What time is the 'This Is Us' finale on? Season 1, episode 18 channel, plot and more

Grab a box of tissues because the season one finale of This Is Us is airing Tuesday night. Viewers have laughed and cried with the Pearson family since the series premiered in September, and now, they'll be one step closer to finding out how patriarch Jack died.

What time is the This Is Us finale airing?

Episode 18, the season finale, will air at 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday on NBC. Those without access to a TV can watch it live on NBC.com or on the NBC app. Cable provider login information is required for viewing. If you don't have a cable provider, you can purchase and download the episode on iTunes the next day.

What is the special meaning behind the title of This Is Us episode 18?

The title of the finale for This Is Us is "Moonshadow" — but what does that mean? Early on in season one, we saw Jack had a drinking problem when his kids were young. He came home late and left most of the parenting responsibilities on Rebecca. She ultimately laid down the law, and Jack gifted her with a crescent moon necklace as an apology. Jack became a model husband and father after that, and Rebecca still wears that necklace even though she's now married to Jack's best friend, Miguel.

Based on episode 17, as well as the finale promo video, we know Jack goes back to drinking after his fight with Rebecca about her ex-boyfriend. There's even speculation that a drunk driving accident is the cause of his death, and this could tie back to that earlier episode when he gives up drinking.

The episode title could also be something pulled from another flashback. Entertainment Weekly previously published an excerpt from the This Is Us finale script, which teases that there will be a bit more on Jack and Rebecca's backstory before they become a couple. It's possible that the moon symbolizes something they shared prior to becoming parents to Kevin, Kate and Randall.

What will happen in the This Is Us finale?

According to TV Guide, in episode 18 Jack makes the two-hour drive from Pittsburgh to Rebecca's first show in Cleveland. He wants to make amends with his wife, but the promo video also shows he's been drinking. The question is whether he'll make it to Cleveland, or get in an accident before then. 

What we definitely know is that Jack's cause of death will not be revealed in the finale. "In terms of seeing the moment where something happened to Jack, that's a little ways away," show creator Dan Fogelman told Variety. But viewers will definitely get more pieces of the puzzle.

The This Is Us season one finale will air at 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday on NBC.

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