146 replies to this topic

[IvyDarling]

From NBC.com:

Julia enlists an old flame to help get Zeek out of debt, Crosby contemplates settling down with Jasmine and Jabbar, Camille turns to her art in lieu of her husband.

[Scrapper]

So we got some Julia/Joel backstory. Joel used to be a contractor. Joel seems to actually like Julia in this episode lol. It's funny how as soon as we start have a heated discussion about it on the boards it's resolved next episode. I adore Sydney and Julia together. They are the perfect mother/daughter comedy team. Crosby/Jabbar are normal cute. But Syd and Julia knock it out of the part every week.

Loved Camille's going out hair. Stupid Amber why did you tell??? Why?? I don't think Steve is being a sleaze. He seemed to honestly want to talk to Amber about what happened. Which is actually nice considering most guys would be like great you don't want to talk about it that's fine I'm still gonna brag to all my friends that I totally banged you.

Enjoyed this episode. Wasn't the best but, it was fine. Love the siblings together. It was nice to see Adam be mean to Zeek all episode. He deserved it. Though, it was nice that Zeek wasn't being that bad this episode. I didn't want to smack him this time out. He knows he messed up and he knows Camille needs time. He also knows that he is prob going to be the bad guy no matter what and he seemed to be at peace with that. Also as an "active" pet lover. I totally agreed. A turtle is not a fun pet. Always had cats and dogs. Never got the reason for amphibians, fish, or other caged animals. I just feel bad for them. That's just me of course.

Liked Crosby/Sarah interactions. I hope we get more of that. O and Drew was there being a help, as usual. It's really cute how much Max likes him. It makes sense.

Also I get your jealous Joel and Timm may be obnoxious. But he was no Raquel. Remember that Romeo.

[KaliDoom]

So Joel IS talking about Julia behind her back to Sydney. How else would Syd know about Timmmmmmmm. We got lots of Joel this episode, and I did not like it at all.

[ImNotLeesa]

Yeah, this episode did not clarify Joel's character for me much, aside from revealing he used to be a contractor.

But hey! No missing characters this episode; everyone was around. Though it seemed like the writers/cast have noticed that Drew (and the actor Miles who plays him) is the one that goes missing most. At first I was amused that Max named his pet tortoise Miles. But then it was made really funny when Miles (the tortoise) got lost, so we got to see half the cast wandering around with flashlights saying "Where's Miles?" "Have you seen Miles?"

I thought Zeek's precious game being interrupted by Sponge Bob was pretty hysterical.

Haddie was easier to take this episode; I liked that she and Kristina had a conversation that went back and forth - they actually exchanged more than a few words and seemed have some connection besides sullen teenager and desperate mom.

Amber was so sad; it must be hard to be 16 and feel like such a screw up, doing something in the moment that you wished you could take back. Mae Whitman really played the confession scene to Haddie so well, she 'bout broke my heart.

Once again, I loved the 4 siblings together. There was so much going on in that scene in the diner: older/younger sibling divisions, Adam/Sarah with their secret, Crosby trying to hold on to his co-dependence, Julia trying to assert herself as family problem-solver.

And Kristina and Adam continue to be a really strong couple...I liked their discussion about not cheating on one another (though I missed the start of it due to checking out The Good Wife during commercials. Dang you scheduling monkeys!)

Crosby's storyline is really starting to confuse me. I know he feels a connection to Jasmine and Jabbar, but just last episode he was talking about wanting to get to know Jasmine, go out a on a date with her. Then this episode, he wants to get an apartment for the 3 of them and moves a piano into it? That all seems rushed to me.

Loved Camille's going out hair.

I found it very distracting...was it straight? was it curly? I was also a bit distracted by her art teacher, because I kept thinking it was the set director guy who's on the Parenthood Lowes commercials.

Edited by ImNotLeesa, May 11, 2010 @ 10:55 PM.

[omgsowicked]

Oh look everyone, Joel has a personality! So he does indeed like his wife, I wasn't so sure before. I wonder why the actor is playing him that way, or why the directors want him that way. They'll have to do some more with those two because I still feel like things could fall apart, with Timmmmm's "stay at home dad" jab and Julia saying, "you have no say in this", etc. They need to give Joel a personality (and a backbone), quick.

