S06.E02: Happy Birthday, Zeek

[formerlyfreedom]

Kristina tries to meet the individual needs of her students, and the school's lunch vendor quits suddenly; Zeek must make a decision about his health; Sarah struggles with her feelings about Amber's news.

 

[Spencer Hastings]

Good luck trying to meet the individual needs of your students, Kristina. Real teachers with Masters+ degrees still can't figure that one out.

[wallofsound]

Come on, people!! I was hoping to log on and see pages of snark on this ridiculous show. I enjoy watching it, but it drives me crazy. Every single character and plot line annoys me in some way, shape or form.

[formerlyfreedom]

Come on, people!! I was hoping to log on and see pages of snark on this ridiculous show. I enjoy watching it, but it drives me crazy. Every single character and plot line annoys me in some way, shape or form.

 

@wallofsound, this is the episode thread for next weeks show - you may want to check out this past week's show topic, it definitely has more posts.

[Shermie]

Ha ha ha, Kristina, now YOU have to deal with the demands of other kids and their accusatory parents. And it looks like her school is just a big ol' lounge for kids to hang out and "self learn". And providing lunches? Is that in the tuition contract or something? What school does that? I suppose they could have a few things offered each day that the kids could pre-order, but to be obligated to provide individualized lunches for 40 kids with special demands, every day? How about each kid just brings their own lunch, gawd.

And Adam can just run a school cafeteria-culinary class now? Without any training or experience?mwithout any health inspections? Oy.

I did like the birthday party, the whole Braverman clan together, watching the kids interacting like real cousins. And Zeek should be allowed to live his life, even if his kids don't agree. The man doesn't have dementia, he can make his own choices.

I really hope they don't do the corny trope of Zeek dying and Amber giving birth soon after to a boy, whom she names Zeek.

And I have to say that while I understand downsizing from the family home when you hit 70, Zeek and Camille's was a poor (but gorgeous!) choice. It seems just as large, and has way too many steps. First rule of a retirement house is no stairs.

[Pickles]

I predict the circle of life. Zeke will die and Amber will give birth. Ugh.

Zeke acts like it is no big deal if he has another fainting spell. What if he is driving and kills someone else? No big deal?

Is Adam going to be at the school every day cooking with the kids? I don't think so. Ridiculous to think each kid gets a lunch made to order. That is called a restaurant.

Sidney is now a brat and a bully. It seems like every show has to incorporate the bully story line.

[Spencer Hastings]

I could do without the school storyline. Other than that, this episode wasn't bad.

"This isn't like Sydney." Excuse me, but WHAT? Sydney has been a brat since the very first episode. Since the first scene she was in. I wanted to throat punch her through the television tonight. And I don't just go around throat punching children. ;)

Zeek is a moron and he's bullheaded, but I do love his relationship with Amber. I loved his face when he found out about the baby and his little gleeful laugh when he said it was incredible. Good scenes.

I just realized Drew is missing but I don't care.

[truebluesmoky]

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.

[callmebetty]

I'm assuming haddie and drew went back to school?

Overall not a horrible episode but really Adam is now a genius guru of the kitchen? Please he would have needed at least a couple of assistants.

and why aren't the parents providing their own kids lunch?

I thought sarah was reasonable with Amber.

Why aren't Julia and Joel getting Sydney into therapy?

They know what the issues are now get help.

I thought Sarah was pretty reasonable with Amber.

Why aren't Julia and Joel getting Sydney into therapy? They are smart enough people to know what the issues are now get help for it.

[zillabreeze]

"This isn't like Sydney." Excuse me, but WHAT? Sydney has been a brat since the very first episode. Since the first scene she was in. I wanted to throat punch her through the television

My screen was in danger for a minute there, too. Sydney has been a little bitch more often than not.

Ha ha ha, Kristina, now YOU have to deal with the demands of other kids and their accusatory parents.

I loved the scene with the lunch vendor. She tried to play the Snowflake card and dude wasn't having any of it. She was SHOCKED, I tell you, SHOCKED, when someone had the audacity to tell her "no". My favorite series ending would be to find that Maxs' self-centeredness has nothing to do with Asberger's, but is just plain ol' Braverman Genetics.

Oh and Kristina pitching a fit and "demanding" that Adam put his paying job on the back burner to figure out the lunch thing just frosted my ass. But then, of course, he does it anyway. Wasn't there concern about Crosy being too irresposible to be in the Luncheonette partenership? Looks to me like he goes to work more than anyone else.

Edited October 3, 2014 by zillabreeze

[Cattitude]

Really liked that episode even with my moments of rage fits b/c that is real life.

 

Sarah is the worst mother, who always manages to come through in the end. I always so feel for poor Amber having to baby her mother along. Sarah should have acted like Zeek. Be happy and supportive and deal with the "bad" realities later. Good thing Amber is used to her mother's assbackwards parenting.

