Disappoint your dad with another tie? Here’s our guide to this summer’s batch of terrible kids.
Matt, “Falling Skies’” (Sunday, 10 p.m., TNT) Newly elected President Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) has enough on his plate with a whole new city to defend — and although electricity is a welcome addition, he also has to figure out how to unite the humans with the current alien overlords so they can prevent the new alien overlords from taking over. It’s not like he has a rock-solid relationship with his middle son Ben (Connors Jessup), who is still a little bitter about that trilobite contraption being removed from his spine, or oldest son Hal (Drew Roy), the former good son who’s slowly turning to the dark side. But he could always depend on youngest son Matt (Maxim Knight) for a little hero worship. But now that Matt has gotten a taste of “normalcy” —going back to school, getting a baby sister who may or may not be a genius — he can’t seem to help blowing things up.
Sally Draper, “Mad Men” (Sunday, 10 p.m., AMC) When your father is Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the bar should be set pretty low for being considered “good,” especially when dad has already left the back door to his apartment open this season, thereby allowing a burglar to break in and hold his kids hostage. But in this daddy’s warped brain, there could be no worse betrayal than his teenage daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka) walking in on him and his mistress (Linda Cardellini) having sex, and then holding it over him. After all, he did say the equivalent of “We’re cool, right?” So what’s the problem?
Danny, “Magic City” (Friday, 9 p.m., Starz) Mobbed up hotelier Ike (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who looked even better in Friday’s premiere than he did in the freshman season) was hauled off to jail in the first season ender, but don’t expect his time in the slammer to make his sons suddenly appreciate all the strings he pulled to get them where they are today. But you should expect that out of power-hungry playboy Stevie (Steven Strait), who’s ambition and sex drive has always made his loyalty to Ike questionable, and now that he’s tangled up in the seedy world of kingpin Ben Diamond (Danny Huston) and his wife, Lily (Jessica Marais). But good son Danny (Christian Cooke) is the bigger disappointment as he now assumes the worst of his dad and considers teaming with Evans family nemesis State Attorney Jack Klein (Matt Ross). The cold shoulder Danny gave his recently sprung dad at the end of the premiere was icy even for the regularly stoic son.
Bay and Toby, “Switched at Birth” (Monday, 8 p.m., ABC Family) Politician dad John Kennish (D.W. Moffett) isn’t exactly the model father — after deaf daughter Daphne (Katie Leclerc) was robbed last season, the hotheaded papa sold off her food truck without discussing his decision with either of her moms. But in his defense, he does have a campaign to run and seemingly two families to support. His two original kids, Bay (Vanessa Marano) and Toby (Lucas Grabeel), have always erred on the bratty side, despite having every opportunity that Daphne didn’t get. And now his teenage son is pressing on with his engagement, and Bay has reversed last season’s minor strides in maturity to once again one wear the crown as the whiniest poor little rich girls on TV. And on top of all that, the only child everyone wants, sweet Daphne, has been reclaimed by Regina (Constance Marie), who returned from rehab in last week’s season opener.
Savannah’s baby, “Mistresses” (Monday, 10 p.m., ABC) Can an embryo already be called a bad kid? Because you know that Alyssa Milano’s Savi and Dom’s (Jason George) one-night stand got her pregnant, and that hubby chef Harry (Brett Tucker) will be elated to have a bun in the oven right up until the little one comes out a lot darker than the towheaded Aussie could possibly produce.
Tyrion, “Game of Thrones” Deliciously devious son Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) got a shock in last week’s finale when the family patriarch (Charles Dance) told him the only reason he didn’t throw him into the sea was because he was a Lannister. It’s worth tracking down the scene just to see the chink in Tyrion’s armor — and Dinklage’s Emmy reel material. Happy Father’s Day.