Fans of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" back in its early days when the characters faced more down-to-earth problems rather than the out-sized, soapier dilemmas they've encountered of late (quick-fix cancer, an imported European hunk, etc.) may be drawn to NBC's "Parenthood," a decent but slightly pedestrian family drama that throws off a "Brothers & Sisters" vibe whenever its sibling characters are in the same room.

Premiering Tuesday at 10 p.m., "Parenthood" is based on the 1989 Ron Howard film of the same name that was already made into a short-lived half-hour comedy back in 1990. Howard is an executive producer on this new one-hour "Parenthood," which is really more of a drama with comedic moments.

This iteration has its own tangled history. Originally intended for NBC's fall schedule, the show had to be delayed after star Maura Tierney's breast cancer diagnosis. Eventually she dropped out (she's reportedly on the mend) and has been replaced by Lauren Graham, who plays a character not that far removed from Lorelai Gilmore, her character on "Gilmore Girls."

Graham's Sarah is another single mom but this one is more desperate and has a less cordial relationship with her teen daughter, who gets arrested in the premiere episode. (In the most obvious parallel to "Brothers & Sisters," Graham's Sarah Braverman shares traits with Rachel Griffith's Sarah Walker.)

Sarah's brother, Adam (Peter Krause, "Dirty Sexy Money"), is the eldest Braverman sibling and he's equally problem-plagued. He winces at his bellowing, domineering father (Craig T. Nelson) and worries about his distant, socially awkward son, Max (Max Burkholder).

Overachieving sister Julia (Erika Christensen) tries to balance her job as a corporate lawyer with a home life but her daughter shows a preference for stay-at-home dad Joel (Sam Jaeger, "Eli Stone").

Hipster brother Crosby (Dax Shepard) doesn't want to commit to his girlfriend and gets especially freaked out when he discovers she's keeping another man's sperm in her freezer.

In addition to the four siblings and the Braverman parents (Bonnie Bedlia plays the mom), there are assorted husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends and children in the mix, which makes for one busy series that jumps from storyline to storyline.

"Parenthood" is executive produced by Jason Katims, who also wrote Tuesday's premiere and has been the guiding force behind "Friday Night Lights." But anyone expecting as nuanced a portrayal as the family of Coach Taylor on "Lights" may be disappointed. "Parenthood" is so over-stuffed with characters that depictions of the realistic, messy details of family life get squeezed out in favor of broader strokes.

With the re-casting of Graham, producers were also able to lighten up the overall tone of "Parenthood." The original Tierney pilot was an all-around downer (and she was the best thing about that first pilot), and the show now has a more upbeat vibe. But after a day of dealing with family in real life, it remains to be seen how eager viewers will be to rehash the messiness of modern-day parenting in prime time.

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