It’s time for another session of Millennial Misremembers, the column where I realize much of my childhood media consumption passed like a fever dream. The memories I do have are now … sus. But we carry on! This month, I’ll be misremembering Brotherly Love, the 1995 TV series. Short-lived, the show ran for two years, first on NBC and then on the WB. It starred the Lawrence brothers: Joey, Matthew and Andrew.
What I (Mis)remember
I watched Brotherly Love after school, so it was probably in syndication by then. I was obsessed with it and would recap it (lol) in detail to my mother when she came home from work. Being the speech therapist she was, she’d use that as a lesson in social skills to remind me not to bore people with things they weren’t interested in (yikes!).
As far as the actual show? Umm … there were three brothers? And a mechanic shop. Maybe some dead parents. 🤷
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It’s definitely time to revisit this, no?
Let’s Rewatch!
We open at the mechanic garage, with Lou (Liz Vassey) telling Andy (Andrew Lawrence) all about her Art History class. Dressed as Wolverine, Andy thinks the famous artists she mentions are villains in need of some murderating. Just as Lou corrects him, Claire (Melinda Culea) walks in, carrying grocery bags. She’s in a frenzy. But Andy does listen to his mom (Claire) when she tells him to go upstairs and get ready for dinner.
Lou gives Claire some updates about the shop, including that they won’t be able to finish a repair on time. Apparently, Llyod (Michael McShane) gets his “W’s” and “5’s” confused and ordered the wrong parts. I don’t know why this is supposed to be comical? It gets worse when he pops a cupcake into his mouth, and Lou shames him for it.
Upstairs, the phone rings, and Claire answers. It’s Andrea for Matt (Matthew Lawrence). He does not want to talk to her. Why is Matt avoiding Andrea? Misogyny. He signed up for the school talent show because she asked him to. Because she, the seventh prettiest girl in the school, talked to him.
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Woof. I am not loving this.
After a way-too-tame reprimand, Claire suggests Matt do his Happy Days dance from childhood. Matt suggests he doesn’t want to get beat up. Wolverine Andy runs in and tackles Matt … to protect him? Then, Matt asks if he can kill his little bro. To which Claire says, “Matt, I’ve told you before, I need the deduction.” Yeesh. Lol, but dark.
Back down in the shop, Lloyd mistakes Joe (Joey Lawrence) for the spirit of a car. Poor Michael McShane. I hope he was paid well for this awful role. Then Joe reveals himself, and Llyod asks what Joe is doing around these parts. Apparently, he’s gonna go do some racing. We then learn that Lloyd was hit in the head by a racing tire.
So what’s Joe doing around these here parts? He’s here to claim the part of his shop his dad left him. (Joe shares a dad with the younger boys but not a mom.)
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Upstairs, Andy is wearing a pillow over his head, proclaiming himself pillow man. As Matt is wrestling the pillowcase off the boy’s head, Joe comes in, much to everyone’s surprise — and Matt’s unease.
Claire reintroduces Andy to Joe after removing a Matryoshka Doll’s worth of masks off the former’s face. Andy invites Joe to stay for dinner.
At dinner, Claire tries to melt the ice by telling Joe Matt has just begun his sophomore year of high school. Joe asks if his brother is in any clubs (no.) or if he has a girlfriend (No!). Matt runs off to do his homework.
Joe wants to talk to Claire privately, so she sends Andy off to get ready for bed. But first, she warns him not to hang from the ceiling like a bat. As Andy exits, he turns around and says, “Somebody, stop me.” Cue audience laughter. Cue my groan.
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Joe and Claire rudely comment on how weird Andy is. Claire chalks it up to him losing his father when he was five. Joe rebuts that he also lost his dad at that age. And he’s fine.
Joe tells Claire that he came to town because he wants her to buy him out of the garage. Before she can respond, Matt interrupts, erupts and leaves. Claire uses the break-in conversation to ask Joe how he’s doing and what he’s up to.
As it turns out, Joe hasn’t been around much. Claire is bitter about that; she insists he was always welcome. Joe doesn’t feel that way. Besides, he’s not there for “family therapy.” He just wants his money.
The phone rings, and Joe answers it. It is, of course, Andrea for Matt. Matt flips out again, causing Joe to criticize Claire’s parenting and try to leave. She insists he stay the night.
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The following day, Joe’s on the phone with his friend, trying to convince him not to sell his bike ’cause the money is definitely coming through. Andy comes in for his obligatory appearance, dressed like a rapper, I guess. Idk. It just feels super offensive.
While Andy’s in the kitchen getting Joe coffee, Matt comes down to flip out at Joe once again. I actually like this gag. When Andy comes back in, Matt has already gone back upstairs. Andy asks Joe who he pretends to be, and Joe performs a lackluster Elvis impression, which he teaches Andy.
Does It Live Up to the Nostalgia?
Ugh. Yes and no. Some of the jokes were funny, but mostly Brotherly Love was just outdated, offensive and not particularly original. I guess having a “cheeky” kid like Andy was par for the course in the ’90s and all that, but it’s just not humorous? One thing I will say in the show’s favor is that by casting actual brothers, the characters have a natural chemistry.
That’s it for this edition of Millennial Misremembers. Did you (mis)remember Brotherly Love? What piece of nostalgia should we conquer and destroy next? Let us know in the comments below!
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