There is an exit path from marriage. It's called divorce. Cheating is never acceptable regardless of the state of the marriage.

"Joel gets to decide whether he wants to stay married to Julia. He doesn't get to decide whether Julia wants to stay married to him."

So she can win the divorce by quitting first?

Nope, you don't have the events down correctly. Every time Julia upped the ante with Ed, Joel had nothing to do with it.

A year of being totally rejected? They went on the date night in episode 10. Except that Julia was distracted because she kissed Ed. Yeah, that had NO effect on their marriage. Since then, yes. But not really before then. She was as distracted as he was.

Let go? Except that this all happened because of a conversation Julia initiated, after she falsely thought Joel was dating. Then she gives a choice of getting back together or dating other people. Joel is not ready to work on the marriage right now (he mentions right now twice), though he seems quite miserable at…

Hard to say, since she has had so little positive to say about his job. She congratulated him on selling the first house, which is one time she actually did the right thing. Most of the time she was trying to compete for attention, being disruptive, or going to Ed. Maybe he just wanted a few compliments and…

Joel never objected to her career, he was proud of it. She's the one that quit her job. He wanted her to get the job she applied for this season.

We don't know what would have happened with Ed if they had gone to marriage counseling or not separated. We know that Julia couldn't fight down her feelings for Ed even after the separation, which she blamed on Ed. Only when they tried to openly date did she blink.

Depends on the person. The two of them have different temperments and different ideas about the separation. Joel probably wouldn't date until a divorce was final, and there are plenty of people around who do that. Julia has other ideas.

Julia and Ed never could have worked because of all of the scandal attached. But moving on so quickly from Joel and Ed is bizarre. They both have told her she needs to look at herself, and she makes zero effort in that direction.

Julia, honest much? You are the one moving on, or trying to. Even you admit that Joel is not dating, but ooh, fun dating for me!

The problem with the ending is that it makes the title a complete lie. They just should have called it Ted and Robin, because that's what it is. Kids, I need to tell you a story about your mother, but I'm going to start nine years earlier at the exact moment when I met this other woman. Now all of the crap I'm…

Team Julia is consistent for misremembering or forgetting things that happened.

Joel has one big thing on his side. He's honest. Julia is never honest with herself or anyone else. Julia doesn't want to work on the marriage or herself.

Cook him Chicken Marsala?

She hasn't done anything for Joel since she went down to his trailer for that quickie in Episode 7. Ed Brooks she can manage to cook dinner for and go on dates with.

Hey Parenthood, I think it's lying when you show a different edit of a scene to make Joel's hand on Pete's look romantic when it isn't.

Joel: We need to talk.
Julia: About what?
Joel: Ed Brooks.
Julia: I never should have told you about Ed Brooks.

They were the perfect couple in more of a star quarterback-head cheerleader sense more than two well adjusted people. They were very locked into their roles, and somewhat jealous of each other.