I almost wanted to punch her after she had "schooled" Amber on her couch and then showed up like a totally inmature idiot at Zeek's party when all the other sibs including Crosby were being all serious. Thank goodness for the last kitchen scene, b/c in the end she redeemed herself.

 

Well at least the old Julia is back. She is my least favorite and while I get that Joel shares some blame ugh! really Julia Joel broke you? Not what I recall. I think forcing your family to adopt an older special needs child who wasn't what YOU bargained for, losing your job b/c of your own mistakes, wanting to give up on said child after Joel bonded with him, losing your identity b/c you couldn't work, having an emotional affair with a loser cling-on dad and almost sleeping with him is what broke you. Not being able to control Joel anymore was more of an inconvenience.

I so wish Joel didn't love her b/c now their dynamic is full circle. Julia controls it all and Joel takes the blame.

Sydney was born to be a bully I'm pretty sure it has little to do with Joel moving out. Julia spends her life bullying and like mother like daughter.

 

Oh one scene catering guy....YOU are my hero! I almost high fived the TV when he blew off Christina's Yelp threats. bwhahahaha.

 

I really wish Zeek wouldn't have the surgery. I had a good feeling until then. You know it only has a 95% success rate and Adam sealed his fate. Zeek won't die he'll be a bed veggie and they will spend weeks agonizing over what THEY caused and since Adam knows Zeeks real feelings they'll have to pull the plug. ugh! I dread it so.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Cattitude

[backformore]

The "culinary arts"  class was utter bullshit.  You don't teach kids how to cook by having them all in the kitchen, making different things, having to prepare lunches for the school.  You have to start with basics.    Like measuring, safe handling of knives,  safe handling of ingredients (like raw chicken).   No, the Braverman way is to play "Hell's Kitchen" and hope nobody gets cut, burned, or salmonella.

And - they were going to have a service provide lunches, but they already had a full kitchen?  Stoves, fridge, pans, etc?  All ready to go, the second day of school, even though the plan had NOT included any cooking? 

 

The problem was easy to solve.   Tell the one parent (the one who called the day before school started with dietary restrictions for her kid)  that No, the lunches are already arranged for, so for the first two weeks, send your kid with a lunch that you prepare at home, and then after that time we will be able to accomodate him.

OR-  have the kind of school where kids bring their own lunch.   What's the big deal?   you have 40 kids in the school.   Kids with special needs, a lot of them are likely to be picky eaters, some with allergies or sensitivities.  Let their parents decide what they have for lunch.

 

Speaking of diets -  what the heck was with Julia deciding that a heart-healthy birthday cake meant GLUTEN-FREE?   She's not stupid. Gluten free is not healthier.  Zeek has heart problems, not celiac!   

 It's not hard to make a low-fat cake that tastes good.  A gluten free cake that's also low in fat?    THAT is a challenge! 

[Everleigh]

I thought Sarah handled Amber's pregnancy reveal as well as could be expected. Not sure what people were expecting, but Amber is a young woman living pay check to pay check in some shitty apartment (where she doesn't even bother to lock her own door), who's having a child with an emotionally unstable man. That's pretty terrifying for a mother. Of course Sarah is going to remember how hard it was for her and not want her own daughter to face those same difficulties, so I don't blame her for not breaking out into celebration the minute Amber dropped the news on her.

 

Sydney's always been a brat and I'm not surprised she turned out to be a bully. I'm glad Julia and Joel didn't go the "not my child!" route and refuse to accept what the teacher was telling them, but  when Julia told Sydney they weren't mad at her I had to roll my eyes. They should be mad at her. Her behavior was pretty awful and extremely hurtful to another child. At least express your disappointment in her actions instead of letting her run off shrieking like she's the victim. 

 

I actually agree with Julia that Joel has no right to come back into her life now. She made her mistakes and he's entitled to feel hurt and betrayed by those mistakes, but her actions didn't warrant the break up of a marriage where two kids are involved. Yet he refused to work on the relationship or even entertain the idea of forgiveness, so I don't blame Julia for moving on or being angry that she had to. I thought last year perhaps something else was going on with Joel that would explain his reluctance to stay and work it out, especially considering how devoted he seems to his kids, and again tonight when Julia lashed out at him and he apologized, I thought for a second maybe he was about to offer the real reason why he just couldn't be bothered to try to fix things all those months ago, but alas, nothing came of it. 

 

When Max told his parents to make photography as an elective happen because it's what he wanted, I seriously thought they were going to immediately call Hank and ask him if he could come in and teach a photography class once a week.

 

The whole special need lunch thing was just annoying. Tell the kids' parents to pack a lunch if the kid has special dietary needs and call it a day.

 

Appreciated the meta of Hank addressing the audience's concern about how the hell Amber and Ryan managed to have sex when he was in the hospital in pretty bad shape. 

