Ms. Taco’s Take: Mad Men’s Don and Megan

By now everyone is talking about the Mad Men season 6 premiere, so leave it to me to blog about the premiere of season 5 . Until a couple of weeks ago, I had only managed to watch the first two seasons of Mad Men. When I realized that season 6 was premiering on April 7th, I decided to make a go for catching up before the new season started. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen (though I did sneak and watch the season 6 premiere episode last Sunday), and right now I’ve only made it through the season 5 two-part premiere episode, “A Little Kiss”. Season 4 was an interesting one where we watched Don spiral out of control to the point that he was becoming a shell of his former self, only to watch him propelled forward so that in a matter of episodes, Megan went from being a random girl in the office to being the future Mrs. Draper, a clear attempt by Don regain some semblance of who he is.

If I hadn’t read a while ago that Don would indeed marry someone named ‘Megan’, I would have sworn that he wouldn’t go through with it. But sure enough season 5, picking up in what appears to be several months later, shows Don and Megan as newlyweds in what may be the allusion of a happy marriage. We are quickly shown them living  in a new place with Don’s kids (Kiernan Shipka continuing her great work as ‘Sally’ and yet another throw away actor playing ‘Bobby’) happily visiting for the weekend. But the question, ‘can Don ever truly be happy’, continues to loom in our minds. By the end of part 1 of the episode we learn two things: (1) Don has bared his soul to Megan (“Nobody loves Dick Whitman”) in a way that he never did to 10 plus years wife Betty (until having been caught) and (2) Megan is not quite knowledgeable about what she’s gotten herself into. Don, and all of his major flaws, are a mystery to her and, like most people, she’s fallen in love with the idea of Don Draper. We have known since season 1 that Don Draper is a fabrication of Dick Whitman, a character he’s created and honed over the years, and now Megan is quickly learning that Dick Don is finding it harder and harder to keep up the act.

Season 4 saw Don broken and bruised, and perhaps his quick marriage and revelation to Megan was a way for him to re-focus and regain the control that he so desperately needs. But Megan is the extraneous variable, isn’t she? She’s not Betty 2.0. She’s unpredictable and uninhibited. So, is this the answer that Don’s been searching for or is she just another stop along the way to self-destruction? She pulls Don out of his comfort zone by throwing him a party and doing a sexy rendition of ‘Zou Bisou Bisou’. In true Don fashion, he puts on the act only to shut down later and reveal his immense discomfort. Megan is hurt and confused and starts to wonder, like the rest of us, who is Don Draper? Who is this man who she married? And, if she truly loves him, who does that make her? Considering that the show’s other central characters appear to be going through identity crises, it looks like this will be the season’s central theme.

Getting back to Don and Megan, is he the type of person who can sustain a marriage to someone like her and vice versa? Can Don let go enough to let her in and does he want to? Or does Don prefer to stay on the road he’s been on for years, the road that, let’s be honest hasn’t quite been working? And for Megan, can she be Mrs. Draper and stay true to who she is or is she doomed to become Betty 2.0, cold and hardened due to giving up so much? The experience of women and the way society views them has always been central to this show, so what will Megan’s character and relationship with Don bring to the mix? Obviously, I have a lot of questions, so I’m truly interested in seeing where season 5 is headed. So onward with season 5. Par for the course for Mad Men, it will be an interesting journey.

Ms. Taco’s Take: The Sophomore Slumps of ‘Once Upon A Time’ and ‘Revenge’

When ABC moved Revenge to Sundays this season following Once Upon A Time, I thought the move was a little odd. Aside from the fact that I enjoyed both of them, I saw nothing linking the two to make either a perfect lead in for the other. As I’ve kept up with both this season, I found another link: both have seemed to decline in quality from their season 1 days, and I can’t say that I’m surprised. Even less surprising are the reasons for their declines. For Revenge it has been the lack ability to find a storyline as equally compelling as its season 1 storyline. For Once Upon A Time, it has been adding on additional characters while neglecting the already established ones and not having as clear of a focus as season 1.

When Revenge came on the scene in September 2011, I had no intentions of watching it. I saw the preview and thought, “meh”. I kind of fell into it accidentally by turning on ABC when it happened to be on and thinking, “hmm, this actually seems pretty interesting”, which I was fine with considering how big a fan I am of Emily Van Camp. And Revenge did not disappoint. From start to finish, it was the answer to the night time soap void. It kept you on the edge of your seat. It created complex and interesting characters. Essentially, it gave you a reason to tune in every week. But with Emily coming face to face with the’ white haired man’ in the season 1 finale, the question became, where does the show go from here?

