DVD Review: What About Brian: The Complete Series

What About Brian originally aired on ABC and was a product of JJ Abrams. Abrams, best know for Lost and Alias made this simple, romantic comedy about a bachelor named Brian, in a world of married friends. The concept was simple and could have done better than it did. However, after two small seasons (the first only containing five episodes) What About Brian was cancelled and is now being offered on DVD as a complete series set.

The major problem with What About Brian, as far as why it did not succeed was that the characters did not have a chance to grow. Abrams never really seemed to find his niche with this show and What About Brian never really seemed to find its way in the television world. Sure, the show had some fans, but there were not enough to keep the show on the air. The writing was still being worked out and though the cast was strong, the lines needed to be drawn as to who these people were and what their goal is for this world they were in. This never had a chance to develop and cancellation was the punishment that the show was given.

Barry Watson (Boogeyman) plays Brian the standard bachelor in a sea of married people. Rosanna Arquette (Pulp Fiction, Desperately Seeking Susan) plays Brian’s sister, Nicole. She is married to Angelo (Raoul Bova). While this relationship is seemingly perfect not all Brian’s friends have it so lucky. Rick Gomez (Transformers, Ray) is a friend and business partner of Brian who is experiencing marriage problems with his wife, Deena (Amanda Detmer.) Other regular couples on the show include Adam (Matthew Davis) and Marjorie (Sarah Lancaster) and Ivy (Amanda Foreman) and Jimmy (Jason Winston George).

Part of the humor comes from Brian trying to find love. As you can imagine he gets to date quite a lot. Notable girlfriends include Natasha (Tiffani Thiessen), Laura (Jessica Szohr), and Bridget Keller (Krista Allen), though there were more.

The sad thing is that by the middle of the second season it was getting to the point where you could see the voice building. Unfortunately, by then it was pretty clear that the show would not be brought back. The second season ended, and there was enough closure to not drive a fan mad, but it was unfortunate because there was so much that could have been done had other seasons been picked up.

There are quite a few good episodes in this five disc set. Fans will love having access to the show from pilot to final episode. Some of the best episodes include, “Two in Twenty Four”, “The Importance of Being Brian”, “What About Angelo’s Ashes”, “What About First Steps”, and “What About the Exes”. While all of the episodes are watchable these were certainly some of my favorites.

The video and audio quality in this box set is decent. I had no problems seeing or hearing anything on any of the discs that are provided in the set. The video comes in presented in 1.78:1. Meanwhile, the audio comes in as Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. The discs are presented in English and offer Spanish and French subtitles.

Special features include bonus episodes, featurettes, and more. The bonus episode, “What Happens in Vegas” comes in at the standard 40 minutes and is well worth watching. The featurettes include “Call All Friends: The Story of What About Brian” and “What About 3: The Season That Never Was.” Audio commentaries are also included.

What About Brian was a good show overall. I wasn’t shocked or devastated to see it go though it is nice to have on DVD now that I can’t just pop on my television and watch what’s going on. Based on the price and the entertainment value that a fan would receive from this set, it’s definitely worth a purchase. If you are a fan of comedic dramas in the hour long range then you might just like What About Brian. I recommend checking out and buying it if you find you like the humor, dating, and drama that comes from the series.

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Technorati Tags: What About Brian, ABC, Television Box Set, Box Set Review, DVD, JJ Abrams, Barry Watson

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
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Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.