Created by Rob Lowe, his son and co-star John Owen Lowe and “Better Off Ted” creator Victor Fresco, “Unstable” is an adorable workplace comedy that’s odd enough to feel fresh and traditional enough to feel good.
To almost prove a point central to the series, in which a famous father overshadows, overpowers and otherwise steals focus from a less outgoing son, let me ask: Who does not love Rob Lowe? At a spookily youthful 59, he’s the veteran of a varied career, in which the person and the parts often seem to mingle. Listening to his excellent interview podcast, “Literally!” (a title echoing his “Parks and Recreation” catch phrase, drawn from Lowe’s own habitual use of the word), is not substantially different from watching him act.
His hallmarks are energy, confidence and looks so good they seem like a parody of handsomeness. They are qualities he can turn to various ends, shading confidence into narcissism, making the energy inspiring or exhausting as the situation demands, though such is his appeal that even when his characters are taxing, they remain charming.
