Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Sweet & sour siblings

I don't watch TV all that much, but there's one show among several that I do like: Brothers & Sisters. Thank heavens it's back (just as Heroes will be back within the year, woo hoo!).

In a nutshell, Brothers & Sisters is about family relationships: the dynamics among brothers and sisters and their mother and their significant others and half-sister(?) - family. It's mostly drama with a few good laughs thrown in. I'm enjoying it immensely.

I have an older sister and an older brother and a younger brother. All of them live abroad with their families, except for the younger brother, who's away most of the time anyway since he works as a junior purser on a cruise ship in either Europe or the Caribbean.

If you watch Brothers & Sisters, you'll notice that every time the family meets for dinner the evening inevitably ends up in a shouting match. There's no doubt that the family members love each other dearly, but man, they almost rip each others' throats out in these shouting matches. As adults, there were moments when the siblings and I don't see eye to eye on certain things. But it never got to the point that there would be a verbal free-for-all. I do have friends who engage in such, um, lively conversations with their families. After the initial apprehension, such conversations became fun to watch.

My siblings and I have had our share of disagreements - verbal and physical - when we were kids. The younger brother, especially, always threw a mean punch that was always aimed at me. He and I fought like cats and dogs when we were younger, but he and I were closest to each other. We still are. Whenever he's home we go out for a few drinks and kid around. Most importantly, we talk and listen to each other. I have great memories of my older sister and brother when we were kids and before they moved away, but it's the younger brother who somehow gets me the most (and vice-versa). I'd call him my doppelganger, except that I'm way prettier. And that I can outdrink him - but only when Heineken is involved. Otherwise he's the better drinker, hands down.

Don't you wonder how earlier generations were more prolific when it came to childbearing? My mom had seven siblings; my dad had eight. I have just three (siblings and children), but on certain days it seems like I have three dozen. But I'm not complaining. Well, just sometimes. But not much.

(We were supposed to have four more siblings, but they were either stillborn or died shortly after birth.)

But back to Brothers & Sisters. I would totally love to adopt Kevin and Justin into my household. Not for sexual purposes, you perverts. Kevin (the gay guy), because he's so lovable even if he's neurotic and uptight. Justin, because he is so vulnerable and has doe eyes and a perpetual five o'clock shadow. And because both of them are such an adorable, pathetic mess when they're drunk.

Just like me...if you hold the adorable.


12 comments:

Photo Cache said...

Ha! Welcome to the club dearie, this is one of my faves (along with prison break, lost, men in trees). Last night, they had their first new show after the strike and it was a great episode.

I wanted to grow in a big family, I am the youngest of 7 but the age gap between me and the closest brother (all brothers no sister) is 12 years; I ended up growing up with my nieces and nephews---oldest nephew is two months younger than me.

Anyway, I dont have a fave character, I just love 'em all.

Lizza said...

You have 6 siblings? And you're the unica hija? Wow, Photo.

I download the episodes; they show the program here, but delayed by a few episodes. So I'm up to date that way. Ain't technology amazing?

Me love me some Kevin & Justin.

Travis Cody said...

I only have one sister. We had disagreements, but no knock down drag outs.

See, we grew up with just our mom and each other. So it was a bad idea to alientate each other over silly kid stuff. We grew up to have a great relationship.

Cheers!

Mimi Lenox said...

I am the oldest of four. My sister and I are close now but really weren't growing up - as she is the youngest - too many years apart. I wish I'd had the good common sense to think of her then as more than just a bratty little sister at times. But I wouldn't take the friendship we have now for anything. And interestingly, my younger brothers in the middle are closer to each other than the two of us. Go figure.
Being the oldest has its pitfalls. You're always "mother-henning" everyone!

Prometheus said...

Yo Liz, cute pics. Purtyness runs in yer family, Prometheus guesses. Way'll, Prometheus is an only child. But his granpappy (pappy's pappy) had 17 monskers gnawing at his ankles. And his mommy's pappy had 5. Now y'all know why India makes up fer one quarter of the world's popyulayshun.

Daddy Papersurfer said...

We were watching this but disappeared out of the country 1/2 way through. If anyone wants to buy me a boxed set ....... ?

*resounding silence*

.......... oh well

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of this series before but it sounds really good. I might just check it out once I'm done w/the final exams!

Anyway, there's nothing you can do to severe familial ties; blood is thicker than water, after all.

(:

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

One brother and one sister....actually mom only had a sister and dad only a sister, so we are a smallish family...not sure how or why it happened, but it did...

My brother and sister and i are closer now than we were as kids...

C... said...

Awesome post. I have a younger brother and an older sister. Each relationship has such dynamics. My son has no siblings by me but has a half-brother with his dad and a step sister.

Sidney said...

We kept it to the strict minimum.
My father was only child, my mother got two brothers (both childless). I have one brother (childless)and I only have one son...
so even if we want...we can't quarrel because we are not enough to do so...;-)

Maria said...

I love, love, love B&S.

Though I could do without the fake incest thing they've got going right now... blech.

The Walkers so remind me of my family- my aunts and uncles are exactly like this. They could be Italian for the way they act around another. Anyway... I love b&s.

Lizza said...

Hi Maria, thanks for visiting.

I had an inkling last season that Justin & Rebecca would have something going, but I thought "Nah."

Great show to watch, nevertheless.

Oh, the stories we with large families have to tell!