It feels like it’s been a long time, doesn’t it? The last new episode of Parenthood was the very excellent Thanksgiving episode back in November. I missed this show! And I’m still bummed that we didn’t get to see how a Braverman Christmas goes down. In any case, the first episode back was another great one that saw a lot of character and plot development. Each Braverman kid had to make some interesting parenting decisions, and the storylines – big and small – were the epitome of what I love about this show.

With Adam’s boss Gordon gone, Sarah declared that she’d made a New Year’s resolution – no more dating, ever. Realistic, right? It was a very Lorelai Gilmore thing to say – not that I’m complaining. I’m one of the few people who think it’s OK for there to be shades of Gilmore in this character. The best part of Sarah’s resolution was that her pledge included doing more “fun” things, like going to museums or hanging out with her sister. Her and Julia’s “girls’ night out” was simultaneously hilarious and pathetic. I really like Julia and Sarah together because they’re such total opposites. 

Beyond the attempt to party and the declaration not to date, though, Sarah had a pretty serious issue to confront. When she found out that a) Zeek had found Drew and some friends drinking his beer in the garage and b) Zeek had actually given Drew a beer on Thanksgiving, she was devastated. Finding out that Zeek had given Drew his first beer without her knowledge or consent meant Sarah had to face a harsh truth – that Amber and Drew’s dad is an addict. 

What’s great about this storyline, and so many of Parenthood‘s storylines, is that there was no right or wrong. Was Zeek wrong to give Drew a beer? He’s the kid’s grandfather and he saw it as a sort of right of passage, something that he’d done with both of his sons and would now do with his grandson. And when he found the kids drinking in the garage he immediately shut it down and had a pretty decent conversation with Drew about it. So no, I don’t really think Zeek did anything wrong…until he told Drew that he was a “chatty Kathy” and shouldn’t have ratted Zeke out to Sarah. That’s not very positive male bonding.

Sarah was upset with Zeek, but he might have acted differently if she’d ever told her parents the truth about her husband. Still, it was heartbreaking to see the look of panic on her face when she found out Drew had been drinking, and the conversation in the car where she told Amber and Drew that they had to be more careful than other kids was just as heartbreaking. She had every right to be concerned and upset. She felt guilty for choosing an addict to be the father of her children, she was right that issues of addiction can be hereditary, and she has every right to be worried about her children. Her question of when to tell them the truth was a hard one to answer.

Similarly, Adam and Kristina had a very tough decision to make after having dinner with Alex. The fact that you could see this coming didn’t make the situation any less captivating. In the Thanksgiving episode, Kristina saw Haddie kissing Alex. So you knew Adam and Kristina would freak out in some capacity, but I was really glad the writers kept Adam and Kristina a little more level-headed and sensitive than they usually are. 

Alex came for dinner and was kind, charming, engaging and honest. The guy did everything right – he charmed that schmuck Steve under the table. He shook Adam’s hand when he met him and called him “Mr. Braverman”. He brought flowers to dinner for Kristina. He easily conversed with Max and didn’t react harshly was Max said a myriad of outrageous (and hilarious and adorable) things, like how Alex is black, and Crosby is about to marry a black woman, and they have a half-black son, and if Haddie and Alex had a kid he would also be half-black and look exactly like Jabbar. 

Alex was also incredibly honest with Haddie’s parents. He talked about his parents and having to eat at the food bank. He told them he was emancipated and had been living as an adult since the age of sixteen. He told them he was working on getting his high school diploma and liked the idea of going to college but would have to work out a lot of things first. He told them he was an alcoholic and had just gotten his six-month chip from AA. 

Instead of being angry or snobbish or immediately overprotective, it seemed like Adam and Kristina were mostly sad after the dinner. They recognized what a great guy Alex is, but also recognized that he was way too adult for their sixteen year old daughter. 

Adam and Kristina were right, and I really felt bad for them – they were dreading telling Haddie and knew she wouldn’t understand. I just wish at some point we’d been told exactly how old Alex is. Yeah, it’s totally normal for parents to dislike the idea of their sixteen year old daughter dating a guy who has his own apartment. And he has some seriously adult issues going on. But what about his actual age? I’m guessing he’s over 18. Is he over 20? Issues aside, Alex is too old for Haddie. Period. They didn’t need to mention his apartment, or his past, or his alcoholism. All they needed to say was “We really like him and he seems like a wonderful guy, but we don’t want you dating anyone over 18.” 

Haddie didn’t take the news well, as one could expect. And then she lied and told Alex her parents loved him. Could you blame her? She obviously cares about him a lot, she doesn’t want to stop seeing him, and furthermore telling him her parents don’t think he’s good enough for her (because no matter what the reasons, that’s how it would feel) would hurt him. This is obviously going to blow up in her face, but in the moment I really empathized with her.

Julia and Joel started out with one of the sillier storylines of the episode, but it ended up being very touching. After a bird hit their glass windows and died, Julia and Joel struggled with how to tell Sydney the truth. First they stalled, telling her that the bird was just asleep. In a coma. It could be days before it woke up. But eventually they had to tell her. 

No matter what your religious beliefs, this is probably a difficult conversation to have with your six year old. But Joel didn’t want to mention heaven – I’m guessing because he doesn’t believe in it, although was that ever said outright? – but Julia balked and told Sydney the bird was in heaven with Joel’s mother. I thought this storyline was beautifully written because it was a simple and realistic way of dealing with a heavy concept. If you don’t believe in heaven, you obviously don’t want to lie to your kid. But seeing Sydney’s face when she was told the bird would die and her devastation at the idea of her parents’ death and her own death was completely heartbreaking. Of course after that you tell the kid everyone will be in heaven and live happily ever after! Telling her anything else would be like telling her that half of all Disney princesses end up getting a divorce. What was really beautiful was seeing Joel tear up during the conversation. Despite not getting a lot of storylines Joel has always been one of my favorite characters and I liked being able to see him as more than Julia’s affable husband.

Crosby probably had the least serious storyline this week, but what I liked was that it set up his character’s story arc for hopefully the rest of the season. Since Crosby found out about Jabbar, it has been relatively smooth sailing. Sure, there was some conflict between him and Jasmine’s family. But he’s marrying Jasmine and hasn’t made any major screw-ups, so I’d say that’s a pretty positive outcome. But now that he’s living with Jasmine and Jabbar he has to step up in the discipline department. He’s no longer the cool dad that takes Jabbar to the zoo and the park and then drops him back home where real life starts again. Now that they’re a family, he has just as much responsibility as Jasmine does to make sure Jabbar cleans his room. I mean, you really had to feel for the guy when Jabbar had a tantrum and called him a meanie – he looked like a puppy who had just been kicked. 

I’d give this episode an A+ for the first episode of 2011. I really like where these storylines are headed. Julia mentioned that she was still trying to get pregnant, so we know that will come up again for her and Joel – is he on board yet? Haddie’s now in the midst of a secret romance, Adam will meet his new boss next week and Crosby still needs to find his footing as a full-time dad. The only storyline that feels quite open is Sarah’s. I feel like her character, as well as Amber and Drew, could go anywhere. 

What did you think of “Damage Control”? Do you think all the Bravermans made the right decisions in the parenting this week? And don’t forget – we have three new episodes of Parenthood left in January on Tuesday nights, and then the show will be back on March 7 on Monday nights. I think this change is for the better – The Good Wife was stiff competition that has been hurting the show’s ratings, and hopefully it will really flourish on Mondays.