Spoilers ahead. Though I am just playing catch-up, myself.
I have a major problem with Max Braverman’s (Max Burkholder) recent storyline on Parenthood. I was wary of where it would go after he develops a crush on classmate Dylan (Ally Ioannides). And turns out those concerns were warranted.
It was problematic from the beginning when Adam (Peter Krause) encourages Max to pursue his interest in this girl, just because it gave him hope. While Kristina (Monica Potter) initially had reservations, I was disappointed when Adam was able to talk her out of them.
It was incredibly irresponsible for Kristina, as the administrator of a school, to do nothing as she witnessed her son harassing another student, and worse for her to tell him that she was proud of him for his grand gesture. It was inexcusable for her to force Dylan to stay in a situation she felt uncomfortable after expressing these feelings.
This is a girl trying to speak up for her right to feel safe and getting shut down by the very person who is supposed to protect her.
This is where it starts.
Kristina and Adam can’t pick up and decide to start a school (as implausible as that storyline is to begin with), without being fully conscious of the situations young people face today. Boys believing girls owe them attention or should reciprocate feelings, just because they want them to, is a slippery slope to men who rape women.
Tell me I’m wrong.
There should have been a discussion about this from the very beginning, especially because Max’s parents know about his propensity for obsessive behavior. When Max asks his parents if he harassed Dylan, they should have said yes. Because he did harass her. Harassment is in the eye of the person on the receiving end of the attention. If she deems it unwanted attention, then yea Max, you messed up. It’s not about Max’s good intentions.
This is not okay.
Instead, Dylan is made out to be someone who blows the situation out of proportion and makes things awkward and uncomfortable for the Bravermans. She shouldn’t have kissed another boy. Her parents are to blame for being absent in their daughter’s life. If everyone could just see things from Max’s point of view. This is victim-blaming, plain and simple.
And sure, they tied it up neatly. Leave it to Adam and Kristina’s magical powers that enable them to bend everyone to their will. Everyone forgives everyone and the two teens become friends again. (They gain these powers simply from loving their child so darn much, because other parents don’t don’t do that).
I’m usually on board with the way showrunner Jason Katims uses this show as his soap box. The show depicts a lot of very serious problems in an idealized yet somewhat realistic manner. I’m not saying that these people are always perfect (though Adam and Kristina usually and annoyingly come off as saints). But when they make a gross error in their parenting style, there should be real consequences. Everything can’t always be solved by the two of them smiling, looking remorseful, and saying please.
I don’t understand how Dylan’s parents, let alone any of the other parents who witness the encounter, can think that the Bravermans are still capable for running a school. They obviously put up massive blinders when it comes to their son; blinders that put other children at risk.
I believe Parenthood really dropped the ball this time around.
Also, everyone needs to leave Drew alone and let him go to school. How does Amber keep getting into his dorm room anyway? What kind of security is that?
