‘The Mick’ Preview: Star Kaitlin Olson Is a ‘Force of Nature’

For twelve years now, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has influenced countless comedians by pushing the boundaries of taste on cable. Now Kaitlin Olson and the Chernin brothers are bringing some of that trademark nihilism to the family sitcom format, resulting in a show with none of the saccharine sweetness of a regular sitcom and none of the meanness of a cable comedy. What’s left is something that never goes where you expect it, delivering laughs and heart in a completely new way. We spoke with the Chernins and co-star Scott MacArthur about how The Mick made it to air with its spirit intact.

Olson plays Mickey, a perpetually unemployed hustler who is forced to care for three kids after their parents are forced to flee the country. Sofia Black D’Elia, Thomas Barbusca, and Jack Stanton play the children; Carla Jimenez plays Alba, the straight man to Olson’s mania; and Scott MacArthur plays Jimmy, the loser boyfriend who makes up in loyalty what he lacks in brains, charm, or overall hygiene.

Like Olson, the Chernin brothers have spent years on Always Sunny — both as writers and producers. The Mick had been rolling around their heads for years but, says John, the idea felt “a little soft for cable, a little hard for network.” It kept popping up, though, and after another pilot of theirs didn’t make it to air, they decided to write it anyway.

When writing together, Dave says they like to pick an actor’s voice to write in to keep things uniform. “We just thought, ‘Who’s the funniest woman we know?’” and wrote it with Olson in mind. At the time, Olson wasn’t involved in the project and was resistant to the idea of doing a network show after so much time with the freedom of cable. Even the brothers weren’t entirely convinced they could make the show they wanted, but one look at an overdosed clown lying comatose in the bathtub will tell you that Fox is giving them plenty of room to play.

Dave calls Olson, “A force of nature,” and their primary concern with casting was just finding people who could keep up with her. Actresses brought in to play the eldest daughter “were just getting steamrolled,” he recalls, and D’Elia was the only one who could “give some of it back” to the star. At 13, Barbusca is already a seasoned actor with multiple recurring TV roles. Stanton was cast despite being adorable; the show’s original vision called for the youngest child to be a “weird zero” — awkward and uncute. But, says Dave, “He was undeniably the best actor.”

After years of struggling as an actor, MacArthur moved behind the camera as a writer — The Mick is his first writing credit on a TV show — only to be then immediately thrown back in front of the camera. One of his first assignments was to write audition scenes for Jimmy; he nailed the voice of the character so well, the Chernins asked him to audition. And, while MacArthur will jokingly say he was cast because, “I look like a piece of trash,” in all seriousness, he responds to the character’s “cornerstone qualities” of “being fiercely loyal and all heart.”

He also sees a parallel between his real life and the show. “It’s a lot of fun to be Jimmy and try to keep up with Mickey, as well as it’s a lot of fun for me to try to keep up with Kaitlin because she’s just moving so deftly and so much faster than everything around her. She has so much wit that I think it plays into a natural relationship.”

The classic wisdom from W.C. Fields is to never work with children or animals, but MacArthur brushes the advice aside. “I behave like a child. The [Chernin] brothers are animals,” he says with a laugh. “Kids fall asleep in the middle of takes. That’s just what happens. I’ve worked with other actors that fall asleep in the middle of takes. It might be a statement on my own acting, but that’s fine.”

They’ve also worked with horses, bunnies, dogs, and — in the pilot — an owl. “We’ve had a lot and they are tough. They are tough. They’re tough enough that, now, I’d reconsider writing an animal story. But I have to also be aware that if any of the animals we’ve worked with read your article, then I’m going to be in trouble. So I’m just going to leave it that they’ve all been a pleasure to work with.”

Like the Chernins, MacArthur is surprised at what Fox lets them get away with. “It’s very exciting to crack story because you think, “Maybe this… but they’ll never let us do it.’ And then, with a few tweaks here and there, you’re like, “Wow, we’re basically getting to do that!” Of course, that means all sorts of weirdness behind the scenes. “I would love to have a track record of all writers’ rooms Google searches. ‘What would happen if a seven-year old ate birth control?’”

The Mick premieres Sunday, Jan. 1 before moving to Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on Fox.