After the first season, Showtime renewed it for two more seasons. This was the first time a television series got a two-season renewal.
Showtime planned to air the series in syndication during the second season. But this plan received criticism from HBO who felt that airing a pay-cable show on broadcast TV would diminish subscription rates. Showtime canceled the plan but later allowed It's Garry Shandling's Show. (1986) to air on Fox. Reruns of "Brothers" began airing in syndication in 1989. It is the first pay-cable series to air in broadcast TV reruns.
This was the first original sitcom to air on cable television.
The series was originally offered to ABC and NBC who turned it down due to concerns about the subject of homosexuality. After they turned it down, Paul Regina moved on to star in Zorro and Son (1983) and Brandon Maggart starred in Jennifer Slept Here (1983). Both series were canceled by the time Showtime agreed to a deal.
Many of the show's early seasons contained strong adult language and themes, but the creators later toned down the material, in hopes of selling the series to syndication.