Honestly, if you missed out on The Mick during its two-season run on FOX, you missed some of the most unhinged, "how did they clear this with legal" television of the late 2010s. It was basically It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia but with a bigger budget and higher stakes because children were involved. And while Kaitlin Olson was the obvious draw, the real secret weapon was Chip from The Mick.
Played by Thomas Barbusca, Chip Pemberton wasn't just another bratty rich kid. He was a specific kind of disaster. He was the middle child of the Pemberton family—a group of Greenwich, Connecticut blue bloods whose parents fled the country to avoid the FBI. Left in the care of their degenerate Aunt Mickey, the kids were basically feral, but Chip was the one who thought he was the alpha.
He wasn't.
The Weird Genius of Chip Pemberton
There is something deeply hilarious about a thirteen-year-old boy who carries himself like a 50-year-old hedge fund manager. Chip was perpetually dressed like he was heading to a country club brunch, even when he was getting his life ruined by Mickey’s terrible advice. Barbusca played him with this frantic, high-pitched arrogance that felt both irritating and oddly vulnerable.
You've probably seen the clips. Chip trying to act "hard" to impress a girl, or Chip getting absolutely wrecked by a pony. One of the most iconic (and weirdly disturbing) storylines involved Chip realizing he wasn't actually a Pemberton by blood. It was a twist that could have been heavy, but in the world of The Mick, it just became another reason for Chip to have an identity crisis.
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He was essentially a mini-Dennis Reynolds. The ego? Massive. The actual capability? Non-existent.
Why the Character Actually Worked
Most child characters in sitcoms are either "the smart one" or "the cute one." Chip from The Mick was neither. He was a delusional social climber. He desperately wanted the respect of his peers at his elite private school, but he lacked the social awareness to realize everyone thought he was a tool.
I think the reason fans still talk about him—and why he shows up in so many TikTok edits—is because he was a "punching bag" character you didn't feel bad for. When Mickey tricks him into thinking he's a "wolf" in the episode The Wolf, and he ends up looking like a total creep, it’s funny because Chip’s entitlement is so dense. He thinks he deserves the world just because his last name (used to) mean something.
Thomas Barbusca: The Actor Behind the Ego
It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing this role. Thomas Barbusca has a very specific "look"—the red hair, the smirk, the ability to look incredibly insulted at any given moment. Before The Mick, he was that kid from the Geico "Peter Pan" commercial, but this role allowed him to go full-tilt into character comedy.
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Barbusca has talked in interviews about how much he learned from Kaitlin Olson. You can see her influence in his physical comedy. He does this thing where his whole body tenses up when he’s angry, which makes him look even smaller and more ridiculous. It's a masterclass in playing a character that the audience is supposed to love to hate.
The Dynamics of the Household
Chip wasn't acting in a vacuum. His relationships with the other characters defined his brand of crazy:
- Mickey: She was the worst influence possible. She didn't try to "fix" Chip; she usually exploited his insecurities for her own gain or just to shut him up.
- Sabrina: His older sister who actually had the brains he thought he had. Their sibling rivalry was vicious.
- Ben: The youngest, who was essentially a tiny psychopath in the making. Chip often tried to mentor Ben, which was like the blind leading the blind into a woodchipper.
- Jimmy: Mickey's "boyfriend" who Chip viewed with total disdain, despite Jimmy occasionally being the only person who treated him like a regular kid.
What Most People Get Wrong About Chip
Some viewers dismissed Chip as just a "jerk." But if you watch the series back-to-back, you see a kid who is deeply traumatized by his parents' abandonment. He clings to his "Pemberton" status because it’s the only thing he has left. When that gets stripped away, he’s just a lost kid in a tailored blazer.
The show was canceled way too soon. Season 2 ended on a massive cliffhanger with Sabrina getting struck by lightning (seriously), and we never got to see how Chip would have evolved in a potential Season 3. Would he have finally humbled himself? Probably not. And that’s why we loved him.
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How to Channel Your Inner Chip (The Good Parts)
While you definitely shouldn't try to frame your principal for crimes or act like a "wolf" at parties, there are a few "Chip-isms" that are actually useful in the real world:
- Confidence is 90% of the battle. Even when Chip was wrong (which was always), he said it with his whole chest.
- Dress for the job you want. Even if that job is "unemployed heir to a fraudulent fortune."
- Find a mentor. Maybe just don't pick your degenerate aunt who lives in your guest house and drinks your parents' expensive scotch.
If you’re looking to revisit the chaos, the best way is to go back and watch the "The Master" or "The Wolf" episodes. They perfectly encapsulate why Chip was the breakout star of a show that deserved five more seasons.
To really understand the brilliance of the character, pay attention to Barbusca’s facial expressions when he’s not talking. The sheer look of disgust he gives to anything "middle class" is a work of art. It's rare to see a young actor commit that hard to being unlikable, and that’s exactly why Chip remains a cult favorite in the world of TV comedies.
Practical Next Steps for Fans
If you're missing the Pemberton energy, your best bet is to catch the reruns on Hulu or Disney+. Since the show ended in 2018, the cast has moved on to other projects, but the DNA of The Mick lives on in shows like It's Always Sunny and The Righteous Gemstones (where Barbusca also makes an appearance).
Check out Barbusca's later work in the movie Incoming or the series Chad to see how he’s evolved as an actor while still keeping that signature comedic bite.