Netflixrecently announced the development of a new scripted father-son comedy, starring…you guessed it! A father and son.Unstablecomes to us fromRob Lowe, his writer, producer, actor son John Owen Lowe (The Grinder,Holiday in the Wild), and producer Victor Fresco (Santa Clarita Diet,Sean Saves the World). Rob Lowe is a great, versatile actor with a distinguished list of credits across four decades, and it seems he is only gaining steam every year.
The actor is recognizable from his diverse list of roles in films such asTommy Boy, Wayne’s World, Youngblood, St. Elmo’s Fire,andThe Outsiders,as well as acclaimed and sometimes niche and bold television shows likeThe West Wing, Parks and Recreation, The Orville, Wild Bill,andThe Grinder.He also hosts anOffice Ladies-style podcast calledParks and Recollection,a reminiscent series about the production of NBC’sParks and Rec,on which he played the endearing health nut, Chris Traeger.
Indeed,Lowe is one of the most prolific actorsworking in Hollywood. For decades, he has been a hilarious, heartwarming, and sometimes heart-wrenching presence, a powerful actor clearly in it for the craft rather than the glory. All you have to do is watch 30 seconds of Chris Traeger to realize this man deserves all the praise for his skill. Lowe can carry serious, moody drama likeWest Wingand has never been one to shy away from slapstick, physical comedy, like you would see inTommy BoyorWayne’s World.He is so versatile that it’s almost impossible to work out what the guy is actually like without watching an interview.
Moreover, Lowe works closely with his children in the business on shows such asThe Lowe Files,in both candid and scripted formats. He has consistently worked in projects of all genres, themes, and tones, showcasing his range and love of his work. We are excited to see where this next project lands in his already impressive repertoire. Here’s everything we know so far about Netflix’sUnstable.
The Show’s Plot
Unstablewill be set in a lucrative company in the tech industry, where a shy and introverted young man must work for his polar opposite, eccentric and off-the-cuff father, and what ensues will be nothing but unstable. This plot promises a lot of opportunity for hilarity and nuance. The format of the show, whether it’s confessional, single-camera, etc., could also provide a lot of chances for Lowe and Lowe to riff off each other. Not only as father and son but as actors who each have wit and talent in their own rights.
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According to various sources, there is some reason to assume thatUnstablewill be heavily based on their current public relationships and personas.Unstablewas born fromRob and John Owen’s Twitter exchanges, which have frequently made headlines. Only ever in good jest, John Owen Lowe trolls his father with a hilarious bend, in exchanges that include calling out his father’s “hogging” the makeup chair and deliberately working his Emmys into the backgrounds of his selfies.
The Show’s Cast & Crew
John Owen Lowe has appeared in works such asThe GrinderandHoliday in the Wildalongside his father. He has also cut a path as a writer and story editor on various projects, particularly on television, such as the show9-1-1 Lonestar.John Owen Lowe, both in his career and in his public relationship with his father, acts as a funny counterbalance and clearly boasts a lot of talent and experience as a showrunner.Unstable’ssynopsis will directly play into this dichotomy both conceptually and in the plot.
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Finally,Unstable’sproducer Victor Fresco is most famous for the irreverent zombie comedySanta Clarita Diet, which starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. He has also worked on comedies likeBetter Off Ted,a corporate comedy similar to the new showSeverance,andSean Saves the Worldstarring Ed Helms. Overall, theUnstableshow boasts an excellent and intimate group of writers, producers, and comedians and has a lot of promise so far in what it can deliver. In speaking toDeadlineaboutUnstable’spotential and their excitement about the show, particularly the collaboration between Lowe, Lowe, and Fresco, Netflix head of comedy Tracey Pakosta stated:
“We are very excited to be working with Victor, Rob and John Owen…the three of them – and their wildly funny, smart sensibilities – are a perfect fit for our growing slate of scripted comedies."
Release Date
In the age ofThe Mandalorian,The Last of Us,andThe Witcher,a good father-son comedy starring literal father and son might be just what we need to unwind! And seeing Rob Lowe flex his comedic chops for us once again couldn’t possibly be anything other than exciting. As of now, there is no confirmed release date for the project.
