Parenthood (the show)

[kewb]

I suppose. I just don't see why Julia was so darned upset. The truth is, Joel DID put up with her doing the same things he was doing, being super involved in work and not around. He ran the house on his own and supported her fully. Now was his turn to try to fly, career wise, and she wasn't supportive at all. It was all about her still. She just seemed so selfish. And if she didn't want to be a stay at home mom, fine, get a job and hire a babysitter. Or a housekeeper. Whatever. Just don't blame your husband when you were fine when the shoe was on the other foot. 

 

He was not unrealistic in his expectation that she would be as supportive of him as he was of her.  However, it was quite evident that she was out of her element and needed his help.  He couldn't get past the fact that she was not super hot, super supportive, super mom the way he was for her and was unable to accept or even see her need for his help. "He did it, why couldn't she?" was his attitude.  There was no understanding of how difficult this transition was for her.  No reassurances, no support of her new role.  No partnership in transitioning their relationship.  It was sad and rang true for me.

[happypamama]

I may be a horrid person, but all I could think was how totally unrealistic it was for a woman to say no, not really into my super hot, hardworking, supportive husband who also is the worlds most dedicated Dad...but hey, that unemployed overweight guy...that's what I like!

 

Please. Other way around yes, that would be realistic. 

Especially when you remember him as being Roy from The Office.  Hahahaha!

[heartlikealion]

Huh. Peaceful, I watched the first episode and thought, "Well, that was kinda blah," and have wondered why everyone else likes it so much. Maybe I'll try ep 2 and 3 before giving up on it.

 

Yeah, I haven't even made it through the first ep all the way without wondering if I really want to watch it.

 

[heartlikealion]

I'm glad this thread showed up recently. I have given the show a second chance and am digging it.

[kewb]

Ok, just finished the last season with my daughter. Some things I really thought were wrapped up well. And others left me saying eh.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Ok, just finished the last season with my daughter. Some things I really thought were wrapped up well. And others left me saying eh.

 

(I posted a week ago that we'd also watched the last episode.)

 

And now we've watched the entire series, the only connection I have is this thread. I get a little excited every time someone posts, lol.

[Garga]

Ok.  This thread is a couple of weeks old, but I started watching the show because of it and I'm hoping someone will come back and talk to me about it.  I don't cry every episode but I do like it.  I like how the characters kind of talk over each other and so their lines don't feel scripted.

 

Unfortunately, I think I'm the weird people the family wouldn't like.  Like when the oldest son's family visited with the nerdy family whose kid had aspergers--the family that was divorcing because 80% of marriages with an aspergers' kid divorced...yeah, I feel more like I'm that family rather than the Braverman's.  My husband and I are the nerdy talk-too-much sci-fi loving high-strung people.

 

And I just don't like Haddie.  I don't like her.  She reminds me of all the kids who made fun of my nerdy self in school.  She rolls her eyes a lot and always has her eyebrows raised in disdain.  Grrr!  I just can't stand her character!  Right now she's secretly dating the guy who manages the homeless shelter and Amber has warned her that when alcoholics drink they change into someone else.  I think that's some foreshadowing going on there.  He's going to drink and be a jerk and her parents will be proven right that a 16 year old isn't ready to handle an emancipated alcoholic 19 year old. 

 

Oh, and another reason why their family wouldn't like ours.  In one of the first few episodes, the mom is trying to comfort Haddie and says, "I know it's young, but maybe we could have a sleepover?"  Haddie is 15 and raises her eyebrows like, "Do you think I'm 6??"  Well...it just so happened that that very night my 13 year old son was at his 15 year old friend's house for a sleepover.  There were about 8 13-15 year's there.  We run in circles with immature kids I guess... 

 

Anyway, I've been binge watching it and loving it, even though the Bravermans wouldn't like me personally.  Sarah is the only one who might be quirky enough to like someone like me. 

 

Oh, and Joy is irritating to me.  She's like Haddie.  Always has those eyebrows raised in a pompous way.  Comes across as very self-centered.

