FAVORITE SON

This evening we aired our first produced hour of television.  It was certainly one of the darker episodes, but we sincerely hope you enjoyed it. 

It's been quite some time since Dan and I checked in on the blog as we've been inundated in the writing/producing process.  Needless to say, we're grateful for the opportunity to write and couldn't be happier with the result.

See you in the fall!

Ben Kruger & Dan Silk (in absentia)

Comments

[alan.]

omg.
i love and adore this show.
and this blog is so informative and engaging...
thanks for that.

i just had to post a comment about how i saw rachel griffiths a couple weeks ago at the weho pinkberry... and i was in such shock and awe of her beauty that all i could do was nod and smile at her as she stood behind us in line.
all i could think of was complimenting her on the show, say how much i loved six feet under, muriel's wedding, me myself i... and get on with it...
but alas... i just stared at her whilst she finished off her cup of frozen yogurt... ran off... and jumped into her adorable convertible vw bug.

she's a freakin goddess.

and one more thing...
i've been following greg's career from the broken hearts club to everwood to now... and i just can't say enough of how proud i am of his work.
i hope he stays on to keep the show's momentum.
and i have to mention... he's just too dreamy...
sigh.

[PD patient in GA]

Just a week ago, I was praising your show as one of the best written on television. I LOVE it. Even with it's time slot, I look forward to it every week. However, this week, I almost walked away and never looked back.

Baby William needed dialysis and possibly a transplant. However, you should have done a little more research. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) could not have been started without the parents' knowledge or permission because it is an invasive procedure to place the catheter, which takes 4-6 weeks to heal before it can be used. Secondly, they would have done hemodialysis as an interim measure until that catheter healed. Yes, it's more invasive to do hemo, but it is less invasive to start it. Also, PD is more effective than hemo, due to the fact that you do PD up to 4 times per day as opposed to three or four times a week for hemo.

As for the fraternal twin being a "perfect match". Again, yes, it's possible, but they would not know it that soon. It takes testing that I'm willing to bet that hospital was not set up to do to determine if someone is a suitable match. The only way they would know for sure that quickly if someone was a perfect match was if they were identical twins.

Like I said, I love your show, but I was highly disappointed in your lack of attention to detail this week.

One last thing...why did Kevin change his mind and decide to help Kitty with McCallister's problem. That was never explained.

[Marisa]

Love the show. Because I work Sunday nights, I always watch online. The song that plays during the ending credits brings tears to my eyes and I would love to know what the song is and if its purchasable/downloadable anywhere? Thanks!

[Fifi]

Oh okay..can I just say how much I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Brothers and Sisters..you guys totally make my Sunday nights!

Last nights episode was a little dark, yes, but I absolutely loved it! I especially loved the phone calls montage..just brilliant..I think I actually cried and trust me, it takes a lot to make me cry!

I also loved Robert's proposal( how dreamy is he?) swoon... and his scene with Justin..very touching..not really a Rachel G. fan but I have to say lately I have been very impressed with her.

I do have one complaint but I think you guys are already on it..Kevin! While I love Kevin and all..I think his whole disdain for the Senator is getting a bit old..I'd really like you guys to bring them to a place where they can agree to disagree, especially now, Robert's engaged to Kitty( which I think is a fabulous idea)

I can't wait till Sunday! The Promo looked like so much fun!

Keep up the great work guys!! and congrats on last night's ratings! you absolutely deserved it!

[BrothersNSisters-I luv you ALL!]

This is a great show! I look forward to it every week-n-get disappointed when it d/n come on! All the characters are awesome! Each is different, yet they blend in great with each other as a family! I personally come from a family of 8-n-I really can relate to this show. Sally Field is terriffic! Last night's show, I cried, Very sad scene for parents of pre-mature twins. I know that there is one more 4 this season-n-will patiently wait for the fall to start again! Your loyal fan-JC

[Linda]

Loved the song at the end!

[Scott]

Kevin's change of heart came after Justin told him about his trip to the veterans' hospital. Kevin was impressed by what seemed to be a genuine effort by McCallister to help his brother accept his responsibility.

