The Thing About Parenthood

I watched the premiere of Parenthood (NBC, Tuesdays @ 10pm) and was pleasantly surprised. That's pretty much what this show is: pleasant. Now, I've never seen Parenthood The Movie, so I don't have any need to to compare the two, but the show does an excellent job of showcasing a multigenerational family - better and more authentic than Modern Family, I must say. And, even though it's a drama, it's often funnier, too (Skype sex, anyone?). Just watch this clip where Julia and Joel try to explain to their borderline-genius child about the birds and the bees. That's how precocious is done, kids.

To begin with, the cast is great. Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Erika Christiansen are the big names, and they're all great. I love the Sam Jaeger, who plays Joel ("I think we should have ice cream today"), and Joy Bryant is fabulous (and sexy) as Jasmine. Mae Whitman is awesome as usual as Lauren Graham's daughter and the rest of the kids, especially the autistic Max, are played by some stellar young actors. There's not really a weak spot in the cast (although I personally hate Kristina, it's her character I hate and not the actress, unusually).

I'm not going to go into specifically what Parenthood is about, because the specifics aren't really that important. Suffice it to say, the family laughs and eats dinner together; they fight and argue and are imperfect; people grow and change and learn important life lessons...all in a way that doesn't feel corny or forced. I think that's really the triumph of this show - presenting authentic people in authentic situations without trite sentimentality or unrealistic perfection. The characters on Parenthood are flawed, just like the rest of us, but unlike on Modern Family where "Phil's kind of a stupid douche" is half the schtick, the Bravermans are able to recognize their flaws and gain a self-awareness that is rarely seen on TV these days. And don't tell me that character growth can't be funny until you've seen Nelson's "I hear you. I see you." delivery in the premiere.

Now, I'll admit that I'm a sucker for things that are heartwarming, and this show certainly is. But the ways in which it warms your heart are unexpected, and the ways in which it brings you down are realistic. Who hasn't felt the complicated mixture of anger, hurt, and sadness brought on by the cancellation of a visit from someone you love and miss? Aside from the locations and sets which are so obviously not Berkeley I wonder if the set designer has ever been there, Parenthood does an excellent job of showcasing the trials and tribulations and delights of being in a big, modern, sub/urban family.

So give it a chance! There're only 14 episodes so far to catch up on, and, like many shows, it is getting better and better...you can find links on Sidereel or Hulu. I think this show is right for a lot of people, but it's especially fun to watch with your own family. Tell your mom about it now so you'll have something to do when you're home at Thanksgiving! You can thank me with pie.

Image via BerkeleySide.com