<p>They could have taken the 99 which is a bit more scenic.</p>
<p>I thought they were on the 99, too, when it looked scenic- I’ve done the north-south 5 crawl enough to known there is not much scenic on it- but it would still be maybe five hours, so why the hotel. Little logic flaws become such a distraction, I felt like I was having my own “Max moment” watching the show as it simply did not compute and I could not let it go. I would think since they are set on the west coast and Hollywood is west coast, the writers ought to know the distances.</p>
<p>I agree with ya’ll that it was in character for Christina to give in to Max, but if she really felt she needed to make a stand, she ought to have made a serious real stand. Better yet, choose the punishment wisely before you open your mouth ;)</p>
<p>
A “bit” more – nice views of greenery and the Sierra foothills, but not the vista depicted in the program. 99 might very well be the preferred route from Berkeley – it is about the same distance, more scenic, more opportunities for stops along the way, esp. for families traveling with small kid… but it still is a 5 hour drive. </p>
<p>P.S. Up here in northern California, we do not add the definite article “the” in front of our freeway numbers… that is definitely an Angeleno habit.</p>
<p>Just watched the show on my computer. I liked the whole thing. You Californians ruined the reality factor though with all the talk about the distance! JK. 
Agree that the writers should not be sloppy with that stuff, because it does take away from what’s going on.</p>
<p>OTOH, I think the writers should ignore what they told us before and let Max the character be the actors age. I think he had a growth spurt and looks way too big to be a fifth grader.</p>
<p>I liked the moment when what’s her name tells Dad, Adam, that she doesn’t really think about what it will be in just a few months when he’s not around all the time and she’s at college. As a parent of a college freshman going back to college in a few days, it made me get a little teary!</p>
<p>I really liked last nights show too. I was glad Adam finally stood up to Zeke about Christina and Max staying at home. Then Christina caved in. I thought Adam and Haddie’s car trip was so realistic. Mom/Dad want to have a serious conversation and kid is so wrapped up in their world that they don’t notice. And c’mon Sarah, with the way the Bravermans are in and out all the time, wouldn’t you think to lock a door?</p>
<p>Thought Christina stood her ground with Max, then saw he was “getting it” and perhaps recognized the bigger picture of Max wanting to connect with Grandma Blanche…which is significant
As hewell typically doesn’t connect</p>
<p>Calmom: You caught me! I am definitely an Angeleno. Well, actually from Orange County but close enough. I always use the article “the” prior to freeway numbers. I didn’t realize everyone didn’t do that.</p>
<p>Wow, my reaction to this weeks episode is so different than everyones that it makes me feel as if I saw a different show. I found it BORING and was disappointed after having to wait for an episode. It seems like no one sees or talks to grandma on a regular basis which was sad. For someone that finds family the most important thing, zeke, how do you not see her more or have your kids see her more? Though she was the one who deserved the “*****” moniker, until the end…</p>
<p>As for the Sarah issue, we have never locked our bedroom door but we did somehow teach the kids to knock …so we have never been walked in on. But moms are allowed to have a sex life…sorry.</p>
<p>The whole Christina issue, I think she may have chosen the wrong thing to take away…how about the video game instead, which caused the issue? But I disagree about her backing down. Max did a lot to make up for his bad behavior, once he realized it was indeed bad. Isn’t that what a punishment is all about? He cleaned his room, which as a mom of 4, two of which are on the spectrum, knows what a wonderful thing that is for a kid to do that without being asked/nagged/begged. He “made dinner”, which showed him being thougtful and caregiving…which for an aspie kid is also great. The card was touching. </p>
<p>But all in all it was a disappointing snoozer to me. Sad to hear the season will have less episodes as this a personal fave of mine.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I thought the ironic contrast between the importance Zeke places on his children’s relationships with him and his ambivalence towards his own mother was central to the episode. Also his self-centered-ness and his mother’s.</p></li>
<li><p>I liked the Kristina/Max subplot, because it also emphasized how, despite Zeke’s being dead wrong in his whining about the two of them not coming, he was not wrong about the trip being important in general, and important to him, and Kristina ultimately acknowledged that, too. It underlined the theme of family = accommodation to one another. And Kristina, as an outsider, reminding Zeke that there is a world of difference between being a loving jerk and being an unloving jerk . . . that was very nice.</p></li>
<li><p>And I also loved when the penny dropped for Adam, and he realized that he ought to treat his father the way he would like Haddie to treat him. Very true to life.</p></li>
<li><p>California geography: What was weird for me was not so much how they wound up driving to Bakersfield through the Sierras as why the writers – who could have chosen anywhere to put Zeke’s mother – decided it should be Bakersfield they were driving to (not), as opposed to someplace that would have made more sense given what they wanted to do with locations and visuals.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My mom watched this episode and has decided she cannot stand Max and Haddie anymore… She agrees with the spoiled brat label given to Max a few pages back! Max and Haddie virtually have the same (bad) hair/haircut also… not good.</p>
<p>I agree that the scenery was not quite right for the drive down HWY 99, but I think they were spending the night in Bakersfield before going on. From Bakersfield if you drive on to Ridgecrest or head east you will drive into foothills and on to the mountains near Sequoia National Park.</p>
<p>Last week = filler episode
This week = actual plot development</p>
<p>The preview for next week shows Haddie getting accepted early to Cornell and the parents fretting about the tuition. Any predictions on whether she’ll get to go or not?</p>
<p>Bet she won’t go but instead stay close to home at some local college. That will provide a story line with all the angst dealing w/ her being accepted to a great sch. but one they can’t afford plus keeps Haddie on the show.</p>
<p>Loved the cover shot of Adam trying to look bad a–, playing his ‘power chord’…too funny.</p>
<p>I enjoyed this episode, for the most part, much better than last week’s. I’m not sure if I missed an episode or not but what happened to Rachel? Did she end up getting fired after all? And, come on, yet another beautiful girl (Courtney Ford) who is going to get involved with Crosby?</p>
<p>I think I am too old for this show, so much angst in every episode. Is life really that eventful?</p>
<p>Didn’t Rachel bring the champagne into the room for Adam and Crosby to celebrate?</p>
<p>eddie, that’s possible. I was on the phone for part of the episode so I may have missed that scene.</p>
<p>Rachel is still there. Adam couldn’t bring himself to fire her, and Kristina finally made her peace with her. And, yes, she brought the champagne for the celebratory website viewing.</p>
<p>And yes, again, they somehow found yet another impossibly beautiful young woman for Crosby to fall in love with. </p>
<p>The plot development was alright, but I missed any real Meaning in this episode. Yeah, Crosby and Adam have sibling rivalry, Sarah is thinking about another baby (besides her jailbait boyfriend), Amber is insecure but honest, and Zoe the BabyMama has a little depth. None of that made me cry. And this episode was almost kid-free (not counting Mae Whitman, who has got to be 25, Jason Ritter, and whoever was playing the impossibly beautiful cellist), which is never a good thing.</p>