S06.E17: The Train

[Shermie]

8 hours ago, Crs97 said:

A poster in another thread said that when the cast recently appeared at a big interview for the final season, someone asked what would happen if Rebecca met both Miguel and Jack in heaven.  The actor playing Toby exclaimed that was the best question of the night, and Mandy had both Milo and Jon stand up, linking arms with both of them.  Apparently the place erupted in applause.  It wasn’t hard, writers.

It’s a good question, true. I would have been satisfied if the train journey had happened as is, but when she saw Miguel, she’d say something like, “Miguel, you’ve always been there for us” (since the journey was replicating Rebecca’s life as a younger woman when Jack was still alive and Miguel wasn’t a romantic partner). Then Miguel could escort her to the caboose. But whatever, it worked the way they did it too.

When someone dies who was widowed more than once, there’s often a lot of discussion about where to bury them, with husband A or husband B. If husband B was also widowed, they often bury them with the first spouse, but if the first marriages were relatively short and the second one was long, it seems that the B couple would want to be buried together. Not that I care about any of this; to me, a dead body is a shell and who’s buried where is just something to argue and politic about. It’s easier if one is cremated. 

As for introducing characters at this point, the whole series has been about telling stories about everyday connections with random people. Some stay for a long time, some are fleeting. But you never know what impact you had on them, or vice versa. 

[Ohiopirate02]

I don't think Beth or Sophie going to bed meant they went to sleep.  I got the impression that both chose to remove themselves so that Randall and Kevin could have time with Rebecca alone.  Beth is not the type of wife who's turning in for the night while her husband is staying up at his mother's death bed.  She would have made herself comfortable, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and stayed nearby.  Maybe fix herself another mug of tea while she spent time alone preparing for what's to come next.  

Also, someone let Malik in the house, so someone was awake.  

[gonzosgirrl]

I don't know if it's denial or just meh story telling, but this episode just didn't do it for me. I will never accept that Kate is now a world renowned, curriculum-writing (no doubt award winning) music educator. Sorry, just no. Like others, the only time I came close to tearing up was Beth's good bye, and the biggest grin was Toby asking if he was still Rebecca's favourite.

I kind of get Rebecca moving from a sweet look with Miguel to her final destination of Jack. For me, it was a fitting end. I don't believe in Heaven/Hell etc., but I like to think if it is real, then each person's Heaven is personal to them. So, Rebecca and Jack are in heaven together in hers,  but Miguel and Rebecca are together in his.

 

[peeayebee]

10 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Also, someone let Malik in the house, so someone was awake.  

I thought he said something about the nurse letting him in.

[mostlylurking]

33 minutes ago, Violetgoblin6 said:

 

2 hours ago, smartymarty said:

I was surprised that everyone went to bed despite being told that Rebecca likely would not survive the night. Seems they would do an all-night vigil (as only Randall and Kevin did). I certainly would have stayed up with my husband while his parent was dying.

Expand  

Absolutely. I didn't get that either. Beth & Sophie went to bed. 

 

I think maybe they were trying to give Randall and Kevin some time alone with their mom. Beth asked Randall if he was good before going to bed. I got the impression they wanted to be together with their mom on what might be her last night. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by mostlylurking

[Jersey409]

I really liked this episode. It was such a pleasure to see William again- always enjoyed him and brought me back to when TIU was actually good and well written. Mandy Moore looked wonderful, gorgeous dress.

That family being added in was kinda meh-and no way would the parents and two siblings be walking around in the lobby and getting coffee after being in that kind of accident-they’d be in hospital beds too and being monitored. Random thought but Madison’s Gynocologist and his daughter never really intertwined in the story did they?Just a random storyline thrown in.

randall still hasn’t realized he’s got two other daughters I see.  Ridiculous she’s with Malik-and I guess he went to HARVARD so he could work at a restaurant . Pfff.  Was this the last episode?

[Cristofle]

12 minutes ago, Jersey409 said:

randall still hasn’t realized he’s got two other daughters I see.

