My Boys
Encyclopedia
My Boys is an American television sitcom that debuted on November 28, 2006, on TBS. The show deals with a female sports columnist in Chicago, Illinois and the men in her life including her brother and her best friend. The show was canceled by TBS on September 14, 2010, making the fourth season finale, broadcast two days prior, the series finale.
) is a professional sportswriter looking for love within her world, which is dominated by her group of male friends. Her "boys" are her family, which sometimes hinders PJ's dating life, as the men she tries to date don't know how to react to her unconventional interests and the all-important men in her life.
Her tomboyish, upfront approach to relationships tends to intimidate potential suitors, which leads her only female friend to advise her to dress and act more feminine. Being "one of the guys" can mean a lot of great things: poker games, pick-up softball games, watching sports or just hanging out at a favorite bar. But for PJ being a girl who’s one of the guys can be challenging.
During the first season, many of the episodes involved some of the characters going to match.com
, a sponsor of the show, that is often referenced in conversation on the show. The first season seemed to end with a cliffhanger on December 28, 2006. The episode "The Promise of a New Season" aired July 30 and was originally billed as the beginning of the second season. The season had a mere 9 episodes. Later, the first 13 episodes which aired in 2006 were combined with these 9 episodes and the 22 episodes were together released as Season One on DVD. The show had been picked up for a second season with eight episodes, but ended up having 9 episodes. Season 2 premiered on Thursday June 12, 2008. The second season, like the first, ended on a cliffhanger. The third season premiered on Tuesday March 31, 2009, with another set of 9 episodes. The second season cliffhanger is resolved, as Bobby and Elsa break off their engagement, and he admits to P.J. that he had feelings for her. The two date throughout the season, although they try to keep it a secret, to no avail. Meanwhile, Brendan opens the new club with John but quickly finds himself doing all of the work. After pointing out how valuable he is to John, he manages to negotiate a better salary and work schedule. He also realizes his pattern of dating mentally unstable women, such as the one in "Carpe Burritoem", has to stop; a point emphasized by the crazy "girlfriend" of Chicago Cubs
player Mike Fontenot
, who makes a cameo appearance in the season 3 finale. At the end of the season, it is revealed that not only did Kenny and Stephanie continue to secretly date after their night in Arizona, they are in love.
On October 7, 2008, TBS announced it would run a third season of the show. A new set of nine episodes premiered on March 31, 2009. On September 11, 2009, it was confirmed on TV Guides website that the show has been picked up for a fourth season, although it would only head back into production in January 2010, with the new season premiering on TBS July 25, 2010.
. These include Wrigley Field
, Billy Goat Tavern
, Metro
, Churrascaria, and various bars and streets. Despite frequent second unit
establishing shots of Chicago, almost all of the principal filming is done in Los Angeles. Three episodes, "Baseball Myths", "110% Solution", and "Rome, If You Want To", included scenes taking place in Chicago. Scenes took place in the Art Institute of Chicago
, Northerly Island
, the skydeck of the Sears Tower
, and Wrigley Field
. The last episode of season 3, called "Spring Training", was shot at the Chicago Cubs
spring training facility and a nearby hotel in Mesa, Arizona
.
Summary
PJ Franklin (Jordana SpiroJordana Spiro
Jordana Ariel Spiro is an American film and television actress, known for starring in the TBS comedy series My Boys as P.J. Franklin.-Life and career:...
) is a professional sportswriter looking for love within her world, which is dominated by her group of male friends. Her "boys" are her family, which sometimes hinders PJ's dating life, as the men she tries to date don't know how to react to her unconventional interests and the all-important men in her life.
Her tomboyish, upfront approach to relationships tends to intimidate potential suitors, which leads her only female friend to advise her to dress and act more feminine. Being "one of the guys" can mean a lot of great things: poker games, pick-up softball games, watching sports or just hanging out at a favorite bar. But for PJ being a girl who’s one of the guys can be challenging.
During the first season, many of the episodes involved some of the characters going to match.com
Match.com
Match.com is an online dating company which reportedly has more than 20 million members, made up of a 49/51 male/female ratio, and Web sites serving 25 countries in more than 8 different languages. Its headquarters are in Dallas, Texas and the company also has offices in West Hollywood, Tokyo, Rio,...