[joelene]

Why can't anyone ever get an abortion? They happen and they are difficult but they happen for a reason and it needs to be depicted and now, again, It's barely on the table. Amber had already decided when she did the ultrasound. Frankly it pisses me off.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know I was supposed to feel bad for Kristina but I totally sided with the vendor. If she has been calling and constantly making new requests, I would have torn up my contract too. I don't know why she thought the school should provide lunches in the first place. At my first elementary school (which was a small private school), we had no cafeteria and we did not have lunch provided for us. Each kid had to bring a lunch from home and we ate at our desks. I know some people with severe food allergies and they never ask anyone to accommodate them. They just bring their own food. My nephew has several food allergies so his mom talked to the school about the food that is served to find out what he can and can't eat. There are some days when he can eat what they serve and other days where she packs something for him to eat.

 

Adam said that Crosby had to handle their 11am session alone because he had to go talk to Zeek. But then Crosby decided he had to accompany him, so did they bother to cancel the 11am session? Why couldn't they just go talk to Zeek in the afternoon? It's not like this talk couldn't wait a few hours. The drive also made no sense. The Luncheonette is in the Haight. Zeek and Camille's new place is in San Francisco. But for some reason, Adam and Crosby were driving on the freeway for a really long time (and it was really obvious that they were on an LA freeway).

 

Camille annoyed me for letting Zeek steamroll her. She JUST heard the doctor say that he could have another fainting spell while he's driving, yet she let him drive home, putting both their lives at risk, as well as the lives of everyone else on the street - drivers, passengers, bikers, pedestrians.

 

Why am I not surprised that Amber being pregnant means even more crying? As nice as it was for Zeek to be supportive of her pregnancy, I wonder if he was that supportive when Sarah got knocked up.

 

I don't like when people go overboard with going gluten free, but how bad can a gluten free fruit tart be? At worst, just skip the crust if it's that bad but the actual fruit part would still taste normal. I don't have Celiac disease, so I eat gluten but I have also tried gluten free items and some of them taste totally normal so it's kind of annoying when people act like anything without gluten must taste like crap. Yes, some gluten free items taste like cardboard, but all Julia had to do was make the crust with almond flour, rice flour, etc.

 

And how is Adam making gluten free lunches if he doesn't even know what gluten is?

[Marathonrunner]

So Christina takes Adam away from his business, gives him the dietary specifics for all 40 students, he then drives to a grocery store where they have all this ready to eat food labeled that corresponds identically to Snowflake's needs, purchases the food & drives back to school the hero - is that correct?! Then at some point during the next 24 hours, figures out menu & grocery lists to accommodate all the special diets, again goes shopping, magically becomes a culinary instructor & turns out another fabulous lunch & this is going to go on every day until a new vendor is recruited - is that correct?!

 

I'm not a parent but it seems to me that my reaction to my young, no education, not married or in a stable relationship, barely employed daughter telling me she's pregnant might be somewhere along the lines of Sarah's first reaction - not Zeek's this is incredible, wonderful response (although the interaction between grandfather & granddaughter was very sweet)

 

Zeek's dying or becoming incapacitated seems too obvious but I'm not sure who else the writers would knock off

 

That was tough at the end when everyone was laughing & enjoying their time together - Max was just sitting on the couch with that same angry look on his face

 

I still like Julia & Joel & hope they're able to work out their problems & whatever is going on with Sydney

Crosby seemed like a grown-up in this episode except when he thought Zeek making the decision not to have the surgery was a good one - let's put your children in the car & take the chance that nothing will happen while Zeek is driving

[alexvillage]

 

I know I was supposed to feel bad for Kristina but I totally sided with the vendor. If she has been calling and constantly making new requests, I would have torn up my contract too. I don't know why she thought the school should provide lunches in the first place. At my first elementary school (which was a small private school), we had no cafeteria and we did not have lunch provided for us. Each kid had to bring a lunch from home and we ate at our desks. I know some people with severe food allergies and they never ask anyone to accommodate them. They just bring their own food. My nephew has several food allergies so his mom talked to the school about the food that is served to find out what he can and can't eat. There are some days when he can eat what they serve and other days where she packs something for him to eat.

I am not completely sure, but I believe that, according to the ADA, school accommodations in regards to food would be making sure that if a kid has extreme allergy to peanuts, for example, that the kid has no contact with peanuts, or is close to peanuts, things like that. It is about creating a safe environment, make it accessible, not providing all the special diets.

Either Kristina, being the superwoman she is, told the parents lunch would be part of the deal, or the parents of kids who have special diet were overconfident that such diet would be readily provided on the first day. I would be prepared with a packed lunch, just in case.

Anyway, are charter schools required to provide lunch? I don't have kids and did not grow up in the US, I have no idea of the particulars 

[truebluesmoky]

Why can't anyone ever get an abortion? They happen and they are difficult but they happen for a reason and it needs to be depicted and now, again, It's barely on the table. Amber had already decided when she did the ultrasound. Frankly it pisses me off.

