Network: NBC
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Tyree Brown
Summary: Adam has his hands full taking care of Max and Haddie when Kristina goes out of town. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to get Amber to start thinking about college. Julia tries to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. And Crosby takes Jasmine on a date without Jabbar.
Review: I'm really glad I didn't give up on this show. It's starting to become one of my most highly anticipated shows each week (it helps that it's been one of the few to have new episodes for the last couple weeks).
Part of what I really like about this show is that it's very real, but not in an uncomfortable way. Too often, shows go one of two ways: either they're super-fluid and fast-talking, with characters who always have a quip ready (i.e. The West Wing); or they're really awkward with long pauses that give the illusion of real life (i.e. The Office).
Parenthood is neither of those things. It's realism comes from the fact that almost every time a character reacts to the situation around them, it doesn't surprise me because I know someone (if not my own parents, then a friend's) who would react the same way. They actually act like real people, instead of an idealized version of real people. One of my favorite scenes from this episode was where Sarah, Julia and Kristina were talking about their daughters because it really sounded like the kind of conversation three mothers would have.
Each story allowed us to see the characters in a slightly different way than normal in this episode. For example, normally we see Julia as the sort-of-absent parent (the working mom, who's there less frequently than Daddy). Joel seems to be the one who interacts with Sydney most about the day-to-day stuff, while Julia tends to interrupt the mundane to do things her way. But in this episode, Julia believed Sydney broke a lamp and was lying about what happened to it. So she cordoned off the room and left the lamp there until the person who broke it cleaned it up. It was such a typical lesson that a kid has to learn (who among us didn't lie at the age of four when we thought we were going to get into trouble?) that it was surprising Julia was teaching it. But it was nice to see her take on this role too, while Joel was relegated to the sidelines.
We normally see Crosby as either the ladies' man or the new father, but never both at the same time. In this episode, he wanted to take Jasmine out without Jabbar so he could get to know her better. And while their date is interrupted by their son, we do get a glimpse at a different kind of Crosby, the one who is learning to balance responsibility, commitment, and his desire to sleep with a beautiful woman. While I'm not convinced I like the Crosby/Jasmine relationship (mostly because I'm not convinced I like Jasmine), I don't feel strong dislike towards it either. I'm waiting for it to unfold naturally before I pass judgment.
So far, we've only seen Amber and Sarah at odds with each other. Our very first introduction to them was a fight, and a lot of this episode was as well. But there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough towards the end, where each of them opened up a little and suddenly everyone could see that there was a loving mother-daughter relationship underneath the animosity.
Also, Amber and Drew, despite being siblings, have actually had very little interaction up to now. There was that whole thing with Drew and the shower, and they shared a room for a little while, but there wasn't much conversation between them or anything. We actually got to see Drew go to his sister for advice for a change and, even though the conversation was dominated by Amber and Sarah fighting, Amber seemed to be actually trying to help Drew with his girl problems.
And finally, Adam, Kristina and Haddie. This branch of the Braverman family has been dominated by the Max storyline for the first few episodes, and it's only been recently that they've been giving the others some screen time. Kristina, who is the quintessential housewife/stay-at-home mom, went back to work for the weekend to help her old employer, leaving Adam to stay with the kids. This might have been better if Haddie wasn't in the process of getting closer to her boyfriend. Adam reacts... not well, and he and Haddie fight.
In the first few episodes, Haddie seemed like the perfect daughter. Her parents' world revolved around Max and, while Haddie certainly wasn't thrilled about that, she seemed to understand and tried to make things easier. Now, she's acting out like only 15-year-old girls can, and it's a nice reminder that she's just a teenager, and she's going to be selfish sometimes.
I also liked that this episode brought back the Adam/Drew relationship. Drew needs a father-figure in his life, and he can't turn to his dad and shouldn't turn to his grandfather (Grandpa Zeke scares me), so he goes to his mom's older brother when he needs help with guy stuff. I really like this relationship, and I hope they continue to build on it.