, a sponsor of the show, that is often referenced in conversation on the show. The first season seemed to end with a cliffhanger on December 28, 2006. The episode "The Promise of a New Season" aired July 30 and was originally billed as the beginning of the second season. The season had a mere 9 episodes. Later, the first 13 episodes which aired in 2006 were combined with these 9 episodes and the 22 episodes were together released as Season One on DVD. The show had been picked up for a second season with eight episodes, but ended up having 9 episodes. Season 2 premiered on Thursday June 12, 2008. The second season, like the first, ended on a cliffhanger. The third season premiered on Tuesday March 31, 2009, with another set of 9 episodes. The second season cliffhanger is resolved, as Bobby and Elsa break off their engagement, and he admits to P.J. that he had feelings for her. The two date throughout the season, although they try to keep it a secret, to no avail. Meanwhile, Brendan opens the new club with John but quickly finds himself doing all of the work. After pointing out how valuable he is to John, he manages to negotiate a better salary and work schedule. He also realizes his pattern of dating mentally unstable women, such as the one in "Carpe Burritoem", has to stop; a point emphasized by the crazy "girlfriend" of Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
player Mike Fontenot
Mike Fontenot
Michael Eugene "Mike" Fontenot is a Major League Baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants.-High school career:Mike Fontenot was a standout for Salmen High School in Slidell, Louisiana...
, who makes a cameo appearance in the season 3 finale. At the end of the season, it is revealed that not only did Kenny and Stephanie continue to secretly date after their night in Arizona, they are in love.
On October 7, 2008, TBS announced it would run a third season of the show. A new set of nine episodes premiered on March 31, 2009. On September 11, 2009, it was confirmed on TV Guides website that the show has been picked up for a fourth season, although it would only head back into production in January 2010, with the new season premiering on TBS July 25, 2010.
Main characters
- Jordana SpiroJordana SpiroJordana Ariel Spiro is an American film and television actress, known for starring in the TBS comedy series My Boys as P.J. Franklin.-Life and career:...
portrays Penelope Jane "P.J." Franklin, a sportswriter for the Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, the protagonist, first-person narrator, and the core of the group. She becomes a columnist in season 3. In season 4, Bobby has moved in with her after he lost his apartment. - Jim GaffiganJim GaffiganJames Christopher "Jim" Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Early life:Gaffigan was born in Chesterton, Indiana and attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. He is the youngest of six children and often jokes about growing up in a large family. He attended one year at...
portrays Andy Franklin, PJ's brother, whose wife was thought by the gang to keep him on a short leash; however, after she throws him a fabulous birthday party they realize she is a fun woman. Andy admits he likes using his wife as an excuse to go home because sometimes he feels tired and wants to go home, "like an old man." In the beginning of the 4th season, it is revealed that Andy has a new job and has moved to China with his family leaving Mike to safeguard his condo until it is sold. - Reid ScottReid Scott (actor)Reid Scott is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Brendan Dorff on the hit television show, My Boys. He has also appeared in several television commercials, the popular show All My Children, and in the off-Broadway play "Cargo."- Life and career :Scott was born on November 19,...
portrays Brendan 'Brando' Dorff, a former hard-rock radio DJ and former roommate of PJ, whose on-again, off-again relationship with his girlfriend often leaves him crashing at PJ's apartment and eventually leads to him moving in with her again. In season 2 he loses his DJ job when the station is bought out by corporate interests. He is usually dressed in a band T-Shirt. As of season 3, he is the manager of John's Club, an endeavor that he paired up with John, Bobby's friend whom he meets at Bobby's bachelor party. As of season 4, he has moved out on his own, no longer living with P.J. and in the season 4 finale, now owns Crowley's Bar after buying it to keep it from closing. - Jamie KalerJamie KalerJamie Kaler is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has gained fame by portraying the character Mike Callahan on the TBS comedy "My Boys". He has appeared on such talk shows as the Late Late Show as well as having a role on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and had a recurring role on Will...
