It’s been a fun and wild ride on Brothers, the new series that showcases a fictionalized version of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, their real friendship, and the potential rumor that they could be brothers. We’ve seen Woody spending the past few weeks trying to investigate and get to the truth, while Matthew tries to set up a campaign and teach his family some lessons. That continues in this week’s episode, “The Band.”
Let’s dive in. SPOILERS BELOW.
The Real McConaughey
We begin with a campaign ad. It’s a big, brash ad that makes the most of Matthew’s storied career as an actor. It certainly strikes a chord, but it’s not the one Matthew wants. He wants to run on his policies and his platform for what he’ll do for Texas, not on his stardom. That has him at odds with his campaign manager (Lisa Gilroy).
When Matthew gets home, he runs into another issue. His daughter Clara (Ella Grace Helton) is trying to prepare for an audition. She wants to use the family name to secure the part, but Matthew tells her life is about hard work, not coasting on fame. It’s the lesson he’s trying to apply to his own campaign, and now he sees a chance to bring that lesson home to his daughter.
He and Woody once had some great musical ambitions. They play their music for the family, and it doesn’t go over all that well. But they are certain they can take the act on the road. And Matthew is certain it will be a great lesson for the family. So, they book a gig at a local coffee shop—only they’re going to do it under cover.
That also ends up being the perfect opportunity for Woody’s other mission. He’s employed Olive (Highdee Kuan) to help him get what he needs to verify whether he and Matthew are brothers. The gig will leave the house empty, allowing Olive to find a sample to test.
Playing for an audience
Matthew and Woody want to prove hard work and talent are all you need. So, they show up for the concert in heavy makeup and wielding accents, an Australian accent for Matthew and a British accent for Woody. They take the stage to perform, and it doesn’t go quite as planned. People aren’t taken with the music, which is eclectic.
Olive, meanwhile, isn’t having any better a time. She’s hunting in the house for the DNA sample, but Matthew keeps it clean and tidy. So, she calls the help line for the testing company to get some ideas. She connects with Brad (Jimmy Fowlie) and tries to get some ideas. While he doesn’t help her much with her DNA kit problem, she finds a nice sounding board and perhaps a new friend.
Back at the bar, Matthew and Woody are shaken by the lack of response. They decide that they’ve earned a little recognition through their hard work. So, they drop the disguises and head back out to perform for the crowd. This time appearing as themselves and playing a song they wrote while working on True Detective, they get a big response. It’s the validation they were looking for and both of them seem to need.
But it doesn’t exactly sell the message for his daughter. So, Matthew tries to smooth things over by offering to make a donation to the school. It was a bit of a failed attempt to teach her the lesson of hard work and talent winning the day. The question is whether this will have an impact on his campaign strategy, too.
Meanwhile, Olive feels defeated at not having gathered a sample. But Woody comes through. He has the prosthetic nose they used for their job. Olive now has the right sample to test, and they are closer to getting some much-needed answers.
These episodes move at a good pace. They’re never more than a half an hour, and they keep the action and the humor light. I am still enjoying watching these two play off each other, but I’m wondering where we are really going. Hopefully the shape of a destination starts to take place in future episodes.
Brothers streams Wednesdays on Apple TV. Check back next week as we recap all the action of season 1 here.
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