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<p>You’re probably right. That was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw what was brewing between them.</p>
<p>I don’t have cable so have to wait to watch on Hulu before I allow myself to peek at this thread! </p>
<p>Joel and Julia upset me. It does seem out of character for Joel to not try counseling, especially with kids involved. But, probably realistic. I’ve been the major breadwinner in my family, and if suddenly quit my job without discussing with my husband the implications for the family, expected him to just pick up the pieces of that decision and support the family and my insecurity of being a SAHM, my husband, a kind and caring man, would have the same deer in the headlights look as Joel does. I wish they would get counseling and perspective and it is out of character for Joel to refuse counseling. </p>
<p>I think Drew and Amy is very realistic. The doe-eyed, helpless and needy Amy is terrible for him, but very believable Drew would be emotionally incapable of resisting. Natalie is creepy, but Drew needs some of that emotional distance. I suspect Amy will bring Drew down but he will realize it before it’s too late. </p>
<p>As an empty-nester, I like the Camille and Zeke story line. Nothing wrong with Camille wanting to do the things she dreamed about. But, couples as close as Zeke and Camille seem to be, would be talking about this over a period of years. Pretty unrealistic for Camille to be expecting Zeke to agree to downsizing over a relatively short period of time. If she had been thinking about it “for a while” she should have discussed it with him. I thought where they were sitting perfectly natural for a couple that really needs to talk. </p>
<p>I like the Amber/Seth story. Yes to the person who says she needs to realize she is not her father, but her mother. Too bad, but typically, she fights against it. Maybe Seth will help.</p>
<p>I keep waiting for Zeke to say to Camille, “I see you. I hear you.” or whatever they had learned in therapy a couple of years ago! :)</p>
<p>I also wonder why Mae Whitman gets no love from the awards shows. Is it because the show itself doesn’t get any critical acclaim?</p>
<p>One more thing that bugs me (I realize I am complaining a lot, but I do enjoy the show) is I CANNOT in any way, shape or form, see Sarah and Julia as sisters. The actresses have no physical features at all in common, their personalities are so different. When Julia showed up at Sarah’s door, it just did not look like 2 sisters confiding. Kristina seems like more of a sister to each of them.</p>
<p>So who watched last nights show? I thought it was a so-so show but it did tie up a couple of things - Sarah worked through her low self-esteem and did the photo shoot she wanted to do AND Hank acknowledged that. I liked the interaction between Max and Hank. </p>
<p>I also liked that Zeke finally told Camille how much she meant to him. And of course, now that they are talking about selling the house, it suddenly becomes full again. </p>
<p>I agree with you surfcity about the lack of sisterlyness between Sarah and Julia. I have to keep reminding myself about their relationship because it doesn’t seem very believable. However, I can see Julia being Camille’s daughter and Sarah being Zeke’s, looks-wise.</p>
<p>I come from a big extended family and in some branches of it the siblings look less like each other than the Bravermans do! And have more dissimilar personalities too. It happens–and I think the more kids you have, the more it happens. I agree that Sarah is the least Braverman-ish looking. I think Crosby and Zeek really could be father and son, looks wise, and to some extent, personality-wise.</p>
<p>I thought last night’s episode was fairly good, but I was confused by whatever the issue was with the teenage girl whose mom wanted Christina’s help with the IEP meeting. </p>
<p>The Hank/Sarah story line is good and it was cute and funny how Max told Hank he was perservating.</p>
<p>And I wish we didn’t have to wait a month for the next show!</p>
<p>Thank you for spelling that word, jonri. I was going to look it up.</p>
<p>I’m just so disappointed in Joel. Can’t get past that.</p>
<p>I knew as soon as that mom popped up that Cristina would either open a school or run for school board, which is what she should have done in the first place.</p>
<p>I’m curious what will happen with Zeke and Camille. She seemed genuinely touched. Do you think Crosby can afford to buy the house?</p>
<p>Hey, I’m not sure I spelled it correctly, so don’t rely on me!</p>
<p>I kept thinking that Cristina was going to decide to home-school Max. That she decided to open up a school is about as ridiculous as her running for mayor.</p>
<p>I saw this comment on another TV reviewer’s website today and it pretty much summed it up for me, plus it made me LOL 
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<p>Perseverating</p>
<p>Adam and Crosby opening a recording studio was different. Crosby had years of experience and contacts and Adam was the financial guy. Has Kristina even worked in a school before, let alone manage one? Running for school board would have been much more believable. Very funny Kristina post, patsmom.</p>
<p>Something else must be going on with Joel. He is looking for an excuse to get out.</p>
<p>What I’m missing here with Christina – or with any of the characters – is character development. I mean, I watched all of the last 10 minutes of the show and I know what’s going on with J/J’s divorce, C/Z’s marriage & house, Cosby & his living situation, Sarah/Hank, and Christina’s new fantasy.</p>
<p>It didn’t take much more than one sentence to know. … Christine: “Don’t tell me there isn’t a school that could accommodate a kid like Max.” Peter: “Oh Christine!” And off she furiously types how to form a school.</p>
<p>Besides the terrible writing, it also belittles the whole field of education. Just because her character knows what an IEP is doesn’t mean she’d really be a successful administrator dealing with the multitude of issues she’d find in one classroom, let alone a whole school.</p>
<p>Then again, that’s how these writers write. They take one trait, like a kid who struggles to make friends, and call it Autism.</p>
<p>The creator of the show has a kid with autism. There is an expert on autism who works as a consultant for the show and reviews every one of Max’s scenes. </p>
<p>…and I actually know of a mom who more or less created a school for autistic kids. She didn’t really do it all by herself, but when her son’s needs couldn’t be met, she went from agency to agency to…until someone decided to help her create a school. He was the first pupil in it. So, I guess I’m less skeptical about the story line than some of you.</p>
<p>I had the idea to make a school in my neighborhood as well. With all the homeschooling, why not? Find parents skilled in certain fields to be your “teachers”. Get a home school curriculum and begin. Now, if she’s planning on a whole private school that another thing, but a home schooling situation might work. I do wonder if she plans to open a school for many special children to attend from far and wide (since there’s nothing out there she said) that would be far-fetched. Could be the writers are hoping to advance the cause of these kids and get someone to do it in real life.</p>
<p>I think hank is becoming one of my favorite characters.
