 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Brotherhood
Common Sense Media says
Intense and intriguing, but not OK for kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this Showtime series was written and produced for adults and isn't appropriate for children of any age -- not even most older teens. The first line of audible dialogue in the pilot is "I say pull your pants down 'cause I wanna f--k you up the ass." And it only gets worse from there, since that line is soon followed by a grisly scene of a man being beaten to death with a shovel. In addition to the serious language and graphic violence strewn throughout the series, there's also occasional drug use and explicit sex, including more than one shot of male frontal nudity.
What's the story?
Set in a fictional Irish neighborhood in Providence, R.I., known as "The Hill," BROTHERHOOD begins with state rep. Tommy Caffee (Jason Clarke) -- a hardworking, ambitious family man -- fielding rumors that his wayward brother, Michael (Jason Isaacs) -- a former gangster with blood on his hands -- is back in town after seven years on the run from the FBI. When Michael finally shows up, claiming he's changed his ways, Tommy and his wife (Annabeth Gish) remain wary, while the Caffee boys' mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is just happy to know he's alive. But it doesn't take long for Michael's presence to start stirring things up on The Hill, engaging Tommy in a precarious dance between family loyalty and the law.
Is it any good?
Brotherhood packs a wallop in terms of foul language and graphic violence, but it also offers complex characters whose motivations run deep. Critically speaking, this gritty Showtime drama scores big points for nailing the complexities of the American Dream and taking the time to develop characters who are both good and bad at the same time. But on the road to exploring the theme, too much blood (and sex and verbal carnage) is spilled along the way. The result is an intriguing study of the gray area between good and bad and the age-old theme of sibling rivalry in the vein of Cain and Abel. But make no mistake: It's a show for adults only; this is probably one of the worst shows kids could watch -- so parents should plan to enjoy it on their own time.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the moral extremes of "good" and "bad" -- and the gray areas lurking in between. Why do we as a society often have the need to label someone as "good" or "bad"? Can a person be both? For example, can a good person have serious flaws and still be considered good? And do good deeds done by a bad person make him any less bad? What are some of the causes of sibling rivalry? And do childhood power struggles ever really go away?
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- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
| TV rating: | TV-MA |
| Network: | Showtime |
| Cast: | Annabeth Gish, Jason Clarke, Jason Isaacs |
| Genre: | Drama |
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