BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS THE ONLY SHOW ON TV THAT ACTUALLY MAKES ME FEEL SOMETHING. I LOVE THE CHARACTERS. I LOVE THE FACT THAT NORA STICKS HER NOSE INTO HER KIDS LIVES. I LOVE THE FACT THAT SHE CARES ENOUGH TO DO THAT. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WHEN THERE IS A CRISIS EVERYONE IS ON THE PHONE AND RUSHES TO THE AID OF THEIR SIBLINGS. I WISH THAT I HAD THAT KIND OF FAMILY WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. I DID NOT. I HAD AN ABUSIVE MOTHER, DISINTERESTED BROTHERS AND A FATHER WHO TRIED HIS BEST TO BE THERE FOR ME.
SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT REALITY ON THIS SHOW, YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM ME, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE FICTIONAL, IT IS PROBABLY THE DREAM OF EVERY ABUSED HUMAN BEING TO HAVE A FAMILY LIKE THE WALKERS.

I love to read and do not watch alot of regular shows, B&S is the only show that I watch every week. My children are grown. Ironically I laugh alot watching the Walkers. We are not wealthy, but other than that the Walkers remind me of my family... lol... and yes they do rush to the house, we do gather in the kithchen (while I cook, Noras kids help more than mine) and bicker back and forth over whatever is happening with the family. My sister n law, my brother, (I even had a gay brother now deceased) my grown nephews, teenage neices, young grandchildren, my husbands sister, his brother who lives out of state might even be on the phone. Even our parents might show up and get involved. lol....we deal with politics ,social issues, what the family children should be allowed to do or not do,my son and my husbands parents are hard core Republicans, my husband is anti politics, lol, I am democrat, my daughter is a democrat, we have independants, lol,even have a left over hippy from the 60's.My brothers big on gun rights, I like alittle regulation, lol ..And yet we share meals, go out to dinner every week or so, our lives are intertwined. So you see I think the show is very realistic, and I live in the real world. I REALLY wish that my kitchen could stay as clean as Nora's does and that my Grandchildren were as quiet as hers. But I quess there is less mess in 1 hour a week. LOVE THE SHOW !!!! I do hope that they dont end up with all liberal characters, that would take the fun out of the family debates.

Yes I do happen to know they are fictional characters, and this is why I usually don't post on these things.

I can't believe kitty and robert are leaving! I think the writer is right that the show probably can survive though because it is such a large cast. I happen to enjoy B & S even though I may not care for some of the storylines. For the most part it is well written and acted. I also agree if you don't like it, then don't watch! I find it amazing how people are so quick to jump online and trash shows they claim to hate. Why waste your time?

I agree with Charles. I watched "B&S" for the first couple seasons and then just couldn't take it anymore and had to bail. The show, never great by any means but at least decent in the very beginning, is just one big huge POS now. Tell me, have they found anymore lost siblings? They seem to come up with a new one at the end of every season. And the whole Justin-Rebecca romance just gave me the creeps (today you think the person is your sister, the next you're in love and doing the nasty). And as for Rob and Calista, their romance was always a crashing bore, completely unbelievable, and a drag on the proceedings anyway, so not sad to hear they're going away. It's just too bad the audience hasn't gone away so that ABC would have a reason to cancel this ludicrous series.

When I think about how so much of the talent behind one of TV's all-time best dramas, "thirtysomething," are involved in this third-rate mishmash (not to mention the utter waste of Patricia Wettig and the great Sally Field), it almost breaks my heart.

"Calista Flockhart cutting back..." - too late, already stopped watching it....

I really only watch this show because Emily VanCamp is in it - and she's not in it very much...though I can't help but love Sally Field (even if she does have weak bones).

Gee Charles, tell us how you really feel! If you consider B & S whiny soap drivel, why do you watch? Hmm?

Actually, when you describe B & S Charles, itis the way a lot of Mom's and their family dynamics actually are. Too much like real life is it? Then DON'T WATCH!

I'm sad to see Rob Lowe leave, and Calista shorten her screen time, but am still a B & S lover from the start. I'm here to stay!

Congratulations to Lowe and Flockhart for recognizing the limited attractiveness of an hour--seems like so much longer--drama that pivots on the inability of an insufferable control freak mother to separate from her adult--chronologically only--offspring and the matching inability of the offspring to declare independence from her or each other. The producers and writers should be held accountable for wasting world class acting talent on whiny soapy drivel.

I agree--there are so many good actors and characters on the show, and this will give them a chance to have more screen time without these two "stars" taking up so much of it. My vote is for much more Kevin & Scotty, as well as Saul and Nora. They could give us a break from Justin & Rebecca while they're at it, although I don't want them to leave the show.

What I wish most is that they'd cut down on the cutesy music telling us how to feel in every scene.