Monica Potter is desperate to save "Parenthood"
Monica Potter is like most fans of NBC's "Parenthood" -- in denial that the show is in its final season.
"I actually was talking to Jason Katims, our producer, creator about this," Potter said in a recent interview. "I'm like, 'What about Netflix? What about Amazon? What about Hulu?' But I honestly think this is the last season."
To bring the series back for this sixth season, cast members (including Craig T. Nelson, Peter Krause, Lauren Graham and Dax Shepard) agreed to reduce their appearances to save money.
"We didn't want to just end it," she said. "It's such a fun show. We're all like a real family. We're gonna miss each other. It's not just a cast either, it's the crew. It's everybody. And we all have this sort of shorthand with each other."
"Parenthood," which airs Thursdays (10 p.m. ET), follows the Bravermans, a large family living in the Berkley, California, area.
Potter, 43, says she remembers clicking with the other actors and crew while filming the pilot.
"It was just like I fell in love with all these people right away, and it's a great family. Craig T. Nelson," she sighs, "I adore that man."
Potter said Nelson, who plays her father-in-law, reminds her of her father, who died in 2004.
"He favors my dad. He looks like my dad. His mannerisms, his voice sometimes, he's weird. He's really funny, he's sensitive. Super smart, and he's kind and a genius. ... I'm trying to get to work with him on my next show," she laughed.
Potter has a development deal with NBC. She's hoping to do a sitcom "like `Parenthood,' but a half-hour and a little bit lighter."
When she's not busy filming the show, Potter travels to Cleveland, where she's renovating her childhood home.
She's also started a business with her sisters to make handcrafted seasonal items such as travel kits and room sprays, and she's hoping to create jobs in the community.
That interest stems from her love of DIY projects, which she "would make in my dining room, my lab, much to my husband's dismay."