To be fair, Randall did drive up with Tess and it was indicated they indeed have weekly dinners, but this evening has just been going on since S2, lol. Annie...I got nothing. Poor Annie. At least she got the scene with Rebecca. 

[ams1001]

34 minutes ago, Jersey409 said:

Was this the last episode?

There's one more. 

[Rebky]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:08 PM, izabella said:

And the ONLY reason Miguel was not in her life for 10 years before reconnecting on Facebook was KEVIN shut him down.  Had he not moved to Houston after that, he and Rebecca would have gotten together and married far sooner.

Rebecca went to bed and cried her eyes out that Miguel was moving to Houston. Obviously she had begun to develop feelings for Miguel at that point.

[PRgal]

58 minutes ago, Jersey409 said:

I really liked this episode. It was such a pleasure to see William again- always enjoyed him and brought me back to when TIU was actually good and well written. Mandy Moore looked wonderful, gorgeous dress.

That family being added in was kinda meh-and no way would the parents and two siblings be walking around in the lobby and getting coffee after being in that kind of accident-they’d be in hospital beds too and being monitored. Random thought but Madison’s Gynocologist and his daughter never really intertwined in the story did they?Just a random storyline thrown in.

randall still hasn’t realized he’s got two other daughters I see.  Ridiculous she’s with Malik-and I guess he went to HARVARD so he could work at a restaurant . Pfff.  Was this the last episode?

Maybe Malik dropped out.  He just didn't become the Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg of food...yet.  Maybe he's going to win Chopped or Top Chef and get his own show.

[SummerDreams]

18 hours ago, Pallas said:

On the train, she wasn't his Rebecca; he wasn't her Miguel. Both of them were in their prime and devoted to Jack. That's how Rebecca was envisioning herself and him. 

Then why did he say "you are STILL my favorite person"?

[mansonlamps]

20 hours ago, mishap said:

Could have done without the Markus stuff.  That was part of what soured me on this show too, the  random characters they throw in, just to confuse us.    This is not the first time i have wondered why we needed all that.  

 

Did we ever find out the significance of the redheaded girl and her horse in that random episode?

I wasn't surprised that she wound up with Jack at the end,  to me they always played it that Jack was the love of her life (and father of her children) and she was the love Miguel's life

I'm sure Rebecca was on the caboose bed in Miguel's train ride.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by mansonlamps

[ctmd]

6 hours ago, Jeddah said:

On 5/18/2022 at 1:07 PM, DanaK said:

Once thing I'm confused about in regards to Deja being pregnant, if this episode was 10 years from the present, why is she only now getting pregnant for the first time and the first of Randall's kids having a baby? You would think within those 10 years, Deja at least would have had a baby before then given she was at least 18 in our present. If she became a doctor as I recall, maybe going to med school and establishing herself had her put off motherhood

lots of us doctor-moms don't have babies until late 30s or early 40s bc of the demands of med school, residency, and fellowship. I had 10years of school/training after graduating college, and didn't even get married until I was already 40 (baby at 42). 

 

Also, re: Rebecca's memories being so crystal clear with dementia on her deathbed- 1- none of us knows what people experience in their minds in the moments before death. We are seeing her experience her children in "real time," but we really have know idea. and 2- when I worked at a nursing home with a dementia unit, one of the "signs" we'd see of impending death was sudden clarity. For example, the old combative lady who could speak and hadn't eaten in days suddenly would know all her nurses' names and eat all her dinner, then be found dead the next morning. Also- 3- earlier memories are the last to go for people with Alzheimer's with the most recent information being lost first. So kids will be forgotten before husbands and parents. You may remember your home address from 10yo, but not where you lived for decades as an adult. 

[PRgal]

2 minutes ago, ctmd said:

lots of us doctor-moms don't have babies until late 30s or early 40s bc of the demands of med school, residency, and fellowship. I had 10years of school/training after graduating college, and didn't even get married until I was already 40 (baby at 42). 

