'F is For Family' Season 4 Preview: Father-son relationships further explored with arrival of Frank's dad
Bill Burr and Michael Price’s ‘F is For Family’ is not the best-known or most popular animated adult comedy out there. What sets it apart from some of its contemporary titles and past ones as well, however, is the fact that it uses comedic elements as a secondary measure, focussing more on the complexities of human relationships.
Its realism is both its strength and weakness. In the midst of a lot of cursing, a lack of political correctness, the wild sexual, racial, and interpersonal politics of the ‘70s, and a very f***** up dysfunctional family, what this show does manage to do well is examining masculinity. Especially in the form of a father-son relationship.
Frank Murphy (Bill Burr), and his teenage son Kevin (Justin Long) share a complicated and difficult relationship. They are both startlingly similar in many aspects. They both suffer from crippling insecurity. They both have anger issues. They both care for each other, but their upbringing and their culture does not let them express that. And for both, repressing this anger and guilt and all other emotions lead to bigger problems.
As the seasons progress, we see Frank’s past life as a youth with dreams and aspirations. He wanted to be a pilot. But things didn't work out for him. Sue (Laura Dern) got pregnant with Kevin and he had to give up on his dreams to settle down and start a family. In a somewhat similar fashion, we see Kevin’s dreams of becoming a musician. He loves progressive rock and he has a band. He may be 14, but he dreams of one day being famous all over the world.
Where Kevin still has optimism, Frank’s pragmatism becomes his enemy. Frank only wants him to be realistic about his goals and have a future free of hardship. But this alienates them further. To Kevin, Frank will be a man who never understands dreams. He sees Frank’s worldview as “sour grapes” -- just because he couldn’t lead his own life the way he wanted, he doesn’t want Kevin to as well. At the same time, it’s hard to deny that Frank does not resent his son a little bit for coming in the way of his dreams.
Season 4 is only going to add a new dimension to this. At the end of season 3, Frank’s estranged father William (Jonathan Banks) arrives after years of not keeping in touch with the family. Throughout the run of ‘F is For Family’, we’ve seldom seen any mention of Frank’s father except for the occasional proclamation of how much he hates the man. His return to the family is sure to open a Pandora’s Box.
‘F is For Family’ has so far examined the father-son relationship well. But with the introduction of William in the mix, it will hold a mirror in front of Frank and his abusive behavior. The trailer offers one clear example of that. At a diner, Frank tells the family how grandpa called him a “dope” for something trivial, openly contemptuous of his old man sitting at the same table. Kevin reminds him that he had called him a “dope” for failing an exam. When Frank refuses to admit it, everyone in the family pitches in to remind him that he had, in fact, done that.
‘F is For Family’ is not a remarkable sitcom. But it does get generational trauma and generation gaps right. And more importantly, it captures the complexities of a father-son relationship absolutely perfectly.
Season 4 of ‘F is For Family’ drops on Netflix June 12.
