THIS IS US fans weekly thread **spoilers**

I just saw that at this moment last night's episode -17 The Train- is rated 9.8 on IMDB! Wow, I've never seen anything rated that high. Miguel episode 16 was 9.6

This episode had me full on with a face of tears. I knew it would, though. My Mom & I had a strained relationship & whenever I watch shows were the parent died and there weren't issues between them and everyone got to say their goodbyes, it wrecks me.

I wondered how they were going to show Rebecca dying. The train was perfect. I was so happy to see William again. I loved how all the kids were brought together.

I also enjoyed how Marcus and his family were woven into the story. We've all had chance encounters. Some seem like nothing and others turn out to be important.

Oh good gosh. I had read all of your thoughts but Im just now watching it. TEARS. Tears are running down my face and I am only through the first commercial.

DD and I were totally wrecked after seeing last night's show. While we both DID have a few months to say all we wanted to or had to say to DH, that final week was urgent, tearful and a blur of horrible sadness for me (and for her). This show brought it all back, BUT, in that final week with Gary (DH), we all (me, my DD and his DD) couldn't bring ourselves to say too much to him. It had been said. All we did was cry.

We both found the conversation between the brothers (at their mother's bedside) to be weird. They should have used every precious moment to talk to her.

I know that this is just a show (as much as I respect and adore Ken Olin), but we all barely ate or slept that final week. We had Gary's DD here a few times, and it was a blur, but we all teamed up to listen and check on him. I didn't cook. We didn't even get take-out or have food delivered. It was much more hectic and heartbreaking and there was a LOT of crying.

(I KNEW I shouldn't have watched this episode right now. It's coming up on DH's birthday next week & also the 6 month mark for his passing. Just too much for both DD and me right now.) Other than the observations we made, the whole train idea was SO similar to what DH was telling us as he slipped in and out of realms (he wasn't on morphine yet). His description was that he was anxious to find his "spirit guide". He was nervous that he wouldn't find the person (probably because he wasn't THAT close to passing), but he did see glimpses of this other realm. He said that the beauty was unlike anything he'd ever seen. He saw his mother waiting for him first, and he told me not to worry and that it would be a beautiful place where he wouldn't feel encumbered by his medical issues. INCREDIBLE. He spoke in so much more detail, but once they began morphine he passed away within 2 days).

It was beautifully done, and moved me several times. 

but I was devastated that she was not reunited with the third triplet at the end. I guess I was counting on that. 

Wow. What an episode! Although I can see the whole circle connection thing with Marcus and his family, I sure do wish that they had spent more time with the immediate family saying goodbye to Rebecca. Why did we not see Tess say goodbye? When Tess first came out, she confided in Rebecca. The goodbye with Annie was sweet, but Tess should have had her turn too. And Nicky too. I wanted more goodbyes.

And what is the significance of the Pin the Tail on the Donkey game that Beth had to bring with them? Remember in the flashforward that Beth asked her assistant to make sure they had the game? Did I miss something about that?

Respectfully, I think it’s different for everyone. My FIL had dementia, and when it was clear that he was in his last hours, our experience actually looked a lot like what was depicted on the show. Most of the family was there. FIL was Catholic, so a priest came in and did last rites, whoever wanted to speak to him got their time, and then we ordered pizza and ate it in the living room. 

With my mom, everyone said what they needed to say to her. She was in the hospital for five days before she passed, so there was a lot of sitting at her bedside. She was unresponsive the final three days. So, we had a lot of time together at her bedside and had conversations with each other. We all spent hours upon hours there, so it would’ve been odd just to be speaking to her. If any of us knew exactly when she was going to pass, I’m sure we would’ve been talking to her up to that point. But you never know when it’s going to happen. She actually waited until none of us were there to go. 

I was surprised and disappointed too when the baby she lost wasn't part of her dying story line.

The Train episode. OMG. I think 9.8 might be too low of a rating. That was absolute perfection. Just rip my heart out and stomp on it already! I just wish they had teenage "Bug" on the train as well.

Okay, someone clue me in. When did Marcus appear on this show before? I've watched every episode and I don't remember him at all. Not at all. Count me as someone who thought that storyline was unnecessary in the finale.

I also found it very weird that the family were "taking turns" going in to Rebecca's room, especially when they knew she was so close to dying. With both my sister and dad, we had everyone in the room, the whole family or whoever it was the dying person wanted there. We didn't "take turns" to say goodbye when they could have gone at any minute. Especially for a super close clan like the Pearsons, I didn't think that made sense at all.

And yes, particularly with my dad, we had conversations. We ate Chinese food in his room. We played games on our cell phones. We laughed. We shared memories. Dad had been dying for years, and he had been unresponsive for days at this point. When the actual end came, my sister and I were holding his hands and talking to him. My sister's death was much faster and quite different, but we still talked to each other. My sister waited for my DD before she passed into a light coma, then waited for her best friend before passing into a deep coma, then waited for my brother and literally died 2 minutes after he arrived. I've heard these stories but never seen it so clearly myself.

Beth: You’re going to be a Grandpappy.
Randall: And you’re going to be a Memaw.

Just a sweet and funny moment.

Just finished episode 17 and ugly crying. Remind me - were the Pearsons left the original cabin by Dr K? I always thought that but can’t find a reference to it elsewhere.

No, Jack bought it when the Big 3 were like 10. 

Edit: Now that I think about it, they may have been younger. But I do recall Jack buying it.

This is horrifically boring to be the finale of one of the best shows in TV history.