Baby Daddy
| Baby Daddy | |
|---|---|
| File:Baby Daddy.jpg Season 1 promotional poster | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Dan Berendsen |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Doug DeAngelis |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 54 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Production locations | CBS Studio Center Studio City, California Stage 20 |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC Family |
| Release | June 20, 2012 – present |
Baby Daddy is an ABC Family original comedy television series that premiered on June 20, 2012.[1] The series follows Ben, a man in his twenties, who gets the surprise of his life when a one-night stand leaves his baby at his doorstep. Ben decides to raise his little girl with the help of his brother, Danny, his two close friends, Riley and Tucker, and his mother, Bonnie.[2]
Development and production
The series was given a green-light on February 2, 2012[3] and began production on March 28, 2012. On August 17, 2012, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 29, 2013.[4]
On March 22, 2013, ABC Family announced that Baby Daddy was renewed for a third season, two months before the second season premiered.[5] The third season premiered on January 15, 2014.[6]
Baby Daddy was renewed for a fourth season on March 17, 2014.[7] It premiered on October 22, 2014, with the series' first Halloween episode "Strip or Treat".[8]
Cast and characters
Main characters
- Benjamin Bon Jovi "Ben" Wheeler[9](Jean-Luc Bilodeau): The lead character of the series. He is a young man living the life of a bachelor as a bartender in New York City with his buddy Tucker and his older brother Danny. His life is turned upside down when he comes home one day to find a baby girl left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. The baby turns out to be his daughter Emma. He doesn't know what he wants to do with his life yet. He learns a lesson that he has to believe in himself if he's going to raise his daughter. He used to have feelings for Riley after they danced at a wedding.[10] He then dated a daycare worker named Megan, but they broke up due to Ben losing her dog. Ever since then, Ben has developed feelings for Riley, yet again.
- Tucker Thurgood Marshall Dobbs[11] (Tahj Mowry): Ben's best friend and roommate. Tucker is friendly towards everybody so long as they don't eat all of his food.[12] He and Bonnie are the only ones who know Danny is in love with Riley. It is revealed in episode "A Knight to Remember", that Ben encouraged Tucker to drop out of law school to pursue a career that he enjoys since he was only trying to be a lawyer because of his strict father. When his father Marshall Dobbs visits, Tucker finally reveals to his dad that he no longer wants to be a lawyer and is working in television because its something he enjoys doing, to which his father at first is furious, but finally accepts.
- Daniel Mellencamp "Danny" Wheeler[13] (Derek Theler): Ben's older brother, who is a professional hockey player. He was traded to the New York Rangers. His little brother looks up to him, because he has everything a man would want. Initially, he is the only person who knows that Riley loves Ben. In turn he loves Riley, but she doesn't know how he feels and he feels awkward because she often shares her feelings for Ben with him. He dated psychologist, Amy, who he has strong feelings for as well. In the episode "Surprise!", he and Amy break up. In "Flirty Dancing," he started dating Georgie trying to forget Riley. However, in "You Can't Go Home Again," he plans on leaving with Georgie to move on from Riley, but while saying goodbye to her, they almost kiss.[14]
- Bonnie Wheeler (Melissa Peterman): Ben and Danny's mother. She wanted to be a model but never "recovered" after having Danny. She thinks that Ben isn't ready to take care of a child because she still "buys his pants".[15] She and Tucker are the only ones who know Danny is in love with Riley.
- Riley Perrin (Chelsea Kane): Ben's close female friend and Danny's best friend since they were little. It has been said that she was extremely overweight in high school and has since lost 200 pounds. She is highly intelligent, despite having some difficulty with the LSATs she did well enough to get accepted into law school.[16] She has liked Ben ever since they were young but only Danny initially knew. She then started to develop feelings for Danny, but it faded once Danny started dating Amy. It is sometimes shown that Riley still has some feelings for Ben.