It was nice to have no drama with Crosby/Jasmine/Jabbar. As a biracial woman, the "I have a problem with keeping my colors separated" comment got a smirk out of me.

Oh Amber... her relationship with Haddie is destroyed (next week's preview pretty much proves that). I'm glad Steve didn't have a secret motive and wanted to talk with Amber about it (and probably still wanted a relationship with her). It would have been way worse if he had turned out to be a sleaze. I hope Amber grows from this ordeal, maybe she'll decide to focus on school (is Sarah ever going to find out that she skipped the SATs?) or at least back away from alcohol. She messed up big time.

Zeek... He spent most of the episode having obnoxious tantrums (Spongebob?! Turtles?!) and then at the end he's completely sober. I don't know, he's just overdoing the gruff old pop routine for me. I'm glad that Camille didn't wallow in self-pity but come on, at least try dating first, not sleeping with your smooth art teacher (that's what was implied, right?)

[nilyank]

So Joel IS talking about Julia behind her back to Sydney. How else would Syd know about Timmmmmmmm. We got lots of Joel this episode, and I did not like it at all.

Syd was looking at the Prom picture in the yearbook, so I wonder if his name was in the book. She is smart girl and could easily make the joke of Timmmm's douchy name. Or she probably overheard her parents.

[shortpplfedup]

I am amazed week after week by how good Mae Whitman is at aping Lauren Graham's intonation and mannerisms, to the point where I completely believe she could be her daughter.

[sloopster]

I think Zeke and Camille need to stop telling their kids all their marital problems. Of course, that's hard when Zeke wants to move in with Adam and Sarah's waiting up when Camille comes home... how convenient it was arranged that way. It's absurd. And Granpa Zeke is just creepy, talking to all his grandkids about sex. I want him to go away, far away.

and the song, Solace. There was a Scott Joplin song titled Solace in The Sting, played during Robert Redford's encounter with, oh, whatever her name was, the waitress that turned out to be a hit man. The song Crosby played was similar. He said something about it being Mexican, which confused me, and I wonder if there was some problem getting rights to the actual song, so they swapped in something close, but it had nothing to do with Mexico. Or maybe I misheard something. I have to look up what that was in coming days.

This show is beginning to lose me.

[naneki78]

Loved Camille's going out hair.

I found it very distracting...was it straight? was it curly? I was also a bit distracted by her art teacher, because I kept thinking it was the set director guy who's on the Parenthood Lowes commercials.

I got the Markie Post on "Night Court" vibe with Camille's hair. It just kind of bothered me.

And OMG YES! I kept thinking it was the set director guy too. It didn't help that the commercial ran during the episode either.

Amber/Haddie makes me sad. I can see why Haddie felt she needed to tell Amber, but it wasn't the best decision. Then her character has proven time and again to not have great decision making skills. I really saw a LOT of Sarah in Amber tonight. Posture, attitude...very good acting choices on her part.

Something magical is going on when Dax's nostrils don't actually pull me away from his dialogue. Either he's learned to tilt his head a certain way, or he no longer annoys me as much as he used to, when the show first aired.

[HeyJuliet]

I liked this episode. There wasn't much Joel/Julia, but it was a lot better than what we've gotten before. I still don't really get their dynamic and it feels like bringing in another extraneous character to provide conflict is pretty stupid since we don't have a real foundation for them on their own yet. But at least it was something. I wouldn't mind seeing them really having it out once. Joel still seems kind of borderline annoyed all the time and Julia is always rushing to placate him. I'd like to see them just fight in hopes of getting to know them better.

I did like the comment about Zeek always calling Joel a eunuch and I really wish we'd get more with Julia, Joel and the parents to get a better understanding of that dynamic. Does Zeek just not like Joel or think he's not good enough for his little girl? Or does Zeek have issues with Joel being a SAHD, hence that specific name calling? I could kind of see that being it.

Mae was AMAZING in her scene with Haddie. She acted the hell out of it and totally broke my heart. She's quickly becoming one of my absolute favorites.

