truebluesmoky

Was the teaser a definite death or was it more along time lines of "The Bravermans face death"? It could just be all this Zeke might die stuff or a future conversation with his family about not getting the surgery and essentially just preparing to die. Back to this specific episode, I think Lauren Graham and Ray Romano acted their scenes beautifully, but it's not my favorite send-off for the Sarah character. Like Tara, I'm Team Mr. Cyr, but I also would have wanted her to settle into who SHE wanted to be. I guess she's focusing on Amber and is maybe still a photographer? I guess I still don't feel like she got enough development as a character. They used her as the one to set up with romantic interests, since everyone else was married (or got married quickly, in the case of Crosby).

Awwww, I loved it. If I had to complain, I'd say Kristina annoyed me. I understand being worried about money, but she was perfectly happy to blow money on her mayoral campaign and Snowflake Academy. She kept her sour face even when Adam was explaining that he felt he had to save Crosby the way Crosby had saved him after he lost his shoe job. The pictures didn't bother me, even though I noticed that a few were professional school pictures from the actors' childhoods. I loved the callback to the credits we've been watching all these years. I loved Joel and Julia. I loved that after thinking she needed a complicated process to figure out if she and Joel could truly get back together, all it really look was an earnest promise from the love of her life. I wish they'd never messed with Joel and Julia to begin with - there was plenty of drama for that family with just Victor's adoption and Sydney's (Sidney's?) awful nature. But this was great pay-off for the hell the viewer was put through. I couldn't stop smiling when they were giddy about just talking to each other. I can buy the whole Sarah/Hank thing. Camille and Sarah's conversation was WONDERFUL, and Lauren Graham sold the moment she told Hank yes with her amazingly expressive eyes. I can also deal with the whole crib thing as a metaphor, even though it's a tired cliche that the women would need a man to put it together. Amber is very pregnant and stressed and hormonal. Sarah had been a deer in the headlights not being able to focus since the proposal. I can accept that they'd be too distracted to deal with it. I can also understand Amber's annoyance at Seth. Even though he's trying by sending a nice, expensive gift, what Amber needed was him to come and actually physically be there to help. (Or, you know, Nora's old crib.) Drew has been fantastic this season, even though I think Zeke should have admitted that he had no right to get mad in the first place or put that kind of crazy pressure on his grandson. Crosby with tears in his eyes got me, and I did love Jasmine going to bat for her husband. I think it came from a good place, and she doesn't ask for much of the Bravermans in general. I think it took a lot for her to do that. I get the complaints, I really do, but I still love the show. Oh, and behavior aside, I loved that the film canister storyline gave Max a way to be connected to something sentimental to his family, even if he doesn't care. He was able to get excited about something that was also connected to his family's history and feelings. Hank being involved in the photos further connected him to the family as well. Final complaint - it was weird that Zeke and Camille were right in the driveway of their old house watching the kids play, and neither the kids or their mom seemed to notice.

I still think part of any gender divide we do see is that Jen can physically handle Zoey more easily than Will. When the kids are older both in a actual age and in maturity levels and when their communication is better, a situation in which they might need to be picked up or otherwise physically moved is less likely. But right now, in the case of a tantrum or dangerous situation, Jen could pick Zoey up to get her out of there but couldn't do the same with Will. I also think they are just more into traditional gender stereotypes than, say, MY family, but it doesn't seem extreme, especially in a family with a female breadwinner in a traditionally male profession. I mean, the Arnold Kleins aren't the DUGGARS, you know?

I think a lot of the crap with the ex-wife and daughter was filler because they are cheaper to pay. They could only afford to have some of the main characters in each episode this last season, so they needed non-Bravermans for at least one major storyline and chose Sarah's storyline.

I am theorizing that it was a Friday... Sydney and Victor were taken to school by neighbors, then Kristina and Jasmine came later after their kids went to school/daycare (I'm pretending the invisible Snowflake Academy teachers could handle that school for the day). Amber's baby shower was supposed to be that night, which would make the most sense on a Friday night. If Sarah had more chemistry with Hank, I would like them to end up together because it's realistic that at least one of the siblings would end up with not a traditionally great catch. Jasmine is a gorgeous dancer who is also a good mom, Kristina is a beautiful super mom, and Joel is a smoking hot SAHD turned incredible contractor. They're all ambitious, attractive, and social. But sometimes you fall for the scruffy, older, awkward dude and you don't even know why. It just clicks. But I'm not seeing it with Sarah and Hank, though Ray Romano's acting is great.

