TV Catch-Up: Parenthood Season 4

ML- I've gotten several worried texts and tweets about Tuesday's Parenthood finale -- specifically, people are worried the show wrapped itself up too tightly, too well, and is headed for the cancellation we all feared NBC would bring down upon it years ago. Based on everything I've read, both from interviews with creator Jason Katims and sites specializing in predicting renewals and cancellations, the show is a safe bet to return in the Fall (or perhaps in the spring, given NBC's erratic and shortened programming history for the modestly performing family drama).

The worry, hopefully, will be assuaged, but we should really focus on the source of all our fears: the strength of the finale. Was it a perfect Parenthood episode? No. I'd argue the season's best episode was The Talk, or perhaps One More Weekend With You, but the finale dealt with the difficult task of paying off all the season's story lines, and I'd argue it did so brilliantly. Touching on Kristina/Adam, Julia/Victor, Crosby/Jasmine/Rene, Sarah/Hank/Mark and even Drew, everything was wrapped up neatly with a tear-stained bow. Some will dislike the finale for being so conclusive. Not me.

This Parenthood season was radiant, smaller in scope than all previous seasons and nearly every other show on TV. Though we only received 15 episodes, it allowed for less filler episodes and longer, more detailed arcs for our beloved Bravermen. 13-episodes is the standard for cable seasons, and I pray that the networks begin developing smarter shows with shorter seasons. That means more seasons needed for syndication rights, and more shows on the air means more risks. But while procedurals and comedies benefit from non-serialized scheduling and can run as many episodes as they wish, shows like Parenthood -- if there is another show quite like it currently on air -- need a smaller space within which to grow and flourish.

Fewer, tighter stories were one contributing factor to the understated magic of the season. The other: the unyielding nerve to bring out the best and the worst in the characters, when applicable. I'm shocked at how cyclical my appreciation of characters is on this show. In the beginning I despised Crosby, Max, Julia and Kristina; now, my frustrations lie more with Sarah, Camille, Jasmine and Adam. It's a testament to the actors and the writers never to let the characters become stagnant, and a great joy of watching the show to continually be surprised.

This was the year Kristina became vulnerable. Always the Bravest of the Braverman clan, she was forced to ask for help from Adam, Camille and even Haddie as her body began to fail. Monica Potter was obviously the MVP of the season and deserves serious Emmy attention. I knew she'd be fine, in the spirit of doing self-contained stories per season, but I'm sure the character will be fundamentally changed for the better. She'll hopefully be less judgmental and spend less time looking for busy work to fill her time and just relax. A more low-maintenance Kristina will be a sight for sore eyes, at least until Max descends further into puberty.

Conversely, this was the year Max became brave. He frequently stepped outside of his comfort zone, be it running for student council and giving a rousing speech, or going to the dance, or talking with Adam about his changing body. He still has a ways to go, but I appreciate how he knew the line of where he was comfortable talking about girls. Burkholder rocks this thankless role, but is rewarded with many of the show's comic relief moments -- like banging the judge's gavel obnoxiously. My only wish was that he'd have put more effort into getting the vending machine himself and not allowing Kristina to handle it all, but that might have been too unrealistic given his condition and less thematically satisfying given Kristina's hardships she fought to overcome.

This was the year Adam became calm. Prone to freak outs in past seasons, he rarely had to blow up as much. I guess that can be contributed to Crosby and Amber stepping up the plate at work, less Haddie stress and the need to be the rock in Kristina's life. Peter Krause has grown into such a benevolent force of acting greatness, still expressing the chops he showed off in Six Feet Under with a matured, genuine presence that ties the whole show together. That Hawaiian vacation was well-deserved (but damn, it must have been a FANTASTIC month at the Luncheonette in order for Haddie's college debt to be a thing of the past and Hawaiian vacations to be balanced along with medical bills).

