Brothers and Sisters ran for five seasons on ABC from 2006 to 2011. The Walker family, led by Nora Walker (Sally Field), struggled through losses, betrayals and small victories. It was a drama about inheritance, both the money kind and the emotional kind, and it mostly worked.
Trailer, via tevoom.
The Walker Family
The show built its drama around a tight group of siblings. Justin Walker (Dave Annable) carried the younger generation’s anger. Kitty Walker (Calista Flockhart) wore her ambition on her sleeve. Sarah Walker (Rachel Griffiths) kept the peace. Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) brought the chaos. Saul Holden (Ron Rifkin) and Holly Harper (Patricia Wettig) rounded out the extended circle. Each actor brought real weight to their part.
The Show’s Run
The series started on September 24, 2006, and ended on May 8, 2011. That stretch covered 109 episodes across five seasons.
The Network’s Other Frat Comedy
There was a brief moment in 1979 when NBC tried to cash in on Animal House with a frat-house sitcom. It was called Brothers and Sisters, and it starred William Windom as President Larry Crandall. Chris Lemmon, Jon Cutler and Randy Brooks played the basement-dwelling trio. The show lasted until April 6, 1979, when it went off the air.
| Series | Network | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brothers and Sisters (2006) | ABC | Ended |
| Brothers and Sisters (1979) | NBC | Canceled |
| Delta House | ABC | Canceled |
| Co-Ed Fever | CBS | One Episode |
What Made It Work
The show’s strength lay in its writing and its ensemble. The family arguments felt lived-in. The betrayals landed because the show spent time building trust between characters. The quieter moments, where a sibling sat alone in a room, held more weight than any fistfight ever could.
Where It Fell Short
Not every season hit the mark. Some storylines stretched past their natural end, and the show leaned on its family dynamic more than its individual characters sometimes allowed. But the core hold remained strong.
Brothers and Sisters holds a 7.1/10 on TMDB. That number feels fair. It was a solid, dependable drama that rarely reached for greatness but never settled for mediocre either.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
