BROTHERS & SISTERS IS ONLINE

Let me just be honest.  I both loathe and am somewhat afraid of technology.  The modern conveniences that we have come to rely on-- microwave cooking, motorized vehicles, “science” -- all seem a bit crass, and, how can I say this… immoral.  Don’t even get me started on the evils of the information superhighway. 

So when I started here at Brothers & Sisters, I had been PROMISED by the good people at ABC that the dissemination of our show would be a throwback to a simpler time, a time without Tivo, or “webisodes” -- a time when people were actually forced to put their entire lives on hold every Sunday at 10pm and sit down to watch TV.  So what if a child had to get to the hospital, a dinner party, fatigue.  No!  You missed “Light the Lights,” there’d be nothing you could do. 

Our show’s reputation would not be sullied by having episodes “posted” willy-nilly on the interweb.  Furthermore, if you tried to Tivo B&S, we might just change up the title on you – again forcing a certain old-time commitment to this relationship. 

But alas, the dream is over. 

AS OF DECEMBER 25, 2006, ALL BROTHERS & SISTERS EPISODES WILL BE POSTED ONLINE AT ABC.COM.

Merry Christmas.

-- Ben

Loose Change:

Yesterday was gift-giving day around the office and the unrelenting wave of inter-executive obligatory generosity was like some bacchanalian consumerist orgy.  (Ipods, bicycles, pounds and pounds of foie gras.)  That said, we Assistants got some pretty great loot too, including a canvas tote bag from the cast with this hand-crafted note inside:  (uhhh... the pic will be posted tomorrow.)

Comments

[Steve]

NO, NO, NO, NO!!!! I just read on TV Guide Online that the producers are courting Hilary Duff to play Rebecca??!! To quote TV Guide's Michael Ausiello: "I hear they're aggressively pursuing Lizzie McGuire's alter ego, which doesn't exactly fill me with excitement. Of course, I'm still trying to make peace with Emily VanCamp not getting the gig." I agree.... NOOOOOO to Lizzie McGuire!!!!

[will]

LACA: B&S has been renewed for another season, I know that much. Sunday night (7th) is a new episode, then on the following Friday (12th) ABC's re-running the SAME DAMN show (I'm so sorry! "Encore" presentation! Not "re-run"!). Then on Sunday the 14th we get "Sexual Politics" & a new love interest for Kevin.... And I want to see STEAM rising from Kevin's bedroom sheets! Don't cop-out on the skin & sweat & man-to-man action just cause they're 2 guys doing it! And I want emotional connection, too, & male bonding & then more skin! OK, OK, getting carried away, not trying to have B&S duplicate what we all get from the porn experience. But Kevin's ready for sexual adventure & so's the audience.

[stevenscollege]

I hope everyone had a nice christmas & new year and I hope your all enjoying unlimited B&S (it doesnt effect me you can only watch them on ABC.com in America.)I have the broadway cast recording too Will, wow whither your in Britain, America probably mongolia too we all think the same.

[Kong Chang]

Congratulations on getting Rob Lowe for the rest of Season 1!!! This is good news indeed! Got this news from Variety.

Now on to the other casting...why Hilary Duff for Rebecca? I mean, she's really popular with the teenybopper crowds and all, but her acting chops for such a dramatic series as "Brothers & Sisters" is not up to par/standards that I expect from the actors casted for major guest starring roles. Maybe when she's had more experience under her belt in about 5-10 years, but not a good choice. Hopefully, you guys have an alternate actress in mind.

[will]

One heartfelt note to the writers & producers: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't play it safe! Take some chances with the characters (& audience). Let art imitate LIFE & give me those shocks of recognition & not just warmed-over soap opera! (Can't remember the episode...5?...where Kitty & Kevin have a catty little jab-fest at lunch, throwing one-liners off each other at an outdoor restaurant, very much like siblings, real warmth emerged, & all can relate. I think it was an episode you re-ran) Get rid of exposition that slows things down! Just let the characters BE! Sally Field is GREAT when you cut her loose & just let her be the Norah you've created: passionate, slyly funny, open-minded to a fault, opinionated, motherly. yada yada yada. She should've been nominated for a Golden Globe, but she has to have something to PLAY...all comes down to the script. Keep that trademark fresh, funny, fast, boomeranging banter coming! It's one main reason I tune in.

