When Adam & Crosby purchased the famed Luncheonette recording studio, Parenthood fans had no idea of the awesomeness in store. The hit show about the struggles and triumphs of a close and expanding family continues to rake in excellent musical guests to "record" at The Luncheonette.

This week is no different.

Joining the cast and spending time in the recording booth on the latest episode of Parenthood is none other than Irish folk-rock great Glen Hansard. If the name doesn't ring a bell, you may remember one of his two bands, The Swell Season or The Frames .

The Swell Season acted and sang in 2007's Once, a movie about a struggling Irish busker who happens upon an immigrant woman with a beautiful voice. Together, the two make even more stunning music than they do on their own, and soon they decide to record an album. The soundtrack to Once is made up entirely of songs by The Swell Season and earned Hansard and Irglova an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly."

Hansard also recently put out some solo work. His voice on his solo album, Rhythm & Repose, is striking and often heartwrenching, much like the love story that unfolds in the movie. And, if you're a Hunger Games fan, you may also recall his name from that film's soundtrack. It featured his song "Take the Heartland."

An hour of Parenthood ought to mean at least one or two full songs from the handsome and insanely talented Glen Hansard. A still from this week's episode shows Amber standing beside Hansard and looking quite giddy. If the actress is half the music fan that Amber is, her expression required very little acting. Pull on a toasty sweater, brew up some warm tea and prepare to swoon.

Images courtesy of NBC

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First we must address one very big oversight: Glen Hansard will not be on Parenthood until next week. Sorry!*

The confusion most likely comes from the fact that this week's episode was one that could have been a "to be continued..." sort of deal. As Parenthood episodes go, this was kind of a letdown. Not just because of the missing Irish singer, but because hardly anything was resolved. They're leaving viewers in a lurch until next week's episode. Here's what I mean:

Ryan is still looking for a job and Amber is still trying to learn how to be a good girlfriend to him. He applied for a job at the coffee shop where Amber used to work. When the manager found out Ryan served in Afghanistan, he immediately asked him if he'd killed anyone. Ryan was rightfully upset about this and when Amber tried to comfort him, he fled to go for a walk by himself.

Later, Ryan talked to Grandpa Zeek about the situation, but he didn't offer a whole lot of guidance. We never saw anymore conversations between Ryan and Amber about the issues. Even if it was just, "Here: Read this book. It has a good chapter about dealing with guilt" or "I love you and I think maybe you need to do some more talking with a therapist." They gave us nothing, though.

Meanwhile, Adam, Kristina and Max spent the entire episode arguing over his school presidency, a dance, and the vending machine. Everyone wanted a dance except Max, who thought the money should go toward the vending machine. His parents eventually coerced him into compromising and agreeing to the dance. Then, they immediately guilt-tripped him into going to the dance when he really didn't want to go. The mother-son dancing moment was touching, yes. But, the dance has yet to happen. That will, hopefully, be next week.

Additionally: Kristina and Max only slow dance. Does anyone else see a scene with Max trying to slow-dance to a fast song in the near future? Very cliche, insanely stressful, and so not cool, Parenthood.

Things are still weird between Sarah, Mark and Hank. Despite the fact that Mark and Sarah have a nice weekend planned, she tries to squeeze in time to help out Hank , who is having issues with his ex-wife trying to move across the country. Is anyone sympathetic to this or are we all in agreement that Sarah belongs with Hank anyway. Eventually, Mark shocked Sarah by passive-agressively telling her to go work with Hank. But, again, we'll have to wait until next week to find out what happens.

The only issue resolved: Julia was a jerk when Joel found a job. She said he wasn't putting their family first. How exactly does she think the bills will get paid without one of them working? Basically, she was bored and hoping she could be the one to return to work. She realized she was being a huge B, though, and soon apologized.

In other words, a fat lot of nothing happened in this episode. That, of course, only added to our annoyance over Glen Hansard's non-appearance. Here's hoping next week makes up for it with lots and lots of Hansard!

