The Emmy-nominated family drama Brothers & Sisters premieres on M-Net next week, bringing together a collection of intertwined and somewhat damaged adult siblings.
They embrace one another unconditionally while striving to reflect the perceived perfection of their role model parents. In the days ahead they will navigate waves of temptation, deception and grief.
Through these siblings – Sarah, the corporate VP struggling to balance motherhood with career; Tommy, the loyal son and seeming heir to the family business; Kevin the gay lawyer cautiously learning about love; Justin, the baby of the family, grappling with war trauma and addiction; and Kitty, right-wing radio host turned TV pundit, who has always been Daddy's little girl - the show explores what it means to be a family in the 21st century.
It also shows how these brothers and sisters balance their own lives as they strive to accept their parents as people - flawed, contradictory and forgivable - rather than just as a father and mother.
The parents are William Walker, the larger-than-life patriarch and president of the family business, and Nora Holden, the opinionated wife and mother to the five Walker siblings.
Then there's Saul Holden, Nora's brother and the company's second in command; Sarah's husband, Joe; Tommy's wife, Julia; and Holly Harper, the mystery woman who could bring the Walkers and their company down.
Brothers & Sisters stars
Calista Flockhart (
Ally McBeal) as Kitty,
Rachel Griffiths (
Six Feet Under) as Sarah,
Sally Field (
ER) as Nora Holden and
Patricia Wettig (
Prison Break) as Holly.
Then there’s
Ron Rifkin (
Alias) as Saul Holden,
Balthazar Getty (Alias) as Thomas,
Dave Annable (
Reunion) as Justin, Matthew Rhys (Titus, Love and other Disasters) as Kevin, and John Pyper-Ferguson (Unforgiven,
Night Stalker) as Joe.
The series received a total of three nominations at the 59th Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Sally Field) and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Rachel Griffiths).
Brothers & Sisters premieres on M-Net on Thursday 23 August, at 20h30.
Catch TVSA's review of the show on our official podcast later this week.