Camille and Zeek make some big decisions, Crosby and Jasmine are forced out of their house, Adam and Kristina advocate for their future, Sarah and Hank butt heads and, worst of all, Joel and Julia actually, for real, separate and it is horrible. Oh, Parenthood. What you do to us.
Please Don’t Leave
Julia and Joel consult some sort of professional about how talk to their kids about their impending separation. She asks whether or not this is a separation with hopes of reconciliation or impending divorce. As expected, Julia is hoping for reconciliation. However, Joel is unsure of what he wants which is a punch to the stomach for all of us.
They are hesitant to talk to the kids because they know once they do it is irreparable in some ways. They agree to put it off as long as possible, allowing time for Julia to plead her case. Which she does, sort of. She asks him not to leave and that there is still time to change his mind but he refuses. It is so confusing, why won’t he just talk to her?
They finally agree to tell the kids after school. It’s like the only thing they can agree on is how to separate. They sit Sydney and Victor down, who know that something is wrong immediately. They tell them, the kids are so upset, everyone is crying, including myself, and the whole scene is so upsetting.
After Joel leaves, in an underwhelming yet gut-wrenching scene, Julia and the kids are too upset to stay in the house and they go to Camille and Zeek’s for support. It is sweet and terrible.
Kristina Goes to Bat for Max
Max continues to struggle in school, constantly getting sent to the library for being too disruptive in class. Once Adam and Kristina find out, they go in to protective beast mode to advocate for Max, to no satisfactory end.
Meanwhile, Kristina helps a friend whose daughter has Asperger’s navigate through the demands of the IEP process. Kristina sees a lot of similarities between her daughter and Max since they are both too advanced for special education, but still struggle with the mainstream classes.
Due to these concerns for kids who fall in the middle of the needs served by the schools, Kristina and Adam come up with the idea to open their own school. I’m sorry, but this is a super out there idea, even for Kristina. I know that they have accomplished so much on behalf of Max, but it can’t be that easy opening a school, right? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Who’s The Boss?
Sarah and Hank are working together on a photography job that Sarah landed. She has a vision for the job that Hank shoots down and she initially goes with it because he has so much more experience. But when Carl finds out she is going to compromise her vision, he encourages Sarah to believe in work, which she chooses to do. Hank grumbles and quits the job until Max convinces him that he is fixating on it too much and that Sarah won the job so he should just do it her way. I love their friendship, it is so funny and sweet.
They do the job together, it is a great success, of course, and Hank has to admit that Sarah was right and a good boss. There is a hint of something between the two of them that may indicate that they could someday get back together. I’m not sure I want that to happen anymore. If I had to choose, Carl is the much better force in Sarah’s life.
Villa Camille
Camille is still swept away by her art classes and trip to Italy. It makes Zeek realize, just as her absence did, that he is willing to compromise in order to make her happy and not lose her. He agrees to sell the house if that is really what she wants. I so appreciate his willingness to do this for and with her, but I love their house! I really hope they don’t sell it or that it goes to someone in the family at least.
There’s No Place Like Home
Crosby and Jasmine find out that they have mold in the house and are forced to move out for two months while their house is repaired. They initially stay in a motel to wait it out, but Jasmine finally convinces Crosby that they need a longer-term fix since it is too expensive and cramped. They finally decide to move in with Camille and Zeek. Hopefully this will mean they won’t sell the house.
Wow, what an emotional episode. What will become of Joel and Julia? Will Camille and Zeek really sell the house? Are Adam and Kristina bold enough to start their own school? We are left with all of these, and more, unanswered questions until February 27th, when Parenthood returns.
Parenthood airs Thursdays at 8pm on NBC.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
