essays

‘Parenthood’ has a cleavage problem

Peter KrausePeter Krause is back - oh, my!

Score another one for Facebook – it’s only by following the college-age daughter of a friend that I was prompted to watch the critically acclaimed network television show Parenthood on NBC. Why do I just assume if it’s network TV it’ll be crap? Years of disappointment.

But you’d THINK I’d have tuned in just to see Peter Krause on the small screen again – it’s been a long time since Six Feet Under, after all.

There's a big ensemble cast with some other bold-type names (Craig T. Nelson) and even a backstage creative team that should have caught my attention earlier – it includes vets from both Friday Night Lights and The West Wing, two of my all-time faves.

But are the stories any good? Or are good actors having to portray people doing really stupid things, over and over, in story lines we’re sick to death of? (Brothers and Sisters, which I’ve finally stopped watching, comes to mind here.) I haven’t totally caught up (and it’s almost the end of Season 2 already) but so far, the characters aren’t totally predictable and the stories are interesting, covering meaty issues (Asperger’s syndrome, teen sex and drugs) as well as the usual sibling rivalries. Erika Christensen

About that cleavage.

Now for a nit-pick, and who doesn’t have one or two about even the best of shows? In the photo right you see a regular character on the show who plays a very successful lawyer who’s dressed for work most of the time. Unfortunately, THIS is how Hollywood thinks female lawyers dress, and having spent 30+ years in courtrooms myself, I can report that they most definitely do NOT. And if they’re blessed with this kind of impressive cleavage, they cover it up at work.

Okay, I’ve gotten that off my chest.

Virtual water cooler conversations

Just a note about how different TV-showing is now, compared to the olden days of gathering around the water cooler to digest the latest episode of your favorite show. Now it’s social networking, baby, and lots of it, starting with the website itself. There we find Twitter, discussion boards, and Parenthood’s Facebook fan page, where commenters weigh in on the most recent episode. There are fan websites for almost any show, and decent TV blogs like TVFanatic that have fans page for Parenthood.

Who needs water coolers or even co-workers anymore?

Susan Harris is a Washington, DC-based garden writer and blogger whose most recent online venture is BoomerTurnons.com.  It’s all about what’s turning on Boomers nowadays – in music, technology, fitness, second careers and more.

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