S06.E09: Lean In

[formerlyfreedom]

Tension between Dylan and Max reaches a fever pitch at the Chambers' Academy Open House. Kristina and Adam find themselves tangled in the conflict. Hank is thrilled to see Ruby excited about her school play, but an unexpected encounter with Mark Cyr rocks the boat. Meanwhile, Zeek recruits Drew for help with a secret mission.

 

[potatoradio]

To quote Frasier Crane: "Oh, Dear God!"

 

The writers are punking us. They have to be.

 

Only way I got through the last episode was reading this forum as I was watching. I nearly broke my neck nodding in agreement. I expect I will need to do that again with this episode AND have a well-stocked bar for all the drinking games that could be played. I could probably create one so that you'd be wasted just from reading the preview synopsis...

 

 

[LCanterbury]

So Mr Cyr teaches at Ruby's school? Of course he does.

Didn't Dylan tell Max to leave her alone - how is there still tension. If Max somehow gets the girl then I'm going to need all of the wine.

[backformore]

Didn't Dylan tell Max to leave her alone - how is there still tension. If Max somehow gets the girl then I'm going to need all of the wine.

To wash down the skittles, right?

[Inquisitionist]

So Mr Cyr teaches at Ruby's school? Of course he does.

 

I'm missing something here.  Would it be odd for Ruby to be attending the same high school that Amber did?  Or do we know that it's a different school and are therefore surprised that Mr. Cyr has moved there?

 

I'm getting kind of excited about hate-watching this episode tonight.  LOL!

[LCanterbury]

I'm missing something here. Would it be odd for Ruby to be attending the same high school that Amber did? Or do we know that it's a different school and are therefore surprised that Mr. Cyr has moved there?

I think I was thrown by the episode description as the encounter being unexpected. If she goes to the same school Amber and Drew did wouldn't they expect to see an English teacher at the school play? I'm just surprised Ruby hasn't transferred to Snowflake Academy yet.

[Shermie]

Tension reaches a fever pitch between Max and Dylan? So what did we see last week - a mild disagreement?

What. The. Fuck.

As soon as Dylan's parents said they had "to reschedule 6 meetings" to get to parents night, I knew they would be painted as villains. For Adam to accuse them of absentee parenting in front of the other parents? So unprofessional. But then, he's not a teaching professional, so...

In the end, Max finally - finally! - behaved like a normal person who considered someone else's feelings, and holy shit, Adam and Kristina apologized. Of course, they are still superior parents because they baked cookies with Dylan.

Zeek, it's called a travel agent. Look into it. And Drew can't just book an international trip online without a passport, I assume you want airfare with your order.

Camille, stop being such a bland dishrag. "France?" she scoffs derisively. "What would you do in France?" Gee, I don't know, eat drink, sightsee. Gawd. It's a huge tourist destination, what did you do in Italy? Why was she so dismissive?

Glad that Sarah and Mark didn't kiss, but why was he so "oh, it'll be okay" when talking about his impending fatherhood. I guess it's not a Braverman baby, so nothing to care about.

Of course Ruby didn't get to play Sandy in Grease after all, even though a Braverman did express that it wasn't fair (actually it is fair, she's the understudy, she only plays the lead if the lead can't, and she could, so wuh-wuh), but she's only Braverman-adjacent, so no lead role for you, Ruby.

And ther goes Zeek to the great convertible in the sky. Or does he? I didn't see Crosby in that preview... Ooo, clever misdirection? Nah.

And Joel and Julia end up doing the horizontal dance in the end. Glad to see that this show is so supportive of women who say no. They just don't mean it, do they Dylan and Julia?

Edited November 21, 2014 by Shermie

[ShortyMac]

No new episodes until January 8? What the hell?

[Shermie]

That's pretty typical of a lot of shows, esp dramas. This week is filled with fall finales.

[Dust Bunny]

"Dylan says I was harassing her." "Well, you weren't harassing her." Words fail me.

 

Oh Drew. At this point, you bring this on yourself by keeping these people in your life. My guess is your social life isn't benefited from having family members crash on your dorm bed. Just walk away, like you did to Amber last week. 

 

At the end of this, the curtain will be pulled back, right? That the writers have been self-aware all this time. The Bravermans will all be gathered for dinner. They'll all talk over each other, not realizing dinner has caught fire and flames are spreading throughout the house. Hopefully, Drew has disowned his family by then. The dog, Haddie (if she's actually there), Nora, Amber's baby, Jasmine, Aida, Jabbar, and Victor all make it out alive.  Possibly Joel and Julia. For sure not Sydney.

 

And then we get a Six Feet Under dating. 

Edited November 21, 2014 by Dust Bunny

[jb1183]

"Dylan says I was harassing her." "Well, you weren't harassing her." Words fail me.

Yes, how infuriating was that? God forbid the young woman be allowed to be an agent of her own experience.

 

And, of course, Dylan's parents couldn't just be completely in the right. They had to be portrayed as the absentee parents who were going to pull her out of school against her wishes. I'm surprised every parent in the place didn't pull their kids out of the school after Adam's appalling behavior at the Open House. Every biological Braverman male is completely deranged except for Drew. I have no idea how he turned out the way he did. Also Jabbar, but Crosby still has time to work on him.

