TV.com Q&A: Reid Scott is one of My Boys

By Tim Surette - TV.com

Actor Reid Scott talks to TV.com about his role on TBS' funny My Boys and how the show's script drew him in.

TBS' My Boys treads dangerous ground. It's a new comedy on a cable channel known more for broadcasting Atlanta Braves games than original programming. It's a show that dips into relationships from a female point of view yet is largely populated by male actors and drenched in sports, poker, and beer references. It's also a surprising favorite among television critics. Dangerous, indeed.

At its heart, the show (which airs its season one finale tonight) follows PJ, a female sportswriter in jock-obsessed Chicago, and her platonic relationships with her male friends. This situation bodes well for Jordana Spiro, who adeptly plays the lead character, but opens up the possibility of crafting an ensemble of cookie-cutter men, each a carbon copy of the next.

Thankfully, creator Betsy Thomas (Run of the House) has managed to write male characters that stand apart from each other and each relate to PJ differently. The most developed of the male characters is Brendan Dorff, played by It's All Relative's Reid Scott, who took time out of shooting to talk to TV.com.

There's no need to pull teeth when asking Scott to talk about My Boys or his character; the affable 29-year-old gushes with pride about the project.

Betsy Thomas had been trying to work with Scott years before, but scheduling conflicts wouldn't allow it. Ultimately, the wait was a blessing. Scott read the script for the My Boys pilot and loved it.

"It feels like we're making Sex in the City for guys with a female lead," Scott told TV.com. "That's what drew me to it. When you see a show aimed at guys, it's kind of crass. I like that, but [this is different]."

"I originally went in to read for the role of Bobby [ultimately landed by Kyle Howard]," Scott said. He asked to read for the role of Brendan, which requires a bit more moxie than the passive Bobby, and nailed the audition.

"All the characters are so unique," Reid said of the cast, a statement that is particularly applicable to Brendan. "Brendan is particularly unique [from the rest of PJ's friends] because he goes way back with PJ in college, and he's also different in the fact that he is the love-worn of the group. He's a guy's guy and he's got a sensitive side. I like Brendan because he's a window into PJ. I like being able to serve that."

Earlier this season, there was a story arc that saw Brendan become what every actor longs to play--a grade-A douche bag. It starts with Brendan being named one of Chicago's 50 most eligible bachelors, a distinction that slowly goes to his head and ultimately ends up with him dressing differently (culminating in a belt buckle adorned with the female silhouette from 16-wheelers' mudflaps), hanging out with fellow douche bags, and ultimately forgetting his friends, before finally falling back to Earth.

"We did a table read where Brendan gets the bachelor thing," said Scott. "Then I noticed the whole cast just staring at me." The jokes and ribbing from the crew flowed incessantly, and eventually someone mentioned the D-word. "It's basic cable, so we just ran with the 'douche bag' thing."

One can only imagine that the off-camera table reads are eerily similar to the all-important poker scenes in the show, a regular bit that highlights the tightness of the group.

"[The poker scenes] are the crux of the show," Scott said. "That's when you really get to see the characters jab at each other. [The scenes] look totally off the cuff but they're actually meticulously orchestrated." Scott also notes that the poker scenes are fan favorites, because they give the feeling that they're right at the table with them.

And if the chemistry between the ensemble cast looks authentic, it's because it is. "We all thought [working with such a large cast] might be daunting, but our personal chemistry off the camera is great," Scott explains. "It doesn't feel like we're fighting for camera time because we're all working to make a good show." On off-days it isn't unusual for the cast to spend even more time together, barbecuing at each other's houses, playing poker, or just hanging out.

Most actors would have some sort of reservations with heading up an original program for TBS, which relies heavily on syndicated shows. But Scott had no fears going into the project because of the strength of the script.

"The script was so good I didn't really care [what network it was on]," Scott said. "You see how other cable places blow up, and if you get to be the flagship show, then awesome. The people on the project were so committed. Even the [TBS executives] are so high on the show...you don't get that feeling from most networks. There are a level of removals...it feels more like working on an indie film."

Though My Boys has just been given a renewal notice for a second season, Scott has more up his sleeve than just playing the lovable douche bag that is Brendan Dorff. Scott is sizzling up the big screen in the psychological thriller Amusement from director John Simpson, which hits theaters at the end of March next year. He is also keeping busy by writing his own projects.

For more information on My Boys or Reid Scott, read TV.com's previous coverage.