lot like that.  Loved seeing Dr K and William as guides for Rebecca.  Loved seeing the Big 3 at different ages together on the train.  Mandy never looked so beautiful.

Like many others I thought Marcus would turn out to be Deja's fiance.  Boring.  Leave it to the writers to tease us with a misdirection then hit us with the real significance of the character.  Everyone is connected.  (Marcus didn't cure Alzheimers, he developed a treatment that helped prolong Rebecca's life.)

Miguel got robbed.

So how are they going to top this episode next week?  This really felt like a finale.

7 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I continue to be impressed with the casting of older Deja.

I kept wondering if that was Lyric Ross, aged up a bit.  Kudos to the casting director.

3 hours ago, Gemma Violet said:

Easter egg alert:  Someone on Twitter pointed out that "caboose" was the word Rebecca couldn't remember in an earlier episode.

Wow.  Great catch!

12 minutes ago, greekmom said:

They did use a different actor.

I'm 99% sure he was the same actor for Malik.  But then I thought they used the same actress for older Deja, so who knows?

8 hours ago, nilyank said:

Maybe his was the clinical trial that Rebecca would have joined if not for Covid.

That would have been an interesting bit of irony.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Haleth

[Trillian]

29 minutes ago, Chatty Cake said:

 I felt the only reason to  showcase him and his family was to make him part of the Pearson’s by extension. 

I wonder if Dr Marcus is a remnant of the clinical trial plot line that got derailed by covid. Otherwise, my only feeling when the Alzheimer’s breakthrough speech came (other than eye rolling at the long-term consequences of a Pearson speech) was that isn’t that nice but way too late to help Rebecca so who cares. 

[Blakeston]

Mandy Moore said that when she read the script for this episode, one aspect of the plot made her physically ill.

I guess she was talking about when soon-to-die Jack appeared?

But I choose to believe she was referring to the line about Kate taking her curriculum international!

 

[SummerDreams]

That was a bitter sweet episode but it was satisfying. I wouldn't want anything more or anything less in it. Though I think they have the word dichotomy used wrong. Every ending is a new start and Rebecca lived her life with the good and the bad and she leaves her kids and grandkids behind.

Was it implied that if the doctor was not with Marcus he could have saved Jack? Had we seen this info before?

It was predictable that Rebeccca sees Miguel, he tells her she is his favorite person and she doesn't even reply. Jack was always the one. Once again Miguel is not treated good by the writers.

[MissLucas]

I'm having one of my cynical days - no tears. Just mild annoyance that they turned William into a trope that I thought Hollywood had dropped a couple of years ago. 

The train ride idea was good though - except that Kyle was just acknowledged in passing, not even his name was mentioned. And the conversation with Annie felt like trolling all of us who wondered if she would ever get a decent plot. Mandy Moore's make-up was great, she looked luminous.

Kate and the international curriculum made me laugh but not in a good way. Toby asking Rebecca to confirm that she had always liked him better than Philip made me laugh in a good way.

The whole plot about the magical lemonade motto and how it leads to a cure for Alzheimer's was way too Hallmark movie.

[BlancheDevoreaux]

9 hours ago, CSunshine76 said:

I hated that William was the train conductor. Why not Jack? And on the other hand, why not Miguel? Was she married to Miguel as long, if not longer than, Jack? But she’s in bed with Jack when she crosses over?

I've been wondering who Rebecca was with longer, as well, so I looked it up on the This Is Us wiki page (so take with a grain of salt)
1972 - Met Jack
1976 - Married Jack
1998 - Jack dies
So, together for 26 years, married for 22

2000 - Miguel moved to Houston
2008 - Tess is born; Miguel and Rebecca reconnect
2010 - Rebecca and Miguel get married
2021 - Rebecca and Miguel celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary (so there's our first rewrite of time)
2026 - Kate marries Phillip (Miguel walked her down the aisle)
2031 - Rebecca dies - Miguel passed sometime between 2026 and 2031.
So, together for an unspecified time since they clearly had feelings for each other before dating, but officially married for close to 20 years, dated for about 2, and knew each other for decades before that. Miguel was done wrong. He was a huge part of Rebecca's life; I'd argue just as "present" as Jack, if not more.

