Parenthood Episode 5.17 Limbo

According to Jasmine's mom, Renee, it's high time baby Aida was baptized! Crosby and Jasmine try to explain the timing is terrible, but Renee insists Aida's soul is at stake, and Camille won't mind throwing a brunch. When Jasmine refuses to bother Camille, Renee offers to have Sunday brunch at her tiny apartment. But there's a worse problem: Aida's godparents, Joel and Julia, are currently separated. Renee's not bothered. Crosby and Jasmine simply have to choose another godfather - and pronto!

While Jasmine invites a flabbergasted Camille to brunch at Renee's, Crosby stops by Joel's depressing bachelor pad. Luckily for Crosby, Joel understands right away: being Aida's godfather would just be too awkward right now. Later, Crosby has to have another awkward conversation to explain the whole thing to Julia, who immediately thinks Joel doesn't care; did he ask about her - at all? Afterwards, Julia calls Joel in tears. Being asked to be Aida's godparents is a very big deal to her - and why isn't Joel fighting for their marriage!? While Joel allows that he's willing to fight for his children, the rest of it "isn't his call." Crosby is drowning his sorrow in beer when Camille corners him to make peace after their argument over selling the house. What Crosby doesn't realize is that she has something else in mind: rather than rain on Renee's parade, Camille wants to host a family dinner the night before the christening. Stressed out by all the christening hullaballoo, Crosby stops by Adam's for a beer - and to ask him to be Aida's godfather. Unaware that he's second choice, Adam is thrilled and touched.

Now in the last phase of the Surfsport job, Sarah and Hank have rented a professional-quality printer. When Max shows up for an afterschool session, he insists on using the printer and pushes Sarah off the computer, losing her work, despite her and Hank's best efforts. With the deadline looming, Sarah puts her foot down - no printing for Max until the Surfsport job is done - sending Max into a full-blown tantrum. By the time Sarah gets Max home, he's calling her a selfish fascist. Rather than apologize to her sister-in-law, Kristina runs after Max. When Adam comes home, an angry Kristina tells Adam all about what happened; clearly, Sarah doesn't get it, and it's time to have a talk with her.

Drew knocks on Natalie's door. He's stunned when a half-naked Berto answers - and opens the door wider to reveal Natalie in bed! Later, Berto can't comprehend why Drew is angry that he slept with Natalie. But since he's upset, Berto totally doesn't have to hit it, since Drew is his bro. When Natalie pops in, Berto awkwardly backs off any future sex, and Natalie lays into Drew. Sick of it all, Drew flees the dorm for Amber's apartment where he and his big sis drown their mutual sorrows in ice cream, vodka and weed. They're pretty much around the bend when Amber's phone starts ringing off the hook. Did they forget about Aida's christening dinner?

After hopping in a cab, Amber and Drew pop breath mints, ply some eye drops and try to look sober. At their grandparents' house, the dinner table is already tense. Zeek has told Pastor Jones that he's an atheist; Adam has offended Sarah by laying into her for the Max incident; Julia mentions that Adam is the fill-in godfather; and Kristina points out that Sarah's kids are high. Then Sarah's the last to learn Zeek and Camille are planning to sell the house. When Crosby wishes aloud that they weren't having the christening at all, Julia apologizes for not being able to hold her marriage together and excuses herself from the table. Later that night, Zeek stops by Joel's apartment to ask him not to give up on Julia. Recalling the wedding day when Joel became his son, Zeek prevails upon him to attend Aida's christening.

The next day, a thoughtful Hank can sense Sarah's still angry about Max. Sarah has found her "thing" in photography and so has Max, which for a kid with Asperger's can be a life raft on the stormy sea of life. Just before the christening, Sarah tells Adam and Kristina that she rented the printer for another week, so Max can use it. Jasmine reminds Crosby that Jabbar's christening was the best day of her life. Even if she doesn't buy into all the trimmings, for Jasmine, the best days are the days when family comes together. Sadly for Julia, the joy is bittersweet when Joel makes a brief appearance.