Anyone watch Parenthood, the tv show?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Haddie is a junior, so 16 but still going to prom sounds OK to me. </p>

<p>Sarah wanted to talk to Amber about her options last week, which presumably included cc, but Amber yelled at her and said she didn’t want to talk about it then. Then, they never talked about it. </p>

<p>Yes, the play thing is ridiculous, but that’s part of that inplausible mystique that supposedly surrounds Sarah/Lauren Graham (I want to like her as an actress, but a little of her goes a long way for me).</p>

<p>The house thing – blech. So over Crosby, but the waiting room previews make me wonder whether they’ll get back together.</p>

<p>About the birth control – I’m assuming that that discussion was had, and we just didn’t see it. Or that Haddie already was on birth control so no need to discuss. I’m surprised by the number of my friends whose dd’s are on BC “for acne.” Haddie is so responsible that I’m sure she wouldn’t do something stupid.</p>

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<p>First off I liked the episode. Often I fall asleep and definitely didn’t tonight.<br>
-I have received what we call “butt-calls” from 2 of my kids and my mom. Luckily none of them were having sex!!!
-At our school both juniors and seniors go to prom.<br>
-Haddie seems very responsible, but hormones are hormones. I had not thought about Christina being pregnant but that I like that possibility.
-Agree with the play stuff being stupid, but I think they are just trying to show that when Sarah finally is having good things happen for her personally her family starts to fall apart.<br>
-The reason they moved was because Amber was out of control. So she has only been on the right track for a year or less.
-I don’t hate Crosby. I don’t know if I could forgive him, but Jasmine has made a lot of mistakes too.</p>

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<p>I found most of the Amber story line believable. When Sarah decided to move back home, Amber said she wasn’t coming. Sarah and Adam went looking for her and found her in bed with a guy in an “apartment” in a warehouse in a dangerous neighborhood. I forget exactly what happened, but it was along the lines that Amber thought she could move in with the guy and told Sarah and Adam she was staying “here.” The guy then said something along the lines of “I didn’t say we’d live together. You can’t move in.” Those may not have been the exact words but that’s the gist of it. </p>

<p>So, Adam and Sarah dragged Amber off to her new life. In the beginning, she was angry and mad at the world. She wasn’t doing well in school. Then she got a crush on her English teacher. He filled an MP3 player with SAT vocabulary words for her. But on the day Amber was supposed to take the SAT , she panicked, and called old boyfriend. </p>

<p>So, Amber’s turnaround was too little, too late. We can see it coming but I think Amber was as delusional as mom was. She is a smart kid. At the prom, the girl who is going to Yale who set her off isn’t just trying to be mean. Sure, she’s bragging about going to Yale, but she ASSUMES Amber is going to go to college because she’s “mad smart.” </p>

<p>How many posts have you read on CC from kids like Amber? "I didn’t do that well freshman and sophomore year, but as a junior I got a 4.0. Because of my poor performance the first two years, I was only able to take two APs. I only belonged to one club that was kind of lame 'cause I mostly played videogames the first two years. I scored a 2300 on my SAT. What are my chances at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, Princeton, etc. with a 4.0 junior year, but a cumulative 3.1? " </p>

<p>And while as a practical matter these kids should KNOW they haven’t a prayer and sometimes they’ll even SAY they know they haven’t a prayer, they “pull a Crosby” and throw the “Hail Mary pass.” Then they are crushed. Instead of saying “I was an idiot not to have turned things around earlier; I’ll go to the local CC, work hard, and transfer to a good school,” SOME will say “Why did I work my ass off junior year? What a waste!I’m going back to being a slacker.” </p>

<p>That’s Amber. </p>

<p>The one part of the story line I don’t buy though is that Amber does it with booze. When Haddie gets involved with Alex, Amber is hesitant about it and tells her to be careful because she knows what loving an alcoholic is like because of her dad. I don’t see how she went from that talk with Haddie to using booze and drugs simulataneously. </p>

