Actors on The Mick brought to life one of the sharpest sitcoms of the late 2010s. The Mick, which aired on Fox from 2017 to 2018, starred Kaitlin Olson as Mackenzie “Mickey” Murphy, a brash, irresponsible woman who suddenly becomes guardian to her wealthy sister’s three children. The show’s comedy came from the clash between Mickey’s chaotic lifestyle and the privileged, sheltered world of the Pemberton children, and its cast made that clash hilarious. This guide covers the main actors on The Mick, their characters, and where else you may have seen them.
Kaitlin Olson as Mickey Murphy
Kaitlin Olson stars as Mackenzie Murphy, known to everyone as Mickey. Mickey is a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking, street-smart woman from Rhode Island who is suddenly asked to look after her estranged sister’s children when her sister and brother-in-law flee the country to escape fraud charges. Olson, best known as Dee Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, plays Mickey as both selfish and unexpectedly warm: she is a terrible role model who nonetheless fights fiercely for the children in her care. The role was written for Olson’s particular comic energy, and her performance carries the show.
Actors on The Mick: The Pemberton Children
The three Pemberton children are the show’s other engine. Sabrina Pemberton, played by Sofia Black-D’Elia, is the eldest: a sharp, manipulative teenager who initially treats Mickey with contempt but gradually develops a genuine bond with her. Ben Pemberton, played by Jack Stanton, is the youngest, an innocent and often bewildered child whose literal-minded observations provide some of the show’s funniest moments. Chip Pemberton, played by Thomas Barbusca, is the middle child, a snobbish, image-conscious teenager obsessed with status at his elite school. Each child represents a different facet of privilege, and each is gradually, reluctantly humanised by Mickey’s influence.
Actors on The Mick: Jimmy and Alba
Scott MacArthur plays Jimmy, Mickey’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, a well-meaning but dim con artist whose schemes regularly make things worse. Jimmy’s loyalty to Mickey is genuine even when his judgement is not, and his presence gives Mickey a link back to her old life. Alba, played by Carla Jimenez, is the Pemberton family’s housekeeper, the only adult who has consistently looked after the children. Alba is warm, competent and long-suffering, and her quiet exasperation with both Mickey and the children makes her a fan favourite. The dynamic between Alba’s professionalism and Mickey’s chaos is one of the show’s most reliable sources of comedy.
Recurring and Guest Cast
The Mick featured a strong bench of recurring players. Tricia O’Kelley appeared as Mickey’s sister Pamela Pemberton, the wealthy, self-absorbed mother whose flight sets the plot in motion, appearing in flashbacks and later episodes. Laird, the Pembertons’ wealthy neighbour, was played by E.J. Bonilla in early episodes. Guest stars included comedians and character actors from Olson’s circle, and the show made a point of casting performers who could match its fast, abrasive comic pace. The children’s school friends, Mickey’s Rhode Island family, and various authority figures all added to the show’s world.
What Made the Cast Work
The Mick’s cast worked because the central relationships were allowed to develop. Mickey and Sabrina’s rivalry softened into something like mutual respect; Mickey and Ben’s bond became genuinely touching; and Chip’s snobbery was repeatedly punctured by his own insecurities. Olson’s experience in ensemble comedy meant she knew when to dominate a scene and when to let a child actor take the laugh. The show’s writers also trusted the cast with darker, more adult humour than most network sitcoms, and the performers rewarded that trust with committed, fearless performances.
| Actor | Character | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Kaitlin Olson | Mickey Murphy | It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia |
| Sofia Black-D’Elia | Sabrina Pemberton | Skins, The Night Of |
| Thomas Barbusca | Chip Pemberton | Middle School, Wet Hot American Summer |
| Jack Stanton | Ben Pemberton | The Mick |
| Scott MacArthur | Jimmy | The Righteous Gemstones |
| Carla Jimenez | Alba | Desperate Housewives, Raising Hope |
Why the Show Ended
The Mick ran for two seasons and 37 episodes before Fox cancelled it in 2018. Ratings were modest, and the show’s edgy humour made it a difficult fit for network scheduling, but it found a second life on streaming, where its cast performances are frequently praised. Fans continue to campaign for a revival, and Olson has spoken fondly of the role, noting that Mickey was one of the most fun characters she has played.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who played Mickey on The Mick?
Kaitlin Olson, best known as Dee on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
How many seasons of The Mick are there?
Two seasons, totalling 37 episodes, airing from 2017 to 2018.
Who played the Pemberton children?
