The cleanse ramps up.
It is day four and Greg's resolve is firm. He is wild-eyed as ever, sipping from a bottle full of yellowish liquid without a breadcrumb in sight. What has changed, however, is that I am no longer permitted to discuss Greg's "personal life" as Mother Berlanti has complained that we are writing about him on "the blob." I guess either Mrs. Berlanti will have to stop reading, or the you will no longer be able to hear of Greg's physical and psychological journey...
But the fast is no longer just limited to Greg. Jumping on the bandwagon is a long list of Brothers & Sisters employees who are trying to show some sort of holistic solidarity. Lemon juice and maple syrup flow freely down the halls as writers mutter angrily to themselves.
In more relevant show news, we are shooting Episode 115, written by the formidable Sherri Cooper & David Marshall Grant (most recently of "Family Day" writing fame but who can also be seen acting as the father in "The Devil Wears Prada).
Yesterday's table read of Episode 116, written by the Calloway/Olin machine, was one of the more entertaining hours I've spent working in this office. Additionally our fearless patriarch, Robbie Baitz, and Molly Newman are busy finishing up Episode 117. I haven't read a word, but Robbie's waifish minion - Silk - has been leaking overwhelmingly positive reviews.
In cast news, apparently Annable, Rhys and La Balthazar spent much of their winter beak holed up in a Scottish castle. The Walker boys' report includes stories of gun-play and various other forms of privileged rough-housing along the craggy, windswept highlands. 
To top off an already magical trip, the boys had the good fortune of running into Robbie Baitz on their transatlantic flight home.
That's about all I have for today. I have to shut my door and avoid the ever increasingly hungry writers.
-- Ben
When the writers and producers start acting like zombies, it's time to run away.
Posted by: Kong Chang | January 10, 2007 at 11:29 AM
Listen up, this "cleanse" BS has gone on long enough. Obviously SOMEBODY has to tell you. You guys work in HOLLYWOOD, a notoriously hermetically-sealed environment, a place rife with lifestyle choices such as the "MASTER CLEANSE."
Ordinary people do not have attention spans nor interest levels strong enough to support all the jabber about Greg Berlanti's dietary habits & related body functions!
Put a "master cleanse" in your system...or a Carl's Jr. Western-bacon cheeseburger...or L.S.D. for all I care. Put please have the decency to keep it to yourself, in the closet where it belongs. And don't foist your malfeasance on a gullible cast & crew. This will result in a wave of unhappy campers, uneven scripts, closet binge eating & a general lack of ENERGY that a creative workplace demands.
Posted by: will | January 10, 2007 at 01:19 PM
You know, I've spent some time being caustic & irreverent on the blog, but in all seriousness, the Kevin-Kitty relationship is quite touching, I've noticed it 2 or 3 times now, it's not overdone, the 2 actors seem genuinely comfortable with each other & it always manages to give me a lift. Give them an adventure together, a road trip somewhere. They have the best chemistry of all the sibs & giving them some trip together would provide a pretext for the audience to get to know them a little more, letting their general goofiness & banter be the main attraction in some car trip (I could spend half an episode listening to these 2 kick it around, having them make occasional stops at diners or....whatever). I'm as far away from sarcastic as I can get here. Matthew Rhys & Calista Flockhart have a special chemistry that should be showcased (without making it obvious). And I'm not particularly a Calista F. fan...put her with Jonathan, or whoever that 1st dude was, & the energy level plummets....but she morphs into this fun, adorable chick when playing around with Kevin. Do more there please. Put a smile on our face!
Posted by: will | January 10, 2007 at 04:24 PM
Just curious...are the people associated with the show happy with the ratings?
PS. Robbie Baitz is hot.
Posted by: Jessie | January 10, 2007 at 09:27 PM
2 blogs ago ("We're Back") we were all forced (held captive) listening to office gossip regarding Greg's "master cleanse"....ok, somewhat interesting, fine.... Next we were treated to "About Greg"...oh! one of our dear fearless leaders! He's doing a Master Cleanse! (in case we hadn't heard the 1st time) & he's peeved, apparently, the whole world isn't BUZZING with commentary about his new "journey" (Greg B. sounds very "ME! ME! ME! All about ME!) ....And NEXT we get a re-tread & update in "The Cleanse Ramps Up" in which we're invited to view "clever" graphics of:
1. Lemons
2. A tree - maple?.....and
3. peppers
This is too cute for words (literally...so, graphics!) & at this point we can all say honestly "been there, done that"....time to move on, beating a dead horse, somebody at B&S doing the "innovative" blogs is clearly off his meds....Let us know if Berlanti suffers undue health complications but, aside that, all you people GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF CREATING REAL COMEDY & DRAMA instead of drumming up fake dramady for this here blog....
