As Jason Katims’ sublime family drama comes to an end after six seasons, let’s reflect back on the Braverman family’s most gut-wrenching, hilarious, charming, and touching moments.
Season 1, Episode 1 (“Pilot”)
The first time Parenthood hit me like a blow to the chest was in the pilot episode in a scene that only lasts a few minutes but the effects of which reverberate in every episode of the series. Max (Max Burkholder) can’t attend a recital because there are candles burning in the hallway of the school, and Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) can’t understand why Adam (Peter Krause) isn’t forcing Max to just walk past them; after all, Zeek raised four kids, so he should know. It’s Adam’s gut-wrenching line to Zeek — “Dad, there’s something wrong with my son” — that instantly brings tears to my eyes, just thinking about it.
I’ve become a parent since Parenthood started, and there’s something painfully honest here about a parent’s need to comfort, to keep a child safe, to attempt to fix the things that are wrong — even when fixing isn’t an option — that Adam’s line crystalizes so perfectly. It’s the first time he’s acknowledged Max’s neurological condition, and saying it aloud makes it suddenly, bitterly real. And Adam’s tearful plea to his father for his help is so poignantly wrought that its very simplicity yields a keening heartbreak. Every single time. —Jace Lacob
NBC
NBC, parenthoodgifs.tumblr.com
NBC, parenthoodgifs.tumblr.com
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