*

Images courtesy of NBC

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The little things...

Amber shows up with a morning coffee for Uncle Joel in hopes of talking him into hiring Ryan. He's hesitant, but he caves and hires Ryan. Except, on his first day, Ryan is awful at it and, surprisingly, doesn't take too well to the teasing on site. The last time we see him, he's throwing back a few pills with a can of soda. Oh, no.

Julia turns to Kristina for mom help when she experiences issues helping Vincent with schoolwork. What do they do with Max?

"We bribe him," Kristina readily admits, blowing off the pretentious notion of calling it an "incentive system."

It sort of works, but Victor has a long way to go before he'll catch up with his class. He has no confidence in himself, especially his brain, and it pains Julia to witness. It's soul-crushing. Things have got to get better for him soon.

Drama at the Luncheonette...

Evil-neighbor-lady has folk-rock star Glen Hansard's car towed because it's "in her spot." She should suffer greatly for inconveniencing "a troubadour."

Crosby finally spills the drama with the evil-neighbor-lady to Adam, and big brother tries to arrange a meeting.

She's awful to Adam, even as he tries to be professional, and mocks his "family issues." Then, Crosby goads Adam into telling her about Kristina's cancer. First, the woman suddenly decides she once had cancer, too. Then, she goes on to accuse them of using that to try to make her drop the case.

It's a frustrating battle. In the end, though, Cros pulls through when he shows up at the hearing with a dozen neighbors willing to speak on behalf of the studio. They don't have to move and crazy evil-neighbor-lady is stuck with them.

Meanwhile, in Candyland...

"You're a great, great employee," Mark tells Sarah before she leaves to go work with Hank. "You're just a lousy fiancee."

After the event, Hank and Sarah get drunk, silly and adorable. Then they turn the corner and stumble upon the drama king, Mark. Hank needs Sarah. Mark doesn't. Those two need to end up together. Way to ruin everything, Mr. Cyr.

In the morning, Sarah apologizes to Mark and everything seems fine-ish. It's awful. Millions of people were whispering, "Please, please, please tell us he breaks up with her by the end of the episode!"

Later, Hank and Mark end up in the elevator together. While trying to help, Hank lets the cat out of the bag about Sarah knowing all along that the event was a sham. Hank just needed to hang out with his daughter one last time before her mother took her across the country.

When Mark and Sarah meet up for dinner, he's still too hurt to eat... or reconcile. He serves up a bit of perspective on Sarah's choices and then says he can't wait for her any longer. They break up.

A collective sigh of relief was heard around the country.

Back at The Luncheonette...

The highly anticipated performance finally happens. Glen Hansard sings and hearts around the country shudder. That man can sing the most romantic and beautiful songs imaginable and still break your heart.

That's what happened on this week's Parenthood. Don't forget to tune in next week, when Kristina's cancer takes a turn for the worse.

Images courtesy of ABC

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It's official: Watching Parenthood is even more stressful than experiencing parenthood.

On this week's episode, a lot of great things are bound to happen. Hopefully Julia, Joel, Victor and Syd will be able to bond and have some seriously wonderful family times. Meanwhile, Crosby and Jasmine will celebrate their first Christmas as an old married couple. That ought to be sweet. Then, somewhere along the way, someone makes a disparaging remark about Grandpa Zeek's childhood hero and, never one to let things go, he'll spend the rest of the episode trying to redeem said hero.

However, there will be other aspects of the show that are far from chipper and amusing.

Last time we saw Ryan , he'd just walked off Joel's job site after accidentally breaking a window and was drowning his pain in pills and soda. He never told Amber what happened, and this week, Julia will break the news to her.

Watch:

Then there's Kristina's ongoing battle with cancer. As we saw in last week's preview, it looks as if things are about to get rough. She'll take a turn for the worse and end up back in the hospital. Not good. Will Haddie come home for the holidays to be with her mom?