<p>But the academic part of it? The blowing up at mom because “I did everything you wanted and it hasn’t worked out for me” part? Now playing at lots of homes in the US.</p>

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<p>Love this show. Last night, I think the most disappointing thing was the lack of realistic discussion between Haddie and her parents given the background. Christina wouldn’t just accept the situation without more discussion. She is a very hands-on (controlling?) mom, and we have seen that in the way she parents Max and Haddie (for Haddie, the over-involvement in the student council run, etc.) She and Adam made a deal with Haddie about not going to Alex’s apartment, and Haddie broke that rule and there were no discussions of consequences of breaking rules/lying. I would think there would have been a discussion about that as well as possibly a discussion by Christina and Adam with Alex and Haddie, not to mention a birth control pill discussion. I thought it also was unrealistic that Haddie did confess sleeping with Alex after first denying it. After the hurdles she jumped to try to date him (moving out of the house, etc.), I don’t think she would have admitted that because she would have been worried that they wouldn’t let her continue to see him. She had always lied to her parents about everything involving Alex (sneaking off to see him, etc.) and suddenly she comes clean about THIS?! It was wrapped up in a bow that was a little too tidy and accepting given the history of the storyline and the personalities involved.</p>

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<p>jonri, you have a great memory! I had forgotten some of that.</p>

<p>I don’t find it unrealistic that Haddie told her mom because she has a strong sense of justice and simply doesn’t think she’s doing anything wrong by sleeping with Alex because of their loving, committed relationship. She left their house she felt so strongly that she was “right” about their relationship. And that’s why Christina and Adam feel like they can’t push too hard on this, or she’ll leave again, and they don’t want that to happen again.</p>

<p>I have a couple of friends who are going through some things with their sons – drinking, skipping school. I feel so sorry for them because what are they to do? These are 18yos who they don’t want to kick out of the house, yet they have virtually no control over the kids. Don’t want to derail this thread, but that’s where I think Adam and Christina are – what are they supposed to do about their 16yo dd having sex? She goes to school and gets good grades and keeps up with her other activities and the guy treats her well. Is this the hill they’re going to die on? She’ll just leave again if they clamp down too hard.</p>

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<p>One thing that I noticed: the Cosby character has a lot less makeup. This truly ages him on camera.</p>

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<p>I knew they would hold off until the end of the show to have the accident…but I would put money on it that they will NOT kill her off…she acts circles around her brother whose name has escaped me…probably because he bores me. I think the accident will perhaps give her focus since she is being given a second chance at life.</p>

<p>I found the Hattie thing pretty believable…the reactions by Christina and Adam. I felt so bad for Haddie because Adam was shutting her out but i felt bad for Adam too, his baby girl isnt a baby girl anymore…change in their relationship or the way he perceives her. I loved that he was at soccer and was trying so hard to take care of her boo boo so she could be his little girl again…and that they went off to have some daddy and dlg time…</p>

<p>I think the whole Amber applying to 2 colleges only was the stupidest thing I ever saw and I agree that her last year efforts though showing growth would not bode well for getting into a good school. But yes CC and then transfer as I would tell any friend in the same situation. its the name on the degree that matters not how you got there. But she has been messed up as Jonri replayed for us so well…thanks jonri :slight_smile: , off and on, since the show began…she grew up a bit but …And the alcohol thing, yes she has counseled haddie on alcoholics but maybe they are going to show the whole genetic link, or tendency being higher of being an alcholic when you are a child of one. My ex was into drugs and my daughter, thankfully, has stayed FAR AWAY from them- she was so scared to take a vicodan when she got her wisdom teeth pulled because she was afraid of getting addicted. So maybe they will put a light on that…who knows. </p>

<p>Crosby looked HORRIBLE last night…is it lack of make-up or did he lose a lot of weight? Looked gaunt and so much older. i feel for him (his character) but I never like Jasmines whole attitude toward him from day 1. So I kind of hope it doesn’t work. </p>

