McConaughey and Harrelson's True Detective reunion turned out to be a comedy, with a record neither of them wants
In Brothers the pair play versions of themselves, with a paternity twist and a run for Governor of Texas. It landed on Apple TV+ on 23 September.
Right, so Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have teamed up again – but instead of some slick crime drama, their latest offering is a comedy series for Apple TV+ called Brothers. It hit the streamer on 23 September 2026, and as you'd expect, critics have wasted no time blasting their opinions all over the internet. Unfortunately, it's not the sort of buzz the lads probably hoped for.
Brothers has set a new low for both McConaughey and Harrelson on TV, debuting at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes – their worst TV score to date.
The Review Splat
Let's cut to the chase: as soon as the reviews dropped, Brothers staked its claim on Rotten Tomatoes with a 57% Tomatometer. That's not just a mediocre number; it actually makes this show the poorest-reviewed television project either actor’s ever had stuck to their name.
Of course, the score could bounce around as more critics weigh in – that does happen. For now, the Popcornmeter (that’s the audience reaction bit) hasn’t even registered, possibly because none of the punters are racing to log on and save the day. But for now, it’s one for the wrong kind of record books.
This is only a TV low though. Both McConaughey and Harrelson have seen far grimmer days on Rotten Tomatoes with their film work. If you wondered, McConaughey's all-time worst is Surfer, Dude from way back in 2008 – an eye-watering 0% (impressive, but for all the wrong reasons). Harrelson didn’t quite bottom out, but Free Jimmy (2006) did scrape a 10% at the time. So, TV might sting, but nothing really tops complete cinematic disaster.
What Is Brothers?
‘What’s it actually about?’ you ask. Well, Brothers has McConaughey and Harrelson playing versions of themselves. It all kicks off when Harrelson’s daughter’s wedding explodes in typical sitcom fashion, prompting him to cart his family off to McConaughey’s country farmhouse for a retreat. Naturally, as soon as they settle in, McConaughey’s mum (affectionately known as Ma Mac) drops a bombshell: the two family friends could very well be literal brothers.
Chaos ensues – there’s Harrelson dashing about the ranch digging for clues, while McConaughey (because everything always gets more complicated) starts to spiral into a full-on identity crisis. Oh – and that happens to coincide with him considering a run for Governor of Texas. Because why not, when it rains, it pours.
The story apparently weaves together family and friendship fiascos, the weird intersection of real-life fame and fiction, and a whole load of madcap bonding. The premise is nothing if not, well, on the nose.
Who Else Is Involved?
If you’re interested in the people behind the curtain, David West Read and Lee Eisenberg are on creator and showrunner duties (they also worked on the scripts along with the actors). Direction’s been split between Trent O'Donnell and Jason Winer, who’ve helmed episodes across the series’ first eight-episode run for Apple.
The main cast is padded out with Ella Grace Helton, Barry Corbin, Natalie Martinez, Brittany Ishibashi, Holland Taylor, Highdee Kuan, and Richard Robichaux. It’s a decent line-up, even if the end result hasn’t exactly set critics alight.