 

 

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.

Edited October 3, 2014 by truebluesmoky

[ShadowFacts]

 

Anyway, are charter schools required to provide lunch? I don't have kids and did not grow up in the US, I have no idea of the particulars

 

If the school is getting any federal funds, it might have to.  Otherwise, in our state anyway, charter schools don't have to comply with a lot of public school standards, such as teachers being certified, standard tests being administered, etc.

 

 

I actually agree with Julia that Joel has no right to come back into her life now. She made her mistakes and he's entitled to feel hurt and betrayed by those mistakes, but her actions didn't warrant the break up of a marriage where two kids are involved. Yet he refused to work on the relationship or even entertain the idea of forgiveness, so I don't blame Julia for moving on or being angry that she had to. I thought last year perhaps something else was going on with Joel that would explain his reluctance to stay and work it out, especially considering how devoted he seems to his kids, and again tonight when Julia lashed out at him and he apologized, I thought for a second maybe he was about to offer the real reason why he just couldn't be bothered to try to fix things all those months ago, but alas, nothing came of it.

 

I can actually see both sides of this, Joel was wrong to not try to work on their problems, and Julia was really the catalyst with her discomfort in her role and turning to another man.  I think the ending scene where they were just on the phone with each other, not even saying much but needing to stay connected, telegraphs where this relationship is headed.  They will stay together. 

 

Without Sydney's terrible brattiness (which is not new, as has been mentioned), and Amber crying a lot, this episode would have given me an overdose of saccharinity, if that's a word.  I almost hurled at the Adam and Christina scene after the party where he is hailed as a hero for his culinary adventure.  They are lucky no one got hurt in the kitchen--seriously, one adult and a bunch of kids with knives and stoves. 

[Shermie]

I assume private schools can choose to include lunch or not, they would just add it to the price of tuition. So if it was in the Snowflake Academy's sales pitch, then they are obligated to provide lunch. If parents just assumed lunch would be provided, then Parenthood is set in some kind of weird la-la land that I'm not privy to.

Here's a thought: what if Joel has a terminal illness? That's why he pulled away from his family, wants to spare them the pain of his death so he becomes distant. I know that's stupid, since it destroys the positive memories of the person, but I've seen this trope in soapy stuff before. But he can't stay away, reveals why he was distant, reunites with Julia, and dies.

Or it's Zeek, and the show's final scene is the Braverman clan, complete with new Baby Zeek, standing in centre field (or was it the pitching mound?) scattering Zeek's ashes while music swells. Camera pans across all the Bravermans one by one, some smiling, some wiping away tears. Fade out.

[BusyOctober]

I think the writers read these boards and try to figure out ways to piss off viewers as a joke. 

There is NO WAY a school would provide 40 individual lunches every day.  Even if Christina had interviewed each family about what Suzie & Stevie Snowflake like to eat/are allowed to eat, no caterer or vender would be able to meet that demand.  What happens in the real world (even in the most entitled privileged school cafeterias) is there are options to choose from - a vegetarian soup & salad OR a turkey sandwich on whole wheat OR  bring your own damn lunch.  If I'm a parent of a kid with food allergies or intolerance I would feel more comfortable knowing what she's eating came from MY kitchen and used the brands I am familiar with from my grocery store.

And the whole "kew-linary" arts program?  WTF? No need for Health Inspectors! Or for anyone on the school's Board to approve the curriculum (or is it curri -KOO-lum?)!  Saint Christina needs something for her snowflakes so wave the Braverman wand and tah-dah!  It's a miracle!  Parents are calling to thank the school for saving their kids! Full kitchen, fully stocked with enough pots and pans and dishes to serve 40 kids?  And what about the cracker-jack teaching & admin staff they miraculously hired in 8 weeks?  Will they get to eat these lovingly prepared hand-crafted meals too? That's another 10 + orders of organic, gluten-free, free-range, roasted beet quinoa served over fair trade certified cauliflower mash. Please pass the artisinal hand grated dairy free Parmesan.

 

I always knew Sydney would grow into a mean girl.  You can't raise a child with such an overblown sense of entitlement & superiority and not expect to get a brat.  My only question is why didn't Julia give the teacher a card for the Snowflake Academy?  "If the poor little fat girl can't cope with regular school, my brother and his wife run a school for these types of overly sensitive kids."

 

One last nit pick - at the party, someone hands off baby Aida to Amber and Amber looks all freaked out.  She's been around babies and small children for a while within her own family and fairly recently (anyone remember Nora?  No?  Not surprised, her parents barely do).  It isn't realistic that Amber would not be comfortable holding a baby.

 

Only thing I liked were Zeek's scenes with Amber and the last one with Camille.

Edited October 3, 2014 by BusyOctober

[Lovecat]

Appreciated the meta of Hank addressing the audience's concern about how the hell Amber and Ryan managed to have sex when he was in the hospital in pretty bad shape.

