The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire

This show, judging by the pilot episode which I just saw tonight, has limited promise. It seems like a night-time soap opera set in a New Hampshire/New England setting that I don't really believe exists.

Though I'm not a native of New England, I used to live in Maine, not too far from New Hampshire, so perhaps allow me to make some qualified observations nevertheless: I just didn't get a New England "feel" to this show, I just don't "recognize" any of these characters as being truly New Englander types. Sure, they can doll them up in LL Bean attire until the cows come home, but that in itself a New Englander does not make.

I think the show runs the risk of bombing because it brings too much of a Hollywood/California frame of mind to a New England setting. The men in this show seem way too giddy for real New Englanders, and all seem WAY too preoccupied with their personal "issues"; the women seem more like annoying busy-bodies from some rich enclave of Sausalito, California; the kids - at least those that have appeared so far - seem more like big city high school kids in Los Angeles dealing with image problems and the like, etc. These are not the New Englanders that I remember from oh, twenty or so years ago when I used to live in that glorious part of America. Have times really changed that much? I thinketh not.

One positive about the show is the incredible depth of the cast. Randy Quaid, Mare Winningham and Elizabeth McGovern just to name a few. I like these actors a lot, and hope the show really works for them, but the writing and the whole "atmoshpere" of the show really needs some work.

If this show develops further, I hope it loses some of the soap opera feel. Just a thought, but it would be kinda' cool (for me anyway) if the show took a sort of David Lynch/Twin Peaks detour and got rather twisty. New England lends itself to that. It can be very twisty there. Very twisty indeed. ("Ya can't get there from here" - Bert and I).

Since the show of 10/22 had "Carter Pike" all it needs now is "Douglas Wambaugh" and it will be great. Seems like a continuation of Picket Fences, maybe the other side of the mountain so to speak. As for NH realism, that isn't important to me or probably most of the viewers. After all it isn't a documentary, just a TV program for entertainment. Thank you David E. Kelley.

This show is about three brothers(Randy Quaid, John Carroll Lynch, Chris Penn) deal with life in a small town, and trying to keep there marriages together. I saw two episodes, I really find this show enjoyable. It shows these brothers are very insecure about issues, sometimes it gets funny and sad most of the time. I hope this show will be on a while!

I saw commericals for this show, and had to at least check it out, and i'm glad i did. This show is really great. The cast works very well together. Though i don't think rating are good on it, i hope it doesn't get cancelled i really enjoy it. I suggest it to everybody.

Ever since Picket Fences went off the air, I've been waiting, ever so

freaking patiently, for another great melodrama to come along

from David Kelley. And though Boston Public started off alright, it

sank, rather quickly.

So I'd given up by the time I heard about this one, the Brotherhood

of Poland. And I thought, "What an unappealing title for a show."

But, I found myself home the night it debuted, and figured since

there's nothing good on tv anymore, I'd watch it. And I did. And,

Brotherhood left an indifferent impression on me. It wasn't great

enough to get me excited and hopeful, but it wasn't terrible enough

for me to disregard it completely. So I've kept watching.

And last night, the fifth episode aired, and it's got Picket Fences

Deux written all over it. And I love it. It's blatantly similar to Picket

Fences but that's just fine with me, I've been waiting for this for

years. The actors seem to be connecting more, and the writing

seems to be getting a little less awkward...maybe Brotherhood just

needed to stretch its legs for a few weeks before it started to pick

up some steam? I really don't care if it's 'inaccurate' as far as New

Hampshire towns are concerned, I don't mind that reality seems to

get checked at the door (that makes it better, if you ask me); it's a

fun and quirky show with smart humor and all the melodrama of a

Sirk movie. And wow, Randy Quaid did some fine acting last night;

I've never really seem him in serious roles, and never thought he

could pull them off, but last night he actually impressed me with

his skills. Give this little show a try, it's only been getting better.