With Once Upon A Time, the appeal was that it was a fresh take on fairy tale characters that we have all fallen in love with. The show presented an interesting take on the Snow White tale, while adding in elements, mainly Snow White and Prince Charming’s daughter Emma Swan. With that, the show had a definite story arc in, will Emma break the curse and restore the memories of the fairy tale land characters? I admit to being a little shocked when the show went through with Emma breaking the curse right in the first season finale, especially coming from the people who refused to answer the question, ‘What is the island?’ for six seasons. So, just like Revenge, the question became, where does the show go from here?

Both shows definitely had the potential for compelling season 2 storylines, and until recently both shows have squandered that potential. Revenge set the stage nicely for a season 2 storyline involving Emily’s mother, a storyline that was exhausted in a mere 7 episodes to make room for the show’s ridiculous ‘Initiative’ storyline. Once Upon A Time had so much potential to explore the new relationships that breaking the curse opened up, instead choosing to focus on battles and introducing new characters. With that being said, recently both shows have made some moves that could get them back on track, and I have some suggestions for both shows to keep things going in the right direction starting with:

Revenge:

1. PLAY TO EMILY’S STRENGTHS: The show smartly (and sadly) killed off Amanda. It now needs to use that to its advantage. Emily is at her best when she is fighting for a cause that hits her straight in the heart. And Emily Van Camp is at her best when she is playing out the inner turmoil between exacting the revenge Emily seeks and leading a life her father would be proud of. When Emily forgets the roots that she’s come from, we forget she’s a character worth rooting for. Keep Emily’s heart on her sleeve just visible enough for viewers to see. We like it there.

2. RESOLVE THE INITIATIVE STORYLINE AND MOVE ON: This storyline is in full force, so we can’t really abandon ship on it (sorry, that’s an absolutely horrible reference considering what recently happened aboard The Amanda), but let’s complete it, move on, and forget it ever happened, k? Half the time, no 80% of the time, I don’t even understand what is going on in this storyline. Revenge works best when it focuses on family, a cause that is important to both Emily and the Graysons and one that fans can get invested in, and while this storyline has allowed the show to dangle the family string, it’s not enough. The Initiative has been like an anchor weighing down Revenge this season, cut it off before it sinks the ship (whoops, sorry again).

3. LESS AIDEN. MORE NOLAN: It’s not that Aiden is a bad character. He’s perfectly fine. It’s that the Emily/Nolan dynamic that we came to love in season 1 has been sorely lacking. Emily and Nolan humanize each other in ways that only they can do for each other. This plays into my number 1 above. For me, Emily and Nolan’s friendship is the heart of the show. Let’s keep it going at a healthy beat.

And now on to:

Once Upon A Time:

1. PUT THE FOCUS BACK ON THE CHARMING FAMILY: With the show resolving the curse and finally allowing the Charming family to be together, imagine my surprise when the show decided to put the family on the backburner for the first half of the season. Yes, we had Emma and Snow fighting together (and getting to know each other?). Yes, we had Charming searching for his family. But it all didn’t feel quite like enough. One of the best things about season 1 was Emma and Mary Margaret’s friendship because we knew that the reason they grew close so quickly was because they know each other in a way that only mother and daughter can. I was excited to see this relationship explored to the fullest extent and while they’ve had a few nice moments, it hasn’t lived up to its potential. There is so much to explore here, and the show should be wiser and take a look.

2. MAKE IT HARD (AND EASY) TO HATE REGINA: Regina, like all antagonists, works best when she is completely complicated and we can’t decide whether to pity her or to hate her. The show hasn’t done nearly a good enough job of making this struggle hard for us, which is a problem that goes back to season 1. Regina is a great character because she has so much turmoil going on inside of her. The writers need to do a better job of making us feel that.

3. SLOW DOWN ON THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW CHARACTERS: A lot of fantasy shows go down this path (umm, hey, Heroes). It’s so tempting to introduce a plethora of characters, especially when there are so many to choose from. Take a lesson from Lost though. As it turns out, even though we knew there were a lot of other survivors on the crash, we didn’t actually care to get to know them. The new characters have been a factor in my number 1 above. Some have been great (Hook) and some have left me wondering why precious screen time that could have been spent on the Charming family was sacrificed (Mulan, Arora). Less is more. Those aren’t terrible words to live by.

Well, that’s all folks. Thoughts Revenge and Once Upon A Time fans? Have the shows left you wanting more or do you think they are hitting the right strides?

Re-Blog: Ms. Taco’s TV Time Travel: Character Deaths

Once Upon A Time and Revenge took some risks recently with each killing off secondary characters who were pretty central to the stories being told. Death of TV characters is usually hard to swallow, no matter who it is. These recent deaths had me thinking about a blog I had written a while back on secondary character deaths that caused major ripples for their series. Here’s a look at the ones that most struck a chord with me.

*Disclaimer: This post will contain spoilers about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Everwood, 24, Lost, and The Wire*

Tara McLay, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “Seeing Red”
When you are a show about a town overrun by vampires, you are bound to leave a few casualties along the way. With Tara coming on the scene mid-season four in “Hush”, we really didn’t know what to make of her, and I don’t think anyone expected her to make it to season 6. She didn’t fit in well initially, she came between the much loved Willow/Oz pairing, and she was harboring a secret. But somewhere along the way, this socially awkward witch made her way into our (and the Scoobies) hearts. Much like Joyce’s death was non-demon/vampire/monster related so was Tara’s as a stray shot from Warren’s gun hit her right in the heart, and likely hit many fans, myself included, with a punch in the stomach. Watching Tara and Willow make their way back to each other, only to see their reunion cut so short by her death, was truly painful, but that meant that the show had done an amazing job of creating a character and a couple that fans were really invested in. With her death the ultimately controversial final episodes of the season were set-up and the ”Big Bad” revealed. Season 6 will forever be the season of BTVS that polarized fans and Tara’s death was a major part of that.

Colin Hart, Everwood, “The Last of Summer”
I still consider this one of the most shocking deaths ever on television, even though it occurred off screen. I guess with all the factors (beloved town hero, exceptional surgeon, quirky small town) his death just took me off guard. Tricked by the scene in the beginning as we saw what could have been had Colin survived his brain surgery, we were quickly snapped to reality as we were shown the memorial service for him at the high school. As we watched, Colin’s words to Dr. Brown at the end of season 1 echoed in our minds (“When they put me out tomorrow, if I don’t wake up the way I’m supposed to, if I’m not me again, I don’t want to be. Don’t bring me back.”). His death had such a profound effect on the characters, especially Amy who spun out into depression and anger (Emily Van Camp doing some of her best work) and Dr. Brown who held guilt square on his shoulders.

Teri Baur, 24, “Day 1: 11:00 P.M.-12:00 A.M.”
It wasn’t just that on top of everything else that day, Jack had to deal with the death of his wife at the hands of traitor and former mistress Nina Myers, it was that we had actually spent a lot of that day with Teri, becoming invested in her story as well. They spent the entire season apart, so we desperately wanted them to have that happy reunion at the end. But, hey, this is 24. Happy endings for Jack Bauer are hard to come by. Teri’s death spoke volumes to that point. The hole her death left in his life not only by her being gone, but by the estrangement from his daughter that it led to, had a major impact on Jack for the remainder of the series.

Ana Lucia and Libby, Lost, ”Two For The Road”
I was so behind on Lost during season 2 that I didn’t watch this episode until about six months after it aired when I knew full well what was coming at the end. Despite this, I sat in shock with my mouth hanging open as I watched Michael shoot first Ana-Lucia and then Libby in his misguided attempt to get Walt back from The Others by freeing Ben (then known as Henry Gale). Not that I was ever the hugest fan of Michael, but I could not look at him the same way after this. Their deaths were all the more controversial because they came not long after Michelle Rodriguez (Ana-Lucia) and Cynthia Watros (Libby) were both charged with DUIs leading to fan speculation that they were killed off of the show because of this.

Wallace, The Wire, “Cleaning Up” and Omar Little, The Wire, “Clarifications”
I couldn’t choose between these two because they were both equally shocking for different reasons. Gunned down in season 1 by his childhood friends, Bodie and Poot, on the orders of Stringer Bell, Wallace, like many of The Wire’s characters, was a complex character who couldn’t see a life for himself beyond the corners. He was our first piece of evidence that the corner boys were just “little bitches on the chessboard”. His death led to the unraveling and eventual death of D’Angelo in season 2. Omar was the stick-up boy we somehow found ourselves rooting for, maybe because he had a code. In some ways, Omar was the center of The Wire popping up when necessary and always being the constant on the street when so many characters came and went either through death or imprisonment. His death was shocking not only because he often seemed like the least vulnerable character but also because he was taken down by the young Kenard. Neither Omar nor any of us could have seen that one coming.

What about it? What character deaths left you in shock?

Ms. Taco Goes To The Movies: It’s Oscar Night!

Okay, so the title of this post is a bit of a lie. I definitely did not go to the movies as much as I should have in preparation for this year’s Oscar ceremony, which airs tonight. With that being said, I’m not sure how much my opinion on who should win the big awards tonight matters, but as in all things TV and movie related, I’ve done a lot of reading up on this year’s nominees. So here are my thoughts on who should win and my predictions on who could win.

BEST WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY):

Who should win: Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
There’s something kind of sweet and simply stated about this movie that makes it perfection in a way and I think that’s a credit to its writing. This is a better movie than the attention it’s getting, but that’s typical with indies. It’s a very long shot for Best Picture or Best Actress but I wish people would give it the credit it deserves with a win here.

Who could: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
I didn’t like this movie quite as much as others did, maybe because I was tired when watching it or maybe because it just didn’t connect with me. However, I do think one of the best things about it was its script. With that being said, I’d be okay with a win for it here. I don’t think it’s going to take Best Director or Best Director and Best Screenplay is usually a consolation prize when there’s a lot of buzz that doesn’t translate into a win for those categories. However, I think Lincoln or Argo could potentially take this with Affleck not getting a directing nod and with Lincoln being Lincoln.

BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY):

Who should win: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom

Are there ever any points for creativity where screenplays are concerned? Probably not with this Academy. Nonetheless, being someone who isn’t completely enamored with Wes Anderson movies, I really found this script and story refreshing and different. Wes Anderson is too cool for the Academy, so his nomination is the award, but maybe recognizing achievements such as Anderson’s would bring the Oscars the younger audience that they have desperately been craving.

Who could win: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Tarantino is a controversial figure because of the violent nature of all of his films but he still earns the respect of voters everywhere. Being that I’m not a Tarantino fan (more so because of the violence than of the quality of his work) I haven’t looked up much about this movie. Despite not being the status quo, Tarantino managed to grab this prize for Pulp Fiction in 1994, and he could potentially do it again here.

BEST DIRECTING:

Who should win: Ben Affleck, Argo

Yeah, yeah. I know he’s not even nominated in this category, but prior to the nominations, Ben Affleck was getting so much buzz for his work on Argo. His failure to get a nomination here is probably the biggest snub this year and likely one of the biggest in recent history. Almost everyone agrees that he is three for three in directing. His win at the Golden Globes is a consolation prize, but that doesn’t take away from the sting from not getting a nomination here. A win for Best Picture might though.

Okay, should I pick an actual person from this category? I’ll go with Benth Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Great performances by a cast not accustomed to acting. That’s top notch directing in my book.

Who could win: Ang Lee, Life of Pi

This is a tough one to call when you have powerhouse Steven Spielberg in the mix and David O. Russel, whose Silver Linings Playbook is getting so much buzz. But everyone is talking about the beautiful way Life of Pi was filmed. Ang Lee has a knack for making beautiful movies (please see Brokeback Mountain–no, seriously, if you haven‘t seen it, please do, it’s beautiful) and I think that could carry him to the big prize this year. With that being said, Steven Spielberg could definitely still take this one.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

Who should win: Robert DeNiro, Silver Linings Playbook

He’s here because I don’t normally like Robert DeNiro, yet he made me enjoy a movie that I wasn’t enjoying as much as I thought I would. Does that make any sense? Probably not. His character and performance worked, and for me he kind of became the heart of the film. I still have hope he’s going to take this, but he just might be edged out.

Who could: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

I’m not a fan of Tommy Lee Jones. I can’t explain why, but there it is. I think of everyone in the category, Jones has been getting the most buzz in a movie that has been getting buzz since before it was released. Still, with every actor in this category being a previous Oscar winner, this one could be a pretty tight race.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

Who should win: Amy Adams, The Master

I love Amy Adams and I want her to win an Oscar. I know nothing about The Master, but I stand by my ‘should win’ for Amy. She will be my ‘should win’ until she actually wins Oscar gold. She’s my new Kate Winslet. That is all.

Who could win: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Anne Hathaway is a lock here. Again, I haven’t seen this one, but I can’t look up Oscar news without reading about her one take performance. I like Anne, but I have recently been hearing that she has her haters. In any event, I’d be happy to see her win and if she doesn’t it would be one of the biggest Oscar upsets in history. I think the only more sure fire win than one for Hathaway is a win for my pick below.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:

Who should win: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Look, There Will Be Blood is a long, drawn out, sometimes boring movie. But, I’d watch it again just for Day-Lewis’ performance. He was amazing, and I’d guess that when/if I do see Lincoln, I will not love the movie but I will love the performance by its star. He embodies his roles like no other, and he deserves respect for that.

Who could win: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Nothing much to say here. If he doesn’t win, it will not be one of the biggest upsets in Oscar history, it will be the biggest upset in Oscar history.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

Who should win: Naomi Watts, The Impossible

I think a lot of people are saying that Jessica Chastain probably should win this but won’t because of Zero Dark Thirty’s controversial nature. But people who have seen The Impossible are coming out of the woodwork to praise Naomie Watts’ gut-wrenching performance. So I have to say, of all the buzz movies I haven’t seen, The Impossible has moved to the top of my list. But it’s an indie and, like I said before, it’s hard to break through that. I’d be shocked if she snatched this from Lawrence, but it’d be kinda nice if she did.

