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.
Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Television, TV
Tagged Bravermans, celebrities, entertainment, family, Humor, Lauren Graham, life, Men of a Certain Age, Parenthood tv show, Ray Romano, Ron Howard, TBS, Television, TV, tv role, tv show cast, tv show character
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.
Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Celebrities, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, Love, Relationships, Television, TV, Writing
Tagged blogging, blogs, Braverman family, breakout hit, casting, celebrities, comedy, commentary, DVR, entertainment, family, family drama, family show, gut-wrenching good-bye, hit of the year, Humor, Lauren Graham, lead actress, life, Maura Tierney, mea culpa, mid-season replacement, Modern Family tv show, NBC, Parenthood tv show, Peter Krause, Relationships, Ron Howard, stereotypes, T. Craig Nelson, Television, tired storylines, TV
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.
Posted in Humor, Movies, Relationships, Television
Tagged Arrested Development, Arrested Development television series, Asperger's, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepherd, Humor, Lauren Graham, Maura Tierney, mid-season replacement, Modern Family, Modern Family television series, Monica Potter, Movies, NBC, Parenthood, Parenthood movies, Parenthood television series, Peter Krause, Ron Howard, Television, television critics
Rush out and see this
I’ve never watched Formula One Grand Prix racing, so I wondered if I could love the film RUSH as much as the critics.
Never doubt Ron Howard.
Yes, there is amazing driving footage, and Howard chronicles the races and locations of their real-life points race. But the differences between these two men — in looks, personality and approach to the sport — and their very complex relationship is the most compelling part of this movie.
And when you see photos of the actual Hunter and Lauda —
Wave the checkered flag, people.
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Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies, Sports
Tagged casting, casting director, celebrities, checkered flag, commentary, driver, driving, entertainment, Formula One, Grand Prix, Humor, James Hunt, life, movie casting, movie critics, Movies, Niki Lauda, Nina Gold, points race, race car, racing, Relationships, reviews, Ron Howard, RUSH movie, Sports