Parenthood Season 4--SPOILERS included

I'm just sharing my random thoughts per episode for these blog posts. Hope this will allow anyone who has already seen the series to enjoy it vicariously. I contribute my thoughts after watching each episode, so it's basically like you're watching it with me. This post took about a month to write, as a result.

I watched season 4 on Netflix, due to some changes on Amazon. The only difference was the theme song. I definitely like Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" better as a theme song though. It captures the mood of the series. The other one sounds like it was just tossed in there so they had some song with the intro. Just do what some other series do and show the last image when they're all around the table and then list all the actors in the first scene after the opening credits. They don't even change around the pictures from year to year and the only difference is changing out one of the actors with another.

For information on episodes, here's a guide.

Spoilers ahead, but this won't make sense unless you've watched the whole season anyway.


Ep 1:
Why is Sarah Ramos (Haddie) only listed as a guest now? Won't we get to join her on her college adventures? Isn't she still a part of the show? I guess time will tell...
It's kind of funny to hear how much Max's voice has changed over time. He's definitely becoming a pre-teen.
Speaking of adolescents, I wonder what the story is with Amy. She seemed weird around Drew. I wonder if my prediction about her becoming pregnant was correct.
It was kind of ballsy of Mark to confront Camille about the family picture. Some of the others in the family seemed annoyed that he got to be in it without being married to Sarah first. I can understand his frustration about it, but a rule is a rule and if he's meant to stick around with Sarah, he'll be in it when he's officially in the family.
The whole issue with talking to kids about religion was interesting. I agree with Crosby and Jasmine that it's the parents' job to have this conversation. If grandparents or other relatives agree with the parents' explanation or not, it's not their place to get involved. It made me wonder how much we truly talk to our kids about spirituality and prayer vs. holidays, rules, etc.
I can see where Julia is coming from with not feeling connected to Victor yet. It is a weird situation though. She was clearly expecting a baby and she ends up with a kid around Sydney's age who has already been raised with a different set of rules and morals. I'm surprised she hasn't given Max the lizard back yet.
I agree with Amber that Adam should have stayed out of things and not tried to act like her protector. When did she get the job at the Luncheonette anyway?
I love the whole new job situation with Sarah. I hope she learns the tricks of the trade soon so that the next photo shoot isn't so awkward.

Ep 2:
The whole situation surrounding Adam and Kristina getting a dog seemed so chaotic once Max was involved. $1200 for a dog? Really? The breeders of the expensive dogs seemed intimidating too. The puppy at the end of the episode was cute. Glad that situation has been resolved.
Too funny about "Funkytown." Way too much information though. :)
I'm glad Jasmine finally convinced Crosby to get onto a schedule. I had a feeling something would happen like leaving Max behind.
It was nice to see Julia soften up toward Victor a bit. I still think it's going to be an awkward situation for a while. I still love how great she and Joel are together though.
I agree with Hank about Sarah needing to give Drew some space. It was nice that he gave Drew some advice though. I guess I was wrong about Amy being pregnant. Oh well. Probably better that she isn't now.
I was dreading this news for Kristina ever since I saw the episode being described as her receiving "life-altering news." Is it sad that I'm worried for her as if she were someone in my family?

Ep 3:
I love how Adam is such a strong advocate for Kristina, but I'm glad she told him how she's feeling about everything and that she's taking control of the situation too. It's nice that Kristina knows why the one doctor was taking calls during her appointment, but I still think there could be a better system in place. Even if she is getting attention from him in that way sometime down the road, someone else will feel the same way Adam did about this.
I got teary-eyed the most when Adam told Amber about Kristina being sick.
I was amused when Zeke got arrested because he was totally out of line with not listening to the police officer. I'm glad Crosby told his siblings what is going on with Zeke's heart situation.
I was hoping Amber would convince Max to give up on the vending machine issue, but I give him kudos for running for student council president.
Sarah seems a bit too concerned with her boss' attitude. I'm glad he caved and photographed the wedding though.

Ep 4:
I'm glad Sarah helped Hank bond with his daughter. It's sad that she had to lie  to impress her friends though.
I love how Joel gave Victor an ultimatum between choosing a sport or having to play an instrument. I'm glad he later reached an understanding with Victor and I loved watching them play catch.
I liked the connection and understanding Zeke had with the younger soldier. I'm glad Zeke is feeling more of a purpose for himself by volunteering.
I am torn in regards to Max running for student council president now. It was sad to hear about the mean names people wrote on his petition. And also his teacher calling him "a kid like Max." So I can see why Kristina would want him to fight for it. However, if this ends badly, Max really could regress. He has feelings, after all.
I am glad that Adam convinced Kristina to put her health first.
I like how Jasmine handled things with Jabbar after he heard the N word. Her teaching him about their ancestry reminds me of how I talk to my kids about our own ancestry, religion-wise, and all the oppression we've dealt with over time. I feel bad ruining their innocence, but they have to know about this kind of stuff.

