‘Chesapeake Shores’ Treat Williams Says ‘There’s Always Hope’ for Mick & Megan to Reunite
Q&A
Things might not be going well in business for Mick this season on Chesapeake Shores, but he knows how to leave those issues behind at the end of the day.
“He’s a kinder, gentler Mick” in Season 4, Treat Williams told TV Insider. “He loves where he lives, he’s happy to have his family around.”
And he may even be on the path to reuniting with his ex-wife, Megan (Barbara Niven), despite their history. Here, Williams breaks down Mick’s business dealings (and their problems), which of his children’s relationships has him the most concerned, and more.
Let’s start by talking about Mick as a businessman. Will what’s happened with Trace and the Bridge and what’s going on with Dilpher change how Mick approaches business?
Treat Williams: I don’t think he’s changed how he approaches business, but everybody in life hits certain walls. Mick got into the club to help Trace, who was, at the time, very involved with his daughter. That’s part of the reason he got involved. What he didn’t know at the time, and that’s why business deals have to be fluid and malleable, is that Trace did decide to go on the road, so he wasn’t there to deal with the day-to-day operations of the club.
Then Trace made a commitment to say, “I’ll take over the club and do what has to be done.” When Mick realizes that, he does the right thing by Trace with the club. I think he always wants Trace to succeed in the club, but the issue was that Trace wasn’t there and Mick didn’t have the time to do day-to-day books and operations. That’s resolved in a positive way this season.
Mick in the last four seasons has had a couple business deals that went south. We see that he has an extraordinary sense of decency and what’s right and what’s not right. This season, we have a partner who Mick didn’t realize didn’t quite have the same moral compass as [he] does. That’s what causes problems. He’s beginning to bring Mick down with him or at least trying to include Mick and lay blame not just on himself but also on Mick.
(Ricardo Hubbs/Crown Media)
Mick’s not the only one in the O’Brien family with problems at work this season. What advice would he give to his kids who are having similar troubles?
I think the advice he must have given is taken by Abby as the season progresses. She is being pressured not to do the right thing and to overlook some red flags in her business dealings. She does talk to Mick about it, but I like the fact that this season Mick doesn’t tell people what to do. I said to the writers over the last couple seasons, ‘Mick could listen more,’ because listening allows the one with the problem to wrestle with it without being told what he should do. He listens to Abby, and Abby for herself, because of her upbringing, also makes choices that have a strong moral compass.
There’s something really wonderful about the family, whether they’re crazy or bad at relationships, whether they get angry with each other, they all seem to have this strong sense of what’s right and wrong.
What does Mick think of his children’s relationships?
I’m a parent, and I have some thoughts about some of [my kids’] relationships, but it doesn’t mean I always express them because you have to remember that you had a journey and you were trying to figure it out [at] their age. I try to apply that to Mick, too.
I think he’s happy they’re in the mix, that they want relationships. I think he actually likes all of the relationships. The one that he’s the most concerned about is Trace because he’s already broken Abby’s heart once by leaving and he’s concerned it will happen again. It’s not Trace he has a problem with, it’s Trace’s career, which takes him away most of the year.
In terms of the other kids, I don’t have many scenes with their significant others, but I know when he’s with them, he’s very comfortable with all of them. And I would assume, if they had time, that I’d probably have very nice conversations with all of them and try to get to know them and know there must be something about them that’s wonderful because my kids love them.
(Ricardo Hubbs/Crown Media)
Is there hope for Mick and Megan to rekindle their relationship? They’re seeing their kids are, for the most part, working things out in their own relationships.
There’s always hope. What’s interesting about this season is they have come to a point that they’re willing to address it. They’re very much testing the waters. Is this something that would be a really bad idea? Or is it something we should pursue or just let happen? A lot of the fun of this season is Mick and Megan dancing around whether or not it’s a good idea. Is it good for the kids? Would it be good for us? Does it make sense? Are we just being crazy? All those questions are asked and, at some point, answered.
How has Mick changed the most since his family has all moved back to Chesapeake Shores and what about him are you happy has stayed the same?
He’s not as volatile. The family issues have settled into issues [they can handle]. [He] invited his entire family back to try to reconnect. He had been away from home for many, many years of his life and missed a lot of his kids growing up. He invites back Megan, and they had been at odds, and it does not go well. It’s total chaos, and there are a lot of battles and a lot of unfinished business, but this season as a result of having invited everybody back and some staying, he’s now got his family around him without big and dramatic conflicts. Consequently, he can enjoy just being the patriarch.
What’s remained the same is he’s been steady in his absolutely unconditional love for his kids. That’s never changed, even if he was more volatile the first couple seasons. He was stressed out by a lot of this. He had a terrible business experience, and he was being challenged by his not having been around. There were a lot of anger issues for the kids that had to be resolved, and a lot of that’s been resolved, so he can actually enjoy himself with his children.
Chesapeake Shores, Sundays, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel
