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‘The Moodys’ sees Denis Leary return to his brand of sullen comedy in Fox's Christmas show about dysfunctional family

It's been a while since the actor has been seen in a comedic role, even if you count his role as Diego the sabretooth tiger in the animated 'Ice Age' series. His particular brand of sullen and arrogant comedy too has somewhat dissipated from the scene. But now he's back

It is good to see Denis Leary back in action in Fox's holiday-themed comedy mini-series ‘The Moodys’, after all, it's been a while, hasn't it? Leary has been missing from the screen -- any screen.

A 2003 Independent profile of the actor described him as “foul-mouthed, foul-tempered and fiercely funny”. And that has forever been Leary’s brand; he is, after all, the man who famously satirized the American “virtue” of being an a**hole through a memorable song.

Leary plays the role of Sean Sr., the patriarch in a dysfunctional Chicago family. He’s gruff, he cool and he’s caring. He may no longer be the edgy comic he used to be, but he is still there and he is still funny. 

In a recent interview with USA Today, the 62-year-old comic said, “There's an overwhelming number of traditional Christmas stories that are a little soft-centered and twee and saccharine. That's never been my cup of tea when it comes to Christmas movies. I like things that have a little more edge because I think it's a more realistic portrayal of what we all go through. Everybody always has the best-laid plans when it comes to Christmas and there's always a wrench that gets thrown into the works, at least in my family experience.”

And that really explains the appeal of the show. Unlike the usual schmaltz-fest that is Yuletide content aired on TV and silver screens, ‘The Moodys’ focuses on the angst of family reunions, with a son who is going through a breakup, another son who is mostly a waste of space and a daughter who is also going through a phase of turmoil in her relationship. There are a number of colorful characters in the show -- and Jay Baruchel’s Sean Jr. takes the cake -- but a good old disdainful Leary is always a welcome event.

It's been a while since the actor has been seen in a comedic role, even if you count his role as Diego the sabretooth tiger in the animated 'Ice Age' series. His particular brand of sullen and arrogant comedy too has somewhat dissipated from the scene.

While there may be many reasons for that -- one of them being the growing distaste for the caustic-yet-smug white man trope -- Leary makes it almost likable. The actor who almost played the titular role in David Shore's Sherlock Holmes-based medical procedural 'House M.D.', like Hugh Laurie, doesn't drive one away with his gruffness.

Instead, it's one of those things that have a very familiar feeling to it, which makes it endearing. 'The Moodys' may not be the best thing you can watch on TV during the holidays. But Denis Leary definitely makes it worth a shot. 

Episode 3 and 4 of the show will air on Fox December 9 at 9 p.m. ET.