It's kind of amazing how much stuff they cram into each episode, but it's stopped being overwhelming (mostly) and instead is a lot of fun to watch. The season finale is coming up, but that's okay because NBC already renewed it for season 2, so there's plenty for fans to look forward to.
Are you looking forward to the rest of season 1? What was your favorite part of this episode? Leave a comment and let me know.
Showing posts with label show: Parenthood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label show: Parenthood. Show all posts
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Parenthood - The Big 'O'
Network: NBC
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Summary: Kristina's constant worrying affects her and Adam's sex life, and the worrying only gets worse when Max starts working with Gaby, a young behavioral aide. Sarah debates whether she should go out on a date with Amber's teacher Mr. Cyr. Meanwhile, Crosby tries to muster up the courage to tell his parents about Jabbar, and Julia gets jealous of a mom in Joel's playgroup.
Review: In just a few short weeks, this show has really grown on me. Though the pilot episode was confusing and bit of a downer, it's really turned around since then. Which is just another reason why you should never doubt the wonder that is Ron Howard.
Every family member had a storyline in this episode, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it was in the first episode. Perhaps that's because we know who the characters are now (and we've grown attached to them). Or perhaps it's because the writing has just gotten better. I'm not completely sure, but whatever it is, it's working.
Okay, just a quick point: could they possibly get cuter kids to act on this show? One minute I'm going, "Aw, look, Max is playing with a kid his age, he's the cutest," and then Sidney is sitting with her arms around her best friend and I'm like, "Aw, that's so adorable, she's definitely the cutest," and then Crosby brings Jabbar to meet his parents and Jabbar introduces himself and shakes their hands, and I'm like, "Aw, no, look how mature he is, he's definitely the cutest," and then it starts all over again.
Sorry, had to get that out.
It's sort of a segue to a larger observation about the show. The little kids (and the parents who take care of them) were a main focus of this episode, and everyone handled themselves wonderfully. There aren't really any weak links in the acting chain here. I really believe that everyone is related, and they fall into their family roles well. The last couple episodes were good examples of this, with Amber babysitting for Sidney and Adam playing ball with Drew. I like a show that can put any of the characters in a scene together and not make the audience question the decision.
Parenthood also does a good job of mixing the serious, the sweet, and the silly. Though I said previously that I expected it to be funnier, I've readjusted my expectations since then, and now I'm pleased with the results. It's not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a super-serious drama either. It's got enough light-hearted moments that you never get depressed, and it has enough sweet family love to leave even the coldest heart warmed. There are several different styles of humor at work--witty, slapstick, awkward--and they mesh together nicely with the serious moments.
This episode focused a little more on Kristina than the others. In this case, Adam was a supporting character to deal with Kristina's issues, instead of the other way around, and I liked that they switched it up. She's had so much to deal with, it was nice to see her finally break down in a very realistic way.
Realism is the name of the game, and I think this episode helped prove that. Joel and Julia dealt with a relationship hurdle as well, and I think both their reactions were more realistic than you normally get from a television show. Sure, Julia got jealous and angry, but they talked it out and ultimately handled it in the mature way you'd hope most married couples would.
The only bit of this episode I had trouble with was Sarah's decision to date Amber's teacher. Perhaps it's because I still can't wipe the memory of Lauren Graham making the same bad decision as Lorelai Gilmore, but I was upset that she decided to give in and go out with him. I was hoping she would take Amber's feelings (and obvious crush) into account and at least wait until her daughter was out of the class. As Amber's teacher, I think he should have thought of that before asking her mother out as well. The previews for next week teased that Sarah would tell Amber everything, so at least she's not going to hide it. I still can't imagine that will go well.
This is becoming a highly anticipated show for me, though it still doesn't quite have the pull that, say, Criminal Minds does. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters and their relationships develop more as the series goes on.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Parenthood - Pilot
Network: NBC
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae
Summary: A divorced mother of two moves back in with her parents, while her siblings deal with family issues of their own.