 

And I don't like the handyman husband, Joel.  From reading this thread I see he goes out and gets a job and I can see him being a jerk about it.  He was a complete jerk when he had that temporary week-long job renovating a bathroom.  If he can't see that his wife is the breadwinner and totally doesn't get why she can't just work her 12 hour day, ditch work to randomly pick up her daughter from school, and then work until 1 in the morning every night, then he's a jerk.  If he couldn't see it when she was paying all the bills with her job, he certainly won't see it when she quits and stays home.  I think he comes across as weak and selfish.  Everyone knows that with a high-level job like what her wife had, you can't just say to your clients and boss, "Gee, I'm going to flake out on this meeting and head home now..."  The business/lawyer world doesn't work like that.  He seems like a watery personality to me--someone who wavers a lot.  I don't like him.  He has a nice face and body but his personality is shallow and prickly.

 

The grandmother in the story might like me, too.  She's also quirky enough to like someone who's a little nerdy like me.  I like her. 

[heartlikealion]

Ok.  This thread is a couple of weeks old, but I started watching the show because of it and I'm hoping someone will come back and talk to me about it.  I don't cry every episode but I do like it.  I like how the characters kind of talk over each other and so their lines don't feel scripted.

 

Unfortunately, I think I'm the weird people the family wouldn't like.  Like when the oldest son's family visited with the nerdy family whose kid had aspergers--the family that was divorcing because 80% of marriages with an aspergers' kid divorced...yeah, I feel more like I'm that family rather than the Braverman's.  My husband and I are the nerdy talk-too-much sci-fi loving high-strung people.

 

And I just don't like Haddie.  I don't like her.  She reminds me of all the kids who made fun of my nerdy self in school.  She rolls her eyes a lot and always has her eyebrows raised in disdain.  Grrr!  I just can't stand her character!  Right now she's secretly dating the guy who manages the homeless shelter and Amber has warned her that when alcoholics drink they change into someone else.  I think that's some foreshadowing going on there.  He's going to drink and be a jerk and her parents will be proven right that a 16 year old isn't ready to handle an emancipated alcoholic 19 year old. 

 

Oh, and another reason why their family wouldn't like ours.  In one of the first few episodes, the mom is trying to comfort Haddie and says, "I know it's young, but maybe we could have a sleepover?"  Haddie is 15 and raises her eyebrows like, "Do you think I'm 6??"  Well...it just so happened that that very night my 13 year old son was at his 15 year old friend's house for a sleepover.  There were about 8 13-15 year's there.  We run in circles with immature kids I guess... 

 

Anyway, I've been binge watching it and loving it, even though the Bravermans wouldn't like me personally.  Sarah is the only one who might be quirky enough to like someone like me. 

 

Oh, and Joy is irritating to me.  She's like Haddie.  Always has those eyebrows raised in a pompous way.  Comes across as very self-centered.

 

And I don't like the handyman husband, Joel.  From reading this thread I see he goes out and gets a job and I can see him being a jerk about it.  He was a complete jerk when he had that temporary week-long job renovating a bathroom.  If he can't see that his wife is the breadwinner and totally doesn't get why she can't just work her 12 hour day, ditch work to randomly pick up her daughter from school, and then work until 1 in the morning every night, then he's a jerk.  If he couldn't see it when she was paying all the bills with her job, he certainly won't see it when she quits and stays home.  I think he comes across as weak and selfish.  Everyone knows that with a high-level job like what her wife had, you can't just say to your clients and boss, "Gee, I'm going to flake out on this meeting and head home now..."  The business/lawyer world doesn't work like that.  He seems like a watery personality to me--someone who wavers a lot.  I don't like him.  He has a nice face and body but his personality is shallow and prickly.

 

The grandmother in the story might like me, too.  She's also quirky enough to like someone who's a little nerdy like me.  I like her. 

 

Oooh good, we're watching together lol. I might be a little ahead of you, but I've been binge watching lately. I didn't like Haddie, either. She has some likeable moments but mostly I don't really like her that much lol. Dh hardly watched it with me and said he didn't like the teenagers and how they were all disrespectful. I think the teenage boy has become better.

