Tim Daly on "Madam Secretary," career and family

Sunday's most-watched scripted series on broadcast television, the CBS hit drama, "Madam Secretary," is now in its second season.

Tim Daly stars as Henry McCord, a professor and husband of the secretary of state, played by Téa Leoni.

The actor joined "CBS This Morning" Friday and discussed the show's uniqueness and appeal to American viewers.

"It portrays a marriage that's actually working and it's dynamic, but this couple's committed to figuring out how to do it and they have problems that I think make it very relatable for people," Daly said. "You know, like kids who are in trouble in various ways and moving and all this busy life and their job, so I think there's something there for everybody, including political junkies."

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Daly's character is prized as the ideal father and husband figure, which Daly said broke the long tradition of the portrayal of men in American television.

"A lot of men come up to me and say, 'Thank God you play someone competent, thank God you're someone who can be left with the children in the house and the whole thing doesn't burn down,'" Daly said.

The political drama also touches on many real-life current events and issues -- with episodes centered on ISIS, nude photo leaks, tensions with Russia and the Cuban trade embargo -- which Daly said were not always drawn from the papers.

"It seems like we do a story and we read about it in the newspaper, so we don't exactly rip it from the newspaper -- we rip it from the future," Daly said, joking that the show's writer, Barbara Hall, has a "crystal ball."

Just like his role as a family man in the hit series, Daly also shares a close bond with his children off screen. He has his own show on YouTube called "The Daly Show" with his son Sam, who is also an actor.

"It's sort of an alternative universe version of our own relationship and it's pure and utter silliness and really a lot of fun," Daly said.

Daly's son has also made an appearance in "Madam Secretary," playing a comical lobbyist for the marijuana industry. Daly also revealed his daughter, Emelyn, has done some acting for the show, which has yet to make it on the show.

On his son and daughter's decision to follow his career footsteps, he admitted that he was not fond of the idea at first. But he said it was flattering.

"I want them to pursue something that makes them happy and you know most people don't quite realize the kind of personality that it takes to withstand a career in this business," Daly said. "People say, 'Should I do this?' and I saw, 'Hey, if you have to ask a question, then no. If you have to do it, then do it. If you don't have to, then try something else.'"

Off the screen, Daly is also friends with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, with whom he attended the White House correspondent's dinner, along with co-star Téa Leoni and former "Face the Nation" anchor Bob Schieffer. The former secretary of state has also made an appearance on the series.

"We had such a funny time because Madeleine is diminutive and an amazing woman, but we got to this barricade, and Madeleine suddenly turned into the incredible hulk," Daly said. "She's like, 'I'm not going to go and stand in line with all those cars, we are going in here.'"

Watch "Madam Secretary" at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday on CBS.