{television} brothers and sisters (2006)

Calista Flockhart finds her way back to series TV in this ensemble-cast drama that focuses on the disparate adult siblings of a Los Angeles-based clan drawn together by the death of their father. Sally Field plays the matriarch and Flockhart the conservative TV pundit sister in a family that includes a younger brother who served in Afghanistan and two siblings (Rachel Griffiths, Balthazar Getty) who have remained in the family business.

ireviewnetflix.com rating: **** This could be called "thirtysomething: the next generation," but whatever you want to call it, it's a great show. Executive producer and director Ken Olin (formerly Michael Steadman on thirtysomething) brings his unique kind of dramatic television magic to Brothers and Sisters. It did take me a little while to get into it, but once I got into it I was in it for good. The entire cast is amazing led by the one and only (I love her, I really love her) Sally Field as matriarch of the family Dora Walker. The brothers Walker: Justin (Dave Annable), Tommy (Balthazar Getty), and Kevin (Matthew Rhys) are wonderful. Rhys' character is perhaps the only mature, strong, independent, and all around fabulous lead gay character on television today. The sisters Walker: Kitty (Calista Flockhart) and Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) are also great, even Flockhart whom I normally don't enjoy that much. Griffiths is her normal, wonderful self. Patricia Wettig brings her thirtysomething excellence to Brothers and Sisters as "the other woman" discovered only after Dora's husband dies. Rob Lowe continues his run in politics that started in West Wing this time as Senator Robert McCallister. I am amazed at how much he's matured as an actor since his Brat Pack days. Rounding out the cast is Sarah Jane Morris, who doesn't make much of an impact as Tommy Walkers's wife Julia, and Ron Rifkin, as Dora Walker's brother Saul Holden. This is a great show which was well deserved of a second season.