"Parenthood": The Season Finale

Last week's episode of "Parenthood" ended with Amber in an appalling car crash. Last night's season finale began with her in the hospital, undergoing surgery, with the Braverman family in the waiting room clinging to hope; it ended with hope for all of the Bravermans restored - even Crosby, who seems to have reconciled with Jasmine, though the lack of words between them at the end puts their relationship on the bubble.

There was also a lot of apologizing going on. Amber was apologizing to Sarah for riding with a drunken driver and getting drunk herself, and the actors reading Sarah's play apologized to Sarah for being less understanding about her daughter (the producer helping Sarah, played by Richard Dreyfuss, told them that Amber was dead!). Sarah received an apology from her nephew Max (who has Asperger's syndrome) for his callous outburst in the hospital while the Bravermans waited to find out about Amber and for saying he didn't care if Amber was in surgery and that it was beyond their control (ironically being out of control himself), and of course Crosby couldn't stop apologizing to Jasmine for sleeping with another woman.

Julia finds herself suddenly having to help her daughter's teacher as she gives birth owing to the unavoidable absence of the father, and she later sees her daughter's teacher and her husband with their new baby. (Julia's daughter's teacher is Asian and her husband is white; that's three interracial couples I've counted on this show so far. Subtle.) The experience of helping a pregnant woman give birth inspires Julia, no longer able to bear children, to . . . adopt a second child. (I saw that coming.)

The surprises didn't concern Sarah or her daughter Amber, but rather Adam and his wife Kristina. Adam gets fired from his job for not being comfortable in his position despite his hard work; his kid boss can tell he's not happy. But the biggest surprise comes when Adam finds a pregnancy test kit while rummaging through the garbage looking for Max's dental retainer; the test kit shows positive. Adam immediately thinks his sexually active daughter Haddie is pregnant.

It's Kristina.

And Max finds his retainer.

This all promises for some wonderful storylines when "Parenthood" returns this September. Will it in fact return? Well, it does enjoy the second highest ratings of any NBC drama, but will that be enough? Also I remember "Ed," when Nancy (Ed's friend's wife) became pregnant at the end of the fourth season.

There was no fifth season. "Ed" was canceled.

So, a pregnant character on "Parenthood" could curse the show. I hope not. I hope very not.