S06.E13: May God Bless And Keep You Always

[ShadowFacts]

Was the take-away that after Zeek died, everyone got their happily ever after?  It seemed just a tad too wrapped up with a ribbon.  I liked the wedding scenes pretty well, Drew's toast, even Sarah's dress (but who gets such a beautiful venue, flowers, everything in a week?).  I was less pleased with the joyous baseball game that seemed to go on forever and in which everyone enjoyed hijinks and high spirits.  Nice to celebrate his life, but a little saccharine since these people usually are squabbling and talking over each other and the death of the family patriarch can often bring out, shall we say, not the best in people. 

 

It's nice that everyone continued to be fruitful and multiply, but . . . Joel and Julia had problems that could definitely be exacerbated by 2 more kids close in age.  Like who was going to be the stay at home parent and how would that play out?  It's just too much good fortune that Adam could be a successful businessman and headmaster while Kristina goes on to glory in opening hundreds of academies.  Max did a 180 and can now smile, make eye contact and relate to people.  Also felt it was sort of unrealistic that Crosby and Amber make a go of the Luncheonette, but I liked how they fit the recording session as a backdrop to the montage of the Bravermans of the future. 

 

Those quibbles made me a little disappointed in the ending, I haven't been a harsh critic of the show in general, just the glaring stuff.  I think these actors did a consistent believable job and I'll miss the show. 

[Iboatedhere]

Jason Street/George Tucker/Scott Porter!!!! That got the biggest reaction from me.

 

Max was awful in that first scene when Adam was on the phone. I'm glad I don't have to see him anymore. Haddie should consider herself lucky that she doesn't see him that often. I would've liked to have seen more of her but I don't want to put her through more Max. Ruby's friend better haul ass away from him before it's too late. I'm glad we didn't see her at his graduation.

 

The wedding and the location was lovely. I almost got emotional during Drew's speech.

 

I was tapping my watch waiting for Zeek to kick it. I almost got emotional a second time when the flash forward showed her at that French hotel.

 

So many babies.

 

I must have a crazy irrational crush on dramatic Ray Romano because I thought he looked damn good with the sunglasses on as they were spreading Zeke's ashes......and that's the worst sentence ever, I'm going to hell, goodbye forever Bravermans!  

Edited January 30, 2015 by Iboatedhere

[ElectricBoogaloo]

OMG, Crosby, STFU! He is such a child! Yes, we get it, you love the Luncheonette. That doesn't mean Adam is obligated to stay there forever and it doesn't mean that you need to pout, give Adam the cold shoulder, and tell anyone who will listen that this is all Adam's fault.

 

How about taking some responsibility for not getting off your lazy ass to try to book more clients? I mean, this idiot is the one who thought it was a BRILLIANT idea to go to this one bar to convince this one band to record their album at the Luncheonette when he should have been doing this THE ENTIRE TIME. Instead he just laid on the floor of the studio bitching about how he didn't want to let people record commercials in their precious studio.

 

The fact that he decided his sister's wedding was the appropriate time to complain about it for the millionth time totally annoyed me. I have a relative like that who has been so focused on something that he has been wallowing in self pity about and at every family event (we're talking birthday parties, family dinners, Christmas, and even a funeral), he kept bringing it up to anyone who would listen.

 

Normally Zeek drives me crazy but I loved when he put an end to Crosby's whining by telling him to keep running the Luncheonette without Adam.

 

Max is the woooooooorrrsssssst (TM Jean Ralphio). You do not just barge in and yell, "Dad, get off the phone!" repeatedly. Even if Adam wasn't on a business call trying to get a job, it's still unacceptable behavior.

 

Letting Max be the wedding photographer was a sweet gesture but a terrible idea. To quote Brian Krakow, "When you're the photographer, you're never in the picture." Ha, or maybe this was Sarah and Hank's sly way of keeping Max out of most of the wedding pictures! Need a picture with Max? Make the groom get out of the picture! Or hey, hand the camera to the officiant and hope she doesn't drop it!

 

Ha, when Adam said he had an interview with a mountain spring water company, I kept thinking of Moland Springs on Seinfeld.

 

 

 

Haddie, who could have become an astronaut who does brain surgery in her spare time, but we'll never know.

I am going to imagine that Haddie was too busy accepting her Nobel Peace Prize, curing cancer, and knitting blankets for orphans to be in the flash forward montage.

 

 

 

I was more shocked by Julia and Joel’s puppy addition than the second baby. Four kids, 2 of them babies, and you’re going to willingly add the hassle of a new puppy to your household? Good luck with that.

Maybe their puppy will wander off to wherever Max's dog went.

 

Lest I sound too cranky, I love weddings, even when it's fictional characters who annoy me getting married. I loved seeing Sydney dancing with Nora at the reception, but then I thought get away from Nora before you turn her into a brat! To be fair, Sydney seemed much better in this episode and the previous one so maybe she's on the road to becoming a non-obnoxious Braverman. When Joel and Julia started talking about adopting Victor's sister, I was really worried that Sydney would have endless tantrums but I guess a puppy cures everything!

