That makes a lot of sense. I'm still not sure if I completely buy how the pacing/writing of this storyline has played out this season, but your summary really helps to put it in context. I'd also forgotten about a lot of this stuff and hadn't connected any of it to this season. Thanks!

I agree completely. In theory, it's a compelling idea to have the Joel/Julia relationship crumble (especially considering how idyllic their marriage has often been in the past), but the supposed catalysts for the crumbling have been really telegraphed and not nearly cataclysmic enough to justify Joel's rejection of…

She's been pretty weepy lately, but when it results in stuff as good as the Amber/Zeke scenes this episode, I don't mind it too much.

For a Victorian classic, Tess of the d'Urbervilles is one batshit crazy novel.

I'm still not nearly as hot on the Joel/Julia plot as Todd is—not because of how it was introduced, but because its progression requires Joel and Julia (particularly Joel) to act out of character. But DAMN, the Hank/Max stuff was amazing. Here's to Parenthood 2014 being better than Parenthood 2013!

The Tree of Life is fantastic. Just out of curiosity, what are your other two best films?

I saw His Girl Friday for the first time this year. Not only hilarious, but some of the most impressive dialogue I've ever seen in a movie.

Well-played.

For all the fourth-season's flaws, that Sound of Silence/The Graduate thing has become one of my favorite recurring AD bits.

Eh… every season of 30 Rock is enjoyable. But I'd say season 6 is far from great.

With running Best Ofs around May, you'd still run into the same problems, though. Like, this year, Mad Men's season was only halfway over by May.

I'd definitely rank it among the show's best. Maybe not better than the high points of seasons 2 and 3, but at least on par with them. For sure better than season 5, which is a really funny season but I think lacks the character depth of 7.

The episode does kind of take on a different tone in repeat viewings, once you know that [SPOILER] the Sterling vomit comet is coming.

Not just the opening. This whole thing is gold.

Well, now I'm definitely looking forward to Jan. 29. It's always fascinating to me how people react to "Red in the Face." I know some people like Todd who absolutely love it, and other people for whom that episode was the last straw in their decision to quit the show. I feel like whether or not you like it is a sort…

Definitely. It was a nicely double-edged exchange. As I watched it, all I could think is, "Yeah, that's right!" and then "Shit, that's me."

This is more like an interchange than a whole scene, but I also loved when Frances is complaining to that guy (whose name escapes me right now) that she is poor, and then he says that she's not really poor and that saying things like that is offensive to people who really are. It's such a biting insight.

That scene in Drug War when Sun Honglei's cop (pretending to be Mr. Haha) has to take the drug lord's cocaine was so awesomely intense, I feel like it deserves some recognition here.

My guess: she told on Crosby and Adam when she caught them smoking pot sometime circa 1985. They're still miffed at that, because the Bravermans sure do love their pot… or something.

She totally is. But he's being kind of shitty to her, too. Like, in the last episode, why doesn't he care that Victor's school troubles are taking an emotional toll on his wife? Julia may be acting irrationally about it, but pre-season-5 Joel would have at least shown some compassion about that.