Finally, we catch up with the freshly single Sarah . She and Mark appear to be officially over. Despite trying to take it in stride, she seems mildly disappointed. At the same time, she's acting more like she lost a friend or an acquaintance than a guy to whom she was once betrothed. Our best bets and deepest desires are that her lack of tears is proof she's already in love with Hank .

Here's hoping everyone makes it through the holidays with relatively few tears shed.

Image and video courtesy of NBC

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This week's episode of Parenthood was both great and devastating.

First, Syd and Victor looking for presents is an awesome scene! Yes, it's a cliche moment that most family-based television shows will cover during a Christmas episode. However, they do it because it's real. It happens. Seeing Syd and Victor having an actual brother and sister moment is pretty special.

However, it's slightly frustrating when Crosby and Jasmine are reading to Jabbar and he acts as if he's never heard the story before. Why are they just now reading The Night Before Christmas to him? How has that not been an annual tradition for years, even if Crosby wasn't around? That they haven't read The Night Before Christmas sooner is most likely proof they're not ready to be parents, again.

Kristina's cough was a bit frustrating, too. As overprotective as Adam can be, he should have known better, and called the doctor earlier. Furthermore, when the doctor is delivering the news about Kristina's condition and then they start playing that soft, depressing version of "White Christmas..." Not okay.

Plus, we see Kristina's "just in case" video. Who cried? We cried... probably more than necessary for just a TV show. Meanwhile, Adam's reaction to pray/plead for Kristina is more significant than you might realize. In case you don't remember, the Braverman kids weren't raised to believe in a higher power.

Next, we love Max and Hank together. They're so much alike that they just click. It's cool to see Max bond with someone. Since even Adam and Kristina have a hard time dealing with Max's Asperger's sometimes, the only other person who has been able to hang out with him and have a semi-functional time is Amber.

Zeek and Adam's moment in the hospital was a tearjerker, too. Adam is so controlled, but Zeek is uncontrollable. After the scene in the hospital when Zeek first shows up, it's easy to imagine how things were when Adam was young. That makes it even more touching when Zeek shows up later and the two men come together.

Ryan and Amber : No! Her logic makes complete sense. For someone who tends to not make all the right decisions, Amber nailed this one. And yet, it's such a bummer! We love Ryan... and we love Amber. But, we adore Ryan and Amber together. Hopefully Ryan can get a job and get his life turned around so they can get back together. They're just too adorable and perfect to be apart.

Finally, those Clorox "Power a Bright Future" commercials are great and the organization should definitely be supported. However, does anyone else see Bonnie Bedelia or Sam Jaeger while fast-forwarding through the commercials and then frantically stop because they think the show has started again? Every. Single. Episode.

Images courtesy of NBC

This week's Parenthood is titled "Keep on Rowing," and, boy, does that describe what the Bravermans must do to keep themselves together.

First up, Adam and his family continue to deal with his wife's fight against cancer. In one of three previews for this week, we see Kristina buzzing off her beautiful blond locks. It's a bit trite, yes, but it's also a very real part of cancer. With a new 'do, Kristina plans a romantic dinner for her and Adam. But will everything go according to plan? With the Bravermans involved, the answer is usually no.

We'll also spend some time at Crosby's house this week. After Jasmine lures him into a good mood with some homemade pancakes, she tells Crosby what she really wants. Crosby's mother-in-law, who's constantly butting heads with him, lost her job before Christmas and needs to borrow $5,000 to stay afloat. Ouch. Like Cros and Jas are rolling in dough themselves, right?

Speaking of not-quite-moms: It looks like Victor's success will only bring disappointment to Julia. Check out this clip:

Of course, Victor didn't mean anything by his comments. But that's still a huge downer for Julia. Since the first time they brought Victor "home," just about everyone has had at least a sneaking suspicion that things would end badly. Is this a sign of things to come? Will Victor turn out to not be as permanent as they'd hoped?

