DVD Review: Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season

"Brothers and Sisters" is ABC’s new drama about a contemporary American family, dysfunction being a major character. However, no matter what their individual problems are, the Walkers come together and find strength as a family. The first season follows the Walkers after the patriarch of the family dies. Along with news of their father’s death, the five children discover some well kept secrets including a mistress and illegitimate daughter.

"Brothers and Sisters" also has a cast that blends seasoned actors with some newer faces. I first tuned into the show because Sally Field plays the mother. The idea of a television show detailing an older woman’s life was new and casting Sally Field struck me as a perfect choice. Not being a fan of "Ally McBeal", I was a bit concerned about Calista Flockhart, however where Ally was unsure, Kitty Walker is strong and driven. By the same token, I was a huge fan of "Alias", so Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig, and Balthazar Getty were major draws for me. Rachel Griffiths ("Six Feet Under"), Emily VanCamp ("Everwood"), Matthew Rhys, Dave Annable ("Reunion"), and Rob Lowe ("The West Wing") add to the ensemble cast and truly make it feel like a family. Sure, it has some soap opera elements, but that keeps audiences watching and distracted from their own lives – because hey, at least we aren’t that messed up.

What is most refreshing about "Brothers and Sisters" is Kevin Walker. He’s one of the siblings, a successful lawyer with relationship issues... oh, and he’s gay. But unlike most gay characters on television, his sexuality isn’t his entire identity. While it is a part of Kevin, he isn’t a stereotype or stock character, but more representative of a real person. Kevin's gayness is no more his sole defining characteristic than Justin’s addiction troubles are his or Kitty’s conservative views are hers; yes, these are big parts of who the characters are but not their sum total.

The first season of "Brothers and Sisters" is now available on DVD. The 23 episodes are in the six-disc set. The special features include your typical outtakes, audio commentaries, and behind the scenes glances at the show. There are two different featurettes giving a behind the scenes glimpse; one features the three Walker brothers (Balthazar Getty, Dave Annable, and Matthew Rhys) giving the audience a tour of the facilities while the other feature gives a more in depth look at the show from the conception to the cast, crew, and a funny vignette detailing how much the Walker family drinks.

Another jewel among the special features is an episode, originally the second, that never aired. While the show didn’t suffer from the episode not being broadcast, it is nice to see a bit more detailed look at how things happened in the beginning. The remaining bonus feature is a comparison between the Walker family business and the Olin family working on the show (Ken Olin is a director/producer, his wife is actress Patricia Wettig, their son Cliff Olin is a staff writer and daughter Roxanne Olin has been a guest). One thing that would have been interesting to include is some of the original pilot shot before Sally Field replaced Betty Buckley.

Technically, the series is in Dolby Digital 5.1 and in Widescreen format enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Subtitles are available in English, French, or Spanish. The series is rated TV 14.

Overall, "Brothers and Sisters" is well written and wonderfully acted. The DVD of the first season would be a good addition to anyone’s collection.