"Parenthood" Plot Turn

The start of the 2012-13 television season next week will (or may) answer many questions regarding out favorite shows.  Is Gloria's baby on "Modern Family" going to be a boy or girl? Will Brick Heck finally make a second friend on "The Middle?" Is Victoria the third-person title character of "How I Met Your Mother," the future Mrs. Ted Mosby? Are they ever going to bring back letters to the editor as an end piece for "60 Minutes"?  But here are some questions already posed by "Parenthood," which began its season two weeks earlier than these other shows.  Why did the writers decide to give Kristina breast cancer? Is she going to be killed off?  Is Monica Potter having trouble re-negotiating her contract?  And why did Jason Katims, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer choose to reward "Parenthood" viewers for their seven months of patience for new episodes with such a huge punch to the gut?

I know that some people will say that breast cancer is a fact of life, and that it's a realistic trauma that many women have to go through, but how many trials of Job do Adam and Kristina have to endure? They already have an Aspergerian son, Adam got laid off from his job before starting the recording studio with Crosby, he and Kristina had to figure out how to make ends meet during his period of unemployment when she got pregnant a third time, and sending Haddie off to Cornell wasn't easy for anyone, not even Haddie.  Just when they think their troubles are over, they've only begun?  How many disasters and adversities have to smite one nuclear family?

There were already plenty of possible pitfalls throughout the Braverman clan to follow without having this storyline.  And besides, bear in mind that Adam and Kristina's son Max hasn't changed - he's still mildly autistic.  It's not like their lives were just perfect before Kristina's diagnosis.

Yes, I'll continue to watch.  I'm too emotionally invested in these characters not to.  And while it's too bad that Drew's girlfriend broke up with him, it looks like he's finally found a father figure in Ray Romano's Hank character. And Julia and Joel finally can call Victor a son.  The show is still interesting . . ..