Slezak (2:57:05 PM): Hey, Annie, quick question for ya. Are you going to watch Brothers & Sisters this weekend? I know it loses a big chunk of its Desperate Housewives lead-in, and I know it’s flawed, but I actually really liked the third episode last week.
Barrett (2:57:50 PM): Yes! I did too! I mean, even though Sally Field and Calista’s relationship annoyed me in the first two eps because I thought they were trying too hard, I ended up really digging the sappy ”life and love” lessons they dished out last week.
Slezak (2:59:14 PM): I hear that.
Barrett (3:00:55 PM): ”What kind of love is that?” asked Sally at one point, and I was all, ”I DON’T KNOW, GOOD QUESTION!” I love it when Sally makes me ponder.
Slezak (3:01:34 PM): I love the way every member of Calista’s family tuned in to her talk show, even if they had the volume down.
Barrett (3:02:55 PM): ”Right… let me clean up the kitchen and watch my daughter challenge my beliefs on mute.”
Slezak (3:04:26 PM): You know what else? Brenda is great, too. So glad she’s in a stable relationship now, after everything she went through with Nate.
Barrett (3:05:17 PM): I know, I was going to type out ”I love Rachel Griffiths,” but in my head, I always say Brenda…or ”Bren” as Nate was wont to say.
Slezak (3:06:35 PM): I’m sure Griffiths (pictured) appreciates our typecasting.
Barrett (3:06:50 PM): She loves it.
Slezak (3:07:47 PM): Seriously, though, the sibling dynamic on the showis kind of awesome. It reminds me of my sisters and me — the minuteanyone says ”don’t tell anyone this” it’s like we get a Pavlovianresponse to call each other and dish.
Barrett (3:08:40 PM): The only thing you can depend on is your family.
Slezak (3:08:53 PM): That’s very Sister Sledge.
Barrett (3:09:07 PM): Actually, I was quoting Madonna (for your benefit).
Slezak (3:09:37 PM): OMG, they’re going to revoke my gay card.
Barrett (3:10:41 PM): It must have been a very long week for you to miss a ”Jump” reference.
Slezak (3:12:13 PM): Yes, yes it was.
Barrett (3:12:51 PM): ”Are you ready to jump” back into this convo that was supposed to be about B&S?
Barrett (3:13:09 PM): I CAN HEAR YOU LAUGHING.
Slezak (3:14:25 PM): From down the hall? Um, yes, let’s get back to B&S. Sometimes I can’t tell the bros apart.
Barrett (3:15:01 PM): True, the brothers and the boyfriends ALL LOOK ALIKE.
Slezak (3:16:14 PM): I can sort of tell the gay one.
Barrett (3:16:30 PM): Because you have the ‘dar?
Slezak (3:16:40 PM): Because he’s a better actor.
Barrett (3:17:34 PM): I still get him and the really curly-haired one confused.
Slezak (3:17:59 PM): Calista’s NYC Republican boyfriend is the worst of the clones.
Barrett (3:18:29 PM): He’s so PLASTIC!
Slezak(3:18:51 PM): Balthazar Getty isn’t much better. He has no definedcharacteristics except that break in his one eyebrow. But I like seeinghis fellow Alias alumni, Patricia Wettig and Arvin Sloane.
Barrett (3:19:12 PM): Oh wow, Arvin Sloane was on Alias? What was his character’s name?
Slezak (3:20:01 PM): Snap!
Barrett (3:20:46 PM): Similarly, my mom’s really excited because Patricia Wettig is from thirtysomething. She also hates the way Saul’s nickname is ”Saulie.” Maybe it confuses her with Sally. Can we please start referring to Sally by her character’s name?
Slezak (3:21:40 PM): No! It’s Brenda, Sally, and Calista.
Barrett (3:21:52 PM): 4-eva!
Slezak (3:22:35 PM): Anyway, how do we get everyone to watch this week?
Barrett (3:22:56 PM):Two words: hot junkie.
Slezak (3:23:35 PM): Anyone tell you that you could have a future in marketing?
Why is Calista’s conservative character treated like some kind of an alien by the show? “Look, we’re going to have an intelligent Republican character on our show! Isn’t that weeeeeird?!” Whenever she argues her point of view, it’s written in such a softball manner.
I’m a Democrat who happens to have a lot of conservative friends; they are not only highly eductated, but argue their views quite convincingly. I fear B&S is going to turn Calista’s storyline into an “Awakening to Liberal Consciousness.” I guess you could say I’m a Liberal who’s tired of Conservative-bashing. Of all people, aren’t we supposed to be tolerant of other points of view?