This was the year Crosby became responsible. I'd always wait for him to screw up any and every task assigned to him, but aside from the parking situation and the dog incident, he really manned up, bit his tongue and got his head on straight this season. I'm not sure if he'll be able to keep it together once Jasmine's new baby arrives, but he's made great strides, and Dax Shephard has finally grown on me as an actor.

This was the year Julia became selfless. Her baby-mongering last season was heartbreaking, but the decision to take home Victor seemed rather rash and self-serving. I was impressed when she quit her high-paying job in order to focus on family. She stayed in that cat the whole afternoon while Victor was in school. She put up with the worst of his anger and his fear and his need for attention. She could have backed out and not gone through with the adoption, but that, too, would have been a selfish act fo the new and improved Julia. She proved herself to be a great mother to two different but exceptional kids, and I'm excited to see her back on the job market next year.

This was also the year Joel grew a backbone. He voiced his opinion more often this season, walking away from the conversation as Julia nearly abandoned Victor and laying down the law when Ryan screwed up at work. Still basically Superman, he managed to avoid being a push-over while still acting with his heart. I'd love a really big Joel story line next year- maybe introduce some of his family? It's time Sam Jaeger received some spotlight.

This was the year Victor became tortured. It was also the year we met Victor, but his struggle was one the show handled exceptionally well and led to an eventual love. I've never been in his shoes, but I know kids who have gone through his exact situation and how hard of an adjustment it was. The young actor Xolo Mariduena showed some great comedic and dramatic talent and is a welcome addition to the Braverman clan.

This was the year Sarah became selfish. Always a hard-working single mom, she now had a self-sufficient daughter and a son in the throes of manhood. Sarah took a hard look at her life with Mark and decided it wasn't right for her, and rather than settle down, she acted out. She went for it with Hank, despite what the family would think or how it would affect Drew's living arrangements, because she needed it. Do I respect her for that? Not fully, especially since I think she should have chosen Mark in the end over Hank. I figured she'd end up alone, just be her own choice, in a Bachelorette-style decision that neither man met her needs. By taking some "me" time, Sarah may have helped curb a mid-life crisis and gives her a better idea of the type of man she needs for the type of woman she wants to become.

This was the year Drew became an adult. He made adult decisions. Tired of being strung around by a mother with different priorities, Drew did what Amber never could and got into his dream college, seemingly all on his own. He also went through the trauma of Amy's abortion, again, almost all on his own. I hope we don't see him shipped off to school, all on his own, like Haddie, as Miles Heizer has made great strides in making the character likable and memorable. Never the most exciting Braverman, I've gained way more respect for him.

This was the year Amber and Ryan got to be stupid. Don't get me wrong, I love them together, but their Romeo & Juliet professions of love were so melodramatic and over the top that it seemed so unrealistic... and yet, so realistic of young lovers with nothing on their minds but each other. I'm sure Amber will be a great source of therapeutic and spiritual wellness for Ryan as he deals with all PTSD-related aftershocks, I just hope their relationship can withstand the stress it'll put on the both of them. I say let them be young, dumb, adorable kids and if next season ends in their wedding, Mazel Tov!

Hopefully, next year will be the year Jasmine and Jabbar get great stories dealing with the impending birth, and Zeek and Camille finally get some good screen time -- a death, perhaps? The show has covered just about everything else.

And I think that deserves to be mentioned. I never consider this show to be "soapy", but instead think of it as a voyeuristic peek into a real family. Ok, maybe they're nothing like your family, but I guarantee there's a family out there going through cancer, and adoption, and affairs, and pregnancy (wanted and unwanted), and Aspergers, and college, and anxiety disorders. The show handles all these with tact and respect and never cheapens the exploitation with half-heartedness.

Bravo to Jason Katims on the script, right in his wheelhouse of emotional, monologue-heavy scenes he perfected while on Friday Night Lights. In many ways, this episode reminded me of "Always", the aforementioned's series finale, or the finale from last season where Crosby and Jasmine got married. They all deal with important family events, though this episode may have suffered from having next-to-no "shocking" moments, save Jasmine's big reveal. Everything sorta worked out, which is not the harshest complaint one could have about a finale.