Joel makes no sense. He supposedly loves his kids so much, but this?? Maybe he is trying to escape all his stress. His remarks about spending time with the braverman brothers playing poker was so negative,nothing I feel I had seen before.
And I’m beginning to believe Camille is looking a bit selfish, making all her plans and with no interest to include zeke. They have reversed roles a bit. I think the thing with Julia’s failed marriage will make Camille realize she is needed.
Agree, starting your own school is not so realistic. Lots of money and red tape to get that done, and just a while back they were wondering how to pay for Hattie’s college. Ah yes, Hattie, the forgotten one. And the baby is never seen! Maybe Hattie can come back and teach after getting a teaching degree!!!
Love this show and don’t quite understand why it is overlooked. I love modern family but they are completely different, but both good in its own way, and how one is so adored and the other ignored I don’t understand.
I had forgotten about Joel’s kiss----now I understand him even less. I think Julia will go back to work, and eventually he will want to come back, but her hurt is so deep now, I’m thinking he might be out of luck. Watch for the daughter to really have issues with a divorce.
Love the hank and max scenes. Just love this show, as do my teenagers so it seems to hit several demographics.</p>
<p>Jason Katims has never really had a show be an unqualified hit, but he has had a succession of shows with great cult followings that shine in retrospect (as with Connie Britton now getting all sorts of love that relates as much to her role in Friday Night Lights as to Nashville).</p>
<p>I fell asleep last night so had to re-watch after work today. I work with developmentally disabled and autistic individuals and we use the word perseverate all the time. My kids always look at me like I am crazy when I use it at home.
I think Camile has been incredibly selfish but live that Zeke finally opened up. I really don’t like Joel right now, there just isn’t a good enough reason to break up a family. I know the storylines can be unrealistic but I can’t wait til it comes back in month.</p>
<p>Jonri wrote:
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<p>The daughter is academically gifted with Aspergers or high functioning autism (like Max) so is not able to function in a mainstream classroom – the high school wanted her in a special ed room which is geared primarily to kids who have serious academic struggles. That was highlighted by the focus on Max being sent to the library essentially because he was too smart (and kind of smart-ass) in the classroom. This is a common issue – sometimes referred to as “twice gifted” - the combination of intellectual gifts with learning or social/behavioral difficulties. (But obviously if you were confused the writers might have found a way to make it more clear via the dialogue).</p>
<p>Also the Max/library thing is a pretty common issue with gifted /academically advanced kids even when they do not have any sort of other issues, beyond being capable of working at an advanced level. I’m guessing that plenty of CC’ parents experienced that along the way. </p>
<p>So I can definitely see the need for a school designed to address the needs of smart ASD kids – it probably would generate quite a lot of interest, and a private school could charge a hefty tuition as well. But it wouldn’t be something that could be set up on a whim. </p>
<p>Then again, in tv-land, the path from idea to fruition tends to be very short. In real life, not so much.</p>
<p>I didn’t find Christina deciding to investigate forming a school completely implausible. Supposedly this character has worked in politics, run for mayor, had ongoing meetings and dealings with the schools regarding special needs, and has a husband who owns a small business. Based on this information it would be logical that she has had exposure to dealing with red tape and event planning, and is not super risk averse. Didn’t they homeschool Max for a while in the past, too? She has done things that would help her have the confidence to take a step like this. Some people like to be the one in charge, organize, found, be the driving force. From what I’ve seen, in real life, sometimes they’re willing partially because they have the resources and therefore it’s less daunting, less of a risk in that regard. It’s not clear to me that would be the case for Christina. Other factors that make it seem less realistic: time demands of a baby, responsibility for Haddie, and probably small business fluctuations. Now, how difficult would it be to make it happen? That could vary depending on the state.</p>
<p>I have an acquaintance who set up a school for autistic kids, much in the way it appears Kristina is doing. Sure it’s a lot of work, but motivated parents can get it done. That storyline did not bother me. I really felt for her in the IEP meeting because I could see her thinking of max. </p>
<p>I had trouble with the history teacher scene because I know the guy playing the principal and I just couldn’t “suspend my disbelief”. It kind of ruined the mood of the scene for me. </p>
<p>It really got me at the end when Julia came home. For some reason I put myself in Camille’s place and pictured my daughters heart breaking. 
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<p>If they sell that house I would love to buy it!</p>
<p>I found the school storyline completely plausible. And she wouldn’t have to go private; she could go charter.</p>