The phone rings and life changes. In NBC’s newest dad-centric drama, Council of Dads, the lives of the Perry family change forever and it starts with a phone call. Tom Everett Scott plays Scott Perry, he has an aggressive cancer in his leg and spends the next year going through surgery, recovery, and chemotherapy. All while he is examining his fate and the future of his family, he has an idea. Scott wants to create a “Council of Dads”, men that will be in his children and wife, Robin’s, lives to take care of them when they need it most.
The year ends and the “Council” is deployed, they are made up of three men: Oliver, played by J. August Richards, Scott’s doctor and good friend to Robin. Anthony, played by Clive Standen, Scott’s best friend and successful restauranteur. And Larry, played by Michael O’Neill, Scott’s friend from AA. Oliver, Anthony, and Larry take it upon themselves to provide the support needed for Robin and the kids. Whether that is teaching the oldest son, Theo, how to drive. Or picking up the youngest daughter, Charlotte, from the mall where she met a girl she had hoped would be a connection to her birth family. Luckily for Scott, his Council of Dads are there to fill in for him, and luckily for us their readjusted family dynamic is a pleasure to watch.
‘NBC knows how to write a show,’ this is the thought that came to my head as I felt tears welling up in my eyes half way through the first episode. While it was no secret that the father, Scott, would pass away, the build up was perfect to lead to a tearful goodbye. You were able to see his relationships, the grief, and the love that he had for his family and the group of men in the Council. Even though he’s alive for one episode, Tom Everett Scott played a wonderful Scott Perry. And his ensemble is nothing the brush over either.
The Perry family has five children and each have a unique storyline (yes, even the newborn baby has a backstory of her own). Luly, played by Michele Weaver, is the oldest of the bunch. She is the daughter Tom and her biological mother is Michelle, played by Sharon Leal. Their tumultuous relationship has secrets that I am itching to know more about. And we learn that the youngest son JJ (probably the most endearing of the children) is a transgender young man. The audience finds this out when Robin’s mother tries to put JJ in a dress, the day of Scott’s funeral.
“I’m not mad grandma, it can take people a while from your generation to understand.” says JJ to his grandmother, a moment that gave my heart a tug and made me wipe a few tears from my eyes.
With what feels like NBC’s answer to ABC’s Million Little Things (but with better writing), Council of Dads serves up the laughs and tears that you’ve been asking for. And I can assure you the tears are not always sad. The tears are for the commeradarie and family this television show writes magnificently.
Join the Council, you can watch Council of Dads on NBC at 8PM on Thursdays and stream the next day on Hulu.
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