 

Part of me felt like this episode was half Crosby whining and half montages, but I'm okay with the two montages they did since it was the series finale. I was cracking up at the shot of Crosby, pregnant Jasmine, Jabbar, Aida, and Amber sitting in the booth. Can you imagine what it's like recording at the Luncheonette? "Welcome to the studio. My entire family, including the children who are too young to learn how to operate any of this equipment, will be with me the entire time and they will not distract me at all from doing my job!" I mean, honestly, if Aida is anything like Jabbar then no, they will not distract Crosby because they aren't like the rest of the Bravermans with the yelling and the interrupting and the overtalking, but still.

 

It was bittersweet to see Camille at the place Zeek wanted to take her, but I agree that now she can finally travel guilt free.

 

Hated Haddie's "you made me a better person" speech to Max. It's partially true since she would obviously have to have the patience of a saint to deal with him and her parents.

 

Most of the major plot points were totally predictable: Camille and Zeek have Amber move in with them, Crosby continues at the Luncheonette without Adam, Zeek dies, Adam works at Snowflake Academy full time, etc.

 

Totally unexpected: Jason Street! Loved that he and Luke were in that scene together. I remember how much Mae was fangirling over FNL when she started watching the series a few years ago so I love that she got to have Jason Street as her boyfriend in the flash forward.

 

Poor Haddie, still the redheaded stepchild. I'm surprised they even bothered to bring her back, let alone give her a scene with actual lines!

Well, to be fair, her lines were all about how awesome Max is. We can't have an episode without one of the characters reminding us of that!

 

Kristina and Adam, you started your own school so you had the freedom to choose anything and everything. So why on earth did you choose powder blue graduation robes? Ugh.

Edited January 30, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Shermie]

I have no issues with the family playing ball and smiling right after spreading Zeke's ashes, that's pretty realistic. When he got his prognosis (your bad heart will kill you, sometime soon) and several life and death hospital moments? That's when the family grieved and dealt with the reality of his impending death. By the time it happened, it was more of a resigned reality reaction. I've seen this in real life many times. Although I think he's too young (70?) to have given up without trying surgery. I mean, he died anyway, right?

The plethora of babies was no surprise, as I mentioned earlier, it was how the movie ended and the writers have tapped into the movie many times. I guess Frances Sternhagen was unavailable for her son's memorial and her granddaughter's wedding. Or has she died?

It was dumb that Kristina was sitting on the information for several months that she had an amazing career opportunity (as unrealistic as that was, her becoming Snowflake Tycoon was apparently a very real opportunity in the show), and yet says nothing while her husband is angsting about his future. Duh.

And in all the discussions about the Luncheonette, Crosby never said that maybe he could keep it going on his own? More duh. I would have liked to see Jasmine say that she could teach dance there as well to generate income.

I also didn't like Max taking 50 photos of that random girl at the wedding right in her face. Creepy much? Of course, she was flattered and rewarded him with a dance.

Haddie not being at Max's grad didn't bother me, it was only high school. Big whoop. I wouldn't spend airfare flying across the country for that. I do think it would have been nice to have her meet Camille in France, or show her with a pregnant girlfriend in the flash forward.

I'm glad that Sarah and Kristina weren't pregnant because, even for Parenthood, that would have been a bit much.

[txhorns79]

The plethora of babies was no surprise, as I mentioned earlier, it was how the movie ended and the writers have tapped into the movie many times.

 

I could be wrong, but the "babies for everyone" ending just seems like an easy way to show happiness for a couple.  I've seen other shows do that as well.  Yes, there are general similarities between the movie and the television series, but they go in such different directions that I'd have trouble believing that six seasons in, the writers are actually still looking to the movie for ideas. 

[LakeLover]

And in all the discussions about the Luncheonette, Crosby never said that maybe he could keep it going on his own? More duh. I would have liked to see Jasmine say that she could teach dance there as well to generate income.

 

 

I'm not sure what pays more: teaching dance, or having a lucrative filing career.

[Shermie]

Well, clearly $30 an hour for filing pays more, but teaching dance in the studio when it's not booked is better than having it sit empty.

It's a good thing the show and most of the characters became so annoying, because I can't imagine how I'd feel about its end if I had truly loved everything about it.

[Inquisitionist]

Although I think he's too young (70?) to have given up without trying surgery. I mean, he died anyway, right?

 

But he died peacefully at home and got to enjoy the last few months of life on his own terms.  With surgery, he might have died anyway but connected to tubes in a hospital.  I respect Zeek's decision on this one -- and I never respected much about the man.

[Primetimer]

Parenthood ends its farewell season with some surprises, and at least one thing we literally all saw coming but still worked.

Read the story

[Pristine]

Expounding on the initial Katims story:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/parenthood-series-finale-jason-katims-767819

[Nire]

I could be wrong, but the "babies for everyone" ending just seems like an easy way to show happiness for a couple.  I've seen other shows do that as well.  Yes, there are general similarities between the movie and the television series, but they go in such different directions that I'd have trouble believing that six seasons in, the writers are actually still looking to the movie for ideas. 