I understood him as well, and I think I like him because I understood who he'd become. Even before he came back as more confident, kind, and successful in the later seasons, that's the person I could see in him. Even though they retconned his mom into a lovable, zany recurring character later on, when Jess was introduced to us, he was a teenager who had been neglected and then sent away. He had some horrible moments with the way he treated adults in particular and even Rory, but I saw his potential as a true match for Rory. I also find him easily superior to her other two boyfriends during the series, although that is an extremely low bar. Dean is the worst. I don't know who I hate more - emotionally abusive Dean from when he and Rory were first together or complete dickhead Dean who cheated on his wife then came home and yelled at her. Logan has decent moments, but I never stop disliking his smarmy grin. I also have trouble relating to his poor little rich boy act. His family is terrible, yes, but the whole thing about his life ending because his dad was pushing him into the family business? He didn't have to go through with any of that. He could have said no and decided to go it alone. He would have lost his family's financial support but not his Yale education or political connections based on being a Huntzberger.

Fun fact: Bill's dad lives in my town. That church where they had the baptism is about 15 minutes from me. He recently ran an unsuccessful campaign for County Commissioner. Bill and Jen made an appearance at one of this fundraisers. I can't speak to Bill and Jen's political affiliation, but his dad is a Republican. https://www.facebook.com/votebillklein#!/votebillklein/photos/pb.568927203146100.-2207520000.1417715347./718472764858209/?type=3&theater

Why isn't there more outrage that Jackson lied to Sookie about the vasectomy? She didn't want more kids! She had unprotected sex with him only because she thought he couldn't impregnate her. I mean, she obviously shouldn't have made the appointment for him and bullied him into a medical procedure he didn't want, but when he didn't go through with it, he had a responsibility to tell her before they had sex again. I know she quickly got excited about another baby after finding out she was pregnant, but Jackson made a serious mistake here... At best, he shattered the fundamental trust needed for a marriage. At worst, it could be suggested that sex under false assurances of birth control is something akin to assault. I am surprised they went there and that there isn't more outrage!

Speaking of Friday Night's Alright For Fighting, that is an awesome episode. I agree with the popular opinion that Season 6 is generally terrible but would argue the possibly unpopular opinion that that episode, despite being part of Season 6, is one of the best of the series. That Friday Night Dinner is epic!

Madeline and Louise are a total puzzle. They are depicted as not particularly smart and not willing to put in any effort. If Rory had trouble academically when she was first settling in at Chilton and was in danger of not making it at such an intense, challenging school, how did M & L make it through and graduate?

One thing that struck me about Ruby finding out she got to got to play Sandy because the other girl got sick was that her mom then had to buy tickets. Why wouldn't her mom, Hank, and Sarah already be going? She was still in the show even when she wasn't the lead.

It's definitely an interesting quirk of Lorelai's parenting. She raised Rory in a flexible, open, non-smothering, mother and daughter as best friends environment mostly because she thought it was truly best for Rory to be raised the opposite of how Lorelai herself was raised. She did it for Rory. But she also did it to prove to Emily and Richard that her way was better. So she had a lot riding on Rory continuing to be Little Miss Perfect. If Rory repeated Lorelai's mistakes or went too far astray, she could no longer serve as evidence of Lorelai's good parenting and, by extension, the senior Gilmores' bad parenting. Rory is truly beloved by her mom and grandparents but equally just a pawn in their crazy emotionally devastating game of life.

I'm new to the show but have been obsessively binge watching... I'm early in Season 5 right now. The relationship stuff is so weird because who I like each of the girls with is so often driven by either chemistry over personality or me hating one choice so much that I'll take the other one just because he's not the one I actively hate. With Rory, I just can't stand Dean. When they're together the first time, as soon as he starts to get jealous of Jess, he yells at Rory constantly and she lives in fear of making him angry, like when she spends the day searching in terror for the lost bracelet. For this reason, I was perfectly happy to overlook Jess's shortcomings, She also had better chemistry with Jess, which I think others have noted may have been due to the actors dating. When she gets back together with Dean when he's married to Lindsey, he's shown yelling at Lindsey in that scene where she answers his phone. He's NOT a nice guy when it comes to women. For this reason, I can deal with Logan, even with his douchiness, because at least he's not Dean. With Lorelai, on paper I love the idea of her with Luke. But everyone is totally right that she has the best chemistry with Christopher. Not to mention the fact that Luke is always screaming at women as well, like the old woman whose garage he was renting for his boat. Sadness about his father does not excuse screaming at women. What is with all the men screaming at women on this show? Agree with others about Kelly Bishop's amazing performance as Emily. I should hate Emily, and I do have moments of hating her, but I also want to hug her. I just watched the scene where she and Richard are separated and she goes on that date, during which she seems to have a lovely time and is charming and seemingly happy. Then she walks into the empty house and bursts into tears... powerful stuff!

Re: med school and law school, this may change in later episodes, but in Season 5's "But Not As Cute As Pushkin", Paris says she's double majoring in Poly Sci and BioChem, which seems like a logical path to both med and law school applications.

This host is unbearable. She is making all the teen moms look like Harvard English professors. Adderall, Kaiser Roll, Lincoln, and Catelynn's fetus would have done a better job hosting.