I’m so surprised at how much I like this show. The entire cast is on fire! Really good actors all around. Yes, it is a little confusing to get the male characters in order but I think that will change as the season goes along.
I never saw ALLY MCBEAL or SIX FEET UNDER, but I’m very impressed with how good Rachel Griffiths and Calista Flockhart are on this show. The entire family has great chemistry together, and I have no problem believing they really are brothers and sisters.
Now, if they can only get some color on the show. B&S is giving THE CLASS a run for its money as the whitest new show of the season.
I love “Brothers & Sisters”! It’s a little bit messy, like real people. I also like the fact that the brothers look alike, because they should, because they’re related. Balthazar made me cry when he jumped in the pool. And how about Sally bustin’ it out last week? Damn! And if you think they’re bashing conservatives by making Calista look stupid with her “Canada sent troops to Vietnam” line, then realize that that is a direct quote from Ann Coulter on a Canadian TV interview.
If “Brothers and Sisters” is improving, could it be that the great Greg Berlanti of “Everwood” fame has finally taken over as show runner?
Whenever Sally Field is on screen, she makes me want to cry and then go hug my mom. She has this loving-but-tragic look that makes me want to sob even when she’s just plugging arthritis medicine. The lady’s good.
B&S, like Grey’s, will take some time to find its groove. The raw goods are there though, so I’m looking forward to loving it even more in a few months than I do now — that is, if it’s given the chance to flourish.
I love “Brothers & Sisters” too! My fav relative is (by far) Sarah (that’s Rachael Griffiths or Brenda for all you “Six Feet Under” fans). She is the most stable yet complex of the bunch (and, kinglouieXVIII, she brings some of the color with her illicit flirtation with former co-worker Michael Beach (so glad he’s moved on from Gloria Reuben on “ER”) and the workers at Ojai are multicultural (let’s not talk about the fact they work in the fields of a fruit company)).
Also love how the gay brother and Balthazar Getty look very much alike (they should) although I have to stretch to believe Rachael Griffiths and Calista could be sisters. It’s also totally believable that the gay brother is the perfect one. He’s prolly trying to compensate by being perfect, however, I hope they do show him and Scotty together at some point (let’s not have another Will).
Lastly (this is how much I love this show) I’m starting a Countdown Clock for how long Tommy’s (that Getty’s character) wife can be on the show with no name (did I miss it?) or definable personality other than being very blonde. 3 episodes and counting!
Sigh…why can’t a show be a show without having to add some “colour”? (Yes, I spelled it c-o-l-o-u-r, I’m Canadian.)
Can’t a show *just be* without the rabid concerns of not having any blacks, Latinos, etc. in the cast? I loved Seinfeld, why? Because it was about 4 friends who hung out with each other with no pretense. If a person of colour or different ethnicity was in the episode, (think Ping, Badhu, the guy from the Yankees) it was because they ‘happened’ to cross paths with that person that day and for no other reason. Cripes, enuff with the need for every show on TV to be representative. They don’t practice that on BET.
Sarah, take off the hoodie, put out the cross.
To Junior,
Don’t be a Jacka$$. I hail from Barbados, fool. Why is your automatic assumption that I’m a non-minority?
To Junior,
RE: you comment on Calista’s character/Coulter.
Exactly my point.
This is a great show. More people need to tune in. You defintely need a box of Kleenex next to ya when you watch it. I had the first three eps backlogged on my TiVo but finally got around to watching them, and besides Ugly Betty this is one of the best new shows this year.
RG looks like a REAL WOMAN. THanks!
Sarah, BET is a reaction to the fact that TV shows aren’t always that representative. What would TV look like without BET? Sometimes it even seems there are more white Canadians on American TV than American minorities!
Sarah: Because when a show is trying to be a relastic drama, it needs to be representative of our culture. You’re telling me that this family who lives in California do not have any friends or even interact with minorities? Why can’t there be an Asian or a Latino who work for their company and whose job description does not include “picking fruit in the fields”.
Junior: You’re right about Rachel Griffith’s spicing it up with her potential lover. And I’m glad that color wasn’t even made an issue. The interesting thing about that storyline is how much quemistry they have together, but the fact that she’s married.
One of the reason why LOST is such a breath of fresh air is the fact that it has one of the most diverse and dynamic casts on television right now. My goodness, they even give the Koreans a chance to have a storyline all of their own.
It’s 2006 people, get with the program!
I love this show too and I am not afraid to admit it!
and six degrees ain’t too bad either!
The print version of EW have been big bullies this fall season. they make me ashamed to like anything.