Bernard Berkman

Overview... patriarch of the Berkman family. Bernard struggles, however, to raise two sons (Walt and Frank) while going through a tough divorce with his wife, Joan. Bernard is a college teacher and novelist whose early success is becoming overshadowed by his wife’s recent publication, which was released to critical acclaim. He’s not handling her professional ascension particularly well, which adds to everyone’s stress levels.

Personality… arrogant, intellectual, and worn out. Bernard has a keen disrespect for “philistines,” a term he uses to refer to anyone who isn’t interested in good books or films – including his family’s tennis instructor, who begins dating Joan. Bernard is defined more by what he hates in the world than his actual interests and pleasures. But he definitely loves his children and wants them to grow up just like him – which is something he’s also dreading.