Parenthood

Season 1

Pilot

1. Maura Tierney was originally cast as Sarah, but after filming the pilot, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. NBC pushed back the series to 2010 with the hopes that she could be treated and resume filming but she chose to drop out instead. Helen Hunt was courted for the role but she declined. Lauren Graham was then offered the part and she accepted it.
2. Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia played a married couple 24 years before Parenthood in the TV movie, Alex: The Life of a Child.

Man Versus Possum

1. The only episode of Parenthood to not feature Bob Dylan's song "Forever Young"
2. Max is watching an episode of Kimba the White Lion.

The Deep End of the Pool

Wassup

The Situation

1. After reading an excerpt from Amber's paper, Crosby describes it as 'Whitman-esque'. Amber Holt is played by Mae Whitman.
2. Sarah's siblings tease her about how she acted around Seth and comment on her fussing her hair, to which she replies, 'it's a flip'. This mirrors a line Laurent Graham said on 'Gilmore Girls' when he daughter, Rory, comments on her hair flip and she replies, 'it's a twirl'.

The Big 'O'

1. When Sarah (Lauren Graham) is talking to younger brother Crosby (Dax Shepard) she says it would be weird to date her daughters english teacher Mark Cyr (Jason Ritter) because he is younger than their youngest sister Julia (Erika Christensen) but in real life Jason Ritter is two years older than Erika Christensen.
2. Sarah says it would be weird to date her daughter's English teacher. In Gilmore Girls, her character Lorelei not only dated, but was briefly engaged to her daughter's English teacher.

What's Goin' on Down There?

1. Sarah says that she is 12 years older than Mark. In reality, Lauren Graham is 13 years older than Jason Ritter

Rubber Band Ball

Perchance to Dream

Namaste No More

Solace

Team Braverman

Lost and Found

1. The cafe "Halfway House Coffee" Amber called when she ran away from home and hitchhiked to is the same cafe in "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" (episode "Fall") where Lorelai (Lauren Graham) went after she was denied by the Park Ranger (Peter Krause) to enter the park.