When “UnPrisoned” debuted last year it felt like a comedy, albeit one with dramatic undertones. But midway through the season the show subtly shifted into a family drama examining vital societal issues, with a comedic sensibility. The series, created by Tracy McMillan, stars Kerry Washington as Paige Alexander, a relationship therapist and single mom, and Delroy Lindo as her father, Edwin, newly released from federal prison and determined to finally do the right thing in life.
It costars Faly Rakotohavana as Paige’s introverted teen son, Finn. The other crucial character is Little Paige (Jordyn McIntosh), the boisterously candid younger version of Washington’s character who occasionally pops up with frank and often profane commentary and advice. The pivotal episode in terms of tone and outlook came when Edwin took Paige and Finn from their comfortable Minneapolis home to rural Alabama in search of his birth certificate, dredging up America’s horrific history of racism and Edwin’s traumas along the way.
Advertisement The second season, which lands on Hulu on July 17, continues in this vein — John Stamos guest stars in the opening episode as a therapist with radical ideas. While he at first seems like a typical sitcom wacky counterpoint to Paige, his scenes become emotionally revelatory for Paige and Edwin. The father-daughter relationship is based on real life, says McMillan, who is both a TV writer with credits from shows like “Mad Men” and “Necessary Roug.