 

I still think for the ending they felt that they might have looked towards the movie.  Honestly it could have been worse.  In the movie EVERY adult gets a baby excluding the grandparents.  If they did that on the show then we also could have had babies for Sarah, Christina and maybe even Drew.  I think the most realistic baby was Jasmine's since if their financial issues were past she is still young enough and their marriage seemed to be in a good place.  Also Crosby jokes when she's holding baby Zeke about not getting any ideas, which hints that they might have discussed having more children. 

[BusyOctober]

AS much as I have snarked on this show, I am satisfied with the tidy wrap up.  A lot of fans fought to keep this show going over the years and clearly many people love this fake family.  It's trope-y and trite to give all the characters "happy ever after" but I think the writers and producers and the actors felt a responsibility to "make everyone happy".  I'm OK with it.  And I did cry a few times, just not as much as when FNL ended, though! ( Hi Jason Street & Luke!)

My final hate watch irritants in this series:

* Kristina & Adam becoming Snowflake Whisperers and "curing" the broken education system across America w/  Chambers Academy franchises

* Max being his rude aggressive self and everyone just laughing it off

* the opening scene where the women-folk are planning the wedding; someone says "All the cousins are coming!" and some responds incredulously "ALL of them??"  Um, hellOO? Your co-dependent family all live mere blocks away from each other (except Hattie), they show up uninvited in every aspect of your lives (except Hattie), half of them are in the room with you RIGHT NOW (except Hattie).

* speaking of guests for the wedding- who were all those non-Braverman people??  I'm assuming they must be from Hank's side because we have never seen any of the Braverman's interact with non-relatives (unless they were sleeping with the them - see all Sarah's exes, behavior specialists or shaming/mocking them - see any and all parents of Max's school peers, Luncheonette clients)

* the unfathomable obtuseness of Crosby, Adam & Amber; Crosby never thought of running the business himself? Adam the wise business man never thought about renting the ridiculously underused areas of the building?  And when Zeek & Camille are telling Amber their plans for Amber and the baby, Amber acts like she doesn't get it for 15 minutes...they asked her to move in and she's all "Huh, Whaaa?? Do you mean...???"

It's been a fun ride with all of you PTV posters & former TWoPer's!  See y'all around the forums!

[MelineB13]

I was bored for the entire first half but the wedding was lovely and I adore a good epilogue. 

 

I have to say, the part that pushed me over the edge from "ooooh feelings" to "smile cry" was little Nora running the bases.  OH MY GOD that child was having so much fun. 

 

Farewell dear show, you were insufferable at times, but I will keep you always.

[CMH1981]

 

We got a few smiles from Max, which I believe were from the actual Max and not the pod person we've seen for 6 years.  I wish they would have developed his character more, they tried to make strides with him in this episode and it just made me sad.

 

Yes, the few times they showed Max smiling this episode was very creepy, and I know it was not meant to be portrayed as that; but hey writers if you are going to have your character go 6 seasons w/o smiling once then that's what you get.

 

 

ETA one more complaint! In the scene where Camille and Zeek invite Amber to come and live with them, Amber hugs Zeek, but hardly even thanks Camille. I really wanted her to hug Camille also. There's just some way that it felt so cold and unbalanced.

 

I was right there w/you, I was yelling at my tv, now hug your grandmother you dolt, but nope it was all about Grandpa Zeke...I guess that showed Millie who Amber favors of the grandparents.  

 

 

They should have made Amber’s step-daughter a little older than Little Zeek because it wasn’t clear from the montage that she was the husband’s kid. I initially thought Amber immediately got herself knocked up again and had another kid with a different guy

 

I thought that too, I was like...damn girl, don't you ever learn or hell start taking the pill.  Are you telling me that NBC couldn't spare an extra five or ten minutes for the show to wrap up properly, it's like the Felicity series finale all over again when we were wondering how the hell Elena came back from the dead.

 

I was surprised that Hank's ex wasn't at the wedding, or Sarah's.  I did read there was a cut scene where Sarah's ex visits and finds out about the wedding.

 

I'm glad this show is over now, there were highs, and many more lows but I enjoyed the frustrating-ness of it in the end.  We must always remember though as the finale pointed out, this show was all about Max.  The closing shot as he was the last one bringing up the rear as they walked off the field reminds us of that people...never forget.

[Ohgeez]

Yes - my first thought was "That's who George ends up with"

I got the impression that the fourth baby was theirs. Also, Sarah didn't have another kid, I think that was Amber's second.

Of course no Hattie look into the future.

Thanks for the laugh @ George Tucker

Edited January 30, 2015 by Ohgeez

[jb0495]

I want an extended finale to be released on the season DVD with all the cut/deleted scenes.

[Clanstarling]

I can't believe I didn't recognize Scott Porter! Sweet, Coach Taylor's first QB1 and last QB1 in the same shot.

 

I thought it was a satisfying series finale, and enjoyed it. I didn't really expect or desire any twists and turns. Victor's half-sister was a sweet twist, and how could anyone not adopted the sibling of the son they love?

