Written by Ian Deichtman & Kristin Rusk Robinson
Directed by Allison Liddi-Brown
Airs Thursdays at 10pm EST on NBC
This week, on Parenthood: Sydney and Victor spend their first weekend away, Drew talks to Amy, and siblings are the best
Parenthood has struggled this season with a handful of storylines, most notably the Julia and Joel friction and eventual trial separation. While this arc has felt contrived and frustratingly unexplored, from Joel’s perspective at the very least, the fallout from his decision two episodes ago has been fantastic, both in concept and execution. This week, Sydney and Victor head to Joel’s new apartment for their first weekend away from home, leaving Julia alone with her thoughts (and Orange is the New Black), and watching each set of characters react to this, and the way writers Ian Deichtman and Kristin Rusk Robinson spin out this separation rite-of-passage into a celebration of sibling love, is absolutely beautiful.
Sydney and Victor’s reactions to their new cohabitation are well handled, with Victor’s background undoubtedly informing his more mature response. It’s hard not to pick sides in a situation like this (and this critic certainly has- Team Julia/Joel-get-your-head-out-of-your-ass), but the episode does a good job of showing the challenges faced by all involved and allowing both Joel and Julia to handle the situation gracefully, particularly as both are still very clearly smarting. Joel’s enthusiasm has a desperate ring to it and his entertainment setup at his apartment manages to feel less like the cliché of a divorcing parent trying to buy his children’s affections and more like him trying his best to make a difficult transition as familiar and easy as possible, even if it is likely causing him to rack up some credit card debt.
Julia’s weekend alone is just as carefully constructed. Her Friday may be full of long-overdue tasks, but Saturday is harder and, well-meaning as they are, the phone calls from Adam and Sarah aren’t particularly encouraging. For a series so in love with the idea of family, Parenthood rarely pairs up the various siblings, outside of Adam and Crosby’s interactions at the Luncheonette. We’ve had a few nice moments over the course of the season with Julia and Adam and then Julia and Sarah, but this episode’s sibling-palooza is long overdue and a lovely reminder of the support network they can be for each other. Siblings can be difficult at times, but they can also show up on your doorstep unexpectedly, right when you least expect and most need them, and the beautifully directed and performed Braverman Family Wine Party captures that perfectly.
Rounding out the Sibling Support trifecta this week is Amber and Drew, whose honest, understanding conversation about Amy is lovely. Amber, last seen losing it at her father, is back without explanation. Is she all better now, or should we prepare for more devastating Mae Whitman cryface in the coming weeks? Either way, she’s a beacon of calm understanding and Drew is even more wonderful in his conversation with Amy; Sarah clearly got a few things right in her parenting. Rather than going down the Natalie/Drew/Amy love triangle route or Amy-becomes-unstable-and-lashes-out-at-Drew route, Parenthood chooses painfully vulnerable truth and open communication; Drew is, at his heart, a good guy and it’s great to see that here.
Elsewhere this week, Camille and Zeek have put the house on the market and we see the start of that fallout. It makes sense to give the Obligatory Selfish Child moment to Crosby (as opposed to Julia, Sarah, or Adam), but this is perhaps not as well handled as it could have been. Crosby’s absolutely right that Camille and Zeek selling the house affects all of them, but he doesn’t come off particularly well in how he expresses this sentiment. It is nice to see Zeek’s straightforward response, however. We’ll see how this storyline resolves itself, but this critic would be very surprised if the show actually said a permanent goodbye to the Braverman house.
Sarah is once again fully entrenched in a love triangle, but while Doctor Guy feels more developed and rounded at this point, he’s still little more than a speedbump for the show’s clearly preferred couple, Hank and Sarah. One of these days, maybe Parenthood will let Sarah have work-related storylines that aren’t defined by her romantic entanglements. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. As for Adam and Kristina, their weekend away is lovely, as is Kristina’s need to thank Adam. It’s a small moment, but one it is good for the audience to see, and the fact that the writers feel the need to include this respite is perhaps an indicator that big C will rear its ugly head again soon.
At its heart, however, this episode is about the Braverman (and Holt and Graham) siblings and just how wonderful it can be to have brothers or sisters who love you and know when you need to talk, when you need to listen, and when you need to shut up and dance. It’s a powerful sentiment, beautifully expressed.
What did you think of this week’s Parenthood? What got you more, the siblings Braverman showing up at Julia’s or Victor’s phone call? Just how awesome is Bonnie Bedelia for grabbing that still-flaming marshmallow? Who wins the (hilarious) Braverman Black Sheep off? Post your thoughts below!
Kate Kulzick