Parenthood
Fatal Attraction, Dead Ringers, Heartbreak High, Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies. If the past year has taught us anything it’s that television is once again mining the movies for inspiration.
But while the response to those small screen takes on very cinematic conceits has been somewhat mixed, one show from the past decade is a perfect example in how to do it right.
To be fair, Parenthood wasn’t actually the first crack at adapting Ron Howard’s 1989 film. A 1990 series, written by Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Joss Whedon and starring David Arquette, Thora Birch, Ed Begley Jnr and, yes, Leonardo DiCaprio tanked.
However, almost 20 years later, NBC had another crack and the result was a rare, compelling family drama. Like fellow quality US drama The Good Wife, Mediaworks made a half-hearted attempt to promote it here, mucking it around on the late-lamented Four’s schedule, before ditching it altogether at the end of season two. Repeats of those seasons aired on Sky TV’s Vibe and the show did eventually end up on Lightbox, but it’s only recently that TVNZ+ has introduced the Berkley-based Braverman clan to a much wider audience.
The natural successor to Six Feet Under and Gilmore Girls (perhaps in part because it shares stars Peter Krause and Lauren Graham from those
Peter Krause and Max Burkholder
shows), Parenthood is also kind of like a cross between The Waltons and Modern Family.
This is a show that celebrates family in all its forms, but also isn’t afraid to tackle tricky subjects like teenage alcohol, abortion, infidelity, adoption, racism, cancer and local politics.
Parenthood has also been rightly lauded for its portrayal of a boy with Asperger’s and exploring all the associated dilemmas for him and his parents as he navigates mainstream schooling and becoming a teenager.
One of the show’s other strengths is it doesn’t feel scripted. Legend has it that, unlike most Hollywood TV dramas, there were no table reads before rehearsals. The result is characters talking over one another, Robert Altman-style, giving the drama a more realistic feel.
There’s also a real quirkiness and uniqueness about it. In almost every episode someone makes pancakes or waffles, while any dramatic storyline is leavened by a witty line or moment of slapstick. As The Vancouver Sun’s
Sheri Levin wrote, “the cast moves effortlessly from providing serious, thoughtful answers to cracking jokes and allowing the funny moments to shine through. It’s almost as though art is imitating life, or life imitating art”.
But, most of all, Parenthood’s binge-worthiness across its 103 episodes comes down to the characters and the actors behind them.
As well as the always watchable Krause and Graham, the core cast includes Erika Christensen, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter and the outrageous Dax Shepard. Recognisable faces all, but not so much that they come with baggage from other parts. Joining them during the show’s run were a host of young talent and old hands.
One of Michael B. Jordan’s
(Creed) first major jobs was here, Sex And The City’s John Corbett had a recurring role, Richard Dreyfuss popped in and ever wonder what Ray Romano did after he finished on Everybody Loves Raymond? Such was his love of Parenthood that he begged showrunner Jason Katims (who also made the equally beloved Friday Night Lights) for a part. He played the cantankerous photographer Hank Rizzoli from season four until the show’s end.
If you love plain and simple drama without the post-modern non-lineal madness, then seek it out.
Seasons 1 to 6 of Parenthood are all available to stream on TVNZ+.