Last, we'll also spend some time with Sarah and Hank . While we don't know exactly what's in store, TVGuide promises "an eventful evening." That's both forboding and exciting. Let's hope it ends well or doesn't end at all!

Parenthood airs Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 9/8c on NBC.

Image courtesy of NBC

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This episode of Parenthood had all the right elements of what could have been a good, uplifting story. Except for one Braverman family. I may never forgive the writers for this episode.

There were so many great things about it!

Adam and Kristina

Holy cow! I don't think they could have gotten any cuter. Kristina's reaction to the wig was a little harsh, in my opinion . However, perhaps unless you've gone through chemo and lost your hair, it's best not to judge her mood. And the way she made it up to him was so, so sweet. Even if she tuckered out at the end and never went in search of "the Johnson file," it was still a romantic night that they both really deserved.

Additionally: Amber is an amazing girl. She may not have made all the right decisions with her own life, but she continually tries so hard to be a good niece, cousin and sister. She's so supportive and helpful to everyone.

Sarah and Hank

Finally! While it's so hard to tell how Hank feels sometimes because of his awkwardness and surly attitude, he's still so lovable and loving. He may not have originally approached the situation properly — kissing Sarah in the darkroom when she was already with Mark — but he's trying really hard to make it work now that he's got his girl. These two are perfect for each other. Seriously.

Additionally: Sarah's annoyance over Mark's New Year's kiss with another woman was completely realistic. There are plenty of guys who we know aren't right for us — whom we don't want to be with. But that still makes it hard to see them with someone else.

Crosby and Jasmine

Those "butter-me-up" pancakes didn't work half as well as his brother's guilt trip. While I'm sure their new roommate situation with Jasmine's mom living with them will no doubt backfire into chaos and annoyance, it was great to see them try. Crosby was a complete screwup for so long, and watching him step up to be a great husband and dad is truly admirable.

Julie and Joel

Here's where things went downhill. I don't think it's possible for us viewers to root for a parent/child relationship more than everyone roots for Julia and Victor. When Victor wanted to show his A to his "real mom," it was borderline devastating. Later, when he "accidentally" chucked the bat over his sister's head, it was both understandable and shocking. Julia's initial reaction — to freak out and then get protective over her one "real child" — was also completely normal. The scene at the end, though, was both heartbreaking and hopeful. Victor is hurt and Julia is stressed, but I think they'll make it through.

Overall, it was a quality episode, even if the Julia/Victor situation was a bummer — and even if I'm still ticked about the absence of Ryan and Amber.

Images courtesy of NBC

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Tonight's Parenthood tackles one pretty serious issue, as well as a couple mini-dramas.

First things first: The preview at the end of last week's episode looked downright juicy... and disturbing. It appears Sarah's youngest, Drew, has inadvertantly knocked up his quasi-girlfriend, Amy. While Drew immediately assumes it's his, let's not forget that this season started off with Amy breaking up with Drew for a college guy she met at camp. Who knows what those two were up to, right? The situation is shady, at best. But Drew's desire to keep the baby is admirable .

Things are made worse for Drew when Mr. Cyr, Sarah's ex, spots Drew and Amy fighting in the hallway. Mark — Mr. Cyr — goes to Sarah with the news . That might make things awkward with Sarah and Hank, but Mark definitely does the right thing.

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Things in Crosby's house are far from perfect after his mother-in-law moves in. She has her own way of doing things and she's bound and determined to push her ways onto his family. From cranking the heat to leaving stuff all over the place, she's left her mark on his house. But, she's also sinking her teeth into his family's routine. She refuses to wait for Crosby to get home before they have dinner and to top it off, forces Cros to eat fish, which he hates. They may seem like small things, but when you add them up, they're big annoyances. Someone please put this woman in her place.

