What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedParenthood
Jason Katims · Series · 2010
If you loved Parenthood, start with The Savages (Tamara Jenkins, 2007) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Parenthood across media.
What hooked you in Parenthood was the way it captured the messy, enduring, and deeply complex heart of family life.
Books on the same thread
Parenting from the Inside Out
Daniel J. Siegel, Mary Hartzell · Book · 2013
Explores: Intergenerational Trauma, Attachment Theory, Neurobiology of Parenting.
If Parenthood resonated because of its honest portrayal of parenting challenges, this book offers the same neurobiological insight into how our own upbringing shapes the way we raise children.
The Corrections
Jonathan Franzen · Book · 2001
Explores: Dysfunctional family dynamics, Midwestern ennui, Intergenerational conflict.
Fans of Parenthood who enjoyed watching the Braverman family navigate internal conflict will appreciate this novel's unflinching look at the long-term tensions and dysfunctions that define a family saga.
Crossroads
Jonathan Franzen · Book · 2021
Explores: generational trauma, moral ambiguity, religious disillusionment.
Much like the intergenerational dynamics in Parenthood, this story tracks a family at a turning point, exploring the moral ambiguity and emotional weight that bonds parents and their children.
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
Brené Brown · Book · 2013
Shares a thread with Parenthood: Personal Growth.
Parenthood showed that vulnerability is central to family health, and this book deepens that theme by explaining how the courage to be authentic transforms our most vital human relationships.
Films on the same thread
Boyhood
Richard Linklater · Film · 2014
Shares a thread with Parenthood: Parenting.
This film mirrors the slow-burn, realistic growth found in Parenthood, focusing on the evolution of a family over many years as parents and children navigate life transitions together.
Ordinary People
Robert Redford · Film · 1980
Shares a thread with Parenthood: Family Drama.
While Parenthood often found humor in its drama, this film captures the more somber side of family dysfunction, focusing on the grief and guilt that test familial bonds.
Little Women
Greta Gerwig · Film · 2019
Explores: Sisterhood, Female ambition, Artistic expression.
If the sibling relationships in Parenthood were your favorite part, you will find a similar depth of loyalty and connection in this story of sisters coming of age.
The Savages
Tamara Jenkins · Film · 2007
Shares 3 threads with Parenthood: Sibling Relationships, Dramedy, Family Drama.
This film captures the same sibling dynamics seen in Parenthood, focusing on the shared responsibilities and emotional weight that adult children face when caring for their aging parents.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
For those who loved the sprawling, community-focused life of the Bravermans, this serialized drama offers the same long-term investment in the daily trials of a deeply interconnected family.
boomer and zoomer
Podcast
Shares a thread with Parenthood: intergenerational relationships.
This podcast mirrors the core appeal of Parenthood by highlighting the specific, often complicated, and humorous evolution of the bond between a father and his adult daughter.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the central focus of Parenthood?
Parenthood centers on the trials and tribulations of the Braverman family. The series portrays this very large, colorful, and imperfect group as they navigate their daily lives and various personal challenges throughout the duration of the show.
Who created the television series Parenthood?
The television series Parenthood was created by Jason Katims. It premiered in 2010 and focuses on the complex dynamics and experiences of the Braverman family members as they manage their interconnected lives and relationships.
Is Parenthood based on a specific family?
Parenthood depicts the fictional lives of the Braverman family. The show explores the imperfect nature of this large, colorful group as they face various trials and tribulations, but it is not presented as a direct adaptation of any specific real-world family.
How would you describe the Braverman family in Parenthood?
In Parenthood, the Braverman family is described as being very large, colorful, and imperfect. The series follows these characters as they experience a wide range of trials and tribulations that define their collective journey throughout the show.