The trailer for Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s new Apple TV comedy series just dropped, and it honestly looks spectacular.
Very meta, very funny. And very, very southern.
The two highly acclaimed actors changed the landscape of film and TV back in 2014 when they co-starred in the original season of True Detective. Before that, movie stars rarely made the switch back to television. You’d pay your dues like Clooney on ER or Will Smith on Fresh Prince, and if you were lucky enough to graduate to the silver screen, you’d never look back.
But True Detective changed the game and proved that A-Listers could do prestige TV without compromising their movie careers. This opened the door to everything from Nicole Kidman in Big Little Lies and Harrison Ford in Shrinking to Jason Bateman directing and starring in one of Netflix’s best TV dramas, Ozark.
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Over a decade later, the duo reunites in Brothers, a comedy where they play fictionalised (and presumably highly exaggerated) versions of themselves.
The whole thing is based on an actual real-life rumour that the two stars could be related – the kind with actual foundation, unlike Richard Gere and the gerbil. This one was started by McConaughey’s mum, who casually dropped it into conversation with the long-term friends (who do look suspiciously similar from certain angles) that she “knew” Woody’s dad back in the day.
The eight-part comedy series – executive-produced by both Harrelson and McConaughey – follows the pair after Woody unexpectedly lands on Matthew’s Austin ranch after a family crisis. What was supposed to be a long holiday to decompress quickly spirals into a bizarre rollercoaster of emotions when Matthew’s mother “Ma Mac” (played by the ever-brilliant and pithy Holland Taylor) accidentally reveals that the two might actually be brothers.
If the trailer is anything to go by, Brothers is self-aware but also doesn’t take itself too seriously. It looks chaotic and laugh-out-loud funny, but also warm and heartfelt with plenty of southern wit and charm.
If you’re looking for a true-to-life quasi-doco experience that gives you an insight into their real lives, I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. But if you want something fun and easy that gives you a peek behind the curtain at a life of worldwide fame while also playfully dancing around the line between fiction and reality, you’re good to go.
Basically, if you’re a fan of either of these actors (and honestly, who isn’t?), you’re likely in for a good time.
Brothers stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson alongside an ensemble cast, including Natalie Martinez, Brittany Ishibashi, Nolan Almeida, Ella Grace Helton, Noah Carganilla, Highdee Kuan, Oona Yaffe and Holland Taylor. Trent O’Donnell is also flying the flag for Australia, directing several episodes (including the pilot).
The eight-part series premieres on Apple TV with a two-episode drop on Wednesday 23 September, with one episode released weekly until 4 November. But, of course, if you can’t wait that long for some comforting escapism, check out our list of top shows to watch on Stan right now.