What About Brian

Basq

Anyone else watching this? I got a recommendation of the show (i believe off TmB) at the start of the summer and watched the short first season (6 episodes IIRC).

It's now a couple of episodes into the second season now.. 'tis actually a very well written dramedy. Barry Watson is great in the lead, and Rick Gomez is fantastic support. The cast are all pretty good bar Rosanna Arquette is mighty darn irritating in it!

It's been commissioned for a full second season anyways. And i believe it's due to air in Channel / E4 in the next month or two.

Mr E

Its light enough, and very well written..... I'm still watching anyway.

ixoy

Can you give an example as to what show it's like? Not that I need any more shows to watch - you do know that you're responsible for my spending many hours in front of the TV/monitor/MP3 player right?

Mr E

Here is the description from TV.com:

Brian O'Hara ( Barry Watson ,"7th Heaven"),at 34, is the last single guy in his group of friends (3 couples at different stages) who live in Los Angeles . They are excited for Brian to join their "club" as married people. Couple #1- His best friend, Adam ( Matthew Davis ,"Legally Blonde”) was going to break up with perfect Marjorie ( Sarah Lancaster ,“Everwood”), but proposed instead. Couple #2- Brian's sister, Nic ( Rosanna Arquette ,“Pulp Fiction”), and her boy-toy husband, Angelo ( Raoul Bova ,“Under the Tuscan Sun”), are trying hard to have kids. Couple #3- The bohemian Dave ( Rick Gomez ,“Band of Brothers”) and Deena ( Amanda Detmer ,“Kiss the Bride”) have three little girls (one is a new baby) and have been married for 13 years. And, like all married people, they can't wait for Brian to join their "club," though they're not exactly sure why. Dave and Brian run a video game business called Zap Monkey. As for Brian, well, he's holding out hope that one day he'll open the door and be blinded by love. "What About Brian" is a show from "Alias" and "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams.

Its hard to pinpoint - this might put you off, but it reminds me of that cheesy 80s dramedy, Thirtysomething. But better.

Basq

I'm with TmB on this one.. the show is very hard to pinpoint.. but Thirtysomething is quite close.

It's essentially quite a light show you can just your brain off to.. but great characters, performances and writing are what keeps you watching.

Worth watching just for Barry Watson and Rick Gomez alone.. both stars of the show.

ixoy wrote:

you do know that you're responsible for my spending many hours in front of the TV/monitor/MP3 player right?

I know.... what was left of my social life has all-but-disappeared! :eek:

PS - and while you're at it.. 'Gilmore Girls' is excellent too. Am just watching season 2 now - only 5 seasons behind! :eek: The writing is top-notch in this show.. which makes me quite sad that it's been bunched together with 'The OC's and the 'One Tree Hill's of this world!

SoSueMe

Can't wait for What About Brian over here. Wouldn;t it be good for RTE2 if the put it on after Lost and touted it as "From the Creater of Lost".

Mossy Monk

damn you guys. stop making me find tv shows

SoSueMe

BTW its gotten a full 22 episode second season.

Basq

SoSueMe wrote:

Can't wait for What About Brian over here. Wouldn;t it be good for RTE2 if the put it on after Lost and touted it as "From the Creater of Lost".

NO!

SoSueMe

basquille wrote:

NO!

why oh why Basquille?

Basq

Sorry.. i should have elaborated!

Because similar to 'Lost' (though he occassionally directs and writes an episode).. JJ Abrams is simply an executive producer and in What About Brian, i'm imagine had no very little input in it's creation besides being the name to get it noticed.

That's like saying "House, from the creator of Usual Suspects, X-Men and Superman Returns".. Bryan Singer is just an executive producer.

It's like recently i seen Spy Kids in my local Xtra-Vision.. and it said on the cover "from the director of Sin City" - oh well, what kid wouldn't be dashing at that recommendation!

The whole "from the creator of" should be reserved for just creators of shows. Where it could be used is: "The Knights Of Prosperity' from the creators of "Ed" (that's true..!) but executive producer credits should definitely not come into it.

Anyways, another Basquille rant outta the way for the day.

SoSueMe

Good pint Basquille but ABC promoted it as 'from the creater of Lost. They also did it with Six Degrees. Both shows had premiere audiences of about 13 million so it obviously increases interest slightly. Even if RTE put it on after Lost when Podge and Rodge finishes ant 11. It would bring them in better ratings than say 24.

Basically, I just want it to be shown on RTE or Channel 4.

rikerdonegal

basquille wrote:

Anyone else watching this?

I love it!

For those that don't yet know about it, yet, it's a light drama (but not a soap) that definitely shares traits with thirtysomething. But, overall, it's hard to describe. The initial concept ('last single guy in the gang') doesn't really apply any more, since the three couples that existed in the pilot are long gone now! Basically, it's about Brian and his friends and the events in the episodes nicely walk the line between drama and soap. It's much too light and humourous to be a drama, and (while 'bad' things do happen) the show avoids the excesses of soaps. Everyone in the group is pretty nice to everyone else. Even when times are trying.

The opening episodes of the second season were devoted to a Love Triangle which has to be one the best I've seen on TV. The focus was on the friendship of the two guys involved (rather than the usual 'who will get the girl') and the resolution wasn't the sort typical of ones seen on serious dramas (which I love) or trashy soaps (which I also love).

No, What About Brian has a distinct storytelling style all it's own.

And the cast nail it. Particularly Barry Watson.

I'm delighted that it got a full season pickup, and with the news that

Majorie will be back!

It's a perfect example of easy-to-watch TV. It's light, but not silly or stupid. EVen when the plots are serious, the show manages to raise a laugh or a smile, and the cast/characters are such that no matter who comes on screen the audience is invested in them, and their storyline.

In many ways, it's what Desperate Housewives should/could have been.

But, for me, it's an oasis. Most of my favourite dramas (24, BSG, Friday Nights, etc) are intense and dark.

This one isn't.

SoSueMe

E-mail RTE now for this great show to be shown to the wider public. Its better than the 4 hours of CSI franchises thay put on in primetime every week.

SoSueMe

E4 have finally got around to showing What About Brian. It starts tuesday May 1st at 9PM.

SoSueMe

As suspected, What About Brian was canceled today. I was kind of expecting it, but how could they renew October Road over What About Brian?

Basq

Think i lost track of it and stopped watching 6 or 7 episodes into this season.

Didn't seem to be going anywhere.

Shame to see it cancelled - the first series was very enjoyable (though very short) but it kinda lost it's appeal a few episodes in season 2.

Mr E

Same here, Brian. Enjoyed season 1, got bored about 9 episodes into season 2.

rikerdonegal

SoSueMe wrote:

As suspected, What About Brian was canceled today. I was kind of expecting it

Yeah, I was expecting it myself, but I'm still disappointed. I really loved those characters. Sigh,

JP Liz

I love the theme tune

sweetie

good show. some good characters. perfect coupley viewing

Xavi6

Awful show. Went absolutely nowhere and deserved to be chopped.