The mid-season premiere of 'Parenthood' kicked off with a heap load of family drama and some inspiration. All four Braverman siblings were forced to deal with difficult issues, from Kristina's (Monica Potter) cancer, Sarah's (Lauren Graham) failed engagement, Julia's (Erika Christensen) strained relationship with her adoptive son Victor (Xolo Mariduena) and Crosby's (Dax Shepard) new houseguest-his mother-in-law.
Adam and Kristina Braverman: The eldest Braverman and his wife have had a hard couple of months. Just months after giving birth to their little girl Nora, Kristina discovered that she had cancer. After surgery, chemotherapy and a frightening visit to the hospital, Kristina is finally starting to feel better. Her cancer isn't gone and neither are the issues associated with her chemo treatment. During a girls' night out with her sisters-in-law, Kristina smoothes over her hair and inadvertently pulls off a chunk of it. The traumatic experience gives Kristina the idea to shave off all of her hair. While Adam is taken aback at first, he comes to love her new look and the energy it gives her. After a brief argument over a wig Adam buys her, the two set out for a night out on the town, giving the couple the pick-me-up they needed.
Sarah Braverman, Mark Cyr and Hank Rizzoli: Soon after her engagement to Mark (Jason Ritter) comes to an end, Sarah finds herself in a complicated sexual relationship with her boss Hank (Ray Romano). The two, who haven't gone on a date yet, are casual sexual partners, but that doesn't sit right with Sarah. After getting advice from her sisters-in-laws and sister Julia, Sarah tells Hank he needs to ask her out on a date, which he does. However, before meeting up with him, Sarah sees Mark's Facebook page filled with photos of him and another woman at a party, which makes her really upset. She ends up going on the date with Hank, but is distracted by thoughts of Mark with other women. Despite this, she and Hank head back to his apartment for some Chinese food and she ends up spending the night. When she doesn't see him early the next morning, Sarah begins to get ready to leave only to have him walk in with their breakfast.
Julia Braverman-Graham and Victor Graham: Adjusting to their new lives as mother and son haven't come easy to Julia and Victor, and it's about to get that much harder. After Victor earns top marks on a math exam, he asks Julia if he can show his results to his birth mother, something Julia never expected him to ask. Later that night, she and husband Joel (Sam Jaeger) sit down with Victor to tell him that because they've adopted him, he is not able to see his birth mother any more (especially due to her substance abuse). This doesn't sit well with Victor, who blames Julia for not being able to see his mother. Later, as he's practicing his batting in the backyard, Victor becomes angry at his adoptive-sister's incessant questions about his birth mother. In a fit of rage, he throws his metal bat at her, narrowly missing her head and smashing a glass door. Julia becomes angry, snatches him up and sends him straight to his room. The next morning, after everyone has cooled down, Victor refuses to have Julia take him to school and insists on waiting for Joel. It's the start of a long battle between the two while Victor's adoption becomes permanent.
Crosby Braverman and Jasmine Trussell: The youngest son of the Braverman family is quickly getting use to the ins-and-outs of marriage and this week's episode is no different. When his wife Jasmine tells him that her mother has lost her job and needs their help, Crosby is a bit apprehensive. She originally tells him that her mother needs $5,000 to get back on her feet and put her finances in order. Not wanting to loan his mother-in-law the money, Crosby seeks his big brother's help in finding a solution. Adam tells his brother that when he married Jasmine, he married her family as well and is obligated to help his new family member out. Crosby tells Jasmine that he's willing to gift her mother the $5,000 only to be affronted with the news that Jasmine's mother will have to move in to their home instead. Although he's not happy about it, especially because he's forced to give up his work space, Crosby welcomes his mother-in-law to his home.
The next episode of 'Parenthood,' entitled "Small Victories," airs on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 10 p.m. EST on NBC.
WATCH A PREVIEW FOR NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE "SMALL VICTORIES"
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