Review: I like pilot episodes. You go in so unprepared. I mean, sure, you've seen commercials, but they never tell you exactly what to expect. In the case of Parenthood, those commercials go in two different ways: the funny and the sweet. So you're a completely blank slate going into the first episode to enthrall or disappoint.
This was a bit of a disappointment. My expectations were high due to the writing/directing team (Ron Howard and Thomas Schlamme) and the wonderful cast (see above), and they didn't exactly fail to live up to them. It's just that I expected the show to be funnier than it was. I'd been watching those commercials all through the Olympics, and a large percentage of them made the show out to be a comedy. In reality, it was a slightly predictable family drama.
And it wasn't bad. Like I said, the acting was wonderful, and the sweet moments really were sweet. It was just too much sometimes. It tried to be a dramatic version of Modern Family. One of the great things about MF is that all the families have their own stories, and they intermingle periodically. Parenthood tried to do the same thing, but it didn't work as well. In a comedy, the stories are light-hearted and simple. In a drama, they're far more complex, and it's harder to work several complex stories into the same episode, which is what Parenthood did. The end result was that I didn't care enough about some of the stories that should have had a bigger impact.
That said, I think this show has a lot of potential, even if I still want it to be funnier (think Gilmore Girls, or even The West Wing). If each episode focused on one or (maybe) two problems at a time, the audience could focus on and care about those issues better. Also, further character development will aid in making the audience empathize with the characters' struggles as well (that obviously can only happen with time).
If I hadn't had any expectations going in, I probably would have enjoyed this pilot more. And I really did enjoy it, even if I'm coming down on it kind of hard. It's just that I expected more from the people who put it together, because they've also been responsible for some of my favorite television throughout the years. But I look forward to watching for awhile and seeing what will come of this highly anticipated show.
Favorite lines:
Kristina: Men feel the need to express their love through hitting balls, slapping butts and discussing meaningless statistics.
Crosby: Let's just play ping pong, so I can lose myself in sport.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
Time: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Sam Jaeger, Joy Bryant, Mae Whitman, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae
Summary: A divorced mother of two moves back in with her parents, while her siblings deal with family issues of their own.
Review: I like pilot episodes. You go in so unprepared. I mean, sure, you've seen commercials, but they never tell you exactly what to expect. In the case of Parenthood, those commercials go in two different ways: the funny and the sweet. So you're a completely blank slate going into the first episode to enthrall or disappoint.
This was a bit of a disappointment. My expectations were high due to the writing/directing team (Ron Howard and Thomas Schlamme) and the wonderful cast (see above), and they didn't exactly fail to live up to them. It's just that I expected the show to be funnier than it was. I'd been watching those commercials all through the Olympics, and a large percentage of them made the show out to be a comedy. In reality, it was a slightly predictable family drama.
And it wasn't bad. Like I said, the acting was wonderful, and the sweet moments really were sweet. It was just too much sometimes. It tried to be a dramatic version of Modern Family. One of the great things about MF is that all the families have their own stories, and they intermingle periodically. Parenthood tried to do the same thing, but it didn't work as well. In a comedy, the stories are light-hearted and simple. In a drama, they're far more complex, and it's harder to work several complex stories into the same episode, which is what Parenthood did. The end result was that I didn't care enough about some of the stories that should have had a bigger impact.
That said, I think this show has a lot of potential, even if I still want it to be funnier (think Gilmore Girls, or even The West Wing). If each episode focused on one or (maybe) two problems at a time, the audience could focus on and care about those issues better. Also, further character development will aid in making the audience empathize with the characters' struggles as well (that obviously can only happen with time).
If I hadn't had any expectations going in, I probably would have enjoyed this pilot more. And I really did enjoy it, even if I'm coming down on it kind of hard. It's just that I expected more from the people who put it together, because they've also been responsible for some of my favorite television throughout the years. But I look forward to watching for awhile and seeing what will come of this highly anticipated show.
Favorite lines:
Kristina: Men feel the need to express their love through hitting balls, slapping butts and discussing meaningless statistics.
Crosby: Let's just play ping pong, so I can lose myself in sport.
Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad
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