<p>The play storyline i find unbelievable though Richard Dreyfuss makes it interesting with his double talking/lies…but I could do without it. Where will it go…will Sarah really become a successful playwrite? I don’t see that happening.</p>

<p>julia, I don’t know, not a big fan of “perfect sisters/siblings” though I think she plays it well. Felt bad for her the way amber embarrassed her. But they are the one couple that i don’t tune in to watch. </p>

<p>Adam - whats going to happen with that shoe company? His new boss is so annoying…maybe a genius but how do you work for someone like that…i don’t know how he is dealing with that…poor adam has so much to deal with …</p>

<p>I am guessing that the cliffhanger will be Amber…or maybe whose pregnant? i agree it won’t be haddie…too quick anyway…Christina? Has to be her since Julia supposedly can’t or it would be tough but maybe…I’d like that :)</p>

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<p>The current producer/head writer of Parenthood, Jason Katims, has long had a subspecialty in mother-daughter fights. His shows, from Roswell to Friday Night Lights to Parenthood, have been full of them, and they are the most realistic ones on TV, at least for my money.</p>

<p>Against that background, the abbreviated Amber-Sarah fights of the last two episodes have been terribly disappointing. The basic problem, though, is that they had Amber’s character doing something artificial and stupid, i.e., applying only to two colleges. Troubled in the past or not, they had established Amber as a worrier and a planner. So having her go off the deep end because she completely failed to plan anything or even think about a plan feels completely contrived, not faithful at all to the character.</p>

<p>Haddie-Christina I thought was more realistic. Christina wasn’t really prepared to talk to Haddie about sex, she was still engaged in wishful thinking, and somewhat blocked by her own guilt at lying to Haddie. And I believed that Haddie, after lying to Christina, would come back and tell her the truth, because that’s Haddie’s character (and her parents’ characters, too). She doesn’t always do the right thing in the heat of the moment, but she has a strong sense of right and wrong and is good about circling back and being honest. She has never come across like any kind of representative teen, but she’s a pretty good role model for all of us.</p>

<p>If you want to see a great Jason Katims mother-daughter sex conversation, look at Season 3 (?) of Friday Night Lights, and the conversation between Tami and Julie Taylor after Julie was busted in bed with her boyfriend. Tami, however, a high school guidance counselor, is more sure-footed in her ability to talk to teens than Christina Braverman. Haddie looks like a real teen – Parenthood gets that right – especially compared to the va-va-voom 20-something who plays Julie in what my daughter calls “that mythical hamlet in Texas populated exclusively by supermodels”. But Julie is the more believable teen – defiant in the face of presumed punishment, and reduced to tears by the certainty that she has somehow disappointed her parents.</p>

<p>Both conversations I described have a perfunctory discussion of birth control, and in both cases it’s limited to condoms. I have a sneaking suspicion that network television standards preclude talking about birth control methods that many consider tantamount to abortion.</p>

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<p>I also believe that they will not kill of Amber. She is a big part of the cast. I think it stinks that they waited until the end of the show for the accident but I guess I should have seen that coming. Like Jonri recapped Amber was totally out of control when the show started. I had no trouble believing that she spun out so fast given how they portrayed her in the beginning. </p>

<p>As far as the birth control. I think that they stress the use of condoms not only for birth control but also for STDs. Both of my sons always said that they spent an awful lot of time in health class talking about STDs and using condoms. Does anyone remember a few years ago the report about the high rate of STDs in the retirement complexes? All because none of them thought to use condoms! :eek:</p>

<p>I think that it will be Christina that will be pregnant and then they can do a whole storyline about how Julia is upset because she isn’t. It could cause a lot of tension between the two. Just my thoughts.</p>

<p>I can’t believe that next week is the finale. What happened to shows ending in May?</p>

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<p>ProudNJ, beat me to it! I was coming on here to post about our dinnertime conversation about this show. Ds16 is an avid watcher with me, and dh dips in and out.</p>

