What I'm Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 2, Episode 3 “I'm Cooler Than You Think” (B+)

I almost didn't make it through this episode because my iPod took a frightening dive onto 42nd Street when a smoothie was fighting for my attention. Fortunately, however, I did, and I'm very glad about that. Out, at least for this episode, is William Baldwin as Sarah's primary workplace love interest, and in is the fantastic Kevin Alejandro, who has been starring on “True Blood” as Jesus for the past season. He's a good fit here, and it also means that we get to see more of Mae Whitman, which is never a bad thing. I was curious who would be playing Amber's famous friend Kelsey, and I was delighted to recognize Zosia Mamet, recently seen as Zoey's pal Joyce on “Mad Men.” Sarah wasn't going to have an easy time competing with Kelsey's rich family, and therefore having her win right off the bat is a good thing. It's also fun to see Crosby standing up to Jabar's grandmother, comparing his family's devotion to baseball to her devotion to her religion. Joel's getting an appropriate spotlight this season, fighting for his right to have a say in his marriage, and it's great that he and Julia have reached an optimistic conclusion about their future. The biggest success in the episode, of course, is Adam's ability to achieve some success in bonding with his son, and that conversation provided a truly wonderful and heartwarming finish to the episode, demonstrating that this show is capable of harping on its strengths and fulfilling its dramatic potential.