Parenthood

Ok, now I get Dax Shepard

If you’re looking for a comfort watch, I heartily recommend Parenthood, the US drama which first aired in 2009 and only recently arrived on Netflix.

It’s very much a proto-This Is Us - a big, sprawling, emotional family saga but with a better sense of humour.

Over six seasons, we watch the Bravermans navigate divorce, Asperger’s, illness, break-ups, infertility, adoption - you name, it, they go through it.

The appeal of the show is very good casting and just how well each character is drawn - Zeek, the proud patriarch; Amber, the troubled but loyal tearaway daughter; Crosby (yes, Crosby), the infantile son who comes good. (By the way, he’s played by Dax Shepard who I’ve always been ambiently aware of but never really “got” - but I get it now. He’s very funny and extremely charismatic).

So they’re archetypes, yes, but each one has enough quirks and charm to make them feel real. And their chemistry is off the charts. (Amber and Drew forever).

The show reliably makes me cry in the last 5 minutes of each episode and, though it does handle some weighty issues, it’s just so pleasingly benign which is increasingly hard to find.

Speaking of parenthood, at work, I’ve been busy working on the launch of the new Times and Sunday Times parenting hub where you can find loads of brilliant writing, expert advice and inspiration about family life. We’ve also launched a newsletter that’s free to read. Do check them out.

This week I’ve also been:

Reading - Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

Watching - Fleetwood Mac's Songbird: Christine McVie. Brilliant doc on BBC iPlayer. And the Severance finale OBVIOUSLY.

Listening to - Sour by Olivia Rodrigo (thanks to my 11-year-old daughter. It slaps)

P.S Any take on With Love, Meghan was obviously old/irrelevant within 24 hours of it airing but I’m going to share one anyway. Because I have little or no self-respect, I watched the whole godforsaken series and the underlying issue (amongst many, many issues) is that her whole vocabulary and vibe seem to come wholesale from the worst imaginable mum group chat. I’m talking about all of the most basic, generic female catchphrases - Girl time! I’m just a mom! Wine! It’s like a manic game of bullshit bingo. She is so charmed by unremarkable things like the fact that she calls herself Meg for short or that her friend loves coffee or that she makes her margaritas extra spicy. ‘Can you believe this?!’, her rictus grin is asking.

Thanks to my friend Alice for bringing Tina Brown’s take to my attention. The first paragraph is funny.

What have you been watching recently? Are you charmed by Dax Shepard? What’s your own lamest With Love, Meghan-style catchphrase? Please do share in the comments.

See you next time,

Hannah