 

 

And it brought the funny, too!  "He was in traction!  Maybe that made it better, hmmm...."

[Primetimer]

What's going to ruin this Braverman party? Wrangling over Zeek's health, and his ability to make sensible decisions about it.

Read the story

[candall]

I'm a terrible person because I found it quite satisfying that no one noticed Max pouting on the couch.  Max issued his usual ultimatum at the recording studio:  ". . .or else I'm not singing."  Shockingly, everybody ignores him and starts the song.  Then it's a fun big hit at the party, which Max totally missed out on.  Good.  More lessons like that, please, for ALL the Braverman snowflakes.

 

They should have snatched that little brat Sydney back to the couch so fast her head jerked.  Where do they think she got the idea that she can get away with doing whatever she wants, in the first place?

 

They picked the right title for this show.  You can see where everyone learns their lessons.  I haven't liked Adam rushing around for two episodes so he can issue edicts to Zeke, but it's likely that "laying down the law" was Zeke's parenting style.  It explains why Adam would be both a pushover with his own kids and a bulldozer when he doesn't agree with his father.

Edited October 3, 2014 by candall

[Kat]

“JULIA’S SIDE BITCH’ – Oh Tara, I love you.

 

"This isn't like Sydney." Excuse me, but WHAT? Sydney has been a brat since the very first episode. Since the first scene she was in. I wanted to throat punch her through the television tonight. And I don't just go around throat punching children. ;)

 

Gawd, THANK YOU. I know it’s wrong to hate a child, but holy hell, I have wanted to slap Sydney since season 1 and the desire has steadily increased each season.

 

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.

 

Totally agree 100%. I always cry during Zeek/Amber scenes.

[alexvillage]

I haven't  watched the episode yet but I have to say: the snark here is way better than watching that. Keep bringing it, people! And thank you!

[questionfear]

It's almost futile to point out the food plot holes, but there's no way Whole Foods could accommodate fancy individual diets. My son has some nut and seed allergies, and Whole Foods basically says they won't guarantee the food from their kitchens is prepared safely for allergies (nor would I expect them to, they're not making the food to order). Hope Kristina bought a slew of epi-pens! ;)

[ShadowFacts]

 

I got the feeling when Zeke was talking to Amber that he was going to change his mind about the surgery.  Everyone was so insistent that he go through with the surgery, but he needed the decision to be his own and not as a result of all the badgering.  He may have felt that, due to all the badgering, the decision to go through with the surgery was, in effect, the decision of others and not his.  I think he came to the decision to have the surgery when he realized he wanted to be around to become a great-grandfather.  At that point, he was making the decision to have the surgery for his own reasons and not as a result of being badgered by his family.  Sometimes when our needs are met, we don't need them anymore.

 

That's how it came across to me, too.  When he was brought to tears at the thought of another generation, how he spoke of the magic of children, I figured he didn't want to check out from all he held dear without a fight.  And he's a stubborn ass whose first reaction is to push back and when he doesn't have to push, and has his own motivation beyond resistance, he comes to a different conclusion.  Camille knows this about him.

[gaPeach]

Oh one scene catering guy....YOU are my hero! I almost high fived the TV when he blew off Christina's Yelp threats. bwhahahaha.

 

I think he said everything to Christina that we have said many times in this forum.  Maybe the writers do read this?  Naw.

 

And I agree with the poster that mentioned Joel trying to get Julia to talk and finally apologizing for his unwillingness months ago to even talk to Julia about what was going on and why he moved out.  But we got nothing.  No explanation as to why he did not want to fight for the marriage or the kids.  Don't get it but will list it as one of those things I will never know........like why I watch Under the Dumb er Dome.

[backformore]

I assume private schools can choose to include lunch or not, they would just add it to the price of tuition. So if it was in the Snowflake Academy's sales pitch, then they are obligated to provide lunch. If parents just assumed lunch would be provided, then Parenthood is set in some kind of weird la-la land that I'm not privy to.

 

but it's not a private school, exactly.  It's a charter school, getting some funds from taxes. 

I don't know how charter schools work exactly.   I do know that most high schools have cafeterias.  And that most kids with dietary restrictions bring their own lunch.

When Adam went to Whole foods and picked up 40 lunches, I cracked up.  That would have cost a bundle!

. 

What are these kids learning?  the ones who took the culinary arts elective -   are they going to spend every morning cooking, instead of learning, I dont know, things like math, literature, science?   If the whole idea was to creaste a school for kids like Max (autism and gifted), how the HELL does having them do cafeteria work address their educational needs?  

Yes, kids need to learn life skills like cooking, budgeting, etc.   But not like this. 

 

Imagine if at max's old school, he was put to work in the cafeteria, cooking, serving, cleaning, and getting credit for it by calling it "culinary arts."  the Braverman's would have had strokes yelling and carrying on about how they ignored his intellect and treated him like he was incapable of doing anything more with his life. 

