Tag Archives: Lauren Graham

I like her odds

Posted on January 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

Hank or Mark?

If you are a devotee of Parenthood, this quandary makes both perfect sense…and is perfectly frustrating.

parenthood hank and markWhen Sarah (Lauren Graham) and Mark (Jason Ritter) initially began dating, I was thrilled. Is there a cuter couple in TV-land? I challenge you to find one. Their engagement was the only logical conclusion.

Get them to the altar, tie the knot, add a jaunty bow.

But then Ray Romano joined the cast as Hank — crusty, blustery, more-age-appropriate Hank. He and Sarah made sense, too.  (Plus Mark suddenly turned into a woman…so really, what else could Sarah do?)

Now Mark has found his balls and is challenging Hank for Sarah’s hand — who will she pick? More importantly, who do you want her to choose?

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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Humor, Relationships, Television, TV

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Ray of hope

Posted on October 9, 2012 | 1 Comment

Dear Ron Howard:

Thank you for adding Ray Romano to the cast of Parenthood this season.

I love his character, Hank.  I love the relationship that Hank has with Sarah Braverman, played by Lauren Graham.

Heck, I even love his glasses.

As devastated as I was by the cancellation of Romano’s wonderful TBS series Men of a Certain Age, this new role almost heals that wound.

Almost.

If Hank ends up having a limited run, though, the weeping will no doubt start anew.

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Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Television, TV

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When I’m wrong

Posted on October 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Back in March of last year, I spanked Ron Howard’s new family drama Parenthood.

It had suffered the double misfortune of being forced to miscast its lead actress (Maura Tierney, who had become seriously ill) and enter the television year at mid-season, following the hugely popular breakout comedy Modern Family.

Thanks for playing, guys, but the family show and hit of the year had already been crowned.

I was also disappointed in what I found to be stereotypical characters and storylines.  But I had already set the DVR — the cast, including Lauren Graham, Peter Krause and T. Craig Nelson, was really good, after all — so I hung around to see what developed.

Two years later, I’m still here. 

And last night, when Alex broke up with Haddie — and told Kristina that she was the mother he had never had and that he loved their family — it was gut-wrenching.  I literally blubbered.  As I struggled to see the TV screen through my tears, the memory of that blog entry floated in my memory’s eye.

Mea culpa.

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Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Celebrities, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, Love, Relationships, Television, TV, Writing

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Time’s tell

Posted on September 17, 2011 | Leave a comment

Earlier this week, Lauren Graham of NBC’s Parenthood paid a visit to the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Between tales of the family drama’s new season and a strip club visit, Lauren displayed a habit of sticking her tongue out of one corner of her mouth.

Of course, Craig just had to point out her nervous tick to the audience.  Lauren didn’t seem upset at being exposed; she was more worried that the gesture was a sign of her impending age.

Which got me thinking — do I have a geezer habit?

I’ve been trying to be more self-aware this week.  And I’ve noticed when I walk the dog, I tend to roll and pop my neck while I’m waiting for Rory to do his business.

I wonder if my neighbors — who see me pass four times or more each day — noticed this habit years ago.  Heck, I may even have a neck-related nickname that I don’t even know about.

“Cracky” definitely needs to start watching that.

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Behave!

Posted on March 10, 2010 | 2 Comments

Dear producers of ‘Parenthood’ on NBC:

When I first heard that this movie remake was coming to television — and that Ron Howard was attached — I was pretty excited.  Visions of  ‘Arrested Development’ started swirling in my brain.

Heady stuffy.

Then you guys had a bad break when actress Maura Tierney became ill, and you were forced to re-cast and delay the series to mid-season.  Now you are the ‘other family show;’  the brilliant “Modern Family” has already captured the imagination and allegiance of the American audience and the critics.

Admittedly, you have started in a hole.  But now your writers are digging you an even deeper one.

With all the talent you have in place — Lauren Graham, Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause, Monica Potter and Dax Shepherd –  you are wasting them on tired storylines and family conflict we have seen time and time again.  Sure, a diagnosis of Asperger’s is unique to network television, but your treatment of the issue isn’t.

Your actors are better than this.  And if you loosen the reins a bit, I’ll bet your writers are, too.

Your parents are watching.  Make them proud.

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Posted in Humor, Movies, Relationships, Television

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