Cast Member Illness Pushes Off Production Of Parenthood

It’s been reported that due to a medical issue with one of the cast members of NBC’s upcoming series Parenthood, the network has decided to delay production on the show and push it off to midseason.

Parenthood is set to be a small screen take on the film of the same name, centering on a group of adult siblings as they manage the trials and tribulations of raising their offspring. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Maura Tierney (ER) is undergoing a medical evaluation, causing the production of Parenthood to be postponed for eight weeks to late September. NBC wouldn’t release details about Tierney’s medical issue but apparently, the delay in production means the series won’t air until midseason. Meanwhile, the network is going to bring their new drama series Mercy over to the fall lineup rather than leaving it where it was originally scheduled (midseason 2010.)

The Reporter said it wasn’t clear whether or not Mercy will air on Wednesdays at 8 to take over Parenthood’s timeslot as the schedule switch means two new medical dramas in the fall for the Peacock. Things might need to be shuffled around a bit, if only to make it look a little less obvious that NBC is trying very hard to keep their ER viewers from straying to other networks.