Check Out This TV on DVD: Brotherhood

"Brotherhood", for those of you who have not heard of it, is a spectacular drama series which aired its first season on Showtime this past July to November before being deservedly renewed for a second season. This new series seamlessly weaves together the tangled story of two brothers, one a hardworking and honest politician, and the other a violence-prone mobster. Jason Clarke and Jason Isaacs are perfect as the two brothers, and Annabeth Gish has a role written to win an Emmy as the politician's long-suffering wife. The lines between leading an honest life and leading a life of crime is so blurred, and the writing lives up to the great premise. Ethan Embry is particularly excellent as Decko, the cop assigned to bring down one of the brothers but whose lifelong friendship with him causes him to think twice about reporting everything. The show utilizes plotlines similar to those on "The Sopranos" but often delves further into them, and in a much more even way, that is, as opposed to the first five episodes of the current season of "The Sopranos", each episode addresses a great deal of storylines rather than focusing on only one or two. The writing is great, and a real sense of community is created quickly within the first few episodes. The 11-episode season is very even and solid, with some real standout episodes like "Samyutta 11:10" and the tragedy-centered "Ecclasiastes 7:2". I am not sure how well it will fare with the Emmy Awards this year, but I feel like Annabeth Gish has the best chance of anyone on the show for getting a nomination, though Kevin Chapman, as mobster Freddie Cork, picked the perfect episode to submit which shows his real acting talent despite a limited role. I personally would love to see Ethan Embry get a nomination, but I think the categories are all too full (the reason that Clarke and Isaacs really have no chance at all). In any case, this is a great show, a bit violent certainly, but very worthwhile. I am excited for the second season, whenever it is planned to air.

"Brotherhood" Season One: A-