"Parenthood": Five reasons to watch

5. Awkward humor. It's the best kind, no?

4. Firecracker chemistry. The ad-lib style of dialogue might drive some viewers crazy, but I think it’s a perfect fit for this ensemble cast, whose chemistry is sparkling in almost any combination. There’s something wonderfully (and appropriately) organic about the interactions between the characters.

3. Careful, creative music selection. (Ray LaMontagne? Yes, please.)

2. Lauren Graham. Ok, so maybe Sarah Braverman isn’t nearly as intricate nor as compelling a character as Lorelai Gilmore, and maybe the more multi-faceted characters on the show –like Adam and Crosby– shine a little brighter. But in any context, Graham is a superb actress, unwavering in her commitment to her craft – and she’s long overdue for some accolades.

1. Striking depiction of family. “Parenthood” does what few other shows have been able to do: it slices through the glamour of marriage and parenthood without sacrificing the appeal of marriage and parenthood. The relationships on the show are revealed as raw, messy and flawed – but they’re also deep, resilient and meaningful. And while it’s fun to idolize TV characters, it’s more rewarding to be able to connect with them on a very real level, by grabbing onto and wrestling with their very real issues.

If you’re not watching “Parenthood” on Tuesdays, you should be.

#Thankful

I’d been dreading my 25th birthday –half jokingly, half seriously– for a few years, but now that it’s here, I’m only overwhelmed by gratitude (and not just because it’s Thanksgiving). I’m ready to hit the ground running at 25, enjoying to the fullest all of the wonderful people and opportunities I’ve been blessed with.

…because there ain’t no time like this time (baby). Happy Thanksgiving!

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

Sound Bite: Hope for traditional country music

“I meet young fans and young artists today that like the kind of music I like. That’s exactly why I moved to Nashville. I was 20 years old, and I liked Conway, Merle and George Strait, and nobody was coming along doing that. It’s the same way today. There’s still going to be people that come along that appreciate the real country music, and there’s always going to be room for all the other styles out there and there are going to be fans that like them both.”

-Alan Jackson in this Winston-Salem Journal article, managing to discuss his views on traditional country music sincerely yet respectfully. Take note, country music fans.

RIP "Idol" semifinals

TV mogul Nigel Lythgoe”s return to “American Idol” has brought a slew of controversial changes, including the elimination of the semifinal rounds.

“When you”re showing viewers 34 people and asking the country to judge 34 people, you don”t know who”s talented — you only know the ones who”ve had a bit of their stories shown in the auditions. It”s much easier to say, “Here are the Final 12, now here are their stories, and start figuring out who you like.”

— Lythgoe

Easier? Yes. Better? No. The Top 24 (or, to a lesser extent, Top 36) rounds afford viewers the opportunity to soak on contestants, to put Valkommen till casino nline. together for themselves the puzzle pieces of their personality and artistry. Sometimes viewers make bad choices (I”m looking at you, Season 9), but at least it”s their choice.

In memoriam of the axed semifinal rounds:

CMA hearts JT?

This section of an e-mail newsletter I got from the Country Music Association makes me giggle. I can’t figure out if my Justin Timberlake The Artist withdrawals are making me crazy…or if the CMA is having similar withdrawals.

"Glee" guilty pleasure

Some songs are so good that you wind up unconsciously loving every version you hear (even the radio-friendly sub-in). Maybe that’s why I can’t stop watching this clip – or maybe it’s the fiery, unbridled attitude that every character is sporting.

Whatever. This is gold:

Stuck like glue

Pop culture and I are stuck like glue. We have been for years. I love that it’s driven on the purest level by the wants, needs and thoughts of people. I love that you can consistently rely on its inconsistency and that every decade sees a definitive shift. I love that it can make you cry, laugh, fear or believe – sometimes all at once.

I’ve learned over the years that the best way to observe pop culture is with one foot grounded firmly in reality and the other plunged in the mess. Only then –when you’re neither blindly judging nor blindly following– can you find the little nuggets of truth and humanity tucked beneath pop culture’s candy coating. Because they’re there. And they’re fascinating.

So I’ve created this blog as an outlet of sorts, to highlight and explore the stuff (the music, people and more) that binds me to pop culture. I’m typically a contemplative writer, playing with words and dissecting arguments until my head hurts, so I’m excited to break up my usual style with some snappier thoughts on this blog.

Stay tuned!

*Post title inspired by this contagious little gem, which, sadly, comes from this.