[AriAu]

Quote

I think older Annie got more lines tonight than younger Annie got in the entire run of the series. 

Maybe because we rarely heard her (other than when she got into drunk Uncle Kevin's car), but he speech was the first one to make me shed a tear.  "It's ok to be small...as long as I don't think of myself as small". Wisest line of the night!

Toby cracked me up....some well placed comic relief, but I am not sure the ex would have gotten an individual audience like that.

Very sad that Beth Pearson won't be on my TV screen most weeks....great character and Susan Kelechi Watson gives a consistently remarkable performance and delivers the excellent lines soooo well. I'd watch a spin off if not for the fact that Randall would sorta have to be there. 

However, they can't get Madison off my screen quickly enough.

Gerald McRainey is only 73-figured he had to be older based on his appearance so great acting by him.

 

Quote

I continue to be impressed with the casting of older Deja.  She even has the younger version's cadence of speaking down pat.  This show has always done an excellent job of casting characters at various stages of life.

Cuz it WAS the same actress....that was Lyric Ross,

[BlancheDevoreaux]

8 minutes ago, MissLucas said:

The train ride idea was good though - except that Kyle was just acknowledged in passing, not even his name was mentioned. And the conversation with Annie felt like trolling all of us who wondered if she would ever get a decent plot. Mandy Moore's make-up was great, she looked luminous.

Hollywood tends to act as if most women don't consider stillborn, miscarried, or those lost shortly after birth to still be their children. I'm disappointed but not surprised Kyle barely got a mention and it wasn't treated as a true loss and reunion for Rebecca.

[ECM1231]

7 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

Shocked she wasn’t on the space station bringing her curriculum to Mars.

Bwah 😂Best comment so far!

I loved the entire episode. Like many,I was faked out thinking researcher Marcus was Deja's new beau. I still don't really understand the connection or why this family was introduced, but whatever.

I held it together until the very end, when Rebecca entered the caboose car.

[Maximona]

I’ve been hate-watching This Is Us for the past couple of years, but I must say, the producers and writers have managed to pull it together for the ending.  I do like the idea that Death is a train ride, and that all the other passengers on that train are the other people whose penumbras have brushed yours over the course of your lifetime.

Lovely metaphor…

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Maximona

[CountryGirl]

Older Deja and Older Malik were both played by different actors.

Older Deja was played by La Trice Harper.

I'm not finding a name for the actor who played Older Malik yet. 

[Eln5]

30 minutes ago, AriAu said:

Maybe because we rarely heard her (other than when she got into drunk Uncle Kevin's car), but he speech was the first one to make me shed a tear.  "It's ok to be small...as long as I don't think of myself as small". Wisest line of the night!

Toby cracked me up....some well placed comic relief, but I am not sure the ex would have gotten an individual audience like that.

Very sad that Beth Pearson won't be on my TV screen most weeks....great character and Susan Kelechi Watson gives a consistently remarkable performance and delivers the excellent lines soooo well. I'd watch a spin off if not for the fact that Randall would sorta have to be there. 

However, they can't get Madison off my screen quickly enough.

Gerald McRainey is only 73-figured he had to be older based on his appearance so great acting by him.

 

Cuz it WAS the same actress....that was Lyric Ross,

According to IMDB adult Deja is played by La Trice Harper, who does look remarkably like the actress who plays young Deja. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Eln5
Someone upthread beat me to it :)

[Ohiopirate02]

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Also, what about Beth’s mom?  It seems they cut her out real quick and I never heard a word about her til tonight when Beth made a short reference and it wasn’t very positive.    I think the show ghosted her after her comments supporting Bill Cosby winning his appeal.  Please chime in if that’s not right.  

Phylicia Rashad also took a position at Howard University as a dean. She may have not been able to fly to California to film scenes with this new position.  She also did not endear herself to the students at Howard with her Cosby comments and her comments during the students' strike back last fall.  

[Eln5]

Nvm

Edited May 18, 2022 by Eln5
Double post