Parenthood, I miss you already.
Your final episode sits in denial on my DVR, as if not erasing it will bring back the series next season.
Could it?
You Bravermans were that perfectly imperfect clan — often close to imploding but always ending up even closer together.
I’ll miss the endless baseball games and backyard gatherings under the twinkly lights. Everyone singing or dancing for some reason or other. And giving sudiences the first indepth conversation about Asperger’s syndrome on network TV.
Over your six seasons, my obsession with characters morphed and changed with the storylines. But I will always love Julia and Joel, and be grateful for the addition of Hank, because Ray Romano is a wonderful dramatic actor (which I discovered in Men of a Certain Age) and I loved what he brought to Parenthood.
I’m rambling because I hate to say goodbye. Let’s just say, “See ya later…”
Because I will be watching again soon.
What’s in a name?
I have devoted many a blog post to the all-too-short-lived series Parenthood on NBC.
You may have noticed.
But this weekend, an unrelated article in the Sunday New York Times has brought forth yet another question:
Why did the family name change from Buckman — in the 1989 origin film — to Braverman in the TV series?
I’ve done some research, and apparently I’m not the first to ask this question, but for decidedly different reasons.
Many viewers pointed out that “Braverman” is a surname of Jewish origin, but the Parenthood family is decidedly not so. Others surmised that “Buckman” sounded a bit too Midwestern — where the movie was located — and the name change was necessary to reflect the California setting.
Or was it a bit of an inside joke?
The Sunday New York Times article discussed the evolution of Doc Johnson Enterprises, the ‘first family of pleasure products.’ The family surname? Oh, it’s not Johnson; it’s Braverman. And it got me thinking…
Could one of television’s great family dramas have added this little Easter egg…just for giggles and grins?
Or maybe one of the creators is simply related to a Braverman, or it tested well…neither of which is as fun for me.
Leave a comment
Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Television
Tagged Braverman, Buckman, Doc Johnson Enterprises, Easter egg, Jewish origin, Midwestern, New York Times, Parenthood, Parenthood movie, Parenthood tv show