Finally, the tension continues to escalate between Julia and Victor. Just watch...

While viewers have remained extraordinarily sympathetic to Julia's adoptive son, this might be the turning point. He's really acting like a spoiled brat now; he's on level with his adoptive sister, Sid. We all want Victor to become a loving, functional member of the Braverman clan... but this scene is beyond annoying.

See how it all turns out tonight on Parenthood at 10/9c on NBC.

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If you have disabilities, should that allow the government to step in and take your children away from you? Of course not — but you may not know that there continues to be discrimination at the hands of health professionals and social workers, and children of folks with disabilities are being taken away. It’s something everyone needs to be aware of and be concerned about.

The facts

The National Council on Disability reports that nearly one out of every 10 American kids has a parent with a disability. Within the last few months, they released a report that, among other issues, highlighted the disproportionate number of children that are taken away from Mom and Dad due to a parent’s disability.

They found:

“The child welfare system is ill-equipped to support parents with disabilities and their families, resulting in disproportionately high rates of involvement with child welfare services and devastatingly high rates of parents with disabilities losing their parental rights.”

It’s frightening. Many states actually allow for disability to be grounds for termination of parental rights. Read that again — and think about how horrifying that truly sounds.

The report contains stories from parents who have been through the child welfare system — some were successful in their battle to retain their parental rights, and others were not.

One mom’s thoughts

Sarah Kovac, whose amazing and inspirational story we highlighted last year, has Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita and does many daily activities, including eating, driving and taking care of her 3-year-old son with her toes and feet. We were able to discuss this alarming practice with her to find out what it means to her as a disabled mom.

“Parents with disabilities are not seen as ‘capable, until proven otherwise’ by many of their peers, or tragically, their government,” she shared. “In much of the United States, simply being a person with a disability is the only reason needed to have your children taken away. Legally, it is more difficult to keep custody of our own biological children than it is to lose custody. It is unfortunate and terribly unjust that people like me have to fight to be the parents that we are.”

She recounted her fears that have developed since the birth of her first child three years ago. Even before she had heard of a single instance of a parent losing their child because Mom or Dad had disabilities, she worried about taking her little boy out into public. “I was so scared to make a mistake in front of the staring passer[s]-bys that I wouldn’t take the risk,” she said.

She explained that parents with disabilities are no different from their peers — that they would do everything within their power to keep their children safe. “By all means, if a parent’s disability causes a child harm, step in,” she told us. “But until that point, I think we deserve the respect to be assumed capable, unless proven otherwise.”

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Oh, thank God!

Of all the excellent things that happened this week on Parenthood, this twist stood out the most: Ryan is back! Ryan, that PTSD-sufferin' hottie that dated the crap out of Amber before leaving when things got too complicated . I don't know about you, but I was crushed. Crushed, I tell you!

When Zeek answered the phone at 3 a.m., the first thing I thought of was when he admitted to having an affair a few seasons back. Was is that other woman, again? Or what if it was Kristina?

Worse yet, I worried that if it were neither of those things, Camilla would think it was that other woman and end up mad and everything would be awful. Instead, it was Ryan calling for a much needed guy bonding session. So sweet!

Grandpa Zeek tells Ryan he needs to find a task he knows he can complete and then jump on it. He decides he needs to apologize to Uncle Joel for bailing on his job when he figured out he sucked at construction. He shows up earnest, but immediately asks for his job back and Joel turns him away. Amber, being the awesome ex-girlfriend that she is, tells Ryan how to bribe Joel. When he shows up the second time, he nails it. Joel offers him a job and they head off to learn how to do manly things with pipes, saws, and hard hats.

The second best revelation of the night: Max finally gets his vending machine back!

You may remember that Max ran for and won class president. His entire platform was that he'd bring back the vending machine that disappeared over the summer. However, some PTA b****es weren't having it.

