BROTHERHOOD: MARK 8:36 {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The premiere of this drama series about Rhode Island politician Thomas Caffee and his brother Michael, a mobster. Patty Mullin, a gangster operating out of "the Hill," a district in Providence, Rhode Island, is killed by an African-American construction worker after he levels racially insensitive insults at him. Thomas Caffee of the Rhode Island House of Representatives finds out about Patty's death while he is in the midst of a backroom deal to secure a business subsidy for one of his sponsors. In the wake of Patty's death, Thomas's brother Michael returns to Rhode Island after a long absence. He witnesses Moe, one of Patty's henchmen, assault a man and damage his girlfriend's ear, threatening to send his men to rape her if she contacts the police. Michael offers her support, vowing that he will not allow Moe to fulfill his threat. Unbeknownst to him, he is being watched by an undercover policeman. Meanwhile, Tom and his wife Eileen pose for press photos at their house along with their children. They are suffering from an electrical issue which makes them unable to run multiple appliances simultaneously, and it is too expensive for them to fix. The police hold a meeting on Michael's return. Seven years ago Michael, alias "Three-Part Mike," brutally murdered Patty's sister for molesting an underage girl. Patty put out a contract against Michael's life and so he fled the state and stayed in hiding for seven years. Tom visits Patty's mother in order to deliver news of her son's death, and she does not take it well. Some people in the Hill rush to Patty's defense and a conflict is begun on racial lines between the Irish and African-American citizens of the area. Tom has a meeting with Mayberry, owner of the construction company Patty was visiting at the time of his death. Mayberry reveals that Patty was attempting to run a protection racket against the largely African-American-staffed company, and reveals that he's had previous questionable dealings with Tom over legal issues. Tom asks Jimmy, his aide and brother-in-law, to prevent Mayberry from going to the press and to make it seem that he is uninvolved with him. Mike reunites with Pete, his old partner, and retrieves a cache of money and guns he hid in a storage garage. Tom gets the subsidy passed in committee, just as he promised. In return, his sponsor agrees to oppose the governor's highway spur project. Tom then meets with Marty, a union representative, who informs him of Mike's return. He says that another mobster, Freddie Cork, will go after Mike unless Tom concedes to blackmail. Tom returns home and has dinner with his family, including Jimmy and his mother Rose. Mike unexpectedly turns up during dinner and everyone is shocked to see him, believing that he was dead. Tom talks with Mike and tells him that the family was hurt by his departure, but Mike says that's in the past and he wants to make it up to them. Later, Freddie approaches Tom and tries to blackmail him into giving him lucrative snowplow contracts in exchange for leaving Mike alone. Tom is unwilling to give over a million dollars in state money to Freddie, but he leaves to think about it. Mike visits his and Tom's old room and gives his mother an envelope full of money as a present, swearing that he will do right by her this time. Mike tracks down Moe and brutally beats him, cutting off his ear. He takes over Patty's gang from Moe and starts trying to collect money from people who owe the gang. Jamal Lynch, the construction worker who killed Patty, turns himself in, and Mayberry goes public with some of the secret deals he's made, much to Tom's infuriation. Tom is approached by Declan Griggs, a state policeman who has been friends with the Caffees for many years. He asks Tom about Mike and finds out that he has spoken to him recently. They want to speak to Tom's mother, but he dissuades them from doing so. Marty calls Tom, furious about Mayberry's press release. He is not happy about Mayberry's comments about the union and are unwilling to give Tom any more slack. He