This is us..

[TLSnell1981]

Exactly! And I think Randall realized William sent him the ducks, and that's what prompted him to roll down his windows.

The ducks affected Randall....definitely a BIG moment for him. IMO Maybe, a significant change in how he views and handles life?

 

[wenrob]

This show hit me hard. I lost almost my dad almost to the day 4 years ago. I loved how the stopped at Jack resting spot and William thanked Jack for doing the job he couldn't do. I loved at how the end Randall was holding William face like that Jack did Randall so many times earlier. I loved the ducks. I loved William told Randall turn the Radio up and don't make the bed. I love this show.

These were the scenes that spoke to me as well. Any grudge like feelings I had toward William for abandoning Randall went away when he said, "Take me to meet your father." I mentioned earlier in the thread that my mother left us when we were babies but the one thing I've always given her credit for is on my wedding day when the mother of the bride is walked down the isle and the official was faced with two mom's standing there my mother said, "Well, I gave birth to her but this is her mom" and she pointed to my stepmother. So when Randall thanked Jack it was very powerful for me. (for the record I had them walked down together)

As far as comparisons to Parenthood, I never went into this show expecting it to compare. Parenthood was a show unto itself. For me just as iconic as a show like MASH. Trying to replicate or emulate either of those would be a fruitless endeavor IMO. This is Us is what it is and I think in time it will be a show to aspire to like the others. It's a show that makes you explore your own flaws and feelings. I have found something I identify with in each of the Big Three.

 

[Cinderella94]

I have compared it to Parenthood, but for me it's not so much the characters as much as the quality. And the good, bad and ugly - and real - portrayal of family life. Parenthood actually got off to a very slow start for me and I think I even skipped an entire season when it was on. I ended up catching up on it one summer and fell in love. And it remains my all time favorite show. So maybe it will be that way for this show for you. I'm not invested in all the characters in the show quite yet, but many I am - most especially Randall, Beth and William.

That could definitely be possible. Now that I think about it, I don't really watch any other shows (besides this one) week to week like this. I wonder if I could get "more out of it' by waiting until the end and binge watching the whole season. Interesting topic for a different thread, maybe.

 

[Squirlz]

The ducks affected William....definitely a BIG moment for him. IMO Maybe, a significant change in how he views and handles life?

Do you mean Randall?

 

[kimblebee]

I liked the episode because it had funny moments too.

I cracked up when Beth told Randall not to drive too fast and he sped down the driveway lol

Also, when Randall was obsessing about the maps and knowing the turns in advance and William asked for the maps and threw them out the window LOL

 

[okeydokey]

I was wondering why Randall never really inquired about his birth mother. Had he asked about her before? When William dies, she dies with her. I don't think anyone else will be able to give Randall any info on her, what she was like, what their relationship was like, any photos of her, relatives of hers that Randall may want to contact etc.

At the end of a previous episode, Randall asked William how he met Randall's Mother amd they talked about it, so he did know some things.

 

[DaisyJ]

I liked the episode because it had funny moments too.

I cracked up when Beth told Randall not to drive too fast and he sped down the driveway lol

Also, when Randall was obsessing about the maps and knowing the turns in advance and William asked for the maps and threw them out the window LOL

Don't forget drunk Randall.

 

[Dentam]

Like a PP said, I cried for like the last ten minutes. The moment that it turned into an ugly cry was when William said he wanted the girls to remember looking up at him, not down at him. Oh Mylanta!

When he was saying goodbye to the girls before he left I said out loud 'OMG he's going home to die'

I just finished watching it - I knew it would be emotional after seeing that Milo had tweeted that people would need to use a personal day or something the day after it aired. It turned to an ugly cry for me at the same time as it did for you. And I also knew when he was saying goodbye to the girls that he was saying goodbye for the last time.

So many amazing moments in this episode. I just can't even... need to process it more... still crying.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I loved this episode. It didn't make me cry but it pulled at my heart.

I thought Randall is a very lucky man to have had two amazing dads. Jack was an awesome father to him and William, IMO, is an amazing person. He was loved by two great fathers. That's more than a lot of people have in their lifetime.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Also I don't think Rebecca robbed anyone of anything. William abandoned Randall and he was a crack head. If I was in Rebecca's position I wouldn't have let him have contact with Randall either. That's not something I would want in my life or my child's life.

ETA: She should have told Randall when he was 18. I do believe he deserved that once he was an adult.

