To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. It's also the sincerest form of laziness. When in doubt, or when unable to come up with an original concept, just regurgitate something that's already been a hit. Like "Parenthood," that hilarious 1989 feature film comedy starring Steve Martin and Rick Moranis. What if they made a TV show out of that? Well, they already did back in 1990 with a series starring Ed Begley Jr., David Arquette and, yes, Leonardo DiCaprio. It lasted less than a full season. But, as "The Hulk" has clearly pointed out, when has Hollywood ever let one unsuccessful reboot get in the way of doing another one? Which brings us back to "Parenthood," and NBC's new adaptation. This new version stars a quartet of grown siblings, the parents that raised them, and the children that drive them crazy.

The new "Parenthood" sports an accomplished cast, including Craig T. Nelson as the overbearing family patriarch, Peter Krause as a father adjusting to his son being diagnosed as autistic, and Lauren Graham (who replaced Maura Tierney after the actress was diagnosed with breast cancer) as a frazzled single mom adjusting to life back under her parents' roof.

All the characters have their flaws, which is why "Parenthood" must walk a fine line to keep the people interesting, but also likable. It also needs to try a little less hard to get us reaching for the Kleenex. The first episode featured several scenes that were clearly designed to pull at the heartstrings and get the waterworks started. But that's the easy way to get us to feel emotion. If "Parenthood" really wants to draw us in, it needs to do so with sharper writing and characters we can become invested in. Whether the show can do that remains to be seen. And it needs to stop taking it self so seriously.

"Parenthood" the movie worked so well because there were deeply funny moments alongside all the drama, but this new show lacks much humor at all, unless you consider Dax Shepard incessantly repeating the word sperm hilarious. "Parenthood" definitely needs to get funnier, but it should ground that storyline, pronto.