Brotherhood

Showtime is currently re-running Season 1 of Brotherhood and as I'm sure they intended, I'm catching up so I can join in on Season 2 which starts at the end of the month.

I like this show. I think that it's an interesting family drama, and a neat look at ethnic Celtic identity in New England. It isn't, though, "better than the Sopranos" as some critics claim, nor is it to Providence as The Wire is to Baltimore. It's a in-depth study of how one family, the Cafees, negotiates power and ambition.

I'm finding that as I progress through the episodes, I'm liking the characters more and more. It took them a few episodes to get in the swing of things. My favorite things about the show are: 1) the actor who plays Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies is Micahel Chafee in Brotherhood; 2) Annabeth Gish plays Tommy Chafee's wife Eileen, an awesomely flawed addict/politician's wife -- I've loved her since Mystic Pizza (and have forgiven her for the X-Files); 3) I love the parts of the show that let us watch Rhode Island state politics in action. These guys are dirty -- and a lot more subtle and interesting than the mob guys.

I would recommend it -- if it's not on DVD yet, I'm sure it will be any day now.