McConaughey and Harrelson’s Brothers premieres on Apple TV

Apple TV’s eight-episode comedy Brothers, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as fictionalized versions of themselves, premiered Wednesday, September 23, with its first two episodes. The series turns the longtime friends’ real-life speculation about a possible family connection into the premise of a comedy about friendship, family and an unresolved secret. New episodes are scheduled to arrive weekly on Wednesdays, with the season finale set for November 4. The story begins after the wedding of Harrelson’s daughter falls apart, prompting his character to bring his family to McConaughey’s ranch in Austin. Their stay takes a different turn when McConaughey’s mother, Ma Mac, suggests that a decades-old secret could mean the friends are half-brothers. In the series, Harrelson’s character sets out to investigate the possibility, while McConaughey’s character considers a potential run for governor of Texas. The actors play heightened versions of themselves, and the fictional plot draws on public discussion of whether they could share a biological father.