Parenthood, a new series from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, premieres tonight at 10 p.m. EST after The Biggest Loser. Does that automatically make it the biggest winner?
Da dum cha.
In all seriousness, Parenthood is one of the more awaited premieres of a new series this season. And how could it not be? It has a slew of big name stars attached to it, including Lauren Graham, who played one of television’s most famous mothers in The Gilmore Girls, and Dax Shepard, who is careening off the fame brought to him by starring in such lackluster comedies as Baby Mama and When in Rome and being engaged to cutie Kristen Bell. It also stars Erika Christensen (A.K.A. the creepy chick from Swimfan), Monica Potter (Patch Adams‘ girlfriend) and Mae Whitman (most well-known as Ann Veal in Arrested Development, but also star of the deliriously cute State of Grace back in the day).
The show was supposed to premiere with the Fall lineup of new shows, but was pushed back to tonight’s mid-season premiere due to then star’s Maura Tierney being treated for breast cancer. She eventually dropped out altogether and was replaced by Graham.
You’ve probably heard the title before. Howard and Grazer respectively directed and produced a 1989 film of the same name starring Steve Martin and Howard even brought the film to the small screen once before in 1990. Though canceled after only 12 episodes due to low ratings, the show had many now-famous stars attached to it, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joss Whedon and Thora Birch.
According to BuzzSugar.com, one of my favorite entertainment blogs, the show is about:
The four grown Braverman siblings and each of their children, significant others, and issues. Graham plays Sarah, a struggling single mother to two rebelling teens who finds herself having to move back in with her parents in Berkeley. Conveniently, the rest of the family also lives there: older brother Adam (Peter Krause), whose son may have Asperger’s Syndrome, younger sister Julia (Erika Christensen), a career woman who’s worried about bonding with her young daughter, and delightfully immature Crosby (Dax Shepard), whose girlfriend is ready to have a baby, with or without him.
I won’t lie, I have never seen the 1989 film, so I have no idea if the film and the show premiering tonight are in any way, shape or form connected other than being a similar concept directed by the same man. I am also curious as to how this idea got picked up a second time after already failing miserably once. Me thinks it has something to do with the new show having been adapted by Friday Night Lights creator Jason Katims. That show is well-received by audiences and critics alike, so perhaps they are hoping that his talent and reputation combined with Howard and Grazer‘s talent and reputation combined with keyword celebs such as Graham and Shephard will surely bring the numbers.
Whadya think?
Will you be watching?
Edited to add: The pilot for the 1990 T.V. version of Parenthood is available on YouTube here.
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