Parenthood - Joel

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my perspective; it felt like Joel was looking for an excuse to leave the marriage. He is not happy with his wife (Julia?) since she quit her job with out discussing it with him first. Y

Agree with this. So funny, I almost started this exact same thread! Wish Julia would point out what a jerk he's been. She wouldn't have gotten so close to Ed if he hadn't been so distant from her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we also talk about the parents (Craig Nelson and wife). Do you see her leaving him? She is certainly moving away from him emotionally.

I have started to kind of hate her. Ooh, you went to Italy for 3 weeks and now eat prosciutto. You are so much better than your simple husband.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's completely inane -- I have a feeling the actor just wants off the show and this is the ham-handed way they're going about it. Doesn't make sense at all. And for a close family, Julia certainly is acting like she doesn't trust her parents or siblings by keeping silent this whole time.

Speaking of the parents, has Bonnie Bedelia had a lot of work done? I keep thinking her "trip to Italy" was really a trip to the plastic surgeon. She looked fine before, but now she looks a bit odd.

And Amber! Don't get me started!! The actress who plays her has the uncanny ability to make every monologue a sob-fest, doesn't she?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we also talk about the parents (Craig Nelson and wife). Do you see her leaving him? She is certainly moving away from him emotionally.

I have started to kind of hate her. Ooh, you went to Italy for 3 weeks and now eat prosciutto. You are so much better than your simple husband.

I think the final scene when Crosby and Julia come back home b/c they need their parents will be enough to turn her around. That and the fact that Zeek offered to sell the house for her.

I just coming around to liking Joel now this storyline is ridiculous. i assumed it was because he was leaving the show -- but I haven't seen anything about that. Joel would not walk out that like that and they'd both work harder to fix things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's completely inane -- I have a feeling the actor just wants off the show and this is the ham-handed way they're going about it. Doesn't make sense at all. And for a close family, Julia certainly is acting like she doesn't trust her parents or siblings by keeping silent this whole time.

Speaking of the parents, has Bonnie Bedelia had a lot of work done? I keep thinking her "trip to Italy" was really a trip to the plastic surgeon. She looked fine before, but now she looks a bit odd.

And Amber! Don't get me started!! The actress who plays her has the uncanny ability to make every monologue a sob-fest, doesn't she?

YES!!! Her botox and lip filler looked ridiculous in the first few episodes but whatever she has had done since is worse. I always thought she was a very attractive woman and seemed to be aging better than most. I think it's sad that she felt the need to get the work done.

[Anonymous]

The TV show tip off is when the character takes a long pause before a. stepping into the car or b. boarding a plane, train, boat. He took that long pause looking at the house. He is either being written off or they want to introduce a new character or plot line for awhile.I think the new character is his boss. That scene where his is working with the boss lady and his wife comes in and he talks to her like a petulant child would have ended very differently in our respective homes. His bags would have been packed and on the curb before he arrived. But- it was a foreshadow of a quick plot change to allow for something else.

I'm trying to like this show. I really am.....but.... things that bother me about it are the following:

1. They encourage ad libbing to create more of a family conversation" feel"- some do it well, some not so much. The one who does this poorly is actually Monica Potter- the one up for all the awards. She just keeps trying to throw in comments- but it's pretty awkward.

2. Lauren Graham plays the same role as she plays everywhere. She's the same person with the same problems in different shows. (???) Come on- this is typecasting beyond typecasting. I keep thinking Alexis Bledel will walk in any minute- or the Bad Santa.

3. The Bonnie Bedelia character and her new found" love of everything Italian schtick" which threatens her rough and ready husband is seriously insulting to the character. We already did this when the show came out- he did something, or didn't do something she wanted, and she goes ape-shit passive aggressive. But this time with Botox and Juviderm. The first comment out of his mouth when she entered the airport baggage lounge from her trip to Italy should have been " What have to done to your face and how much did it cost?"

4. Why are the plot lines soooooo sappy and predictable? Why are the characters so one-dimensional? Melodrama such as break ups and cancer don't create three dimensional characters.

