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Monica Potter Says It's About Time Parenthood Got an LGBT Storyline!
Just about a year ago, Parenthood, NBC’s excellent series about an open-minded extended family born and bred in Berkeley, became the catalyst for a slideshow we created entitled 10 Shows We Can’t Believe Don’t Have Gay Characters. It just seemed so odd that in four seasons of following this progressive family through their travails, not one of them had an LGBT friend, or bartender, or person they met at the dog park. For the fifth season finale Parenthood remedied that when the writers brought Haddie, the eldest daughter of Adam (Peter Krause) and Kristina Braverman (Monica Potter), back from Cornell with a girlfriend in tow.
The show handled the relationship matter-of-factly with not a lot of fanfare and a whole lot of acceptance. Throughout the episode, Haddie (Sarah Ramos) never labels herself (she had only dated boys prior to the new girl), nor do her parents ask. Adam and Kristina take it at face value that the person Haddie’s dating makes her happy, and that makes them happy. And there’s no telling how Haddie’s story would play out, or if it even will, as the show, arguably one of the most heartfelt, best-written shows on network, has yet to be picked for a sixth season (fingers crossed there). Although, the writers left enough balls in the air for another season if it does get picked up.
Still, Buzzfeed chatted with the amazing –robbed-of-an-Emmy-nomination for her cancer storyline – Potter about the addition of an LGBT storyline, and her reaction was pretty much like ours.
“Thank god we did,” Potter told Buzzfeed. “I’m like, ‘We live in Berkeley!’ Even if we didn’t live in Berkeley, I’m like, ‘C’mon, lets go!’”
Regarding the Braverman’s easy acceptance of their daughter’s new relationship Potter said. “As parents, Kristina and Adam totally get it and totally support it. People were like, ‘Where’s the drama?’ And I’m like, ‘Sometimes there doesn’t need to be [drama]. They have it in all the other storylines.’”
Congrats on Parenthood finally squeezing in an LGBT storyline. Now let’s hope NBC renews it!
Here's the scene in which Kristina talks to Haddie since Haddie's brother Max barged in on her and her girlfriend kissing.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP, Executive Producer of Entertainment for the Advocate Channel. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP, Executive Producer of Entertainment for the Advocate Channel. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
