Home | | Text size: a^- A⁺

ABC's high on Lowe

'Brother' guest invited to stay

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

Rob Lowe's portrayal of Sen. Robert McCallister on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters' has helped boost the show's ratings.

Inside Move: 'Family Guy' back on track

Showtime teams with Broadband Libraries

MGM TV picks up syndicated shows

Rivera returning to correspondent duties

Fox in business with Argentine cable executive

'Transformers,' 'Ice Age' neck and neck(1461 views)

Bruno(928 views)

'Transformers,' 'Ice Age' battle for top(855 views)

Plan for Jackson service unveiled(549 views)

Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business(479 views)

Big bucks for 'Transformers' at foreign B.O.(315 views)

The polls are in, and Rob Lowe has been given a full-season term on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters."

Lowe, who plays conservative Sen. Robert McCallister on the show, was originally slated to guest star in just a handful of episodes (Daily Variety, Nov. 2).

But Lowe's presence has helped "Brothers & Sisters" in the Nielsen voting booth: The show matched its series highs among adults 18-49 on Nov. 19, when he first appeared.

Lowe will continue to be labeled a "special guest star" (think Heather Locklear, who kept that billing on "Melrose Place" even after becoming a regular) and remain on "Brothers & Sisters" through the end of this season. His character, a John McCain-style Republican, has forged a professional -- and possibly romantic -- relationship with Calista Flockhart's character, talkshow host Kitty Walker.

Lowe will next be seen in the upcoming thriller "Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming," and he appeared in the satire "Thank You for Smoking."

"Brothers & Sisters" returns to ABC with new episodes starting this Sunday.