Once upon a time, back in 1989, Ron Howard directed a film called “Parenthood.” That film inspired a TV series that landed on the small screen in 2010. The series ran from 2010 through to 2015 and lasted for six glorious seasons. Adopting the same name, “Parenthood” followed the Braverman family through careers, marriage, adoption, college, personal growth, one parent families, medical issues, pregnancy, drama, and relationships, to name just a few.
Who were the Bravermans?
The fictional Bravermans were a close knit but flawed family of three generations. The storyline’s of the show were their interactions. Those interactions made the show real and handed the viewer deeply emotional story lines.
Top of the Family Tree
Every family needs a patriarch and matriarch, the Bravermans were no different. At the top of the family tree sit Zeek and Camille Braverman, ably portrayed by Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia. If those names are familiar, think back to “Dad”of the Poltergeist films and Bruce Willis’s estranged wife in Die Hard.
Zeek is an old school values man, tough but incredibly loving. Camille is nurturing yet with a fierce independent streak of her own, one that leads her on her own path. While both love their life, surrounded by children, grandchildren, and spoiler alert, a great grandchild, their relationship does go through testing times.
Adam and Kristina – Peter Krause and Monica Potter.
Adam is the eldest Braverman child and by default, the most responsible. Kristina is a fierce and dedicated mother to her children. Adam and Kristina face many challenges that have the potential to destroy the family unit, but the sheer tenacity of the family and their determination to ride the waves through to the other side, ensure that the family keeps moving in the right direction.
Their children, Haddie and Max are played by Sarah Ramos and Max Burkholder. While every actor in “Parenthood” excels in their role, one goes above and beyond. That person is Max Burkholder. He plays a child whose life is turned upside down with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. Max`s portrayal of this is nothing short of phenomenal. Through the series we see him grow. We see him work through his life issues and come out the other side.
Sarah Braverman – Lauren Graham
The second eldest sibling in the Braverman children is Sarah, played by Gilmore Girls alum, Lauren Graham. Sarah is a fragile soul behind a tough exterior. She is a single mother who is rebuilding her life with her two teenage children. Part of that ‘rebuild’ is coming home to her parents. Sarah struggles with relationships, careers and most of all, her own self-worth. Lauren plays this role with a vulnerability that is relatable to anyone who watches.
Her children, Drew and Amber, are played by Miles Heizer and Mae Whitman. While Miles settles into the role of sensitive and quiet Drew, Mae, a veteran of films and TV since she was small (think back to George Clooneys daughter in ‘One Fine Day’ and the brownie that breaks a leg in ‘Friends’) blazes across the screen in this show as rebellious Amber. Both of these actors grow in their roles and through the show, it is beautiful to watch their characters develop as their circumstances alter. The nicest aspect of Miles and Mae is that they became real life best friends, to the point that Mae named her son after him.
Julia and Joel Graham – Erika Christensen and Sam Jaegar
Julia, the second youngest Braverman child, married to Joel with one daughter. This is a marriage that challenges gender norms as Joel is the stay-at-home dad while Julia is a high powered attorney. Career shifts, adoption and personal insecurities make them a couple that you have your fingers crossed for throughout the show.
Their daughter Sydney is played by Savannah Paige Rae. In the show, Sydney starts her life as a precocious young girl. As life changes around her with her parents marriage changing and adoption of a brother, (I know, spoilers!), Sydney has to adapt to the changes in her life.
Crosby Braverman and Jasmine Trussell – Dax Shepherd and Joy Bryant
Rounding out the Braverman children is Crosby. The youngest and some might say, the most immature of all of them. His mum does his washing, he lives on a boat and he is a music producer. Life changes for Crosby when Jasmine turns up with Jabbar, played by Tyree Brown. Jabbar is five when we are first introduced to him. Jasmine declares to Crosby that he is this young boys father. The on again and off again romance between Jasmine and Crosby depicts the struggles of co-parenting, blending families and personal growth.
The Themes of the Show
If I had to narrow it down to one theme for “Parenthood”, I would say that it is the importance of families. That’s it in a nutshell. Whether we see Adam and Kristina with their special needs child, or Sarah with her rebellious daughter, or Julia and Joel trying to maintain work-life balance, “Parenthood” shows you that none of it can be done without family to support you.
Love and Relationships
Romance is explored in depth throughout the show. We see the long marriage of Zeek and Camille, where we become aware of the issues they’ve had to navigate all the way through their life. We see the Braverman children with their own relationship issues and the reasons why. Then we see the eldest Braverman grandchildren navigating love and relationships. Through each of these we see the joys of marriage alongside the difficulties. We see co-parenting. Plus we are privy to second chances at love.
Career and Identity
All of the characters in “Parenthood” struggle at some point with balancing something in their life. Julia struggles with combining motherhood and work. Sarah is looking for a fulfilling career. Joel ends up shifting from stay at home dad to going back to work. Camille looks for her own personal identity through the show, not only through her painting but also through other methods.
We seek our patriarch Zeek find his identity and it’s through family. He comforts one of his grandchildren as he realises he is going to be a great granddad. The realisation of that alone sees Zeek centred in his world. His third act of life is this great grandchild.
Health and Personal Struggles
As we follow Kristina’s breast cancer storyline and Max’s Asperger’s, the raw emotion is handed to us. We see these characters push through their struggles. While one fights to essentially be a normal child, the other fights for life, the more primeval fight of the two. While the show handled the topics with sensitivity, and raised awareness, it also showed the power of the family. Kristina’s determination to get well for her family was strong.
Redemption and Forgiving
Many of the “Parenthood” characters follow a redemption or forgiving arc in their storyline’s. Sarah is trying to make up for past failures. Crosby is trying to be a new father, stepping into this role. Amber is trying to turn her life around. These are just a few.
The Legacy of “Parenthood”
Fifteen years after its premiere, here I find myself on a rewatch. What is the legacy of this show? Why am I sitting here this many years later watching it again? The answer to that is simple. Because it’s real. It’s a portrayal of real family life. It’s heartfelt storytelling. Best of all, the characters are relatable. Every character has flaws and quirks that make them unique and enable us to see ourselves.
