I do appreciate the characterization or relationship-zation (?). Paul and Allison make for a dysfunctional couple but that dysfunction is reserved for each other. They genuinely care for Cor and don't do the back and forth "can you believe what your parent did" that some couples do. Because of this, the audience is effectively neutral until each listener decides not to be. And the show remains engaging not painful. Because, yay, terrible parenting does happen, but it's not automatic and wouldn't mesh in this story.