(S01E09) If you are looking for the post the correlates to Part I, it isn't there. We have just begun covering Brothers & Sisters, so, I am going to attempt to do two things with this review: Summarize my impressions of the season thus far, and talk about the most recent episode. There will likely be a lot of overlap. I am going to do a brief introduction of all of the main characters here, as well, because there are a lot of them, and it will help us all if we have a reference guide, especially new viewers.
Meet the Walkers. It was so nice of the entire cast and main producer of
William Walker (Tom Skerritt) is the patriarch of the family, and he dies during the first episode. The ensuing fall out from his death provides the set up of he show. Like the father on Arrested Development, he has embezzled millions of dollars from his family company, and now the kids have to clean up the mess.
Nora Holden (Sally Field) is the matriarch, and the glue that holds the family together.
Saul Holden (Ron Rifkin of Alias) is Nora's brother.
Holly (Patricia Wettig of Alias) had a long term affair with William, and bore him a child. Of course, she lied about it and told him the daughter wasn't his, but everybody knows that isn't true. We haven't met the daughter. Yet.
Kitty (Calista Flockhart) is a Republican, TV pundit, who has a tumultuous relationship with Nora, and was Daddy's Little Girl.
Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) just got brought into the company and discovered that Daddy was an adulterous embezzler. She is married, has two kids, and has a soul mate who is not her husband.
Tommy (Balthazar Getty of Alias) is the VP of the company, married to Julia, and infertile.
Kevin (Matthew Rhys) is gay and a lawyer.
Justin (Dave Annable) is a drug addict and Iraqi war veteran.
Treat Williams often appears as a contractor and potential) love interest for Nora.
So far, the show has centered around three basic themes: The Family's Relationships With Each Other; Daddy's Big Mistakes; The Family's Love Relationships with Other People (we won't talk as much about the third in this post because the other two themes vastly outweigh it-- don't your relationships with your mother and siblings take precedence over the relationships you have with your spouse and/or children?)
Nora and Kitty don't get along, because obviously, if Kitty hadn't been a Republican, Justin wouldn't have gone to war and caused Nora so much worry.
Sarah is bossy and generally gets along with everyone, but isn't particularly close to any of the siblings. She mostly hangs out with Kevin and Tommy, though, and they talk about The Business. Sarah first found out about Holly and now knows about the Other Daughter, and is determined not to tell Nora about it. I love Rachel Griffiths, and I have since her appearance in Muriel's Wedding. She is always a pleasure to watch, but this show is a struggle for her so far. She hasn't really found her character yet, hasn't really found her feet. I suspect that if this show continues for a couple of years, we will start to view the actors as more of a family, but so far, they haven't gelled yet. And I don't know whether that is an issue of time, writing, or a little of both. There are just a lot of balls up in the air in every episode, and it's hard to get to know the characters when there are so damn many of them.
This is the first show I have ever seen Calista Flockhart on; I missed all of Ally McBeal. But she is a compelling actress, and her scenes with Sally Field are pretty convincing. They have found their footing and have established a nice, messy, mother/daughter relationship with each other, that is simultaneously hurtful and loving.
I have to admit that read and cackled my way through Heather Havrilesky's review of the show last week in Salon.com. Yet, I find myself watching the show week after week anyway. There are some highly annoying parts of the show, thanks to the stupidity of the writers, and the actors gamely try to get through it anyway: There was a benefit that all of the kids hate that their mother bullied them all into going to anyway. And Holly the Mistress was there, and runs in their circles and hangs out with Saul of all people. Hello? What the hell? Justin has a drug addiction and OD's in one episode and donates sperm, along with Kevin, to help out Tommy in another episode. That is more drama in two or three weeks than I may have had in my entire life.
Then, there is the weekend that everyone insists they can't to up to the Ranch where they spent their childhoods and then one by one, very conveniently, they all end up there together anyway. And stay, cook, bicker, eat, love, laugh, cry anyway. And have sex in embarrassing places, get caught, etc.
On this week's episode, Sarah, Tommy, and Kevin all go on a road trip to try to figure out why their very smart father (who is also an adulterous embezzler) bought a piece of land with the money he stole. It's because he can re-sell it to the Army for twice what they need to pay off his debts! Woo hoo! Screw the Army for allowing their drug addict brother to sign up! And Kitty admits on air that she softballed an interview with a Senator in the hope that he would pull strings to get her brother out of this war that needs "to be re-examined," because she said so. Because we should support it when she says so, and now she doesn't think so anymore. And she.didn't. get. fired. I want that job! Me! Me! Back on the ranch, the siblings have a car breakdown and have to go honkytonk with a bunch of military men, so poor Rachel Griffiths can dance and sing and shoot pool (I am so sorry, Rachel, you deserve better), and Kevin can pick up the one gay army guy in the place. Uh huh.
