Spoiler Warning: This list contains spoilers for the finale of This Is Us
This Is Us captured the hearts of its fans in 2016 and held onto them tight until the last ever episode aired on May 24, 2022. The night's quiet ending was a beautiful reminder to live in the moment and appreciate the small blessings in life. There was a calmness to it that paired well with the finality of something that meant a great deal to a lot of people.
While some fans were expecting a grander finale or more flash-forwards and future glimpses of the Pearson generations, others have been sharing the beauty of the final episode's simplicity. Fan reactions from Twitter bring both laughter and tears, just like This Is Us itself.
A Stroke Of Genius
It's been a while since the first set of Pearson kids made an appearance, so it was extra special to see them in the family for the simple, lazy Saturday flashbacks. The flashback with William was also filmed during a previous season.
This Is Us is such a special show because it was so well planned by the creator and the writers (as @MattDowellTV points out). The fact that the future of the show has always been mapped out to a certain degree also explains why the episodes were so consistent and of great quality. It just illustrates the dedication everyone put in to make sure that the series continued to surpass everyone's expectations.
Halloween In May
This Is Us fans are a passionate bunch, and @marissajonas95 and her friends found imitation to be the sincerest form of flattery, showing off on Twitter that they dressed up as characters from the show to enjoy the final together.
It's a beautiful sight to see because, as much as the show was about family, it was about friendship too. The show would not have been the same without the friendships between Kate and Madison, or the great bond Jack, Miguel, and Rebecca had for each other. The list could go on and on.
Only Love For The Big Three
After a shocking and riveting final season, it did take fans by surprise that the finale was a lot quieter in comparison. However, that's not to say they didn't enjoy it as there was a nice peacefulness to it. After years of Kate, Kevin, and Randall putting almost every thought or emotion into several words, they are suddenly much more reflective.
It fits the mood and the feeling of shock that is still washing over them as they begin a new cycle of grief, but they also seem aware that they are able to handle it differently now they are adults with established lives who got to see their mother live a full life. The performances by Sterling, Justin, and Chrissy are stunning as @Shami1412 says.
Quietness
The tone that This Is Us sets in the finale really makes sense for the show. The major story it has been telling is coming to a close, and there are fewer words to be said. It just leaves its audience with 'the feelings.'
At its core, as @xotonironixo puts it, the show is mainly about family and what makes each one so special. It exhibits the big three, the families they've made, the love they've found, the children they've raised, and everyone they've connected to and bonded with along the way. It's a lovely note to end on.
Don't Miss The Point
Some fans were hoping for a big send-off or for there to be more exciting. There were also a couple who preferred the penultimate episode as a finale instead.
However, fans like @OutKickingRocks, are addressing those who didn't appreciate it by connecting the finale back to the show and stories that have been presented over the past six years, and the messages they carried. The last two episodes pair nicely together as they both have finality to them, and it helps to view the final itself as more of an epilogue.
Support Please?
This Is Us quickly built a reputation as early as its first season as a show that makes its fans cry. In fact, even people who have never watched the show seem to have absorbed this as a fact in pop culture.
Viewers have become prepared over the last six years to expect an emotional rollercoaster when tuning in and as @restlessinvb points out, a support group would be nice, especially as everyone processes the fact that the show is coming to a close. It has been a welcome addition in many homes on Tuesday nights.
Care And Attention
From the beginning, the storytelling showcased in This Is Us has been impeccable. The show has handled multiple timelines with grace and without the confusion that can easily come with time travel or multiverse stories audiences see a lot of today (such as those seen in the MCU).
As @KristinKimball points out, there have been extremely high levels of care and attention devoted to all types of storytelling in the serious. This Is Us was a display of visual storytelling, small setups with big payoffs, and several unique character arcs unlike any around them that developed stunningly over time.
Cry Properly
It's essential for This Is Us to have moments of levity throughout all of the seriousness, and these are usually jokes from extremely likable characters (such as Uncle Nicky, Toby, or Beth).
This tweet by @sapanv brings some levity to fans who are processing the fact that This Is Us has ended. There are likely many fans like the wife in this tweet who have become protective of their cathartic cries brought on by the show, and perhaps others are passionate about having to "cry properly" on a full stomach and undistracted.
The Gift Of Consistency
Some shows lose their original voice or plot along the way in an effort to continue on with content and keep up with fan demand. It happens a lot with TV dramas, an infamous example being Lost.
Another beautiful thing about This Is Us is that it never veered in any different direction. It told the same, beautiful story with consistency and grace over the last six years as @sloansavery points out (and that is a testament to creator Dan Fogelman and the talent he enlisted to tell the story right as it unfolded).
Love For Mothers
Since the series began, creator Dan Fogelman has been very vocal about the fact that the show was inspired by the loss of his mother and how he began to view time as before and after the loss (via Variety).
The series was created from a place of grief, told a story that touched on many types of grief over the years, and it has been there for fans who had already experienced loss or lost someone along the way (like @JRamzious shares in this beautiful heartbreaking tweet). Dan's mother, Rebecca Pearson, and family members like the woman referenced in this tweet are connected by the art that is This Is Us.