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T10 WHATS UP! March 8 - 14, 2020 This new show is based on the 2010 New York Times bestseller "The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Ill- ness, 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 emo- tional 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 po- tential 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 experi- ence: new babies, weddings, first loves and, of course, death. But it also seeks to ex- amine the small, essential mo- ments that pepper each of our lives and the many complexi- ties 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 emo- tional scenes, the show offers some humor and lighthearted- ness. 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 diffi- cult time relating to children, and all three men wonder from time to time why they were chosen for such an im- portant 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 se- ries, 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 pro- duce Feiler's book for televi- sion. In 2011, "Council of Dads" premiered on Fox as a 30-min- ute TV special starring Kyle Bornheimer ("Marriage Story", 2019). It's no surprise that such a short time frame couldn't ad- equately capture the power be- hind Feiler's ordeal. It's safe to assume that NBC's version will be far more successful in com- municating 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 ex- ecutive 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 "Coun- cil of Dads" when it premieres Tuesday, March 24, on NBC. Thalia Tran as seen in "Council of Dads" continued from page T2 Meet the dads: NBC explores life after a loved one's death in 'Council of Dads' TV FEATURE