Who could win: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

I think this has become Lawrence’s to lose. If Jessica Chastain wasn’t in such a controversial film, she might have a shot but word on the street is that the nature of the film kept Kathryn Bigelow from getting a Best Directing nod. With that being said, Chastain or even Emmanuelle Riva could pull an upset, but I’d be surprised if they did.

BEST PICTURE:

Who should win: Lincoln

Look just because it has that Oscar movie feel doesn’t mean it shouldn’t win. It’s a typical choice for Oscar, but that doesn’t make it a bad choice. I’ll admit that when I first saw the preview for Lincoln on TV, I thought it was a joke. With that being said, I’ve heard a lot of praise from pretty much everyone who has seen it. It’s deserving and it was on the Oscar win course, but…

Who could win: Argo

The lack of a directing nod for Ben Affleck has led to a buildup of support for Argo getting the Best Picture win. I think it’s still close between Argo and Lincoln (the epitome of Oscar bait) but Ben Affleck’s loss in the directing category may prove to be his gain in winning the coveted big prize in the movie industry. If Argo pulls this off, Affleck will likely be more than happy to have made the sacrifice.

Well, that’s all folks! Enjoy Oscar night! Did your picks win??

Ms. Taco’s Take: Parenthood’s Adoption Storyline (Part 2)

maSo Parenthood went ahead and concluded its season and its adoption storyline. Going into this episode I, along with many viewers, were worried that this storyline would wrap up with a nice little bow on top. And, let’s be honest, it did. But, is that a bad thing? Let’s take a look at that. First let’s be honest and acknowledge the thing every Parenthood fan doesn’t want to talk about. Parenthood hasn’t been renewed yet, and while a lot of people are guessing that it will get at least one more season, there’s no guarantee that we are ever going to see these characters again. Jason Katims is familiar with shows being on the bubble all the way back to his Roswell days. I can honestly say that I would never want to be a TV writer dealing with a bubble show. You have to kind of create this balance between tying up what you can so that people will be satisfied if it’s the end and leaving enough open for the next season, if there is one. Being a person who has had a lot of her favorite shows cancelled before their prime, I can attest to the fact that it really sucks when a show is cancelled with many storylines left unresolved. If you love TV as much as I do, you know your favorite TV characters better than you know some of your friends. So imagine that your friend was in the middle of some crisis and then you never heard about them again. For me, that is the equivalent of a show ending without the writers crafting a proper final episode. Now of course, some things can be left open because again, if you love TV as much as I do, you end up imagining characters’ lives going an after a show ends anyway.

With all that being said, I think the writers did a really good job with Victor’s adoption in the season finale. Because after three seasons of Julia and Joel going through disappointment after disappointment, if this is the last season of the show, we need to be left with the idea that things are going to work out for them. And Victor. Sorry, I have to put him in there because this kid has really gotten a bad rap this season. When you spend x number of seasons with characters, and it comes time to say goodbye, you want to know they are going to be okay, reality be damned. So, I was okay with the bow the writers put on top of that storyline. I think I was even kind of wishing for it despite how much I wanted things presented in a realistic way. Because I’m a sucker for a happy ending. And because Julia is my favorite Parenthood character. And because Julia and Joel are one of my favorite current TV couples. So there it is, I liked it.

Now let’s go back to the whole Victor thing for a minute. Because I really do think he’s gotten a bad rap on this show, and I’m not just saying that because I’ve worked with kids like him and know the kind of issues they are dealing with. I’m saying that because Victor and Julia did have some good moments this season. It hasn’t been the gloom and doom that people have been making it out to be. Victor didn’t make a spectacular 180 personality change in the season finale. If anything, the writers were very careful to get across the message early on that deep down, he’s a good kid.

Two scenes in the finale stand out to me with respect to this storyline. The first is when Victor breaks the vase, or whatever it is, and he and Julia have a mini heart to heart. You can argue that it was forced and that Victor breaking the vase was simply setup for them having this conversation, and that might be true. But it allowed the two characters to give each other what they needed, mutual approval. By Victor asking Julia if she’s going to change her mind about the adoption, he acknowledged that there is at least some part of him that wants to be there, which connects back to her asking him in the previous episode if the adoption sounds good to him. And by Julia saying, “I want you to stick around”, she’s letting him know that he is wanted and she’s not going to give up on him, which was Victor’s biggest fear as portrayed so wonderfully by Xolo Mariduena. Seriously, what he did with his eyes and lips and face in general in that scene to show his fear and worry. That kid can act. I loved the simplicity of the scene. I loved that there wasn’t this big emotional hug between them. Anyway, I loved it. And, come on, we knew all along Victor wanted to be a Graham Braverman. Who doesn’t want to be a Braverman?? Seriously, if they would adopt me, I would totally go with that.

