This "reimagining" of the old Steve Martin movie has been picked up by NBC for the fall of 2009.

I'm curious to see how it develops (and if it's any good….the last time Parenthood was made into an NBC series, it didn't fly…the combination of Ed Begley Jr, David Arquette, Leonardo DiCaprio and Joss Whedon just didn't bring the viewers for some reason)

On the plus side, it was written by Jason Katims, who brought us Friday Night Lights.

And it's got some other great people involved: Ron Howard (executive producer), Tommy!Schlamme!, Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Mae Whitman, plus some other folks.

And since NBC is pretty desperate for something solid, this series may get a chance.

On the minus side, Ron Howard was also an executive producer on Arrested Development and Sports Night, so he's got a track record of high quality shows that die young; Maura Tierney looks a bit distant from her castmates in the video of the cast photo shooting (tension's not good in an ensemble drama…especially if it's showing up as early as the pilot, though she seems fine in her individual interview) and Peter Krause seems to have brought his 'loud voice'.

Oh, and some of NBC's executives seem downright crazy, so who knows how they'll treat the show.

Though the pilot isn't finished yet, there are a few clips and interviews up on nbc.com. Check them out here.
It looks like they were pretty rushed to get something up for the infront announcement today (the editing of the behind the scenes clips and interviews is a little weird)

Anyone else curious about this show?

I'm really excited about this show. I saw the movie for the first time last week and loved it a lot. It was so much better than I expected and I thought it was great. I like the cast for this and I think there is a lot of potential for the feel of the movie to translate well into a TV show. I hope we hear more about it soon!

I vaguely recall this same show based on this same movie sometime in the early 90's? Okay, I guess they are thinking along the lines of, if BSG can be re-imagined than this could work. We shall have to see, but if a re-imaging of a really old show based on an even older movie gets the green light and a show like Life gets cancelled, and Chuck is poised for the same, what are they smoking over there at NBC?

Read the pilot script about a month and a half ago. A bit slow at first, but it sucked me in by the midpoint, and had a great combination of humor and drama. It reminded me of Relativity, Jason Katims' first show, in how it deals with an extended family. Not sure on some of the casting (Dax Shepard annoys me), but others (Krause, Tierney) are spot-on.

Honestly, the best drama script for all the networks that I read, and with FNL coming back, it should do a great job of reestablishing NBC's rep for quality drama.

Glad to hear that someone who read the script liked it. I have hope for it, with Jason Katims running it and Peter Krause and Maura Tierney in the cast. Definitely will be watching.

Aw shit, NBC? Well, even if it's BRILLIANT I give it 6 episodes, tops.

I've always loved this movie, so I am looking forward to seeing what PH2.0 will look like. I wasn't crazy about PH1.0, even with Arquette.

Martin will always be 'Gil' to me, though.

I loved the movie, never seen the TV Show. It wonder how it will work. I wonder who Craig T. Nelson will play.

Sad news from the set.

Damn - a real life NARM incident on Peter Krause's new set? That's awful.

Halfpint Ingals, Craig T. Nelson is playing Zeek Braverman, father of Peter Krause's and Maura Tierney's characters (among the actors playing his four (?) kids that I can recall).

Sad about the VP dying. She was so young!

Thanks Wendy. They did not list his character's name. Is he playing a Gil type character ? I guess they changed the names.

So Craig T Nelson has the Jason Robards role? Talk about a lack of gravitas.

I've never seen the movie, but I'm really looking forward to this series, mainly due to Jason Katims being the head writer and showrunner. I've loved his work on My So-called Life, Relativity, Roswell and Friday Night Lights, and I expect Parenthood to be the same high quality writing. Add to that a talented cast and Ron Howard and I'm very optimistic. I'm glad to read that the pilot script is good, with a nice combination of comedy and drama. This is the only new show I'm interested in at this point. The preview clip looked very promising. I hope it does well in the ratings.

I'm extremely excited about this show. I've read the script and, as Cornballer said above, it does start off a bit slow, but it really got stronger as it went on and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments and a couple of bittersweet, potential tearjerker moments as well.

Of course, I might be biased - I think any show with Maura Tierney is automatically better than anything else on TV. I saw a clip of Maura and Craig T. Nelson being interviewed by Extra at the NBC infront luncheon in LA last week and in spite of the atrocious quality of the video, it was clear that there was already a mutual admiration society going on between them.

Like some here, I've also read the script and the show is really well done. The cast is solid and it definitely seems like a show that will be highly critically acclaimed. And its airing Wednesdays at 8pm, where its biggest competition will be a fall version of So You Think You Can Dance... I expect the show to perform pretty well

The only new show I'm looking forward to this fall. It's got a strong cast and crew and I have high hopes for it. Glad to hear the pilot sounds strong even with a slow start. I'll be tuning in.