Great acting from:

Peter Krause
Raymond Romano
The boy at college sleeping around with hook up girl ( come on,,,)
The divorcing couple's daughter and adopted son

But that's it! I think the others would shine with some decent writing- the only real problem on the show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's completely inane -- I have a feeling the actor just wants off the show and this is the ham-handed way they're going about it. Doesn't make sense at all. And for a close family, Julia certainly is acting like she doesn't trust her parents or siblings by keeping silent this whole time.

Speaking of the parents, has Bonnie Bedelia had a lot of work done? I keep thinking her "trip to Italy" was really a trip to the plastic surgeon. She looked fine before, but now she looks a bit odd.

And Amber! Don't get me started!! The actress who plays her has the uncanny ability to make every monologue a sob-fest, doesn't she?

YES!!! Her botox and lip filler looked ridiculous in the first few episodes but whatever she has had done since is worse. I always thought she was a very attractive woman and seemed to be aging better than most. I think it's sad that she felt the need to get the work done.

+1 about the face work...that really makes me sad- all the actresses. Don't they realize they look just weird?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The TV show tip off is when the character takes a long pause before a. stepping into the car or b. boarding a plane, train, boat. He took that long pause looking at the house. He is either being written off or they want to introduce a new character or plot line for awhile.I think the new character is his boss. That scene where his is working with the boss lady and his wife comes in and he talks to her like a petulant child would have ended very differently in our respective homes. His bags would have been packed and on the curb before he arrived. But- it was a foreshadow of a quick plot change to allow for something else.

I'm trying to like this show. I really am.....but.... things that bother me about it are the following:

1. They encourage ad libbing to create more of a family conversation" feel"- some do it well, some not so much. The one who does this poorly is actually Monica Potter- the one up for all the awards. She just keeps trying to throw in comments- but it's pretty awkward.

2. Lauren Graham plays the same role as she plays everywhere. She's the same person with the same problems in different shows. (???) Come on- this is typecasting beyond typecasting. I keep thinking Alexis Bledel will walk in any minute- or the Bad Santa.

3. The Bonnie Bedelia character and her new found" love of everything Italian schtick" which threatens her rough and ready husband is seriously insulting to the character. We already did this when the show came out- he did something, or didn't do something she wanted, and she goes ape-shit passive aggressive. But this time with Botox and Juviderm. The first comment out of his mouth when she entered the airport baggage lounge from her trip to Italy should have been " What have to done to your face and how much did it cost?"

4. Why are the plot lines soooooo sappy and predictable? Why are the characters so one-dimensional? Melodrama such as break ups and cancer don't create three dimensional characters.

Great acting from:

Peter Krause
Raymond Romano
The boy at college sleeping around with hook up girl ( come on,,,)
The divorcing couple's daughter and adopted son

But that's it! I think the others would shine with some decent writing- the only real problem on the show.

Agree with most of this, but I think Lauren graham is the only one who sounds natural with the ad libbing.

Also maybe Joel is having an affair?

[Anonymous]

We have to wait a whole month to find out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TV show tip off is when the character takes a long pause before a. stepping into the car or b. boarding a plane, train, boat. He took that long pause looking at the house. He is either being written off or they want to introduce a new character or plot line for awhile.I think the new character is his boss. That scene where his is working with the boss lady and his wife comes in and he talks to her like a petulant child would have ended very differently in our respective homes. His bags would have been packed and on the curb before he arrived. But- it was a foreshadow of a quick plot change to allow for something else.

I'm trying to like this show. I really am.....but.... things that bother me about it are the following:

1. They encourage ad libbing to create more of a family conversation" feel"- some do it well, some not so much. The one who does this poorly is actually Monica Potter- the one up for all the awards. She just keeps trying to throw in comments- but it's pretty awkward.

2. Lauren Graham plays the same role as she plays everywhere. She's the same person with the same problems in different shows. (???) Come on- this is typecasting beyond typecasting. I keep thinking Alexis Bledel will walk in any minute- or the Bad Santa.