Three times Ben and Riley have tried, unsuccessfully so far, to have a romantic relationship. (1) At the end of the first season, in "Something Borrowed, Something Ben," Riley was open to dating Ben. However, in the second season premiere "I'm not that Guy" this desire cooled down considerably when she saw Ben on a website outing boorish lotharios. It collapsed completely when Ben was unable to make a date at her law firm event because Bonnie had temporarily mislaid Emma. By the time the problem was solved Riley had already met Fitch. (2) Near the end of the second season, and with Ben and Riley both out of relationships with other people, Ben finally learned from Danny that Riley had a life-long infatuation with him. Despite surviving a calamitous birthday date in "Surprise," which involved Ben accidentally leaving Riley blindfolded on the subway when chasing a thief, this attempt ultimately ran aground on the reappearance of Angela, Emma's mother. Angela tried to seduce Ben in the third season episode "The Lying Game." He told her, while eavesdropped on by Riley and the rest of the cast, that he was with Riley. However, if Riley wasn't there he would have to reconsider being with her for the sake of Emma. This led Emma to reluctantly urge Ben to try to stay with Angela. When Ben tried to see Riley at her apartment in "Lights! Camera! No Action!" he found Fitch there and incorrectly thought she had slept with him. When she visited his apartment in turn she found that he had slept with Angela again. (3) Near the end of the third season in "All Aboard the Love Train," Ben managed to convince Riley to give it another chance. However in the season three finale "You Can't go Home Again," while in Riley's childhood treehouse, Ben noticed a carving showing Danny's love for Riley when they were children. (At this point, all the other characters knew Danny's affection for Riley). Later that episode Danny told Riley goodbye as he was going to Paris with his girlfriend Georgina. Riley almost kissed him, just in time for Ben to see them. Ben therefore became much more suspicious. The relationship survived a clumsy attempt by Ben to provoke matters with a false note ("I Love You, I Love You Note,") and the revelation that Riley had been hiding Danny in her apartment when Georgina abruptly dumped him before he could even reach Paris ("Mugging for the Camera"). However when Riley helped Danny learn his lines for a cameo on "General Hospital" and instead of saying "I really love you," Danny said "I Love you Riley," Ben, who was watching offstage angrily walked away. Later he told Riley that she wasn't aware of her feelings for Danny and they needed a "Time out."
Recurring characters
- Emma Wheeler (Ali Louise and Susanne Allan Hartman in season 1; Mila and Zoey Beske in season 2; Ember and Harper Husak in season 3; Sura and Kayleigh Harris in season 4): Ben's daughter, who was left at his doorstep by his ex-girlfriend.
- Dr. Amy Shaw (Lacey Chabert): A psychologist for the New York Rangers and Danny's girlfriend in season 2. She's been described as uptight but also accepting and sweet. She cares deeply for Danny but is constantly worried his feelings for Riley will drive him away. She eventually realizes Danny still has feelings for Riley and breaks up with him in the episode "Surprise!". In season 3, Amy shows up and announces that she is engaged.
- Fitch Douglas (Matt Dallas): Son of a millionaire and Riley's boyfriend in season 2. Fitch does not speak to his family for he feels their money corrupts them. He is described as being perfect, handsome, and charitable. He constantly travels to Africa to help the children and orphanages, having a long distance relationship with Riley. He is seemingly killed in Africa but later turns up alive at his memorial and proposes to Riley. She regretfully declines claiming she is not the one for him. In season 3, he comes back and Riley attempts to make him her rebound to forget Ben, but afterward he leaves again.
- Brad (Peter Porte): A handsome real estate agent who dated Bonnie in season 3. He has a twin brother named Tad. In the episode "Play It Again, Bonnie", it is revealed he still has feelings for Bonnie (to the point he got engaged to his ex Veronica to make Bonnie jealous). But, later in the episode, he realizes he needs to move on and is not ready for a relationship.
- Philip Farlow (Christopher O'Shea): A college professor whom Riley briefly dated in season 3. He broke up with her, however, after realizing she still has feelings for Ben.
- Georgie Farlow (Mallory Jansen): Philip's sister who briefly dated Ben, but later developed feelings for Danny in season 3. She is a fashion photographer for Vogue magazine. She doesn't like Riley, but begins to accept her for Danny's sake in the episode "Foos it or Lose It". She breaks up with Danny via voicemail at the beginning of season 4.
- Angela (Mimi Gianopulos): The mother of Emma and the ex-girlfriend of Ben. When her daughter was 3 months old, she abandoned her on Ben's doorstep. She's an aspiring actress who had since moved to California.
