Making the best of a tough situation.

Maura Tierney, one of the the good ones on TV, is forced to drop out of NBC's promising Parenthood to devote all her energy to fighting breast cancer.

But, the Hollywood Reporter confirms, producers have signed Lauren Graham for the first-among-equals role as -- get this -- a financially strapped single mother who turns to her parents (Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia) for help, in this sprawling family drama, with plenty of comic touches. Maybe they'll cast Alexis Bledel as an extra sibling. Graham's character already has three; another one wouldn't take up much space.

Thank goodness the first choice, drippy Helen Hunt, couldn't come to terms. (OK, she's not that drippy, but the former Lorelai Gilmore is way better, and maybe now Graham will have a chance to win the Emmy she should have gotten for the beloved WB show.)

Now all we have to do is hold our breath to see whether NBC will still manage to screw up this remake of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's 1989 movie. The two are also executive producing the TV show, along with writer/creator Jasim Katims (Friday Night Lights, Roswell). No premiere date, yet.