Watch No Ordinary Family
- TV-PG
- 2010
- 1 Season
-
6.9 (16,834)
No Ordinary Family is a superhero-centered family drama series that aired on ABC from 2010 to 2011. The show revolves around a once-ordinary American family called the Powells, who gain superpowers after a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest during a family vacation. The show's tone is a mix of light-hearted comedy and serious drama, as the family deals with the ups and downs of their newfound abilities and the consequences that come with them. The patriarch of the family is Jim Powell, played by Michael Chiklis, who is best known for his role as The Thing in the Fantastic Four films. Jim is a police sketch artist who is struggling to keep his family together, as he is often absent from home due to his work. After the plane crash, however, Jim gains incredible strength, invulnerability, and the ability to leap great distances in a single bound. With his new powers, Jim becomes a superhero and begins to fight crime in his hometown of Pacific Bay. Jim's wife, Stephanie, played by Julie Benz from Dexter, is a successful research scientist who, after the plane crash, gains the ability to move at superhuman speed and process information at an incredible rate. She struggles to balance her new powers with her research work, and also tries to help Jim with his superhero duties. Their two teenage children also gain powers from the crash. Their son, Daphne (played by Kay Panabaker), can read minds, which causes her to have trouble forming relationships with her peers. Meanwhile, their son JJ (played by Jimmy Bennett) gains the ability to instantly learn any skill or knowledge after seeing it once. With his incredible abilities, JJ becomes a genius inventor, creating gadgets and weapons to help his family in their superhero endeavors. Throughout the course of the show, the Powells face a variety of challenges, both super-powered and mundane. They discover that they are not the only ones who have gained powers from the Amazon crash, and are often targeted by people who want to exploit or eliminate them. They also face the everyday problems of being a family, such as marital difficulties, teenage rebellion, and the struggle to balance work and personal life. Aside from the main cast, No Ordinary Family features a variety of guest stars, including Lucy Lawless from Xena: Warrior Princess, Tricia Helfer from Battlestar Galactica, and Anthony Michael Hall from The Breakfast Club. The show also boasts talented writers and directors, such as Greg Berlanti from Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, and Jon Harmon Feldman from Dirty Sexy Money and Blood & Oil. Overall, No Ordinary Family is a unique blend of sci-fi, action, and family drama, with relatable characters and exciting plotlines. While it only lasted for a single season, the show has garnered a cult following and remains a beloved entry in the superhero television genre.