Rob Lowe and son John Owen Lowe, stars and creators of the meta comedy Unstable, have a tight relationship in real life. “We’re super close and super bonded,” Rob tells Tudum. The father and son that they play in Unstable, on the other hand? “Those two idiots are not.”
In Unstable, Rob plays tech billionaire Ellis Dragon, a larger-than-life scientist and CEO who hopes his son Jackson (played by John Owen) will follow him into the family biotechnology business. But at the start of the series, Jackson has flown the family nest in Los Angeles, moving across the country to New York City to teach the flute. Both men are grieving the death of their family’s beloved wife and mother in their own way, but must deal with their loss together when Jackson moves back home to help tame his father’s eccentricities and save the Dragon company.
The series was inspired by John Owen’s good-natured trolling of his father on social media, and while the two Lowes have a much more secure relationship off-screen, there’s still an element of truth to the Ellis-Jackson dynamic. Says John Owen, “Those characters are definitely more unhinged than Rob and I are. But I would say that the degree to which they are further off than us is less than most would think. It’s pretty close to accurate.”
That means father and son must fully commit to making themselves look ridiculous. Explains Rob, “It’s not just a son making fun of a dad. It’s a very specific type of son making fun of a very specific type of dad. We realized the dad has to be a known figure, has to be generally liked in the world, which really frustrates the son when he sees the dad acting like a buffoon.”
For his part, John Owen thinks Unstable will resonate even if your embarrassing dad isn’t as famous as Ellis Dragon. The key, he says, was highlighting “how insane our interpersonal dynamic is — but through a lens that others can, and I think do, relate to: Our parents are always so annoying to us as their children, and their expectations of us are always going to feel unmet to some degree.”
In particular, the series explores Jackson’s quest to find his own path. While John Owen has found his niche as an actor and writer — he spent three seasons as a staff writer and story editor on 9-1-1: Lone Star and acted in The Grinder and Holiday in the Wild — he previously spent several years working his way up the Hollywood ladder in different entertainment industry jobs. He’s never attempted to become a professional woodwind player, but his father would have probably supported him in that endeavor too. Right?
“Well, I don’t know about that,” quips Rob. “I would be like, ‘Look, who’s going to take care of your medical? You’re going to be a professional flautist?’ That’s the thing. It’s easy to say follow your dreams until you’re the parent worrying about how they’re going to pay the rent.”
There’s plenty of good-natured ribbing between the Lowes in Unstable, but there’s also genuine love, support and admiration. Rob, for example, is proud of John Owen’s ability to hold his own in scenes with a comedy veteran like Fred Armisen. “I mean, Fred Armisen is the Babe Ruth of character comedy,” says Rob. “John Owen did have a hard time keeping a straight face. He’s not at that level yet, but he stood toe to toe with Fred and I was very impressed. It’s very hard to look into those eyes, those crazy Fred Armisen eyes, and keep it together.”
John Owen is happy for his father’s support — and his occasional lack of support, too. His father’s take on a future as a flautist? “That’s valid,” he tells Tudum. “I’m glad he said that, actually. That means he’s not afraid to say no when it matters.”
Additional reporting by Ariana Romero.
