Parenthood follows three generations of the Braverman family who are confronted with family related issues. The show stars Peter Krause of Six Feet Under, Craig T. Nelson, of Coach-fame back in the ’80s, and Lauren Graham. If the title sounds familiar, that’s because the show is loosely based on the 1989 movie by the same name, which starred Dianne Wiest and Steve Martin.
Intelligent, Witty, Smart TV
Some are comparing the show to Brothers and Sisters, but aside from many of the characters being siblings, the similarities end right there. Parenthood deals with issues in a more realistic way. What makes this show worth watching is that it is heartwarming and yet not afraid to showcase real and genuine family conflict which viewers will likely to relate to.
An example of this is when Adam (Krause) finds out that his child, Max, has Asperger syndrome. He watches Max jump in a puddle over and over again and then gets into an argument with his grandfather, Zeek (Nelson), who is still unaware of this new information. Zeek has more of an old-school approach and tries to convince Adam that all the child needs is some discipline. Adam responds by getting more and more defensive until he breaks down and reveals the diagnosis.
Old Themes Return
Having said that, the series does have a few drawbacks. Given that the concept is based on an 1989 movie, the storyline does come off as a bit dated at times. In an episode titled The Big O, Adam has a conversation with his sister Sarah (Graham) about his concern that his wife might be faking orgasms.
Some might be thinking, oh no, not another story line revolving around faking it in bed. Were those not retired back in the ’90s? In spite of this, the dialogue is still pretty solid and Graham, as a brilliant actress, manages to save the scene. She responds to her brother’s question with some of the most awkward uncomfortable conversation ever played out on television. To top it all off, her daughter walks in the middle of it all.
Déjà Vu
Note that like the movie, the word Parenthood seems to mislead some into thinking that this is something that they can watch with their young children. But to be fair, one would think that NBC’s decision to have it on after 10 PM and slap a TV-14 rating on the screen every fifteen minutes would have provided enough clues.
Also, the role that Graham plays may seem a bit like déjà vu as she is once again a sarcastic single mom, just like she was in Gilmore Girls. It could even be suggested that the personality of her character is a little too similar, but at least the good news is that she is just as witty and smart now on NBC as she was on The WB.
Viewers and Critics on the Fence
Yet overall, unfortunately, the response to the pilot has been lukewarm, at best.
"Like the movie that inspired it, Parenthood isn’t an instant classic, but it is smart and warm and knowing, and it casts its net so wide that at least part of it should connect with you," according to Alan Sepinwall of the Newark Star Ledger.
Even if it’s argued that Parenthood is great TV, the ratings were only so-so in the beginning. At first, it seemed the best it could hope for was a limited cult following, like My So-Called Life or Party of Five. But then, a few weeks later, it was reported that the show reversed two weeks of ratings declines on Tuesday, March 23rd and ended up winning its 10 PM time slot. It would continue to win others.
Renewed For a Second Season
In the end, it appears as though Parenthood isn’t leaving the airwaves any time soon. That could be a good thing as TV could use a few good dramas that don’t have a title with the words Law and Order or CSI. For viewers who haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth checking out. Parenthood returns this fall for a second season Tuesdays at 10/9 Central and Mountain on NBC. Also airing on Citytv in Canada, Tuesdays at 10/9 Central/8 Mountain.
UPDATE: Parenthood returns September 14th.
Steve Hatton - Steve Hatton is a Montreal-based freelance writer and journalist who covers the television industry, including TV show reviews and media ...
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