Parenthood–How is it that everyone I know watches and absolutely loves this show, but it has lousy ratings? Clearly, we need some more Neilsen boxes. Anyway, as the penultimate episode of the season, this one set the table for what looks to be a gut wrenching finale. Mae Whitman again imbued her portrayal of Amber with major gravitas, 
as we watched her slowly but steadily going to a very dark place. She is hurting so much inside, and won’t let anyone help her. Lauren Graham was also impressive, and I was stunned when Amber shoved her mother to the ground, leaving her crying in a heap, her poor brother Drew unsure how to help. It’s every mother’s nightmare. The other parental nightmare, that of learning their teen is having sex (especially if that teen is female), was brought painfully and realistically to life as well. I love the way Haddie interacted with her mom about her own first time, and the awkward dance she did with her dad, knowing that he knew the truth, was a nice touch. However, I was surprised Kristina didn’t take her to get birth control pills. The final scene, in which Amber and her greasy friend Gary ran a red light and got in a horrible car accident, wasn’t a total surprise thanks to previews, for which my heart is grateful.