Crosby's storyline is really starting to confuse me. I know he feels a connection to Jasmine and Jabbar, but just last episode he was talking about wanting to get to know Jasmine, go out a on a date with her. Then this episode, he wants to get an apartment for the 3 of them and moves a piano into it? That all seems rushed to me.

Agreed, the whole thing is insanely rushed.

I also thought this episode was pretty funny. Zeek's discussion with Haddie, congratulating her on not having "intercourse." Then I liked his comment when Max lost his turtle, "Did you look 8 inches from where you last saw him?" And I loved LG at the art gallery, ranting about her mother to the poor guy next to her. The whole, "Me, too, I'm not DEAD inside!" about wanting to see the Sex and the City sequel. Heh. Overall the humor felt a lot less forced this week. My only complaint is that it still sometimes feels like too much is ad-libbed, or at least the delivery makes it sound like it is (a lot of stuff with Crosby feels that way). I guess you could say that's realistic but it takes me out of the moment.

Edited by HeyJuliet, May 11, 2010 @ 11:08 PM.

[Seal]

The whole Timmmm thing made me laugh out loud. If I ever meet a Tim (or Jim for that matter) who uses that pretentious second M in their name I'm totally pronouncing it Timmmm (or Jimmmm, as the case may be).

[izabella]

Amber/Haddie makes me sad. I can see why Haddie felt she needed to tell Amber, but it wasn't the best decision

I give her props for being honest and telling the truth. That kind of stuff always has a way of coming out, one way or another, sooner or later. Yes, it's gonna suck for both girls but a lie would have sat there between them. Until Steve spilled the beans somehow, I'm sure.

[esprit15d]

Amber was so sad; it must be hard to be 16 and feel like such a screw up, doing something in the moment that you wished you could take back. Mae Whitman really played the confession scene to Haddie so well, she 'bout broke my heart.

She really did wonders with this. I attribute the success of this ill-conceived plot squarely on her acting chops

Crosby's storyline is really starting to confuse me. I know he feels a connection to Jasmine and Jabbar, but just last episode he was talking about wanting to get to know Jasmine, go out a on a date with her. Then this episode, he wants to get an apartment for the 3 of them and moves a piano into it? That all seems rushed to me.

Agreed. This plot was inevitable, but I didn't expect to see it until AT LEAST nest season. And the relationship has little to no conflict in a relationship that should be brewing with unresolved crap.

[QueenCharisma]

I am amazed week after week by how good Mae Whitman is at aping Lauren Graham's intonation and mannerisms, to the point where I completely believe she could be her daughter.

Yes, THIS! I was coming here to post that exact same thing because during the Haddie breakdown scene, she sounded just.like.Lauren. It was creepy, but cool at the same time. Mae is knocking it out of the park every week and I've now found that I'm primarily watching the show for her (I started because of LG).

[voiceover]

My head went to Joplin's "Solace" too, even though it wasn't that. As usual the sibs knocked it sideways; god love the casting director for this show!

I thought Joel's "himmmm" was hilarious. I wish Julia would at least let him *look* at the property...hand the guy his balls back, please. It does slightly bug that the show tries to unman the Mr. Mom character so often. Let's all play to the stereotype, shall we?

All in all, the best so far, though I hate that Haddie & Amber have come to this. Hoping that the show does its usual tie-up-quickly thing, and that they get past it.

[TryingHarder]

Zeek... He spent most of the episode having obnoxious tantrums (Spongebob?! Turtles?!) and then at the end he's completely sober. I don't know, he's just overdoing the gruff old pop routine for me

He is such a pain in the ass. The character is such an idiot. I'm not a fan of tha actor either.

Loved Camille's going out hair.
I found it very distracting...was it straight? was it curly? .

Her hair was awful. Camile and Zeek are just so grubby looking.

Edited by TryingHarder, May 12, 2010 @ 4:45 AM.

[possibilities]

I am starting to love the show. I am so glad I stuck it out, because I hated it at first.

Who told Zeek why Haddie broke up with Steve? I was holding my breath waiting for her to go berserk on Kristina for telling him. When they planned the party instead, I was left wondering what had happened.