Kristina got involved and they were super snooty with her, which only made me hate them even more than I did when I first learned they were the ones trying to ruin Max's life. Krissy used to work in politics, though, so Mama knows her way around an argument. In the end, Max got his vending machine back as Skittles rained down atop the rejoicing kid.

One thing: Kristina promised healthy snacks. Where did those Skittles come from and what will happen when poor Max figures out they aren't in the vending machine he worked so hard to acquire?

Finally, here are a few other things that happened on Parenthood:

Jasmine's mother is the most annoying person on the face of the planet. She's living with Cros and Jas for free. She should shut up and be grateful. Instead, she judges absolutely every decision they make and interjects her opinions... oftentimes overruling their decisions entirely. When Crosby and Jasmine decide to sit down and tell her to back off, Jasmine switches sides halfway through and takes up with her mother. That girl seriously needs to grow a spine.

The second most annoying person on the planet is Mark Cyr. Seriously. This week, he asked to have coffee with Sarah . A few hours later, he was loping around outside Hank's place of business.

Mark told Hank he still loved Sarah and he was going to fight for her. Gag me. I hope he doesn't win. Who's with me?

Finally, after spending the entire episode debating it, Joel and Julia have decided they are going to officially adopt Victor. Julia and Victor really butt heads and it's been awful for Julia.

For a while she was second-guessing about adopting Victor and, honestly, I couldn't really blame her. Bat throwing is never OK.

A pep talk from Crosby set her straight, though, and the next morning she delivered the news to Victor. Was he OK with that? His response, "Sure." I suppose that could have gone a lot worse.

Apparently, next week is the season finale. Does anyone else feel like this has been the shortest season ever? How on earth are they ever going to wrap everything up tidily in just one measly hour? I am not prepared!

Images courtesy of NBC

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Jason Trawick

When Britney Spears started hooking up with her manager, Jason Trawick, in 2009, tongues started wagging that perhaps the considerably older Trawick was just after Brit Brit’s money. After all, most boyfriends don’t become co-conservators of their girlfriend’s finances when they start shacking up. Well, naysayers be damned! After putting in three years with the troubled singer — hanging out with Brit’s boys, spending time with her wackadoo dad, and walking her down red carpets — Trawick cut his losses and called their engagement quits. Clearly, he wasn’t in it for some huge wedding day haul, y’all.

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick are over>>

Jason Hoppy

Viewers may have fallen in love with Bethenny Frankel on The Real Housewives of New York for her sharp sense of humor, but we doubt Jason Hoppy is finding Frankel too funny these days. And while we generally find the sarcastic ex-housewife pretty amusing, even we have to admit her divorce demands are bordering on downright b*tchy. In addition to primary custody of the couple’s little girl, Bryn, soon-to-be former wifey Frankel is reportedly requesting that the handsome Hoppy pay child support, get life insurance that names she and Bryn as beneficiaries, and pony up for both she and Bryn’s health-care expenses. Poor guy — someone pour him a Skinnygirl cocktail, stat!

Bethenny Frankel talks divorce with Ellen DeGeneres>>

Jason Ritter

OK, so we can’t actually find any evidence that Jason Ritter and girlfriend Marianna Palka have parted ways. However, he did just go through a breakup… on TV. As cute as a button high school teacher Mark Cyr on the NBC hit series Parenthood, Ritter — or rather his character — recently split up with fiancée Sarah Braverman, played by Lauren Graham. Here’s the thing… we had a total soft spot for Ritter before he even joined the cast, partly because he reminds us so much of his late dad, TV darling John Ritter, and partly because he maintains a reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood.

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Jason Mraz

Listening to the lyrics of Jason Mraz’s song “I Won’t Give Up,” it’s hard not to get wrapped up in romantic emotion. One may never guess that Mraz’s own relationship — an engagement to fellow singer/songwriter Tristan Prettyman — ended abruptly in 2011. She says she was blindsided , and that Mraz did, in fact, give up on their love. The lyrics to her song “Glass Jar” make that much clear: And now everything’s as if nothing ever happened/The version of your story isn’t really matching up/You gave up on us. Maybe Mraz will get “lucky” in love again one day.

