Ep 4. Wassup

Wassup is the fourth episode of Parenthood's first season. This episode primarily focuses on the issues faced by the Braverman family members. The title of the episode comes from the popular Budweiser commercial catchphrase in the '90s, "Wassup?" The episode revolves around the conversation that Adam and Crosby have regarding their past, and the messages that it could send to their children.

The storyline focuses on Zeek's 72nd birthday. Zeek had a fantastic time with his family and enjoyed his special day until he received a phone call that his closest friend and old rival, Harry, had died. The character of Harry was a significant figure for Zeek, and his loss affected him deeply. Meanwhile, Adam and Crosby decide to ask Zeek about their grandfather's secret past to seek answers about their past. This conversation brings up some of Zeek and Harry's old memories and creates a rift between Adam and Crosby, where both start to question their decisions.

Meanwhile, Sarah is dealing with her teenage daughter's attitude, Amber. In the last episode, Amber was grounded after lying to Sarah, where she went out without telling her mom. Therefore, Sarah tries to instill discipline by giving Amber chores and restrictions to teach her the value of accountability. Amber is also upset because she cannot go to a concert to see the famous musician, Ryan Adams, and blames her mom for always being too controlling.

Julia, on the other hand, is trying to balance her professional and personal life. Julia is ambitious and is trying to be a good lawyer while still being a great mother. However, she struggles with balancing her daughter's school project and her work. She is unable to make it to her daughter's project because of a sudden case hearing, which was very upsetting for Sydney.

Lastly, Crosby is continuing to bond with his son, Jabbar, and teaching him how to ride a bike. While he's busy with his son, he also finds out that he's behind on Jabbar's tuition payments. Due to this distraction, Crosby forgets the deadline to pick up his mother-in-law from the airport. This causes stress in his relationship with Jasmine, and she begins to become more distant from him after every mistake.

Overall, this episode highlighted the different issues faced by parents while juggling between their personal and professional responsibilities. Additionally, it also shed light on the importance of resolving conflicts and maintaining healthy relationships with loved ones. The characters are all forced to evaluate their attitudes, decisions and actions and their importance towards their families. The episode ends with the characters resolving their conflicts, while Zeek grieves his loss.