Very strong episode last night, Ben & Dan. Certainly on the heavy side, but the acting was exceptional throughout and many scenes stood out as especially authentic, such as Sarah and Joe breaking the news to the kids (and Paige's skepticism) as well as Nora's heartfelt advice to Tommy about the need to be there as a father. Extremely moving stuff.

And the montage where the siblings received news of baby William's passing was wonderful.

I cannot wait until the finale. I'll miss the show while it's on hiatus!

[melissa]

I LOVE this show and the cast!! Great actors with great writers!! I hope Rob Lowe is a permanent cast member!! It is so nice to have a show on television that is all about family!! This past Sunday was such a tear jerker!!! After next week, please return for many more seasons!! Thanks!!

[Claire in Boston]

I really loved this show until recently. The Rebecca and Joe story was a creepy and dark. What really has put me over the edge was this last episode. Why on earth would you decided to air, on Mother's Day, an episode that a baby dies. This was a little too dark for me!

[C Murcer, Ventura, CA]

On the Musice guide for "The Favorite Son" episode - the last song is by RoB Thomas - not Ron.

Just an FYI

Love the show.

[JoAnne]

I had to miss last night's episode (4-13). not to worry, I thought, I'll catch it on line...well for
some reason I can't get it.

was that the season's finale? will it be repeated ?

If not, can someone here please tell me about it.

[nikki]

just to comment on pd's comment while all of that maybe be true and it is a good point it is a tv which doesnt not have the time to explain or show all of that in one hour show i think it would have lot something to me if it stopped to explain and draw out the medical part of it.oh and Kevin helped Kitty because of what McCallister did for Justin.

[Heidi]

Being an L&D Nurse in a high risk medical center never prepared me for my own delivery. I had identical twin daughter's 3 years ago. My daughter Emma lived for 8 hours and then died in my arms. She weighed only 1lb. I am hoping that when the season comes back in the fall that special attention is carefully taken about how the parents are doing after the death of little William. In the episode last night it appeared that they were over it. From experience I can say that it is something you NEVER get over that easily. Not to mention that little Elizabeth seems fine. RIGHT. Please take careful consideration of the fans who have perhaps experienced this kind of loss. You have the opportunity to educate these families briefly, to help make them realize that they are not alone. Visit my family's webpage, we are a foundation that is helping parents with twin loss. CLIMB is also great for twin loss. Don't just let this one go. You are great writers and I will continue to watch! Thank you. www.ellieandemma.org

[nikki]

just to comment on pd's comment while all of that maybe be true and it is a good point it is a tv which doesnt not have the time to explain or show all of that in one hour show i think it would have lot something to me if it stopped to explain and draw out the medical part of it.oh and Kevin helped Kitty because of what McCallister did for Justin.

[Bern in Bel Air]

I absolutely love this show. The writers have done an outstanding job. My husband and I can hardly wait for the next week's episode. We will be so sad to see the season end but only look forward to next season with great anticipation. Congratulations on a job well done!!

[Suzanne]

Let me start by saying this is my favorite show. However, I did think it was in very poor taste to have a baby die in his Mother's arms on Mother's Day. I expected more from the writers, like to celebrate Nora (all the mothers), not to make us cry at the end of our day.

[its all about me and my hair]

PD- Not to questions your medicalness, because you may well be right, they needed more research done - but I thought they were identical twins.

And you are super right, how Kevin changes his mind was in there, but one did kind of have to take a mental leap there - it was when the Senator takes Justin to the VA hospital and then Justin comes back and flops in the kitchen with his brother Kevin and he explains what he just did. I think Justin saying 'he's a really good guy', and also the intention behind taking Justin to VA in the first place really changes Kevin's mind. Also perhaps Kevin's seeing that the Senator wants Justin to be prepared for even possibly more heroicism. And additionally the thing in the hospital when the family is waiting all around for news, and Kevin says something about Justin being a hero for delivering the babies in the middle of wine country by himself. I think that was a part of the 'hero' theme that got Kevin to eventually help the Senator.

