The Parenthood Finale: Oops Zeek/Zeke!!

Oh hi. Can you believe it's been two months? After computer issues and my incarceration, the time seemed to fly. The subject for today: That awful finale to Parenthood.

I've watched Parenthood since it's debut six seasons ago. For some reason, I liked the show despite a few actors on it who I thought would be potentially annoying (Dax Shepherd, Erika Christensen, and sometimes Peter Krause.) And you know what? They were annoying at times--but also very real. And it's best Parenthood had a sense of being grounded, not too sappy and for the most part it earned its tears and warm and fuzzies. About that part? In the past couple of years (and via Twitter, etc.) the show is really associated with making people cry in a corny sense. I think the show is better than that and scenes like Max in the backseat with his mother talking about how unpopular he was would make anyone wail. Or was it just me?


While that scene was a year or so ago, that era pretty much was the peak of Parenthood for me. When the show came part for its last season, the program was reeling from budget issues (which is why a lot of the actors were scarce) silly plot devices and a stoopidness that the show really wasn't known for. No instance of that was a clear as it was with Zeek Braveman's journey. As a viewer, a lot of fans knew what was up when Zeek fell out at a casino. Really? And sadly the show introduced a "Gramps is sick" storyline that really was below the standard set in the earlier seasons. There was internet buzzing about a character who would die in the season. While I was hoping it was Haddie, Joel or Scatman Crothers's character Mr. Skippy, it turned out to be Zeek Braverman. Yuck.

To make matters worse? This happened in the last 10 or so minutes of the finale--and it was awful. Of course, the writers skipped past the grimness of the situation, flashed up about a month to see everyone happy and playing baseball. Yay, Zeek's gone, batter up!! To make matters worse, the show again flashed up some three years to see everyone living their best lives. Max's autism? Cured. Hank's awkwardness and near-sightedness? Under control. He can see for miles and it's all because Zeek Braveman is dead. And of course Saint Camille (the show's worst character) made it to Paris France. I hope it's not as a painter than you know it's pure fiction. As a show, Parenthood was an often interesting and realistic one--and like a lot of shows like that, the finale didn't ring quite as true.

** 1/2