Parenthood: Season 4 Premiere

Although I freely admit that I am a tv junkie, there are few shows on television that I follow any more out of pure joy. More often than not I find myself falling back on reality tv as background music to whatever else I am doing. Other times I’ll fall back on reruns of tried-and-true hits. However, Parenthood satisfies my craving for well-developed drama and soap-opera-like juiciness. I have been a fan since season one. Ironically, I started watching Parenthood because at the time I was pregnant with my daughter; I found it amusing that a show about what it was like to be a parent was starting on tv at the same time that I was thinking about how my life would change when my daughter arrived. However, the show was more than amusing: I fell in love with these very real characters. Every episode leaves me wanting to know more about the Braverman clan, and every season finale leaves me a little sad that I'll have to wait until fall rolls around to see what happens next.

The show has neatly developed around three generations' worth of the Bravermans: the grandparents Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia); the children Julia (Erika Christensen), Sarah (Lauren Graham), Adam (Peter Krause), and Crosby (Dax Shepard), and their significant others; and the grandchildren Haddie (Sarah Ramos), Max (Max Burkholder), Amber (Mae Whitman), Drew (Miles Heizer), Jabbar (Tyree Brown), and Sydney (Savannah Rae). Over the course of three seasons, viewers have intimately gotten to know the inner workings of all of the Bravermans. A show with the success of Parenthood has to be careful with introducing new characters, especially because of the finesse and details with which they have created the lives of the Bravermans on screen. To recreate that magic with a new character, even if a temporary one, is difficult in a show like Parenthood that depends so much on character development. 

The season four premiere introduced viewers to Hank, played by Ray Romano, better known for his appearances on Everybody Loves Raymond and, more recently, Men of a Certain Age. Hank is a cranky photographer hired by Camille to photograph the Braverman family before Haddie goes away to Cornell University in New York. When Sarah, who is trying to move away from bartending, inquires about the "Help Wanted" sign in his storefront, he begrudgingly tells her to show up the next day. His attitude, in stark contrast to Sarah's giddiness about a job opportunity, reveals that not all will go well. 

One of the things that stands out about how Parenthood develops its characters is that they let their stories unfurl slowly. The joy of watching this show is that every episode tells you a little more about Julie's obsession to have another baby, or Sarah's divorce, or Crosby's emotional intelligence, for example. With a new character, especially one that will be around for only a handful of episodes, the stories of the characters can come across not just in the plot but also in other ways. 

Viewers get to know Hank by how he interacts with characters. For example, when Sarah asks Hank about whether including the fiancé in a family photo is appropriate or not, Hank seems uncomfortable around her, and seems to organize papers, without making any eye contact. Later in the episode he tells Sarah that he finds talking to people uncomfortable, even despicable. On the other hand, Hank shows affinity with Max, Adam and Cristina's son with Asperger’s, and Max's obsessions echo in Hank's pursuit of the perfect light for the perfect family picture. Although Hank seems like the grumpy-but-lovable guy, hopefully he evolves into a fully fleshed out character and not just a one-dimensional type. 

Hank isn’t the only new character introduced, however; Parenthood tried to introduce viewers to three new characters, and this may be a little too much to handle in a season premiere for this kind of character-driven show. Viewers met Julia and Joel's adopted son Victor (Xolo Mariduena), whom they are having trouble integrating into their lives. The other character who appeared is Nick (Paul McDonald), the lead singer of a band practicing at The Luncheonette recording studio, who sleeps with Amber (who is working at Adam and Crosby's studio now). We later find out that Nick is cheating on his girlfriend with Amber, which breaks her heart. Considering how slowly Parenthood develops its characters, and the attention to detail that comes with this kind of writing, having three new characters appear in the season premiere of a show that already has several characters vying for the viewer's attention might be too much excitement in one episode—not to mention that there is plenty to catch up on in terms of what has happened in the lives of the Bravermans.

Parenthood's success lies in the viewers' investment in the lives of the characters. Over three seasons, we have cried, laughed, smirked, and stared in awe at the Bravermans’ highs and lows. Bringing new characters can be difficult in such a tightly knit show. The season premiere may not be the place to do so, especially when it means introducing three new characters. However, I look forward to seeing more of Hank and Victor. But Amber's jerk? Not so much.