Sons of Tucson
Encyclopedia
Sons of Tucson is a comedy television series starring Tyler Labine
, Frank Dolce, Matthew Levy and Benjamin Stockham. It premiered on Fox
on March 11, 2010. The show was announced as a midseason show to air on Sunday nights at 8:30 pm ET/PT in between animated hits, The Simpsons
and Family Guy
, although it was changed to 9:30 ET/PT, replacing American Dad!
.
On April 5, 2010, it was announced that Fox had canceled Sons of Tucson after only four episodes; the remaining nine episodes that were ordered were burned off
beginning June 6, ending on August 1, 2010.
.
, Alex Breckenridge
, Jake Busey
, Stephanie Courtney
, Kurt Fuller
, David Lambert
, Keegan-Michael Key
, Michael Kostroff
, Sydney Park
, Stefanie Scott
, Brianne Tju, Stacey Travis
, Andrew Walker
, Nikki Ziering, Hailee Steinfeld
and series producer Justin Berfield
.
Executive producer Todd Holland said Tyler Labine is "an actor who is funny" rather than a comedian. Labine needs to know the appropriate emotional response for his character. Frank Dolce, who plays 11-year-old Gary, said Gary is in charge because his 13-year-old brother just does what makes him feel good and goes along with what others want. His 8-year-old brother couldn't be in charge because he is "anti-authority". Co-creator Tommy Dewey said having a 11-year-old in charge was "more interesting".
that night. Sandra Ganzalez of Entertainment Weekly
gave the episode a positive review saying "Like I said, there is not much by way of plot, but the individual pieces of the show give it promise. As EW critic Ken Tucker said in his take, if you liked Tyler Labine’s laid-back-dude vibe in Reaper, you'll probably enjoy Sons of Tucson. Labine does a great job at making Snuffkin a lovable buffoon without crossing the line into campy. The pilot also rested on Labine’s ability to portray the undeniably creepy Snuffkin as likable, considering the premise." Todd VerDan Werff of The A.V. Club
gave the episode a B- saying " Tucson has a premise too potentially creepy for it to be as mediocre as it is. Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bad show. It's not a particularly good one either, but it's average enough that it would be pretty unobjectionable (and, honestly, fit rather well into the rather average Sunday night animated bloc) without the fact that its premise is ... problematic.".
The Show was mentioned in Family Guy
s Episode 'Excellence in Broadcasting': Stewie notes, that "Fox sometimes has bad ideas" while a fake ad for Sons of Tucson appears on the screen. He then goes on saying: "Let's all just sit here and remember that this was a thing."
states this was due to scheduling issues. Robby Gunderson was originally played by Davis Cleveland
and Brandon Gunderson was originally played by Troy Gentile
.
on Global
at 9:30 pm ET, and on March 14, 2010 in the United States
on Fox
at 9:30 pm ET. This schedule remained until its cancellation was announced on April 5, 2010 after only four episodes. It returned to air its remaining episodes on June 6, 2010, airing Sundays at 7:30 pm ET (then at 7:00 pm ET on June 27, 2010) on Fox, and at 10:30 pm ET on Global.
Tyler Labine
Tyler Sean Labine is a Canadian actor. His brothers Kyle Labine and Cameron Labine also work in the entertainment industry.-Life and career:Labine was born in Brampton, Ontario...
, Frank Dolce, Matthew Levy and Benjamin Stockham. It premiered on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
on March 11, 2010. The show was announced as a midseason show to air on Sunday nights at 8:30 pm ET/PT in between animated hits, The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, although it was changed to 9:30 ET/PT, replacing American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
.
On April 5, 2010, it was announced that Fox had canceled Sons of Tucson after only four episodes; the remaining nine episodes that were ordered were burned off
Burning off
Burning off is the low-profile airing of otherwise-abandoned unaired television programs, usually by scheduling in far less important time slots or on less important sister stations...
beginning June 6, ending on August 1, 2010.
Premise
The series is about the Gunderson brothers. They own a house in Tucson, but since their mother left and their father is in prison, they hire Ron (Tyler Labine) to be their father. At first, the boys just need a father in specific situations, but then they find they have to keep Ron around because he is needed to shake off suspicions. It follows a similar premise to Robert Mitchum's short lived series, A Family for JoeA Family for Joe
A Family for Joe is an American television movie and subsequent series, both starring Robert Mitchum in the title role. The half-hour show premiered on NBC on March 24, 1990...
.
Main characters
- Ron Snuffkin (Tyler LabineTyler LabineTyler Sean Labine is a Canadian actor. His brothers Kyle Labine and Cameron Labine also work in the entertainment industry.-Life and career:Labine was born in Brampton, Ontario...
