Brothers & Sisters - B&S News & Updates #6: Departures and a 5th season renewal! - Page 9

Fortyseven · 06-03-2010, 12:45 AM

I get that a lot.

smoothaise · 06-03-2010, 08:32 AM

I just remember Musical!Ted One of the better Ted moments in the series, that is, when he's not infuriating me.

Fortyseven · 06-03-2010, 04:05 PM

Aw, I love Mosby.

That doesn't include s5, in which I find nearly everyone unrecognizable and slightly annoying.

Fortyseven · 06-06-2010, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Is this the end of Brothers & Sisters?

The cast of Brothers & Sisters returns to work in mid-July, with a few jarring changes besides the absence of Rob Lowe, whose character was killed off in the season finale's tragic multi-car pile-up that also left Patricia Wettig's character, Holly, hanging on by a limb. (Calls to Patricia's reps inquiring about her fate have not been returned.) But the biggest question involves ABC's downsized order of 18 episodes — shorter than a series' typical 22-episode order. Are the Walkers about to have their final group hug? Series star Rachel Griffiths, who plays eldest daughter Sarah, isn't exactly sure herself, telling me, "In my negotiation, I asked, 'does 18 mean it's the last season?' I would love to know. I feel like this is the last season, but I don't know for sure."

The show's cinematographer, Cynthia Pusheck, seems more certain that the eighteenth hour will indeed be the final chapter. "I think it's been a nice run, and it will be good for us to know we can wrap up everyone's stories," she says, adding that the look of the show will also change — much to her disappointment. Ironically, Pushek was on hand at the event to accept The Kodak Vision Award for her work on the show, which will stop utilizing film when production resumes. "We're going to be switching to Digital as a cost-cutting measure. We hope to have the same show, but there will be some changes visually."

With the storyline jumping ahead into the future (as Desperate Housewives did two seasons ago), Rachel, who has signed on for 17 of the 18, says we should expect to see less Walker family meetings, requiring the whole cast's attendance. "There was a lot of pressure on the writers to use all the actors all the time, which used to piss us off," says Rachel. "Did they really need for me to be in one scene not speaking when I could have been in Australia or New York? A lot of times there were actors just hanging around twiddling their thumbs. So, I think what they have planned is going to work out pretty well."

And how does Rachel feel about the Walkers moving from their lost Ojai Foods into the water pumping business? "I kind of like it, because it's like 'Chinatown' — which to me is the fundamental L.A. story," Rachel says. "We can turn dark and corrupted. Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Rachel can reenact the 'You're my mother; you're my sister/my mother episode."

Sally Field, not yet sure how many episodes she'll appear in, has an additional suggestion: "I hope it get real down and dirty and we bring Jack (Nicholson) in!" Regardless, it seems Sally is more than prepared to say goodbye. Come spring 2011, "we'll be real ready," she says emphatically. "We're tired!"

source

The video of the Sally interview here.

Katiegg108 · 06-06-2010, 07:59 AM

I saw this earlier and I don't like it one bit.

Some of those quotes seem really ungrateful, but of course that just might be how I'm reading them and the sections the article chose to publish.

I don't see why the show should end just yet, if the ratings are still up there and the producers think there's more to do.

Only 18 episodes sounds pretty scary, though.

Fortyseven · 06-06-2010, 09:51 AM

I think the 18 episodes thing has to do with the show becoming increasingly expensive (large cast, most of which are award winners, whose salaries probably increase as the show goes on). They're only doing okay in the ratings, the network probably doesn't want to spend a huge amount of cash at this point.

I understand why they might be exhausted (since they had 4 different showrunners, I'm sure there must have been some disagreements between them and the network; or even between the writers/producers) but Sally & Rachel do make it seem like they really want it to end. I don't like it when it seems like the actors don't even enjoy working on a show. Especially since there's so many struggling actors who would kill for their jobs.

