BROTHERS & SISTERS General Thoughts
Posted by: Ducky in ABC, Brothers & Sisters, Ducky Does TVWhile I don’t know that I find the quality or the level of engagement as strong this season, I have to say that there is no denying that the cast of Brothers & Sisters is one of the best on television.
I don’t know when the show decided that the Justin back from war storyline and his previous drug addiction would become the central focus this season but I have to say that I hope it disappears quickly. It’s cliche and it really only can be played so many ways with so many family members before they’re rehashing the same scenario week after week. We get it, war is hard, drug addiction is bad. So is the insufferable browbeating of the issues. I really thought Berlanti and his team were better than this, I can only hope that the bigger picture makes itself more clear in the near future.
On a positive note, David Annable has surprisingly stepped up his acting game. He was the weakest link in the cast last season but I feel that with the scenes he’s been given so far this year, he’s dead on. Getting in a tub naked was a plus, I won’t lie…
Tonight we finally met McAllister’s ex-wife Courtney who’s being played by the always wonderful Marin Hinkle and by the end of her first scene with Rob Lowe, I wanted more of them together. The animosity and the hurt was so well played and so genuine that I’d love to see how work toward a peaceful resolution.
Lastly, Balthazar Getty is working his ass off this season. The acting is so much less cardboard and the delivery so much less stoic…
Oh and is it me or is Calista getting uglier in each episode? Is Emily Van Camp’s face fuller than usual? Matthew Rhys getting sexier. Love that man. And TEAM SCOTTY in the house!
Entries (RSS)
October 14th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
HA! I thought I was the only person bothered by Calista. For me, she is the weakest link but that may be because I don’t ‘heart’ her. Still love the show, but I agree with you, move on from the Justin suffering already. I want to see how they handle the impending affair between Getty’s character and the new chick. At first I was thinking he might make a run for Olin’s wife — but that would be a little melodramatic. Should be interesting.
October 15th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I’m not bothered by the Justin-in-Pain story line. I think it’s an interesting concept - what would you do if you were a drug addict and needed to take pain killers because of an accident or surgery?
It hits close to home for me because I have gone through two major back surgeries and had to take major painkillers afterwards, and then had to deal with withdrawl when I didn’t need the drugs anymore (withdrawl = NO FUN!!). It was much easier for me to stop than the average person because I don’t like the fuzzy feeling they bring to my brain. I don’t like that they mask emotions etc. But I know for many people this is the exact reason they get addicted.
Anyways, I find it easy to place myself in Justin’s shoes thinking “What if I had to have my second surgery, but had become severly addicted to the painkillers the first time. Would the fear of addiction stop me from having a surgery I needed? Would the fear of addiction make me want to grin and bear the pain like Justin is afterwards?” I’m greatful these are decisions I didn’t have to make.
I don’t really see it as an issue of ‘war good/bad’ ‘addiction good/bad’- I see it more of ‘how does a family deal when having to watch one of their own go through horrible pain?”. My mother really feels a connection to this story-line because of having to watch me go through all of my pain. That feeling of helplessness when you have to watch your child go through something unpleasant - one of the hardest things on a parent.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Ha. my friend said the same thing about Calista as we were watching.
Go team Scotty!
I didn’t think Dave was that bad last year as Justin though, so Ive constantly been impressed by him. Or “impressed by him”.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Scotty is cute and all, but he can’t beat Reverend Boyfriend. Sorry.
Is Viva Laughlin cancelled yet? Pretty please? I want more “Eric Winter just out of the shower” scenes.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Oh. I never said that Reverend needs to leave. I just said to bring Scotty back!
Hmm.. Scotty… Reverend… Kevin…