 

Also, re: Rebecca's memories being so crystal clear with dementia on her deathbed- 1- none of us knows what people experience in their minds in the moments before death. We are seeing her experience her children in "real time," but we really have know idea. and 2- when I worked at a nursing home with a dementia unit, one of the "signs" we'd see of impending death was sudden clarity. For example, the old combative lady who could speak and hadn't eaten in days suddenly would know all her nurses' names and eat all her dinner, then be found dead the next morning. Also- 3- earlier memories are the last to go for people with Alzheimer's with the most recent information being lost first. So kids will be forgotten before husbands and parents. You may remember your home address from 10yo, but not where you lived for decades as an adult. 

Not just doctor moms but many moms who went to university.  Very few of my peers had kids before 30, with many not having their first until their mid-30s or even later.  At least three of the “girls” I graduated with became first time moms at 40+. Our careers came first.  And considering how expensive childcare is now (and I think it’s only going to go up, so 10 years from now it’ll be…whoaa!!!)  many just wanted to wait.  

[Jillybean]

On 5/18/2022 at 1:44 PM, trudyj said:

1. I think everyone complaining about Kate's career VASTLY overemphasizes how big a deal "curriculum development" is. Her getting her undergrad and masters degree in the time allotted is a bit of a stretch, but curriculum development is usually done by committees, and a competent and passionate educator with a strong interest in curriculum, especially in a specialized field like music education for the blind, could easily end up on committees designing state curricula ... and if it's something she's good at and interested in, it doesn't seem a big stretch to me that she could be part of a group presenting on the curriculum they developed, at an international conference or something. To me (probably because I've worked my whole career in education) it seems much less of a stretch than Randall going from city councillor to state senator in the same period of time, and it's never "shown" how he did that either -- seems odd to me that people are so puzzled by Kate's career moves and not by Randall's.

Sadly, it seems that the only criteria for being elected to high public office in the U.S. is a pulse and a Twitter account. So Randall's ascent to senator is not all that unrealistic, given it takes place in the 2020s and 2030s. Randall went to college and has always been hardworking. Kate, OTOH, has never been shown to have any career ambition. She was unemployed for the majority of the six seasons/years (spanning ages 36-42ish). So, to have gone from community college dropout to international curriculum designer, when she's been depicted as having no career ambition, is harder to believe than Randall becoming a senator. It's like they retconned Kate at the 11th hour and, out of nowhere, made her a powerhouse educator. They told us and didn't show us, same as with her relationship with Philip. 

I suspect this was not the original arc for Kate's character, but they pivoted when Plan A didn't pan out.

[nlkm9]

17 hours ago, bros402 said:

great episode, but I laughed my ass off when Dule Hill bumped into Jack.

why the hell was Jack out of his bed GETTING COFFEE when he was in for smoke inhalation? They should've been keeping him in the bed and on an IV, not having caffeine

yep. I was like really???

[Eliot]

8 hours ago, A.Ham said:

Fair enough. And I presume the writers were working from the perspective that Alzheimer's patients can preserve long-term memories better than recent history. Usually the memories that fade the easiest are the ones right after diagnosis, so if you ask them what year it is, they can say the year of their diagnosis or the two or three years prior--even though you could be 8 or ten years forward. I am trying not to overgeneralize, but usually their most vivid memories are from the youngest years, which is childhood and young adulthood, so I can give them that point.

Here comes the nitpick, though, for me: with dementia, the brain is the first to go. I am not sure that her memories would be that intact while on her deathbed. End-stage dementia patients can be so affected that their brain forgets key functions, let alone have somewhat coherent thoughts--like being able to see the important people in your life in your last moments, or even hold on waiting for your daughter to say her goodbye. Some dementia patients are placed on feeding tubes because they forget how to swallow. That is just one example of how severely the brain is affected.

