Parenthood has been famously emotional this season, and last night’s episode was no exception. It was one of the few episodes (if not the only?) this year that didn’t really mention Kristina’s cancer, yet it still managed to make me cry by the time it was all over. There are only two episodes left, and I’m really going to miss this show when it’s finished.

While Drew is often one of the more peripheral characters on this show, he has had some beautiful moments over the years – particularly with the Seth storyline. I’ve always liked that he’s been a bit in the background. He’s a shy, quiet, sensitive kid and it made sense that he wouldn’t be at the center of drama, but instead up in his room reading a book.

I love how well the pregnancy storyline was handled. I really appreciate Jason Katims’ commitment to realistically depicting teen pregnancy and abortion on TV, because it’s still not a subject you see covered very often. His storyline with Becky and Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights was very good, and in a way I think this one was even better.

We don’t often see teen pregnancy from the male’s perspective in pop culture, and when we do it’s almost always negative. It was refreshing to see this fictionalization, with a young man who is sweet and kind and wants to do the right thing for his girlfriend. Instead of the villain, Drew is a kid who’s been raised by a liberal families with values to respect women’s rights. When Amy told him she was pregnant, he tried to support her and help her make the decision, but also to be there for her no matter what she chose. Drew wanted to keep the baby, but Amy wasn’t willing to consider that and he respected her choice and helped her through the abortion.

I liked what the writers did with Amy, too. She was scared, and traumatized and completely shut down. She barely accepted Drew’s support, and really only acknowledged the tangible support like money and rides to the clinic. She wasn’t able to accept his emotional support, and my heart broke for Drew when she quickly let go of his hand at the Planned Parenthood waiting room. Everyone is different, and Amy was dealing with the crisis by withdrawing and pushing Drew away.

There were a few truly excellent scenes that came out of this storyline. I liked how it brought Mark and Sarah back together, even though I’m not completely on board with this love triangle. I appreciate how Sarah will understand the validity of Mark’s concern now that she knows the truth. The scene when Drew went to Amber for help was very sweet, and a reminder of the immense chemistry the two actors have as siblings. And the final scene really got me. After going through with the abortion, and essentially handling the situation in as a responsible way as possible, Drew broke down and went to his mom in tears. The fact that he couldn’t even speak, but only sob, really struck a chord with me. It was the best way to end the episode.

There was another fantastic storyline this week, and it tied into Drew’s situation in a really beautiful way. Max is hitting puberty, which means uncomfortable conversations about body changes, personal hygiene and sexual feelings for Adam and Kristina. It was handled with humor that added some levity to the episode, but it also had a melancholy side. Max wasn’t ready to talk about girls, and how he might start to feel about them, and how Asperger’s might influence that. The hygiene stuff he understood, because it’s science. But the other stuff, he wasn’t ready for it. It was an interesting mirror to Drew’s storyline.

I fear that the writers are making a mistake with Julia and Joel’s storyline, when it was already on shaky ground from the beginning. I think Victor’s addition to the family has resulted in some well-crafted dramatic moments for the family, but it’s veering too hard in one direction. Julia is questioning the decision to adopt because of Victor’s difficult behavior at home – he called the cops on them with a false claim of abuse this week – but Joel is still committed to raising Victor as their son. Joel is already the perfect human man, and his patience here is elevating him to sainthood. Julia has always been the more prickly character, and the way she’s so quickly given up hope both vilifies her and rings false. Julia must know that the way she’s treating Victor is contributing to his behavior. She must know that it’s normal for him to feel like she’s not his real mother and to act out. She must know that this troubled behavior could go on for years. She must know that they have to have an honest conversation with Sydney about her new brother’s difficult past, why he acts the way he does, and what they can do to help. I believe Julia would know all that, which is why I think her concern over whether to adopt should seem more conflicted. She has abandoned Victor too quickly, and I hope the writers can do something before the season ends to rectify that impression.

The fourth storyline this week was pretty minor, but did the trick in elevating the tension that comes with Crosby’s mother-in-law moving in. It was basic stuff at first – too many people in need of the bathroom, opinions on what to have for dinner and when, etc. And then Renee turned down a job offer, because of the benefits and vacation time. To Crosby, Renee should take a decent job that’s offered to her so that she can begin supporting herself again. But Renee had a job she loved for thirty years, and the decision is not as easy. I’m on Crosby’s side here, but I thought the writers did a nice job of showing the heartbreak of losing a good job and the pride that prevents someone from taking something that’s beneath them. Parenthood so often excels at showing both sides of a situation, and they did that here.

I have a feeling that some viewers may consider this episode a weak link in the season, because so much of Monica Potter’s work this year has been amazing. But while the cancer storyline has been tremendously written and acted, I do still love some of the other aspects to Parenthood. I think Drew and Amy’s story here was brave, honest and extremely well done.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Couchtime/~3/NmXMLfjPTzI/