Brothers and Sisters – The Complete First Season
February 28, 2010 by admin · 5 Comments
Studio description
Enter the complex world of the Walkers, and explore what it means to be an American family in the 21st century. Though they live very different and conflicting lives, the Walkers find unity under the family roof. Relationships bend but never break as they strive to find their own identities and embrace each other’s differences. It’s “an encounter to look forward to,” says The Wall Street Journal. Get caught up in one of television’s most reflective and sophisticated dramas. Calista Flockhart, Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Ron Rifkin, Balthazar Getty and Patricia Wettig lead a stellar cast in ABC’s critically acclaimed hit Brothers & Sisters. Experience every episode of Season One, including exclusive, i… More >>
This show is strange as it reels back and forth from superlative to the most abysmal writing/acting on television. We have some brilliant actors, especially Sally Field, Matthew Rhys (a Welshman) and Rachel Griffiths (an Aussie). We have some so-so actors, including the formerly wonderful Patricia Wettig, who is at sea here, and the one-note (anyone for Ally McBeal?) Calista Flockhart. Truly the worst story-line of the season has been devoted to her returning to the Walker abode, her career, her love life. Good actors are better when playing up against better actors; bad actors only advertise how bad they are when in a scene with actors who truly shine. We definitely have some bad actors attached to this show, and the unevenness lowers the calibre all on its own, separate from the writing issues. Also, we had sharply written characters in the first episodes, then the series declined in quality, even becoming burlesque (that ridiculous nonsensical McCallister extended family at the engagement party) towards the end. In-between some true highlights, such as the infamous GAME NIGHT episode: Especially memorable is the cut-throat fury of the Walkers competing against their foes; the dinosaur impression by “Kevin”; and “Kevin’s” introduction earlier that day to “Jason McCallister” – supposedly the new love interest. Not enough time given to “Kevin” and “Jason,” surprisingly, considering how important the relationship is supposed to be, but time spent on a ridiculous “Kitty” kissing the senator in front of the rival family – not even worthy of an old hollywood grade Z film. In the meantime, you have a boring married couple (the eldest Walker son); a couple whose marriage is collapsing (the eldest Walker sibling); the youngest Walker sibling going thru dependency issues and then being sent off to Iraq. This would be more effective if a good actor were playing the part. Actually, the joke on one on-line community is the actor playing “Justin” makes Rob Lowe “the senator” look good in comparison. The show doesn’t seem to have a clear direction; whether to be profound or over-the-top like DYNASTY. It might be better – unless you’re in love with one of the characters/actors – to consider skipping the boxed set in favor of individual episodes to add to your collection. At this point, the box set isn’t released, so I have no idea what the extras will be on the box set, if any.
Rating: 3 / 5
GREAT SHOW! But….Why do we have to see men kissing ? I realy dont like this piped into my living room.
Rating: 4 / 5
I’d give this series NO STARS except I believe that even an egregious piece of dreck must have some redeeming quality or feature. In this case I can’t think of one but I will concede I may be overlooking some aspect of production or…something.
A friend of mine wanted to give this show a try and, having read some positive reviews on this site, I thought it would be a shot. We got through the first DVD and I’ve called it quits. I really don’t want to waste any more of my time on this boring, unengaging crap. At least real network soaps, which are likewise a total waste of time, are laughable and amusing on a sort of low camp, intended level. This is like, what, CBS or ABC’s (or whatever) pathetic attempt at competing with HBO and Showtime? The plotting is really lame, the scripts are even more lame, the pacing to accomodate commercial breaks is annoying (although, granted, somewhat more subtle than in previous decades) and the acting is mundane. Calista Flockhart, who I’ve never seen in anything because, again, I don’t do network schlock, is a big bore. Sally Field is wasted in this mess and must badly need money.
“Brothers and Sisters” REALLY suffers when compared to an exceptional family-themed series like, say, HBO’s “Six Feet Under”. In fact, the comparison is almost apples to oranges. It’s as though ABC or whatever network decided: yeah, let’s do a show about a family in crisis who’s patriarch dies in the first episode, have a lot of sibling conflict, throw in a gay son wno is responsible and keeps things going but has a lousy social life, a prodigal son who isn’t involved in the business, an angry, self-centered matriarch who really loves her children but is screwed up and dealing with her own issues, oh! and let’s get thaactress, what’s her name? Yeah, Rachel Griffiths, who was that show on HBO….and what have you got? “Six Feet Under” without the great writing, great acting, great cinematography AND wonderful originality.
