Between books is a great catch-up time and this time I've caught up on some missing television, courtesy of a Christmas gift I'd hidden and then forgotten about. It's Season 1 of Brothers and Sisters. After a weekend marathon I've now caught up on 23 episodes of awesome.
I started watching B&S when it debuted, but a few plot things irritated me and my dh hated it and I missed some episodes etc etc. I'm so glad I gave it a second chance because this time the irritations were smaller--Kitty's lips, Justin's constipated frown, Holly's enunciation, the fact that these successful 30-somethings cannot keep a secret to save themselves and despite their high pressure careers can ALWAYS find time to chat and/or gather at the family home at a moment's notice--and so I was able to swallow the plot stuff in those early episodes. I guess because I was expecting it.
The more I watched, the more I loved the family dynamics and the whole spectrum of grey in the characters. There are no goodies, no baddies, just people who make good and bad decisions and who are all the more real because of the bad ones. It would have been too easy to paint Holly as Evil Other Woman, and the episode where she and Nora had it out (Grapes of Wrath) was one of my favourites. Particularly like that all the drama is character driven, and that the finale didn't succumb to the lure of the cliffhanger. Instead it completed a beautiful arc of Nora's growth. Love that.
Love Sarah, mostly love Kevin, not so much Justin. Tommy we have not got to know (deliberate? I'm wondering if he comes into his own in season 2.) Jury's out on Kitty and that's a bit because of Ally McBeal but also because I'm not quite buying her political brilliance. Maybe if she'd stayed with the Red, White & Blue show, because I loved her snappy banter with Warren. They had chemistry. With Rob Lowe, not so much. Liked him better in West Wing. Together, I just didn't feel it, not like I did with Sarah and Joe. The episode where they broke up, man I just FELT the hurt.
Any other B&S fans in the house? If so, no spoilers. I plan to catch up on season 2 as soon as poss. Am also about to check and see if there's a soundtrack because the music, the songs, also awesome.
Labels: TV
posted by Bronwyn Jameson @ 8:53 PM
