Russ Skokie

Russ Skokie arrives back into his ex-family's life under the worst possible circumstances: his son has been killed, and he is estranged, broke, and uncertain of his welcome. A recovering gambler trying to make himself useful, he hovers at the edges of grief he's not sure he's earned, wanting back in.

Timothy Hutton plays Russ as a man perpetually apologizing without saying so, all soft voice and averted eyes, trying to be needed by people who have every reason to shut him out. The show never lets his remorse curdle into self-pity, and Hutton finds real dignity in his quiet, halting attempts to simply show up.