Once I got past the impossibly good-looking cast, right out of the Ford Modeling Agency and the multi-million-dollar craftsman house in San Diego, I grew to love this extended family. Sure, there's enough drama packed in each episode that as normal family would experience over a five-year period. But, the acting is so great and the stories so compelling, I'm lured in every time. Everything is ON the table, including gender issues, same-sex marriage, drugs, alcohol, foster children, back-biting - it's endless. Enjoy the ride!

I'm constantly surprised at how often I find I really like shows that ABC Family produces. Like many of their other shows, the characters are well portrayed and relatable. Like many other similar ABC Family shows, it brings attention to important and serious societal issues and show how they impact the lives of people who are in those situations. It's something I like about Switched at Birth (and the deaf community), and The Fosters have a running theme of showing some of what gays and lesbians have to deal with, as well as foster children. It not only makes the show more interesting, but also somewhat educational.

I actually just discovered this show and am happy I did. It is really well done and tackles some timely issues beautifully. The cast is excellent and seem as much like a real family as you could hope for in a TV series, much like the way the cast was in Parenthood. Some people will be put off by the fact some of the characters are gay but it is not done in a comedic or exploitative way. There is no way that the characters Jude and Connor are not helping many young people how are having difficulties dealing with being different. I'd gladly have any of these folks as family. neighbors or friends.

As a screenwriter I greatly appreciate the overall storyline and multiple story arcs carried through with humor, intelligence and humanity in each episode. The combination of parents and kids POV is realistic and touching. The multicultural aspect, on so many levels, is a wonderful, and greatly needed bonus. Each of the actors do an incredible job of bringing the audience into their worlds with grace and realism. The show, through its wonderful storyline and great acting, has provided an intelligent, educational, window into so many aspects of our culture that are underrepresented, misunderstood, and/or unseen. Great job!

Parenthood on crack. This show will make the toughest of the tough spring leaks around the eyeballs. The love and acceptance this presents takes the breath away. I'd give it 5 stars if it weren't for the serial-dramas-seemingly-necessary penchant of cliffhangers. You can blow an evening (or a weekend) with ease unable to stop for the (not in the least subtly) set hook in your mouth (mind or heart) at the end of each episode.

Good show.

The second season just seems to have less of a story arc. Stuff just keeps happening – is Callie going here, or there, or emancipating or what. The Jude storyline this season is very sweet and believable. Happy that Mariana is getting some layers, from just being the ditsy teen. But overall, there's less interesting things happening, feels like it's just going round and round in circles.

I am SO impressed that this show didn't get kicked off the air with the atypical family. I like all the characters very much. I also like the fact that one of the moms is a police officer, and the casting of Rosie O'Donnell as a group home manager. The only thing that puzzles me is that I have never seen any of the kids be teased for having two moms, which I don't think is realistic.