Parenthood (TV series)

Parenthood is the second television adaptation of the 1989 movie of the same name, and like the first series (which lasted just 12 episodes in 1990), it's executive produced by Ron Howard (who directed the film) and airs on NBC.

The show explores the lives of the various families belonging to the Braverman clan. Needs More Love.


 * Actor Allusion: One episode has Lauren Graham and Mae Whitman's characters talking about a movie they just seen that stars Michael Cera. Funny, I almost forgot about whom played Michael Cera's girlfriend back on Arrested Development (and kick Cera's ass in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World).
 * In Season 3 Alex is explaining to Haddie why he doesn't think he should go to a high school party. Max says it's not a good idea because of the underage drinking, which he knows about because he watches Friday Night Lights.
 * Adults Are Useless: Some of the parents have this problem; Julia can't seem to do much of anything right with her daughter, Crosby is a Bumbling Dad for quite a few episodes. Adam and Kristina have mostly ignored their daughter while trying to deal with their son, who has Asperger's Syndrome.
 * The Alcoholic: Alex is in AA. Seth (Amber and Drew's father) is an alcoholic and has other substance abuse problems as well.
 * Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Sarah. She yells after her kids to "make good choices!" on their first day of school. After this, Amber asks her to drop her off a few blocks from the front door. Adam and Kristina also qualify, considering their "MY DAUGHTER IS DATING!" freakout.
 * Asperger's Syndrome: Adam and Kristina's son Max is diagnosed with it in the first episode.
 * Baseball Episode
 * Berserk Button: Do not call Adam's son a retard.
 * Beware the Nice Ones: When a clerk at the grocery store calls Max a retard, Adam punches him in the face.
 * Brainy Brunette: Haddie
 * Bratty Teenage Daughter: Amber is this. Haddie also sometimes fills this role, although it is justified with her. Sarah apparently used to be this.
 * Bromantic Foil: Crosby towards Adam, to an extent. One is happy in his role as a father, confident, and responsible, and the other has absolutely no idea what he's doing.
 * Bumbling Dad: The only dad without shades of this seems to be Joel.
 * Butt Monkey: Amber in the First Season seemed to be treated this way by everyone.
 * Cast Incest: Lauren Graham and Peter Krause, who play siblings Sarah and Adam, are currently dating.
 * Children Raise You: This happens to Crosby, and a variation happens to Sarah.
 * Clear My Name: Amber is accused of smoking Marijuana, but she insists she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 * Coming of Age Story: The premise of the show.
 * Cool Old Guy Zeek is always right, even when it seems like he's being belligerent and meddling.
 * The Danza: Max Burkholder as Max Braverman.
 * Dawson Casting: Avoided with most of the teen characters but Max is 12 playing 8 at the start of the series.
 * And Mae Whitman is 21 playing a 15-year-old.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Amber
 * Disappeared Dad: Amber and Drew's dad. Lampshaded by an explanation and occasional reminders in the dialogue.
 * Dysfunctional Family
 * Ensemble Cast
 * Expy: Lorelai Sarah. Just try watching an episode and not thinking of Gilmore Girls.
 * Fragile Flower Kristina handles nothing well, though it's a 50/50 chance as to whether she'll cry or become comically irrational.
 * Worse now that she's given birth to the latest Braverman.
 * Family Versus Career: Beautifully averted with Julia; her husband Joel stays home with their daughter while she goes to work as a successful lawyer.
 * Four Lines, All Waiting
 * Generation Xerox: Sarah and Amber.
 * Grandma, What Massive Hotness You Have!: Camille.
 * Hey, It's That Guy!: Lorelai Gilmore is Katara's mother!
 * Hollywood Dateless: A female example with Sarah; early in the season it is a joke between the women that she hasn't had a date in years, despite being attractive. Possibly justified in that she has two teenagers, and all men are terrified of women who already have kids. Totally not justified in that later on, two very different men who know she has children fall for her very quickly.
 * Hot Dad: Joel, Adam, Crosby...
 * Hot Mom: All of them.
 * House Husband: Julia's husband Joel.
 * I Have This Friend: Zeek asks Drew for advice about his marriage this way. Drew sees right through it.
 * Informed Attractiveness: Max's tutor Gaby.
 * YMMV, considering she's played by Minka Kelly.
 * Informed Flaw: Up until the point where he cheats on Jasmine, Crosby's irresponsible/deadbeat nature is this. Other Characters treat him as though he's a "screw up" and constantly talk him down, but the audience is only treated to a likeable character responding rather well to sudden fatherhood.
 * It's not until after his infidelity that the gets a bit of a Face Heel Turn and starts actually exhibiting the informed behaviour on screen.
 * Idiot Ball / Idiot Plot / Plot Induced Stupidity Sarah's "This time's different!" claims about Seth's current stint in rehab and the resulting repercussions. Not Genre Savvy at all.
 * Unfortunately, this is Truth in Television for many addicts' loved ones.
 * Loads and Loads of Characters
 * My Biological Clock Is Ticking: Crosby's girlfriend Katie was feeling this, hence her ultimatum.
 * Overprotective Dad: Adam.
 * Real Song Theme Tune: Bob Dylan's "Forever Young".
 * Realistic Diction Is Unrealistic: Frequently averted.
 * Really Gets Around: Amber, though not as much as her reputation.
 * Retired Badass: Hinted that Zeke is this.
 * Terrible Interviewees Montage: When Adam and Crosby are trying to find a receptionist.
 * The Runaway: Drew, Amber and Haddie run away from home once. Drew and Amber were easly found, while Haddie went to her grandparents' house.
 * The Slacker: Crosby is one, before Jasmine and Jabbar come into his life.
 * Tropaholics Anonymous: Alex is in AA. Adam and Kristina attend a support group for parents of children with Asperger's.
 * Troubled but Cute: Amber.
 * What Could Have Been: Maura Tierney was originally cast as Sarah, but she developed breast cancer during production of the first season, which led to the role being recast with Lauren Graham and the series premiere being pushed back from September 2009 to March 2010.
 * Your Cheating Heart: Zeek and Camille have both cheated on each other, Camille more recently.
 * Crosby cheated on Jasmine after a big fight. They were not on a break.
 * And now