Rating: TV-14
Starring:
Dave Annable as Justin Walker
Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker
Balthazar Getty as Tommy Walker
Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon
Sarah Jane Morris as Julia Walker
John Pyper-Ferguson as Joe Whedon
Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden
Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper
Sally Field as Nora Walker
Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker
Kerris Dorsey as Paige Whedon
Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon
Rob Lowe as Robert McCallister
Special Features:
Bonus Episode: A Different View of the Walkers
Walker Family Tree: The Story Behind the Making of the Compelling New Series
Behind the Scenes With the Brothers — Exclusive Set Tour sith Stars Balthazar, Dave and Matthew
The Family Business — Meet the Olins, the Real Family Behind the Success of this All-New, Popular TV Family
Bloopers
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary
Other Info:
Widescreen (1.78:1)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Running Time: 988 Minutes
Synopsis:
The following is from the DVD 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.
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 and Sisters.’ Experience every episode of Season One, including exclusive, in-depth bonus material, in this six-disc DVD set.”
“Brothers and Sisters: The Complete First Season” is rated TV-14.
Mini-Review:
You’d be hard pressed to find a TV series I am less interested in. It features Sally Field and Callista Flockhart in a soap opera-like plot. It features mother and daughter characters fighting continuously. It features conservative and liberal siblings in constant political battles. It features a token gay character, the typical married couple on the verge of divorce, a token Iraq War veteran, the stereotypical mistress, etc. etc. etc. It was like they threw together every type of plot device, character type, political view, and profession into one family to create this new TV family. The final result is a mish-mash of ideas that don’t really fit neatly together. “Brothers and Sisters” does have a strong cast, but the characters annoyed me to death. I wanted to take every last one of them and slap them around. In short, this wasn’t a series for me.
I’d only recommend “Brothers and Sisters” to people who enjoy large ensemble dramas aimed at women. Everyone else should just pass on this.
There is a pretty generous offering of bonus features here. Most of the extras are your usual items like a “making of” featurette, a tour of the set, commentaries, deleted scenes, and bloopers. You’ll also find a bonus episode and an interesting featurette on the Olin family. The Olins family members are the director, writer, and two of the actresses on the show.