Take the ultimate love & sex survey, here!>>

Top image courtesy of Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com, all others courtesy of WENN.com

Well, that was bittersweet. As much as I love the Bravermans, I don't think I could have taken one more episode of drama this season. I'm far too emotionally invested. But, dang. This season finale was definitely a good one. Not everything was tied up perfectly, but it was tied up for another year. Here's what happened...

Amber and Ryan

Swoon! I've never rooted so hard for any two people in my life. Ryan stole our hearts the minute he walked on screen . Ryan and Amber were both just a little lost and a little directionless. While they're still their own person, I like that they find direction in each other. That final scene... that snippet of them through the shop window, it's promising. And if anyone takes that away from me next season, I'll plan a mutiny.

Kristina

Krissie's cancer-free! Even though Adam booked the trip to Hawaii for Kristina, I'm glad for him that they were able to go. Adam, despite his micromanaging and sometimes slightly judgmental tendencies toward Cros, is so caring and tried so hard to make his wife happy. He deserved the vacay as much as she did. That said, seeing her first cancer friend back for treatment is a reminder that, like the doctor said, they won't say she's "cured" until she's cancer-free for five years.

Also, we're really proud of Max for trusting Victor with a lizard. And, speaking of Victor....

Victor is a Braverman!

I guess, technically, Victor is a Graham, since that's his new dad Joel's last name, but there's no point in being nit-picky about it. Everyone who marries a Braverman or is born to a Braverman becomes... a Braverman.

The adoption scene in the judge's office definitely brought tears to my eyes. While it would have been cheesy under any other circumstances, I liked the matching suits and color coordination between the girls. Plus, the rest of the Braverman clan chipping in with love and support for Victor was absolutely adorable.

Mostly, though, I'm so, so glad Syd finally perked up to Victor at the very end. That scene, as well as the scene when Victor asks her to his adoption ceremony was a very brother/sister kind of moment.

Jasmine + Crosby + Jabbar + 1 = One happy family

Things were tense in Crosby's house this week. Jasmine's mother was still sulking because Crosby told her to back off on the parenting advice. She was so mad, in fact, that she even moved out and took residence with Jasmine's brother. Crosby scored some hard-to-get seats on a restaurant that Jasmine was dying to try, though, and that helped a tiny bit.

What helped ease everyone's mind the most, however, was Jasmine's news of a brand-new addition to their tiny, good-looking family. The baby news perked up their dinner, yes. But, when they showed up to tell Crosby's mother-in-law the news, she was over the moon. She was so excited, she even hugged Crosby! That's a good sign!

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah...

Sarah finally made her choice and it was Hank . Even after Mr. Cyr showed up at her door to profess his undying love story for her, she still decided to make things work.

Things with Hank may not be easy , but they're right. It seemed like a really grown-up moment for Sarah to see her choose what she wanted over what would come easier.

In the end, Hank invited Sarah to Minnesota, and I truly think he meant it. He left her to think about it and headed off to be with Ruby.

Season 5 predictions

Sarah will follow Hank to Minnesota. Why not? Drew is starting college and Amber has almost got her life together. They don't need her like they did when they were younger. She should do something for herself. Whether Season 5 picks up with Sarah still in the cold weather with Hank or whether she'll be back after some off-screen split, who knows. One way or another, Sarah spends time in Minnesota.

Amber and Ryan will tie the knot. No idea how this will go down. I think Amber is just as likely to drag Ryan to Vegas to get married by Elvis as she is to want some flowery, hippy garden party wedding a la Jasmine and Crosby. I definitely think they'll end up together forever.

