Parenthood: Give it a Try!

I'm sure the title of this post has made a few loyal readers want to run for the hills! I'm not encouraging you to procreate, but to check out the new show Parenthood on NBC Tuesday nights at 10:00 EST. I don't normally write about my viewing habits, which are pretty eclectic, but I so enjoyed this show that I want to be sure NBC doesn't pull it, as they have with other good ones like Life, Southland (now on TNT), Medium (now on CBS), and Friday Night Lights. Where's my Coach Taylor, NBC? You said he'd be back this spring!!

Parenthood is about four adult siblings living in their hometown, raising their children, dealing with their own parents and partners. Brought to us by the can't-miss producing team of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, it's based on the 1983 movie of the same name, which was directed by Ron Howard.

I was looking forward to the show, having liked the movie and the premise, and I was thrilled to see Lauren Graham as part of the cast. The world has been a little cloudier since Gilmore Girls left the air and it's great to have her back. The cast is all-star with Bonnie Bedelia, Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause, Erika Christensen, Joy Bryant, and Monica Potter. I was also excited to see how Dax Shepard was going to do. I remember Dax from the first season of Punk'd, and he was really great. Dax was hysterical punking Nick Lachey as Jessica Simpson's long-lost hillbilly uncle, and actually made Justin Timberlake cry when he took his home and contents for tax evasion.  He has great accents, changed his demeanor, and improvised so well, and I missed him after that first season. But you can't punk people with a guy everyone now knows, right?
I was not disappointed in any of my expectations, as evidenced by this post. All of the characters, and most of the situations were believable. I almost cried when Kristina tries to tell her husband that their son has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and he can't fathom that there's anything wrong that a tutor and a good game of baseball can't fix. He is totally bemused and befuddled and suddenly seems so lost.

There's lots of loud family dinners and embarrassingly funny parent-child moments, making for a relaxing final hour of television before the news. I just hope NBC doesn't screw something up and move it to Saturdays at nine or put it up against The Good Wife just to show how tough they are.
Did you see it? Did you like it? For those who haven't, watch Parenthood next week and let me know what you think.