NBC explores life after a loved one’s death in ‘Council of Dads’

Who would you trust to raise your kids after you’re gone? It’s a question no one ever wants to think about, but NBC’s newest family drama reminds us that, sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned. “Council of Dads” bravely covers the emotional journey of a family dealing with the death of its patriarch. It was scheduled to premiere Tuesday, March 10, but in a last-minute decision, NBC pushed the premiere date to Tuesday, March 24, so you’ll have to wait a little longer to see it in your TV listings. The show’s drama is kick-started when a loving father named Scott Perry (Tom Everett Scott, “13 Reasons Why”) learns that he has cancer. Naturally, he begins to put some serious thought into his family’s future — who will help his wife, Robin (Sarah Wayne Callies, “The Walking Dead”), care for their four children after he’s gone? He evaluates his friends, wondering who he could ask to help support and guide the children through life’s challenges in his place. Ultimately, he realizes that no one man has all the qualities he’s looking for: he needs a team. Scott forms what he calls a “council of dads” with three friends he asks to share the responsibility of looking after his kids after he’s gone. He picks his oldest friend, Anthony Lavelle (Clive Standen, “Vikings”), along with Larry Mills (Michael O’Neill, “Dallas Buyers Club,” 2013), who sponsored him in AA, and Dr. Oliver Post (J. August Richards, “Angel”), one of his own physicians. Interestingly, Post is both his surgeon and Robin’s closest friend. Scott believes that these replacement dads collectively have the skills to stand in for him as his children — Charlotte (Thalia Tran, “Little,” 2019), Theo (Emjay Anthony, “Rake”), JJ (Blue Chapman, “Undone”) and Luly (Michele Weaver, “Love Is _”) — grow up. This new show is based on the 2010 New York Times bestseller “The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Illness, and the Men Who Could Be Me,” by Bruce Feiler, who wrote the novel after his own cancer scare inspired him to form a similar council. While, thankfully, Feiler survived, it is apparent from NBC’s emotional trailer that Scott Perry’s character does not. After producing hit shows such as “Parenthood,” “Friday Night Lights” and “This Is Us,” NBC has a proven track record when it comes to family drama. “Council Of Dads” has the potential to join these ranks and should prove just as magnetic as its predecessors. The series will cover some of the biggest milestones a family can experience: new babies, weddings, first loves and, of course, death. But it also seeks to examine the small, essential moments that pepper each of our lives and the many complexities of working through grief. No matter how expected it is, dealing with death can put any family into survival mode. The Perry kids vary in age, gender and even race — each has vastly different needs and challenges, and though they have an extremely loving and capable mother in Robin, the presence of this “council” in their lives could make an enormous difference. Along with expected emotional scenes, the show offers some humor and lightheartedness. After all, you think it’s tough for a teenager to to deal with one dad? Try having three! And it’s not just the kids who struggle. The surly Larry Mills, for example, has a difficult time relating to children, and all three men wonder from time to time why they were chosen for such an important task. As the Perry kids try to find joy and happiness despite their struggles and losses, we get to witness the love and loyalty that these men have for their friend as they step up in ways they didn’t even know they were capable of. It’s an inspiring series, and it makes it clear that strong families aren’t always born, they can be built. This isn’t the first time that someone has attempted to produce Feiler’s book for television. In 2011, “Council of Dads” premiered on Fox as a 30-minute TV special starring Kyle Bornheimer (“Marriage Story” , 2019). It’s no surprise that such a short time frame couldn’t adequately capture the power behind Feiler’s ordeal. It’s safe to assume that NBC’s version will be far more successful in communicating the sensitive but important message that the show preaches: you don’t have to be family to be a family. The writers of “Council of Dads” are Tony Phelan and Joan Rater of “Grey’s Anatomy,” which means they know a thing or two about tugging at our heartstrings. Producers and executive producers include the writers themselves, plus the legendary Jerry Bruckheimer of “CSI” fame — a decent pedigree for a brand-new series. For the first three weeks, the show will follow “This Is Us” at 10 p.m. on Tuesday nights, before moving to the 9 p.m. time-slot on Tuesday, March 31. The show also streams the next day on nbc.com. There’s a good chance you’ll need a whole box of tissues for this one, but it will definitely be worth it. Check out “Council of Dads” when it premieres Tuesday, March 24, on NBC.

Thalia Tran as seen in “Council of Dads”