‘Baby Daddy’’s Flash Mob: Romance on a Grand Scale

Damian Holbrook July 7, 2015, 11:30 am

PETER PORTE, DEREK THELER, MICHAEL LEMBECK (DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) — Bruce Birmelin/ABC Family

BABY DADDY - "Parental Guidance" - Ben takes Emma to his old pediatrician for a check-up and must admit he hasn't had a physical in years. When the doctor insists Ben has an exam and finds something of concern, Ben has a bit of a panic attack about his future and worries about who will take care of Emma. He flashes forward through Emma's life as she's raised by Bonnie, Tucker and Danny and is horrified by what he imagines. Ben knows Riley is the best choice for Emma, but she has serious doubts about her maternal abilities. Bonnie has lunch with Brad (Peter Porte), mistakenly believing that he is his twin brother, Tad. After their talk, Bonnie realizes she's still in love with Brad and wants him back. But when Brad reveals his true identity, Bonnie can't believe he's still so deceitful and never wants to see him again. Meanwhile, a flash mob yields a very surprising twist. This episode of “Baby Daddy” airs Wednesday, July 8 (8:30-9:00 p.m. ET/PT), on ABC Family. (ABC Family/ CHELSE KANE, JEAN-LUC BILODEAU, DEREK THELER, TAHJ MOWRY

Sorry, Baby Daddy…it’s mommy’s turn for some TLC.

In Wednesday’s episode (ABC Family, 8/7c), Bonnie (Melissa Peterman) gets some good old-fashioned romancin’ in a new-fangled way when her on-again-off-again beau Brad (Peter Porte, looking snazzy above) pops the question with the help of a flash mob.

“We first came up with the idea that we wanted Brad to propose to Bonnie, and it just sort of grew out of what that story needed,” says executive producer and creator Dan Berendsen of the grand gesture. “I went to my line producer and asked how he’d feel if we shut down New York Street [on the CBS Studio lot], hired 50 dancers and threw a flash mob…and he was like, let’s do it!”

Helping make the musical undertaking just a bit easier was the fact that Porte is no stranger to singing. In fact, one of his first big gigs, Berendsen points out, was the national touring company of Mamma Mia. “When you hear him sing, as a writer, you go ‘Oh he can’t just carry a tune, he can carry a number!'” Which is exactly what he does, and in fine style. Backed by a slew of hoofers (including cast mates Tahj Mowry, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Derek Theler and Chelsea Kane) turning out moves by choreographer Michelle Johnston, Porte’s Brad serenades a smitten Bonnie with a lively, falsetto-tickling rendition of John Legend’s “All of Me” in an episode-ending sequence that culminates with a happy moment for “Bronnie.”

But that’s not the only major development on the horizon. According to Berendsen, the flash-mob proposal may inspire more lovin’ feelings among Bonnie’s brood. “This starts a four-episode arc that is leading up to the biggest moment in Baby Daddy history,” he teases. “Everybody who has been watching the show will be very happy with it.”

Daddy, we can’t wait.

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