Kristina will stay cancer-free. One season of hairless, puking drama was enough. Parenthood is a drama, not a soap opera. At least for the time being I think we're safe from health scares.

Cros and Jas will have another seriously adorable baby and Mama will move back in to help 'em out. or... If Sarah goes to Minnesota, maybe they'll move into the apartment on Zeek and Cam's property.

I know Victor finally called Julia "Mom" and I'd like to hope it's smooth sailing from now on, but I have my doubts. Victor's older and Syd is just a brat. There's bound to be more trouble ahead. Nothin' Joel and Julia can't handle, though.

Artists I'd like to see record at The Luncheonette: Milo Greene, Seryn, or Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. They'd all be a great bunch of folks to see bouncing around the studio.

Images courtesy of NBC

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Everyone hold hands and start sending good vibes toward NBC studios — vibes of love and familiarity about The Bravermans. They need it. NBC has yet to decide if it'll renew Parenthood for a fifth season. Talk about a stressful situation!

When The Hollywood Reporter asked showrunner Jason Katims about the series finale and whether or not Parenthood would return for season 5, he wasn't sure.

"We're still really waiting to hear whether we have a fifth season," Katims told THR. "And I don't think that decision will be coming anytime soon because now the networks are very involved with their pilot orders and that's where their focus is at the moment. I don't expect any information on that for awhile. I've not had any conversations about any changes to the show."

If anything can save the show, though, it's Parenthood fans.

"I feel like not only are Parenthood fans passionate but that passion has grown over the run of the show and people got more invested as the show has gone on. That really does help keep shows on the air," Katims said.

He's right, too. Who knows how long Community would have lasted if it weren't for its incredibly devoted fans?

As for what we can expect when/if Parenthood returns, Katims says he's still playing around with ideas. He reminded THR that the show always skips time a little bit. You'll never catch Parenthood returning after a summer as if it's the day after last season's finale. He teased with the idea of Drew starting college,  but admitted he's not quite sure.

"I'm still figuring it out," he freely admitted.

And that's okay because, as Parenthood fans know, he has plenty of time. We're always the last show picked up.

To find out what he has to say about where our favorite Bravermans' story lines might lead, head over to THR's entire interview.

Image courtesy of NBC

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The Weird Sisters
Eleanor Brown

Parenthood is about family. Family with all its glorious, messed-up, quirky dynamics that you can't live with but would be bereft without. Eleanor Brown's debut novel has won rave reviews from critics and readers alike for its heart, charm, and impressive wit. The three Andreas sisters — Rose , Bean , and Cordy , all named after Shakespeare characters — have returned home. Though on the surface the reason for their pilgrimage home is their mother's breast cancer diagnosis, each of the sisters has her own secret — her own reason for needing the security of family. It's a delicious, warm read from beginning to end; readers will love it for how smart it is.

Skipping a Beat
Sarah Pekkanen

The difficulties of married life are a central issue in Parenthood, and that subject is beautifully addressed in Sarah Pekkanen’s second novel, Skipping a Beat. Julia and Michael were high school sweethearts, but now they barely speak to one another. They live in a cavernous house in Washington, D.C., a product of Michael's incredible success, and in it they lead independent lives. But when Michael has a near-death experience, all of a sudden everything changes. He decides it's time to give back to everyone else, to give away all the money that Julia has found comfort in. This is a thought-provoking novel about the difference between going through the motions of life and finding a way to actually live each day.

And When She Was Good
Laura Lippman

Every week, Lauren Graham shows us the challenges of being a single mother in her search to find happiness on Parenthood. The main character of Laura Lippman's novel And When She Was Good is also a single mother, but her situation is a bit more complicated. Heloise escaped from a cruel situation when she was young, only to find herself in the hands of vicious men over and over again. To break the cycle, Heloise decided to go into business for herself. Years later, Heloise plays the role of a respectable single mother well, but the deep, dark secrets she's kept over the years threaten to tear her — and her son's — life apart.

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