The season 4 finale left a very different picture than the premiere. At the beginning, the only happy one was Julia, now, seems that the other three are happy, but not her. After the news, Charlie is shocked but little by little starts to process it. Kirsten receives the news in the same way he received her married news in 4x06, and of course she is against any abortion because she would give everything to have a baby. Upset, she tells him not to lean on her this time and I can think how much affected her this considering her chronic illness and how much she suffered for Charlie. Later, he checks some of Owen's clothes from when he was a year old, remembering how happy he was then in season 1. Daphne has a lot of doubts and knows she is not a picture of a good mom. She says she'll lose her job and looking at herself, her lifestyle (and her not good parents who live in Dallas), she has the intention to abort. She even makes an appointment (poor Diana). So Charlie convinces her to have the baby, saying that when the baby is born, Daphne can choose to raise him together or leave, so he'll raise the him alone. He's aware of everything, he battled cancer and survived, the love of his life is still married to someone else and for now she can't have children, he is alone and Daphne is not the woman he loves, and her pregnancy was an accident, so just to bring some happiness to his life, he took the only and right choice: to have the baby. Then, he goes to tell Kirsten, having thought what to say to keep her in his life. This is hard for her, but she has to accept that if she was not married to Paul, she and Charlie surely would have been back together this season, and there wouldn't be this issue. Now they are even. Anyway, outside her house, Charlie convinced her to be happy for him when he said that he wants her to love his baby, because he knows how unfair it's her situation (Kirsten is gifted to take care of kids). And considering Charlie's words and Daphne's doubts, he implied to Kirsten that she can be what his baby might need one day. He told her that for him it's incredibly great to have her in his life and he wants the baby to be a part of her life too, to be loved and held by her, implying to Kirsten that he still wants for them a future together, somehow. It's like he told her he will never want to lose her, no matter what happens. So finally, she took his hand and told him that she will buy her the first pair of Mary Jane shoes (yes, Kirsten predicted that the baby will be a girl). This 2nd scene with them when he told her all this was really nice and memorable for what it means. They still love each other deeply, so despite this news, they don't want to lose each other again. Then, Bailey found out because Charlie told him, he was surprised, and seems he doesn't care about an abortion (too bad for Bailey, because he will hurt Sarah for this), but accepts Charlie's choice. Julia and Claudia find out accidentally, in a funny scene while watching Daphne with nausea, and congratulates him when he arrives home. In the final scene, Charlie is happy to see his baby in the ultrasound, but I know that he still can be much more happier, as he will be in the next seasons finales. To finish this part, in the first scene Daphne told Charlie that they were not careful because he said it was his first time after the cancer, in Free and Clear. But there's a problem that no one mentioned. For what he said in Square One, he still was having radiation treatments to make sure they got everything. So if it is known for studies and researches that radiotherapy can cause temporary infertility, especially when the area around the pelvis is radiated, how the hell was the baby conceived?? I know there could be a chance (because he had not cancer exactly in the pelvic area), but considering that Charlie had radiotherapy since november, shouldn't be very unlikely to conceive the first time he tried?? I thought this a while after seeing this episode, and now I don't think it was possible. Anyway, it is what it is, there's nothing to be done, this was written 23 years ago.
As for Bailey, he clearly lost his mind in proposing to Annie (I didn't like it writers, this was a big mistake from Bailey), but fortunately Annie took the only and right choice, to be with Jay: her husband and Natalie's father. It's hard for Bailey, his mistake was getting involved so deep with them, that's why now he is hurt. So for this, their farewell was pretty emotive. Jay and Natalie wait in the car, while Annie says goodbye. Bailey, in tears, says she didn't give him a chance to get used to it, was all so fast in 4 days. Annie gives him a strong hug, whispering "I love you", and touched, she leaves. It's hard because they really loved each other and he helped her in one of the hardest moments, forming a strong bond. But the family bond will always be more important, Natalie unites Annie and Jay in a way that Bailey can't understand, not yet. Anyway, later Sarah is there to comfort him and to answer his question: why is she still here? Well, because she loves him as always (as she told him while painting Annie's old apartment), and because the producers didn't let JLH go yet. One year later, she is able to move on from all his mistakes in season 3, so they get back together and they sleep together for the first time. So Bailey is somehow happy now.