 

[Dentam]

I think the saddest thing to me about this episode was seeing the lost potential for William. He was such an amazing person and didn't even partake in any of the partying until his mom died and he was grieving. Seeing what a sweet, caring, humble person he was and how he lost so much due to drugs is what had me crying the most I think. Still tearing up now thinking about it. These people are real to me, not just characters in a story. lol

 

[elgerber]

I think the saddest thing to me about this episode was seeing the lost potential for William. He was such an amazing person and didn't even partake in any of the partying until his mom died and he was grieving. Seeing what a sweet, caring, humble person he was and how he lost so much due to drugs is what had me crying the most I think. Still tearing up now thinking about it. These people are real to me, not just characters in a story. lol

I had those same thoughts, he was such a good young man. But then I thought, if all that hadn't happened, there would be no Randall.

I finally watched last night. The dumb MN Wild play hockey EVERY Tuesday, so I can't watch till Wed because DH watches this with me.
I cried sooooo much last night. I was a mess!!!!! Ugly crying!
I cried when he "met" Jack, and when his mom died. Then when Randall was making the bed the 2nd time, and we could not see or hear William. I knew that was it, and I cried until it was over.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Also I don't think Rebecca robbed anyone of anything. William abandoned Randall and he was a crack head. If I was in Rebecca's position I wouldn't have let him have contact with Randall either. That's not something I would want in my life or my child's life.

ETA: She should have told Randall when he was 18. I do believe he deserved that once he was an adult.

I think I'm more bothered by the fact that she liked to Jack all those years about it. That's a big secret to keep from your spouse.

 

[anniemae]

I think the saddest thing to me about this episode was seeing the lost potential for William. He was such an amazing person and didn't even partake in any of the partying until his mom died and he was grieving. Seeing what a sweet, caring, humble person he was and how he lost so much due to drugs is what had me crying the most I think. Still tearing up now thinking about it. These people are real to me, not just characters in a story. lol

I felt this way too. He was such a sweet, kind young man with tons of talent. Then he got derailed and spiraled downward. It was so sad to watch that happen. It was bittersweet to see him reunite with his cousin and thinking of what they could have been, how successful the band could have become if William took a different path.

 

[sksjasams]

I found these links on another forum's thread about This is Us. One is a beautifully written recap and the other is an interview with the actor who portrays William:

http://www.vulture.com/2017/02/this-is-us-recap-season-1-episode-16.html?mid=facebook_vulture

http://www.vulture.com/2017/02/this-is-us-ron-cephas-jones-chat-room.html?mid=facebook_vulture

There are probably lots more on that vulture website, but I haven't explored it at all.

 

[bethbuchall]

I think we've been through this before, but a friend and I were talking and we can't figure it out.

When did William move from the apartment in Pittsburgh, and do we know why? He was in Pittsburgh when Rebecca first visited him, right? And I think they said that he was in the same apartment when she visited him the second time which is how she found him. But on Thanksgiving, Randall runs out to go to the apartment and says he'll be back after the movie. Pittsburgh is over 5 hours from New Jersey, and there is no way that Randall was gone for over 10 hours. Also, William takes the bus back and forth to feed the cat in the beginning. Then he goes to a meeting that is nearer his apartment hoping to reconnect with Jesse. It doesn't seem that he could be traveling so far each time, so the apartment must be closer to them than Pittsburgh. Or are we missing something?

 

[kimblebee]

I had those same thoughts, he was such a good young man. But then I thought, if all that hadn't happened, there would be no Randall.

I finally watched last night. The dumb MN Wild play hockey EVERY Tuesday, so I can't watch till Wed because DH watches this with me.
I cried sooooo much last night. I was a mess!!!!! Ugly crying!
I cried when he "met" Jack, and when his mom died. Then when Randall was making the bed the 2nd time, and we could not see or hear William. I knew that was it, and I cried until it was over.

When Randall was talking about seeing the ducks and having let William sleep in long enough I sat up straight on my couch and kept repeating this is it..this is it..this is it.

 

[DaisyJ]

I think we've been through this before, but a friend and I were talking and we can't figure it out.

When did William move from the apartment in Pittsburgh, and do we know why? He was in Pittsburgh when Rebecca first visited him, right? And I think they said that he was in the same apartment when she visited him the second time which is how she found him. But on Thanksgiving, Randall runs out to go to the apartment and says he'll be back after the movie. Pittsburgh is over 5 hours from New Jersey, and there is no way that Randall was gone for over 10 hours. Also, William takes the bus back and forth to feed the cat in the beginning. Then he goes to a meeting that is nearer his apartment hoping to reconnect with Jesse. It doesn't seem that he could be traveling so far each time, so the apartment must be closer to them than Pittsburgh. Or are we missing something?

And to piggyback on this...where in the heck is Kate supposed to be living???

 

[TLSnell1981]

Do you mean Randall?

I did!

 

[wenrob]

And to piggyback on this...where in the heck is Kate supposed to be living???

I thought she was staying with Rebecca.