 

I'm at the beginning of season 3 now. As far as Joel, I didn't like the way he was acting during that week long reno, either. I didn't understand why they didn't line up someone ELSE to pick up the daughter. They have like 20 family members HA. Do they seriously not have anyone they could call, though? Some parent from the playgroup circle?? I don't dislike Joel, but it was clear that he and his wife are not on the same page. I actually sympathized with him a lot when (spoiler???)... he said he needed a break in the evening. It seems like his wife didn't get it. 

 

I'm going to have to look up Joy. I'm blanking on who that is! lol.

[heartlikealion]

Oh is Joy the name of the actress? Were you talking about Jasmine?

 

Oh crap I just saw a poster with pictures of the characters and it was a total spoiler. Don't go to imdb.com

[Garga]

Whoops!  You're right---her character is Jasmine, but I think of her by her real name. 

 

 

 

[PeacefulChaos]

I dropped it for awhile once I hit season 3. I think I may have finished the first episode?

 

I'll get back to it soon. But amen on not liking Haddie or Jasmine. Good lord those two make me so angry lol. Well, no, Jasmine makes me angry - Haddie is just completely unlikable. At the same time though, I find that whole family unit pretty unlikable (Adam, wife, both kids), so. That's consistent at least. :lol:

 

I think the thing Joel said that annoyed me the most was when he complained about her wanting a baby because she's 'pregnant, off for a month, and that's it'. That was just despicable to me. Idk exactly why, but it just was. :p

[heartlikealion]

I dropped it for awhile once I hit season 3. I think I may have finished the first episode?

 

I'll get back to it soon. But amen on not liking Haddie or Jasmine. Good lord those two make me so angry lol. Well, no, Jasmine makes me angry - Haddie is just completely unlikable. At the same time though, I find that whole family unit pretty unlikable (Adam, wife, both kids), so. That's consistent at least. :lol:

 

I think the thing Joel said that annoyed me the most was when he complained about her wanting a baby because she's 'pregnant, off for a month, and that's it'. That was just despicable to me. Idk exactly why, but it just was. :p

 

His comment didn't really bother me because I think his wife is a little clueless about how much he does and how draining it is. I got a little upset with Jasmine over the birthing video. I mean, if I was Crosby I'd be so hurt and upset I don't know if I could watch it. She said a couple times, "what was I supposed to do? You wouldn't take my calls." Well, how about not wait 5 years to try again?

[ktgrok]

Ugh, couldn't STAND Jasmine. She was just awful. SO controlling and mean. Poor Crosby. I felt so bad when she was making him sell the boat. 

[Brit29]

I go back and forth with this show. I watched it when it was on originally and am now watching the netflix episodes I missed. A huge part of me hates all the characters, but a part of me also really likes the family. I'm super indecisive about the whole experience! 

 

[Garga]

Ugh, couldn't STAND Jasmine. She was just awful. SO controlling and mean. Poor Crosby. I felt so bad when she was making him sell the boat. 

 

 

The boat!  I just watched that one a day or two ago.  I did NOT understand how no one seemed to understand his boat.  His family was all, "Sell the boat," as well as Jasmine.  I loved that boat!  Loved it!  And then they moved into that plain, boring, white-walled apartment.  Ugh.  How can he and Jasmine stand to be around each other?  They don't get each other at all.  It must be purely a physical attraction. 

 

I didn't understand why his family didn't understand why he loved the boat.  I love the boat.  Wish I could buy the boat!

[Garga]

I go back and forth with this show. I watched it when it was on originally and am now watching the netflix episodes I missed. A huge part of me hates all the characters, but a part of me also really likes the family. I'm super indecisive about the whole experience! 

 

 

That's how I am, too.  Half the time I can't stand most of them and the other half I can't get enough.  I like Crosby and Sarah, even with all her flakiness.  I used to hate Amber, but Amber seems to have changed and I like the change.  She was a "bad kid" when they started the show, but her character is changing and I like her better.

 

I think I like watching so much because I'm an only child and I'd like to think that if I had siblings we'd all get along and we'd love hanging out with each other all the time, like these siblings do.  Right now, the only family I have closer than a 5 hour flight are in-laws.  I just like watching shows about your actual birth family taking an interest in you and liking you and showing up at your door with coffee.  In-laws just don't count.  Not the same way. I wish I had family.  Even when I was a kid, it was just me and my mom and dad and they moved away when I was 20.  The idea of family all being close and liking each other--I can't get enough.  That's why I keep watching.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Garga

[Brit29]

Me too. I started watching it because of the family dinners. Seemed so nice and quaint!  