If they had used any other diagnosis that would not involve early cognitive decline, I would be completely and fully on-board with that theory and think it would have worked beautifully.  They could have followed that track with any type of cancer or other terminal illness. I, however, cannot connect to that theory just based on my life experience. I get the show can't please everyone and some people would really prefer to avoid the ugly or devastating parts of the disease.

Yeah, I know, long rant... this just hits a little too close to home.

I’m with you 100%. The show’s glossing over of  most of the real ravages of this disease was a colossal blunder. I get they don’t want to show all the terrible parts, but the way they set it up you’d think having Alzheimer’s is just becoming mildly forgetful and totally docile. 

As an aside, even during the late stages of his illness, while he could still speak, my dad was able to describe his childhood home in precise detail, including where everyone slept.

[salvame]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:37 PM, Evie said:

I liked the train idea though and the "Hey" with Jack at the end. It would have been nice if the final door opened to Jack holding baby Kyle.

I would have totally lost it at that! It was super emotional, as TIU tends to be, but not vomit worthy, at least from what I have seen thus far. Trying to figure out what part of this would have caused such a reaction from the cast.

[UsernameFatigue]

4 hours ago, ams1001 said:

There's one more. 

Of course there is. We have to see Randall become POTUS, and Kate his Secretary of Education. Not sure what will be in store for Kevin, but we do know Kate's son becomes a famous musician. Who knows what surprises the writers have in store? 

[izabella]

15 minutes ago, UsernameFatigue said:

Of course there is. We have to see Randall become POTUS, and Kate his Secretary of Education. Not sure what will be in store for Kevin, but we do know Kate's son becomes a famous musician. Who knows what surprises the writers have in store? 

Kevin will be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Cassidy will run the VA. 

[CarpeFelis]

On 5/17/2022 at 7:09 PM, greekmom said:

I thought maybe in the end Jack's heart would be transplanted in the little boys. Glad they didn't go there.

Since what killed him was a “widowmaker” heart attack, there’s no way that was happening.

[CarpeFelis]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:32 PM, funnygirl said:

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. 

I couldn’t tell whether it was a hand squeeze or if Randall felt her hand go slack.

[madmax]

11 hours ago, peeayebee said:

It was Jack who took the kids to see Mister Rogers Neighborhood, so why would the trolley car be in Rebecca's memories?

 

11 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

The Big 3 are Gen-Xers from Pittsburgh.  They watched Mr. Rogers Neighborhood every day on PBS for years.  That show would have been what Rebecca turned on to distract the kids for 40 minutes every weekday while she did laundry, washed dishes, went to the bathroom, etc.  Jack may have been the one who took the kids to a taping, but it was still a part of the Pearson childhood.

If you live (or lived for any time) in Pittsburgh, you can't escape Mr. Rogers.  Whether or not Jack took them to the taping, he was a part of Rebecca's life, too.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 5/18/2022 at 5:52 PM, chabelisaywow said:

On 5/18/2022 at 1:24 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

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

There's still next week

Cheyanne11's comment, not mine,

[CarpeFelis]

On 5/18/2022 at 4:09 PM, meep.meep said:

"The plaque said "Caboose car," I believe. " someone said.

I thought the plaque said The Last Car because Rebecca couldn't remember the word Caboose.

It definitely said Caboose Car, and I know this for sure because it bugged the hell out of me when I saw it and took me right out of the episode. “Caboose car” is redundant! It’s just “caboose”.

[peeayebee]

At least Miguel didn't say, "Nice nose. Good legs. Great caboose."

[meep.meep]

I stand corrected.  In real life, train cars aren't marked on the inside.

[Ohmo]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:12 PM, Crs97 said:

And I felt nothing.  Disappointed for Miguel and Kyle, but otherwise nothing.

I wouldn't say I felt nothing, but it wasn't the "tug and your heartstrings" kind of thing either.  I thought the link they were trying to draw between the doctor saving Marcus and not being there to potentially save Jack was a stretch.  I think my favorite parts were Rebecca, Sophie, and Toby saying good-bye to Rebecca, especially Beth. 

