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There are certain topics that have been pervading the blogosphere lately. For a while, it was the idea of spurning Facebook. Then I noticed a ton of memes, BFP posts, planning posts (I did one of those), and tagging posts with music (I'm a frequent participant in those too). Now, I'm joining the chorus in discussing how much I am despising watching all of my favorite TV shows lately.

I know I willingly subject myself to Teen Mom, Teen Mom 2, and 16 and Pregnant. (Don't judge me.) I don't know why those shows don't bother me. Maybe it is that they were so young and stupid. But, with sitcoms and series, I am feeling like a deer in the headlights.

Right now, Parenthood, Glee, How I Met Your Mother, and Fringe (KG's fav - telepathy via IVF!), all have story lines having to do with babies, infertility, or adoption in some shape or form. The other day Smoon even texted me to warn me about HIMYM, before I watched it on DVR.

But this week, it was really the Parenthood/Glee combo that sent me over the edge. Spoilers below.



I love Parenthood. It is by far the best series on TV, in my own humble opinion. The writing is sensitive and witty. The story lines are gripping. It goes without saying that I was also a big fan of the 1989 film of the same name, that the series is based on. I think it was Mel who posted the scene with Grandma, talking about life using the metaphor of a roller coaster. Brilliant film-making, I tell you. The series bases its characters off of the film's cast, but has given them a slightly different flavor. It has just the right mix of humor, sadness, and complexity. Seriously, KG and I look forward to it every single week.

Until this season.

Joel (Sam Jaeger), Sydney (Savannah Page Rae) and Julia (Erika Christensen)

Right now, they are running parallel story lines with two sisters.  One sister (Sarah) is 40 and considering having a child with her young boyfriend. This is relatively benign, and they haven't gotten farther than having her son find ovulation tests in her bathroom.  The other sister (Julia) is experiencing secondary infertility and subsequently decided to pursue adoption. She is an attorney, and a girl who sells coffee in her building (Zoe) offers to give up her unwanted baby to Julia and her husband. Zoe ends up actually living with Julia, because she has no money and the father of the baby left her. Over the last several episodes, Zoe has been pushing Julia away, making her fear that Zoe will change her mind about the baby, despite Zoe's denials. Over and over again, Julia warns her husband that she has a sinking feeling this adoption will not work out. This also gave me a sinking feeling.

In this week's episode, Zoe gives birth. Julia is there for the delivery, as she has been her main support throughout the entire pregnancy. In the middle of labor, Zoe tells Julia that she loves her, and Julia reciprocates. At birth, Zoe refuses to hold the baby, reassuring Julia that everything is going to be okay when the time comes.

Then, the next day, Julia, her husband, and her daughter all come to the hospital to take the baby home. Julia looks for Zoe in her hospital room, finding the nurse changing the sheets, and Zoe nowhere to be seen.

This is where my stomach dropped the first time. I literally felt my ears get tense. Then, it gets worse.

After being told Zoe is taking a walk, Julia goes to the nursery to hold her newly adopted son. Instead, through the window, she sees Zoe holding her baby - crying, cooing, and becoming attached. Zoe and Julia make eye contact, and the look on Zoe's face just screams, "I'm sorry." Julia walks away, locks herself in a hospital room, and bursts into tears, knowing she has spent 9 months bonding with a baby she will never take home.

Not only is this Julia's worst nightmare, but this would be my own worst nightmare, if I decided to adopt. My heart BROKE for her. Her pain was palpable, as she sent her daughter away with her husband, so she could collapse in private.

I don't know what to feel about this story line. There is still a chance it could end well for Julia, but my gut tells me it won't. At the end of the episode, I felt drained, sad, and hopeless. Not exactly what I usually look for from my DVR.

I wonder how some of you bloggers who are in the adoption process feel about this story line. Do you find it to be a positive thing, revealing the difficulties that adoption poses? Do you feel it is manipulative or fear-provoking? Sensationalist?

The fun didn't stop there...

Next, I decided to watch Glee. The show has been pretty annoying recently, when in the last couple of weeks, Sue Sylvester announced her intention to do IVF with donor sperm. For Sue, apparently the laws of physics, biology, and medical protocol don't apply. She was able to complete an entire IVF cycle (which apparently went directly from shots to conception, skipping retrieval and transfer all together) in 3 weeks.

Yup, in the first 10 minutes of this week's episode, she announced she is pregnant. Really? Really?! Isn't she like 45 years old? She got pregnant on the first try?!

I couldn't take it. I stopped the episode and hit delete, right then and there.

Who knew TV would be such a minefield. Maybe this is a sign from the universe that I need to spend my time reading instead.

Photo credit: NBC
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Today's song is "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush. This song was featured in a movie called She's Having a Baby. This and Funny About Love were two of the first films that I can remember watching which dealt with infertility. Who knew, years later, that IF would be so trendy in mainstream media?