 

I do like Crosby and Amber, mostly because I love the actors and other characters they have played. 

 

 

Parenthood fans- Have you seen the show About a Boy? Crosby is friends with the main character. It is a very cute show. 

[heartlikealion]

What is Crosby driving now? I don't understand how he could sell the bike.

 

Jasmine's mom has too much control in the episodes I saw. Made me feel bad for Crosby.

 

The family is a bit too clingy to me. They show up at each other's jobs. They call each ohter at work. And for me it was maybe overkill that they all

got up and sat in the hospital when Amber got hit. Maybe they thought she would die that night and that's why. But I thought it was weird seeing kids dragged out in the middle of the night to the hospital when it wasn't their household.

 

 

I don't think I've seen About a Boy.

[kewb]

Haddie is a most unlikeable character. I thought she was Horrid. Jasmine was definitely too controlling.

I always felt bad for sarah's son Drew. It was as if the writers had no idea what to do with him because Sarah (train wreck) and Amber (train wreck, Jr) were too busy being train wrecks.

Edited January 25, 2016 by kewb

[ThisIsTheDay]

That's how I am, too.  Half the time I can't stand most of them and the other half I can't get enough.  I like Crosby and Sarah, even with all her flakiness.  I used to hate Amber, but Amber seems to have changed and I like the change.  She was a "bad kid" when they started the show, but her character is changing and I like her better.

 

.

 

I started out not liking Amber, but she eventually became one of my top favorite characters. She was real, and she was likeable.  She could've been my friend when I was that age. I related a lot to what she went through. I also liked how much she and Drew looked out for each other.  I couldn't stand Sarah.  She was a lousy mom.

 

Haddie is a most unlikeable character. I thought she was Horrid. Jasmine was definitely too controlling.

I always felt bad for sarah's son Drew. It was as if the writers had no idea what to do with him because Sarah (train wreck) and Amber (train wreck, Jr) were too busy being train wrecks.

 

Haddie couldn't help but be miserable. Look at her parents!!!!!!

[PeacefulChaos]

That's how I am, too.  Half the time I can't stand most of them and the other half I can't get enough.  I like Crosby and Sarah, even with all her flakiness.  I used to hate Amber, but Amber seems to have changed and I like the change.  She was a "bad kid" when they started the show, but her character is changing and I like her better.

 

I think I like watching so much because I'm an only child and I'd like to think that if I had siblings we'd all get along and we'd love hanging out with each other all the time, like these siblings do.  Right now, the only family I have closer than a 5 hour flight are in-laws.  I just like watching shows about your actual birth family taking an interest in you and liking you and showing up at your door with coffee.  In-laws just don't count.  Not the same way. I wish I had family.  Even when I was a kid, it was just me and my mom and dad and they moved away when I was 20.  The idea of family all being close and liking each other--I can't get enough.  That's why I keep watching.

Crosby is definitely my favorite, and Sarah is second.  A lot of people seem to not like her, and I do get that, but just personality-wise and stuff, she makes sense to me.  Like, as a person.  :lol:  If that makes sense.  

I can't really say I dislike the other daughter... I just totally blanked on her name for no reason lol.  And while I don't like everything the husband says or does, I don't necessarily really dislike him, either.  

 

But I was actually going to reply because I'm an only child, too (half brother but we never lived in the same house or knew each other well, so for all intents and purposes, yeah, only child lol), and I think watching the interactions between siblings is just really interesting.  I mean, I know it's dramatized, etc, but it's still fun to watch.  The family dinners are just cool to me.  And I've said it a million times, but that whole layout the parents have is just magical to me.  :wub:  

 

What is Crosby driving now? I don't understand how he could sell the bike.

 

Jasmine's mom has too much control in the episodes I saw. Made me feel bad for Crosby.

 

The family is a bit too clingy to me. They show up at each other's jobs. They call each ohter at work. And for me it was maybe overkill that they all

 

 

 

I don't think I've seen About a Boy.

