Brotherhood

Hollywood ReporterBarry 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.' "

Detroit Free PressMike Duffy

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

New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley

Every hour is impressive, surprising and entertaining.

Seattle Post-IntelligencerMelanie McFarland

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

Entertainment WeeklyLisa 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 TimesRobert 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.

VarietyPhil Gallo

This is the jewel Showtime has sought for years.

TV GuideMatt Roush

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

LA WeeklyRobert Abele

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

The New York TimesAlessandra Stanley

The next-best thing to "The Wire."

San Francisco ChronicleTim 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 WeeklyTom Gliatto

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

SalonHeather 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 NewsCharlie 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 GlobeMatthew 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 StarAaron Barnhart

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

New York PostLinda 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-TimesDoug Elfman

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

NewsdayVerne 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 JournalAmy 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 TribuneMaureen 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-GazetteRob 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 YorkerNancy Franklin

Almost a parody of itself.