Posted by: will | January 11, 2007 at 10:41 AM
what's the word on Dave the PA since PCA......
Posted by: ckcpurple | January 11, 2007 at 07:38 PM
will you're comments are a little rude chill man no need to be that agressive
Posted by: brain | January 12, 2007 at 04:25 AM
will, will, will. why so angry? i luv ya man, and i typically like what you have to say, but dude... whose blog is this, anyway?
i'm waiting to hear that greg dropped 20 pounds in a week! it's the least he deserves for living on lemon juice, maple syrup and cayene pepper!
Posted by: jane | January 12, 2007 at 11:50 AM
About Holly: Every member of the Walker clan has their own thing going, their own lives & (for the most part) individualness. I am INCLINED to like Holly....I LIKE seeing strong female characters making their own way & taking charge of the direction of their lives ....I LIKE seeing women in the driver's seat. But there's this "black cloud" hovering around the edges of Holly's scenes. Writers have given her no family & very little history (we know she's a longtime mistress....SO WHAT! All other characters have family & history & she's saddled with a hazy character & the label "bitch") Holly's woefully underdramatized. You may indeed have tricks up your sleeves for future episodes, but the episodes already aired felt lacking. Much the same can be said about Sarah. Rachel Griffiths is an actress I've enjoyed on "Six Feet Under" & a couple of films, she can really sink her teeth into a role. But she's basically been given little to nothing to do (so far). Saying she'll have storyline to pursue IN THE FUTURE is basically a cop-out. What you're saying is her role is poorly written presently. Kevin is fine. Norah is fine. Justin is fine ( & he's REALLY turning into a first-rate actor). Something needs to be done about the half-written roles. Don't need major storylines for all characters, I'm not saying that! Just make the roles feel "lived-in"! Not half-baked.
Posted by: will | January 12, 2007 at 12:10 PM
Sorry to the guys that commented on my "anger". Here's the thing:
This past weekend I was in art heaven, an ART bohemia. I saw the film "Children Of Men" (this is an audacious, visionary film - I'll refrain from reviewing it!), "Pan's Labyrinth" - & a friend & I spent 2 hours talking about rennaissance art (he's studying Elizabethan England). In other words, I felt SURROUNDED, imbued with art... And Sunday night topped it off with "Brothers & Sisters" as this (I felt) fit into my whole hyper-artistic weekend.
I see the potential in this dramedy (oh good grief, "dramedy" is so gay, isn't there another term??) I wasn't kidding about the Kitty-Kevin relationship...there was some quiet art in it. I spend so much time blogging cause I love the gay angle & I really think this show could blossom into one of those touchstone dramas TV gets every so often. Politics, gay issues, Iraq, this show is willing to court controvery - these are topics other shows generally AVOID. So I comment, I get angry. I feel let down when this potential remains largely unfulfilled.
Posted by: will | January 12, 2007 at 05:14 PM
Sex on shows is one thing, but kissing or sex between two men (or two women) is appalling (and I'm NOT a prude)! Why so much sex anyway? The show is great without it!
I feel this lowers the standards for such a wonderful show with such great actors.
Please rethink your writing skills.
My opinion....and I'm sticking to it!
Posted by: | January 14, 2007 at 08:25 PM
I agree with the previous post. I really enjoy B&S, but the homo scenes are a bit much! I look forward to the show, love the actors and script, but I will give up B&S if these offensive scenes continue. (In case anyone cares.)
Posted by: josie | January 15, 2007 at 08:48 AM
"kissing or sex between two men (or two women) is appalling (and I'm NOT a prude)!"
YOU'RE JUST ANTI-GAY! THAT'S ALL!
Posted by: Trevor | January 15, 2007 at 11:22 AM
hey everyone, love b&S and i think that the love scenes add to the show, w/ out them i dont think the show would be as deep
Posted by: LACalifornia | January 16, 2007 at 01:01 PM
Hey, where did you get that cute adorable picture of David Grant Marshall??
I've known him since his years as a student at the Yale School of Drama and that pic looks 'older' than that!
He has always been a most talented guy-you are lucky to have him on your team.
Posted by: francine | January 18, 2007 at 09:28 AM
I like the show but am seriously thinking of not watching it anymore.
I am not a prude either but DO NOT want to watch two men kissing and making out in bed.
Writers please take this show in a NEW direction. If not this will be my last week at even giving it another chance.
Posted by: Sweetpea | January 26, 2007 at 07:10 AM
More gay sex, please. And more Rhys. :)
Posted by: Ashley | April 04, 2007 at 05:24 PM
"Family Game Night"
I watch this show because I find it very close to home. This episode, however, was ridiculous and completely unrelatable. Seriously, who holds on to pathetic family feuds for so long?
Posted by: Nathan Price | April 17, 2007 at 08:06 AM