The family is not only the foundation of our society it is the bedrock used to construct much of the television programming that we invite into our homes each night. Typically the format employed is the sit-com but the networks have also depended on the family unit as a basis for more dramatic presentations. In recent years there seems to be an imperative operating in the writing departments of the networks that families depicted in family based dramas must be concerned with what is popularly referred to as the dysfunctional family. While such families do exist and I’ll even grant the studio executives that their numbers are steadily increasing but they hardly represent the targeted audience demographic. Admittedly these series can be enjoyable or at least a steady guilty pleasure. On the other hand they are rapidly becoming pedantic. This is one reason why I became a fan of the NBC drama, ‘Parenthood’. It follows the sizable California centered Braverman family. The first aspect of this series that caught my attention is it eschewed the easily path of the dysfunction family in favor of showing a more centered albeit quirky family. There are plenty of mishaps, misadventure and mistakes inherent in this collection of people but underlying it all is a sense of reality. Dysfunction is overdone, played in film and television over the top destroying any semblance of enjoyment possible by the premise. Quirky, on the other hand, is something we all understand. We come from families that although messed up somehow still muddle through and function. This is what the Bravermans portray; life happens but families survive and perhaps even flourish despite any obstacles. We are usually quite reassured that we are not as bad as the dysfunction family we are watching. Enjoyment is derived from relief. With ‘Parenthood’ entertainment originates from a different source. We see a family as flawed as ours but they persevere, pulling together as a family to get through the adversities common to us all. In ‘Parenthood’ our enjoyment stems from a strong sense of identification perhaps even a touch of admiration for their cohesiveness and familiar sense of family identification. It is not an individual left to face the vagaries of life it is the Bravermans. It is a gentle family series that is enjoyable to watch and that is a lot better than most shows can boast.

The series was almost pulled at the end of the season under consideration here, the second. It received a last minute reprieved when NBC cancelled ‘Law & Order: LA’ which became the tip of the ice berg for NBC dramatic series cancellations. The series previous survived a major cast substitution when Maura Tierney departed before the first episode aired to wage a fight against cancer. She was replaced by Lauren Graham, veteran of one of the highest regarded family dramas, ‘The Gilmore Girls’. All of this behind the scenes drama could have easily destroyed a series that barely made it through its sophomore year but like the Bravermen family ‘Parenthood’ managed to pull in unison and survived. As the story picks up in the second season the family is facing an inherent aspect of life, change. Eldest son, Adam (Peter Krause) is beset by problems both at work and home. The running shoe business he helped to build had been sold to a flakey internet millionaire with unorthodox ideas about the future direction of the company. Compounding the difficulty is Adam’s sister Sarah (by Lauren Graham) has struck up a romantic interest in the boss. Back at home Adam and his wife Kristina (Monica Potter) are dealing with a considerable amount of stress. Their son Max (Max Burkholder) has increasing behavioral issues due to his Asperger syndrome. They also have a sixteen year old daughter, Haddie (Sarah Ramos), the ultimate good girl, straight ‘A’, volunteers to help others and supportive of her brother’s special needs. She becomes an unexpected source of conflict when she becomes romantically involved with a man she met helping out in a soap kitchen. He is a good man but much older, black, living on his own and is a recovering alcoholic. Haddie is close to her cousin, Sarah’s girl Amber (Mae Whitman). Amber has always been the wild child, drugs, boy, disobedience etc. this season she is trying to set her life on a better course but is not able to get herself there. One of the more poignant elements in this season is the disintegration of Amber’s personality resorting to old coping mechanisms.

Julia (Erika Christensen) is the family ‘Type A’ overachiever. She juggles corporate law being mother to Sydney (Savannah Paige Rae) and wife to stay at home Dad, Joel (Sam Jaeger). Sydney is a gifted child and the pride of her mother’s life. Julia is feeling the ticking of her biological clock and wants another child. The youngest of the siblings is Crosby (Dax Shepard), the family screw-up. He works in a recording studio and has a reputation as a lothario. That was disrupted when a former girl friend, Jasmine (Joy Bryant) showed up with their son, Jabbar (Tyree Brown). As much as Crosby tries to change they break up and reconciliation threatened by his affair with his Max’s therapist. Meanwhile the self improvement theme is reinforced when Sarah tries to write a play. At the head of this family are patriarch Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife, mother of this eclectic brood, Camille (Bonnie Bedelia). Even though their children are all adults they still are at the ready with advice regardless of whether it is requested or not.

The Bravermen family is an honest attempt and showing the comedy and drama infused in regular, real life. Some circumstances are obviously manipulated for effect, this is a scripted series after all, but the overall integrity of the show is retained. It feels more ‘real’ than any so-called reality show I’ve ever seen. This is due in large part to the smarty written scripts and how this amazingly gifted cast brings those words to life. I feel like I know this family; there is nothing forced or affected in that assessment. A broadcast network finally saved a series of quality from cancelation.