What I’m Watching: Parenthood

Parenthood: Season 6, Episode 3 “The Waiting Room” (B+)

Sometimes it’s easy to forget what show you’re watching. One of the reasons this series is great is that it has a realistic quality to it and doesn’t pull devastating twists like Zeek dying during surgery when it could have just as well have gone fine. His health issues are likely not done, and Kristina’s cancer could well back. We know these things, but this show isn’t about shock value and trying to force their events on its characters, which is a very good thing. What we do get is four siblings united with their mother, all trying to cope with their father’s life being in jeopardy in different ways. Julia getting a hospital survival kit from her new boyfriend was sweet, though having to break the news to Joel that she’s seeing someone was brutal. Crosby didn’t manage his anger too well and let’s hope that all he has to do is shrug off an unfortunate injury that looks like it hurt a whole lot. Sarah and Hank are going to have some serious problems when he tells her that his ex-wife has forbidden him from letting their daughter spend time with Sarah, when Ruby is really the one who’s the problem. I like the relationship between Drew and Amber and the fact that, for once, Drew is the one giving relationship advice to his sister when she’s about to make a difficult choice to let Ryan back into her life. At least her family took it well when Zeek accidentally spilled the beans.