Fox has unleashed the next year’s worth of programming on the masses with the fall and midseason 2010 planned schedules. Sons of Tucson is one of those shows. I mean, what does Fox exactly want people to say about something they haven’t seen? I can comment on the odd scheduling though. The new comedy series is being thrown into the middle of Sunday night’s animation lineup, looking mighty out of place.
Below is the series description as posted by Fox:
BROTHERS - In the tradition of Malcolm in the Middle and The Bernie Mac Show, SONS OF TUCSON is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we’ve ever seen.
The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, RON SNUFFKIN (Tyler Labine, Reaper), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. ROBBY GUNDERSON (Davis Cleveland, How I Met Your Mother), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn’t respond well to authority; GARY GUNDERSON (Frank Dolce, Doubt), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and BRANDON GUNDERSON (Troy Gentile, Entourage), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. MAGGIE MORALES (Natalie Martinez, Saints & Sinners), Robby’s second-grade teacher and the object of Ron’s affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet.
While SONS OF TUCSON is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Century Fox Television
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Justin Berfield, Jason Felts, Harvey Myman, Todd Holland
DIRECTOR: Todd Holland
WRITERS: Tommy Dewey, Greg Bratman
CAST: Tyler Labine as Ron Snuffkin, Davis Cleveland as Robby Gunderson, Frank Dolce as Gary Gunderson, Troy Gentile as Brandon Gunderson, Natalie Martinez as Maggie Morales
I guess this could be OK. But really, are we expecting anything more than a mediocre Fox sitcom once again? The network that once brought us the most cutting edge and interesting comedy (Married with Children anyone?) has now turned to drama, reality singing competitions, and cancelling the types of shows they once heralded (ahem, Arrested Development). I’d love for this to be another Malcom in the Middle as promised, but I’ll just reserve judgment for when I see it. The preview Fox sent out does make the show look entertaining, but then again I liked Reaper. Imagine Sock (Tyler Labine) as a father who is paid to do the job and you have the premise for Sons of Tucson.
Click here to view Fox’s full 2009 primetime schedule.
