There have been only a handful of television shows that left me feeling utterly unsure of what to do once it ended, and Parenthood is one of them. I didn’t even know much about the show until a very random mention of it by a colleague once, totally in passing at a random dinner that I almost did not even make it to. I guess what drew me to the show were her sentiments about crying during nearly episode. Yes, I am a big sap. Thus I started watching it on Netflix with my husband a few months ago, and we were immediately hooked! (Obviously, since the first episode in fact made me cry.) Well somehow we flitted through all six seasons and there is only one episode left — the series finale this Thursday night. I have a strange mixture of excited anticipation and gnawing dread.

Parenthood is one of those shows that just speaks to you about family dynamics. It shows effortlessly how no family is perfect, that there are intense, soul crushing experiences to be had, but there are also heartbreakingly beautiful moments in each family’s existence. I love the numerous stories of each family unit and how they all entwine with one another to form a cohesive plot. It reminds me of how much I loved Ugly Betty. There are so many important themes and topics covered in Parenthood (don’t worry, no spoilers in this post). What I love most about it is how good the characters are. Not good in the sense of how well they play their roles, but good in the sense of how honorable, noble, and kind they are. It is truly refreshing to see that on television. I think whoever wrote Adam and Kristina Braverman’s characters must be an absolute angel.

Well I won’t go gushing on and on about the show. If you’re interested, start watching! It’s another one of those shows that won’t leave my thoughts for many, many years.