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Brotherhood
SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (60 minutes)


9.4

based on 23 reviews
read critic reviews
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based on 71 votes
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Get more information on this show at TV.com.

Official Show Site

Starring Jason Isaacs, Jason Clarke, Annabeth Gish, Fionnula Flanagan, Ethan Embry, Stivi Paskoski, Kevin Chapman, and Fiona Erickson

Showtime's epic drama series revolves around two brothers in Providence, R.I.: one a politician, the other a criminal.

GENRE(S):	Drama
CREATED BY:	Blake Masters
FIRST AIR DATE:	July 9, 2006

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Hollywood Reporter Barry Garron

Let's get it out the way right now, the blurb that will be quoted after this review is run: "If you see nothing else this summer, watch 'Brotherhood.' "

100

Detroit Free Press Mike Duffy

Start to finish in its first-rate opening season, Showtime's "Brotherhood" has the makings of something neat, offbeat and special.

100

New York Daily News David Hinckley

Every hour is impressive, surprising and entertaining.

100

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Melanie McFarland

"Masterpiece" isn't too strong a word to describe this series.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

The series occasionally displays the sweat stains of overexertion in the first few episodes... But once the intricate, greasy machinery of the policial/personal gets cranking in Brotherhood, there's no stopping the Caffee clan. [21 Jul 2006, p.59]

Los Angeles Times Robert Lloyd

In its emphasis on character over plot it reminds me of movies from the pre-Spielberg '70s, and is in so many ways what I want from television that I feel almost like phoning each of you personally to deliver the news.

Variety Phil Gallo

This is the jewel Showtime has sought for years.

TV Guide Matt Roush

Richly plotted and totally absorbing, one of summer TV's best surprises.

LA Weekly Robert Abele

You might think you’ve seen this story before, and yet you haven’t seen it quite this way.

The New York Times Alessandra Stanley

The next-best thing to "The Wire."

San Francisco Chronicle Tim Goodman

The acting here is exceptional and the writing strong and honest. Though "Brotherhood" may not be in the rarefied air of "The Sopranos" or "The Wire," it's still a major achievement for Showtime's original-series development and yet another top-notch cable drama.

People Weekly Tom Gliatto

[A] rattling good series. [10 Jul 2006, p.39]

Salon Heather Havrilesky

"Brotherhood" is definitely worth the effort: The acting is solid; the situations are, for the most part, new and unknown; and there are enough twists and plot devices to keep us interested in the short term. Over the long haul, though, I'd like to understand more about these characters.

San Jose Mercury News Charlie McCollum

But as good as it is, it doesn't quite have the originality, unique perspective and subversive sense of humor that mark HBO's "The Sopranos'' (clearly something of a model), "Deadwood'' and "The Wire.''

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

"Brotherhood" ... may not be one of the all-time great crime shows, but it's certainly a very good one that improves with each episode.

Kansas City Star Aaron Barnhart

It’s not near HBO quality but certainly better than that “Sleeper Cell” tripe that Showtime put on last year.

New York Post Linda Stasi

There's never a light moment to let you reflect on the violence that you've just witnessed, which brings "Brotherhood" back to the level of every not-great gangster flick that's ever been.

Chicago Sun-Times Doug Elfman

There's nothing particularly fresh or appealing about the story lines or symbolisms, no matter how well-directed and -acted "Brotherhood" is.

Newsday Verne Gay

"Brotherhood" is sharply written... Nevertheless, a heavy air of predictability hangs over "Brotherhood," which has a tendency to confirm viewer expectations instead of challenging them.

Wall Street Journal Amy Finnerty

There are entirely too many convenient coincidences, car accidents, Acts of God and gang-related atrocities for one insular neighborhood, and the violence starts to feel contrived, even gratuitous.

Chicago Tribune Maureen Ryan

The acting is good, and the direction and settings are solid, but the saga of the Caffee brothers tends to plod more than it intrigues.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

Where "The Sopranos" has some laugh-out-loud comedic moments, "Brotherhood" is dark, brooding and forever serious. And that grows tedious after a few episodes.

The New Yorker Nancy Franklin

Almost a parody of itself.

The average user rating for this tv show is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 71 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris H. gave it a10:
After seeing this show at a friend's house, I subscribed to Showtime just to watch it. Showtime has certainly surpassed HBO as the best cable channel IMO.

Deborah S. gave it a10:
I got Showtime only for 1 reason: Jason Isaacs, who is superb in everything he does. I was very surprised at how good the rest of the cast is and how good the show is. Check this one out!

Frank L gave it a10:
One of the most riveting, realistic shows of its kind. The series borrows a fair amount from the Bulger brothers (real life brothers in Boston) and it is fascinating to imagine that some of the more graphic stuff probably has a basis in fact. Highly recommended!

Dave L gave it a10:
Really well done show. The characters are very well developed and as in life the good ain't so good, and the bad ain't so bad. Can't wait to September 30th.

kim m gave it a10:
excelllent characters, each one deserves at least one entire episode each, always left wanting to know more about what makes them tick, their background etc. Pete in particular is fascinating, much of his dialogue is loaded and full of implication, VERY WELL ACTED.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
fucking great show!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John M gave it a10:
Amazing show. Get's better with every episode. I feel much better knowing that there is a show for us Irish that shows the world what happens in the Irish-American Underworld, it's not all glits and glamor like the Italian-American Underworld, and, there are alot fewer rats...incase you didn't notice.

Brotherhood SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (60 minutes)

Brotherhood
SERIES: Showtime, Sunday 10:00p (60 minutes)