) is a thirty-something sporting goods employee who is discovered by the Gunderson brothers to substitute for their imprisoned father. He is hired to shake away any suspicions from teachers and neighbors, who suspect that the boys are fending for themselves. He is considered a slacker and is always ready to take the easy way out of certain situations. - Gary Gunderson (Frank Dolce) (age 11) is the middle child of the Gunderson brothers and is the mastermind of hiring Ron as their fake father. Although he is very intellectual, he can get easily stressed by certain situations. In one episode his stress causes him to take blood pressure medication. His serious attitude always bothers people around him.
- Brandon Gunderson (Matthew Levy) (age 13) is the oldest of the brothers. Out of all of brothers, he is most confused about life, but is always ready to say what is on his mind when it needs to be said. He is considered a free-spirit.
- Robby Gunderson (Benjamin Stockham) (age 8) is the youngest of the brothers. Like many children his age, he enjoys junk food and watching television for many hours. He is the most troublesome of the brothers.
Minor characters
- Glenn (Joe Lo TruglioJoe Lo TruglioJoseph "Joe" Lo Truglio is an American actor, writer and comedian best known for his work as a cast member on the cult MTV sketch comedy series The State...
) is Ron's childhood friend. He is very impressionable and is always willing to follow Ron's schemes. He is frequently pushed around by his wife, Angela. - Angela (Sarayu RaoSarayu RaoSarayu Rao is an American actress whose face became familiar to the audience with a polaroid commercial. Her recent notable role is as Angela in 20th Century Fox Television series Sons of Tucson-Acting career:...
) is Glenn's wife. She is very bossy (especially towards Glenn) and does not like the fact that her husband is friends with Ron. She is very suspicious of Ron's "fatherly care" for his "sons" and frequently pesters Glenn about wanting to have children. - Maggie Morales (Natalie MartinezNatalie MartinezNatalie Martinez is an American model and actress. Martinez is known as the spokesmodel for JLO by Jennifer Lopez, and for her supporting role in the 2008 feature film Death Race. She did a music video titled "Rain Over Me" by Pitbull featuring Mark Anthony. She has also appeared in several music...
) is Robbie's third grade teacher. She is very serious about her job and sometimes worried about the environment Robbie is being raised in. It is assumed that Ron has a crush on her, after a failed attempt at getting a kiss, unbeknownst to her. - Mike Proudfoot (Michael HorseMichael HorseMichael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
) is one of the employees at Ron's job, Sport Space. He is a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, who Ron always asks for advice on what a Native American would know about. Their conversations usually consist of Mike denouncing that he knows more about life than what he already knows about his heritage. - Joker (Edwin H. Bravo) is one of Ron's friends who is always ready to let him in on his illegal but profitable activities.
Guest stars
Guest stars during show's include Allen AlvaradoAllen Alvarado
Allen Alvarado is an American teen actor. He played Lex Marin in the Discovery Kids series Flight 29 Down. He has appeared in 15 commercials.-Filmography:-Commercials:*Build-A-Bear Workshop*Rentway...
, Alex Breckenridge
Alex Breckenridge
Alexandra "Alex" Breckenridge is an American film and television actress, photographer and voice artist. Noted for her role as Willa McPherson on the television series Dirt, she also had a supporting role on the short lived series The Ex List...
, Jake Busey
Jake Busey
William Jacob "Jake" Busey is an American actor, musician and film producer. He is sometimes credited as "Jacob Busey" or "William Busey".-Personal life:...
, Stephanie Courtney
Stephanie Courtney
Stephanie Courtney is an American actress and comedienne, best known for playing the advertising character Flo in television commercials for Progressive Insurance and is noted for her recurring roles on several television shows, including the voices of Renee the Receptionist and Joy Peters on the...
, Kurt Fuller
Kurt Fuller
Kurt Fuller is an American character actor. He has appeared in a number of television, film, and stage projects. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Stockton, California in 1971.-Career:...
, David Lambert
David Lambert (actor)
David Lambert is an American actor born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is best known for playing Jason Landers in the Disney XD series Aaron Stone.- Early years :...
, Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key is an American comic actor best known for his roles as a cast member on MADtv for six seasons. He has also had recurring roles on Reno 911! and Gary Unmarried. He used to be the host of The Planet's Funniest Animals...
, Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program The Wire as defense attorney Maurice Levy. Kostroff starred in the fifth season of the series and appeared in all four earlier seasons as a guest star.- Biography :...
