Written by David Oliver
The Parenthood Finale – May God Bless and Keep You Always
This review originally appeared on BingeCentral.com, and is being republished courtesy of the author.
OK, so my tear ducts have been preparing for this finale for um, forever. I’ve gone back and forth on how I thought this was all going to end, and the Internet of course is flooded with opinions everywhere. How will it end? Will it go the way of Jason Katims’ – Parenthood showrunner – other beloved show Friday Night Lights, perfectly into the sunset? One could only hope.
And it truly, truly did.
I couldn’t help but feel sappy than seeing all the Parenthood coverage this week, particularly TVLine’s pilot look-back. FEELS. OK, but now to the episode:
Camille (Bonnie Bedelia), Sarah (Lauren Graham) and Amber (Mae Whitman) are all on the phone at the same time at episode’s open, harnessing what this show does best – real conversations.
Max (Max Burkholder) will be the sole photographer at Hank (Ray Romano) and Sarah’s upcoming wedding.
Meanwhile, Victor’s (Xolo Maridueña) social worker calls Julia (Erika Christensen) and Joel (Sam Jaeger) – but possibly what about? It turns out Victor’s birth mother gave birth – to Victor’s half-sister, and they have the option to adopt said baby! Julia and Joel float the idea, and later decide to adopt the baby.
Earlier, Hank and Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) have a heart to heart. Hank says, re: Sarah, “I’m never gonna stop loving her.”
Jasmine (Joy Bryant) and Crosby (Dax Sheppard) visit Amber and baby Zeek, and Crosby delivers some unfortunate news: the Luncheonette is shutting down. Clearly what every new mother wants to hear. Also, the Luncheonette’s closing feels like that of the show’s too – what a metaphor.
Hank asks Drew to be his best man. “Is this like a hug thing?” Hank asks. I am a huge proponent of these two – it really does make sense that they’d get along.
Zeek tells Sarah that she is his favorite, which I sort of believe, but I’d like to think he loves all his children equally. The promo spoiled this, but Zeek and Sarah have this exchange that does not disappoint:
Zeek: Have I been a good father? // Sarah: The very best.
Gulp.
Later, it’s wedding time. This somehow satisfies my wish for a Luke-Lorelai wedding (re: Lauren Graham’s other role on the classic Gilmore Girls).
Haddie (Sarah Ramos) shows up and has a sweet moment with Max, calling him both “weird and wonderful.”
Zeek tells Crosby he can do the Luncheonette without Adam (Peter Krause). Metaphor wrong, I guess. THIS SHOW WILL LIVE ON. Crosby gets both Adam and Jasmine’s support on this. Crosby wants Adam to be happy and notes how Adam happy looked when cooking with kids at his school, where Crosby saw him earlier in the episode (more on this in a bit).
Crosby asks Amber to join him at the Luncheontte, with him as “the new Adam” and Amber as “the new Crosby.” The two embrace.
The wedding photos begin with the whole family (and extensions – even Drew’s girlfriend) taking part in the fun. This brought me back to the opening montage, as I tweeted about a few episodes ago. The tearing up is starting.
It wouldn’t be a Braverman affair without some dancing – the show has always had fun with this. Max gets the attention of Ruby’s (Courtney Grosbeck) friend Lynn, and the two later dance. Kristina (Monica Potter) and Adam look on, Kristina beaming – remember when Kristina was sick and she showed Max how to dance with a girl?! What a great callback to season four.
Zeek and Camille ask Amber to move in with them, with them deciding that’s what they want in their “third act.”
Kristina asks Adam to work at Chambers Academy full-time, also noticing his joy there, while she pursues an opportunity with a non-profit that could help her build lots of schools. “Headmaster Braverman” – this seems to fit Adam well.
And, a bit later, Camille finds Zeek dead (!) in an armchair after she calls out to him and he doesn’t respond. We all saw this coming, but it didn’t hurt any less.
A different cover of “Forever Young” plays as the family pours Zeek’s ashes onto a baseball field, and a game begins. We get a glimpse at the family’s futures:
- It turns out the cover is happening at the Luncheonette…and Jasmine appears to be pregnant again!
- Camille is off of another adventure.
- Joel and Julia get a puppy…and baby no. 4, apparently!
- Amber has with another man and there’s a kid…then Ryan shows up with what seems like their child together. Lots of kids to keep track of here, but I guess that makes sense with a show called Parenthood.
- Max graduates high school.
And that’s a wrap, folks. What an incredible series that kept to its roots for the stunning finale. I can’t wait to binge this all the way through again and again. And cry, again and again. I feel like crying right now, even.
This review originally appeared on BingeCentral.com, and is being republished courtesy of the author.
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