3. The Bonnie Bedelia character and her new found" love of everything Italian schtick" which threatens her rough and ready husband is seriously insulting to the character. We already did this when the show came out- he did something, or didn't do something she wanted, and she goes ape-shit passive aggressive. But this time with Botox and Juviderm. The first comment out of his mouth when she entered the airport baggage lounge from her trip to Italy should have been " What have to done to your face and how much did it cost?"

4. Why are the plot lines soooooo sappy and predictable? Why are the characters so one-dimensional? Melodrama such as break ups and cancer don't create three dimensional characters.

Great acting from:

Peter Krause
Raymond Romano
The boy at college sleeping around with hook up girl ( come on,,,)
The divorcing couple's daughter and adopted son

But that's it! I think the others would shine with some decent writing- the only real problem on the show.

Agree with most of this, but I think Lauren graham is the only one who sounds natural with the ad libbing.

Also maybe Joel is having an affair?

Shouldn't dax be on the list of good acting?

[Anonymous]

I love this show and am so sad about the Joel-Julia storyline. He's always struck me as a good guy with a lot of integrity, and is one of my favorite non-flaky characters on the show. I can see how incredibly hurt he'd be but also think he's the kind of guy who would really fight for his marriage. I hope they aren't writing him off.

DH and I watch the show together and completely dissect it every week. He absolutely hates Kristina, finds her to be so whiny and neurotic. Overall I love this family but the show is struggling. I agree that I don't like who Bonnie Bedelia is becoming (both her character and the awful cosmetic work that she had done while on leave from the show).

Tell me more about the ad libbing, where did you see this? Had never heard about it before.

[Anonymous]

I love this show. Here are some thoughts…

- Joel & Juila - agreed, this is very weak. I don't think he would walk out so easily. Most importantly, because of how much he resisted holding his child back a year in school because of the impact it would have on him. What kind of impact does he think walking out will have? Just don't find this believable.
- Bonnie Bedelia and Craig Nelson -- I actually like this storyline, because I find it very true to life (times three) in terms of what couples deal with when their kids no longer need them, and they have different visions of what life holds for them in their final chapter. An obsession with European travel and art may be beyond what most deal with, but I think a TV show portraying the difficulties an older couple has in making sure they're on the same page is really interesting.
- I love the Ray Romano piece of this show wit his newly-discovered Aspbergers. I'm sure due to the show runner's own experience with the disease, I've always thought the Max/Asperberger's stuff was really well done. I love the scenes with Peter Krause and Monica Potter when they're talking about Ray Romano and how they hope their son can turn out like that. With that said I really don't want Lauren Graham to end up with him, I like the doctor much better.
- I don't mind Amber's emotional-ness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's completely inane -- I have a feeling the actor just wants off the show and this is the ham-handed way they're going about it. Doesn't make sense at all. And for a close family, Julia certainly is acting like she doesn't trust her parents or siblings by keeping silent this whole time.

Speaking of the parents, has Bonnie Bedelia had a lot of work done? I keep thinking her "trip to Italy" was really a trip to the plastic surgeon. She looked fine before, but now she looks a bit odd.

And Amber! Don't get me started!! The actress who plays her has the uncanny ability to make every monologue a sob-fest, doesn't she?

Wow- I have been thinking every single thing you've said here! The Joel development is absurd and definitely is a lame exit excuse for his character. I think this is a major canon breach and threatens the integrity of the show. Not that Joel is a major character--but his leaving Julia on these flimsy pretenses is so against the 'ethics' of character behavior generally in the show.

[Anonymous]

I was rally almost over the show when you had the two Braverman "bros" just out of nowhere build Luncheonette Records into million dollar business and save the day from total family financial ruin. And then 'Amber' and her stupid relationship with Sergeant Rageboy was just…But I am pissed about the Joel thing just as the show was really turning into something very wonderful this season with the growth of Max and Hank's? relationship--so touching and relatable (parent of ASD boy here) but they've gone off into a lack of believability with this Joel /Julia split.

[Anonymous]

They're heading off the '30 Something' cliff to oblivion with this Joel thing. It's like Hope and Michael getting a divorce.

THE END