This is us..

[anniemae]

I also loved Williams back story. How he moved in with his mom, met his girlfriend etc. We saw a little bit of him meeting the girl on the bus, but now we know more about it. Loved that the cousin was in the episode in present day, loved when William was up on stage.

 

[ronandannette]

I thought it was sad but I guess I'm the only one that didn't cry

Nope - I didn't cry either. It's just a story and those particular "heartstrings" it played on aren't the ones that unglue me. I'll not say I never cry though - I just finished bingeing another series that had me weeping several times.

 

[bethbuchall]

I just finished watching, and I haven't read all the replies yet. Wow! I started crying when William was saying goodbye to the girls. I knew in that moment that he wasn't coming back. I'm going to need to watch this one again. I'm going to miss William.

So many ways that his life could have been different. And, yet, then there wouldn't be Randall.

 

[DaisyJ]

Nope - I didn't cry either. It's just a story and those particular "heartstrings" it played on aren't the ones that unglue me. I'll not say I never cry though - I just finished bingeing another series that had me weeping several times.

I didn't feel the connection to William I do to the other characters. Now, old man William has been killed off halfway through the first season. His story is done, while younger William will be limited to the few interactions with Rebecca over Randall's young life.

 

[design_mom]

I didn't feel the connection to William I do to the other characters. Now, old man William has been killed off halfway through the first season. His story is done, while younger William will be limited to the few interactions with Rebecca over Randall's young life.

I don't know. With the way this story time hops all over the place, I think we could still see scenes of William "at home" with Randall, Beth and the kids. It could show us interactions that William had with Randall, or that Randall witnessed with Beth and the girls, that Randall remembers as he continues throughout his life.

I didn't cry. I think all points of this story pointed to it being William's farewell episode, so I was prepared for it, I think. It was sad though. Poor Randall.

 

[anniemae]

Dis anyone else LOVE that song that William wrote???

 

[anniemae]

I re-watched the end and realized one of the lines in the song is "Look up, not down." Just like William said he wanted the girls to remember him looking up at him not down. Weeping.

 

[Music City Mama]

No full-on sobbing here, but tears streaming and a lump in my throat. Death scenes like that usually get me, though -- like William with his mom -- and Randall with William.

 

[Tasha228]

I thought it was sad but I guess I'm the only one that didn't cry

This episode was so good. It was just well done and a proper ending to William's storyline. It definitely tugged at the heart strings. And, yet, I still haven't cried yet during this show.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Dis anyone else LOVE that song that William wrote???

The song was beautiful. I wish we could have had more time with William and his music.

 

[anniemae]

The song was beautiful. I wish we could have had more time with William and his music.

Me too, I wish he sang this song for Randall.

 

[DLgal]

This episode bored me. Maybe because I can't relate to really anything that has happened to any of these characters.I haven't suffered much loss in my life, which I am thankful for. However, I feel like this show tries too hard too soon. I haven't really developed an attachment to any of the characters yet so when super dramatic stuff happens, I just don't care.

Or maybe I just have a heart of stone. I don't know. I cry at plenty of other shows and movies. Heck, I cry at Disney fireworks. This show just hasn't triggered the waterworks yet. Something about it is coming across as forced and insincere.

I am on the west coast and had really high hopes for this episode after seeing some Facebook posts about how "amazing" it was. Just didn't do it for me.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

I hate to lose William, but I am so glad:

1) he told Beth and the girls goodbye on his own terms

2) he was able to thank Jack

3) he was able to tell his cousin he was sorry

4) that he had one more glorious night doing what he loves

5) that he gave Randall the gift of more family

6) that he was able to pass along his own advice to Randall for dealing with too much stress (or hopefully preventing it in the first place)

7) that in the end, William was helped in the same way Jack helped Randall


After it was clear William passed, I wanted to see Randall at the Peabody honoring William's wish for him to see the ducks, but the writers are smarter than me. The way they included the ducks was perfect.

Now that we've seen William's mom and their relationship, I can see why William thought he was doing what was best for Randall. William had a loving, stable, encouraging childhood, and I do believe he hoped Randall could have the same. I think he knew a junkie environment would not be good for a child, and as he told his cousin, he was ashamed of what he had become.

My heart broke a little when William told Randall he wished he had known Jack. I couldn't help thinking if it weren't for Rebecca, he could have. I think Jack would have wanted to meet him, too.

I will have to watch this one again. It's too beautiful to see once. I plan to watch the after show later today.

 

[anniemae]

I hate to lose William, but I am so glad:

1) he told Beth and the girls goodbye on his own terms-I still think there is a postcard coming to Beth. He bought one and he told Beth he would send her a postcard. Weep.

2) he was able to thank Jack-Loved that.

3) he was able to tell his cousin he was sorry

4) that he had one more glorious night doing what he loves-loved that too, but wish he sang the song that was going to make the band hit it big to Randall.

6) that he was able to pass along his own advice to Randall for dealing with too much stress (or hopefully preventing it in the first place)

7) that in the end, William was helped in the same way Jack helped Randall


After it was clear William passed, I wanted to see Randall at the Peabody honoring William's wish for him to see the ducks, but the writers are smarter than me. The way they included the ducks was perfect.

Now that we've seen William's mom and their relationship, I can see why William thought he was doing what was best for Randall. William had a loving, stable, encouraging childhood, and I do believe he hoped Randall could have the same. I think he knew a junkie environment would not be good for a child, and as he told his cousin, he was ashamed of what he had become.

My heart broke a little when William told Randall he wished he had known Jack. I couldn't help thinking if it weren't for Beth-I think you mean Rebecca. Too bad she was too scared to let William into their lives when Randall was young. Jack was totally open to it, Rebecca was not., he could have. I think Jack would have wanted to meet him, too.

I will have to watch this one again. It's too beautiful to see once. I plan to watch the after show later today.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

anniemae, yes, absolutely, I meant Rebecca. I will edit my post. Thank you for catching that!

And I agree. It would have been wonderful if he would have played that song for Randall.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Is Randall going to have a job to come back to? I get he needed some time because of his health, but given his recent performance, and the new guy who can easily do what Randall does, he must be skating on some incredibly thin ice right now.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I ugly cried the last 10 mins of the episode and a few times before that. I didn't like William when the show first started, but grew to love his character. Although I knew it was coming, saying goodbye last night was heartbreaking. I am so glad Randall had that closure. And I love that they showed us William's backstory.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Is Randall going to have a job to come back to? I get he needed some time because of his health, but given his recent performance, and the new guy who can easily do what Randall does, he must be skating on some incredibly thin ice right now.

Randall said he used to have an Afro hair style before he made partner. I didn't realize he was a partner, but it's harder to fire a partner. But since he was a partner, why wouldn't he have known the firm was bringing in the new guy before it was a done deal?

It was nice of Randall to make his bed in the motels, but what was the point, if the maid was just going to change the sheets anyway. And if the maid saw the bed and figured it hadn't been slept in, would the next guest be sleeping on not-so-fresh sheets?

 

[DaisyJ]

I ugly cried the last 10 mins of the episode and a few times before that. I didn't like William when the show first started, but grew to love his character. Although I knew it was coming, saying goodbye last night was heartbreaking. I am so glad Randall had that closure. And I love that they showed us William's backstory.

A backstory that never included Jesse, interestingly enough.

 

[bethbuchall]

A backstory that never included Jesse, interestingly enough.

I wondered about that, too. Most of the backstory was prior to when he would have met Jesse, but I thought that the relationship would have at least been touched upon.