Farewell to NBC's Parenthood

*Photo belongs to NBC.com

Tonight NBC aired its final episode of Parenthood. It was the end of a show with an abundance of heart that surpassed the odds and expectations with lasting 6 years. This show didn't have steamy sex scenes like ABC's Scandal, neither did it have an endless supply of comedy scenes like ABC's Modern Family, and don't even think about wondering if it was the go to for those big explosions and kick ass fighting numbers; this show was a true depiction of life, entertainment in the form of realism [realism: the quality of representing a person, thing, or situation accurately or in a way that is true to life]. Creator Jason Katims put together a solid show with a solid cast and with help from a well rounded writing crew portrayed the lives of the Braverman clan like if it were the family living down the street.

The show was centered around a married couple Zeek and Camille Braverman, their grown four children Adam, Sarah, Crosby, and Julia, and their children. Compared to the many options we have on television now-a-days its hard to make a case for someone to watch this show instead of others, but once you watch an episode it is crystal clear why so many viewers (not just me) came back week after week, and year after year to get a look into the lives of the Bravermans. This show was a huge inside look into life and how even though it may be difficult it is the little moments that keep us going each and every day. It was that show that reminded the audience that despite the conflict going on in our lives it will undoubtedly get better. Even the "cup half empty" kind of people had no choice but to take a dive into the other side of that phrase.

There was a familial connection for EVERYONE in this show. You had Camille and Zeek who have been married for YEARS despite the high divorce rates, surpassed marital pitfalls and war (Zeek was a Vietnam vet) and yet still manages to stay together. There is Adam and his wife Kristina with their three kids, battling illnesses and trying to raise a special needs child. Single mom Sarah being the rebellious child leaving home and raising her two kids alone, Crosby being the carefree baby boy until reality soon comes knocking on his door and has to realize the importance of putting on the responsibility hat. Last but not least the baby girl Julia who was the overachiever the other Bravermans secretly envied. Every family had their own situation that the audience could connect to. Spouses trying to make ends meet during this spiraling economy, raising special needs children, raising rebellious teenagers, just raising a child trying to come into their own really, cheating, illness and the list can go on and on.

There are moments in this show that I could list to you that could give you a more in depth reasoning to why me and many others are such a fan but being that the finale just aired, with just a quick Google search you can see them all with cute video clips and tears inducing pathos. Why throw out another one of those articles?

I just want to write about my connection to this show. Out of all the shows I watched (and I watch A LOT of different TV shows) I always  came back to this one. I started watching this show since the beginning, straying a bit due to personal issues but got back to it shortly after. The show first aired when I was 19 years old and then and now I appealed most to Sarah Bravermans little family. See my mother was a single mom of three and even though I knew my father and spoke to him at least every few months or so I didn't have a present father. I knew the struggle seeing my mother live paycheck to paycheck. I maybe wasn't as rebellious as Amber but I in some way was her. Struggling to find out how to live a full life with a full family with a fraction of it gone. At least with Amber she eventually had her grandfather to give her those profound pep talks and kicks in the butt she needed but unfortunately I didn't even have that growing up which goes to my other point. The acting in this show was great and a big reason to why I always came back but grandpa Zeek was the guy who made me never look away from the TV screen. The way Craig T. Nelson played that character was just so real it made me feel like when he had his talks with his kids was actually speaking to me. Every time he would fall ill it was like a stab in the heart, someone trying to take away something so dear to me.

 SPOILER!!! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE SERIES FINALE DO NOT READ ANOTHER WORD!!!


Now getting to the finale, those who have seen the finale know that Zeek died in the final episode and even though I ugly cried for a minute or two I sort of knew it was coming. However, I didn't do major crying for too long when I saw the episode go on and show the lives of his children, grand children, and great grandchildren live on. That is frankly what life is all about I think. The little experiences that help shape your life and make you into who you are and that is what was shown so brightly in the finale. The whole family playing baseball was a great homage to Zeek with his love for baseball. To the cast and crew even though you will probably never read this I have to say AMAZING work! Definitely easy to see why it was the BEST show on television for its own personal reasons.

Please check out NBC's Parenthood for yourself on Netflix.com and/or Hulu.com @nbcparenthood