<p>We also concluded the birth-control discussion focused on condoms because of STDs. And ds says Christina’s surprisingly calm reaction is in part because she had sex at 15 and can identify with Haddie’s feelings.</p>

<p>Also, for some reason I think Alex is 18. Is that right? Ds can’t remember them telling his age. Of course, dh went straight to statutory rape.</p>

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<p>I think it will be Christina too or perhaps even Gabby… I know she and Christina were talking again and I could see her turning to her if she thought she was pregnant. Of course that would kill the Crosby story or make it worse and I don’t need any more focus on him, LOL!</p>

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<p>Oh, shilly. Ewwww. I hadn’t considered that. I think it would be awkward to do a PG test at your boss’s house.</p>

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<p>I really enjoyed last night’s episode but my one worry is whether this show is going to get picked up for a 3rd season. It has had pretty good numbers and I bet NBC will see what happens with the finale. I am wondering whether the showrunner Jason Katmis choose to have an open ending like he had to do with Friday Night Lights when the show was not known to be picked up by the time the finale aired.</p>

<p>And your random Parenthood fact of the day - Peter Krause (Adam) and Lauren Graham (Sarah) are dating. They have been for awhile and it weirds some people out since they must play brother and sister on screen. I did like their little scene last night but I feel like they have some chemistry.</p>

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<p>If Gabby is the preg. one that would definitely send Crosby off the deep end. On the other hand, he’s going to have a house with no one to live in it with him. Or it could be Gabby who’s preg. but she could realize there’s nothing there for her and Crosby so she could give the baby up for adoption to Julia so Julia would be the child’s mother and aunt!</p>

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<p>OMG! I had not considered Gabby! But maybe… Their encounter was definitely more “spur of the moment”.</p>

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<p>I don’t understand why people are weirded out by actors who are romantically involved playing brother-sister. I’ve heard the same criticism of the husband-wife actors in Dexter who play brother-sister.</p>

<p>Think of the INFINITELY ickier alternative: actors who are actually brother and sister playing husband and wife. (Well, erm, no…I didn’t mean you actually had to THINK about it. Just trying to make a point…)</p>

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<p>PackMom and proudNJ - both potentially great storylines! But we will unfortuntately have to wait until sept/oct?</p>

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<p>omg, that pocket dial phone call was horrifying! </p>

<p>I think it will be Christina who is pregnant and will be seriously torn about it- afraid of having another child with autism or afraid of not having enough time with her son.</p>

<p>What seems unrealistic to me is the whole Richard Dreyfus play thing, but whatever. They have got to give Sarah some kind of career, the graphic artist thing didn’t work out too well.</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see next year how long Adam stays employed at the shoe company, since I’m sure it will have financial issues with that crazy o</p>

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<p>JHS – Another Friday Nights fan here. But I have to correct you: the actress who played Julie, Aimee Teegarden, was born in 1989 and was actually a teenager when she was playing a teenager on that show. She was about the only actor who was age appropriate, compared to the others who were in their mid-to late twenties and looked it (like Minka Kelly, born in 1980, and Scott Porter, born in 1979, who played Jason Street).</p>

<p>Onto Parenthood – I thought Kristina’s conversation with Haddie was a classic example of how NOT to react. Granted, she didn’t freak out, but I felt like she could have done a much better job and cemented her relationship with her daughter if she’d said and done things differently. When Haddie came and told her the truth, I was practically yelling at the TV set, begging Kristina to hug her daughter. And she should have immediately made an OB-GYN appointment for Haddie.</p>

<p>I’m not a fan of Crosby’s. I don’t think he’s attractive at all, and this big effort to fix up a house to recapture Jasmine is absurd – a waste of time and money. I feel very sorry for Jabbar – poor kid.</p>

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<p>I believe that the Alex character is 19…and yes, several question arise from this fact. I also LOVE Friday Night Lights.</p>