Parenthood – Recap & Review – The Big ‘O’

photo: nbc

Parenthood
The Big ‘O’

Original Air Date: Apr 6, 2010

Karen Belgrad – The TwoCents Reviewer
karenbelgrad @thetwocentscorp.com

Hello all Parenthood fans. I’ll be filling in for your regular reviewer Brittany tonight as we wade through our weekly Braverman family dilemmas, moments, and inappropriate caregiver discussion topics.

Each of the siblings got their story in to varying degrees of success. And, lo and behold, Bonnie Bedelia finally got more than four lines as the rarely seen matriarch Camille. But if you were looking for Haddie or Drew moments, you’ll have to rewatch last week’s episode. So let’s run down the siblings and their interactions, starting with…

Sarah: I really feel the writers have got to do better with their Lauren Graham research. Would it really have been that difficult to see that she’s already done the teacher-parent romance storyline? It’s hard to become invested in this storyline because it’s so familiar. Yes, they’ve added the ‘cougar’ element, but that is so played out and Lauren Graham looks so young that it feels very non-issue. But how cute was it when she went to Crosby for advice knowing it would result in fun over logic?

I did think they multiple choice note was adorable. I’d be a sucker for that too. Although I do think ‘maybe’ and ‘it’s complicated’ are pretty much the same answer. Amber’s obvious crush on Mr. Cyr are going to make it much more complicated when the eventually agreed upon date comes to light.

Julia: Finally Julia received confirmation that her nemesis has been up to no good. After getting Crosby and Jabbar into Sydney’s play group, Crosby confirms that Racquel seems a little too comfortable and flirty around Joel.

Regardless of whether or not Joel shut down Racquel’s attempted kiss, I was on Team Julia for this. Joel is way too passive regarding Racquel’s moves on him. Julia has been made to feel small and petty for weeks now and she was clearly not overreacting. Kudos to Julia for putting herself aside in the best interest of her daughter, but I still think Racquel could benefit from a good beat-down talking-to.

Crosby: The paternity results are in and there is no question that Jabbar is his son. He hems and haws over telling his parents, unsuccessfully asking each sibling to accompany him to the reveal to no avail. When he finally tells them, it goes quite smoothly. After their initial shock wears off, an introduction is quickly planned. And yes, what kind of name is Zeek?

When Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents, it’s absolutely adorable. They look a little surprised to learn he is biracial, but shrug it off with nary a second thought. It turns into an absolutely sweet moment when they bring out Crosby’s old bicycle and he thanks his new Grandma and Grandpa. Crosby looked disappointed that he wouldn’t get to teach his all-knowing and more-mature-than-dad child to ride a bicycle, but the relationship is really blooming between these two.

Adam: Adam was almost a bit player in his family storyline this week. The powerhouse of the week was Kristina. Poor Kristina, was exhausted and running on fumes and sacrificing even the most intimate of moments (see episode title) to worrisome thoughts of her children, specifically Max. Adam was greatly perturbed to realize he may not have always provided her with… um…. blue ribbons. And he was also less than thrilled to find out she discussed this with Max’s new behavioral aide, Gaby. So in turn, he discussed it with… his sister. (uh, ew?)

Gaby was a big influence for Max this week. Using bribery and reasoning, she was able to get him to agree to try new things (a book, playing with another kid) that Kristina had not been able to do herself. The looks Kristina had on her face when watching Gaby succeed where she had not were heartbreaking. But for the benefit of her son, she did not throw a hissy fit or act out. She quietly wore her sadness until the appropriate time to discuss it.

By day’s end, she was finally able to relax, have some wine, and …uh… achieve her moment (see episode title again). And apparently it was better than the time after the Daily Show and the time after Leno!

Overall, I found the episode to be helpful at moving plots forward, but the overall pace of the show needs to pick up a bit of steam. The Julia plot (mom vs work vs other moms) has been the most tedious. Sarah needs a bit more development beyond Lauren Graham’s ability to deliver a line. I enjoy Adam and Kristina the most. And Crosby is growing on me as long as they do not revisit Crazy Katie and her freezer full of swimmers.

Those are my TwoCents? What are your TwoCents? And most importantly, where can I join a play group like Sydney’s? It looks like fun to my grown-up eyes!

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