<p>It’s funny because I thought this episode was eerily accurate on some things. Zeke coming home after surgery was so reminiscent of my mom’s coming home after valve replacement (except for riding in the front seat, that was a big error). I was telling Adam and Kristina to go check out our Parents Caring for the Parents thread here :)</p>
<p>But yes, it was a slow episode. Who thinks Julia and Joel will get back together?</p>
<p>Thinks? Or Hopes? </p>
<p>I would like them to give us a better understanding of what was going on with Joel and why he was behaving the way he was. What was he thinking/feeling?</p>
<p>I want them back together.</p>
<p>I think they will get back together. I hope they get back together but he has some owning up to do. </p>
<p>Also, I realize I just can’t believe they sold that house (Zeke and Camille’s). I think I’ll go string random lights from trees in my backyard to see if I can make it look as magical as their house (and now Adam’s). And oh yeah, I’ll plan to serve family meals out there. Nothing like schlepping food for 15-20 outside and back :)</p>
<p>And if you’re going to buy a home for your old age it really shouldn’t have all those stairs! </p>
<p>I have to miss tonight’s episode and will watch tomorrow. I will try very hard to stay off this thread.</p>
<p>Wait, Adam got the old magical house??</p>
<p>No, that was his house.</p>
<p>Heart breaking for Joel. I don’t blame Julia, but … Joel.</p>
<p>How nice to have an episode without Sarah.</p>
<p>Loved when Crosby was complaining and Zeek was listening, and then said he should enjoy it - it goes by so fast. For some reason that scene really got to me.</p>
<p>My husband was so upset for Joel; he wants Julia and Joel back together!</p>
<p>The scene with Crosby and Zeek got to me as well. It does go by so fast… </p>
<p>Sometimes I feel sorry for Joel, but mostly I am mad at him for being such an idiot. </p>
<p>Camille driving cracked me up. My mom drives REALLY slow too. But after Crosby’s crazy driving, I half expected Zeek to call Camille to pick him up. </p>
<p>Because of the Ebola press conference in NYC that ended a half hour after the beginning of Parenthood, I missed the first half of the show. 
Will have to watch later online. (No DVR, no cable.)</p>
<p>Why is it, other than to serve the storyline, that Joel showed up at the barbecue? As they were showing everyone playing basketball, I said out loud ’ okay, it’s time for Joel to walk up the driveway’ …and there he was. I actually don’t feel sorry for him. He acted like an idiot for most of last season. I’m glad that Julia has moved on.</p>
<p>After the show last night, Dh and I were talking about why Joel and Julia split up and dh said that Julia had an affair with the co-chair of that environmental awareness (?) committee at the kids’ school and that the break up was largely her fault. We both remember that time Julia tore into Joel in front of his boss and agreed was really damaging but, other than that, I was just left with the feeling that Joel was really to blame while dh thinks it was Julia. Can anyone remind me what happened and whether Julia had an affair and, if so, where it fit in with the timing of Joel moving out?</p>
<p>Didn’t they start having conflict about whether the adopted son should be held back? That, coupled with their role reversal of Julia as stay at home mom and Joel working long hours for the corporate builder, seemed to be where things started going downhill.</p>
<p>collage, here’s my take …</p>
<p>There were several conflicts, most of which stemmed from the role reversal. Julia clearly was unhappy being out of work, and Joel was used to being the primary care giver and seemed to not like Julia having a greater voice in raising the kids. The first big conflict was surrounding whether to hold Victor back, but Julia acted out in a number of ways – going to Joel’s work and yelling at him in front of the boss and spending too much time texting and being with the out-of-work, now SAHD, Ed. For Joel, the final straw was when he asked Julia about her feelings about Ed and she denied having any. Then, she later confessed that she and Ed had kissed but that it wasn’t a big deal, it was all Ed and that that’s why she didn’t say anything when he asked – because to her, it was nothing. Yeah, right. 
He felt betrayed.</p>
<p>Plenty of wrong on both sides, but I think the reason Joel gets so much blame is because he refused to go to counseling, which was simply out of character for him. He was the strong, sensitive SAHD, and I never understood him not being willing to work on the marriage. He loves the kids so much that not fighting for this family just didn’t make sense. I will always wonder why he didn’t agree to go to counseling …</p>
<p>Don’t forget all the time that Joel spent with Pete, the ‘boss’, who clearly had more than a professional interest in him. </p>
<p>I think they were both at fault, as is usually the case, but Joel was unwilling to even discuss working things out for so long, it’s no wonder that Julia finally gave up.</p>
<p>I think Joel showed much restraint around Pete, who was throwing herself at him. Julia may not have liked how much time Joel was spending with Pete, but her time with Ed was closer to an affair.</p>