I thought it was very intuitive of Beth to tell Rebecca "I've got him" in reference to Randall.  With how close Rebecca is to Randall, Beth knew it would be important for Rebecca to know that Randall is OK.

I hated what they did with Annie because it was a reminder that nothing was done with her character the entire series.  Tess could have been an only child until Deja arrived.

[Ohmo]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:13 PM, Toonces464 said:

and not even a mention of Kyle?

It would have been nice if she met Jack who was holding a baby---to symbolize that he has met Kyle and now Rebecca will, too.

[maggiemae]

10 hours ago, UsernameFatigue said:

I never mentioned in my post about Deja's happiness, I specifically referred to Randall and Beth. Most parents I know would be concerned about what their child (at any age) is about to encounter, having a child at the same time as putting in the long hours (60-80 hrs per week) of a medical residency. Even if Randall did not want to express that concern to Deja, I find it unrealistic that Randall and Beth would not do that between themselves. But then again the ending of this series is being rushed, and in a magical world where Kate is in England presenting her one-of-a-kind curriculum, it isn't a surprise that the writers didn't go there. 

It is Deja's and Malik's decision...not their helicopter parents at age 28 and successful.

 

[Ohmo]

8 hours ago, Violetgoblin6 said:

Absolutely. I didn't get that either. Beth & Sophie went to bed. 

That didn't bother me.  I just took it as Kevin and Randall both telling them during the montage that it was OK for them to go to bed.  They had said their good-byes to Rebecca, and I could understand the siblings wanting to say good-bye to their mom by themselves.  They would be there until the end.

[karenc3]

I agree with what others have said about Miguel, and was actually thinking the same thing before I read what others said.  The version of Rebecca was the younger one that was with Jack, before she fell in love with Miguel.  That's why she didn't talk to him as long.  If she was going to end up with Miguel, she would have been the older version of herself that was the age she was with Miguel. 

And I also think that the reason she was the younger version of herself that was with Jack was that her and Jack's relationship was cut short, and was unfinished because he died so young and so sudden.  Miguel and Rebecca's relationship wasn't cut short and met a more natural end, with them growing old together. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 5/19/2022 at 12:39 AM, UsernameFatigue said:

I am not sure I understand why Randall and Beth were so happy about Deja being pregnant, given that she is just starting her residency, and Malik works so many hours at his restaurant that he is never home. Also made me wonder about his child who would be about 12 at this point? (Can't remember if she was about two when he went to Harvard?). Seems like he has his hands full already. 

Randall said it: "old life, new life."  If she has a girl, maybe she'll be named after Rebecca.

I, too, wondered about Malik's daughter, but maybe she was with her mother.

On 5/18/2022 at 11:56 PM, sashabear21 said:

Also I went glasses frame shopping with my husband last weekend and if he'd picked out the horrible frames that Randall was wearing, I might have filed for divorce.

I think the clear glasses were supposed to look futuristic when we first saw them in the flash-forwards, but now they're not very unusual.

On 5/18/2022 at 12:24 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

The show made sure Rebecca and Miguel were not together as long as her and Jack.  Rebecca and Jack's relationship has a very specific beginning and end with them meeting in December 1972 the night of the Immaculate Reception and Jack dying on Super Bowl Sunday 1998.  With the Rebecca-Miguel relationship, the show decided to go vague.  Rebecca and Miguel reconnect on Facebook in October 2008, but do not immediately start dating.  They do get married sometime in late 2011 or early 2012, and Miguel dies sometime between 2026 and 2030.  

Yes, I don't believe they got to their 20th anniversary.

On 5/18/2022 at 12:34 PM, Jax7917 said:

I thought the casting for everyone on this show young and old was great, the only one looks wise who's younger self in childhood and adolescence does not match the adult at all was Randall. He looked so different throughout the time periods and also his mannerisms were very different. The other two Pearsons were well-casted (especially Kate) and really everyone else including Randall's kids and Beth were too.