- Megan (Grace Phipps): A day care worker whom Ben dated in season 2. She broke up with him after he almost lost her dog.
- Ray Wheeler (Greg Grunberg): Ben and Danny's father. He is divorced from Bonnie and doesn't get along with her. He makes amends with Bonnie by finally telling his family that he's in a relationship with a man named Steve (Robert Gant). Bonnie is happy for him, realizing it's "not her fault" that they got divorced. In season 3, it was shown on old home videos that he had feelings for a waiter while the boys were toddlers.
Episodes
Broadcast
In New Zealand, the show premiered on TVNZ's TV2 beginning on December 14, 2013.[citation needed]
In Australia the series airs on Fox8, with season 1 premiering 29 September 2013,[17] with season 2 returning on 4 May 2014,[18] and season 3 returning 24 August 2014.[19]
In the United Kingdom, the series began airing on E4 on February 16, 2015.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Summer TV Star: Male | Jean-Luc Bilodeau | Nominated |
| Summer TV Star: Female | Chelsea Kane | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Teen Choice Awards | Breakout Show | Baby Daddy | Nominated |
| Breakout Star | Derek Theler | Nominated | ||
| Scene Stealer: Male | Tahj Mowry | Nominated | ||
| Summer TV Star: Male | Jean-Luc Bilodeau | Nominated | ||
| Summer TV Star: Female | Chelsea Kane | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Teen Choice Awards | Summer Show | Baby Daddy | Nominated |
| Scene Stealer: Male | Tahj Mowry | Nominated | ||
| Summer TV Star: Male | Jean-Luc Bilodeau | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | People's Choice Awards | Favourite Cable TV Comedy | Baby Daddy | Nominated |
References
- ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (March 28, 2012). "ABC Family has Begun Production on the New Comedy Series 'Baby Daddy'". TV by the Numbers.
- ^ "About the Show." ABC Family. Retrieved 05-19-2012.
- ^ "On the Heels of Its Most Successful year on Record ABC Family Announces the First Portion of Its New Original Programming Slate". The Futon Critic. February 2, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "ABC Family Sets Summer Premiere Dates". Deadline.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ^ "ABC Family Renews 'Baby Daddy' For Season 3". Deadline.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ^ Baby Daddy, Episode Title: "The Naked Truth", TheFutonCritic.com
- ^ Bibel, Sara (March 17, 2014). "'Melissa & Joey' & 'Baby Daddy' Renewed for Season 4 by ABC Family & Network Orders 3 Drama Pilots". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ^ "BABY DADDY on ABC FAMILY Episode Title: "Strip or Treat"". TheFutonCritic.com (Press release). Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ Bob Koherr (director), Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio (writers) (June 12, 2013). "New Bonnie vs. Old Ben". Season 2. Episode 4. 18:32 minutes in. ABC Family.
{{cite episode}}: Missing or empty|series=(help) - ^ "ABC Family's New Series Baby Daddy Casts Lead Role". March 1, 2012. - ABC Family
- ^ Michael Lembeck (director), Frank Pines (writer) (April 30, 2014). "From Here to Paternity". Season 3. Episode 15. 18:00 minutes in. ABC Family.
{{cite episode}}: Missing or empty|series=(help) - ^ "Meet the Cast of ABC Family's Baby Daddy: Tahj Mowry". - ABC Family
- ^ Michael Lembeck (director), Kirill Baru & Eric Zimmerman (writers) (May 7, 2014). "Curious Georgie". Season 3. Episode 16. 02:21 minutes in. ABC Family.
{{cite episode}}: Missing or empty|series=(help) - ^ "Meet the Cast of ABC Family's Baby Daddy: Derek Theler". - ABC Family
- ^ "Meet the Cast of ABC Family's Baby Daddy: Melissa Peterman". - ABC Family
- ^ "Casting News! Chelsea Kane Joins Baby Daddy Cast". January 28, 2012. - ABC Family
- ^ Knox, David (10 September 2013). "FOX8 premieres: Sept / Oct". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ^ DHiggins (29 April 2014). "New this week on Foxtel: River Cottage Australia, The Americans, A-League grand final & more". Foxtel. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ^ DHiggins (18 August 2014). "New this week: Louie S4, House Of Lies S2, Helpmann Awards, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and more". Foxtel. Retrieved 20 September 2014.