The other scene that stood out to me was when the judge finalized the adoption and mainly the moment when he tells them it is final. Erika Christensen again does an excellent job conveying something without words in that moment. There’s definitely fear in her eyes, the notion that ‘oh my god, this is it, no turning back’. And that’s the piece right there that Jason Katims leaves us with for next season, we hope. Julia isn’t completely sure that this is going to work. She’s still pretty scared. And, I hope that if when the show returns next season, they explore this aspect. Because I think this is a story worth investing in and I think it’s a story that isn’t explored enough in television and movies.

Before I close up, just want to note the really nice work Sam Jaeger did this season portraying Joel. Unfortunately, there was so much to cover already with this storyline that I didn’t get into his scenes very much. Being that Joel in general has been a background character, it was really nice to see him front and center in this storyline balancing out Julia’s fears and worries with optimism and faith. I hope the writers continues to put him front and center next season. He most certainly has earned it.

Well there it is folks. I know it took a while for me to finally churn this out. Any thoughts on this storyline?

Ms. Taco’s Take: Parenthood’s Adoption Storyline (Part 1)

Parenthood wrapped up its short fourth season at the end of January in what could have been, but we hope it’s not, a series finale. By that I mean that a good amount of the characters were treated to a happy ending. I’m in an interesting spot with Parenthood where I’m finished with the current season not having watched all of the previous ones. As of this writing, I’m about halfway through season 3. Back in 2010 when Parenthood first came on the scene I gave it a shot for about four weeks before deciding that I was overwhelmed by the size of its cast. My sister knows that I love a good foster care/adoption storyline (see Life Unexpected) as I’m a social worker who used to work with the foster care population, so she alerted me to the fact that Julia and Joel of Parenthood would be involved in a storyline this season about adopting a foster child. That’s all I needed to hear to jump back on the Parenthood bandwagon, and I’m definitely glad I did.

You don’t really see storylines like this presented on TV very often and when they are, they can be very hit or miss as far as how realistically they are portrayed. I try not to get caught up in whether the legal aspect and such make sense because, after all, we are dealing with a 42 minute a week television series that has a lot of ground to cover. It’s sometimes tough to make things like this work when you are dealing with a limited time frame. Not to mention the fact that in Parenthood’s case, we are dealing with a limited amount of episodes because you know it would just be ridiculous to put a little faith in Jason Katims, the guy who created a little show called Friday Night Lights you may have heard of. But I digress. My focus when watching these storylines usually is on whether the show is getting the feelings and emotions of the characters right. Hey, I’m a therapist, what can I say? So basically, my thing is, are these characters acting in ways that make sense? With respect to Parenthood’s adoption storyline, I think they’ve done an excellent job of at least portraying the emotional aspect of this situation in a realistic way.

Since I’ve decided to make my way back into the Parenthood universe, I’ve also decided to go back to the beginning and watch all the episodes I have missed (thank you Netflix!). I’m almost done with season 3, but I already know where the road leads for Julia and Joel. Julia can’t get pregnant again. They want to adopt. The baby they are promised is kept by his biological mother. They are instead paired with fully grown 9 year old boy. And, gosh these two have gone through a lot, haven’t they? Can they get a break anytime soon? I was actually thinking about the episode from season 2 where Joel tells Julia that he will never cheat on her even though he knows they are going to go through a lot as a couple. I kind of wanted to scream at the TV,” dude you have no idea”! With that said, I think as viewers, and even as someone who hasn’t actually watched all of this play out yet, you are kind of waiting for these two to get some sort of a happy ending. So I have to say that as I’ve been watching this season half of me is kind of like, can’t this kid just bond to Julia really quickly so that Julia can finally be happy. On the other hand, being someone who has seen firsthand how different it can be to take in older children versus an infant, I didn’t want the issues that go along with that to be glossed over. Parenthood has not disappointed on that front, and with that Julia continues her tremendous character development. It’s interesting to simultaneously see her so fleshed out this season while also watching season 1 where to me, she is the least developed Braverman sibling. The process for Julia has been one of letting go. Letting go of the control she so desperately needs. Letting go of her safety net. And letting go of the expectations she has for herself and for others.

