John Owen Lowe Shares What It Was Like Starring Alongside His Dad in ‘Unstable’
Preview
Like father, like son? Like…no. At least not in Unstable (arriving March 30), a new ensemble comedy co-created by 9-1-1: Lone Star frontman Rob Lowe and his youngest son, writer-actor John Owen Lowe (The Grinder). The pair put together a warm office comedy about a family duo who love each other but, as they say onscreen, “drive each other crazy.”
The elder Lowe plays unconventional tech mogul Ellis Dragon. John Owen plays his socially awkward son, who is called back from New York by Ellis’ common-sense CFO Anna (Sian Clifford, Fleabag) to help his newly widowed father keep control of both his biotech company and his sanity. Or, as John Owen characterizes it, “Ellis is an eccentric, borderline insane man-child with pure intentions, despite the constant wake of chaos he creates around him. Jackson carries the opposite energy of his dad into all social situations.”
(Credit: Netflix)
Lauded as a good-hearted, wacky visionary, the depressed Ellis is now acting strangely and missing deadlines for his project to transform green-house gases and help save the planet. Jackson, a trained scientist, agrees to keep Ellis focused on the mission. Now Jackson has to learn who he really is, while possibly finding romance in the company lab.
Filming Unstable was a joy for John Owen, although, he admits, “My dad would seamlessly flow in and out of character into his normal self, and sometimes I couldn’t tell the difference. I love him, but the man is unstable!”
Sounds perfect for the part!
Team Player
Unstable is only Rob Lowe’s latest turn as an ensemble series all-star.
Parks and Recreation
Rob Lowe literally was the most upbeat joy as Chris Traeger on Amy Poehler’s (above, with Lowe) 2009–15 NBC mockumentary about small-town Indiana politics. In time, he becomes city manager of (fictional) Pawnee and finds love with Ann (Rashida Jones).
The West Wing
As deputy communications director to President Bartlet on Aaron Sorkin’s political drama (1999–2006 on NBC), Lowe’s principled, practical, and cynical Sam Seaborn (above, seated, with Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford) wrote plenty of the president’s (Martin Sheen) speeches but departed the series during the fourth season.
Unstable, Series Premiere, Thursday, March 30, Netflix
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