Ep 5:
I think the most heartbreaking moments of this episode were Kristina having to tell Haddie what's going on and then later when she tells all the adults in the family after Haddie shows up at the restaurant.
I'm glad Zeke got Ryan out of the house and I'm sure something is going to happen between Ryan and Amber now. They would be cute together though.
I felt bad for Julia being put through the wringer by both Sydney and her job. I don't blame her for having a nervous breakdown or for quitting. I hope she finds a better job for herself with more reasonable, family-friendly hours.
I love how Zeke was talking to the coach about putting Victor into the game and then Camille yells "just put him in the game!!!" It was cool that Victor got a home run, but kind of hard to believe.
The kiss Hank gave Sarah was so awkward. He's her boss! I'm glad she addressed it with him and I like that he was honest with her. I feel like she's trying to fake her relationship with Mark now, as a result.
I wonder if Crosby will lay off Adam about getting a higher salary now that he knows what's going on with Kristina.

Ep 6:
I had a feeling Crosby would mess up on his tasks somehow. I'm glad everyone wasn't too hard on him this time around.
I like the whole courtship aspect with Ryan and Amber. He's such a gentleman!
I wonder if Sarah is going to start second-guessing moving in with Mark too soon.
That's worrisome for Kristina about the cancer not being completely gone. It's sad that she's lying to Haddie just so that Haddie will go back to school. What will happen when she finds out the truth.
I loved that Max told everyone he has Asperger's. And that he won the election. I hope people will respect him more from now on. I just really liked that he owned his Asperger's and treated it like an advantage.
The girl who spoke before Max looks like an older version of Sydney. After looking up the actress on IMDB, I believe she's Sydney's sister in real life.

Ep 7:
I felt bad for Kristina with her own mother backing out of visiting her and Camille trying to take over everything in the house. It was so awkward when her friends visited too. I liked the interaction between Kristina and Camille toward the end of the episode though. It was nice how she gave her the sweater and talked about loving her like a daughter.
It was awkward when Drew went to Amy's house and her new boyfriend was there. What is going to happen with the new guy now that she is starting to have feelings for Drew again?
It was funny how Ryan told Amber he wanted to take things slow and then they're sleeping together. I wonder why he didn't tell Zeke about dating her.
It was nice to see Victor happy with his friend. I wonder if Kristina will stick with learning Spanish to connect with him more.
Adam really does need time for himself to regenerate. He has a lot on his plate right now. I'm glad Crosby noticed this and tried to help in that way.

Ep 8:
Sydney was being bratty, but I also could see why she was so upset. I'm glad Joel got Julia to come around to Sydney's way of thinking.
It was hard to see Kristina so sick. I felt as helpless as Adam. I'm glad the pot helped her though. Max was being really annoying and rude to his friend though.
It was so awkward how Mark found Drew having sex with Amy. I'm glad he told Sarah about it though, even though that opens a Pandora's box. I must reiterate that I want my kids to stay little forever.
I feel bad for Ryan. It seems like he has a lot on his mind and needs more time to process what went on in Afghanistan. It was sad how he felt he was responsible for that one man's death after changing over his fields to wheat. The whole fight with his army buddy was intense. I'm not surprised about the one guy killing himself though. It definitely goes along with PTSD.
Crosby was being annoying about not helping out, but I'm glad he pitched in at the end, Jasmine is pretty forgiving of how he was acting.

Ep 9:
The lady who moved in next to the Luncheonette is so obnoxious. I don't think Crosby should have tried to bribe her though. Julia warned him not to stir the pot. It's interesting about the zoning clause. I hope nothing happens to the Luncheonette. That would be awful. I wonder when Crosby is going to tell Adam about this.
Max was being annoying at the beginning about trying to veto the dance. I'm glad Adam and Kristina got him to come around. While it was nice that he was dancing with Kristina at the end, I worry that Adam is going to use her cancer to guilt him into other things later on.
I agree with Joel about Julia needing to let him work. I'm glad she finally saw things his way. I know how she feels about not liking the stay-at-home life. I am not the stay-at-home type either. I hope she figures out what to do for herself. Maybe part-time work so she can have the best of both worlds.
I don't blame Mark for getting mad at Sarah over wanting to work part of the weekend. I thought he took his anger too far at the end though. However, Sarah is getting way too involved in her boss' personal life.
I can see why Sarah wants Drew on a tight leash, but that's going to come to blows eventually.
I'm glad Amber told Zeke what is going on with Ryan. I hope Zeke can help him or look out for him more.

Ep 10:
I feel bad for Sarah, but I don't blame Mark for wanting to end things. He was hurt and frustrated. And he made some valid points about Sarah sabotaging things when they have the potential to be good.
I felt bad for Hank with his daughter having to move far away from him.
I'm glad Crosby was able to come through for the Luncheonette in the end. Marlise was so nasty, so I'm glad he got one-up over her. I understand why Adam was mad in the beginning of the episode though. Crosby should have told him what was going on earlier.
I also felt bad for Ryan when he messed up at the job site. I wonder if Joel will address the situation with Amber or Zeke.
It was sweet how Julia is trying to help Victor catch up in school. I'm glad she was able to help him see things in a positive way at the end. They should hire a tutor for him though. Or work with his teacher on helping him.
I love how candid Kristina was after she smoked pot right before Julia came over. It was also nice that they were focusing on something other than her having cancer while still giving her a spot in the story line.

