The Dangerous Book for Boys (Amazon 2018, Chris Diamantopoulos)

The Dangerous Book for Boys is a family show inspired by the book of the same name written by Conn and Hal Iggulden, that will resonate with children and adults of all ages. An Amazon Studios production with Sony Pictures Television and Moonshot Entertainment, Cranston and Mottola created the series and wrote the first two episodes with Mottola directing. Glouberman serves as showrunner of the series.

The series follows the McKenna family, as they cope with the untimely passing of Patrick (Chris Diamantopoulos), their patriarch and a whimsical inventor who touched the lives of everyone who knew him. His death has left the family reeling, but hope appears in the form of a book called The Dangerous Book for Boys that Patrick created as a handbook to help his three sons.

The book is a how-to guide for childhood that inspires fantasies for his youngest son, Wyatt (Gabriel Bateman). While in his fantasy world, Wyatt reconnects with his father and learns life skills that help him navigate the real world. The series also stars Erinn Hayes (Childrens Hospital) as Beth, the matriarch of the family who is trying to raise her boys as a single parent. Drew Logan Powell (Rockaway) and Kyan Zielinski (The Lunchbox Brigade) play the other sons, Dash and Liam, and Swoosie Kurtz (Mike & Molly) plays the grandmother, Tiffany.

Chris Diamantopoulos also plays the role of Terry, Patrick’s twin brother. The book, on which the series is based, is a guide on how to navigate childhood, offering advice to boys on a wide variety of topics including fishing, building a tree house, histories of famous battles and other childhood touchstones. Cranston and Mottola created the series inspired by the British best-selling novel of the same name.

production details
Country: USA | Amazon | 6 episodes
Release Year: 2018

Bryan Cranston as Creator and Executive Producer
Conn Iggulden as Original Author
Greg Mottola as Creator and Executive Producer
Hal Iggulden as Original Author
James Degus as Executive Producer
Michael Glouberman as Executive Producer

cast
Chris Diamantopoulos as Patrick/Terry
Drew Logan Powell as Dash
Erinn Hayes as Beth
Gabriel Bateman as Wyatt
Kyan Zielinski as Liam
Swoosie Kurtz as Tiffany

EPISODE GUIDE
1 – How To Walk on the Moon | Airdate: 2018-03-29
As the McKenna family struggles to express their feelings about the loss of Patrick, Uncle Terry, Patrick’s twin brother, reappears in their lives. The boys are given The Dangerous Book for Boys, and Wyatt soon finds himself caught up in vivid fantasies inspired by it, and must navigate both a mission to the moon and his family’s emotions.

2 – How to Play Poker | Airdate: 2018-03-29
As Beth struggles with the family’s rapidly deteriorating financial situation, Tiffany and Uncle Terry try to help out in their own unique ways. Wyatt, meanwhile, travels from the Old West to the Poker World Championship as he learns the importance of when to be honest and when to bluff.

3 – How to be an Explorer | Airdate: 2018-03-29
With both his mom and his teachers concerned about him, Wyatt is sent to a therapist, where he struggles with the idea that he might be crazy. Meanwhile, Beth tries to keep the family’s spirits up at all costs, and Liam, to Dash’s delight, finds himself under a troublesome hex.

4 – The Trojan War | Airdate: 2018-03-29
As money problems deepen, Beth attempts to earn extra income by working as a rideshare driver. Wyatt, wanting to help out, opens a lemonade stand. When Liam and Dash get involved, it quickly leads to an all-out lemonade war with a competing stand.

5 – How to Talk to Girls | Airdate: 2018-03-29
After Wyatt flames out trying to talk to his fifth grade crush, he turns to Patrick and The Dangerous Book for help on how to talk to girls. Meanwhile, Dash and Terry attempt to bond over a video game, and Liam finds unexpected help with his shop class project.

6 – How to Build a Treehouse | Airdate: 2018-03-29
Beth kicks Uncle Terry out of the house after his well-intentioned project yields damage to the McKenna home. With a bedroom damaged and the entire family unraveling around him, Wyatt wonders if he might be better off alone.