Meanwhile, Julia got into Stanford, so it's time for another decision. Griffin knows probably since 4x08 that their love is not enough, so he decides to let her go to college and split up (also, the only and right choice). She wanted to live in Stanford with him but he said that things wouldn't work out, she has to compromise with college, besides they want different things in life. She said something similar in 4x19, and although is hard for her because she loves him, she accepts their break up. Still, she agrees to keep in touch, and gives him a common ring she bought in the airport, to seal somehow their bond telling that they can be together sometime in the future. All these moments were a little emotive, they shared a deep relationship, despite all the flaws. For this, Julia is the sad Salinger today, she had to choose between college and Griffin, he made the decision for her because he knows what she really wants to be happy (he realized this in 4x18), and she accepted. And for that, now she loses someone she loves. As for Claudia, Jamie got the wrong date for the prom night, but their limousine driver gave them music to dance, so Claudia had some happiness at the end. Also, Julia finds out that her sister was accepted in the boarding school she applied (4x19), but now Claudia feels a little regretful, she almost forgot she wanted to leave. Julia tells her that if she goes, things might change with Jamie. To finish, season 4 was great, maybe darker and saddest than the rest, but overall was better than season 3, that just had wonderful episodes and overall wasn't that good (because characters like Callie, Cooper, Grace or Sam). Anyway, I think the best of the season was until the episode 19, instead, the last five episodes, went in a totally different way, with not enough drama. It was like a big change that divides the season in 2. And as like Kirsten had her deepest storyline at the beginning of season 3 with manic depression, Bailey in season 3 overall with alcoholism, now was Charlie's turn with the cancer. I believe that the writers gave Matthew what he wanted in the cancer storyline of Charlie. It was dark, not soft, and at the same time, had emotional moments. There were also road trips, snow, woods (I mention this because he's from Wyoming), and his character was a grown up man all the time (unlike in late season 2 or late season 3). So for all that, he was allowed to develop great performances, just as Scott did last season with Bailey. Then, Stephen Graziano's job in the original score was amazing too, made a lot of touching and emotional moments. And the new characters Annie and Natalie were overall pretty great. Annie wasn't always likeable, I guess JLH fans didn't like her, but her alcoholism, fight for sobriety and Natalie gave tense dramatic moments. This was a perfect fit in episodes like True or False or Go Away. And added some mature themes to the show like the struggles of a single mother, far away from teenage issues of seasons 1-2. Then, Kirsten's return basically "saved" the family after the neglect of Owen and Claudia, and gave Charlie the needed support his siblings couldn't provide. Sadly, the circumstances of her return fit with the tragic events of last season and her chronic illness, so it was acceptable for the Salingers, still, was enough to have her back. She was needed because there will always be the feeling that she never should have left. As for Griffin-Julia, served to prove how many people get married too young or without being ready, ending up in an inevitable separation when things get really bad, when drama hits.
As for Bailey, he clearly lost his mind in proposing to Annie (I didn't like it writers, this was a big mistake from Bailey), but fortunately Annie took the only and right choice, to be with Jay: her husband and Natalie's father. It's hard for Bailey, his mistake was getting involved so deep with them, that's why now he is hurt. So for this, their farewell was pretty emotive. Jay and Natalie wait in the car, while Annie says goodbye. Bailey, in tears, says she didn't give him a chance to get used to it, was all so fast in 4 days. Annie gives him a strong hug, whispering "I love you", and touched, she leaves. It's hard because they really loved each other and he helped her in one of the hardest moments, forming a strong bond. But the family bond will always be more important, Natalie unites Annie and Jay in a way that Bailey can't understand, not yet. Anyway, later Sarah is there to comfort him and to answer his question: why is she still here? Well, because she loves him as always (as she told him while painting Annie's old apartment), and because the producers didn't let JLH go yet. One year later, she is able to move on from all his mistakes in season 3, so they get back together and they sleep together for the first time. So Bailey is somehow happy now.
Meanwhile, Julia got into Stanford, so it's time for another decision. Griffin knows probably since 4x08 that their love is not enough, so he decides to let her go to college and split up (also, the only and right choice). She wanted to live in Stanford with him but he said that things wouldn't work out, she has to compromise with college, besides they want different things in life. She said something similar in 4x19, and although is hard for her because she loves him, she accepts their break up. Still, she agrees to keep in touch, and gives him a common ring she bought in the airport, to seal somehow their bond telling that they can be together sometime in the future. All these moments were a little emotive, they shared a deep relationship, despite all the flaws. For this, Julia is the sad Salinger today, she had to choose between college and Griffin, he made the decision for her because he knows what she really wants to be happy (he realized this in 4x18), and she accepted. And for that, now she loses someone she loves. As for Claudia, Jamie got the wrong date for the prom night, but their limousine driver gave them music to dance, so Claudia had some happiness at the end. Also, Julia finds out that her sister was accepted in the boarding school she applied (4x19), but now Claudia feels a little regretful, she almost forgot she wanted to leave. Julia tells her that if she goes, things might change with Jamie. To finish, season 4 was great, maybe darker and saddest than the rest, but overall was better than season 3, that just had wonderful episodes and overall wasn't that good (because characters like Callie, Cooper, Grace or Sam). Anyway, I think the best of the season was until the episode 19, instead, the last five episodes, went in a totally different way, with not enough drama. It was like a big change that divides the season in 2. And as like Kirsten had her deepest storyline at the beginning of season 3 with manic depression, Bailey in season 3 overall with alcoholism, now was Charlie's turn with the cancer. I believe that the writers gave Matthew what he wanted in the cancer storyline of Charlie. It was dark, not soft, and at the same time, had emotional moments. There were also road trips, snow, woods (I mention this because he's from Wyoming), and his character was a grown up man all the time (unlike in late season 2 or late season 3). So for all that, he was allowed to develop great performances, just as Scott did last season with Bailey. Then, Stephen Graziano's job in the original score was amazing too, made a lot of touching and emotional moments. And the new characters Annie and Natalie were overall pretty great. Annie wasn't always likeable, I guess JLH fans didn't like her, but her alcoholism, fight for sobriety and Natalie gave tense dramatic moments. This was a perfect fit in episodes like True or False or Go Away. And added some mature themes to the show like the struggles of a single mother, far away from teenage issues of seasons 1-2. Then, Kirsten's return basically "saved" the family after the neglect of Owen and Claudia, and gave Charlie the needed support his siblings couldn't provide. Sadly, the circumstances of her return fit with the tragic events of last season and her chronic illness, so it was acceptable for the Salingers, still, was enough to have her back. She was needed because there will always be the feeling that she never should have left. As for Griffin-Julia, served to prove how many people get married too young or without being ready, ending up in an inevitable separation when things get really bad, when drama hits.