 

Zeek is a complete asshole, and I don't give a shit if he dies in the final four episodes.

 

Ruby needs to get therapy. The little bitch is in constant histrionics. And did I misunderstand or didn't Ruby play Sandy for one performance while the other girl was sick, and then the original girl was feeling better by the next night? if so, there's nothing "unfair" about the girl returning to claim her part back from the understudy. That's the point of an understudy. Everybody on this damn show expects to be catered to, and it works my last nerve.

 

I loved Julia and Joel before they got character assasinated, and really want to see them reconciled by the end, but the way this is playing out right now just leaves me cold.

 

This show was never as good as it should have been given the talent in front of and behind the camera, but in this final season all of its major flaws have really been on full display.

Edited November 21, 2014 by jb1183

[Spencer Hastings]

I wanted to hug Drew when Zeek made his little speech about trust and being let down.  What the heck, old man.  That's your grandson.  He's worried about you and wanted to make sure that you didn't DIE after spending a crap ton of money on a trip to France.  What was he supposed to do?  I spent the rest of the episode afraid that Zeek was going to keel over.  Not because I was concerned about his well being or that I'm particularly attached to him, but because I was afraid that his grandson's last memories of him would have been letting his dying grandpa down.  I'm glad they didn't go there.  There's still time for him to dwell on it, but I'm glad I can put it off until January 8th.

 

Kristina and Adam handled that parent situation all wrong.  Is anyone surprised?  Also, does that school have an office or a conference room that Adam could have told them they were bad parents in?  

 

My eyes almost fell out of my head when they told Max he wasn't harassing her.  In what world was that not harassment?  

[memememe76]

The actress who plays Dylan is really excellent. The show has a history of casting some really talented unknown actresses. The young woman who played Joel and Julia's surrogate comes to mind. 

 

Those last 5-8 minutes made me realize how much I will actually miss these annoying people. Gawd, Zeke's face at the end. Makes me TERRIFIED if I get to his age. 

[t7686]

I wanted to hug Drew when Zeek made his little speech about trust and being let down.  What the heck, old man.  That's your grandson.  He's worried about you and wanted to make sure that you didn't DIE after spending a crap ton of money on a trip to France.  What was he supposed to do?  I spent the rest of the episode afraid that Zeek was going to keel over.  Not because I was concerned about his well being or that I'm particularly attached to him, but because I was afraid that his grandson's last memories of him would have been letting his dying grandpa down.  I'm glad they didn't go there.  There's still time for him to dwell on it, but I'm glad I can put it off until January 8th.

 

Kristina and Adam handled that parent situation all wrong.  Is anyone surprised?  Also, does that school have an office or a conference room that Adam could have told them they were bad parents in?  

 

My eyes almost fell out of my head when they told Max he wasn't harassing her.  In what world was that not harassment?  

Great post and love your screen name btw. Completely agree about Drew, seriously what the hell? I wish he had told his grandfather off but I bet because it's his grandfather and he's older and sick he didn't do it. Plus the massive (and inappropriate) guilt trip the guy put on Drew. I know Zeek thinks he's the only person in the universe but the poor kid was trying to respect his grandmother's wishes too. You know, the woman you supposedly care about (and I say this as someone who doesn't care for Camille)? I did feel for him at the end though, Zeek looked terrified.

 

I was so happy that finally, finally someone called Kristina and Adam on their crappy parenting. I like the characters as people but boy are they terrible parents/ teachers - what was with her calling every kid babe and hon and saying they were the best thing in the universe? It came off so disingenuous. I'd be turned off as a student or a parent. That and the fact they let their son harass a girl into tears with no punishment but an apology.

 

I didn't mind Sarah's storyline, though she's suprisingly passive in her own storyline.  She's always just reacting to whatever's happing to those around her, be it Amber and her ocean of tears or Hank's drama. I knew Mark would come back into her life with a kid in the end -- I think everyone will end up like the did in the movie. That said, will she be on screen with her son this season or will she continue to spend all her time with Ruby who's... oddly always either manic or hysterically angry?

Edited November 21, 2014 by t7686

[Dust Bunny]

 

And did I misunderstand or didn't Ruby play Sandy for one performance while the other girl was sick, and then the original girl was feeling better by the next night?

That reminded me - doesn't Grease end with Sandy being leather-Sandy instead of Sandra Dee-ponytail Sandy? Of course Ruby came out in Sandra Dee costume. Because we viewers had to know that Ruby is now Sandra Dee-Ruby and not leather-Sandy-Ruby.

 

This show is so damn dumb.

[izabella]

"Dylan says I was harassing her." "Well, you weren't harassing her." Words fail me.

 

Adam and Kristina are just unbelievable.  At least that explains why they haven't taught Max that "no means no" and "stop means stop" and "go away, means go away."   They don't know harassment when it's right in front of their faces. 

 

I didn't mind Sarah's storyline, though she's suprisingly passive in her own storyline.  She's always just reacting to whatever's happing to those around her, be it Amber and her ocean of tears or Hank's drama.