Sofia Black-D’Elia as Sabrina, Thomas Barbusca as Chip, and Jack Stanton as Ben.
Episode Highlights
Several episodes showcase the cast at its best. The pilot establishes the central bargain of the show: Mickey, who has never wanted children, is suddenly responsible for three of them, and her first instinct is to flee before reluctantly staying. Early episodes mined the contrast between Mickey’s Rhode Island background and the Pembertons’ Greenwich, Connecticut world, with the children horrified by Mickey’s manners and Mickey horrified by their entitlement. Later episodes deepened the relationships: Sabrina’s grudging respect for Mickey, Ben’s innocent trust, and Chip’s slow realisation that his social status is fragile all gave the cast emotional material to play alongside the jokes.
One of the show’s strengths was its willingness to let the children be genuinely difficult. Sabrina is manipulative and cruel in early episodes, Chip is snobbish and vain, and Ben’s innocence is sometimes played for uncomfortable laughs. Rather than softening them quickly, the writers let Mickey’s influence work gradually, which made the moments of warmth feel earned. The cast handled this balance well: Sofia Black-D’Elia made Sabrina’s vulnerability visible beneath the cruelty, Thomas Barbusca gave Chip’s snobbery a nervous edge, and Jack Stanton’s Ben remained the show’s moral centre without becoming sentimental.
The Show’s Humour Style
The Mick’s humour was brasher than most network sitcoms of its era. Mickey swears, drinks and schemes, and the show rarely punished her for it in the traditional sitcom way. Instead, the comedy came from the collision between her world and the children’s: a drug dealer at a school fundraiser, a disastrous charity gala, a family trip that goes wrong in every possible way. The cast’s commitment to this tone was essential. Olson played Mickey without apology, and the younger actors matched her energy rather than shrinking from it. Scott MacArthur’s Jimmy provided a useful counterweight: a man as chaotic as Mickey but without her competence, whose failures highlighted Mickey’s unexpected capability as a guardian.
The show also used its setting well. The Pemberton mansion, with its staff, its school connections and its social rituals, gave the writers a world of privilege to satirise, while Mickey’s Rhode Island family, who appeared in later episodes, reminded viewers where she came from. Alba, as the housekeeper who had raised the children before Mickey arrived, served as the show’s conscience, and Carla Jimenez’s performance ensured that the character was never reduced to a stereotype: Alba is the most competent adult in the house, and everyone, including Mickey, knows it.
Cast After the Show
After The Mick ended, its cast moved on to varied projects. Kaitlin Olson continued her long-running role on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and took on new television leads. Sofia Black-D’Elia appeared in further television dramas, Thomas Barbusca continued working in comedy and film, and Scott MacArthur became a regular on The Righteous Gemstones. The show’s short run has not diminished its reputation: it is frequently cited by comedy fans as a sitcom that deserved more time, and its cast performances are the main reason it is still recommended years later.
Mickey and the Children: The Heart of the Show
What ultimately made The Mick work was the sincerity beneath the jokes. Mickey is a bad influence in almost every conventional sense: she drinks, she swears, she cuts corners and she teaches the children to do the same. Yet she is also the first adult in their lives who is honest with them, who listens to them without condescension, and who shows up when it matters. The cast played this contradiction without smoothing it away. Olson never softened Mickey into a conventional maternal figure, and the young actors never pretended their characters were instantly reformed. Instead, the show found its emotional beats in small moments: Mickey defending Sabrina at school, Ben falling asleep on Mickey’s shoulder, Chip admitting he is scared. Those moments landed because the cast had earned them through two seasons of abrasive, funny, imperfect family life, and they are the reason viewers still recommend the show today.
Watching The Mick Today
New viewers discovering The Mick on streaming will find a sitcom that holds up well. The jokes are fast, the cast is fearless, and the central relationships develop in satisfying ways across two seasons. Watch the pilot to meet Mickey and the Pembertons, then stay for the episodes where the family’s unlikely bonds deepen. It is a short run, just 37 episodes, which makes it an ideal binge: sharp, funny and surprisingly warm, with a cast that deserved a longer stay on television.
Conclusion
Actors on The Mick turned a high-concept sitcom into something warmer and funnier than its premise suggested. Kaitlin Olson’s fearless lead performance, supported by a strong ensemble of young and veteran performers, is the reason the show is still discovered and loved years after its cancellation. For more cast guides, see our Chuck TV show cast guide, our Mentalist TV show cast guide, and our CSI: NY TV show overview.