 

I think Zeke's death would have had more emotional impact if we didn't actually know it was coming - for that matter, anxiously looking at the clock thinking "Is he gonna die now? How about now?"

 

I've no problem with all the babies. These are people with large families - who tend to create large families of their own. I liked Sarah moving into her mother's role - being the matriarch whose children and grandchildren gathered for meals - so her new babies would be grandchildren.

 

I noticed Dax Shepard had been crying previous to his scene with Peter about his plan for the Luncheonette. His nose was red, and his eyes watery. I thought it was sweet. It must have been very emotional for all of them.

 

Also, had to laugh that Crosby came up with a viable business idea that Adam hadn't even considered.

Edited January 30, 2015 by clanstarling

[Blergh]

Everyone's covered the big points well so I'll bring up one minor quibble. Why no mention [much less depiction] of Blanche and her reaction to becoming a great-great-grandmother with Zeek Holt's birth or of her son Zeek Braverman's death? Nothing about her past Crosby saying she was still going 'at 93 or something' after Zeek's heart attack a few eps back.

    As tough as Zeek's death would have had to have been for his wife, kids and grands, why was there no thought given to pondering how a 90-something retiree would have had to cope with losing her 72-year-old son even if she had just become a double-great grandma?

   Just a quibble.

[izabella]

I've had plenty of snark for this show, but I will miss it.  It was one of the few family dramas on tv these days.  Back to the murders, spies and vampires now!

[gsnrocks92]

Hey so this is the first time posting for me (yeah kind of late I know), but I have been reading this forum and TWOP for several years now. I started watching this show in early 2013 when I turned on a random season 4 episode (the one with Drew's girlfriend getting an abortion) and got addicted to the show. Even if the last 2 seasons weren't at the level of seasons 1-4, I will still miss this ridiculous show, if only because there aren't really any good family dramas on TV now.

 

I'm going to assume that all of the non-Bravermans at the wedding were people from the Berkeley phone book that were called who could make it to a wedding on a week's notice. I think that would have been a good opportunity for all of the recurring characters on the past six seasons of the show to come back, even if it's just in the background. Yes it's a trope but I love when shows do that. At the very least, even though it was a long-shot I would have liked to see Michael B. Jordan come back, he was my favorite recurring character on the show.

 

I don't feel optimistic about Joel and Julia's marriage surviving. They still have a lot of issues to work through and two more children is not going to help matters. But I still wish them the best with their lives (yes I realize these are fictional people). They were the island of sanity on the show until their character changes in season 5.

 

Even though I don't buy the Luncheonette being magically successful again, I like how Crosby was basically the only character to change positively throughout the course of the show. Everyone else either stayed the same or got worse, while he actually made the effort to improve himself as a person, by going from a deadbeat who sleeps around to a devoted father and business owner.

 

I'm also going to pretend that Haddie not being in the montage was a meta-joke by the producers. They were fully aware of all the people asking where Haddie was since she left the show, so they just decided to mess with us and not give her story any sort of resolution.

 

Lastly, when Kristina said she was going to open 100 Snowflake Academies, I had to pause the TV while I laughed for a solid minute. That was the absolute pinnacle of ridiculousness of the many ridculous Braverman fantasy moments on this show. To go from that right to Zeek dying was a very jarring transition and it lessened the emotional impact of the final 5 minutes. I'm going to believe that it was hearing the news from Adam and Kristina of opening 100 Snowflake Academies that caused Zeek to finally kick the bucket.

 

Still this show helped me get through some difficult years in my life, so I will miss it. I don't watch much scripted network television, but I'm glad I discovered this.

Edited January 30, 2015 by gsnrocks92

[3 is enough]

Not perfect, but I liked it.  Wish it could have been a little longer to tie up a few more loose ends ( Haddie, how Amber met her husband, Zeek's mother) but you can't have everything I guess.  

 

Can someone please provide a link to the article where Katims talked about the babies and Amber meeting her new guy?  I read the links upthread, but those things aren't addressed there.  Thanks!

[panthergirl13]

And another thing... they could have made Zeek look a BIT more frail during the wedding scenes. Instead, he looked incredibly healthy (more than ever, actually) which is why it just looked like a bunch of actors enjoying themselves.

 

That's fine, but it didn't move me emotionally at all and the final montage, which could have been moving, was so rushed and crammed with stuff that instead of weeping I was saying "Huh? What? Huh? Jason Street? Who is that kid?, and why do they think pregnant women hold their bellies at all times?" and other non-weepish things.

 

Finally (I think), when that girl was dancing with Max and said "This is fun" I thought, OK... we're in a freaking snow globe.

[ShadowFacts]

I agree there should have at least been a mention of Zeek's mother.  It wouldn't have taken much.  She didn't have to appear at the ash-scattering/ballgame, and we could assume she was maybe present at an earlier memorial, but just a bit of dialogue would do.  I would have liked 30 seconds or so cut from the overly long baseball game to hear Camille speak of her mother-in-law, talk to Sarah (the admitted favorite of Zeek), something.  People don't compartmentalize their grief so easily and quickly, even if they have known it was coming.  His mother would have been heartbroken, and merited a mention.