portrays Mike Callahan, a commitment-challenged ladies man, and the oldest member of the group turning 43 in season 4. He worked for the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in season 1, but was laid off. Kenny reluctantly hired him to work at his sports memorabilia store. In season 4 Kenny is forced to shut down the store and Mike gets a job working in the public relations office for the Chicago Bulls. In the 4th season finale, he marries his girlfriend of one month, Marcia, who lives next door to Andy's old house. - Michael BuninMichael BuninMichael Louis Bunin is an American actor perhaps best known for playing the role of "Kenny" on the TBS sitcom My Boys. A prolific and highly successful commercial actor during the early part of his career, starring in at least 50 national commercials, the transition to the single camera comedy on...
portrays Kenny Moritorri, a sports memorabilia store owner, who hasn't mastered the art of dating. He also has a love hate relationship with Stephanie Layne. At the end of season 3 we see them having a secret relationship. As of season 4, they are openly dating and Kenny is forced to shut down the memorabilia store, starting a closet-organizing service. At the end of season 4, he leaves with Stephanie to London for her new talk-show panelist job in Britain. - Kyle HowardKyle HowardKyle Alan Howard is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Kyle Howard grew up in Loveland, Colorado. He has worked in both film and television...
portrays Bobby Newman, a sportswriter for the Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
(the rival newspaper in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
), he was raised in one of the city's wealthiest families, and is a love interest of PJ's. As of season 3, he and P.J. are dating. In mid-season 4, it is revealed that Bobby has lost his money due to his father's bad investments in a Ponzi scheme. He currently lives with P.J. and will begin to attend law school in Chicago. - Kellee StewartKellee StewartKellee Stewart is an American film and television actress. As of 2007, she plays on the TBS comedy series My Boys as "Stephanie Lane"....
portrays Stephanie Layne, PJ's best friend, who gives her advice on men and dating from a female point of view. Author of a best-selling book about relationships, You're a Great Guy, But.... She also has a love/hate relatioship with Kenny Moritorri. At the end of season 3 we see them having a secret relationship. As of season 4, they are openly dating and she has joined the group's poker nights since Andy has moved away. In the 4th season finale, she is leaving for London with Kenny to start as a panelist on a British talk show.
Secondary characters
- Jeannie Noth portrays Meredith, Andy's wife. Andy uses her as an excuse to leave poker games early until PJ learns she's actually fun. Noth is actually Jim Gaffigan's real wife.
- Johnny GaleckiJohnny GaleckiJohn Mark "Johnny" Galecki is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as David Healy in the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and as Leonard Hofstadter in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Early life:Galecki was born in Bree, Belgium, of...
portrays Trouty, a friend of Kenny's who was brought over to play poker one night. He also got the gang into an exclusive nightclub. At first he comes off as quite annoying, but it is revealed he is a good guy who tries too hard. He constantly wears a hands-free phone piece in his ear. - Eddie McClintockEddie McClintockEdward "Eddie" Theodore McClintock is an American actor who has starred and guest starred in numerous television shows. He currently portrays the role of Secret Service agent Peter Lattimer on the Syfy series Warehouse 13....
portrays Hank, one of PJ's old boyfriends. They broke up because Hank didn't fit in with her friends, which was unacceptable to PJ. - Jeremy SistoJeremy SistoJeremy Merton Sisto is an American actor. Sisto has had recurring roles as Billy Chenowith on the HBO series Six Feet Under and Detective Cyrus Lupo on Law & Order on television and also starred in the films Jesus, Clueless and Thirteen.-Early life:Sisto was born in Grass Valley, California, the...
portrays Thorn, PJ's summer fling from college. Their relationship was left open-ended, until he comes back from Afghanistan to possibly rekindle a relationship with PJ. He is revealed to be engaged, but turns up later and announces that his relationship with his fiancée has ended. - Travis SchuldtTravis SchuldtTravis Schuldt is an American actor. He originated the role of Ethan Winthrop on the NBC soap opera Passions from 1999 to 2002, and played a recurring role of Keith Dudemeister in the sitcom Scrubs from 2006-2008.-Career:...
