Go Team Braverman

NBC drama Parenthood is definitely worth a gander. For one thing, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) is in it. Apparently she's television typecast forever as the sassy single mother of a teenage daughter. There's even a storyline dealing with the repercussions of dating her daughter's English teacher. Gilmore Girls, much?

To be fair, the writers have thrown in a few changes. She also has a teenage son, three siblings, and her character is named Sarah, which is TOTALLY different to Lorelai, especially when you say it out loud.

Kidding aside, Parenthood is highly entertaining.

Most of the leads are television and film veterans. Lorelai/Sarah's brother Adam, emotional linchpin of the Braverman family, is portrayed by Peter Krause, who appeared in Dirty Sexy Money and Six Feet Under, as well as the under-appreciated miniseries The Lost Room, alongside Julianna Margulies.

Kudos also for avoiding casting model-esque types to portray the not-so-charismatic members of the Braverman clan. Let's face it, extended families always include a few rellies who are dumpy, ugly, or just plain annoying for no real reason (shame on me).

This mob are a mish-mash of personalities who happen to be joined by blood. Every now and again the bonds are stretched taut, alliances shift, and yet, when it comes down to the wire, someone in the clan always comes through for a fellow Braverman.

The characters are fabulously flawed, occasionally spouting one set of values before hypocritically taking off in the other direction. Like people in the real world, they either learn and grow from their experiences, or choose to completely ignore the implications of their actions. Every now and again the goody two shoes types get tired of being good. Alternately, the devil may care family members occasionally wake up and smell the coffee someone else more mature is making for them.

Just a few things niggle...

A part of the family dynamics is the (supposed) dazzling beauty of resident blonde Julia (Erica Christensen), referenced resentfully by Graham's character Sarah. Unfortunately, actress Erika Christensen looks relatively ordinary on camera, while Lauren Graham appears fresh and quite stunning. You can see the writers are trying to set up some deep-seated familial issues for future reference, but Graham is far too dazzling onscreen to qualify as a downtrodden, exhausted, plain Jane brunette single mum, as implied by the script.

Also, be warned, Braverman teenagers are really annoying. They seem incredibly immature, but maybe that's because we're invited to view the characters more from the parent's perspective? Programs aimed primarily at a teen audience (The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl) offer savvy, relatively together teenagers. This mob are a mess. Interestingly enough, the monarchs of the clan, Zeek and Camille, also seem a bit behind the eight ball when it comes to emotional maturity...

Parenthood's true allure is the way it captures the minutiae of family life, especially moments that are unexpectedly memorable. Think rites of passage with surprisingly tragic slants, empathic insights that take a conversation from annoying to poignant, and simple everyday dilemmas that transform suddenly into hilarious experiences. This series gives you a taste of the unpredictable chaos of everyday existence, and the role a closeknit clan can play in helping you survive it (even if they're as much a part of the problem as the solution).

The second season of Parenthood kicks off in the US with an early premiere. Let's hope it picks up enough of an audience to stay around for a third outing.