[kira28]

 

felt like there were a lot of great moments and not so great moments in the finale.  I couldn't get over the whole Christina gets a job where she can create schools like Chambers Academy for lots of money.  It was ridiculous and while I guess I should have expected something of that sort I would have preferred that Adam get the water company job.  Not everybody gets some crazy dream world fantasy.

 

I also thought Joel and Julia adopting right after getting back together was a horrible idea.  But apparently it worked out great and then they get pregnant.  If they had this plan in mind for the finale why couldn't they have at least gotten back together at the start of the season and had time to heal their marriage.

Very much agree.  While I enjoyed the finale, the wedding scenes were great and I loved Amber with the baby, the whole Christina is being sought out by some big non profit group to assist them in creating more snowflake academies is just way too far fetched for me. Absolutely ridiculous. Why did she never bring this up when Adam first told her the Luncheonete was struggling? And joel and Julia didn't even consider the effect a newborn might have on their existing two kids. I mean Sidney had enough problems accepting Victor so lets throw in a baby that is going to demand all of her parents' time. Just not realistic at all. Most couples who split up and then get back together who immediately have a "band aid" baby to try to fix the marriage end up divorced with a kid.  I did get choked up every time they showed Zeek though.

[camom]

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall ever seeing Max smile until this episode.

 

Or make eye contact with everyone.  He is portrayed as incredibly rude (with no correction) at home and at the wedding.  The way he talks to people!  And then, suddenly, at his graduation he is all smiles and making eye contact.  That snowflake academy is one miraculous place.  

 

People are upset that we didn't get a peek into Haddie's future, but I don't remember seeing a future Drew either.  Maybe he was at the dinner at Sarah and Hank's, but that doesn't really tell us anything about him.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I was really hoping to see Max end up in jail, but I know that's just asking too much. At least Joel and Julia had a satisfying ending.

He does seem to have a bright future hooking up with cousins (who else were those random girls at the wedding supposed to be?) It is such a Braverman thing to do to have a rush wedding and not compromise at all on the guest list, all sorts of relatives must be invited. For anyone else, it would be a disaster, but they play by different rules.

 

I thought the flash-forward montage was really well done and sentimental and sweet. Also kind of Six Feet Under-ish, which made sense for SFU, being a show about death and how we all die, but here? Then someone mentioned upthread that the movie ended with lots of babies, so that makes a little sense.

Yes, the movie also had a brief flash forward with extra babies. That worked there and here, well enough.

 

I was fine with most of it. Of course, I'm not convinced that Hank and Sarah are a happy couple, that the Luncheonette will survive, that Snowflake Academy is (or should be) successful, etc. but that's largely the fault of the rest of this season, not this episode.

 

I'm guessing the wedding was shot first or last, and that's why Haddie was only there (they had her for one day only). I hope there are no hard feelings anywhere such that she was purposefully excluded from the softball game scenes, which really did have a "wrap party" vibe. 

Edited January 30, 2015 by Latverian Diplomat

[Whimsy]

Despite my love/hate relationship with this show I did enjoy the ending montage.  I just have one nitpick that I haven't seen anyone else cover- why does Camille spread pictures haphazardly over the whole entire table every time she looks at pictures??  Also, those were NOT the shots taken by Max. 

 

I think that you didn't do your job as writer/creater/whatever if you have to explain certain things from the episode in an article after it's aired.  The fact that no one could figure out who that other baby was with Amber (some thought Amber's, some thought Sarah's), as well as a couple of other things, that's a fail. 

 

I understand that each family had their own little montage moment, but I also LOL'd when Crosby's ENTIRE family was at the recording studio.  I would not want to record there!  I wish they had figured out another way to cover that side of the family. 

 

I too would like to see the cut scenes, even if some of them don't really seem to make sense.  The one of Sarah's ex (Mr. Cyr?) learning about the wedding mentioned above is one.  I feel like they got closure.  I don't know why an additional scene with them was needed.

[truebluesmoky]

I agree that adding a baby to their family will be stressful on Julia and Joel's marriage, but Joel really said it all... she was essentially their family's daughter as soon as she was born and her bio mom decided not to keep her. How could you deny your adopted son the chance to grow up with his biological sister? It gives both Victor and the new baby girl a chance to both be part of a wonderful adoptive family and also still share biological ties to a sibling within that family.

 

Also...

 

Kristina becomes some sort of Snowflake Tycoon

 

Shermie, you win for what I'm declaring the best thing in the history of TV message boards.

Edited January 30, 2015 by truebluesmoky

[doodlebug]

Amazing how Kristina had been getting job offers and never mentioned it to Adam.

 

 

Not only that, she's been getting lucrative job offers for 'months and months' despite the fact that she has absolutely no training or experience in education and the Snowflake Academy has only been open since September, not even 5 months.  In real life, I doubt anyone would be hiring her for a consulting job when she hasn't even run a school for an entire academic year, let alone graduated a class or collected enough academic data to show that the kids are succeeding.  I guess she was sprinkled with the magical Braverman career pixie dust that Sarah has been benefiting from.

