Real? Scripted? Comedy? Cinema verite? The lines are most definitely blurred. "Growing Pains" dad Alan Thicke, dad of "Blurred Lines" singer Robin Thicke, is launching a new "reality sitcom."
"Unusually Thicke" (yes, you read that right) will premiere on TV Guide Network on April 16, and will mostly follow the semi-scripted adventures of Thicke, 67, his third wife Tanya, and their 16-year-old son, Carter, though the network promises Robin Thicke will also make appearances.
" 'Unusually Thicke' combines my two favorite things: family ... and laughing at my family," Thicke said in a statement. "This series is my foray into the 'reality-ish' television world where viewers will meet the lovable, unpredictable, and often challenging people who live with the real Jason Seaver. We take our relatable real-life stories and blow them up to amuse and amaze, tossing in a handful of celebrity friends along the way."
In other words: Only some of the reality is actually real. Give them credit for being upfront about it.
But the trailer is pretty funny. Thicke comes across as everyone's goofy dad. He and son Carter flip their heads sideways while watching an Internet cat video because, Thicke admits, "I don't know how to rotate it." Carter tells the audience that Alan "loves (Robin) more than me. Why? Because he makes him more money." Alan's agent Todd tries to get cameras rolling on a "Growing Pains" reboot or feature film even as Alan declares Todd has "no moral compass whatsoever, which is what makes him a great agent." If someone asked you which of those events was real and which scripted, it'd be hard to choose. Each could be either.
Celebrity guests include John Stamos, David Hasselhoff and Bob Saget, all of whom treat Thicke as if he's a few forks short of a banquet. Even Alan's elderly dad shows up, relieving himself on a golf course. And while the suggestive title isn't dwelled upon, the trailer's final scene shows Alan taking a Brett Favre-esque private-part selfie, much to the horror of his wife.