, Sydney Park
Sydney Park (entertainer)
Sydney Park known professionally as Sydney Park and Syd the Kid, is an American child actress and comedian. She is best known for playing the role of Sydney in That's So Raven and appearing on America's Got Talent....
, Stefanie Scott
Stefanie Scott
Stefanie Scott is an American actress and singer. Scott is best known for her roles as Dana Tressler in the feature film Flipped in which she won a 2011 Young Artist Award and in No Strings Attached as Young Emma. In the television industry, Scott currently portrays Lexi Reed on Disney Channel's...
, Brianne Tju, Stacey Travis
Stacey Travis
Stacey Travis is an American actress whose films include Earth Girls Are Easy , Hardware , The Super , Traffic , and Ghost World . Travis starred on the comedy TV series Just Say Julie from 1989–1992 where she played a variety of characters...
, Andrew Walker
Andrew Walker (actor)
Andrew W. Walker is a Canadian actor and producer. His film debut was in the film The Score , which triggered the American TV series Maybe It's Me, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Hot Properties...
, Nikki Ziering, Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld is an American actress. She rose to fame for her portrayal as Mattie Ross in the 2010 film True Grit, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.-Early life:Steinfeld was born in Tarzana, Los...
and series producer Justin Berfield
Justin Berfield
Justin Tyler Berfield is an American actor, writer and producer, best known for his portrayal as Malcolm's 2nd-oldest brother, Reese, in Malcolm in the Middle...
.
Episodes
| # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
Viewers (in millions) |
|---|
Production
The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television, WalkingBud Productions and J2TV (Justin Berfield's production company).Executive producer Todd Holland said Tyler Labine is "an actor who is funny" rather than a comedian. Labine needs to know the appropriate emotional response for his character. Frank Dolce, who plays 11-year-old Gary, said Gary is in charge because his 13-year-old brother just does what makes him feel good and goes along with what others want. His 8-year-old brother couldn't be in charge because he is "anti-authority". Co-creator Tommy Dewey said having a 11-year-old in charge was "more interesting".
Reception
In its original American broadcast, the pilot episode was viewed by 4.514 million viewers and received a 18-49 Nielsen Rating of 2.1/5 coming fourth in its timeslot and becoming the least viewed show on FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
that night. Sandra Ganzalez of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave the episode a positive review saying "Like I said, there is not much by way of plot, but the individual pieces of the show give it promise. As EW critic Ken Tucker said in his take, if you liked Tyler Labine’s laid-back-dude vibe in Reaper, you'll probably enjoy Sons of Tucson. Labine does a great job at making Snuffkin a lovable buffoon without crossing the line into campy. The pilot also rested on Labine’s ability to portray the undeniably creepy Snuffkin as likable, considering the premise." Todd VerDan Werff of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode a B- saying " Tucson has a premise too potentially creepy for it to be as mediocre as it is. Don't get me wrong. This isn't a bad show. It's not a particularly good one either, but it's average enough that it would be pretty unobjectionable (and, honestly, fit rather well into the rather average Sunday night animated bloc) without the fact that its premise is ... problematic.".
The Show was mentioned in Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
s Episode 'Excellence in Broadcasting': Stewie notes, that "Fox sometimes has bad ideas" while a fake ad for Sons of Tucson appears on the screen. He then goes on saying: "Let's all just sit here and remember that this was a thing."
Recasting
In July 2009 Fox announced they were recasting the two principal roles of Robby and Brandon. Producer Justin BerfieldJustin Berfield
Justin Tyler Berfield is an American actor, writer and producer, best known for his portrayal as Malcolm's 2nd-oldest brother, Reese, in Malcolm in the Middle...
states this was due to scheduling issues. Robby Gunderson was originally played by Davis Cleveland
Davis Cleveland
Davis Cleveland is an American television actor, rapper and singer. He is best known for his role as the mischievous little brother Flynn Jones on the Disney Channel original series Shake It Up.-Career:...
and Brandon Gunderson was originally played by Troy Gentile
Troy Gentile
Troy Gentile is an American teen actor.Gentile was born in Boca Raton, Florida, the son of Debbie Gentile, who once worked at the advertising department of the Boca Raton News, and Albert Farshi, from Iran...
.
Broadcast history
The series premiered on March 11, 2010 in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on Global
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
at 9:30 pm ET, and on March 14, 2010 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
at 9:30 pm ET. This schedule remained until its cancellation was announced on April 5, 2010 after only four episodes. It returned to air its remaining episodes on June 6, 2010, airing Sundays at 7:30 pm ET (then at 7:00 pm ET on June 27, 2010) on Fox, and at 10:30 pm ET on Global.