[Lyd]

I would love to hear more about the Whedon children. They are such good actors! Paige is my favorite :)

[Xango Annie]

Good freaking Lord...you can't be serious..the comment that a Republican can't be good looking..ROFLMAO!!!!!! Have you ever looked at Henry Waxman, Harry Reid,Barney Frank, Carl Levin, Joe Biden,Dick "Turban" Durbin, John Francois Kerry, Ted The Red Kennedy, et. al......I expected better.....

[Mandy in Michigan]

Coming from a large family (I have 4 bros and 4 sis's), you'd think I wouldn't want to watch a show about such a large family, since we have our own dramas to deal with. Wrong! I love this show!! Change a few things here and there (the oldest in mine is the addict, and I'm the lesbian, and of course, my Dad never cheated on Mom, nor had a love child) but, you've got our lives. It's amazing how different we all are, considering how we all grew up in the same household, raised by the same parents. And, yet, we are all so similar. Weird. So glad someone thought to put this show together, and kudos to ABC for buying the rights to air it! Love it, love it, love it!!!

[Kong Chang]

If it hasn't been said enough, B&S is back on the right track with the inception of post-New years with "Family Day" episode. It has brought back the dynamic of the bickering family and the loving relationship of each individual. Plus, I hate to say it, but I love Rob Lowe in this series. It was a great casting choice to get him. He plays the perfect role for Kitty's love interest.

And thank you for alluding to Kevin's 3rd love interest to being McAllister's gay brother...now who will the actor be, hmm?

[betty]

What, no new comments from the writers today? After last nights episode, I thought I'd find tons of posts on here today. Well, let me be the first and say, Wow, what a great episode! I was skeptical of Rob Lowe's character (only because I love Warren & Kitty together) but he and Kitty have alot of chemistry too and I see lots of potential for story between these two. Loved the whole episode, laughed out loud a few times! So glad to have a new episode to view!

Umm, what's this about Hilary Duff joining the cast? Kong Chang's last post is the first I've heard about it..I agree that she doesn't seem like a wise choice, but hey, I'm not a writer/tv producer. I'd still love to see Ken Olin written into the show...I'll be waiting.

[will]

Yes. B&S SHOOTS....B&S SCORES! Thank You for letting Kevin argue with such quiet & brooding intensity for gay marriage in his conversations with Kitty last night. Matthew Rhys had such FOCUS in these scenes - this authentic directness - so it didn't come off as another stupid Kitty-Kevin "debate" they always have. He had real investment it seems, like it was actually his life. ("gay marriage" isn't always a political abstraction where people choose sides...) In scenes like this, Matthew R. doesn't just "play gay", he IS gay. It felt right. BRAVO! I had unfounded fears about whether or not B&S would do right by Kevin....I won't doubt you again.

[TomB]

Glad to see B&S up on the internet.

That's INTERNET. Or World Wide Web. Not INTERWEB!!

I know it's a small thing, but it just irritates the hell out of me. Especially comming from a writer. :)

[tassadams]

when is the first season goning to be out on dvd? I am just wondering because i would love to share this show with my family members that can not watch it.

[Janet]

I must say that I am one that is very happy this show is now on-line. My daughter kept telling me how wonderful it is but I get up very early and could not stay up to watch and I already TIVO a couple of other shows at the same time...I just spent the last two days watching all the episodes and I AM HOOKED!! No longer will I be tivoing something else...this is the show I want to see. I can hardly wait until the next one is one. I pray that ABC keeps this one around for a while!!

