“Parenthood” wants to revive the 1989 movie as a new TV show, but it plays like a disparate group of stories waiting to jell.
The familiar characterization of a single mom by Lauren Graham is not quite “Gilmore”-tart. Overheated father-son bickering between Peter Krause and Craig T. Nelson drowns out the story.
Meanwhile, credits on “Six Feet Under,” “Coach” and “Gilmore Girls” are inescapable baggage the three of them tote in this new effort, debuting tonight on NBC.
The clashing, chattering, all-for-one, one-for-all Braverman clan squeeze around the dinner table tonight when “Parenthood” debuts at 9 on KUSA-Channel 9.
On the plus side: better an imperfect scripted drama than another hour of Jay Leno.
It’s a long shot, but “Parenthood” could grow on us. If you are a parent or ever had parents, you’ll find something relevant in the exasperation, competition, guilt and kinship portrayed here.
Executive producers Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, David Nevins and writer/producer Jason Katims (“Friday Night Lights”) have stellar track records. And NBC could do worse than explore a modern, multigenerational family in a weekly drama.
So, why isn’t “Parenthood” a more exciting prospect? The concept feels used, and not just because it has already been a movie and TV series. It all feels a bit too calculated.
NBC hopes the extended family formula will work as well as “Brothers & Sisters” has for ABC. An hour originally slated for September, bumped to midseason after Maura Tierney bowed out to pursue cancer treatment, then recast and now ready to join the Leno-less prime-time lineup, “Parenthood” has quirky characters of every age, designed to satisfy every demographic niche.
Among the passages represented are late-life romance, teen angst, the “boomerang” kid moving back home, the married-with-kids couple including stay-at-home father, and the single guy, insecurely dealing with a messy love life.
At the center of the domestic chaos, Krause portrays the eldest Braverman offspring, the one most committed to the concept of family.
The only creative stretch is the inclusion of an 8-year-old recently diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Confidently played by Max Burkholder, young Max Braverman is a smart, lovable kid with extreme sensitivities and social anxieties. (Some dispute whether Asperger’s is a form of autism; the writers will be challenged to portray Max as a credible case).
Maybe, while the drama catches up, the series will shed some light on this particular diagnosis. “Everyday” dumped.
“Everyday,” with Libby Weaver and Natalie Tysdal, was bumped from KDVR to sister station KWGN this week. A ratings loser, it performed better in tests after “Regis and Kelly” on Channel 2 at 10 a.m.
Two episodes of “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” will fill the 4 p.m. hour on Channel 31. So much for anchor babes in racy magazine cover poses.
Rockies games.
FSN Rocky Mountain will air 150 Colorado Rockies games during the 2010 Major League Baseball regular season, in high- def again. The Rockies’ season opener is against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 5 at noon.
Drive time.
850 KOA Radio (850 AM) wants to name the five worst commutes in Colorado. They’re asking listeners to take a survey at . Questions include: “Do you text while you drive?” Don’t take the survey in traffic.
Olympics ratings.
Sunday’s gold medal USA vs. Canada hockey game was a ratings hit, viewed by 549,000 people in Denver. Preliminary overnights show Denver at the top of the national list for Olympics viewing. The 17-day spree turned up mostly older, female viewers (the ones NBC aimed for with prime-time ice dancing and figure skating.)
Shame on NBC and “The Marriage Ref,” the cynical reality show that debuted after the closing ceremonies. Clearly more fun for Seinfeld to promote than for us to actually watch.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