Count me in the camp that thinks anything involving Maura Tierney has to be good.

Didn't hear much about this show from the up-fronts, just the one-paragraph blurb that's been posted everywhere.

But, I did come across this interview with Erika Christensen, about the show, here. She has this to say about Jason Katims:
There are also links to show photos with the article.

I'm really looking forward to this show. I'm curious to see how it pans out...whether they'll go the route of having drama and comedy evolve organically like real life, or if they'll spin into Brothers & Sisters/Desperate Housewives territory to drive the plots (a secret sibling! a long hidden mystery!). I really hope it's the former, since I don't think there's any show on right now that has real life depth and I think it would be fascinating to watch. And this is a cast that could definitely handle the subtlety and still make it funny and deep and interesting.

We have a premiere date: September 23rd at 8pm!

This really doesn't sound good: Maura Tierney illness delays 'Parenthood'

Oh, that's not good. I hope she's OK, and that it turns out to be nothing serious. I was looking forward to this show. (This and Community were the two that had peaked my interest for the fall.) There have been recent reports of Peter Krause shooting a film in Montreal, and I couldn't figure out how that fit with the Parenthood shooting schedule. Now it makes sense.

There is an early look at the Pilot posted on The Futon Critic... they say Maura Tierney's character is the most interesting.

I read somewhere that Mercy is being pushed from mid season to the Fall, and NBC is reviewing the schedule, trying to decide if it will be on in the Wednesday slot originally slated for Parenthood, or at another time.

Statement from Maura. Hoping all goes well with her surgery and she has a speedy recovery.

Absolutely.

Well, that’s worrisome.*

I saw that news and immediately thought two things: 1) No, not again! and 2) Already?

We haven’t even seen an episode of the show yet and TPTB are already introducing a melodramatic twist.

Seems like the creators of this show should be able to come up with enough interesting storylines with the characters they’ve already have: 4 adult siblings, their parents, significant others, and their children. If they can’t make an interesting show based on the original premise, with the cast they’ve got to work with, throwing a secret love-child into the mix isn’t going to help.

Don't we already have a "recently surfaced secret child” in just about every soap opera, plus Ruby and the Rockits. Not to mention you can’t twirl a merlot glass on the set of Brothers and Sisters without splashing 1 or 2 of them.

I don’t want melodrama. I’d rather a straight up drama/comedy dealing with typical trials and tribulations of parenthood and family dynamics.

*Nothing against the actress. Maybe I'm just gun-shy after seeing favorite shows go down the tubes with the additional of a "sexy" new character promising intrigue.

Having read the script for the pilot, I don't think it's going to be as bad as it might sound, although I already know it's probably going to be my least favorite storyline out of the four siblings.

Granted, I don't think I have seen the movie since it came out 20 years (!) ago (ah, to go back to being 17!), but wasn't there one of the siblings in the film who DID have a long lost kid?

If the show is, again, mirroring the film as Parenthood TV Series #1 (I believe) did, it makes sense, maybe.

Any word on Maura's prognosis? Is there any chance they're bringing in another actress in case they have to scale Maura's part way down or write her out?

I've enjoyed seeing her tear it up on Rescue Me these past few weeks, but I know these episodes were taped close to a year ago.

I don't think anyone knows any details about Maura's prognosis, but I know she's been seen having dinner in her NYC neighborhood a couple of times in the last week or so. So, I'd like to think that's a positive sign, that she's out and about.

As for them bringing in Joy Bryant, I don't think that's connected to Maura's situation. Joy's character is introduced at the end of the pilot, so that character was always planned. I know Erika Christensen said recently that they're still scheduled to start production at the end of this month as far as she knows, so hopefully that happens.

And glad you enjoyed Maura on Rescue Me, braggtastic! I thought she was pretty brilliant myself. :)

You know, you're absolutely right. I totally forgot that. After I read your post I checked out a plot summary for the movie, and the whole thing came back to me. I feel much better about it now.

Damn.

Maura Tierney drops out of 'Parenthood'

That's real disappointing. Maura Tierney was the main reason I was going to watch Parenthood. I hope her cancer treatments go well and she recovers fully.

I completely agree. Her health is of course the most important thing but I'm disappointed she won't be part of the show.

While not a huge fan of MT, per se, I am deeply disappointed for her nevertheless. I just pray this is not any indication as to how well or not her treatments are going.

Wow, that is really too bad.

And I don't mean about the show either. That's just TV and just business. Hopefully the fact that her treatment course is taking longer than originally thought isn't anything to worry about.

I hope and pray that she will do well with her treatments, recover 100% and be back with us in a new series sometime next year.