Ep 11:
Went a bit too over the top with Christmas stuff.
Sarah moved on from Mark pretty fast. Speaks volumes about their relationship. It's funny that what Camille warned her about with the family portrait came true.
Very worrisome about Kristina, but glad she came through okay. I can't even imagine having to make a video like that for my kids. Weirdly, the only time I cried in this episode was when everyone came to see her at the hospital at the end and Haddie showed up last minute. Are they finally being truthful with her?
I had a feeling Jasmine would want another baby. I hope she has better luck than Julia did.
I am glad Amber is taking some time off from Ryan so he can get his act together. It seemed more like she was a mom than a girlfriend to him after a while.
It was funny in the beginning when Nora was walking around without a diaper and the dog pooped on the carpet. I wonder how Crosby would handle having another kid in his own family, if all goes well.
I'm glad Adam made Zeke feel needed while they were at the hospital.

Ep 12:
I'm glad Crosby came around to having Renee move in for a while. I know he felt put out by it, but their exchange at the end was nice.
Very worrisome about Victor and how he's handling things with not getting to see his birth mom. The part where he broke the glass was upsetting. I also think Sydney was goading him a bit too much.
Kristina was cute in her wig, but I'm glad she feels confident enough to go without one now. I also love how she surprised Adam and how she tricked the younger guy. Adam looked really hot at the hotel. I am surprised Kristina is only 34. Was she a teenager when Haddie was born? Unless she was lying about that age too?
Things are getting pretty interesting between Sarah and Hank. It seems like he genuinely cares about her though,

Ep 13:
I knew Amy was going to get pregnant at some point. I felt bad for Drew in this situation because it seemed like he didn't really have much say in the situation. I wonder if he actually told Sarah what happened or if she just let him cry about it without asking questions. Too bad this didn't happen the previous season so Julia could convince them to have the baby and let her adopt it. Oh well.
Speaking of which, I don't blame Julia for what she said at the end of the episode. I'd have second thoughts about the adoption if I were in her shoes. It's one thing when my own children are being rude but quite another when it's a potential adoptee. Calling the police on Julia was completely unacceptable. I'm glad he got in trouble for that and that the police tried to scare him straight. I don't think it was really fair for Joel to get mad at her about it.
The story line with Max and puberty was great. I love how candid he was about everything. I also agree about having my husband talk to our boys about this stuff and I'll talk to our daughter.
I can see why Crosby is getting annoyed with Renee being too choosy about jobs and making herself too much at home, but I also think she had a valid point at the end about her career and doing what still means something to her after all this time.

Ep 14:
Interesting how Sarah has ended up in this love triangle. I wonder who will fight harder for her. I still think Mark is adorable, but I also think Hank could be good for her.
I love that Kristina fought for Max to get the vending machine back. I just think they wasted a lot of Skittles at the end when it finally arrived. I hope the kids will be open to the healthy options though. The PTA women were like the adult version of "mean girls." So I'm extra glad that Kristina "won" this cause.
I agree with Julia that it wasn't fair of Joel to guilt-trip her into the adoption and I'm glad she had a heart-to-heart with Crosby. I wonder where the sudden turn-around from Victor came in the end. Suddenly he's being all nice and easygoing?
I also agree with Crosby about standing up to Renee about what he and Jasmine are in charge of when it comes to Jabbar's parenting. I'd be annoyed with Renee too. I'm equally annoyed that Jasmine didn't stand up to her and that she is trying to manipulate Crosby to back down. I have a feeling things are going to get ugly between him and Renee.
It was nice to know what's going on with Ryan and I'm glad Amber gave him a little pep talk while also still sticking with the boundaries she set. I'm glad he has support from Zeke too. It was nice that Joel came around in the end.

Ep 15:
Victor really has done a turn-around since episode 13. He's like a completely different kid. It was sweet when he asked Sydney to come to his ceremony. I loved how everyone was at the ceremony talking about what role they'd play in his life.
While Mark is still super cute, I'm glad Sarah chose Hank. It's sad that Hank is moving away, but I had a feeling that would happen. It's interesting that he asked her to move there with him. Now that she's an empty-nester, I wonder if she'll take him up on his invitation.
I'm glad Kristina is cancer-free. I can understand why she was hesitant to go on a vacation, but I'm glad she ended up going in the end. I mean...Hawaii! Come on! I feel bad for her friend and hope she'll come out of this cancer free too.
I'm also glad that Crosby made up with Renee. I know it took a lot of sucking up his pride for him to do that. I'm so happy for him and Jasmine expecting another child. I was thinking they'd have twins, but I'm sure that won't happen. I got teary-eyed when they told Renee though.
I like how things are better now between Amber and Ryan and that he's getting his act together. I hope things stay on a steady path for them.
Very exciting for Drew with getting into Berkley. I didn't know that you could just get a college acceptance in a short online message. I guess that's the new way of doing things?

Overall, great season. Very powerful and emotional with incredible performances from everyone. I can't wait to start season five!

Thoughts on Season One
Thoughts on Season Two
Thoughts on Season Three