As I am trying to explain the show, I find that it is one of those things that doesn't actually translate well to the page. It is the opposite of the guy from the dating service who looks fantastic on paper and then guffaws like a donkey and has chronic halitosis in real life. Despite how silly and annoying Brothers & Sisters seems on paper (how do they write this with a straight face?), there is something easy enough (easy=warm? familiar? cozy?) and likeable enough about this family, about their dynamics, about this show to keep me coming back for more every week.
I will continue watching and see if I can figure out exactly what that je ne sois quoi is. When I do? You'll be the first to know.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-20-2006 @ 8:03AM
Ryan said...
Brothers & Sisters has been a pleasant surprise for me this season. I knew I would like Heroes from the get go and I always intended to sample Ugly Betty. With B&S (heh), however, I didn't even want to sample it.
Three weeks had passed by since its premiere when I said "why not?" and I "saw" the episodes I missed. And... I really liked them! I have been watching this crazy family ever since.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 8:30AM
James said...
This show is good. If I'm not mistaken, it's the only show on the networks now that deals with family relationships. Just think how much fun it will be when both Field and Flockhart are nominated for best actress. See where there is a special airing of Boston Legal in B/S timeslot this sunday. Hope they aren't thinking of swapping the two.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 9:30AM
Lizbeth said...
I'm sure the writers aren't stupid. They are just a bit heavy-handed at times. You are right in that they try to pack way too much drama in each week.
I applaud them for making the family messy with lots of issues, but then they try to resolve these issues way too easy and quickly. We're only half way through the season and almost all the BIG ISSUES have been resolved: Kitty and mom are getting along; fertility issues are worked out; no more bankruptcy; Tommy & Justin are getting along.
They could try to pace some of these plot points out or else they are going to keep piling up melodramas too soon and wear the whole concept down.
And for the record, I liked Rachel Griffiths on Six Feet Under, but really can't stand her character on this. It seems likes she's having a hard time connecting with the character as well, since her accent keeps slipping out.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 11:33AM
Vince said...
"Holly (Patricia Wettig of Alias) had a long term affair with William, and bore him a child. Of course, she lied about it and told him the daughter wasn't his, but everybody knows that isn't true. We haven't met the daughter. Yet."
Do you think the daughter maybe Justin's boss and former girlfriend from the hotel he was working at? Now that would be a "family" relationship!
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 11:40AM
dmo said...
Have enjoyed the show...and as much as i don't wanna like Flockhart...and i did watch Ally McBeal.....she is good and always a fresh breath of acting when on the screen.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 12:23PM
Adrienne Gilbreath said...
B&S is the best new show of the season. It's the reason I make sure to clear my schedule for Sunday evenings. I was never a frequent viewer of Desperate Housewives before this season, but with B&S following, I don't miss a week, and I TIVO both.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 1:58PM
Jimmy said...
Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for over the top family drama, but I have really been enjoying Brothers and Sisters. Yeah, I agree with your opinion of the ham-handed approach the writers have taken with some of these episodes, but it's not so bad that I can't really enjoy it. I also think adding Rob Lowe to the cast on a permanent, or at least semi-permanent, basis would be a great decision. He had excellent chemistry with FLockhart is last night's episode.
If I have one gripe it's with the way the yougest brother, Justin, is being developed. The character is just all over the place. Quite frankly, I think the show would be better off if he went back to Iraq and got killed. It would certainly open up a lot of story possibilities for each actor, especially since everyone in the Walker family underestimates him. However, based on the previews, something tells me a miracle will come along that will keep Justin from going back, which would be a very stupid deus ex machina moment.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 7:14PM
MrsEldubya said...
I love this show and didn't think I would. The actors are enjoyable and believable as family members. I grew up watching Buddy on Family and I have always liked this kind of show ever since. I now watch B&S long before I watch Desperate Housewives. I think this is a solid show no matter how silly some of it sounds on paper.
Reply
11-20-2006 @ 9:30PM
tv junkie said...
I love this show! It's the best (and probably the only) relationship drama on tv right now. it's well written and well acted. and i didn't even like Sally Field or Calista Flockhart before, but now i'm such a fan. thanks for finally covering it.
Reply
11-21-2006 @ 11:50AM
Linda said...
I have been waiting for your site to start rehashing this show, and I am glad that you finally are. I love this show. It is my guilty secret show of the season. I am a huge fan of Lost, Jericho, Heroes, and Friday Night Lights. I did not expect to like this show nearly as much as I do, but I got sucked into it, and now find myself looking forward to seeing how this family interacts with each other. Sally Field is wonderful. She is a treasure. She is not over the top ... she is real. I really like the addition of Rob Lowe also. I hope he stays around for a good long while. I think he could be a good match for Calista Flockhart's character.
