If you’re looking for a show that captures the real meaning of family which is messy, emotional, and dramatically human “Parenthood” is one of those rare finds. Parenthood is an American family comedy-drama television series that you might begin to watch for some light family comedy and drama, but before you know it you become a part of the family. It literally starts to grow on you.
I started watching Parenthood for the love of Lauren Graham aka Lorelai Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls. One day I was just trying to find what to watch and I saw her on the promo of Parenthood series and stopped ,and just played the first episode of Parenthood. I would admit it took me a year to finish the series because of work and family commitments, but I went back to it whenever I got time. I started for Sarah Braverman (Lauren’s character) and stayed for the Braverman’s till the end, all of them.
Why Parenthood Series Feels so relatable
There are very few series who has got that magic of keeping you hooked till the end, how many times I have cried watching the episodes and how the losses felt personal and relatable. How I loved Joel’s character and developed a love-hate relationship with Kristina’s character. In the beginning of the series you see Sarah with her vulnerability, her chaos, her quiet strength, as a single mother trying to rebuild her life. She wasn’t perfect, she didn’t have it all figured out, she felt unseen but she kept going and sometimes, that’s the most honest kind of strength there is.
But somewhere along the way, the story stopped being just about Sarah, it became about the Bravermans. What makes the Braverman family so special is not perfection, its the presence, how they might have disagreements, different opinions but still would show up for each other. Every character, every storyline, every flaw feels intentional. From Zeek Braverman to Aida, each character has a role to play and the beauty of each character is that it evolves, and develops beautifully over the episodes, over the seasons. You will feel the difference, which is not forced or sudden but constant and that carries something meaningful. It allows each character to exist fully.
The series deeply explore different parenting style and demonstrates how parenting is judged under different circumstances. It is the story of Papa Zeek, Mommy Camielle and their four children and grandchildren. 2 brothers Adam and Crosby and two sisters Sarah and Julia. Sarah being a single mother trying to get her foot back in life and when her teenage children derails, she gets the blame reminding of how she was in her teens. Adam and Kristina portraying the perfect couple, who plays team when it comes to raising their three children, out of which one had Aspergers. It shows the real struggle of parents who are raising children with special needs and learning how to raise them on the go. Now here is where the story gets interesting when you see Kristina asking the world to adjust because her child has got special needs and somehow she makes it happen. Sometimes she appears to be controlling and sometimes she is this warm person. Then Crosby evolves so much from being a laid back bloke to a responsible family-oriented man and Julia and Joel as a couple will surprise you in many ways.
In short, the series is worth binge-watching, you will find it so relatable, and when it ends you miss those family members who are just fictional characters, so yes Braverman’s become a part of your family.
Now go watch it 🙂 Available on Netflix.