 

In real life, she runs a school without any qualifications herself with a faculty that seems to consist mainly of family and friends who are also not qualified and the main 'accomplishment' we've seen is that Kristina was able to praise her very own specialest snowflake of them all after he sexually harrassed one student and assaulted another.

Edited January 30, 2015 by doodlebug

[wrestlesflamingos]

Despite my love/hate relationship with this show I did enjoy the ending montage.  I just have one nitpick that I haven't seen anyone else cover- why does Camille spread pictures haphazardly over the whole entire table every time she looks at pictures??  Also, those were NOT the shots taken by Max. 

 

 

They are setting up a prequel about Camille and her fortune telling career before meeting Zeke.

[halfpint ingals]

I'm guessing the wedding was shot first or last, and that's why Haddie was only there (they had her for one day only). I hope there are no hard feelings anywhere such that she was purposefully excluded from the softball game scenes, which really did have a "wrap party" vibe.

Actually, not to correct you, but Haddie was at the softball game. She had her head on Max's shoulder in the first group shot, and was playing third base and chasing a foul ball in a game shot.

With how rude Max is , even to his mom in the finale, when Haddie called him a drama queen, I excpected him to sy "No, I am a boy. It is impossible for a boy to be a queen. Only women can be queens."

I enjoyed the finale and montage a lot, and being a huge FNL fan, loved how both shows ended with montages. And it was great seeing Jason Street. I would get a DVD if it had deleted scenes from the finale.

Edited for spelling.

Edited January 30, 2015 by halfpint ingals

[BonnieD]

What show will we have to hate watch now? What family drama to indulge in? Well, I guess anything on ABC Family plus Empire.

I'll miss those stupid annoying Bravermans. And yes, I did get teared up in parts. The damn music does it.

 

Do these people have no friends outside the family? I kept wondering why Crosby couldn't approach some other friend or business acquaintance to be his partner and shoulder half the burden. I don't see him managing it all on his own. Except I suppose he has Amber now. But who's fronting the money? As always, all of them seem to have a limitless supply of cash when it's needed to forward the plot. The takeaway message seems to be "you can do anything your heart desires. Money be damned"

 

I really wish Adam had had to take a normal boring job at the water company like normal boring people do, and that Kristina's snowflake academy would've folded like a house of cards. Let's see just a few failures in their lives.

 

Loved seeing the FNL guys in the end montage. That was great.

 

Someone mentioned not noticing Jasmine's pregnancy in the montage. Yes, they specifically had her stroke her stomach to draw attention to it like they always do in TV shows. "See me? I'm 'with child'."

 

Well, I'll miss the show and the family huge flaws and all.

[CMH1981]

The cut scene was w/Sarah's ex-husband, played by John Corbett....not Mark Cyr, we already wrapped up his storyline where he is married w/a baby on the way but still pining for Sarah obviously.

[tinderbox]

I was ok with the finale, in general. I had to watch the last couple of minutes several times to figure it all out. The actor who played Amber's husband/boyfriend was unknown to me so I'm not as excited as some of you seem to be.

For me, the biggest blunder was the entire Kristina/Adam find success aspect. Way too unbelievable, for me.

I think the actress who plays Crosby's wife is actually pregnant in real life. Thus, it was written into the story.

Happy they brought Hattie back even if her future story wasn't included in the flash forward portion of the show.

I was one of the fans who didn't like Ray Romano's character and kicked and screamed about him for the last couple of seasons. (I LOVED Sarah with Mark) That said, I actually enjoyed him during the finale. Can't believe I'm saying it!

Question I've had for years but always felt it was too late to ask... DOES THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS MAX SUFFER FROM AUTISM IN REAL LIFE? Thanks.

Edited January 30, 2015 by tinderbox

[mandolin]

Question I've had for years but always felt it was too late to ask... DOES THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS MAX SUFFER FROM AUTISM IN REAL LIFE? Thanks.

I just caught up with this show by binge watching on Netflix, and I wondered the same thing a few days ago. Anyway, he does not. I think he worked with therapists to figure out how to "act" Max.

[BBDi]

I was one of the fans who didn't like Ray Romano's character and kicked and screamed about him for the last couple of seasons. (I LOVED Sarah with Mark) That said, I actually enjoyed him during the finale. Can't believe I'm saying it!

 

 

I think Ray Romano has been doing a great job in this role, and Lauren Graham has really shown her acting chops, too. Over the course of the last 2-3 episodes, he showed himself to be a good guy, and you could see his diamond-in-the-roughness. That said, the show never sold their relationship, particularly on Sarah's end, and yes, there's the zero chemistry issue. I find myself wondering if RR and LG hate each other in real liife, or something. It's kind of a big gaping hole for me, and made it harder to appreciate the wedding that was such a central event in the finale.

