In Praise of Jason Katims

I have to say something about one of the best television producers around today.  Although I often credited the recently departed NBC series "Parenthood" to executive producers Ron Howard (who directed the movie the show was based on) and Brian Grazer, the show's creator and hands-on producer was Jason Katims, who also helped turn the movie Friday Night Lights in to a television series.  It's a rare talent Katims has, turning beloved movies into beloved TV series.  "Parenthood," the series, was warm, human, inviting ,and far more substantial and interesting than Ron Howard's already great film.  Katims, incidentally, based that series' character Max, who had Asperger's syndrome, on his own son, and he presented Asperger's in an accessible way.  I also love his adaptation of "About a Boy" in a winning and endearing sitcom.  It's appointment television for me; I never miss it.  

I am praising Katims now because I may not get to do so later.  "Parenthood," of course, is gone, a casualty of NBC's chronic inability to draw enough viewers to its Thursday night lineup, and as noted, "About a Boy" is on the bubble.  Right now, it's very possible that Katims soon won't have a current series on television.

So I thought I'd get this post out of the way while he still matters.  Which only goes to show you how relevance is fleeting.