THE NEW family drama series ?Parenthood,? recently debuted on the 2nd Avenue channel ? and quite happily turned out to be every bit as good as advertised. We trust, therefore, that you?ll soon find the time to watch the new series, to see if it?s your cup of TV tea.

We found it right up our alley, because we favor shows that clarify family relationships ?
and, that?s exactly what the show does. It dramatizes the complex interactions involved in the day-to-day relationships of three generations of the Braverman family.

The clan?s patriarch is a domineering ?dictator,? but he feels that his heart is in the right place, because he?s being strict and demanding in order to motivate his kids and grandchildren to always play their best game, so that they can triumph over life?s many adversities.

That?s fine in theory, but his loved ones secretly chafe under his ?tough-love? regime. For instance, a young grandson forces himself to play in the little leagues even if he knows that he?s a lousy softball player. The stress involved makes him a woefully unhappy boy, until his elders realize that they need to cut him some slack if they want him to be happy.

Other family members have their own psychological burdens to deal with ? but when push comes to shove, the clan can be relied on to rally around its ?bruised? members and boost their spirits when they?re at their lowest.

On the local entertainment scene, the big family drama is ?Sa ?Yo Lamang,? which opened on September 1. We?re looking forward to watching this movie, because it?s by Laurice Guillen, whose other family drama, ?Tanging Yaman,? reaped more than its share of honors some years ago.

We hope that Guillen?s new movie will be similarly memorable so we?re boosting it all the way. After all, good mainstream productions don?t come our way every month, so we should all sit up, pay attention and watch them when they do.

We?re also interested in the film because it stars Lorna Tolentino as a mature woman left high and dry by her husband Christopher de Leon ? and now have to deal with his contrite return.

Lorna?s comeback as a ?mature? actress hasn?t really taken off thus far, so we hope that her new movie will finally do the trick for her.

The film could also turn out to be a good showcase for some of its younger cast members ? especially Bea Alonzo, who?s cast in a pivotal role.

As for Christopher de Leon, his recent TV-film starrers have been less than outstanding, so we trust that the chance to work with a director as focused and demanding as Guillen will motivate him to turn in his best work. Given the right project and motivation, De Leon can still affect, illumine and surprise ? even himself.