Miguel got robbed of a scene where Rebecca told him how thankful she was for having him and for having spent so many wonderful years with him, but I am thankful that the writers didn't make Miguel so insecure about not being "Jack" throughout the series. Their relationship was never about Jack and being a rebound. A rebound would have been the guy she was dating for a little while (Matt?). Rebecca and Miguel genuinely just fell in love through being such close friends and their relationship just flourished from there. I love that they were both making their relationship their own rather than living in the past.

Yes to the part about Randall; I guess Sterling Brown has a very unique look!  And I think the part where Rebecca told Miguel that he didn't get the best part of her life and how hard it was going to be for him made it clear how much she appreciated him.

On 5/18/2022 at 10:55 AM, Cheyanne11 said:

It can be both!

Yeah, I guess Kate was the outlier, since Kate, Randall, and Kevin all had the 'one great love' storyline (I guess Deja, too).

Her great love was also Jack.  Toby called her on it.

On 5/18/2022 at 12:03 PM, nilyank said:

I also thought that he didn’t do much to save Marcus’ life but just told the surgeon to continue to do CPR.

He told them not to give Marcus an anti-coagulant for his embolism, or he might bleed out.  Which is the basic risk with a blood thinner, so I'm not sure why his saying it made it more official.  Anyone there would know the risk.

9 hours ago, Ohmo said:

It would have been nice if she met Jack who was holding a baby---to symbolize that he has met Kyle and now Rebecca will, too.

She was seeing stuff that she remembered.  She never saw Kyle, so it wouldn't have made sense to see him now.

Edited May 20, 2022 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Jersey409]

15 hours ago, PRgal said:

Maybe Malik dropped out.  He just didn't become the Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg of food...yet.  Maybe he's going to win Chopped or Top Chef and get his own show.

That or his father in law will set him up with a cushy job in politics 😉

[ams1001]

17 minutes ago, Jersey409 said:

That or his father in law will set him up with a cushy job in politics 😉

Future White House chef.

[Johnny Dollar]

Dr K should’ve said “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but baby Kyle did not die. When I saw you and that narcissistic husband of yours I knew you two couldn’t handle triplets. I allowed another couple to adopt him, and I heard he had a very happy and well adjusted life. How you were able to get Randall is beyond me.”

It seems like Malik ended up owning his own restaurant, putting his Russian Lit education to good use. I’m sure he’s won all the Michelin stars there are.

While I agree Miguel got the short end of the stick, Annie is the one I’m pissed about. She better get some significant flashforward time during next week’s telling of Rebecca’s six day funeral.

The “turning lemons into lemonade” thing isn’t as profound as this show seems to think it is.

 

[Empress1]

10 hours ago, CarpeFelis said:

I couldn’t tell whether it was a hand squeeze or if Randall felt her hand go slack.

I thought the latter, that that was the moment she passed.

[peeayebee]

I may have to watch again, but I was sure it was a hand-squeeze. I thought that was far-fetched, though I don't know if people that close to death can squeeze someone's hand. Anyway, it seemed like a TIU thing for Rebecca to squeeze his hand.

[SummerDreams]

Some people think that when Rebecca is on the train her memory stops before Jack dies and while they are still happy and married. In my opinion this does not make sense because then she would not recognize her adult kids, her grandchildren, adult Beth, adult Sophie and Toby. Miguel tells her the phrase "you are my favorite person" the day before he goes to Houston, so after Jack's death. Also William has the age he had when he died which was 20 years after Jack's death. All these things make me think that Rebecca has her full memory while being on the train.

[PRgal]

4 hours ago, Jersey409 said:

That or his father in law will set him up with a cushy job in politics 😉

4 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Future White House chef.

