Search - Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season on DVD

Janice W. from CORP CHRISTI, TX
Reviewed on 5/19/2013...

I loved it... I was a late comer to the series so it gave me a back round into the later seasons.

Marianna S. (Angeloudi) from HOLIDAY, FL
Reviewed on 7/8/2009...

This is a wonderful show with a big complicated family of adult children who find out that their businessman father carried on an affair with a woman for 20 yars and had another child with her. Sally Field is the matriarch of this crazy bunch, which includes a drug addict son, a gay lawyer son, a Republican political pundit, and several impossibly handsome supporting characters.

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Welcome to the Family

T. Stewart | Santa Cruz | 08/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Somehow over the last couple of seasons ABC has climbs its way up the network latter from the #5 position right to # 1 thanks in part of hits such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Lost." Trying desperately to cash in on their success, ABC greenlite over 12 pilots last year including "Ugly Betty" and yes, "Brothers and Sisters." I initially tuned into B&S because it aired directly after "Desperate Housewives" and starred Rachel Griffiths (of "Six Feet Under" fame), but something very interesting happened. Over the course of several weeks I found myself not watching "Desperate Housewives" but never missing a single episode of B&S.

The show (kinda like "Six Feet Under" in some fashions) follows a very weathly/affluent Southern California family as they deal with the death of their patriarch. Over the last decade as the siblings in the family aged from their late teens, to early thirties (and further apart with each year) and thus are almost strangers to one another. But as fate would have it, tragedy strikes and they are forced to bond together, for the first time in decades. Sarah, the oldest, is in charge of continuing the family business despite her brother Tommy working for their father for the better part of a decade. Kitty, forshaking her family for a political career as a democrat after 9/11 (her entire family is republican) comes home in an attempt to smooth-over familial problems, despite not speaking to her mother, Nora, in over 5 years, after she convinced the youngest family member, Justin to join the army in response to the 9/11 attacks; her only alley being the middle brother, Kevin.

The entire first season basically follows the Walker family as they try to move-on with life after the death of their father/husband and the repercussions of the life he lived. Several mysteries are presented surrounding his death including millions missing from corporate accounts, old lovers coming back, and potential bankruptcy for the family. But the family powers through these dramas, and many bonding, bonding themselves back to being as tight-knit (if not more) as they were growing up.

Personally I find this series engaging because while its dramatic, it never takes itself too seriously and allows for several very hilarious episodes to be introduced into the mix of drama. Additionally it takes the series no time at all to get going. While many new shows take 13, sometimes 25 episodes to get their feet wet, `Brothers and Sisters' is off and running almost from the pilot. Included in this DVD is all 23 episodes on 6 discs with Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary, Interviews with the Cast, Set tour, several futurities, as well as the original pilot episode featuring different actors in many key parts."

One of the few bright spots of modern television

John Jones | Chicago IL | 08/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Somehow this show originally escaped my radar - then I was talking to a friend about a song from one of the "Ally McBeal" soundtracks and she said, "have you seen the new show with Calista? And Rachel Griffiths from 6 Feet Under? And Sally Field and Patricia Wettig?" I went home that night, set a TIVO season pass, and was relieved to find all the full-length, previously-aired episodes on ABC.com. Soapy? A bit. Addictive? Definitely!

Some actors and their stories, like the brother and his wife trying to conceive, aren't the most mesmerizing...but overall this is a show you can easily get addicted to. Just the right amount of drama and humor to keep it from being a one-note affair, and the parade of guest stars (Meredith Baxter, Marion Ross, Susan Sullivan and Rob Lowe, who's technically credited as Special Guest Star for this season) is icing on the cake. I'm anxious for the new season to begin...and I can't remember the last time I said that about a series that wasn't on HBO!"

Great new drama

Lisa Verson | Dayton, OH | 09/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I knew I was going to like this show the minute I found out that Sally Field and Rachel Griffiths (who is nominated for an Emmy this year for her performance) were going to star in the show. I didn't really know much about the other actors except for Calista Flockhart (from Ally McBeal fame) and Tom Skirrit (who is only in the pilot and then featured in a few other episodes). They all do a fabulous job if you ask me.

The show is basically centered around the Walker family with Sally Field playing the matriarch Nora Walker. Then you have her two daughters, Kitty (Flockhart) and Sarah (Griffiths) and her three sons, Tommy (Balthazar Getty), Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Justin (Dave Annable). Of course, each family member has his or her share of problems, just like any family. Patricia Wettig is also a part of the ensemble, portraying Holly Harper the woman who probably has the biggest secret of all...and she isn't even related to the family...not biologically anyway. Emily VanCamp joined the show later in the season, playing a mysterious character, Rebecca...all we knew from the beginning was that she was Holly's daughter. And then you have Rob Lowe who also joined mid-season playing Republican Senator Robert McCallister which is kind of ironic because when he was on The West Wing, he played a Democrat who basically despised the Republicans. Nice change of pace for him though.

All in all, this is a great new series from ABC. I like the fact that it follows my other favorite show Desperate Housewives. If you like DH, chances are you'll like Brothers & Sisters as well."