A blog about television by TIME’s TV critic James Poniewozik.

TV Weekend: Darkly Dreamy Dexter; Also, Is Brotherhood a Keeper?

dexter_201_0842.jpgbrotherhood_201_1007.jpg
Photos: Randy Tepper; Claire Folger/Showtime

New-fall-season triage has kept me from watching all four episodes of Dexter that Showtime sent. But the first episode finds Michael C. Hall in spellbinding form as the serial-killer-killing-serial-killer, under growing pressure as his secret comes closer to being exposed, and finding that--for some reason--abducting murderers, drugging and ritually killing them is starting to lose its zing. Also, he bowls.

After Dexter, Showtime debuts season 2 of Brotherhood. I'm aware that some of you out there really, really love Brotherhood. For instance, those of you who give out Peabody Awards, which I understand are not handed out like gimme caps at a ballgame. So maybe there's something wrong with me, because I gave up on this crime-and-politics-in-Providence drama about three or four episodes into the first season. It's not that it was bad, but the characters were flat, and the show reminded me too much of other series that have covered the same ground better: The Sopranos and The Wire, obviously, but even network shows like EZ Streets. It seemed to take an HBO premise and dial down the subtlety about 30 percent.

Mr. Peabody disagrees, and he did invent The Wayback Machine, so I suppose I should revisit the show at some point and see if one of us has changed. Anyone care to try to talk me into it?

  • Print
  • Comment
Comments (5)
Post a Comment »
  • 1

    Totally with you on Brotherhood. People told me, "Man, it's just like The Wire." Well, people. I have served with The Wire. The Wire is a friend of mine. You, sir, are no Wire.

  • 2

    It's a mediocre all-white Wire yet for some reason I watched the whole season. I can't honestly recommend it. It's more like an anthropological study for me.

  • 3

    Well, here's a paragraph from my sneak preview review of Brotherhood ... "Brotherhood has good echoes of The Sopranos. But the great strength of the series for me has always been the Providence politics. It's not only Rich Man/Poor Man, brother who made good and brother who didn't. It's a show about getting things done - the hard mobster way as does Michael, and the hard political way, as does Tommy. The first ends in blood more than the second, but otherwise they're no less painful, no less easy as paths to success."

    The rest is at http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/09/brotherhoods-back-sneak-preview.html

    I've seen the first four episodes, and it's better than last year.

    By the way, although I see connections to The Sopranos, I see little relationship to The Wire, which is also one of my all-time favorite shows.

    Reviews of all are on my InfiniteRegress.tv

  • 4

    Anyone who is going to compare Brotherhood to The Sopranos and The Wire is setting themselves up to be disappointed. I think Brotherhood is a good show. The Wire and The Sopranos are two of the best shows I have ever seen. So yes, compared to those two shows Brotherhood is inferior. Brotherhood explores the life in the old neighborhood. No one is rich like Tony Soprano. Everyone is struggling just to be middle class.

  • 5

    I feel the need to represent the other side. "Brotherhood" is Better then "The Sopranos". Its easy to say they are doing the same thing. They are both dealing with family, blood and mob versions. Yet where "The Sopranos" dealt with the last gasp of "The Mob" as we know it, where the lifestlye is far less glamoureous and flashy as it once was, yet Tony was still rich, still powerful, living off his crimes. "Brotherhood" is about standing up against "The Powers That Be". Trying to make a life for your family when the only way to stay above water is to not walk the straight line. Sure Micheal is a criminal, and he does detestable things, but he's more everyday joe then Tony Soprano ever was. He's much more relatable.

Add Your Comment:

You must be logged in to post a comment.
Tuned In Daily E-mail

Get e-mail updates from TIME's Tuned In in your inbox and never miss a day.

Quotes of the Day »

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES, on her husband Michael Douglas' Stage IV throat cancer; he reportedly spent months seeking attention for persistent throat and ear pain only to be told nothing was wrong