 

I don't understand why Ruby's drama is more important to Sarah than Amber's drama.  Sarah is about to be a grandma, yet it's all about Ruby's play and other assorted dramatics.  Or how about spending some time with Drew and realizing the pressure he's put himself under because he feels like he needs to support Amber, her baby, and whatever else comes along. 

[jb1183]

I don't understand why Ruby's drama is more important to Sarah than Amber's drama.  Sarah is about to be a grandma, yet it's all about Ruby's play and other assorted dramatics.  Or how about spending some time with Drew and realizing the pressure he's put himself under because he feels like he needs to support Amber, her baby, and whatever else comes along.

You would think they were promoting an upcoming Ruby centered spin-off for all the excessive amount of screentime she's eaten up this season. I'm not opposed to her being a part of the storyline, but I have no idea why she and her mother have taken central focus in Sarah's storyline during the final stretch of episodes. Very weird creative choice there.

Edited November 21, 2014 by jb1183

[Everleigh]

I don't understand why Ruby's drama is more important to Sarah than Amber's drama.  Sarah is about to be a grandma, yet it's all about Ruby's play and other assorted dramatics.  Or how about spending some time with Drew and realizing the pressure he's put himself under because he feels like he needs to support Amber, her baby, and whatever else comes along. 

 

I don't care for the focus on Hank, Sandy or Ruby. It's the last season and I'd rather they spend time tying things up with the family we know and care about instead of wasting time on a whole new family filled with people even more annoying than the Bravermans, but I think the writers are trying to show what Sarah's in store for as a potential step-mother to Ruby. Step-parent is one of the few types of parenthood they haven't really tackled in the past. 

 

"Dylan says I was harassing her." "Well, you weren't harassing her." Words fail me.

 

My favorite part of that exchange is when Max went on to define harassment, which is exactly what he did to Dylan, and his dumb-ass parents just stood around looking at each other instead of taking the opportunity to explain to him that while he may not have meant to frighten Dylan, his behavior did just that---because it was text book harassment. I was glad Dylan's parents called Kristina out on her favoritism for Max and her disregard for her other students' well-being, but I feel like in the end nothing will change. Kristina is still in charge despite being obviously incompetent, Adam is still acting like a classic Braverman male idiot--yelling and berating people for not seeing things his way (despite the fact that he wasn't even there for the drama), and as far as I could tell, Max faced no punishment other than having to apologize. 

[TVForever]

I've found the screen time with Hank's family a little odd. too. However, my take on the odd stuff this season is probably that the episodes were filmed before the show was cancelled. If the writers had known that they were writing The Last Season, I think it would have looked much different. That said...

 

I hate Hank. I really hate his daughter. I giggled when I saw the scenes with Mark. Of course Sarah's a little bothered. She's seeing him and thinking, "This is the cute, smart, sweet younger man who ADORED me and wanted to marry me, and I threw him over to be with Hank. This ineffectual human being who has the emotional maturity of a toddler. Yep. That's the guy I chose. Yay me."

 

So, Joel walked out on his family because he felt like a failure and didn't deserve Julia? No Joel. You walked out because you were mad as hell with Julia and you wanted to punish her as much as you could. Children be damned, marriage be damned, Julia developed a crush on another man and She. Must. Pay. So now, after all the time she spent getting over him, he wants back in.

Sheesh. Of course they'll end up back together, but I'm not in the cheering section for this one.

[joelene]

I agree with the rest of you. What an infuriating episode. I cannot believe (well, actually, I can) that Zeek shamed Drew like that. What a horrible shit he is. I kept screaming "Die die DIE!" In my head and it looks like I'm getting my wish. I hope his dying words are, "I'm sorry, Drew. You were right."

Joel and Julia. Ugh. I really hoped that wouldn't happen.

Krisina and Adam are horrible parents to Max. I wonder if his first offence will be murder or sexual assult.

[alexvillage]

I may be watching the episode but the harassment story is already driving me bananas.

This is one time that I would love to see a online hoopla from feminists denouncing the show/writers fro allowing this. 

Disgusted does not begin to describe how I feel just by reading this

Edited November 21, 2014 by alexvillage

[Iboatedhere]

I couldn't believe that Adam and Kristina were defending Max and raging against Dylan's parent's (in front of the whole school! Parents and kids!) until I remembered what show I was watching and it made sense. They're terrible people and parents. It's one thing for parents to have it out with each other but a whole other thing for the headmistress to do it. Ugh. So unprofessional. I can't even....ugh. It's always going to bother me. I wish Dylan's parents had threatened to sue.

 

Zeek was such an ass to Drew. Don't lay a guilt trip on him after he's been doing everything you've been telling him to do against his better judgment. Good for Drew for asking him if he's allowed to fly because it's the first thing I thought of. Hey d-bag, check with your doctor first. What if something goes wrong in the air? It's not like they can land in the ocean and get help.

 

This was an episode chock full of people not listening to women. Max and Kristina didn't listen to Dylan. Joel and Chris didn't listen to Julia. Drew and Zeek didn't listen to Camille. Hank didn't listen to Sarah. Did I miss any?

