It's loosely based on the 1989 film, Parenthood, with Ron Howard and Brian Frazer. They previously tried to make it into series when it first came out. The show has a lot going for it like casting veteran actors and actresses like Lauren Graham who I saw in Guys and Dolls. She plays the unemployed, divorced daughter Sara who returns home with her two teenage children Amber and Drew. Amber's played by Mae Whitman who was great in "Thief." Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia play the parents and grandparents. They once played husband and wife in a television movie almost 30 years ago. The rest of the cast isn't familiar to me but they're doing a good job. They've changed the family's location from the Midwest to Berkeley, California. I like the Asperger's storyline where the ideal parents must accept and learn to cope with their son, Max, who wears a pirate costume and has unusual habits. The scene where Max's parents must come to terms with his Asperger's Syndrome was memorable. The comedy and drama are mixed together and it's a bit more realistic. I would hope this show does well in it's Tuesday night line-up.
Review of Parenthood
