‘Parenthood’: Sober Second Thought

The reason I didn't take to "Parenthood," after giving it a few episodes' trial run back in its first season, is right there in its title: I am not a parent. And while I liked the movie on which the series is based well enough (not so much the first short-lived attempt to bring it to the small screen), my recollection of the first few episodes of this new one were that they REALLY hammered on the point that there is no harder job than...well, see title. It's not that I'm saying there are harder jobs: There's a reason I don't have kids, and it is that I am lazy. It's that parents complaining about parenting is boring. "I didn't tell you to have children!" I wanted to scream at all the characters on this show. (Exception noted: The kid characters. I didn't yell at them.) But it's critically acclaimed and everything, so when it returned last night for its third season, I gave it another shot. And what do you know, the parent characters have stopped yammering on about their UNPARALLELED SACRIFICES and I found so much more to like about it!

1. Adam is out of work. In its first season, Adam (Peter Krause) was kind of a smug jerk: He condescended to his out-of-work sister Sarah (Lauren Graham), forced to move back in with their parents to save money, and he seemed to regard the Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis of his son Max (Max Burkholder) as a grievous personal imposition. But last season, Adam lost his job, and as we find him in Season 3, he has been humbled in ways that make him more compelling to watch.

Hey, maybe Adam would be enjoying unemployment more if the aspect ratio on his TV were SET CORRECTLY?

Meanwhile, Kristina (Monica Potter) is back at work and kicking so much ass at her job that even though she appears to be 11 months pregnant, she's been offered a full-time position. The change in their roles, and Adam's difficulty in adapting to it, are (unfortunately) relatable storylines for a lot of viewers. I'm not convinced that starting a small business with Crosby (Dax Shepard) is the solution to Adam and Kristina's problems (it's pretty hard, guys!), but at least it opens up new storytelling possibilities.

2. Julia is going to steal a girl's baby. I mean, Julia (Erika Christensen) as much as admits it to Sarah, right?

Christensen can be a brittle performer, so I appreciate that the show's producers have found a way to exploit it for comedy.

Hey, new guest stars! Yay, Michael B. Jordan got another good job after BREAKING AMERICA'S HEART as Vince Howard on "Friday Night Lights"! Woo, the cancellation of "The Event" means that Jason Ritter can return as Mr. Cyr and be totally adorable even though I only thought he was okay before this very scene!

Second Verdict: Congratulations, "Parenthood." You've earned back your old berth on my DVR.