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Sons of Tucson

Sons of Tucson

2010Ended1 season13 episodes~30 min/epMidcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

Sons of Tucson is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we've ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, Ron Snuffkin (Tyler Labine), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. Robby Gunderson, 8, is a loose cannon who doesn't respond well to authority; Gary Gunderson, 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and Brandon Gunderson, 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. Maggie Morales (Natalie Martinez), Robby's second-grade teacher and the object of Ron's affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While Sons of Tucson is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sons of Tucson?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Sons of Tucson to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Sons of Tucson?

Sons of Tucson earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Sons of Tucson worth watching?

Sons of Tucson's Midcredits score is the 46th percentile of all shows, from 2.4K ratings across 2 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

46th percentile

Better received than 46% of shows

43rd percentile among Comedy44th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)40th
Approval (how many liked it)53rd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

69 /100

40th percentile of all shows

40th percentile among Comedy39th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

72% liked it

53rd percentile of all shows

47th percentile among Comedy52nd percentile among 2010s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

69th percentile

2.3K ratings across platforms

54th percentile among Comedy72nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show centers on a slacker hired by three brothers to pose as their dad.

Fans praised

  • chemistry between the actors is excellent
  • dialogue is solid and playful
  • refreshingly hilarious take on slacker comedy

Detractors panned

  • unfunny plot lines and creepy, disturbing jokes involving kids
  • poor child acting and miscast lead
  • derivative of Malcolm in the Middle

What stands out

DialogueDivisive65

well-written, fun exchange praised; some unfunny lines

ActingDivisive55

chemistry praised by fans; kids and Labine panned by detractors

HumorDivisive55

funny and hilarious vs. unfunny and trying too hard

CharactersDivisive50

specific but flat kid roles; Labine's persona noted

OriginalityDivisive45

fresh dad-for-hire concept but derivative of Malcolm

Plot and storyDivisive40

hard-to-buy premise, many plot holes

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2010 · 13 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Pilot

    Mar 14, 201022 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    The Break In

    Mar 21, 201021 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    Golden Ticket

    Mar 28, 201021 min
  • S1E4
    S1E4

    Family Album

    Apr 4, 201021 min
  • S1E5
    S1E5

    Chicken Pox

    Jun 6, 201021 min
  • S1E6
    S1E6

    The Debate Trip

    Jun 13, 201021 min

Watch experience

What is Sons of Tucson like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdWarm
Heaviest: middle
Dry humor
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Resets each episode · 10% of showsSingle-season story
ToneThe show plays its absurd premise straight as a conventional sitcom, treating the outrageous situation with comedic confidence rather than ironic detachment.
The rideEpisodes maintain a light, offbeat comedic register with occasional moments of genuine warmth.
StructureEach episode follows a straightforward sitcom setup-punchline-resolution structure; no non-linear or unusual storytelling devices.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained comedic situation with the status quo restored by the end.
Season formatThe show is a 13-episode limited series that tells a complete story across one season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves the viewer lightly amused and entertained by the hijinks, with the warmth of an unconventional bond forming beneath the jokes.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA typical episode follows Ron Snuffkin as he impersonates a father to three boys, with complications arising from the deception — pure comedy of errors.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsDeception · 6% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the faux-father arrangement, exploring what family means when it's built on a lie.
StanceThe show questions what makes a family through its unconventional setup, without fully endorsing or condemning it.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernBackground music · original score
SettingA suburban American town

Cast and crew

Who is in Sons of Tucson?

Cast

Tyler Labine
as Ron Snuffkin
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Frank Dolce
as Gary Gunderson
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matthew Levy
as Brandon Gunderson
Benjamin Stockham
as Robby Gunderson
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Joe Lo Truglio
as Glenn
Sarayu Blue
as Angela
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Michael Horse
as Mike Proudfoot
Edwin R. Habacon
as Joker
Natalie Martinez
as Maggie
Alexandra Breckenridge
as Gina

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