Re: the spoiler, that made sense to me, actually.  Highlight for spoiler comments: None of the kids were particularly young, though I can't say I would have felt it was overkill even if they were.  I know that there are some people I would do that for, so it's just all in who you're close to, you know?  While I don't have siblings, DH does have 3, and I know that at least for one of the families we would do the same thing, just because we're really close to them.  I guess that may sound sort of negative toward the others but I don't mean it that way.  

I will say that none of them seem to have many friends outside of the family, which is pretty unrealistic, but hey, it's a show lol.  

 

 

 

Haddie couldn't help but be miserable. Look at her parents!!!!!!

TOTALLY AGREE!!!!

[heartlikealion]

So does everyone here hate Kristina and Adam? lol. I don't mind them, but they can get a bit uptight and the mom sometimes doesn't know when to give people space.

 

I think the writers of this show have an obsession with pancakes! I need to keep count on how many episodes feature pancakes LOL

[kewb]

I actually like Kristina and Adam most of the time. I do wish we had gotten more of Kristina's back story. Something miserable going on there.

 

I don't hate Sara and Amber. I think their personal lives ate train wrecks. A trail of messy, off the rails messes in their wakes. They are probably the most realistic.

 

My family is nothing like the Braverman clan. Like I said up thread, I come from a small family and only one sibling. Close, crazy, large knit families on tv fascinate me.

[ktgrok]

I don't think Kristina and Adam interact WELL sometimes, but I get them. I think it's pretty realistic many times. My husband and I have some similarities. I actually like when shows portray people doing things badly as it feels real to me. 

[LucyStoner]

He was not unrealistic in his expectation that she would be as supportive of him as he was of her. However, it was quite evident that she was out of her element and needed his help. He couldn't get past the fact that she was not super hot, super supportive, super mom the way he was for her and was unable to accept or even see her need for his help. "He did it, why couldn't she?" was his attitude. There was no understanding of how difficult this transition was for her. No reassurances, no support of her new role. No partnership in transitioning their relationship. It was sad and rang true for me.

Also, he had just forced her to proceed with an adoption of an older child who was treating her like crap when she had major doubts and then once the adoption was complete suddenly all of that child's issues were gone? Uh, no.

[LucyStoner]

The boat! I just watched that one a day or two ago. I did NOT understand how no one seemed to understand his boat. His family was all, "Sell the boat," as well as Jasmine. I loved that boat! Loved it! And then they moved into that plain, boring, white-walled apartment. Ugh. How can he and Jasmine stand to be around each other? They don't get each other at all. It must be purely a physical attraction.

 

I didn't understand why his family didn't understand why he loved the boat. I love the boat. Wish I could buy the boat!

I assumed the sell the boat thing was "well duh, no average person can afford moorage in the Bay Area and an apartment to live in with their kid and of course he can't afford to keep it, as cool as it may be. Kid first."

[MrsWeasley]

Am I the only one who hates Crosby? I wish Jasmine had stayed with Dr. Joe instead. Cheating with the behavioral aid, sabotaging his work by not getting into a club because he brought pot, he's just so unreliable.. And while I don't get why Jasmine wanted a van so bad with only two kids, I would be unhappy with the motorcycle. He refuses to drive the van. He can't transport any of his kids. Especially when Jasmine goes back to work, how can it be okay for him not to have a car where he can drive his kids?

[LucyStoner]

With the caveat that I thought the whole Max persuing Dylan storyline was horribly handled and their denial that his behavior was harassing fairly distressing, I disagree that Max's character is generally spoiled or catered to.

 

Treating HFA is largely about modeling flexibility and meeting people where they are at. I don't recall all of the specifics but I recall many moments in that show that were very true to life for parents with kids on the spectrum. I especially recall one storyline about the grandfather taking Max camping and it going horribly because the grandfather didn't provide enough structure and expected Max to be more or less like a NT child on a camping trip. That storyline could have come from my own family and really resonated.

Edited January 25, 2016 by LucyStoner

[kewb]

I didn't hate Crosby. I thought he had a lot of growing up to do. Here he was living his man child life and "boom" you're a dad of a child.

I felt bad for Dr.Joe. He was clearly transitional man for Jasmine. Definitely a better choice for long term stability. Certainly, I would have picked Dr. Joe.

[Garga]

Am I the only one who hates Crosby? I wish Jasmine had stayed with Dr. Joe instead. Cheating with the behavioral aid, sabotaging his work by not getting into a club because he brought pot, he's just so unreliable.. And while I don't get why Jasmine wanted a van so bad with only two kids, I would be unhappy with the motorcycle. He refuses to drive the van. He can't transport any of his kids. Especially when Jasmine goes back to work, how can it be okay for him not to have a car where he can drive his kids?

Ah--I'm not there yet. Crosby hasn't cheated with the aid yet, though you can see that he's slightly attracted (they've only met twice so far for me), or brought pot, or refused to buy a vehicle he can transport kids in. Right now I like him, but I haven't seen this side of him yet. So far he's doing fine. I'm in the episode where they're going to the reverend for the first time to talk about marriage and you can see that he's realizing what a biiiiiig step being married is and he's getting scared.

[Garga]

I can see that Jasmine is still in the picture (from the posts above), but I was really hoping that Crosby would see what a terrible match they are while talking with the reverend and would call off the wedding. I guess he doesn't...

 

But hey--gotta have the characters make bad choices or what would you have to write about in the show?!

 

I love watching it all, even with the spoilers you guys are writing here. It's not like there's a mystery to solve, so I don't mind knowing what's coming up.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Garga

[LucyStoner]

I didn't hate Crosby. I thought he had a lot of growing up to do. Here he was living his man child life and "boom" you're a dad of a child.

I felt bad for Dr.Joe. He was clearly transitional man for Jasmine. Definitely a better choice for long term stability. Certainly, I would have picked Dr. Joe.

Crosby got a lot of sympathy from me because what Jasmine did to him (not telling him he had a child FOR FIVE YEARS) is a really big loss to him. He lost five years with his son because she kept him out of the picture. Honestly, I was sorta surprised he was willing to forgive her for that. I don't think I would want to marry someone who stole my child's infancy and tot years from me.

[kewb]

Crosby got a lot of sympathy from me because what Jasmine did to him (not telling him he had a child FOR FIVE YEARS) is a really big loss to him. He lost five years with his son because she kept him out of the picture. Honestly, I was sorta surprised he was willing to forgive her for that. I don't think I would want to marry someone who stole my child's infancy and tot years from me.

I was also ticked that not only didn't she tell Crosby he was a father she also told her family that Crosby wanted nothing to do with being a father when she was pregnant. On the one hand, I get that it was easier for her, but then she wasn't going to correct their opinion until dad Braverman put them on the spot.

[LucyStoner]

I was also ticked that not only didn't she tell Crosby he was a father she also told her family that Crosby wanted nothing to do with being a father when she was pregnant. On the one hand, I get that it was easier for her, but then she wasn't going to correct their opinion until dad Braverman put them on the spot.

Unless a woman has reason to believe the father would be abusive or dangerous to her or her child, I think the woman has a moral obligation to both the father and the child to at least give the father the opportunity to be a part of the child's life. I didn't get the impression Crosby was a danger to her or others. I got the impression that she decided he was too immature. Well, the beauty of children is that they make adults. He shouldn't have been deprived of the opportunity to know and to grow up sooner.

[MrsWeasley]

Crosby got a lot of sympathy from me because what Jasmine did to him (not telling him he had a child FOR FIVE YEARS) is a really big loss to him. He lost five years with his son because she kept him out of the picture. Honestly, I was sorta surprised he was willing to forgive her for that. I don't think I would want to marry someone who stole my child's infancy and tot years from me.

 

 

I couldn't forgive that, either. I find them both really unlikeable, but everyone dislikes Jasmine. I could totally have understood if his Parenthood plot had been that he really hated his ex and they had a nasty custody dispute. I totally get that he needed time to grow into fatherhood, but by the time they had Aida, I feel like he had time to grow into fatherhood, that he chose fatherhood when he chose to have Aida with Jasmine - and then he didn't step up to the plate. 