[ShadowFacts]

 

Every biological Braverman male is completely deranged except for Drew. I have no idea how he turned out the way he did.

 

Didn't Drew spend most of his childhood away from the clan?  His father was an alcoholic n'er-do-well, and Drew has ended up trying to take care of everyone.

 

 

I knew Mark would come back into her life with a kid in the end -- I think everyone will end up like the did in the movie.

 

I thought in the movie the Sarah character ended up married to the teacher and they were having a baby together.  That's where I thought this was headed with Mark reappearing, but no.  He just essentially says goodbye again, which was already done the end of last season. He was very happy with his upcoming marriage then, but now is strangely meh about his baby.  Anyway, I was fooled, I thought they were setting up Hank's family to be reunified.  Maybe they still are, and Sarah will be adrift.  Probably with one more awkward scene at the hospital with Amber and Mark's wife delivering at the same time.

[Inquisitionist]

My eyes almost fell out of my head when they told Max he wasn't harassing her.  In what world was that not harassment?  

 

He wasn't intending to harass her, therefore he wasn't harassing her.  Oy.

[kathybgd]

I wanted to do some binge watching of 'Six Feet Under' because I heard it's a great show. I can't now, because I can't stand the character of Adam therefore every time I see him on the good series I will think of him in this crap.

[eyebleach]

I wanted to do some binge watching of 'Six Feet Under' because I heard it's a great show. I can't now, because I can't stand the character of Adam therefore every time I see him on the good series I will think of him in this crap.

Please do watch Six Feet Under!  This morning I watched Parenthood and just kept thinking "How is this Nate Fisher?????"  Peter Krause is such a great actor - Six Feet Under will be the redemption I think you need :)

[CouchTV]

I've had to catch the second half of most of this psuedo season online -- I can't even stay awake during episode broadcast. I did catch the  "You weren't harassing her" scene. What? What? This could have been such an opportune time to show Max and the 39 other students and their parents that you sort of kind of know what you're doing a little bit Kristina. How about "No buddy. (parents at school grimacing) you actually were - you didn't stop telling her how you felt after she said she didn't like you the same way..." or whatever. Then she (kind of subtly dramatic tear jerking music in the background) could have said something like "It's hard when you hear a word like that, because you didn't mean to...but blahblahblah is harassment, Dylan was scared..." Then she hides her real life pregnancy(??) and tells everyone that Chambers Academy is going to have a social skills class added to the curriculum. That it will benefit students to learn how intent and result are difficult to ascertain when you have the communication difficulties related to ASD.  But who would teach it? Maybe Drew? The hallway roaming parents could kind of nod or something. Maybe Sara can teach it?

[Rosemadder]

You absolutely have to watch "Six Feet Under" kathybgd!

[kathybgd]

Lol, I HAVE watched ,I think, the first three episodes a few weeks ago and I DO like it so far, I do think I'll give it a try just like I will finally get to watch The Gilmore Girls (I've never seen it) but it finally got to Netflix. Parenthood is just so HORRIBLE now though! They have destroyed these beloved characters and ruined this show! Every time I hear Max speak I think of a robot. Last night it almost sounded like Dylan is turning robot. Is THIS what asbergers is?

[EdnasEdibles]

I wanted to do some binge watching of 'Six Feet Under' because I heard it's a great show. I can't now, because I can't stand the character of Adam therefore every time I see him on the good series I will think of him in this crap.

To be fair, I also hated the smug character of Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under but overall that show is amazing and you should totally watch.

 

This show - why on earth was Adam even piping in with the conversation she was having with Dylan's parents? Does he actually have an official job at school?  Sorry your stammering wilted mouse of a wife is being ganged up on beause she is inept at doing her job, but this is not an appropriate moment for you to be a white knight. You're essentially the volunteer cooking teacher and if that was a job that existed in real-life, I can pretty much guarantee that they would not be involved in discinplinary decisions.

 

Max absolutely was harassing her. I think even HE realized he was when he repeated the definition to them.  The only people who don't think that Max was harassing her was Kristina and Adam. 

[MrWhyt]

 

However, my take on the odd stuff this season is probably that the episodes were filmed before the show was cancelled. If the writers had known that they were writing The Last Season, I think it would have looked much different.

they knew it was the last season going in.

[Inquisitionist]

they knew it was the last season going in.

 

Yeah, don't cut the writers any slack here.  This mess is deliberate!

[CMH1981]

Well let's get into it...  

 

Zeke, how could you tell your grandson that he let you down and you are disappointed in the him while you are on your death march?  That pissed me off so much he would do that considering he thinks his time is limited.  I can't believe he would say that and now w/everything happening that is what Drew will remember (yes I know it will be rectified) but I can't believe Zeke would do that and put Drew in that position to begin w/.

