Line #41 Series/Brotherhood


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/acc63a98_07c9_481c_9328_6d765f3e7d58.jpeg]]
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3	''Creator/{{Showtime}}'s'' short-lived mob series. Was often overlooked as a corned beef and cabbage flavored version of ''Series/TheSopranos'' but was very much its own beast. If anything it shared more in common with another HBO show, ''Series/TheWire''. Lasted from July, 2006 to December, 2008. A total of 29 episodes in three seasons.
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5	The show followed the exploits of two extremely morally dubious brothers in different positions of power in the city of Providence: Tommy Caffee (Creator/JasonClarke), the young brother and up-and-coming star in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, and older Michael Caffee (Creator/JasonIsaacs), freshly returned from a seven year exile and ready to rage his way back to the top of TheIrishMob. The further each brother goes to pursue their own power brings them deeper and deeper into a world of extreme BlackAndGrayMorality until it's hard to say who is more of a monster.
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7	VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory, the show is very visibly influenced by the story of the Bulger brothers from Boston (Whitey being a notorious Irish mob boss, and brother Billy being in the Massachusetts State Senate). Shot entirely on location in Providence, Rhode Island, the show is New England to the core, though some liberties are taken with the location to make it resemble South Boston more than Providence.
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9	!!Examples:
10	* AffablyEvil: Freddy Cork can be funny and even happy go lucky when playing minigolf.
11	* ArcWords: ''"There are no secrets in this family!"''
12	* BecauseImGoodAtIt: Roughly Michael's justification for his career/lifestyle, with a dose of self-loathing.
13	* BlackAndGrayMorality: There are very few, if any characters with significant redeeming qualities and both brothers are shown to pretty much destroy the lives of everyone around them.
14	* ButtMonkey: Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy.
15	* CainAndAbel: Of course.
16	* CounterfeitCash: One of Michael's operations which causes a number of problems for everyone, though Ma Caffee finds at least one good use for it.
17	* CrazyJealousGuy: Michael.
18	* CreepyChild: Mary Rose fits this trope to a T.
19	* DealWithTheDevil: Major recurring theme of the show, with various different forms of Devils.
20	* DirtyCop: [[spoiler: Declan's partner Ralph after Michael helps him cover up an accidental shooting]].
21	* DownerEnding: One person gets out ahead, but mostly at the expense everyone around them, with everyone else hopelessly scarred and broken beyond repair.
22	* EarAche: Early on Michael witnesses Moe threaten a girl and tear off one of her earrings. Michael does not take kindly to this...
23	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Michael.
24	* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Michael, of course, but also Freddie Cork (Michael's boss, who's devoted to his wife and children) and Alphonse Nozzoli (who loves his wife even though he complains about how much money she spends).
25	* EvilMentor: Jud teaches Tommy the ways of...extremely manipulative and cynical politics.
26	* TheExile: The series begins with a series of events which allow Michael to return to Providence after [[WalkingTheEarth 7 years on the run]], two steps ahead of arrest and one step ahead of a hit. [[spoiler: By the end of the series, he's right back where he started.]]
27	* HairTriggerTemper: If Michael is having a problem his most common answer is RAGE.
28	* TheIrishMob: A major focus of the show with Michael trying to take control of it and Tommy having many ties to it.
29	* JerkAss: Moe, big-time. Also Speaker Donatello, aka 'Don Don'.
30	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Tommy]].
31	* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Judd turns out to be Colin's father.]]
32	* TheMafia: The major league rivals to the Irish mob's minor league.
33	* NeighbourhoodFriendlyGangsters: Subverted, big-time.
34	* NoodleIncident: We never learn what Michael did before he came back to Providence.
35	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Fionnula Flanagan started out trying to do the New England accent, then gave up after a few episodes and went back to her normal Irish accent.
36	* ProdigalSon: Michael.
37	* ShownTheirWork: While some aspects of Providence are fictionalized for plot purposes much of the feel and dynamics of the show capture the area and culture of New England perfectly.
38	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Way, way off the carts on the cynical side.
39	* {{Southies}}: Although the series was shot and takes place in Providence, RI, some of it resembles South Boston more (for example, there isn't as significant Irish population in Providence as the shows it out to be and there was never a strong Irish mob there like there was in Massachusetts).
40	* ThanksgivingEpisode: The penultimate episode in season 2 in which everyone experiences what is possibly the worst UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay ever.
41	** The UsefulNotes/LaborDay episode was no picnic either.
42	* UsefulNotes/TheTroubles: It is implied that Colin was once involved with the IRA. True or not, he certainly knows how to mix up a MolotovCocktail.
43	* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Again, Mary Rose, so, so much.

Context Series / Brotherhood