[LucyStoner]

I couldn't forgive that, either. I find them both really unlikeable, but everyone dislikes Jasmine. I could totally have understood if his Parenthood plot had been that he really hated his ex and they had a nasty custody dispute. I totally get that he needed time to grow into fatherhood, but by the time they had Aida, I feel like he had time to grow into fatherhood, that he chose fatherhood when he chose to have Aida with Jasmine - and then he didn't step up to the plate.

I think that they were both nuanced characters with strengths and weaknesses. I didn't perceive him as not stepping up with Aida. He wasn't perfect, he was reluctant to adopt the minivan but that's a pretty normal thing. Same thing for Jasmine- she wasn't perfect but she certainly was quite awesome in a lot of respects.

Edited January 26, 2016 by LucyStoner

[KungFuPanda]

Does anyone remember the original Parenthood movie with Steve Martin. I think Keanu Reeves was the boyfriend. The mom's like "I can't be a grandmother, I went to Woodstock!" I 'think' they're loosely tied.

 

Also, did anyone notice the change in the theme song? Did it just change in the later seasons or is it a matter of Netflix not having music rights?

[kewb]

I think the theme song changed. Although, most of the time I skip the opening so I am not sure which season it changed.

 

I never saw the parenthood movie but I do remember when it came out.

Edited January 26, 2016 by kewb

[poppy]

Does anyone remember the original Parenthood movie with Steve Martin. I think Keanu Reeves was the boyfriend. The mom's like "I can't be a grandmother, I went to Woodstock!" I 'think' they're loosely tied.

 

Also, did anyone notice the change in the theme song? Did it just change in the later seasons or is it a matter of Netflix not having music rights?

 

I vividly remember the Steve Martin version.

It's the same story with a few twists

 Steve Martin = Peter Krause, overrstressed family man with special needs sons

 Dianne Weist = Lauren Graham, with a punky daughter (who marries Keanu) and an emo son 

 I forget + Rick Moranis = Ericka Christenson's snotty yuppie family

 Tom Hulce = Crosby, but in the movie he had no love interest, horrible debt, and ditched the kid to live with grandparents.

 

It's a good movie, I recommend it. It' more of a comedy, but, that's what you get with Steve Martin.

I even remember the first time they made it into a tv show, with Ed Begley Jr.

[heartlikealion]

Ok this is so dumb to me. I'm in season 3.

 

 

Amber didn't get into the colleges she applied to so she's acting like college is off the table. Can't she find a community college? I thought she started doing much better in school. Oh and when she checked her SAT scores on the computer I was confused. I thought she flaked the day she was supposed to take the test. Did I miss something?? She's not making ends meet and goes to Grandma for financial help. I don't know how she had the funds to put down a deposit to begin with. I don't know why she didn't get a roommate or put her money together with her mom's to get an apt. for their family off the grandparents' property.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2016 by heartlikealion

[poppy]

REDACTED

 

I think answer to your question is, she's self-destructive.

[heartlikealion]

I think answer to your question is, she's self-destructive.

For part of that, I'll buy that. I felt like my solution was obvious and the characters were too short-sighted to suggest it.

[heartlikealion]

Ok, guys, anyone watching?

 

I'm in season 6 now!! I feel like they got lazy about hiring new actors so they just started throwing the same ones in LOL. Do they want us to like any school-age female children in the show? Yeesh, Sydney and Haddie.

[kewb]

Sydney and Haddie were the worst.  Awful, awful characters. 

 

I didn't love Amber, either but she at least was the product of her train wreck mother.  My dd used to laugh because when they came on screen I would say "look, it is train wreck and train wreck, jr."  You couldn't look away.  Their personal lives were total hot messes.

 

So, to answer your question, no, we were not supposed to like any of them.