 

Julia and Joel...i've always wanted them back together but the ambush at the restaurant was way too much and I felt bad for Julia.  I understand how signing the papers would be hard for both of them, but then the new boyfriend piles it on and pressures her.  He was a jerk, but not like I thought he would be in the end, he just wanted to know that he mattered in the end.  I loved the Camille and Julia scene, much better than the Zeke and Joel scene.  Camille listened to her daughter and was honest about what marriage was, but Julia saw how weak he was and how he bailed at the first sign of trouble.  I was surprised they got back together (I guess) b/c she signed the papers and I was sure he would as well and she would leave, even though I wanted it over at that point and I'm somebody who has wanted them together since it happened.  Joel never gave real reasons for what he did and why he actually did it, and in the end he was more like stalker-crazy trying to get her back at the restaurant.

 

Sarah and Hank was great.  I really thought after Ruby and Sandy came busting in after Hank asked her if she was really okay w/her life w/him was great.  After it all calmed down and we cut back to Sarah waiting, Lauren Graham played that scene perfectly, she really is a great, subtle actress.  The scene w/Mark Cyr was good, but I can't figure out how Jason Ritter was supposed to play it.  I was confused though, was Mark married and had a baby on the way or did he just have a child on the way?  He still wanted Sarah and it looks like he isn't happy about anything in his life w/o her, which is a strange thing since he always wanted kids.  The best part was their discussion of her being a grandmother and her not being happy w/that word, I love Lauren Graham and I hope she goes on to better work where she can get more acknowledgement.

 

Finally we get to Adam, Kristina, and Max.  I really can't believe others got to see the golden child for what he was at the school, harassing Dylan and everything was shown, warts and all.  They got called out big time but still tried to spin it like it wasn't a big deal.  Kristina, a student is being harassed and comes to you to complain and you ignore them b/c the harasser is your child.  Not cool.  I really think that Kristina turned a corner w/this considering she actually went through everything in this storyline and Adam wasn't there.  When Max asked his parents if he was harassing Dylan, Adam said no, but the scene cut at that point.  I really think Kristina was going to say yes, you were harassing Dylan...my sweetie special snowflake.  You could tell on Kristina's face she wanted to be honest.  I may be in a group by myself here, but like I said I really think Kristina has decided at the school that Max can't be her main priority any more w/his feeling being hurt and perhaps that will carryover at home.

[Primetimer]

Or it would be, if Sarah hadn't driven him away two seasons ago.

Read the story

[econ07]

Krause and cast were great in Sports Night as well, a show that ended way too early.

 

I'm still amazed at the Joel hate.  If he had cheated, most people would think nothing of the wife throwing the husband out of the house.  In this case, maybe he should have done the same thing ... thrown Julia out and tell her to come back once she can be trusted.  Instead, he put her needs above his and allowed her to stay in the house while he left.  That seems pretty noble to me.

 

For those who say he stayed away too long, when should he have returned? ... when Julia was going back to the divorced father instead of spending time thinking about how she had hurt Joel? .... when Julia was sleeping with SnowFlake Academy teacher dude to satiate her physical longings instead of getting counseling regarding why she couldn't emotionally support her husband?   .... when she had a relationship with a lawyer in her firm .... when would Julia have been emotionally available to get rid of the selfishness and put Joel's needs in front of her own like he had done for her so many times?  Can someone answer that?

 

... and where are the parents? saying ..."Julia hon, you shouldn't have schtooped all those dudes .... you should have been thinking about how you hurt your husband."

 

Joel ... run as far as you can dude!  Don't look back at the Braverman mushroom cloud!

Edited November 21, 2014 by econ07

[Rosemadder]

In my perfect world, Seth (John Corbett) would return sober and rich and swoop up Sarah, Amber and Drew and, of course, the new baby.  If you can't tell, I heart John Corbett :)

[BusyOctober]

If the Snowflake Academy were real, that Parent's Night would have been the death knell for its future.  Well, one of a thousand death knells....the whole premise has been so far-fetched from the jump.  But the public display of Max's uncontrolled behavior and his parent's/administrator's non-reaction to it spoke volumes of how the school is run.  The other students are purely there (and being charged to attend) so Max can have his bubble world and his stupid parents can pretend that they are the most spactacular-ist parents who ever birthed a snowflake.  Adam telling the other parents that they are absentee was laughable and so unprofessional.  How do the writers create such an unrealistic pair of parents/teachers?  If they truly want Adam & Kristina to seen as the best-est EVAH, then they should have had Max stay  home-schooled.  The need for Max's "socialization w/ other kids" argument doesn't wash.  They don't have the kid attending therapy.  They don't offer him an aide to work w/ him with an objective, non-parental p.o.v.  They don't really care about really helping Max.

 

Zeek and Amber just crashing into Drew's dorm or commanding him to take them hither & yon is the ultimate in Braverman selfishness.  Firstly, random, non students can't just waltz into dorms any time they want.  There's a thing called security.  And woe betide the university that doesn't have such a system in place  because LAWSUIT.  And why is Drew constantly in his damn room all the time anyway? Why worry about a major or making money when you're never in class? As for Zeek's behavior, he's always been a selfish pain in the ass. But if my grandfather tried to guilt trip me into driving him around when & where he demanded just because he gave me a car, I'd bury the keys in the next Big Boy burger he ordered and hoped he choke on them.  A gift shouldn't come with strings attached. 

