"Brothers and Sisters"

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

Ron Rifkin is absolutely brilliant! I am looking forward to the next season, where we'll see more of Saul and his life.

j. U. d. E.

Hope so! And I hope Uncle Saul leaves regret behind and learns....well, we'll see, won't we?

Cheers!

 

[j.U.d.E.]

Hope so! And I hope Uncle Saul leaves regret behind and learns....well, we'll see, won't we?

Cheers!

 

We shall see! [no spoilers ahead] In a recent interview with two of the show's writers (Ken Olin and David Marshall Grant) they said that Kevin, Scotty and Saul will be front and center in future plot developments.

More about the inteview here:

www.afterelton.com/TV/2008/5/thirtysomething_to_brothers_and_sisters?page=0%2C0

Both writers are comparing Brothers & Sisters and Thirtysomething from almost 20 years ago (both were then actors in the show and David Marshall Grant played a gay character which at the time was quite revolutionary - read for yourself. I loved watching Thirtysomething back then!).

j. U. d. E.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

We shall see! [no spoilers ahead] In a recent interview with two of the show's writers (Ken Olin and David Marshall Grant) they said that Kevin, Scotty and Saul will be front and center in future plot developments.

More about the inteview here:

www.afterelton.com/TV/2008/5/thirtysomething_to_brothers_and_sisters?page=0%2C0

j. U. d. E.

Thank you for a wonderful, wonderful article!

I am sending it to all of my friends--here is just a small sample:


From thirtysomething to Brothers & Sisters


Matthew Rhys & Luke MacFarlane/Photo credit Michael Desmond / ABC

Olin says he’s constantly reminded just how revolutionary the show is when it comes to its gay characters. For example, the show’s the most recent episode (that aired on May 4) was originally supposed to end with a scene of Sally Field as matriarch Nora Walker. But when episode director Michael Morris was editing the scenes, he decided the scene with Kevin proposing to Scotty was more powerful, so he switched the last two scenes, resulting in the proposal being the last thing the viewer sees before the end credits.
 
“It’s an extraordinary scene,” Olin says, “the most romantic scene we’ve ever done on the show.”
 
After it was edited, he called Berlanti’s attention to the scene switch. “I said, ‘I just want you to know, Greg, from a very mercenary point-of-view, we are ending the episode on a very romantic moment between these two men.’ And Greg said, ‘You know what? If it were a man and a woman, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.’ And I said, ‘No, we wouldn’t.’ And we both said, ‘That’s the way we’re going to keep it.’”
 
David Marshall Grant also gives credit for the revolutionary nature of the show’s gay storylines to Berlanti. “He’s been responsible for the vast majority of the stories on Brothers & Sisters,” he says. “He’s just brilliant at organizing and structuring story.”


Greg Berlanti (left) & Jon Robin Baitz/Photo credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
 
Once Berlanti outlines the storylines, two writers are assigned per episode. “But we have very empowering showrunners, and so you really get a sense that it was your script when all is said and done.”
 
Kevin and Scotty’s wedding has been part of the plan for a while, Grant says, though the writers’ strike earlier this year, which resulted in fewer episodes this season, meant that the storylines had to be told in an abbreviated way. Ironically, he says, the rushed schedule worked dramatically, with Kevin’s sudden proposal to Scotty being more unexpected than if they had built up to it over episode after episode.
 
How did Kevin end up with Scotty and not Jason, a previous love interest? “As season two evolved, it was clear,” Grant says. “So we really felt that [a wedding] was the best way to close the season.”


Luke MacFarlane & Matthew Rhys/Photo credit Michael Desmond / ABC

Grant points to another revolutionary “gay” element in Brothers & Sisters: the character of Saul, a closeted older man, played by Ron Rifkin, who finally admitted to Kevin in the wedding proposal episode that he is, in fact, gay.
 
“I mean, good grief, how many shows are doing this, a sixty-something year-old man just came out!” Grant says. “I think it’s just great that ABC is letting us do these stories.”


Ron Rifkin/Photo credit Michael Desmond / ABC

 

[jstephens9]

I like "Brothers and Sisters." I think I would even like it better if I watched it more often and more closely. It seems that way too with "Ugly Betty" and "Desparate Housewifes." I never realized until I watched it one night that "Desparate Housewifes" has a big comedy element to it. So does "Ugly Betty." But I do know for sure that "Brothers and Sisters" is a good show. I like several of the actors and actresses on it too. I have always like Sally Field.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

Ok, I'M a Martian, but--
 
--these two are SUCH good actors. Really.
 
 
 Kevin & Scotty discuss Martians--
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rnwL9a540A[/youtube]
 
 --then Kevin & Scotty Kiss & Make Up
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQPsSiSC3eo&feature=related[/youtube]


So, I'm a Martian too.

 

[j.U.d.E.]

Ok, I'M a Martian, but--
 
--these two are SUCH good actors. Really.

Very true, though I keep preferring Jason to Scotty, even Chad. But Scotty is growing on me... slowly...

I don't quite get your Martian comment... 

[Possible minor spoilers] I do watch YouTube clips of the episodes I haven't seen yet (I'll never learn from my mistakes... ) but I was only able to watch the entire episode of "Compromises" yesterday on TV (I taped it last week - we have the second season airing on PRIME - digital channel) and I thought it was FABULOUS  ! Almost all stories great! I wasn't too keen on Kitty and the kids and the story about Rebecca maybe having a new dad etc, but the Kevin/Sarah/Scotty, Nora/Isaac, Saul and Robert/Jason scenes were fantastic! I did miss Tommy, though!

I really really love Saul's character! But I think I've mentioned that already... 

j. U. d. E.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

http://nymag.com/arts/all/approvalmatrix/47023/

Ha! Love it!

New York Magazine's weekly "Approval Matrix" gives the imprimatur to:

"Brothers & Sisters' gay wedding, probably the most realistic in pop-culture history."

Yay!

(Ok, it's in the "Lowbrow" Quadrant, but utterly towards the "Brilliant" edge--scroll to the right if it gets obscured).


The Approval Matrix: Week of May 26, 2008
Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies.
 
Published May 18, 2008



 

[Brokeback_Dev]

I love this show and I cant wait for next season.   

[j.U.d.E.]

Just wanted to share my disappointment that ABC canceled "Brothers & Sisters", but I'm a happy person because I met both, Luke Macfarlane and Matthew Rhys in June!

Went to New York for a long week-end ( ) to go see "The Normal Heart" and met Luke after the play. Then a week later I was in Cardiff/Wales where I had registered to attend a Fundraiser Event at which Matthew Rhys was interviewed. He then mingled with the crowd/fans. Very kind, sweet and funny man!

Follow his Twitter fan page - @WelshManRhys

Am in London tomorrow for the NOH8 photo shoot!

Hope you're all fine!

[Front-Ranger]

http://nymag.com/arts/all/approvalmatrix/47023/

Ha! Love it!

New York Magazine's weekly "Approval Matrix" gives the imprimatur to:

"Brothers & Sisters' gay wedding, probably the most realistic in pop-culture history."

Yay!

(Ok, it's in the "Lowbrow" Quadrant, but utterly towards the "Brilliant" edge--scroll to the right if it gets obscured).


The Approval Matrix: Week of May 26, 2008
Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies.
 
Published May 18, 2008



 

Very entertaining, even though I haven't seen the show and don't know most of the people mentioned here.

Welcome, Jude!! We've missed you...my you sure do get around!!