From the very first episode, the show does not shy away from the tough issues that come with adopting an older child. Julia tells Joel at the end of the first episode, “I feel like I’m waiting to fall in love with our son”. It’s such a real and honest moment and I’m glad the writers allowed Julia to be that vulnerable. Julia doesn’t like to show that she’s struggling with something and it’s a testament to her growth that she admits out loud that things are not going as well or as easily as she hoped. The reality is that, Julia didn’t get the newborn baby that she wanted. You know, the kid with the clean slate. She got a 9 year old boy, with a slate that’s plenty full. So it’s not just about accepting that Victor is now her son, it’s about accepting and yes, eventually loving, everything that goes along with that. And that’s the struggle we see play out for the remainder of the season.

Julia starts off this season with the mindset, if I just show this kid that I love and trust him, it’s going to work. And at first, it does in some ways. The issues begin when Victor gets an ‘A’ on his math test. Julia is so excited; partly because she’s proud of him and partly because it’s some validation that the hard work she’s been putting in for the past few months is finally paying off. Then Victor hits her with the bombshell. He wants to show the test to his “real” mom. What a punch to the stomach that is for Julia. I mean, think about it. She’s quit her job. She’s put Victor ahead of Sydney in some ways. She’s read all the books. All to lose out to the woman who has let her son down time and again. That sucks. Plain and simple. Of course Victor is not doing this maliciously (I’m talking to you, you many Victor haters). His mom is his mom. Julia is at best an acquaintance, at worst a stranger. Of course this leads to a lot of negative interactions that don’t help with the bonding that Julia so desperately craves. When victor is told that he’s not allowed to communicate with his mom, he shuts down, becomes enraged, throws a bat at Sydney, calls the police and claims child abuse, and with all that Julia’s doubts and fears grow. Will Victor ever bond with her? Is she putting Sydney at risk? And most importantly, can she do this?

But the biggest doubt, which comes out so beautifully in a scene with Crosby, is  ”….if i don’t see something that tells me that someday maybe we can have a loving relationship, then, you know, then I shouldn’t be his mom because he should be able to have that with someone”. In a sense, is she the mother that Victor needs? Is she being fair to Victor? I loved watching this all play out not only because it was juxtaposed against Joel seemingly not having any doubts but also because it shows us that all of the doubts aren’t coming from a selfish place at all. They are coming from a place of love and caring.  Before this scene, it sometimes felt like Joel was just willing to accept that Victor might take a while to bond with the family, but that Julia was wanting it to happen right away it suit her own need of feeling loved by Victor right away. Julia is stuck between a rock and a hard place because I think Erika Christensen is right. I don’t think she could forgive herself if she gives up on Victor. But I don’t think she could forgive herself is she really isn’t the right choice for him either. The conversation with Crosby, besides being one of the best interactions of the season, really puts things in perspective for Julia and gives her the push that she needs. And with that Julia let’s go. She lets go of thinking that she can completely control this situation. She lets go of the safety net that is thinking she can give Victor back. She lets go of the expectation that Victor is going to magically be fully adjusted to her home. And most importantly, she lets go of the idea that she has to be the perfect mom to Victor. I love, love, love the scene where she tells Victor that they are going to finalize his adoption and asks if that sounds good to him. It’s so true to her character and the way she has been presenting all season. She not only wants, but needs Victor’s approval. Because if he’s not okay with it, neither is she. He’s not exactly excited, but he says sure and goes about his day, which is enough for her. She’s taking the leap that Joel asked her to but not without some lingering reservations.

Before I close this out and leave my finale thoughts to the next post, can we just take a moment to acknowledge how much Erika Christensen can get across to us just with her facial expressions? I’ve loved her since Traffic. Then she took a weird detour with Swimfan. But I’m happy to see that my instinct about her was right. She’s been nothing short of excellent this season using her ability to say so much without having to say anything at all. And while we’re at it, let’s just take another moment to acknowledge Jason Katims’ uncanny ability to write married couples so wonderfully. The way Julia and Joel have supported each other over the last three seasons is textbook Jason Katims (please see Eric and Tami Taylor).

With that, I’m going to leave this very long post behind. Check back soon for my thoughts on the way this storyline was wrapped up in the finale.

The Bride is Revealed…The ‘Mother’ Remains Unseen

Well, HIMYM fans, we made it. After the question of who Barney’s bride was loomed in some of our minds for an entire year, the answer finally came, literally in the last few seconds of the finale entitled, ‘The Magician’s Code’. It is, indeed, Robin, but will they actually make it to the ‘I do’s'? And how does this revelation rate with fans? More on this later. The finale packed a lot in. A baby,the coolest middle name of all time, and the return of fan favorite Victoria, in a wedding dress no less. And aside from the ‘Robin is the bride’ reveal (saying that this is polarizing among fans is an understatement), I’d guess that most fans were satisfied with the end result.