Thanks to all of you who read my reviews this year, especially when I strayed from covering on a weekly basis due to work and school and life. I was always watching, and analyzing and usually tearing up at the outstanding program NBC & Imagine Entertainment put forth. These characters, as you can see, have special places in my heart and their stories will follow me as I grow.

I know in my heart this won't be the last we see the Braverman bunch. Such a celebration of life, love and, above all, family needs to be on TV for years to come.

Finale Grade: A-
Season Grade: A-
Season MVP: Monica Potter
Original Finale Airdate: 1/22/2013

TV Review: Parenthood 4x04: "The Talk"

ML- Yup. They went there.

Crosby's recording session with some... verbose rappers was interrupted by a curious Jabbar, who was subjected to his very first utterance of the "n word". As the whitest guy you'll ever meet, I probably would have handled the situation similarly to how Crosby did- compare the word to that of "Voldemort" in Harry Potter. It took Jasmine, who stepped up to the plate as an incredibly powerful, likable character and mother this week, to share her personal perspective on the word and its history with her son, teaching an important lesson to Jabbar, Crosby and the audience alike.

The story about how her mother had the same conversation while Jasmine was Jabbar's age struck a chord with me- this issue has been passed down from generation to generation for as long as anyone living can remember. Sure, there's the "we have a black president" argument of universal tolerance, but racism still exists and is strong in many parts of the country. The fact that, as Jasmine says, the world has gotten better with every generation is a comforting thought, but it's ignorant to expect Jabbar's life as a half white, half black child to be nothing but smooth sailing.

Crosby's reaction to The Talk was a great moment as well. It's a word that will never, ever hurt him but carries so much weight and anger against the people he loves most. He can never relate to Jabbar in this scenario, and that scares him and makes him feel inadequate. As Jasmine points out, though, there are a bunch of issues associated with being a boy that she can't tackle. As irritating as these two characters have been on their own and as a couple, they always, always knock it out of the park when they focus on being parents.

Speaking of knocking it out of the park, can we talk about Sam Jaeger? Not only did he direct last week's awesome episode, he got to shine as an actor this week as well. Victor was destined to fail at baseball, mostly because he'd never really played before as far as we knew. Watching baseball, he quickly found, was not the same as swinging a bat. He put in the effort, though, as did Joel as a team dad, but he couldn't follow through and stormed off the field in an angry rage.

When Joel confronts Victor later to tell him how proud he is, you believe it. Victor has been through so much, most of which we've never heard about but hopefully will one day. To adjust to the big Braverman clan as (seemingly) painlessly as he's done and be willing to try new things shows a strong character. Julia and Joel have another great kid on their hands, and the game of catch at the end shows how both of them realize it.

Hank was nervous about spending time with his own daughter, Ruby, who visits once a month for a weekend. She's changing, he notes; she used to be a quiet, shy girl who needed her dad, now he feels more like an inconvenience to her life. She doesn't help his confidence any, shooting down his attempts to play mini-golf and chat about The Hunger Games. When Hank has to go off on a shoot, Ruby elects to stay behind with Sarah rather than spend time with dad, a crucial blow.

Sarah pulls off a sly bonding caper when she gets Ruby to help her with the lights and discovers the real issue is that Ruby is missing Aubrey Peterson's totally epic co-ed pool party because she has to be with dad, and all her friends are doing cool things while she's being boring. Sarah suggests the classic motto of "When in doubt, lie" and tells her to say she's at a photoshoot... with Justin Bieber. Ruby jumps at this, and Hank arrives later to help Photoshop a picture of them together. Now both officially awesome, Hank and Sarah share in their victory. Sarah later finds photos Hank took before Ruby was born, when he had to give up his dram to be a dad. She offers he hang them up, but they're too hard to look at.

Yes, on paper Sarah and Hank are a better pair than Sarah and Mark, but I'm not happy about the inevitable end to the engagement. Hank is far too much of a curmudgeon to make it work with goofy Sarah in the long run.