 

At his old school he was competing on the math team -  at the Snowflake Academy, he's serving gluten-free chicken.

[truebluesmoky]

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.

[izabella]

I got so much satisfaction from the scene with the lunch vendor, and all the phone calls Christina was getting from the Snowflake parents.  The resolution was ridiculous, but it feels so good to see Christina get a taste of her own overbearing medicine.  But it is not complete until Christina has an a-ha moment where she realizes that she has been just as overbearing to other people about Max as the Snowflake parents are to her.

 

I want to see Julia, Joel, Sydney and Victor in family therapy.  I cannot understand why that has never been addressed.  They should have done that when Victor joined them, but they absolutely should do that now.

 

And Amber?  You didn't give any thought to Ryan as the father of this baby?  Really?

[izabella]

What are these kids learning?  the ones who took the culinary arts elective -   are they going to spend every morning cooking, instead of learning, I dont know, things like math, literature, science?   If the whole idea was to creaste a school for kids like Max (autism and gifted), how the HELL does having them do cafeteria work address their educational needs? 

Yes, kids need to learn life skills like cooking, budgeting, etc.   But not like this.

 

What I got from the Snowflake parent call to Christina telling her how awesome the "culinary arts program" was for her kid because he got so into the chicken, is that some of those kids might turn out to be as into cooking as Max is into photography, thus opening some doors to "hope" for the kid's future.  A chef, or even a short-order cook, can at least hold down a job, and if he finds it fulfilling, hallelujah.

[alexvillage]

 

how the HELL does having them do cafeteria work address their educational needs?

Wait! Is the school supposed to address the other kids educational needs?!

[CynicalGirl]

Gaaah. Of course Christina's big crisis turned into triumph when the unhappy parent proclaimed Adam a *GENIUS!* for coming up with the cue-linary class idea! I'm sure the Snowflake Academy will soon be world-renowned!

 

Speaking of snowflakes, Julia's whole "not MY perfect kid!" routine in the school office was so obnoxious. As others have mentioned, that kid's been a total brat since day one, Julia's just noticing it now? Joel looked mortified, as he should have been. Sydney totally rules that roost and she knows it. 

 

I can't believe I have to hatewatch through 10 (?) more episodes. Because of course I have to see this trainwreck till the end. (and there's nothing else on in the time slot to bribe me away...)

[camom]

Adam and Christina drive me nuts.  Anyone who doesn't agree with them is stupid and wrong.  They way Adam was about Zeke's surgery really bugged me.  Instead of talking to him about it and trying to find out why he doesn't want surgery, he tries to order him to do it.   Some people wouldn't feel it was worth the risk; as long as it's an informed decision, the decision is Zeke's to make.

 

Catering guy is my hero of the day.

[CMH1981]

I loved that scene b/t Zeke and Amber.  As the oldest grandchild, she shares a special bond w/her grandfather.  She brought me to tears w/her being afraid he would be disappointed in her, moments like that are what I will miss about this show.  I love how Zeke refers to all his grandchildren as either 'grand-daughter' or 'grandson.'  It warms my heart.

 

The quiet moment b/t Julia and Joel on the phone was so amazing, they still have their connection.  I'm not looking forward to when Joel finds out Julia is seeing someone else.  How does Julia land these hot, hairy hunks?  Maybe Joel and this new guy will hit it off and we can get a spin-off featuring these two studs and forget the Braverman clan.

[marceline]

It took six seasons but finally somebody on this show spoke for me. Thank you Food Service Guy. Your bravery will not be forgotten.

Edited October 3, 2014 by marceline

[backformore]

What I got from the Snowflake parent call to Christina telling her how awesome the "culinary arts program" was for her kid because he got so into the chicken, is that some of those kids might turn out to be as into cooking as Max is into photography, thus opening some doors to "hope" for the kid's future.  A chef, or even a short-order cook, can at least hold down a job, and if he finds it fulfilling, hallelujah.

Sure, but I see it like this - day one, the students had class schedules, teachers, classrooms, etc. Day two, a bunch of kids devoted their morning to making lunches. They had to have been pulled out of other classes to do so, had the schedules changed. Taken away from REAL teachers to hang with Adam and cook. The school was created to deal with "kids like Max". Kids who struggle with ASD or other difficulties, but are not cognitively impaired.

The culinary arts "class" was not created to fulfill the educational needs of the students. It was created as a last minute solution to feeding them lunch.

A charter school cannot operate like that. It's high school. If you're going to have a class on cooking, you need to hire a TEACHER. Adam and Kristina are pretty much running a home school, under the guise of a charter, where they can teach whatever the hell they want, however th e y want, and people will tell them they're awesome. Because they're Bravermans.