[arty]

I was kind of underwhlemed by the finale...no crying but I did break out into a big smile (and maybe even tear up) at a few of the scenes so I guess I liked the way the series ended. It seemed like an ep that was dialogue-lite and musical montage-heavy. For a family that loves to talk, and do so all at once, it was odd that there were so few lines to be said. Oh well.

 

Max, Haddie, and Nora...overall, I liked the Max and Haddie moment; I hated that she apologized to him because I think she was very much in the right to feel as she did. Nora is probably thrilled when Haddie visits; it's the only time she gets someone's undivided attention, I imagine. (It's fitting that the sisters' final shot on the show is of Haddie walking off the field with Nora in her arms.)

 

What I loved was that Haddie told Max that as his sister, she deserved his attention and for him to look at her. IIRC there have been other moments over the series where these two just clicked and that Haddie has been a loving sister to him. So, it was quite moving when Max stopped tinkering with the camera, turned to her and briefly looked at her as she began to speak. And even agreed to take the "selfie" that he so loathes with her. 

 

So Sarah and Crosby are the favored children of their parents -- explains so much about all four children and the trajectories that their lives took.

 

Joel, Julia and their four children...who have a large age gap between the older set and the younger set -- an awful lot like the Original Six Bravermans. I'm glad that they are a happy unit once again. They're my favorite branch of the family.

 

It was cute that Joel and Victor had matching glasses in the future. Confession time: I enjoy Sydney, sassy entitled brat that she often is. She strikes me as exactly the kind of child that Joel and Julia would have produced, both physically speaking and in her personality. She's her mother's daughter; someone in that household has to stand up to steamroller Julia on occasion, I say! I also think that the actress does a great job with the character. Or maybe I just like Sydney because she unabashedly adores Joel, as I do.

 

The Holts...everything about the wedding was lovely and I totally bought Sarah's happiness. The venue was gorgeous, and I'll ignore the logistics and expense of booking such a place at all, let alone last minute. And somehow all of these Braverman relatives (I'm guessing it's Camille's side of the family) that we've never seen are willing and able to drop everything to attend their cousin's second wedding on a week's notice. Same goes for the people at Ruby's table, most of whom I imagine were her friends and/or Rizzoli cousins.

 

Drew did well last night; though I loathe that scraggly thing he had growing above his upper lip. Yikes. Shave it off, Drew. What a beautiful and appropriate toast he gave. He's come so far from the shy, monosyllabic boy from the start of the show. Also, I'm glad that his future does not include Natalie. And I'm glad that Amber's future includes both Ryan and a new guy (yay Jason Street!) My fear for her was that she would re-create her mother's life. I'm so glad that instead she is raising her child in a safe and stable environment, co-parenting with a man who has gotten his act together, and happily involved with a fellow single parent who appears to get along with her family. I guess that main difference between her and her mother is that she let her family get involved her in life at a much earlier time. Imagine what course her life would have taken if she had dismissed Drew's advice and stayed with Ryan in Wyoming. If he does nothing else for her in his life, Amber will still owe Drew for insisting that she leave Ryan to his own recovery.

 

I hope we get to see the cut scene between Sarah and Seth. I've always enjoyed them together; I think that both actors did an incredible job in conveying decades' worth of history, love, heartache, regret in a few interactions, words, glances. I would have liked to see them interact as grandparents. And god does Lauren Graham have an expressive face. (The last few scenes between her and Zeek this season were beautiful; she brought so much to them with just her eyes.)

 

Zeek and Camille...lat night I wasn't crazy about how the show conveyed Zeek's passing, but now that I've had some time to think about it, I like that it was done so quietly. We'd seen the Bravermans grieve for him all season in a way, and I am convinced that his brash, outspoken, arrogant, selfish, family-oriented, Bravermans are the best, dream big attitude will live on in his children. I'm glad that Camille will get to see the world and paint to her heart's content now. And how perfectly in character for her to open up her home to Amber and baby Zeek even though she was ready to move on from that part of her life. 

 

Crosby...well, I liked his hair at the wedding. As for the rest of his life and storyline, he bores me.

 

ETA -- I will miss the Bravermans. And I will miss discussing them with all of you hilarious, insightful posters!

Edited January 30, 2015 by arty

[DrSparkles]

Thank you jesus, no more Max!!! Or Hank!!! Or Crosby!!! Peter Krause, I will miss you most of all.

[MrWhyt]

He does seem to have a bright future hooking up with cousins (who else were those random girls at the wedding supposed to be?)

 

That was Hank's daughter Ruby and her friend

[Latverian Diplomat]

That was Hank's daughter Ruby and her friend

Thanks, I didn't recognize Ruby.

[Nire]

People are upset that we didn't get a peek into Haddie's future, but I don't remember seeing a future Drew either.  Maybe he was at the dinner at Sarah and Hank's, but that doesn't really tell us anything about him.

Drew was at the table sitting next to Ruby.  While he didn't get much of a future at least he was included in his mother's future.  Although I would have loved futures for all the grandkids that would have eaten up too much time so only Amber and Max really had something happen to them in the future.  I would have loved something about Victor working with cars or something just like he learned with Zeke.  But there was no reason in my opinion that Haddie and Nora couldn't have been in the shot with the rest of the Bravermans at Max's graduation. 