Especially Rachel who actually complains about being paid a high amount to just sit at family dinners. Sure, commuting from Australia must be hard but they do get quite a few months off between the seasons, which is a rare luxury. Unless you're a student/teacher, I don't think that are many steady jobs where they give you so much time off.

funky_chick · 06-06-2010, 10:05 AM

I really hope that this doesn't mean that the show is ending

But if this is going to be the last year, I'd like it to be announced as early as possible to be able to mentally prepare for it

shattered jewels · 06-06-2010, 05:23 PM

I really don't want it to end but I'd rather that they go out when the show is doing well rather than it keeping going until bad ratings get it cancelled.

The networks seem to be ordering quite a few of the shows for only 18 episodes. I wonder if they are realising that quality is better than quantity.

smoothaise · 06-06-2010, 08:22 PM

Same thing happened with Alias:S5 so I'm not beyond shocked as it's mostly the same crew. But I'd like them to announce it's the final season early - and write this season as the last, then just play around until the final 3. I don't mind a shortened episode order as the last 2 seasons had too much filler.

Katiegg108 · 06-08-2010, 08:31 AM

IA Ken, it'll be nice to have less filler. I hope that the reduced number doesn't automatically equal the end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fortyseven (View Post)

Sally & Rachel do make it seem like they really want it to end. I don't like it when it seems like the actors don't even enjoy working on a show. Especially since there's so many struggling actors who would kill for their jobs.

I really agree here. That's one thing actors do that I never understand. You have a job and viewers... be grateful. But I guess that's part of the profession. Wanting to move on from a role and do more elsewhere.

Rachel's and Sally's comments remind me a lot of Lauren and Alexis during the last season of GG. I hate the idea of actors not enjoying working on a show I love

funky_chick · 06-08-2010, 08:49 AM

Quote:

I hate the idea of actors not enjoying working on a show I love

Me, too. On the one hand, I don't want the show to continue if they don't want to do the show. But on the other hand, I don't want the show to end

Primal Slayer · 06-08-2010, 07:35 PM

I hope this isnt the last season since the show still brings in over 9million viewers which is still good for an ABC show (where most of their shows garner that or below). Even DH and GA only get around 11-15mill viewers now. But if it is the last season, hopefully they know at the beginning so we can have a proper ending and atleast 5 good years.

And ya it sucks to sit around with nothing to do when you could be somewhere else but the main factor of this show is the family unit so i can also understand the writers trying to do as many family scenes as possible. But even if this isnt the shows last, i can tell that there are a lot of them that wouldnt renew their contracts if they had the option to.

Fortyseven · 06-09-2010, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Rachel's and Sally's comments remind me a lot of Lauren and Alexis during the last season of GG.

Ouch, I don't know about the GG comments. Don't ruin it for me!

But I think I'd fine them understandable, since GG did change dramatically over the last few seasons and it was a very different show by the end. And it included their only showrunner's abandonment after 6 years. It makes sense they wanted it to end while it was still somewhat decent, and I felt the same during their final year as well.

But with B&S, I don't feel like they're at that point yet. It's only been 4 seasons and the only dramatic change (IMO) happened between s1 and s2 when the style changed to more serious soapy drama. They've been pretty consistent since then.

Katiegg108 · 06-09-2010, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fortyseven (View Post)

Ouch, I don't know about the GG comments. Don't ruin it for me!

Aw I don't want to ruin it. And all of your comments are very true. There is a big different. But just that feeling of being tired of a show and saying they'd be happy if it was over. I'm sure it's not as strong of a feeling as with GG.

And because there haven't been any big changes in the show, at least that are revealed to us, this does feel like it's coming out of left field. Everyone always has seemed to happy and optimistic about the show.

funky_chick · 06-09-2010, 09:48 AM

Maybe this is just their way of preparing themselves for a possible ending of the show


Fan Forum > Archived Television Shows > Brothers & Sisters > B&S News & Updates #6: Departures and a 5th season renewal!