Let’s start with the easily likable stuff. Marshall and Lily have now gone from cutest couple status to cutest parents status (sorry Chris and Reagan). Are things going to have to change with this new addition? Yes. The show is clearly laying the groundwork for this. When Ted comes to Marshall and Lily for advice on a minor problem, they reiterate several times that they are still there for him, but for the major stuff (“8 or higher, bro”). And when Ted comes to them with the ‘Victoria’s in a wedding dress situation’, clearly a major event, they rush down, baby in tow and down some shots, only to look down in horror as Robin snaps a photo and points out that Baby Marvin’s first outing was in a bar. Bays and Thomas smartly address right away the question on all of our minds. McLaren’s is a huge part of the group’s dynamic. What happens when you throw a baby into the mix? A recent interview hints that they are already tackling this question, and I have faith that they will tackle it successfully. And speaking of Baby Marvin, his middle name is, wait for it. No, that’s it. That’s his middle name. Waitforit. It truly is the coolest middle name of all time and a reminder that while many things will and have changed, some things will always remain the same.

Speaking of some things never changing, Ted and Robin ended the season friends once again, as they should be. I think Craig Thomas is right when he says there’s nothing like the birth of a baby to bring friends together (by the way, loved all the scenes in Lily and Marshall’s apartment, Robin, as always, ready to get her hands dirty and Ted, as always trying to see where he can fit in to the whole thing). Ted and Robin’s discussuon after the birth of Marvin Waitforit Erickson (nope, I will never tire of saying that name) reminded me how these two can have such candid discussions, despite (or maybe in spite of?) all their history, and how much I miss their friendship even when it’s lacking for a short amount of time. Ted’s joke to Robin (“I love you”) allowed Victoria’s testament to Ted in ‘Ducky Tie’ to come full circle. Ted has dealt with his feelings for Robin and moved on, and now so can we. His friendship with Robin in tact, he’s ready to move forward in his journey to find the ‘Mother’.

But, wait for it (no, not Marvin Waitforit Erickson, hee hee), Victoria’s back. And she’s in a wedding dress. And she’s game for ditching her fiance for Ted. And Ted’s game too. And, what??? It’s fun to see Ashley Williams again, and, let’s face it aside from Robin, Victoria is the only one of Ted’s relationships that fans could really get behind. Let’s face something else. The only reason Ted left Victoria was to begin a relationship with Robin. Now that the final nail has been put in that coffin, it makes sense that Ted would explore this option again. I also like that while Victoria pushed Ted to explore his feelings for Robin at the beginning of the season, now Robin is pushing Ted to explore his feelings for Victoria at the end of the season. It’s nice that both characters are acknowledging the importance of the other in Ted’s world. Ted and Victoria aren’t going to work out. We know this. We’ve been told this several times as we’ve stubbornly fought against it. We know Ted meets the ‘Mother’ at Barney’s (and Robin’s?) wedding. So here we are. Ted Mosby is at the final hurdle. The final question that remains in his way. Victoria was right. Robin is a bigger part of Ted’s world than he realized. And Robin is right. So far, Victoria’s the only one who made sense. The Robin question has been put to rest, and now Ted is on a journey to answer the Victoria question. But we already know the answer. Because Ted is at the wedding. And it’s begun to rain. And the ‘Mother’ is going to show up, yellow umbrella in hand. And can you tell that I’m really excited for this wedding to happen, whenever that may be?

Speaking of that wedding. So Barney and Robin get married. Or so it would appear. Bays and Thomas are tricksters, and Bays has given a slightly different interview regarding the end game for them, but I’m gonna go along believing that Barney and Robin get married (that’s what I want to happen, afterall) despite Ted saying that it was “a wedding day that went horribly wrong”. Look, Barney and Robin’s relationship is the biggest divider among fans, so a lot of people aren’t jumping for joy at that final scene. But those of us who love Barney and Robin so much have loved them since the season one episode, ‘Zip, Zip, Zip’, when Robin joined Barney for a drink and cigar, suited up and all, and later for a game of laser tag. Did the writers plan this that far back, or did they see sparks of chemistry after that episode played out? I’m not sure, but for me the hints are there that far back. Obviously, we have a lot of red tape to get through to even get to the wedding since Barney is now engaged to Quinn. The scene where Robin finds out about the engagement and Barney jokes that “it’s the last chance to run away together” was painful and sad to watch. I’m sure Robin really thinks that she is happy for Barney, and I’m interested to see how this all plays out next season. Knowing this show, it’s gonna be quite an interesting ride as we head to the potential series finale next May.