I am growing to like Brothers ...
Question: I am growing to like
Brothers & Sisters, especially now that Treat Williams, an
Everwood favorite, has been added to the cast. I find the pairing of him and
Sally Field on screen together very interesting. However, I recently heard that
Betty Buckley was the original mother in the series and even did a pilot for the show. It is not that I don't like Sally Field, but I have always loved Betty Buckley. I am curious to see if you think the show would be as successful if Buckley were in it rather than the very popular Field. Sally Field has been doing TV spots in recent years, but it would have been great to see Betty Buckley on television.
Answer: I have nothing against Betty Buckley — she was the best Norma Desmond ever in the stage version of
Sunset Boulevard, and her recordings are a knockout. I only saw a few clips from the original pilot, when she was in the mother role, but I can't second-guess the producers on this one. Sally Field exudes such humor and warmth in the character of Nora that I can't and wouldn't want to imagine anyone else in the role. She's a key, very promotable asset, so I do believe they made the right call for the short- and long-term health of the show.