I am having a lot of trouble forgiving Crosby for dumping his laundry on his mother all those years. It does put in perspective why he might forgive Jasmine for keeping Jabbar a secret, though.

And how do they get three young child actors who are all so fabulous? Jabbar, Sydney, and Max all blow my mind. As does Amber/Mae.

I love reptiles, and I think turtles are fabulous. I loved it when Max said Miles was thinking.

It's interesting to me that Sarah and Adam kept the secret from Julia and Crosby.

[plm75]

Loved Camille's going out hair.

I found it very distracting...was it straight? was it curly?

It was like the El Camino of hairdos: Is it a car? Is it a truck? I don't like El Caminos, either.

Agree with everyone about Mae. She is an incredible actress and I hope she gets some recognition come awards time. I also like that she's not the typical stick-thin, Hollywood-pretty starlet. It's not like she's going to change out of the goth clothes and turn into Rachael Leigh Cook circa "She's All That". She's unconventionally attractive and interesting.

[lwchastine]

I did not get the sense that Joel had been saying Timmmmm to Sydney. I think it is pretty common for kids of that age to pronounce every letter when reading a word - which IMO actually makes "Timmmm" funnier when Sydney says it.

I just had a conversation with my 5yo today about only pronouncing one s at the end of words like boss.

And perhaps my 5yo is borderline Aspergers (this show is making me consider having him tested), but freaking out about a missing pet, expecting to watch a TV show when promised NO MATTER WHAT and having a meltdown during a (to them) emergency seems like pretty normal kid behavior to me.

[MrsJeter]

I know it's wrong and Amber knows it's wrong but I like she and Steve together.

[Artsee]

Who's the writer who's mom came home and told him/her that she had sex on the first date with her art teacher? Gimme a break.

Camille's hair was a poor imitation of Kate Gosselin's previous incarnation and was an abomination.

I trusted in Steve last week and this week I see that my trust was justified. He seems like a good kid to me.

[bellamn16]

I'm glad Amber was honest! Maybe it's just me...but I like when a character can own up to his/her mistakes before all hell breaks loose. It's one of the things I liked most about Gilmore Girls (for its first four seasons).

It was nice to see a little backstory on Joel and Julia...nice to see them like each other.

[Empress1]

I can't believe that Amber slept with Steve. I was hoping they just slept together in the non-Biblical sense, but damn. She slept with her cousin's boyfriend not days after said cousin broke up with him for pressuring her to have sex before she was ready ... there's really no graceful way to spin that. I know she was grasping at straws, but "Please don't be mad at me" isn't a reasonable request (which she knows). I was thinking she shouldn't have told but then I thought "They're teenagers, it'll come out sooner or later, better to own up."

Lauren Graham killed me with her quiet "Oh, Mom," like they were both becoming aware of the weight of what Camille had done.

So, Joel was a contractor before he became a SAHD. And Drew was in more than one scene! Progress!

"Did you look eight inches from where you left him?" had me dying. "Back the hell off," however, had me shaking in my boots.

[ImNotLeesa]

Loved Camille's going out hair.

I found it very distracting...was it straight? was it curly?

It was like the El Camino of hairdos: Is it a car? Is it a truck? I don't like El Caminos, either.

Hah!

It kind of looked like she had done her hair like Toni Tennille, and then stuck a curly-haired child's wig on top of it.
(Sorry to focus so much on a superficial detail. I like Camille, and Bonnie Bedelia and loved her performance last night, but, did I mention? I found that hairdo distracting. )

[Watchful]

and the song, Solace. There was a Scott Joplin song titled Solace in The Sting, played during Robert Redford's encounter with, oh, whatever her name was, the waitress that turned out to be a hit man. The song Crosby played was similar. He said something about it being Mexican, which confused me, and I wonder if there was some problem getting rights to the actual song, so they swapped in something close, but it had nothing to do with Mexico.

"A MEXICAN SERENADE" is the subtitle on the sheet music for Joplin's "Solace." That was Joplin's piece that was being played.

Edited by Watchful, May 12, 2010 @ 7:59 AM.