I was proud of Max this week. He was able to go up to 29 strangers and state his case for his student council campaign, receiving the 25 necessary signatures. Adam and Kristina were proud, too, but devastated when they saw many of the signatures were fake names and offensive messages to the oblivious Max. The disagreed over whether Max should keep running- Adam thought it would be better to spare him the embarrassment and ridicule, Kristina thought they should support his newfound motivation. I was totally Team Kristina here- harsh words said against Max would probably roll off his shoulders quickly based on his emotional capacity, but being denied something he wanted would grind his gears. If he loses, I think he will understand and be content, but he must at least try.

The underlying subtext of the matter was Kristina's upcoming surgery, which she wanted to postpone until she could get Max's campaign underway. Let's not forget Kristina was a campaign organizer in the past, though the show mostly has, especially the candidate from last year who Amber was involved with. Adam disagreed here, too, siding with the doctor that she should get the tumor out sooner rather than later. In the end they reached a compromise: Max would run, but Kristina would have the earlier surgery.

As great as all of these story lines were (really, all of them clicked), my favorite was that between Zeek and his new friend, Ryan York (played by FNL alum Matt Lauria). Zeek had so little to do that he made a huge deal out of an air sound coming from his sprinklers, a hilarious but totally understandable issue for a retired man his age. Camille suggests he volunteer his efforts at the VA, and he begrudgingly agrees.

At first, he blends into the background to avoid actual responsibility. Ryan strikes up a conversation about burned coffee (which Zeek made) and the two quickly find a common bond -- Ryan just arrived back from Afghanistan and was having trouble adjusting. Zeek advised him that things get better, though for a while you lose your sense of identity.

Ryan seemed genuinely helped by the old man, and Zeek got paid back when Ryan, a former irrigation specialist, pinpoints the problem with the sprinklers. Together they form an unlikely pair, both unappreciated in an ever-changing world they just can't quite adjust to. When Zeek returns to the VA, he asks for a job that can really allow him to make a difference. Zeek has raised such brilliant kids, mentoring another will undoubtedly lead to good things!

Episode Grade: A
Episode MVP: Can't decide between Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant & Dax Shephard.
Original Airdate: 10/02/2012

TV Review: Parenthood 4x03: Everything is Not Okay

ML- Parenthood has a way of taking the characters I can't stand and really humanizing them. I didn't like Crosby, but knocking him down a few pegs made me root for him again. I didn't like Julia, but her fiasco with the adoption (and subsequent crying scenes) made her one of my favorite Bravermen. Now Kristina, who has always been perfect for an off-hand random comment but nearly unbearable in her persistent nagging, is now front and center in a vulnerable, Emmy-worthy story arc for Monica Potter.

As she and Adam wait two long hours for an appointment with the oncologist, a Stage 2B patient named Gwen Chambers approaches and pitches herself as a friend and mentor in this tough time. The scene between Kristina and Gwen was fantastic and real; they don't really know each other, but in a way, Gwen knows Kristina better than anyone else. Gwen advises Kristina to stay with the doctor that seemed to be dismissive and distant because he's actually making himself available to every patient he has. This isn't what Adam wants, but Gwen instills in Kristina a newfound confidence and a voice that prevents her from being a victim and starts her on a path to survival.

Adam handled the news about as any of us would expect -- displacing his frustrations and fears onto Amber's burnt coffee and scheduling conflicts at work. While the show does a great job of humanizing characters, it also allows them to be annoying, irrational and just plain unlikable sometimes, when the story needs it. His later confession to Amber that Kristina is "sick" was honest, and his reaction to Kristina's cry for a husband that can let her feel scared without drowning her in pleasantness shows what a well-rounded actor Krause is. It's hard to imagine sometimes he went from the Nate/Brenda relationship on Six Feet Under to this one, but you have to marvel at the transition.