offers Tom an ultimatum: give Freddie the snowplow contracts, or they'll tell everyone about Tom's full involvement with Mayberry. Rose discovers that the money Mike gave her is counterfeit, and conceals this knowledge from him. Tom meets with the representative supporting Jamal and tries to negotiate an agreement with him to keep Jamal, his mother, and Mayberry out of the press. As part of the deal, Tom secures the snowplow contracts Freddie asked for. Mike surreptitiously gives the woman whom Moe threatened with rape a present: a pair of earrings and Moe's severed ear in a box. Later, Mike meets with Tom and gives him a list of the businessmen who owed Patty's gang money, hoping that he can somehow use it to his political advantage. Mike warns Tom not to do business with Freddie, and Tom points out how Mike's lifestyle has always been destructive to the rest of their family. Freddie holds a memorial for Patty at a local bar and Tom attends. Rose encounters Patty's mother there and gives her the counterfeit money as a present. Tom refuses to give Freddie the snowplow contracts, telling him that he no longer cares what he does to Mike. He also speaks to Marty and offers him media silence from Mayberry in exchange for Marty's union fixing the electrical system at Tom's house for free. Outside, Tom calls Declan, who he knows is spying on him at the moment. He asks only that Declan keep him apprised of all of Mike's activities. Eileen is secretly using drugs and having an affair with Carl Hobbs, the mailman. Freddie meets with Mike and tells him that Tom no longer cares what they do to him. Mike gets them to relent by offering to kill Jamal for them, and to help them exert control over the Hill. Eileen discovers the list that Mike gave to Tom. Mike finds Jamal and leads him and his mother outside to his car. Instead of killing him, he instructs them to flee the state for a few years, and gives them a duffel bag full of money to help them get set up. They drive off with Jamal hidden in the trunk.
Details
- NETWORK: Showtime
- DATE: July 9, 2006 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:49:55
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91322
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: Showtime - TV series, 2006-2008
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Blake Masters … Executive Producer, Writer
- Henry Bromell … Executive Producer
- Elizabeth Guber Stephen … Executive Producer
- Phillip Noyce … Co-Executive Producer, Director
- Dawn Prestwich … Co-Executive Producer
- Nicole Yorkin … Co-Executive Producer
- Henry Bronchtein … Producer
- Jeff Rona … Music by
- Jason Isaacs … Cast, Michael Caffee
- Jason Clarke … Cast, Thomas Caffee
- Annabeth Gish … Cast, Eileen Caffee
- Ethan Embry … Cast, Declan Giggs
- Stivi Paskoski … Cast, Pete McGonagle
- Kevin Chapman … Cast, Freddie Cork
- Fiona Erickson … Cast, Mary Rose Caffee
- Fionnula Flanagan … Cast, Rose Caffee
- Tom Kemp … Cast, Marty Trio
- Karl Bury … Cast, Alex
- Kerry O'Malley … Cast, Mary-Kate
- Billy Smith … Cast, Kevin "Moe" Reilly
- Bates Wilder … Cast, Jimmy Martinson
- Matt Servitto … Cast, Representative Donatello
- Rob Campbell … Cast, Carl Hobbs
- Lonnie Farmer … Cast, Representative Gerald Williams
- Brian Scannell … Cast, Silent John
- Tony Viveiros … Cast, Ralph Mango
- Susan Scott "Scottie" Thompson … Cast, Shannon
- Madison Garland … Cast, Lila Caffee
- Kailey Gilbert … Cast, Noni Caffee
- Erik LaRay Harvey … Cast, Lee Mayberry
- Audrie Neenan … Cast, Mrs. Mullin
- James Milford … Cast, Jamal Lynch
- Mark Anthony Brown … Cast, Photographer
- David Catanzaro … Cast, Pat "Patty" Mullin
- Tim Crowe … Cast, Ned Mays
- Elizabeth Dann … Cast, Reporter
- Janice Dulcos … Cast, Lawyer #1
- Anthony Estrella … Cast, Young Vincent Barberra
- Miles Herter … Cast, Bartender
- Peg Holzemer … Cast, Moon Faced Woman
- T. Bruce Page … Cast, Billy Bee
- John Porrell … Cast, Bar Brawler
- Anne Reeder … Cast, Lisa
- Jono Roberts … Cast, Goateed Guy
- Denece Ryland … Cast, Representative Silk
- Rose Weaver … Cast, Mrs. Lynch
- Scott Winters … Cast, Courthouse Reporter