 

As for Ruby and her teen disappointment...too bad she wasn't born to Adam & Kristina.  The school would have been coerced & cajoled, bullied and Braverman-ed into doing several command performances starring RUBY...in all the roles...because She's. Just. That. Talented. 

 

I've know for several seasons the Braverman's don't operate in any realm of reality, but I still get so aggravated every week at the nonsense.

 

And I still hate Mr. Cyr & Jason Ritter. 

[EdnasEdibles]

If the Snowflake Academy were real, that Parent's Night would have been the death knell for its future.  Well, one of a thousand death knells....the whole premise has been so far-fetched from the jump.  But the public display of Max's uncontrolled behavior and his parent's/administrator's non-reaction to it spoke volumes of how the school is run.  The other students are purely there (and being charged to attend) so Max can have his bubble world and his stupid parents can pretend that they are the most spactacular-ist parents who ever birthed a snowflake.  Adam telling the other parents that they are absentee was laughable and so unprofessional.  How do the writers create such an unrealistic pair of parents/teachers?  If they truly want Adam & Kristina to seen as the best-est EVAH, then they should have had Max stay  home-schooled.  The need for Max's "socialization w/ other kids" argument doesn't wash.  They don't have the kid attending therapy.  They don't offer him an aide to work w/ him with an objective, non-parental p.o.v.  They don't really care about really helping Max.

 

Exactly. Just imagine what the yelp reviews for the school would say after that little outburst. 

[alexvillage]

 

If you can't tell, I heart John Corbett :)

Well, the way I see it you don't like him that much. Why would you set him up with these people for the rest of his life? :p

[FineWashables]

So Adam and Kristina get to tell someone else that they're not good parents, when their own child is increasingly out of control and hasn't been taught how to treat other people?  He's not harassing a girl when she's been crying about how he won't leave her alone?  Yeah, I want to send all my kids to their school.

 

I think they're trying to turn Sarah and Ruby into Lorelai and Rory.  Except Lorelai and Rory were both intensely likeable and Sarah and Ruby... not at all likeable.

 

Ray Romano's character is boring, boring, boring.  Mr Cyr was never boring.  So even aside from looks and personality -- which one completely lacks and the other has in spades -- it's pretty clear that Sarah made the wrong choice.  She clearly likes Hank, but I've never gotten any sense of fun or excitement, let alone passion, out of that relationship.  I do hope the Braverman lesson turns out to be that in a successful and healthy relationship, it's not enough just to like someone.  It won't, though.  I believe the lesson is going to turn out to be that you should seek out a special snowflake partner who appreciates your nephew's special snowflakeness.

 

And yeah, Sarah, your own kids really need you.  Where are you?  Better let Adam tell you how to be a good mom.

[marceline]

 

"Dylan says I was harassing her." "Well, you weren't harassing her."

 

The next line after that should've been, "You were assaulting her."

 

Everything about this episode sucked. The emotional blackmail, the violation of boundaries, the "no means yes" bullshit. When Dylan said, "I know Max can't help it." I wanted to punch the screen. YES HE CAN! He's just never expected to. Just like Adam and Zeek and Crosby are never expected to. I was so thrilled when Dylan's parents called out Kristina and Adam for their behavior. No matter how much shade the show tried to throw at them, they were 1000 percent right.

 

Also, is Kristina the only staff member at this school? I didn't even see an extra who pretended to be a teacher. In a remotely realistic scene, that altercation between Max and Dylan would've drawn the attention of other teachers but I guess Snowflake Academy doesn't have any.

 

Poor Drew. He is a textbook Adult Child of an Alcoholic (ACOA). He's a people pleaser who always puts his own needs last because he knows they will never be met and that behavior is reinforced by every member of his family.

 

This show really should've ended last season.

 

Two things I liked:

 

1. Max's apology. It was clear that he finally understood what he did wrong and I liked that he looked her in the eye when he did it. It was a good, solid, honest apology. Frankly he could give the rest of the Bravermans lessons on how to do it.
2. Camille's reaction to seeing where Zeek wanted to take her. After all the stuff they went through last season, that showed he really did learn his lesson and Camille got to see just how much he wanted to make her happy. It was a classic Parenthood moment.

Edited November 21, 2014 by marceline

[backformore]

Anyway, I was fooled, I thought they were setting up Hank's family to be reunified.  Maybe they still are, and Sarah will be adrift.  Probably with one more awkward scene at the hospital with Amber and Mark's wife delivering at the same time.

 

I have to wonder WHY they brought Mark back.  His wife is pregnant, but his response to Sarah's "that's great"  is "yeah, I guess, surreal, looking forward to it, I guess."    Yeah - something  is up with Mark coming back!  

 

Perhaps Hank and ex-wife will reconcile as they figure out that their daughter needs both of them in order to be OK.  Sarah is heartbroken, sort of.

  Mark's wife  will  decide she doesn't want the baby, and Mark is planning to raise the baby alone.   Amber will die in childbirth, Sarah will have to raise the baby, will re-connect with Mark who is ALSO raising a baby alone, they will re-kindle their romance . 