And he can STILL come out with books, and, perhaps a show.  :D

[dcubed]

Some random thoughts :

 Re Malik going to Harvard and then "working" in a restaurant, it's pretty clear to me that he owns the restaurant.  He told Randall that he wanted to go to an Ivy league school and then open a Michelin-rated restaurant.  He cooked for Randall and Beth when the told them Deja was going to leave school and move in with him.  Getting a degree makes sense to me since so many restaurants and other businesses close because the creative force behind them has no business sense.  Running a restaurant isn't only about the food itself.  And I don't think he ever said he was majoring in Russian Lit.  He was simply taking a class in it.  I assume he studied business.  

Jack didn't leave his hospital bed to get coffee.  When he met the other father in the restroom, he said he was waiting to see someone which indicates to me the bandages were applied by an EMT.  I work at a hospital and patients may arrive my ambulance and sit for a long time after being triaged because their symptoms are not life threatening.  And yes, they will wander to the cafeteria (if open) or vending machines.

I didn't find it unusual or inappropriate at all that Rebecca waited for Kate to arrive before dying.  After 13 days of around the clock visitors, my mother quietly passed away with just my brother and me present.  I am convinced she waited until it was just the two of us around and she absolutely awaited my arrival.  That scene just about did me in because like Kate, I wasn't particularly close to my mother through my teenage years/early 20's though we were much closer as we aged.  

I agree with the others that I wish there had been a different exchange between Rebecca and Miguel.  She looked confused which in hind sight,\ makes sense to me (she was not walking through her later years when Miguel was her husband but her earlier years when Jack was).  But I admit I was a bit confused initially. 

Edited May 23, 2022 by dcubed

[debbie311]

3 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I may have to watch again, but I was sure it was a hand-squeeze. I thought that was far-fetched, though I don't know if people that close to death can squeeze someone's hand. Anyway, it seemed like a TIU thing for Rebecca to squeeze his hand.

I played it back a few times, and it was definitely a hand squeeze.

[Empress1]

36 minutes ago, dcubed said:

I didn't find it unusual or inappropriate at all that Rebecca waited for Kate to arrive before dying.  After 13 days of around the clock visitors, my mother quietly passed away with just my brother and I present.  I am convinced she waited until it was just the two of us around and she absolutely awaited my arrival. 

I’ve known a few people who held on for a particular person or event and passed as soon as they saw that person or the event is over. I know someone who got married at her dying mom’s bedside and her mom died the next day. My grandfather lived out of the country and held on until me, my mother and my brother got there to see him; he died a couple of days later. I can absolutely believe Rebecca could hold on until all of her kids could see her.

[MamaGee]

So I have been known to bawl like a baby at TIU. Case in point was the previous episode: watching the kids care for their mom, watching Mom care for her kids, etc. had me in tears. This episode? Nope. There were too many problems with it. Many have already been mentioned (William walking her through the "This is Your Life" train, Miguel being given the short end of the stick AGAIN, Kate being an international curriculum writer 🤣🤢, etc.) but a couple of things really ticked me off. 

Deja and Malik. Say what?? They ended up staying together? I would have believed it more if they hadn't dedicated 2 whole episodes to the ridiculous Malik from HS to college transition and what will Deja do? That whole storyline was just ridiculous. And I feel like it was ridiculous even before that whole time period of Malik moving off. I don't know a family in the world that would be o.k. with their 15 year old daughter dating a 16 year old who is already a father. And my kids are around that age so I have some exposure to parents. And if the Pearson's were going to just accept it, they sure didn't ask questions or keep Malik's child involved. That's the first thing I would have done to make sure my daughter knew there was a package deal with Malik. His child would be included in everything, lest MY daughter ever think HIS daughter wasn't going to be around. And the idea they made it work to the point that Malik fathers another unexpected child??? I am willing to suspend disbelief only so far. 

The 2nd thing I didn't appreciate? The new familythat had come out of nowhere. Cool, Dule Hill made an appearance but I did not need to see St. Jack having an impact beyond his family. You know, it might have been neat if it had been a story arch that was told over a few seasons, with a little bit sprinkled here and there. Like the flash forwards have been. But the way it was done, in the penultimate episode, was infuriating. I want to see "us," I am invested in "us," not the people who have been randomly affected by "us."