[BC Mama]

As lovely as the family spreading Zeek's ashes may be, it seemed a little cold that no one cried. Even Waterworks Amber was dry eyed!

And, I am with those that would have liked to see a little more Haddie in the end. Maybe walking hand in hand with Tyra Collette through the streets of San Franciso?

[izabella]

Can you really spread ashes on a ball field where children play?  Isn't that some kind of health hazard in addition to being squicky?

[Inquisitionist]

From here:

 

Do Ashes Pose Any Health Hazards?

Cremation remains are not toxic and do not present any health hazard. In fact, human ashes are considered as a sanitary natural substance. You can dispose them off by burying the ashes, scattering them on ground (or from the air), or floating them in water.

 

[DarkRaichu]

Interesting how every Braverman child was shown as family unit in the future, except for Adam.  His future was tied to only Max and the whole clan, but NOT to his daughters.  Either Haddie saved Nora and the dog from the Bravermans or Max made sure those 3 never saw the light of the day again.
 
That scene with Max interrupted an important phone call without getting any kind of discipline bugged the heck out of me (pun intended).

 

The rest of the episode was a fitting goodbye for this show.

 

 

ETA: I am going to miss getting irritated by this show

Edited January 30, 2015 by DarkRaichu

[candall]

Well, no one has ever come close to the Six Feet Under finale, but a flash forward montage is a lovely way to end a series and reward the faithful viewers.

 

I was thrilled to see Camille traipsing around Europe with her practical carryon and painting portfolio.  Happy for J/J and Sarah, laughed at the retcon that Crosby's half of the insurance money could salvage The Luncheonette if he only had the confidence.  The best part of the Adam resolution came from this forum:  last week, someone said Adam didn't know what his passion was because Kristina hadn't told him yet.  And then she did!  LOL

 

They definitely could have cut time from the wrap party/ballgame to toss Haddie and Drew an honorable mention cookie.  Ridiculous to eliminate Haddie all together, but Drew didn't fare much better. "In the future, Drew gets invited to dinner at his mother's AND his cousin's graduation!  Whoo-hoo." 

    

Why short shrift those two when they did such a good job showing the richness of Amber's life in just a few seconds?  And of course Max got plenty of screen time as he miraculously transitioned to a happy, hugging, eye-contacting grad with a bright future as a photographer.  "After giving his baby sister a warm embrace, only Max remembers to grab the sports equipment as he hastens to join the others.  The End."

[camom]

 

Can you really spread ashes on a ball field where children play?  Isn't that some kind of health hazard in addition to being squicky?

 

While it's not dangerous, you generally need permission, at least on private property.  This was not private property so I don't know.  A lot of places ban the practice, but it still doesn't stop people from sneakily spreading their loved one's ashes.  Disneyland has a real problem with this, as do sporting venues.

[Portia]

I was incredibly surprised how much I loved this finale. There were only a few things I hated. There was way too much Max, and I lost it when he interrupted Adam's important call. I was really pissed that the water job wasn't good enough, and that special Adam got to follow his special dream. I screamed at the screen during Kristina's revelation about her Snowflake grant that materialized out of thin air--I spent 20 years working for non-profits, and for some reason funding was never that easy for us. Also, when Zeek told Sarah that she was his favorite, I honestly was naive enough to think that we'd get scenes of him pulling aside his other three kids and telling them the same thing. My dad did that as a running joke with me and my sibs, and . . . oh wait, that's right, my dad was a good person.

 

I was amused but not infuriated by Ruby and Sydney's magical transformations into happy, friendly, tolerable human beings; Max being able to handle the wedding photography (without an assistant!) with aplomb; and the improbably beautiful one-week wedding.

 

I loved Drew's speech; Hank's blue suit; the lingering shot of Camille discovering Zeek and just sitting there beside him, letting it sink in; Amber having Ryan in her life but not as her partner; Joel's saying that the baby was theirs already (sob!). I also loved the happy baseball game and thought it was absolutely appropriate. In my family, most of the crying is done by end of the funeral, and the big family get-together afterward involves a lot of loud talk, laughter, children running around the church basement in stocking feet, and (usually) grown-ass adults forming a human pyramid because that's what we do at family reunions. It might be different if we were burying a young person (thankfully that hasn't happened in my family for a long time), but when it's a senior citizen who has passed on, we believe in celebrating the person's long life.

 

I really was stunned at how much I enjoyed this finale. What do you know.

[doodlebug]

. 

I guess Frances Sternhagen was unavailable for her son's memorial and her granddaughter's wedding. Or has she died

She is still alive at age 85 and working as an actress as of 2014.  Maybe she had other commitments.  Maybe Grandma didn't go to the wedding because she was off trekking in Katmandu and couldn't get back on short notice.

[Inquisitionist]

Disneyland has a real problem with this

 

Tom Sawyer Island, according to Mad Men.  ;-)