Despite one busted pilot and behind-the-scenes creative differences that resulted in the departure of a veteran showrunner (Marti Noxon), ABC’s "Brothers & Sisters" (10 p.m. Sunday) is not a disaster. It’s also not an immediate creative success.

A melodramatic (occasionally maudlin) drama about a family of adult siblings, the focus is primarily on two of the sisters, conservative radio host Kitty (Calista Flockhart, "Ally McBeal") and liberal mother/wife/career woman Sarah (Rachel Griffiths, "Six Feet Under").

After a multiyear absence, Kitty returns to the family homestead in Ojai, Calif., while on a job interview. She clashes with her more liberal mother (Sally Field) over her stance on the Iraq War, which appears to have emotionally damaged younger brother Justin (Dave Annable), whose life as a veteran is pretty aimless. Gay brother Kevin (Matthew Rhys) makes jokes about his sister’s political views, which eventually tick her off.

"I am conservative, tough on crime, big on defense, America first, old-fashioned and in your face," Kitty says. "If you think this is funny, great, I’m glad to be of comic service. You just keep on laughing and watch the rest of the country pass you by."

That last sentence seems more like a speech a liberal would give a conservative, but no matter. Thus far Kitty’s beliefs are not played as a joke. Though it’s too early to draw conclusions about exactly what kind of conservative she is (producers say an Eisenhower Republican, but there’s not much evidence in the premiere to tilt her in that direction or toward Ann Coulter), I do appreciate the attempt to create a complex conservative character who’s not merely a punching bag for liberal characters on the show.

The biggest problem with the "Brothers & Sisters" pilot is that there’s too much going on. Pilots often have that problem when introducing the cast and setting up stories, but this show has more dangling strings than usual: Is dad having an affair with a mystery woman (Patricia Wettig)? Did Uncle Saul (Ron Rifkin, "Alias") cook the books at the family company?

With the addition of another veteran show runner, Greg Berlanti ("Everwood," "Jack & Bobby"), "Brothers & Sisters" may find a way to streamline its storytelling and allow viewers to more easily sort out the huge cast of characters (there are at least 10 series regulars), or it may remain an unwieldy mess. Time will tell.