Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson's Apple TV Sitcom Is a Far Cry From 'True Detective' | Review

Few friendships in Hollywood are more enviable than that of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. The two sons of Texas started in comedy before branching out into dramatic roles, and have been close friends since the 1990s. They first appeared together in the forgettable 1999 Truman Show imitator EDtv, but their most triumphant moment came with the first season of True Detective, playing an odd pairing of lawmen in one of the finest single seasons of television ever made. The similarities between the two have been widely discussed, with even the actors themselves suggesting they may be brothers. Their new Apple TV comedy asks: What if that were really the case?

What Is Apple TV's ‘Brothers’ About?

The premise for Brothers, as the opening title acknowledges, is based on “a true rumor," in which Harrelson revealed that McConaughey’s mother claimed to have known his father intimately, leading to speculation that they might actually be half-brothers. The Apple TV sitcom centers its story around a fictionalized version of the two stars’ lives in which "Ma Mac" (Holland Taylor) drunkenly tells Harrelson the same story before dismissing it the following day. After fleeing to McConaughey’s house, Harrelson imposes himself on his friend’s life, causing one catastrophe after another as the Oscar winner attempts to run for political office.

Determined to find out the truth about his origins, Harrelson investigates his father’s past while surreptitiously attempting to collect McConaughey’s DNA. Along the way, the pair fall out, get into adventures, and realize that regardless of any blood ties, their bond still runs deep. McConaughey and Harrelson are credited as creators on Brothers alongside David West Reed (Schitt’s Creek) and Lee Eisenberg (Jury Duty), who also serves as showrunner. Natalie Martinez and Brittany Ishibashi play the two stars’ long-suffering wives, while Lisa Gilroy appears as McConaughey’s emotionally detached, ruthless campaign manager.

‘Brothers’ Borrows the Blueprint of Older Sitcoms

From the start, it’s very clear that Brothers is anchored by the charm of its two leads, with everyone else’s job to make a show out of it. For the most part, it works, but considering that the last time these two shared the screen resulted in television history, this easy, breezy comedy can’t help but feel a little thin by comparison. Brothers borrows the blueprint of almost every sitcom that came before it — one character invades the life of another, turning his ordered world upside down with hijinks and hilarity. Whether it’s hunting trips, a new dog, or one drink that turns into a disaster, Harrelson is the catalyst for chaos, with McConaughey having to clear up the mess.

The series' humor works, coming off like a mix of My Name is Earl and Two and a Half Men, but it never really stretches for something new, instead relying on familiar sitcom tropes and low-hanging fruit for easy laughs. At eight episodes of about half an hour each, Brothers works as a light antidote to more serious streaming fare, although the supporting characters are never really developed enough to result in memorable B-plots. Instead, we’re simply waiting for the next interaction between the titular brothers, enjoying our time with them while the show's overarching mystery is slowly explored.

Holland Taylor Is the Biggest Surprise of ‘Brothers’

Taylor is the exception when it comes to Brothers' supporting cast, delivering a performance that is one of the show’s secret weapons — hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, gun-toting, and absolutely delightful in every moment. She may be best known to sitcom fans for a similarly pitched role as the mother of the brothers in Two and a Half Men, but Ma Mac is entirely Taylor's own creation. Sporting a frightful suntan, she cradles a drink in every scene while issuing withering put-downs. She and Harrelson make a great duo, with the latter’s befuddled nature repeatedly playing the fall guy to her scheming. She's the closest thing Brothers has to an antagonist, but like everything in the series, her plotting shouldn't be taken too seriously.

Brothers' remaining ensemble mainly exists to reflect the show's leads. Harrelson’s children balk at the discipline that the McConaughey brood are subjected to but also lash out to earn the attention of a father who prefers a hands-off approach to parenting. It’s a shame there isn’t more time devoted to defining these characters, as they mostly blend into one during the course of the season. Gilroy is fun to watch as the campaign manager who seems to have little respect for McConaughey, with some wickedly caustic lines about his achievements. The show wisely doesn’t try to satirize show business too much, but her character injects a welcome dose of Hollywood cynicism.

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson Are the Heart and Soul of ‘Brothers’

Of course, no one’s really here for groundbreaking comedy or the second coming of True Detective. Brothers is sold on the charisma of the two real-life besties, and in that sense it delivers. There is something genuinely lovely about seeing Harrelson and McConaughey together again, with a chemistry that can’t be faked and the kind of tempestuous relationship that makes you really believe they may be related.

The most fun comes from the scenes where the actors lean into their public perception. The fictionalized Harrelson is a hippie who lives in a van with a mural that includes Greta Thunberg, kicks up a fuss when the Uber driver uses air conditioning, and is never far away from a joint. Meanwhile, McConaughey is presented as living his folksy lifestyle 24/7, quoting commercials to his son and acting, in Harrelson’s words, “like a belt buckle come to life.” The self-awareness with which the two approach their performances is everything fans want, and as close as most of us will get to hanging out with two of Hollywood’s most unique personalities. One suspects their off-screen adventures are much wilder, and perhaps there’ll be some version of them in a potential Season 2.

To borrow the Dallas Buyers Club star’s own phrase, Brothers is content to "just keep on livin'." It’s far from the television event of the year, but it's an easygoing binge that flies by, leaving you with the sense that the two actors are exactly who you hoped they would be. Any continuation would need more thoughtful plotting, but taken on its own merits, the show is alright, alright, alright.

Brothers premieres September 23 on Apple TV.