‘Parenthood’ boss Jason Katims talks final-season plan

“Parenthood,” NBC’s little family drama that could, will enter its sixth and final season in the fall — and showrunner Jason Katims says the plan is to go big and go home.

In addressing reporters Sunday during NBC’s session at the Television Critics Assn. press tour, Katims said a larger, overarching story that has a “huge affect” on the Braverman clan will be introduced in the season’s first episode, and it will drive the entire season.

“It’s a huge challenge for the family and a kind we haven’t seen before,” said Katims, who was joined on stage by showrunners from some of NBC’s other dramas. No further hints were provided, but we’re guessing loading up on boxes of tissue would be a safe bet.

“Parenthood” will end its run with 13 episodes on Thursdays beginning Sept. 25. And Katims said he’s taking a cue from his approach to the final season of cult favorite “Friday Night Lights,” which saw beloved couple Coach Taylor and Tami reach a crossroads in their relationship, in how he handles the swan song for the tearjerker drama.

“I felt like I wanted to find something like in ‘Friday Night Lights’ ... with a story we hadn’t seen before,” he said. “In this case, I wanted to do something that starts at the beginnning of the season so the audience tracks us through the entire year.... I feel like were going to be telling a story this year that we haven’t told before. And I’m excited about that.”