After endless commercials during the Olympics and lots of print ads, NBC’s Parenthood has debuted. The show has experienced several bumps on its journey to primetime but now it’s finally here and NBC has high hopes for the series. Will it be a hit?
Parenthood revolves around the extended and very colorful Braverman family of Northern California. The large cast includes Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Mae Whitman, Miles Heizer, Erika Christensen, Sam Jaeger, Dax Shepard, Joy Bryant, Monica Potter, Sarah Ramos, and Max Burkholder.
Last night’s premiere debuted to an average of 8.1 million viewers with a 3.1 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. That put Parenthood in second place in total viewers (behind The Good Wife) but in first place in the demo. There was also very little erosion of the audience during the course of the episode.
While it’s positive that Parenthood won its timeslot in the demo, the numbers are surely not as good as NBC was hoping for, especially considering all of the promotion. Still, considering the state of the rest on NBC’s schedule, this should be considered a victory for the ailing peacock network.
As per usual, we’ll have to see how many viewers return week after week to know if Parenthood has a real chance at survival. For now, things look positive.
What do you think? Is Parenthood worth watching or are you changing the channel? Cancel or keep it?
Image courtesy NBC.
When I saw the reaction to the news of their child’s autism, I thought that the actors played the parents as in alternatingly more positive or optimistic – trying to be supportive of the faltering one. These are just characters from what we can already see is a very weird family dynamic. I figure I’m going to let “these” particular characters emerge as characters and let them deal with things over time, as it becomes more clear to them what is happening, rather than wasting an entire storyline. I’m happy autism is being prtrayed front and center and attention is… Read more »
By the way, somebody should tell this site’s webmaster that the icons they assign to different posters are really out of line and also not funny.
@Lisa: They are random TV characters and are not intended to be “out of line” or “funny” What do you find objectionable?
Once again television fails to appreciate how offensive the misportrayal of people in the Autistic Spectrum can be. I’m sick of watching television actors attempt to portray emotions they have not and probably will never experience as they desperately try to cast their *different* child in the best possible light. The show was neither funny, nor original nor interesting to people who live the real lives this show trys to advance. I have nothing but great respect for Ron Howard, so I have to wonder how he let what was probably an honest script get so bogged down in myth… Read more »
LOVE PARENTHOOD Please keep it!! I love Lauren Graham!
good show,so won’t last. if it’s not “reality”,medical or cops it won’t make it. all the originality has been gone for decades.
Yeah this show is a nice update to the aged theatrical release. Lauren Graham looks less like Lorelai Gilmore and more like Emily, but that’s far better than getting crazy plastic surgery like kthryn Morris (I can’t even watch Cold Case because she’s so scary looking now). I hope they keep Parenthood on the air
One of the best new shows I’ve seen in a long time. Great acting, great scripts, well produced. I’m never ready for the episode to end. In a time when netrworks don’t seem to want to take a chance on quality television, Parenthood is great surprise. Keep it! And bring back Studio 60…
This show should be cancelled for inappropriate content.
Keep it! I love this show. Not only is the cast amazing but the story arcs keep me interested. This show is a keeper.
Love this show. Hopefully it doesn’t bite the dust.
I really love this TV show, but like DopeyTV states, since it is quality TV with good plot lines and acting, it won’t last. The writing is so good; you can tell the writers definitely understand what it means to be children in this crazy world while still being our parents’ children. I really hope it doesn’t get cancelled.
I love this show. Amazing cast, story lines are so close to real life that a lot of people can see themselves in the stories. I say keep it. But it’s not a CSI or NCIS so it will most likely get the boot!
Loved it
At first you think this show is gonna suck….but once the audience has the chance to connect with this strange family, they love them. I have watched all four episodes and each keeps getting better and better.
Great cast, great show, naturally it HAS to go. Why are TV execs so damned stupid??