One last thing: does anyone else feel like Kevin didn't get a "last chance" conversation with his mom? We saw Randall waxing poetic AGAIN, we saw Kate running in to tell her mom that "Bug" was there, we see Beth give the BEST speech of all, we Sophie, we saw the ex-law Toby and even the forgotten grandchild Annie have a good chat with Rebecca. But Kevin? Nada? It's like he was a host at a funeral home, looking very sad and concerned but not adding anything. It made me very, very sad that, in the end, Randall still got to have the last word of the kids. 

[Ohiopirate02]

18 minutes ago, MamaGee said:

One last thing: does anyone else feel like Kevin didn't get a "last chance" conversation with his mom? We saw Randall waxing poetic AGAIN, we saw Kate running in to tell her mom that "Bug" was there, we see Beth give the BEST speech of all, we Sophie, we saw the ex-law Toby and even the forgotten grandchild Annie have a good chat with Rebecca. But Kevin? Nada? It's like he was a host at a funeral home, looking very sad and concerned but not adding anything. It made me very, very sad that, in the end, Randall still got to have the last word of the kids. 

Kevin was the one with Rebecca.  He would have had the chance to say his goodbyes before Randall, et. al. showed up if that is what he wanted to do.  I also think saying the "right" words is Randall's thing and not necessarily Kevin's.  Kevin expresses his emotions through actions not words, and he's been doing that for years at this point.  From building the house for Rebecca, to being her caretaker after Miguel dies, to running out to get food for the incoming family.  

[Flutterby]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:37 PM, Evie said:

It would have been nice if the final door opened to Jack holding baby Kyle.

What a lovely idea!!

[Nancybeth]

We definitely didn't see all of the individual goodbye scenes...that could have been an extremely tedious hour of tv. I thought they did well to mix those in with the scenes on the train. But I assume Kevin had his own moment with Rebecca, as did the other grandkids and assorted hangers-on (i.e., her former almost daughter-in-law Madison). 

I have always assumed my father waited until my mom wasn't with him to pass. She had had plenty of time with him in the preceding couple of weeks but I had stayed with him at the hospice facility for the night and was the only one there. Ironically, the same thing happened with my grandmother -- my grandfather had gone home and only my dad was with her when she died.

I have a really hard time accepting that Deja and Malik are still together. He didn't even say anything about his other daughter when she told him she was pregnant? But then again, this is the world of "This is Us," where you can meet a soulmate at the age of 6 or your second husband is none other than your first husband's best friend and everyone is deeply connected across years or generations. Once you're in the Pearson orbit you can never escape.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Nancybeth

[TVForever]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:37 PM, Evie said:

 

I liked the train idea though and the "Hey" with Jack at the end. It would have been nice if the final door opened to Jack holding baby Kyle.

That would have been PERFECT.

[debraran]

17 minutes ago, TVForever said:

That would have been PERFECT.

I love how a full term baby who strangled on his cord because the doctor didn't do a C Section was just pushed aside and even Jack didn't give it a speech, funeral or hold him. Then a doctor says "Make lemonade" and they take Randall. I love the show but hated from the beginning how they handled that. I had kids around when Rebecca did, multiples, that was beyond odd. They were way too emotional and sentimental especially Jack to disregard Kyle. Rebecca was ill and hormonal and sad and couldn't make decisions right then. But they wouldn't correct it later either.

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by debraran

[methodwriter85]

7 hours ago, MamaGee said:

The 2nd thing I didn't appreciate? The new familythat had come out of nowhere. Cool, Dule Hill made an appearance but I did not need to see St. Jack having an impact beyond his family. You know, it might have been neat if it had been a story arch that was told over a few seasons, with a little bit sprinkled here and there. Like the flash forwards have been. But the way it was done, in the penultimate episode, was infuriating. I want to see "us," I am invested in "us," not the people who have been randomly affected by "us."

*cough* Backdoor pilot *cough*