I love the show, love our bloggers turned writer/producers (big friggen whoohoo!!), but I do think this episode could have been a little tighter with the dialogue. The concepts and character intentions are there, just the pointed specific dialogue that gets a viewer from one point of character or scene understand to another could be 'viced' up. That stuff just comes over time.

Cheers!

[orygon]

I hear ya Patient. I never walk out of movies, I am a super film freak. As a matter of fact, I saw Waterworld in the theatre three times, just because it was raining heavily that week and there was nothing else to do or see. So anyways, it takes a lot for me to actually walk out.
But one fateful day I went to see The Avengers, the film. I walked out halfway because the characters were supposedly playing chess and sparring verbally and one supposedly checkmated the other, but the shot I saw on the screen of the board was in no way in said situation. By that time I had gotten so annoyed with the film, that really was just the straw breaking my back as it were. But I understand the feeling of just wanting to throw up your hands and say 'what the ^*%(%&?!?!'

[a "brothers and sisters" fan]

Kevin changed his mind because Justin told him that Senator is a good guy, better than Kevin thought...

I love this show. Looking forward to it every week--never before. I hope it can come back soon after the summer break. Thank you for the great show, wonderful acting, and wonderful writing!

[Mary]

I think this show is definitely one of the best dramas on tv in a while. About this episode, I wish Robert's proposal to Kitty would have not been overshadowed by something so sad, but that is what next week's episode is for perhaps. Anyway, I hope you keep Rob Lowe permanently; he and Calista have great chemistry, so I hope the writers don't mess up that that storyline.

[Chantal]

Hi there,

I'm just checking in to tell you that I'm really really enjoying the show. It's a real treasure to have on tv.

Most of all I love the Kitty/McAllister story, I love they're getting married!!! All the characters are great, by the way. Kitty, Kevin, Sarah, Justin and Tommy - I love them all!
Nora has a warm personality, Saul's loyalty is super and even Holly isn't an evil woman. I love what you're doing with them.

I hope everything will stay fine for Kitty & the senator (love Rob Lowe), and that Sarah & Joe can work out their problems.

Thank you for this, keep up the good writing, we fans will be here!

[Jude]

To PD:
Kevin changed his mind after talking with Justin in the kitchen. And Justin's intensity really made him think--you could see the wheels turning in Matthew's eyes. You slimply may have missed that scene, it was rather short but meaty.

Attention to detail is important, yes, and for me the weak spot was that they had those babies outside the incubators way too fast. My niece delivered a 3-pound boy in January, nine weeks early and didn't get to hold him outside of the incubator for at least five weeks--and certainly didn't take him home until his original due date in March. They are too fragile to hold when they're that premature and their lungs would not have developed so quickly.

Otherwise, yes, I thought this was an excellent show. I cried watching all the sibs' reactions to the news of William's death. Hit home, that it did.

ON A HAPPIER NOTE: here is a link to scenes of Matthew on the set of his new film about Dylan Thomas, on location in North Wales:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=453945&in_page_id=1773

[Judy L]

Sorry, but I have to comment on the show Sunday and the one response. This is a drama, not a medical documentary. I, too, have a modicum of medical knowledge, but was moved by the well-written and acted story. I would hope none of us is dependent on a one-hour show to provide us with all the facts we need medically. Let's dwell instead on how a family dealt with a decision none of us hopes to ever face. From where I sit in York, PA, you did a marvelous job.

[Lynn in TN]

Love, love , love this show. I plan my Sun night around getting to watch. It has to be the best show I have seen on TV in a long time. It never fails to make me laugh and bring me to tears every week. Keep up the great work. I look forward to watching......

It's been a long time since I've cried as hard as I did at last week's episode. It was heart-wrenching, I couldn't tear myself away from the television. And whether the details were overlooked or not, its TV, so we don't expect it to be exactly like real life. Hey, it worked for me. GREAT JOB! I can't wait for next season!