Internet Archive's in-browser video "theater" requires JavaScript to be enabled. It appears your browser does not have it turned on. Please see your browser settings for this feature.

play8?>>

Brother's Keeper (1998-1999, TGIF)

by: ABC

Publication date: 1998

Language: English

Item Size: 3.4G

Imagine taking care of someone who's really immature, and your 8-year-old son as well.

After one too many bar-fights, wisecracking pro-football player Bobby Wade (Sean O'Bryan) is forced to live with someone responsible for his million dollar contract to be paid off. He chooses his widowed, stuffy college professor brother, Porter, (William Ragsdale) and his son, Oscar (Justin Cooper). Dena Draeger (Bess Meyer) is Bobby's sarcastic sports agent, who's forced to chauffeur him as she secretly pines away for Porter. Rose (Natasha Slayton) is Oscar's playmate and Marilyn (Kate Hodge) is her mother.

Includes guest appearances by Piper Laurie (The Hustler, Carrie) as Porter's and Bobby's cantankerous mom (Everybody Says I Love You); John Michael Higgins as Porter's colleague (Trick or Treat, Note, Politically Impolite), Elizabeth Berkley as Porter's girlfriend (You Are Me), Illeana Douglas as Oscar's Teacher (Dating the Teacher), Holmes Osborne as the owner of Bobby's Team (The Duel), Pat Finn as a Construction Worker (With Friends Like Porter), plus Bill Maher and Dr. Henry Kissinger (Politically Impolite), Karl Malone (You're in Trouble), and TV's original Odd Couple (Tony Randall & Jack Klugman) playing variations of their old TV personas (An Odd Couple of Days).

The show first aired on ABC's TGIF following Boy Meets World, which was maturing in the middle of its run, and Brother's Keeper pushed the moral envelope a little further than standard TGIF fare. Most of the episodes were available to stream in the earliest days of Hulu, but they've been unavailable anywhere for many years.

Also included is about 17 minutes of TGIF footage that I pulled from tapes of the original broadcasts, including appearances by the cast, The Olsen Twins, Michelle Kwan, Karl Malone, Salem the Cat from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch,' and others.

EPISODES

101 Pilot - Bobby arrives and turns Porter's life upside-down.

102 Who's Your Daddy? - When Oscar skips a grade and starts a new school year, Bobby encourages him to be a class clown.

103 Since You Came Here - Porter feels as if there's a hole in his life now that Oscar is spending time with Bobby.

104 Sneaking Into the Movies - Porter's plan to teach Oscar a lesson backfires.

105 Cleaning Lessons - Bobby hires a maid.

106 Trick or Treat - Bobby's Halloween costume causes Oscar to have nightmares.

107 Kick Ball, Get Check - Bobby becomes self-conscious that Oscar's watching his game.

108 You're in Trouble - Bobby tests positive on a drug test.

109 The Boss of Me - Bobby buys a new house. Duplicated from an ABC broadcast.

110 Note - Porter learns that his mother used to slip notes of encouragement into Bobby's lunch.

111 Pillow Talk - Bobby tries to spice up Porter's classroom lecture.

112 The Date - The kids push Porter and Marilyn into a date.

113 You Are Me - Porter dates a young model.

114 Box of Stuff - When the Wades' mom sends a box of Hot Wheels and other childhood mementos, it opens old wounds.

115 Game Ball - Bobby feels disrespected by Porter.

116 Dating the Teacher - Bobby and Porter vie for the affections of Oscar's teacher.

117 An Odd Couple of Days - On a road trip, Porter and Bobby break down and get a glimpse at their possible future.

118 Everybody Says I Love You - The Wade boys have problems saying "I love you" to one another, so they try to have a conversation with their mother about it.

119 Security Farce - Bobby pushes the public's buttons when he hosts a radio show.

120 With Friends Like Porter - Porter tries to make friends with workmen.

121 Politically Impolite - Porter and Bobby appear on Politically Incorrect.

122 The New Client - Bobby is jealous when Dena takes on a swarthy young client.

123 The Duel - Porter realizes he has feelings for Dena.