[Lady Calypso]

Yeah, so I really dislike Kristina and Adam, like usual. This whole charter school business is even worse than what I pictured. So, basically Kristina can pull away Adam from his job, the one guaranteed to make a steady paycheck, all because Kristina needs to make people's lunches? Why didn't she leave and go get the lunches? Or better yet, have one of the teachers do it? Are there even any teachers at that school? Also, she's taking too much in for a first timer. Get the kids to make their own damn lunches at home! There's no reason as to why that should be an issue. I went to a public high school and I went to private school, and both of them required lunches to be brought in, although my high school did have a cafeteria but a not so great one so people brought lunches anyway. I cheered when the food vendor ripped up the contract right in front of her. Worst school ever. I'd never want to send my kid there. I get it, she 'cares' about the kids. But taking on too much at once will make it crash and burn, and I hope to god this series ends with Adam and Kristina losing their house because of them spending way more than they can afford. Their 'culinary' program sucks, it's a waste of money they can't afford and I hate how it'll probably turn out to be a success and they'll probably get an award of their school or whatever. 

 

Also, why not let Max have his photography class? I know he's the Specialist Snowflake or whatever, but if he likes photography, shouldn't he be able to pursue it? And I don't ever defend Max; I just feel like he should be allowed to pursue his interests, rather than have his parents dictate him. Again, which is weird because I think he should have more discipline, but I thought this choice from Adam and Kristina was weird and an odd time to say no.

 

I laughed at Crosby insisting that he wouldn't cave, followed by Crosby caving to Zeek in two seconds. Pure humour right there. 

 

I get Sarah's reaction and completely understand. She was in shock, she doesn't want Amber to get herself involved in a situation like hers, and she just wants what's best. It's not that she doesn't care about Amber having a child, it's just that she knows how difficult it can be at such a young age with potentially no father in the picture. 

 

Zeek and Amber's scenes always make me smile because they're always so beautiful. Zeek is 100% tolerable when he's being a grandparent, especially with Amber. It just sucks knowing that he's probably going to die now. 

 

Poor Camille; she knew she was in a lose-lose situation with her husband and seeing as she's been with him for so many years, she knows when to back off, which sucks. I'm glad he agreed to do the surgery after all, though. 

 

I do love Julia and Joel, and I can see why they might have turned a blind eye toward Sydney's bratty behaviour. They want to blame it on their separation, but really it's because she's always been a brat. Julia is still a Braverman, at the end of the day, so she's bound to inherit some of those negative traits from her father. But the difference between her and her siblings is that it doesn't take her long to see the truth and she does seem to want to try and help her out. Also, I hope Joel is back to his normal self because last season was so out of character, I don't blame Julia for being angry with him. I'd love to pretend last season's storyline never happened, but alas I cannot. 

 

Hank does crack me up sometimes. 

[izabella]

Also, why not let Max have his photography class? I know he's the Specialist Snowflake or whatever, but if he likes photography, shouldn't he be able to pursue it? And I don't ever defend Max; I just feel like he should be allowed to pursue his interests, rather than have his parents dictate him. Again, which is weird because I think he should have more discipline, but I thought this choice from Adam and Kristina was weird and an odd time to say no.

 

Max is very much allowed to pursue his interest in photography.  He is doing it after school with Hank. 

 

They'd need a photographer and equipment to have a class, and they have neither.  They did have other electives, which Max, of course, didn't want.

 

They weren't planning to add cooking to their classes until the lunches fiasco and they made up the whole dumb "culinary arts" plan on the spot.

[Shermie]

I don't like when people go overboard with going gluten free, but how bad can a gluten free fruit tart be? At worst, just skip the crust if it's that bad but the actual fruit part would still taste normal.

 

 

Well, the tart was gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free, and I assume, fat-free. Which leaves...? Of course, it was also flavour-free.

[CheersEnthusiast]

I really enjoyed how Amber's news changed Zeke's attitude to the party and then to the idea of the surgery.  

 

It makes me remember Zeke's message to Amber after she was in her car wreck--"You don't have my permission to mess with my dreams."  And perhaps it reminded him of the same thing and right when he needed it.  Just a beautiful moment.

 

The writers are so dialed into the relationship between her and her grandfather that it can often put every other relationship in the series to shame.  

[kathybgd]

Sydney. needs a good swift kick in the ass ( as well as Max). These kids are so unbearable!

[AuntieChuck]

Sydney is the worst. That is all.

[BC Mama]

I just realized Drew is missing but I don't care.

 

Who? 

 

Why aren't Julia and Joel getting Sydney into therapy? They are smart enough people to know what the issues are now get help for it.

 

Probably for the same reasons Adam and Kristina have forgone behavioural therapy since Crosby's fling!

 

Why can't anyone ever get an abortion? They happen and they are difficult but they happen for a reason and it needs to be depicted and now, again, It's barely on the table. Amber had already decided when she did the ultrasound. Frankly it pisses me off.