portrays Matt Dougan, the new Cubs pitcher, who persistently pursues PJ. They briefly date, but PJ breaks it off when she considers it would be unethical. The relationship opens up again when Matt reveals he is not a Cub anymore. - Michael LandesMichael LandesMichael Christopher Landes is an American actor. He is known for his roles of Jimmy Olsen in the first season of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Detective Nicholas O'Malley in Special Unit 2, Officer Thomas Burke in Final Destination 2, and David Conlon in The Wedding Bells.-Lois...
portrays Evan, a botanist PJ meets at Andy's barbecueBarbecueBarbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
in the suburbs, who quickly becomes a love interest. - Nia VardalosNia VardalosAntonia Eugenia "Nia" Vardalos is a Canadian-American actress, screenwriter, director, singer and producer. Her most notable work is the 2002 Academy Award–nominated film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.-Personal life:...
portrays Jo, Andy's "work wife" who seems to want more than just being friends with him. - Billy BurkeBilly Burke (actor)William Albert "Billy" Burke is an American actor. He is known for his role as Charlie Swan in Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. He is also known for his role as Gary Matheson in the second season of 24.-Life and career:Burke was born in...
portrays Jack, Bobby's smooth-talking brother who shows an interest in PJ. - Mini AndenMini AndenSusanna "Mini" Andén is a Swedish model, actress, occasional host, and producer.She was born in Stockholm and began modeling at the age of ten, joining Elite Model Management when she was fifteen. She has been on the cover of many fashion magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and...
portrays Elsa, Bobby's former fiancée. She was also Andy's Swedish nanny. Bobby and Elsa called off their wedding hours before it was to take place. - Lindsey Stoddart portrays Wendy, Brendan's former fiancée, who returns later married and expecting a child.
- Rachael HarrisRachael HarrisRachael Elaine Harris is an American actress and comedian.-Early life:Harris was born in Worthington, Ohio. She graduated from Worthington High School...
portrays Marcia, an ad exec who moves in next door to Andy's and becomes involved with Mike.
Location
The series takes place in Chicago and makes references to many real-life Chicago locations, and even suburban areas and Northwest IndianaNorthwest Indiana
Northwest Indiana, also known as the South Shore and The Calumet Region or simply The Region, comprises Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana. This region neighbors Lake Michigan and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. These include Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Billy Goat Tavern
Billy Goat Tavern
The Billy Goat Tavern is a chain of taverns located in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1937 by Billy Sianis, a Greek immigrant. It achieved fame primarily through newspaper columns by Mike Royko, a supposed curse on the Chicago Cubs, and the Olympia Cafe sketch on Saturday Night Live.It now has...
, Metro
Metro Chicago
This page is about the concert hall; for the metro region surrounding Chicago, see Chicago metropolitan area.Metro is a concert hall at 3730 N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois that plays host to a variety of local, regional and national emerging bands and musicians. The Metro was first opened in...
, Churrascaria, and various bars and streets. Despite frequent second unit
Second unit
In film, the second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors...
establishing shots of Chicago, almost all of the principal filming is done in Los Angeles. Three episodes, "Baseball Myths", "110% Solution", and "Rome, If You Want To", included scenes taking place in Chicago. Scenes took place in the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, Northerly Island
Northerly Island
Northerly Island is a man-made peninsula along Chicago's lakefront. The site of the Adler Planetarium, Northerly Island connects to the mainland through a narrow isthmus along Solidarity Drive dominated by Neoclassical sculptures of Kościuszko, Havliček and Copernicus...
, the skydeck of the Sears Tower
Sears Tower
Sears' optimistic growth projections were not met. Competition from its traditional rivals continued, with new competition by retailing giants such as Kmart, Kohl's, and Wal-Mart. The fortunes of Sears & Roebuck declined in the 1970s as the company lost market share; its management grew more...
, and Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. The last episode of season 3, called "Spring Training", was shot at the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
spring training facility and a nearby hotel in Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
.
DVD releases
| DVD name | Release date | Ep # | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | June 10, 2008 | 22 | Behind the Scenes featurette, Sports Quiz, Gag Reel, Deleted Scenes. |
| The Complete Second & Third Seasons | July 20, 2010 | 18 | Subtitles in French. |