Not every character has increased their place in my heart after this week. Hank is obviously the guy Sarah is going to end up with, at least for awhile, and that pisses me off. The past few seasons have really painted her and Mark into an unlikely but functioning pair that are different but still make it work. Yet tonight, when she couldn't rant about Hank's ego preventing him from taking a wedding gig, there was nothing else for them to talk about. Yes, couples evolve into stagnation and her underlying feelings for Hank are attributing to her distance already, but I feel cheated to suddenly see Mark get pushed out of the way after all the progress made in their relationship.

Max also is a tough character to swallow, for understandable reasons. His obsession with the Skittles in the vending machine and how it alienated even his best friend shows the extent of his condition, and the decision to channel that energy into a run for Student Council President was an obvious but welcome one. It's an election year, so expect a rise in campaign-themed plots on different shows. Here, there's the potential for Max to be bullied and ridiculed as he takes the spotlight, but also the chance for a great underdog story if Max wins (which I hope and predict he will, though as the recent Emmys proved, my predicting of winners is often spotty!)

The Zeek plot was pretty anti-climactic but allowed us to actually see Nelson and Bedelia act and gave Crosby an opportunity to spill about the heart medication his father is taking. This is going to come into play later in the season in a big way, methinks.

Next week (I think) is the beginning of Matt Lauria's run on the show! He played Luke Cafferty on the last two seasons of Friday Night Lights and will be playing a war veteran who bonds with Zeek. Yay for all the cross-show love!

Episode Grade: B+
Episode MVP: Monica Potter
Original Airdate: 09/25/2012

TV Review: Parenthood 4x01: "Family Portrait"

ML- Look at that photo above. Don't you just want to photoshop yourself into that family? There's room between Adam and Joel for an extra Braverman, or maybe in front of Jabbar and Sydney if you lie on your side. If it were me, I'd sneak peek out through the window and make a funny face. And everyone would laugh and say "Classic Mike Braverman"/"Get out here Mike"/"Max stop doing that"/"Victor, try to smile, honey", all at the same time.

Alas, not all of us can be Bravermen, and, as it turns out, not all Bravermen are guaranteed access into the family portrait. Mark found out the hard way that engagements, especially those without rings, don't seal the photo deal. It takes a little one-on-one with Camille to gain V.I.P. access.

There may be trouble in paradise for Mark (who appears to have gained some weight, but we will let it slide because he was nominated for a freaking Emmy award!) and Sarah (still Emmyless after all these years) in the form of photographer Hank, played by Ray Romano (has more Emmys than any one man deserves, unless that man is Kyle Chandler). Obviously, Sarah is an gold-digger hunting men with Emmys.

But seriously, she proved to be a downright terrible assistant, her only redeeming quality being her rapport with the client. Hank finds it hard to hide his dismay, but doesn't fire her right away because he needs her help loading the truck. That's what you get for lying at job applications!

Speaking of lying, let's transition to Amber and her storyline. Apparently, she and her politician beau hit a rocky patch, since she was quick to fall into bed with American Idol's Paul MacDonald, which makes perfect sense: first NBC "introduces" Katharine McPhee to us through Smash (and also Community), then Clay Aiken on Celebrity Apprentice, now they bring us MacDonald on Parenthood. Who will be next? I nominate Danny Gokey to be a convicted serial killer who gets a 43-minute execution scene on Law & Order: SVU.

Amber was crushed when she found out a celebrity didn't live up to her expectations (he was receiving complimentary muffins from some other girl for the past six months), but it was Adam who let loose, kicking Paul's mediocre hipster band out of the Luncheonette. Crosby, Amber and I all agreed (remember, I'm a Braverman now) because not only is Amber old enough to continue making dumb mistakes (remember when she slept with Steve in Season 1? And got in the Season 2 car accident? This totally pales in comparison), the decision lost Adam money. Which Adam needs to send his daughter to school!