 

Personally, I think Amber wanted to get pregnant, or at least fell in love with the idea of having a baby after having gurney sex with Ryan. Pregnancy tests are pricy (especially for someone with a limited income like Amber), and in my experience, most women don't purchase tests until there period is late - unless they want to be pregnant! 

 

It makes me remember Zeke's message to Amber after she was in her car wreck--"You don't have my permission to mess with my dreams."  And perhaps it reminded him of the same thing and right when he needed it.  Just a beautiful moment.

 

I had the same flashbacks. I think some of the best scenes in the show has been between Amber and Zeek... Everytime they interact I miss my grandfather's terribly. 

[dargosmydaddy]

Did I miss something (quite possible, as I wasn't exactly riveted...) or were the kids recording the song with Crosby on the same day as all the other fiascoes (as in, a school day)? Granted Snowflake Academy probably doesn't have a strict attendance policy, but what about Sidney, Jabbar, and Victor? And does Crosby just randomly volunteer to baby-sit Nora? She wasn't singing, there was no reason for her to be there...

[camom]

Crosby probably took pity of Nora.  I think she is being raised by the never-seen dog.

[txhorns79]

I get Sarah's reaction and completely understand. She was in shock, she doesn't want Amber to get herself involved in a situation like hers, and she just wants what's best. It's not that she doesn't care about Amber having a child, it's just that she knows how difficult it can be at such a young age with potentially no father in the picture.

 

I was with Sarah too.  I would be entirely freaked out if my 20 year old kid had a baby on the way with no real plan for what to do.  It's very easy to imagine being a single parent, and thinking you can do it, but the reality is very, very difficult.  That isn't to say it can't be done, but Amber doesn't exactly inspire confidence when she's two or so months along and hasn't even told the father yet.  

 

I can't even start with Snowflake Academy.  I would just tell Kristina if she wants to run a school, she should at least try not to look like she's wearing the clothes she slept in.   I'm not even sure how Adam's slave labor program works.  Preparing all those meals would likely take two to three hours for a professional and their staff.  I don't know how Adam could possibly make it work using students unless he's keeping them in the kitchen most of the morning, which would mean they aren't really doing much in terms of learning basic subjects.     

[Kara]

The reason I keep watching this show, as ridiculous as most of it is, is that when they get stuff right, it hits home. I think the whole thing with Amber and Sarah and Zeke is pretty realistically done. And I just want to slap Sarah. As much as I hated her reaction, it was pretty realistic, and consistent with her character. I thought she was going to get it right the second time, but it took her third try to get to where she needed to be. Pregnancy is not something that immediately needs to be immediately resolved, as scared as Sarah is, and as much as she wants what best for her daughter, and her feelings about it aren't wrong, she has six months left to work with Amber and make sure she is in the best place she can be in when the baby arrives. The immediate need of any expectant mother, but especially one who is young and single, is unconditional love, and the knowledge that the people closest to her are going to love her and support her, and not shame her, because she is feeling enough doubt and shame and fear all on her own. Just a tip if anyone is ever faced with the need to immediately react to pregnancy news. There is lots of time to make sure that everything else is in place. Lectures will not be well received. And I am not sure if Sarah was trying to tell Amber she should get an abortion, but pressuring someone into it be basically telling them they would suck at motherhood is going to cause long term emotional damage. I am fully pro-choice, but the decision needs to come from the pregnant woman because she has weighed her options, and decided it is the best choice for her, not because she feels other people will not support the pregnancy.

As for the whole Snowflake Academy lunch kerfluffle, it was absolutely ridiculous. Here is an idea. I have no experience as a school administrator (which apparently makes me as qualified as Kristina) but here is an idea. If you call your vendor, and are about to explode the relationship, take a step back, take a deep breath, and tell vendor that you understand that they can't make last minute changes, and not to worry about it. Then allow the vendor to continue honoring the contract and get the other children fed, and figure out how to get the one kid lunch. It is probably a lot easier and cheaper than having to figure out how to feed 40 kids, no? You can then look around for other vendors, or work with the parents on a solution. Also, I can't imagine with the chaos in that tiny kitchen, with inexperienced child chefs, that there is no cross contamination. Seriously stupid idea. But of course it all works out. I wish the school would fall into a sink hole (when no kids are there of course) and they would just scrap that whole stupid story line.

Does anybody know if the school is a charter school or a private school? I was thinking it was a charter school, in which case it is required to make "reasonable accommodations" for food allergies provided that there is a diagnosed allergy with doctor certification. What "reasonable accommodations" means is up for debate, but no parent can demand special foods and expect it to be met that same day. I am assuming if there was medical documentation that the paperwork stating such would have had to be included in the registration paperwork, and they should have been aware of it in advance, and if not, that would need to be taken care of and a plan put in place, which takes time and won't be done the same day. Kristina is an idiot. She lets the parents at the school act the same way they let Max act, so at least it is consistent.