 

OR - Mark's wife dies in childbirth, Sarah comforts him, they fall back in love, and Sarah, Mark and Amber raise two babies and live happily ever after.  

Either way, all this happens in the hospital at the same time that Zeek is dying, so we have grief and joy intertwined

 

Julia and Joel are back together, hank and wife are reunited, Sarah is back with her ex-fiance, all couples are back together, and  - 

 

the spin-off will be  a new "Parenthood 2"  series about a mom and dad named Sarah and Mark,  raising their same-age children, only one is his  child, the other is her  grandchild, BUT they  are not related, except one is the other's step- aunt or uncle, and they are raised as siblings.     Hilarity and drama all over the place! 

 

(hey, it makes as much sense as a lot of the stuff this season) 

Edited November 21, 2014 by backformore

[gunderda]

That reminded me - doesn't Grease end with Sandy being leather-Sandy instead of Sandra Dee-ponytail Sandy? Of course Ruby came out in Sandra Dee costume. Because we viewers had to know that Ruby is now Sandra Dee-Ruby and not leather-Sandy-Ruby.

 

This show is so damn dumb.

I wondered that too... why was she in Sandra Dee attire?? Is there a stunt double for bad-a$$ sandy?

 

I'm missing something here.  Would it be odd for Ruby to be attending the same high school that Amber did?  Or do we know that it's a different school and are therefore surprised that Mr. Cyr has moved there?

 

I'm getting kind of excited about hate-watching this episode tonight.  LOL!

I thought Mark moved.....??? I apparently wasn't paying attention the last however many times he has been on the show.  That's the only reason why I could think that she was surprised to see him.

 

 

Those last 5-8 minutes made me realize how much I will actually miss these annoying people. Gawd, Zeke's face at the end. Makes me TERRIFIED if I get to his age. 

I totally forgot about that sneak peak they showed of that last week.... I knew it was going to be hard for me and it was... made me bawl like a freaking baby because it's very similar to how my grandpa passed away

[stillshimpy]

The next line after that should've been, "You were assaulting her."

 

Seriously.  Holy crap.  I know his intent wasn't actually sexual -- in his mind he was attempting to be romantic -- but she was screaming things like, "no" "stop" "don't" and in a real world scenario Dylan's parents could have called the police. 

 

I know it's just a goofy show and it's not a documentary, but jeez, that's really irresponsible to depict that as being another other than harassment and assault.  

 

Crappy show.  One of these days I'm going to fall off the elliptical in a fit of rage because as much as that upset me, Zeke telling Drew that Drew let him down made me furious.  FURIOUS.  None of the Braverman men are ever expected to act like actual adults, but that was beyond the pale.  You're pressuring your grandson to do something that will endanger your health, and you're the full grown man, Zeke.   

 

God, there will cheer of pure joy when that bastard finally kicks it (and that's likely when I'll finally mangle myself in the elliptical).  I don't care for Craig T. Nelson's politics, but he's actually a good actor.  Peter Krause is a really good actor.  Dax Shephard has been a true surprise in terms of how talented he is, but man alive, I have to wonder if they ever just die a little inside when they pick up their scripts.  

 

"Oh, I see I get to be an unreasonable, petty, over-reactionary Baby Man who borders on emotional abuse again.  What joy."  

Edited November 21, 2014 by stillshimpy

[bingham55]

The whole Snowflake Academy is so absurd I can't even comment. I do find it funny that Adam and Kristina have some kind of invisible child care for Nora. Where was she when they went with Max to cajole the Jones into not withdrawing Dylan fro the SA? Zeke and Camille live in SF now and Sarah and Julia seemed otherwise occupied. Did they leave a toddler home alone? They really are the best parents ever!

[jb1183]

I've found the screen time with Hank's family a little odd. too. However, my take on the odd stuff this season is probably that the episodes were filmed before the show was cancelled. If the writers had known that they were writing The Last Season, I think it would have looked much different.

It's my understanding that the network announced at the time of renewal that it would be a 13 episode final season. So everything in in this season has been written and filmed with that in mind, which makes the meandering storytelling and the excessive focus on Hank, Ruby, and Sandy even more head scratchingly bizarre.

[Cattitude]

Okay I was so glad Zeek was going to the hospital at the end b/c after Zeek's TOTAL asshat move(and I usually like Zeek okay) piled on all the stress Drew was under about Amber and his mother's poor life choices I just dreaded that Drew was going to jump off a roof or hang himself. I was sweatin' it like crazy. No not Drew!phew.

 

I loathe Julia and she was in true form and I wanted to punch her. ugh! She is so judgemental and belittling of Joel I just hate hate hate that he loves her sorry ass. Kudos to Camille to telling Julia the hard truth and not just coddling her. I could not believe they had Julia TEST Joel like that at the end. ugh ugh ugh!

 

And I can't even touch the total wrong message Kristina and Adam taught Max and to have it wrapped up with no hard feelings on either side and NO Consequences for any of them. I just can't with that.