[happypamama]

I thought Sydney often came across as bratty, but sometimes, I felt it was a completely justifiable and age-appropriate attitude. When they were beginning the adoption process with Victor, and she was being obnoxious about having to go for food with his team instead of ice skating or wherever it was that they had promised to take her, I felt that her reaction was normal for a child her age. They HAD promised to do something different, something that she was looking forward to, and plans changed. And not in the "well, fun thing A didn't work, so we will do fun thing B instead" way. She'd been an only child for how long, and SHE was looking forward to being a big sister to the baby, so I suppose she needed to grieve that too. And suddenly, she got handed an older sibling, one who had some issues and who needed a lot of special attention. It's not at all unreasonable for a seven-year-old not to understand why, and then to express that confusion, when a sibling gets very different privileges, like eating different foods and stuff. A change in the house rules can be very unsettling, and those feelings are going to come out, even if they come out in ways that seem bratty. So I suppose a lot of Sydney didn't bother me. Haddie, I found slightly more annoying, but when she wanted to go to Cornell, and they couldn't afford it, and she was talking about how she loved Max, but how she'd rearranged her whole life for his needs, I really felt for her, like, "She's been really understanding, most of her life; can't she just have this one thing?" Because sometimes that happens in life, that other people's needs must come first, and that's just the way it is, but I'm glad she got to have that one thing that was her dream.

[pehp]

I am in season 2. I quit during season 1 because I was so annoyed with the characters but kept plugging along later because of the max storyline (I have a son on the spectrum). I have to say I love Amber right now.

 

Was trying to read carefully up thread because I didn't want to read any spoilers....!! So I skipped a lot of commentary.

 

I do not hate any of the characters at this point. I really enjoy the twists and turns of family dynamics because it feels authentic to me. I am sticking with it....at least until someone ticks me off.😄

[heartlikealion]

I thought Sydney often came across as bratty, but sometimes, I felt it was a completely justifiable and age-appropriate attitude. When they were beginning the adoption process with Victor, and she was being obnoxious about having to go for food with his team instead of ice skating or wherever it was that they had promised to take her, I felt that her reaction was normal for a child her age. They HAD promised to do something different, something that she was looking forward to, and plans changed. And not in the "well, fun thing A didn't work, so we will do fun thing B instead" way. She'd been an only child for how long, and SHE was looking forward to being a big sister to the baby, so I suppose she needed to grieve that too. And suddenly, she got handed an older sibling, one who had some issues and who needed a lot of special attention. It's not at all unreasonable for a seven-year-old not to understand why, and then to express that confusion, when a sibling gets very different privileges, like eating different foods and stuff. A change in the house rules can be very unsettling, and those feelings are going to come out, even if they come out in ways that seem bratty. So I suppose a lot of Sydney didn't bother me. Haddie, I found slightly more annoying, but when she wanted to go to Cornell, and they couldn't afford it, and she was talking about how she loved Max, but how she'd rearranged her whole life for his needs, I really felt for her, like, "She's been really understanding, most of her life; can't she just have this one thing?" Because sometimes that happens in life, that other people's needs must come first, and that's just the way it is, but I'm glad she got to have that one thing that was her dream.

 

None of that stuff bothered me. All of that seemed reasonable. It was really the bratty behavior where Syd would cut down her brother calling him stupid for repeating a grade (not just when he first moved in, either) and the lying and the "apology" she gave in the season I'm watching now. It was like her parents didn't role play with her at all before bringing her to the door of this other child. She was called out on lying in an earlier season and it seems like she's repeating old behavior. Not saying kids can't relapse or whatever, but when I saw it all over it again it felt like her character was from another season.

 

[Farrar]

Huh. Sydney got on my nerves, but whatever. But Haddie was fine. I liked her a lot actually. I love Amber. Well, I love Mae Whitman. (What? Her?) I extra loved her in Scott Pilgrim when she was the ex-girlfriend. But she's good as Amber too.

[Garga]

Since I last posted I've now watched the whole thing. It was streaming on Netflix and I just kept watching the episodes without keeping track of seasons. I didn't realize I was watching the last episode until about 5 minutes from the end and I was NOT expecting *that* to happen!! Tears.

 

I loved all of it. I'm glad I watched it. I agree that Sydney was annoying. (And I was right that Joel was weak. He just was. He was totally in the wrong.)

Edited March 31, 2016 by Garga

[heartlikealion]

Not done yet, but before I forget... was I the only one that thought the fight for the vending machine was moot since there weren't gonna be Skittles (or whatever Max liked) in it?! I thought it was pointless!

Edited April 1, 2016 by heartlikealion