The food thing was annoying to me as well, because in addition to dietary restrictions, a lot of kids with autism and sensory issues are extremely specific about food. Remember Max a few seasons ago with his eggs a certain way cooked in a certain pan? My son has sensory processing issues and has had issues with any food outside of his limited diet for as long as I can remember. This is not pickiness - this is an actual psychological/physiological symptom of his condition. I don't believe for a minute that Max, or some of the other kids there with conditions similar to Max or my son, would eat whatever was provided on a daily basis. My son goes to a public school that offers a hot lunch, but I pack his lunch every day... all of the parents of the kids I know with autism or sensory issues pack lunch. My son only eats one brand of string cheese and fruit cut in a certain way - there is just no way all these kids would just eat whatever was there every day.

Drew's girlfriend had an abortion two seasons ago. I actually think it's interesting - both Sarah's kids became pregnant when they were either in high school or, at the very least, young, unstable, and not in a solid relationship. For one of her kids, the pregnancy was terminated and he got to move on with his life. For the other, she is choosing to proceed with the pregnancy and have and raise a child. Of the two scenarios, if the show wanted to show one abortion and one choice to have a baby, I think they got it right. Drew and his girlfriend were still in high school and had plans to attend college. Amber is slightly older, has been shown to be maternal, and has at least been working and supporting herself as an adult for a couple years.

I loved Jeremy escorting his mom down the aisle, though. As a mom of boys, it tugged my heart strings. Also, for people that are close to the family, seeing tall Jeremy with his little person parents is just seeing people they know well and have for years - no particular emphasis, just parents and son.

There is, of course, a lot to snark in this episode, but for tonight, I just want to say - the scene between Amber and Zeek on the front steps was vintage beautiful, perfect Parenthood... an example of the show at its absolute best.

No, no... it's a young actress named Jaidan Jiron. She looks so much like Hannah Simone - it's crazy. She also has CeCe's mannerisms down.

Did anyone else notice that Tori was wearing her engagement ring (or at least a diamond ring of some kind on her left ring finger) in every pre-engagement scene? I especially noticed it in the fire pit scene at the beginning and their date at the restaurant. I was trying to decide if she/TLC didn't know when they were filming those scenes that they were going to pretend they were pre-engagement, or if they did know but maybe she's one of those women who never take their ring off ever once engaged. Regardless, I have to say I find Tori incredibly likeable.

They do seem like babies themselves sometimes, don't they? When Jenelle was explaining how she started lying to Barb and being sneaky because she didn't want Barb to scream at her, I could practically see Little Girl Janelle on my screen, just wanting unconditional love from a mother who had already decided she was a bad seed. I saw it in Kail in episode prior to this one, when she was talking to Javi on the phone about her mom's visit. She told Javi her mom was an awesome person when she was sober and Javi said he was glad they were getting along, and Kail wistfully said something like "I just hope it stays this way." She sounded like a wounded child, still just wanting her mommy to love her. I do feel for these girls.

I am constantly rooting for Chelsea. She is probably my favorite in the whole franchise. But the baby voiced "I'll have a pretty kitty for my future hubby" was nothing short of horrifying. I am sure to have nightmares.

It's not that simple. I breastfed both my kids and my body responded very differently to actual breastfeeding than it did to a pump. It used to take me multiple pumping sessions to get one 4 oz bottle, generally only getting an ounce each time I pumped, whereas my babies were getting a TON of milk when they actually nursed. Also, with the cameras there, she couldn't have gone off to privately pump, and her body might have been even less likely to release milk for the pump if she couldn't relax. Not to mention the fact that if she wanted to continue breastfeeding for Lincoln's first year or longer, pumping and giving him bottles while he's having trouble latching will only make the problem worse. I agree with those who said it was one of those times when doing her job (meaning filming for Teen Mom 2) was getting in the way of her being able to truly parent the way she would if she were alone. Without the cameras, she could have been topless and in bed with Lincoln, quietly working with him on nursing, instead of on the couch in multiple layers with a bunch of people in the room. Onto another topic, did Leah say Corey's dad was taking Ali to her physical therapy because she (Leah) had to work? I didn't realize she was working this season other than being on the show and selling Mary Kay. With regard to Chelsea, Adam, and Aubree's practice, I don't think practices in general are a big deal, but this was the FIRST one... the first time your daughter is in little cleats, running around the field, hitting the ball. I think it was important to Chelsea because it was another first Adam missed.

They are close friends of hers. They were introduced pre-Simone on one of the iterations of the Tori & Dean reality show as Tori's kids' "guncles" or "gay uncles". It was on Tori's shows that it was announced they were engaged, then got married, then were trying to adopt, then were chosen by a birth mother, etc. Simone was featured on one of the regular Tori & Dean shows but none of them were on the freak show about Dean's cheating. I think they are hoping to get their own show, though. They run their own "The Guncles" Facebook fan page.