The DVD disk itself was somewhat difficult to navigate. In addition, episode three included a really silly and annoying commentary track I was unable to disable. Therefore I didn’t play the third episode.
If you like network TV fourth-rate knock-offs of first rate cable shows, then by all means buy and enjoy “Brothers and Sisters”. All others of discriminating taste, beware and save your money and your time.
Rating: 1 / 5
Ok let’s be honest, I don’t know WHAT kind of Tv the other reviewers are used to watching, but they are crazy. This show is the CORNIEST show I have seen in a LONG time. The dialogue is average but the scenarios are so lame and predictable. I love Sally Field but her character is ridiculously annoying. I had high hopes for this show since people go on and on and on about how great it is, wrong !
There were times at “dramatic” moments in the plot that I actually laughed uncontrollably b/c the scenes were so over dramatic and overacted. God love sexy Balthazar Getty, but a good actor he is not. lol The reviewer who compared this show to “Six feet under” is on crack. That show actually had interesting plots and twists and was excellent.
God knows why this show is still on the air, but then again Bush got re-elected so we know the C- average citizen is still alive and well. LOL
Skip this one and thank me later !
Rating: 2 / 5
What a breath of fresh air – a blast from the past with the Thirtysomething vibe yet a bit of MTV mockery and nonsense at the same time. Let me begin – you fall in love with an enviable, admirable, desirable family…yet quickly your imagery is shattered. It’s not so much the “family secrets” that is troublesome with the deterioration of the family – it is the overall acceptances of these flaws. For a family to live in perfection for umpteen years and suddenly be okay to SPOILER WARNING – infidelity, children out of wedlock, adultery…it just becomes daunting. Most series drag this out over years – but to see this in the very first season and to see all the characters so “okay” with it – makes me shudder to think – does even the American dream of perfection come with its codicils and expectations of cracks in the foundation? It is a quick crumbling from the first episode to mid season that strikes me as disturbing – and it is the embracing of the dramas that makes me wonder how the writes every portrayed such perfection in the beginning. I truly do love each and everyone of the characters – and I find it shocking that in the first season, there were so many new introductions and departures. I think the writers shoved three years of script into the first season -and now it is a bit lost and discombobulated. It is hard to feel for any solo player in particular, or to have cheerleading emotions towards any one person or couple – everyone is laden with drama, and every scene seems rushed and hurried. There were a great deal of missteps in this first season and to write Justin off to war was a grave mistake – as well as I think writing the “offspring” into the mix was a mistake as well. There is enough ill intended drama with the mistress as it is ….why add a child to the mix? I give it high marks – a five!0 for banter, for casting (FANTASTIC) and a “fabulous” for set design, story telling and musical score…but I find it failing in the sense that some of the storylines could have been played out quite a bit..I wish there wasn’t an offspring in season one – too rushed…I wish the rewards of the mistress wasn’t quite so exorbanant and her role was not so “accepting”…she was a mistress and that should not be downplayed. This is America – let’s stand up for values and not dismiss them because a man could not make a decision. How reducing is that for women across the board? It says that we are conventional to fit certain parameters and maybe two will equate to what a man is seeking in total. Unfair and insulting that it was so accepted in the first season of this show. Sally Field’s character should have never been so accepting – as if the fact that he provided a nice lifestyle justified 20 years of adultery. No one is expecting “all the answers in 60 minutes’…so please don’t give them to us…allow these characters to feel – to be angry, spiteful, remorseful, hateful. Their American Dream was shattered and within the first year they are welcoming what we consider fodder for talk shows into their homes…please don’t tell me the sanctuary of marriage is lost – and the solidarity of family is dependant upon what the “man” though was okay and acceptable. The Walkers should represent strength in family values. There aren’t elongated storylines therefore it doesn’t make any sense to watch the next week – what makes a great story is the anticipation, the heartbeat pause – the wondering of “what will happen next”…and unfortunately, each episode is wrapped up nicely in a blue package and white bow…classic, yet expected.
Rating: 4 / 5