[cali1981]

I don't care for the focus on Hank, Sandy or Ruby. It's the last season and I'd rather they spend time tying things up with the family we know and care about instead of wasting time on a whole new family filled with people even more annoying than the Bravermans, but I think the writers are trying to show what Sarah's in store for as a potential step-mother to Ruby. Step-parent is one of the few types of parenthood they haven't really tackled in the past. 

 

 

My favorite part of that exchange is when Max went on to define harassment, which is exactly what he did to Dylan, and his dumb-ass parents just stood around looking at each other instead of taking the opportunity to explain to him that while he may not have meant to frighten Dylan, his behavior did just that---because it was text book harassment. I was glad Dylan's parents called Kristina out on her favoritism for Max and her disregard for her other students' well-being, but I feel like in the end nothing will change. Kristina is still in charge despite being obviously incompetent, Adam is still acting like a classic Braverman male idiot--yelling and berating people for not seeing things his way (despite the fact that he wasn't even there for the drama), and as far as I could tell, Max faced no punishment other than having to apologize. 

Words fail me!  The school scene was sickening and a total embarrassment for anyone connected to this show.  After that horrible sequence, with all of the parents there, Snowflake Academy should have been a distant memory.  Would any of you who witnessed that not had serious doubts about Kristina's qualifications, Adam's childish outburst, the school and your child's safety?  And once again, Max faces virtually no consequences for his behavior.  The only mature person in this entire story arc appears to be Dylan. 

[cali1981]

I have to wonder WHY they brought Mark back.  His wife is pregnant, but his response to Sarah's "that's great"  is "yeah, I guess, surreal, looking forward to it, I guess."    Yeah - something  is up with Mark coming back!  

 

Perhaps Hank and ex-wife will reconcile as they figure out that their daughter needs both of them in order to be OK.  Sarah is heartbroken, sort of.

  Mark's wife  will  decide she doesn't want the baby, and Mark is planning to raise the baby alone.   Amber will die in childbirth, Sarah will have to raise the baby, will re-connect with Mark who is ALSO raising a baby alone, they will re-kindle their romance . 

 

OR - Mark's wife dies in childbirth, Sarah comforts him, they fall back in love, and Sarah, Mark and Amber raise two babies and live happily ever after.  

Either way, all this happens in the hospital at the same time that Zeek is dying, so we have grief and joy intertwined

 

Or Mark's wife and baby die during delivery (horrible I know).  Mark, overcome by guilt because he still loves Sarah and realizes that that his wife and child died for his sins, kills himself.  Sarah rushes to Mark's side just before he shuffles off. He proclaims his hopeless love her and then kicks the bucket.  Sarah, realizing that she loves Mark and can't live without him, takes a lethal potion that she got from an apothecary some years back and carries just in case she take it anymore.  She falls over Mark's prostrate body, dead as a doornail.  The scene fades to black.  It's right out the New Testament and Shakespeare and might be turned into a Broadway play titled Romeo and Juliette's Last Supper.

[stillshimpy]

The only mature person in this entire story arc appears to be Dylan.

 

That young actor has been amazing, she believably depicts some of the challenges Dylan would face -- she's doesn't have stellar social skills or an entirely appropriate awareness of boundaries, as well as coping skills that jump quickly to frustration -- but without rendering the character horrible, shrill or off-putting.  The entire success of whether or not the storyline for the Snowflake Academy has been successful at all has been on her, and she delivered.  

 

Contrast her with the poor girl who has to play Ruby.  Both are handed primarily thankless roles, that feature a lot of rapidly escalating emotions, but the girl playing Dylan has kept Dylan sympathetic, I felt.   She has a lot of mannerisms that just render the character very vividly (when when bites her nails and wrings her hands).  She has the goods and the chops.  

 

Not that young actor playing Ruby doesn't, she's just been given very stereotypical material to play ("I hate my mom! I hate everything! You don't understand me! Wah!!!") and I can't blame her for not being able to elevate it beyond her years.  

 

I also didn't mind Joel and Julia getting back together.  It rang true to me that Julia would hate the concept of ever being vulnerable to being hurt that much again.  I do think Joel overreacted and whereas Camille was wrong -- no one word defines marriage, not communication, not love, not forgiveness, it's many things at once but never just one -- I think their story made sense.  No one was entirely at fault, and no one was entirely innocent .  If marriage could be defined by the concept of forgiveness, it would be "there's a lot of mutual forgiveness required, sometimes it will coincide".   

 

I liked that the guy Julia was seeing wasn't an ass and he wasn't a doormat.  Although, he's in desperate, dire, nearly dangerous need of a new hairstyle.  Would you hire bedhead open shirt as a lawyer, because I would not.  

 

Yes, I let out a wheeze of antiquity with that statement, but I'm okay with demanding a level of competence from legal representation that includes the ability to wield a comb appropriately.  

 

And Sarah and Hank are not a couple I will ever get, but Ray Romano joins the pool of "Who knew, you're actually the real deal...." actors from this show.   So I wasn't just filled with howling rage and impotent fury from this episode...just mostly.  

Edited November 21, 2014 by stillshimpy