When you think of family-oriented ‘90s sitcoms, there’s not doubt that your mind automatically goes to all of the shows that were featured on ABC’s TGIF lineup from 1989 to 2000. Indeed, we’ve even ranked the best of those shows called, naturally, The Best of ABC’s TGIF (1989-2000) – Ranked (click to view). But one show that definitely deserved to be part of that lineup but somehow mysteriously wasn’t, was the Philadelphia-set Brotherly Love starring the Lawrence brothers, Joey, Matthew, and Andrew.
Brotherly Love had everything you’d expect from the best of the TGIF shows — lots of comedy, a close if unorthodox family, and a unique concept to bring that family together. But it wasn’t on TGIF — instead, the show’s first season aired from 1995-1996 on NBC before then switching over to The WB for its second season from 1996-1997 before getting cancelled. While we can’t find a lot of information on the development of the show, based on pure speculation, we would wager that the first season aired on NBC because Joey Lawrence and one of the co-creators, Jonathan Schmock, were both just coming off of Blossom, which aired on the same channel. If you’re thinking to yourself, but wait, I thought this was a Disney show or something, that’s because you may have watched it in syndication on the Disney Channel from 1998 to 2002 after its initial run.
For those who need a quick refresher, the show was about the three Roman brothers, who all shared the real Lawrence brothers’ names — Joe, Matt, and Andy. Twenty-year-old Joe was mostly the main character, as the show revolved around his being only a half-brother to teenager Matt and six-year-old Andy through their father, who recently passed away in a race car accident. Joe grew up on the other side of the country with his mom, and only comes back to sell Matt and Andy’s mom, Claire, his stake in his dad’s struggling auto mechanic business. By the end of the pilot episode, he decides to stay and help out with the business and get closer to his two younger brothers. Oh, and to flirt with the female auto mechanic who works there, Lou. You know you gotta have that love story.
Joe himself was kind of the charismatic ladies man, Matt was neurotic and slightly dorky, and Andy was just wacky and goofy. The three of them used their real-life closeness to bring a great chemistry to the brothers on the show. And while the comedy was great, it was really the more dramatic and heartfelt moments that makes it stand out in our memories as a show that should’ve gotten more, uh, love, and was cancelled too soon.
Sadly, there’s nowhere to stream this show legally these days, though some people have uploaded the episodes to YouTube. Having just re-watched the pilot, I personally got some genuine laughs out of it, which is saying something as some shows that we loved in the ‘90s come across as completely corny now. The brothers have reportedly been in talks to put together a reboot of sorts as recently as 2020, though Joey said it wouldn’t necessarily be the same characters or anything, but just another opportunity for the three of them to work together again. Joey also mentioned possibly doing another film in the Horse Sense/Jumping Ship series they all worked on to round it out as a trilogy. I’m sure a lot of ‘90s girls would love to see the three brothers act together again!
Were you a Brotherly Love fan? Which Roman/Lawrence brother was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
- The laugh track for Brotherly Love was actually borrowed from Boy Meets World, which Matthew Lawrence joined shortly after this show as Shawn Hunter’s brother Jack.
- In one episode, Matt and Andy’s mom, Claire, wears a hat with small flowers sticking out of it and asks how she looks. Joey says, ” I guess we know what Blossom looks like all grown up.” Joey, of course, played Mayim Bialik’s brother on the hit series Blossom.
- This show was the first time all three brothers acted together, though both Matthew and Andrew guest-starred on episodes of Blossom as younger versions of Joey.
- James Vallely, one of the co-creators of the show, would go on to write and produce one of the most acclaimed comedies of all-time, Arrested Development. He won an Emmy for writing the episode “The Righteous Brothers.”
- The brothers all started acting at very young ages — Joey at age 6, Matthew at age 4, and Andrew at age 3. They all continue to act today, though Joey has had the most high-profile roles in more recent years.
- The laugh track for Brotherly Love was actually borrowed from Boy Meets World, which Matthew Lawrence joined shortly after this show as Shawn Hunter’s brother Jack.
- In one episode, Matt and Andy’s mom, Claire, wears a hat with small flowers sticking out of it and asks how she looks. Joey says, ” I guess we know what Blossom looks like all grown up.” Joey, of course, played Mayim Bialik’s brother on the hit series Blossom.
- This show was the first time all three brothers acted together, though both Matthew and Andrew guest-starred on episodes of Blossom as younger versions of Joey.
- James Vallely, one of the co-creators of the show, would go on to write and produce one of the most acclaimed comedies of all-time, Arrested Development. He won an Emmy for writing the episode “The Righteous Brothers.”
- The brothers all started acting at very young ages — Joey at age 6, Matthew at age 4, and Andrew at age 3. They all continue to act today, though Joey has had the most high-profile roles in more recent years.