Edited to add:

Strangely, this made me feel better, or maybe just less worried for her -
From Alan Sepinwall's Twitter feed:

My thoughts and prayers go out to Maura Tierney. May she get her treatments and be back on our tv screens soon. Here's to a speedy and full recovery.

She was the reason why I was going to tune into Parenthood but now I'm not so sure. Kudos to NBC for allowing her the time they did before having to move on.

I must say, though, unless it is an error...is July considered "midseason"? Wouldn't that be more "Summer programming"? (Because I thought I read the series is now slated for July!)

And if it is not an error...while I do admire MT for putting her health first and do understand NBC is a business and must keep to a schedule...why would MT have to back out now? It's September. July is ten months from now. Does taping take that much time in advance?

(I don't expect anyone here to have answers. I am, more or less, just musing aloud, as it were.)

ETA:

With the announcement of the casting of the single mom (also likely based on the long lost kid angle that was in the film, as I said), now I wonder if maybe an arc was moved up to accommodate this mom, maybe to fill a gap MT's leaving will cause? I know MT's part is being recast. But maybe it is a stop-gap measure in the meantime?

This might be the bit that's confusing:
from the link
I think Parenthood was originally scheduled to go into production in July 2009 for a launch this fall. But in July, when they realized that Maura Tierney wouldn't be able to film, they pushed the lauch to mid season. At that point, production was pushed back to late September for a mid-season launch. And since she's not able to meet the production schedule now, it's decided that they'll re-cast. (I'd imagine if they didn't and tried to hold for her return (which is uncertain) they'd miss the 2009-10 season entirely and might lose the option on other cast members / producers /studio space /etc...) I think the July reference is talking about the planned July 2009 production start as opposed to a now-planned July 2010 premiere date.

On a selfish front, I'm disappointed because I had been looking forward to her in this series (I've been a fan since News Radio...Scotland Pa is worth checking out if you haven't seen it for a different side of her)

My impression was that critics generally liked the pilot and the cast, but were only really enthusiastic about Maura's performance. I don't recall anyone else being singled out for praise as she was. I guess it would be too much for the NBC simply to postpone production until next year to give her more time to recover (that's assuming she still wanted to do it), but I can't help thinking that however good the scripts are, the show will struggle without Maura. That said, the main thing is that she gets well again.

NBC did wait. But, unfortunately, TV is a business. And like ImNotLeesa said, there is a chance that had the show not made it for the 2009-2010 season at all, that the production company would lose the option for the actors. Those contracts only hold for so long.

I do understand being disappointed that Maura Tierney cannot participate, but in reality, especially with something like cancer, there's no telling when MT would be well enough to act again. Each person is different,. I do hope she is well, that all said.

I was very excited about this show, but now with MT leaving, I don't know how good it is going to be. I am happy she put her health first and rightly so, working 16 hour days while undergoing cancer treatments would be very hard. I wish her the best and hope she has a speedy recovery.

I love Peter Krause, so I will still watch the show, I hope if NBC does not air the pilot with Maura, they will have it on the DVD, I really want to see her performance in this.

There are reports that Helen Hunt may be tapped to step into fill Maura Tierney's shoes on Parenthood.

Not sure I'm happy about that.

The "What's Alan Watching" blog is taking suggestions on who might be a better choice.

I've been trying to keep an open mind on what actresses could replace Maura Tierney and get me to watch again. Helen Hunt would be one of them. Not bad if they can get her signed.

So here's some good news about Maura Tierney:


Link

EW.com - 'Parenthood' exclusive: Helen Hunt out! Lauren Graham in?

LizDC, I just came here to post that EW story. I'm completely in favor. I'd absolutely tune in for this!

Yep. I wasn't tuning in for Helen Hunt but I will give this a shot.

While I liked Helen Hunt on Mad About You, I did not like her as a choice for this role. She just seemed like she'd bring more angst and squinting than this series needed.

While I was never a huge Gilmore Girls fan, I like Lauren Graham and I think she'd be a great addition to this cast. She seems real, but would bring a lightness to this show.

Helen Hunt does bring a certain depressive quality to a role. Sometimes that's more than appropriate depending on the material. But if I had a choice, I'd much prefer to see Lauren Graham in this. I was never a consistent Gilmore Girls watcher, but I liked what I saw of Graham on that show.

I was for Helen Hunt but I'm more excited about Lauren Graham for sure. Sadly, I never even thought about her when I was running through names I'd be happy with. Shame on me.

Get her signed and let's do this.

Maura Tierney's name drew my attention to this. Lauren Graham just upped the ante. I have nothing but love for her, and if they sign her up maybe she can finally get a damn Emmy.