[sherrylovesapple]

I love this show! My daughter and I were upset as we watched what we thought was the last episode of Brothers and Sisters. Now we look forward to Sunday night TV.
Sally Field was amazing in tonight's episode as she reentered the dating world, I was giggling throughout the scene. Yes Sally we like you, we really like you.
I' have missed Calista Flockheart since Ally McBeal went off the air. She is just as quirky and like-able as Kitty.
I want to give Kevin a big hug. His character is warm and real.
Patricia Wettig does a wonderful job playing the role as Holly Harper the other woman. Patricia is another superb actress that I've missed since the end of her show thirtysomething.
I won't bore y'all any longer, I just wanted to say, ABC thanks for bringing meaningful entertainment back to Sunday evening. P.S, I agree Rob is way to good looking for a republican. :)

[Sandie Wysocki]

What a disappointment! You have now entered the world pressure of showing the gay lifestyle as an alternative. Enough that we knew it and just tolerated it because we enjoyed the great actors but the kissing of two males in lover's lane. How sad that you have ruined yet another series for my daughter and I. We will not tune you in ever again. Congratulations, you've entered the realm of spiritually dead programing once again.

[jay jay]

What happened to the "In case you missed it--Dan and Oscar" portion of the B&S Blog pages? I liked that one!

[Loyal Viewer]

I just have to tell you how much I love Brothers and Sisters and I really hope it has a long life on ABC. I don't watch a lot of network TV -- but I have B&S set to record on my DVR at all times.

Love Sally Field, love Rob Lowe in this, love all of the actors/characters.

Finally, an intelligent and entertaining show. Keep up the great work!

[Ashlee]

I just want to say that Brothers and Sisters is one of my favorite shows.I ''LOVE'' being able to see Rob Lowe every week!But I do have to say that the gay thing must go.We all ''get it'' that Kevin is gay.We just don't want to actually ''see'' it every week.I have 2 young children and I'd appreciate it if that could just be taken out of the story.Other than that, the show is really ''Fantastic!''Thank you for giving us Brothers and Sisters every week, I do look foward to watching it .Just PLEASE take that part OUT of the storyline.

[Ashlee]

I was just reading some of the comments, and yes I too would love to see Ken Olin on the show.Thank you for bringing Rob Lowe on board.

[JANN MEYERS-SANTA MONICA]

GREAT SHOW ! I REALY ENJOYED IT AND IT WAS TASTEFULLY DONE~
GREAT CHOICE OF ACTORS ALSO
YUR TOPICS WERE RIGHT ON !
IF YOU NEED A FEW MORE IDEAS I HAVE 2 OLDER- NICE BROTHERS !!!! AND LOTS OF STORIES~
ANXIOUS TO SEE NEXT WEEK AND I RARELY WATCH ANYTHING BUT JAY LENO AND MATT LAUER !
OH AND THE LAKERS !

[Ethan]

Well, I read some of the comments about this show. I can’t help being scared of what America has come too. Okay I shouldn’t be shocked about anything. After all we do have Bush for president. Anyway, I was about to become a regular at watching the show. Now I’m thinking of never owning a television again due to I want to protect my children from being brainwashed into believing homosexual behavior is okay. It isn’t okay to me. However, I’m sure you all will disagree. It seems like everything that is on TV has some reference to homosexual behavior. So, It is sad for me to say….I’m going to have to block you and the way the world is going…that too. Have a good time in Hollywood.

[Ethan]

Hey Sandie Wysocki, That what I'm talking about. I began to like the show. But once again here come the gay parade. The homosexual world no one wants to be a part of accept ofcourse the homosexual. Gets on my nerves. Oh and just for the record don't use racism as way to patronize homosexuality. And don't ever compare there fight to African Americans, that is an insult to our race. Yea, I'm Black.

[Ethan]

If you want to show homosexuality go to a porn channel. Take it off of ABC, NBC, UPN, FOX.

[Sandra]

Just to let you know My Family and Friends LOVE your show keep the great work coming.
All the people on your show look great together.
Thank you........