Which brings us naturally to Haddie, the daughter in question. Adam and Kristina tried spending some quality bonding time with Haddie during her last week home before going to Cornell at the happiest place on earth: Burger and Pie. Does Burger and Pie exist? No, but a quick Google search tells me there's such a thing as Pie 'n Burger in Pasadena. Adding that to my California bucket list, and I'll be sure to freak out about the lack of Torpedo Burgers on their menu, like the Braverman that I am.

All Haddie wanted to do was have some alone time (with her friends), but her parents' nagging love spoiled all her fun. She freaks out, storming off instead of going to the portrait party the family throws in her honor. Viewers may think the characters are acting abnormally here, but I have to disagree. Adam's freakout over Amber has nothing to do with Amber or American Idol, it's about wanting to protect Haddie. Haddie isn't running to her friends because she hates the chaotic diner trips and Max tearing through her suitcase (well maybe that has something to do with it); she's guarding herself from saying goodbye to her family and going all the way across the country.

She eventually comes around, as we Bravermen always do, with the help of a moment with Max and newcomer Victor. She leaves behind a strong, loving, crazy family, and God only knows how many of those exist in the world (fortunately, I actually do belong to one, and I see a lot of the Ladues in the Bravermen).

Speaking of "God only knows" (now I'm just being obnoxious, both with my segues and use of asides), newlyweds Crosby and Jasmine struggled with her mother's decision to expose Jabbar to Christianity without consulting them first. Crosby is threatened be Jabbar's praying, because it means he might enter into a club that Crosby himself wouldn't be accepted at. He consults with his parents for help, who reminisce on Buddhism and tantric sex while driving home the idea that nobody on earth knows for sure what awaits us when we die, and Crosby doesn't have to provide all these answers to Jabbar.

What follows is a sweet scene between father and son as they look up at shooting stars, and Crosby explains that what he believes in is the love he has for Jabbar, Jasmine and the family. It's a sweet thought and one that more parents should use when talking to kids about religion, as it is less scary/guilt-inducing while still setting a morally positive example.

Julia and Joel were also having issues with their new adopted son, Victor. (See? Without cheesy segues it just feels like an awkward jump.) He was watching TV too inappropriate for Sydney and eating in the living room. Obviously, based on these characteristics he will grow up to be a mass murderer (that Danny Gokey will play on Law & Order!) All joking aside, he just doesn't seem to fit in yet with the Braverman clan, something the show will definitely tackle over the course of this season. His little comment to Haddie about them being "too loud" shows just how removed he is, and hopefully by season's end he will be joining in the overlapping dialogue like the rest of the bunch.

While on the topic I just want to say: please, writers, don't make Julia extremely unlikable again. By the end of last season she finally won me over thanks to Erika Christensen's amazing acting. But putting her in the position to not love her new kid, while realistic, just paints her in a bad light, golden hour or not.

Speaking of golden hour (how about THAT segue, eh?), Hank's photoshoot with the Bravermen clan gave him a glimpse at what good people they were, hinted at an attraction to Sarah and a rivalry with Mark, and connection with Max that could be a foreshadowing of Hank's own possible case of Aspergers. For now, we'll just stick to attraction, as he hires back Sarah due to her charming ways.

So after the family portrait was taken, Haddie trekked off to Cornell, so cold that Max wondered if that was the reason why everyone there killed themselves. As an Ithaca College student, I must say too soon, but still a perfectly wicked line. My main concern: why didn't Adam and Kristina accompany her? Aside from the production company not being able to relocate to Ithaca, it doesn't make much sense for overbearing Kristina to just back away now, especially for freshman year. Who is going to help her get all her groceries? And the part about her never living at home again- yeah right, bitch isn't getting a job out of college any sooner than the rest of us.

I guess all I failed to cover was Max and his bulking up for the (soon to be ex, apparently) girlfriend, which look to be more important next week anyway. Until then, it was a pleasure having the Bravermen back on my screen, and I'm seriously considering photoshopping myself into that portrait.

Episode Grade: B
Episode MVP: Sarah Ramos (Hope this isn't goodbye!)
Original Airdate: 09/11/2012