Reply
11-21-2006 @ 12:01PM
TomB said...
Thanks TVsquad for finally covering B&S. It's one of my favorites this season.
You're right - it sure moves fast! You don't dare miss an episode; you'd probably never be able to catch up. Tommy's sterile and poof! His wife is pregnant in two weeks.
Reply
11-23-2006 @ 1:56PM
Kate said...
Remember the letter they found in the saftey deposit box from the father william addressed to nora? Does anyone know how I can find those words in the letter? Whether someone DVR'd it, or knows where I can find that part of the script, that would be amazing. I lost my dad last January, and when my mom and I saw that episode, she lost it when Nora read the letter. It was as if my dad had written the words exactly for my mother. I would like to frame that letter for my mom for Christmas. If anyone could help me out that would be great. Thanks so much! Happy Thanksgiving! (my email is huff.kate@gmail.com if you know anything!)
Reply
11-24-2006 @ 3:31AM
martias said...
well Jen Creer, i agree with you...
for some reason it almost feels like the writers are almost desperate to garner high ratings....they are piling lots of drama into the lives of these characters.....over stuffing them with irrelevance to be precise.
However that said i think its the brilliant cast that still manages to sustain my attention and interest. Despite the shotcomings in the writing the actors do a mighty fine job with the overcooked material so we keep watching. For instance
i dont know if you watched from the start, if you did you saw how kitty's political views were heavily featured in the show....I liked that...hearing her political battles with the guy she does the Tv show with...they babrely show that anymore...instead they are trying to focus on shocking people with romances and sex!! and i find it a little silly.It wa too soon for Norah to be sleeping around
I dont know....tell me what you think?
And just so you know....i will be reading your column every week and this was a pretty good one!!
Reply
11-24-2006 @ 5:59PM
Cindy said...
I am like everyone else, I enjoy this show! I do agree with most of the comments. Nora is our only problem finding her groove. Her husband also needs more depth in his character. Didn't she leave a corporate job to come to the family business? I missed her reasons for this decision. On one episode she told her husband she left her previous job to spend more time with her family, but the story lines lead you to believe she either had or was on the verge on having an affair with the male friend we occasionally see her talking to. (I must have walked out of the room when this was being explained)
I do love Sally Field and her character! This past week she was absolutely wonderful being the mother of a solider! As the mother of a solider, you can not put into words your feelings and emotions without feeling like you are betraying your son/daughter or feel like you are betraying your country. She hit every emotion on the dot! I found myself sitting on the edge of the chair, crying and agreeing with everything she said. (And come on Jimmy - send him to IRAQ to be killed ????? why not send him to IRAQ and saving someone's life? I promise I will not watch the show again if I have to deal with yet another show of a solider getting killed and after one or two episodes, everyone gets own with their life)
I am enjoying this show tremendously. GOOD JOB!
Reply
11-26-2006 @ 11:42PM
BigT said...
I'll join the chorus here. I look forward to thw show each week. Like many here, I don't think that the writers are likely to win any awards, but the cast sure might. Personally, despite the scripts and the plotlines, I watch because the actors make me "feel" their range of emotions.
Real life isn't a comedy or a drama (at least not all the time), and this cast, with setup from the writers, does a good job of taking you on an emotional rollercoaster each week. If you buy into the general premise of the show, its great entertainment.
Reply
11-27-2006 @ 4:10AM
Carol Thompson said...
I watch Brothers and Sisters every Sunday night at 10:00 PM but Boston Legal is on tonight in it's place. What happened? Wheres' my favorite TV show?
Reply
11-29-2006 @ 1:37PM
SuperDave Smith said...
OK, time for a splash of cold water.
I DID NOT like this show. Too many storylines, too many unlikely situations in one (need I say?) dysfunctional family, and too many predictable "twists" in the plot.
"B&S"? More like "BS" from this viewer.
Reply
12-07-2006 @ 7:40PM
Darlene said...
I have really enjoyed Brothers and Sisters and would like to see a new episode.
Desperate Housewives is still entertaining but it seems to be running reruns.
Reply
1-05-2007 @ 4:20PM
Thomas said...
Wow! I've never tuned in to any episodes of Brothers & Sisters and I've heard all but good things about it and after reading all this I really need to sit and watch an epsiode asap! Brothers & Sisters is nominated for New favorite TV drama at this year's People's Choice Awards. You can cast your votes at http://www.pcavote.com .
Last day to vote is this Saturday, so hurry and get your votes in. I've already voted because I work with the People's Choice Community.
Reply