[KaliDoom]

I did not get the sense that Joel had been saying Timmmmm to Sydney. I think it is pretty common for kids of that age to pronounce every letter when reading a word - which IMO actually makes "Timmmm" funnier when Sydney says it.

I would agree with this if Syd had read it, but she didn't. She looked at the picture and asked if it was daddy, her mom said "No, that's my friend Tim." That's when Syd said "Oh. Timmmmm" in the exact manner that Joel was saying it earlier. I think other posters had mentioned last episode that there was some implication that Joel had been talking poorly about Julia in Sydney's earshot as well.

Edited by KaliDoom, May 12, 2010 @ 7:58 AM.

[Scrapper]

Yes. I think Joel badmouths Julia to Syd. He may not be doing it intentionally. He might be just complaining on the phone or to Raquel. But Sydney is def hearing it and putting it in her the back of her mind. I don't know about the Timmm thing. She might have just heard them arguing about it.

[suzysite]

Her hair was awful. Camile and Zeek are just so grubby looking.

Yes. Camille usually looks like an aging hippie to me. I suppose that's what they're going for, but what was up with the mismatched earrings at the end? Was that supposed to be wacky? Artsy? It just made her look senile. And don't get me started on Zeek's hair. Geez man. You're what, 70? Go get a haircut. That mess looks like long greasy strings.

[Xuewi]

No surprise that Amber made the mistake with Steve but I'm wondering if her telling Haddie was part of a self-destruct deal or maybe she thought things were going too smoothly without the extra drama of her cousin being mad.
Interesting that although Zeek was the one who left, he seemed to view the departure as temporary while Camille wasted NO time in re-arranging a large portion of their house for her art studio. I don't think it was a coincidence that she did this ONLY after he left the house and not during the X number of years none of their kids were living at home. I wonder if she had proposed this earlier but Zeek had shot this down? And could Zeek have been kept in the dark about this by her (and their large number of kids/grandkids participating) until after the deed was done? Not sure if Camille actually did it with the art prof but BB conveyed it quite well without words that she (Camille) was ready to do it! Perhaps Zeek had been jealous of the art prof long (and the attention he'd given Camille) long before Camille herself decided they might actually become a couple. And how was Camille able to pay for the renovation even factoring in getting the family to do the labor? She seems to be a retiree taking at least one art course with a grown daughter moved back at home who at this time can't support herself or her kids. Also, why didn't neither she, Sarah (or for that matter Drew) raise the possibility of turning that attic space into a room for Drew who, as far as we know, was still having to share a room with his sister Amber? I think an art room should have waited until Sarah and the kids moved out but maybe that's just me.
While I think Adam was right to tell Zeek (an uninvited guest) what the house rules were re Max (and was right to be angry about Zeek's affair), I was a bit put off that he actually swore at his dad like that. I'm actually surprised Zeek didn't attempt to get physically violent with Adam over the that! Also, interesting how Zeek went from believing that Max was running the household for no good reason to actually understanding what a HUGE responsibility Adam and Kristina had on their plate re Max's meltdown over the missing turtle.
Crosby sure is impulsive- going from being okay with living on a boat as long as Jasmine could come over to cook a meal for him and Jabbar to wanting a piano he hadn't played in years just so Camille wouldn't throw it out to wanting an apartment with room for said piano to, finally, wanting an apartment with room for both Jabbar and Jasmine (along with the piano)! Whew! Oh, and how is he planning to pay for the rent(mortgage?)? Is he still working with/for his ex? If not, how is he earning a living these days?
Julia seems to think that ALL her parents problems will be solved if she gets them out of that financial hole Zeek's dug re the property but it seems to have been the last straw rather than the only burden. Likely Sydney heard her parents argue about Tim-m but even this in itself doesn't bode well. How many other arguments has Sydney heard her parents have?

[ebeth]

I don't think the attic was a renovation so much as a project - move the junk out, clean the place, drag some existing furniture up the stairs...

The shock, for me, was that a piano that's sat untouched for ten years, and then been moved down a bunch of stairs and into a truck, can produce a recognizable tune. I totally loved the scene with the guys moving it though.