There are times when Brothers & Sisters can be as subtle as a rock to the head — which doesn’t mean I love it any less — but Kevin’s struggle with the corporate closet on last night’s episode was as nuanced as it was devastating. I thought we were headed for a fairly standard (and pat) storyline: Kevin pretends to be straight to land major client. Kevin realizes that returning to the closet is depressing. Kevin stands up to boss and gets promoted to partner anyway.
And after that adorable chat with adorable Scotty, it appeared my hunch was right. I mean, the tone was lightening considerably as the episode drew to a close. There was Tivo’d Olympic diving in the background. There was Kevin wryly explaining that "in a moment of Faustian proportions, I pretended to be straight." And there was Scotty offering a trick proposal that he’d be fine if his spouse kept lying (with no more complaint) or if he drew a line in the sand with his law firm, then admitting that Door No. 1 wasn’t really an acceptable option. Which made it all the more devastating when Kevin succumbed to the lure of making partner and — just like he did during the client dinner – spoke volumes by saying nothing at all.
Mitch Pileggi and Matthew Rhys (pictured) played out their pas de deux perfectly,the older attorney hinting again at the promise of a promotion (whilesomehow managing to come off as slightly menacing), and the younger manwilling himself to believe he’d do more good from a corner office inthe future than standing his ground and fighting in the present. Whatmade the conundrum interesting is the fact that, as Robert pointed outearlier, "you can live a principled life and not do a damn bit of goodfor anybody." The writers (thankfully) didn’t provide any easy answers,and I’m hoping the preview in which Robert invites Kevin to be hiscommunications director isn’t an indicator that they’re not interestedin exploring a very real (and very intriguing) story arc over thecoming weeks.
Thematically, the idea of "courage" also played out in Sarah, Saul, andJustin’s plotlines, but not quite as successfully. The parking-lotscene between Sarah and Saul — Her: "Stay and fight for this family!"Him: "I can’t, Sarah. I just can’t." — seemed painfully underwrittenfor actors the caliber of Rachel Griffiths and Ron Rifkin. Let’s allraise a big glass of vino to the idea that their sudden departures fromOjai will lead to more fruitful dramatic scenarios (and betterdialogue).
Justin’s almost detour from sobriety, meanwhile, was far moreinteresting, particularly in the context of an Iraq veteran findinghimself in the role of reluctant military recruiter, but I didn’treally think it worked as fodder for advancing his relationship withRebecca. (Especially not his decision to abandon his girlfriend without a car in a stranger’s house. Awkward!)
What did you think of last night’s episode? Did you find itamusing that Kevin and Nora both referenced Robert’s blowup during lastweek’s adoption-dinner blowup? Did anyone else feel like the bulk ofRobert’s showdown with the neighborhood beekeepers got left on theediting room floor? And how hilarious was Sarah’s response ("Oh no, Ican’t eat. I can drink!") to her mother’s offer to cook for her to helpher deal with unemployment?
I enjoy the show, but at it’s best it’s still very inconsistent. And the writing is not as good as any of the actors deserve and by season 3 they should be on surer footing then this.
All the same though, it was still better then last weeks tired episode.
Why no mention about everyone quitting Ojai, what kind of recap is this?
And who is with me for a Kevin & Scotty spinoff!?!
Why is this not in TV WATCH! This show is great and deserve to be a fully reviewed TV WATCH! Anyway I hate tommy and saul just mopes around!
I hope this means they’re about to give Saul something to DO. And I was actually really intrigued by the whole Tommy-puts-his-foot-down thing with Holly; I’m wondering if she’s really backing down, or if she just knows that picking her battles and letting him feel like the big man will take her farther in the long run.
I say Kevin, Sarah, and Saul all go work for Robert’s campaign, and send Tommy, Holly, and their whole boring storyline to wherever they’ve hidden Tommy’s wife and Sarah’s kids. Hell, Justin and Rebecca might as well join Robert, too–Rebecca can take pictures, and Justin can give the undecideds his puppy dog eyes.
Liked the episode…but not as good as the first two episodes of the season. Kevin and Scotty are adorable together! I also loved the Justin/Rebecca story line. Its cute that he cares about her and doesnt want to show her a side of him that may make her run. Justin looks better with facial hair though!
I thought Rebecca was lame at the vet’s house. I don’t know anyone in my social circle who came back from Iraq, but I get the sense that some sensitivity is helpful, reading the signs and such. Granted, Justin hasn’t been portrayed as very conflicted up until this point, so there weren’t a lot of signs to read, but her nagging at the house was very annoying and I didn’t blame him for leaving her there.
Now that Sarah and Saul have quit, do we ever need to see the inside of Ojai again, or care about the company at all? Let’s face it, Tommy and Holly are only interesting with other Walkers to play off of, and they are no longer at the company. Oh, and Robert’s a US Senator and can’t do anything about his neighbor’s bees? Really?
I thought the storyline was from the dark ages. He should have landed the account and then gone into the boss and said – I want to make partner and here is how I am going to do it, I just landed you the largest account in this firm and now I will resign and sue you for discrimination unless you make me partner now. He then should have followed that up with the fact that his brother-in-law the politician and the new client would not take kindly to a firm that demands that their associates hide their lives outside of the office. At least, this would have been true to a story about a smart, rich, gay lawyer in 2008, as opposed to some tale of horror about corporate America circa 1985. Liability is a huge concern, especially in a law practice, and this was just a smarmy tale playing on old fears about gays in the workplace. Living in LA as a gay professional, I do not know anyone who would have stood for that.
I love that Kevin buckled under the promise of being made partner. We’ve seen the “stand up for yourself and it will all work out” storyline before and it’s become sort of cliche. By staying silent on the matter, it adds a bit of complexity to the character. Besides, if the previews for next week are any hint into the future, then Kevin might not stay at his firm much longer anyway.
Love the show, fav on tv….love Kevin and Scotty, they need more airtime…Sarah and Saul great…leave Tommy and Holly out, they are lame and boring…all the others are great too…but writing could improve
It doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen – that whole Kevin story line.
That’s the incredible sadness of being a gay man, gay professional, being a married gay man. The two men MUST KNOW – MUST understand that until things become COMPLETELY better, they’ll have make insane sacrifices, including keeping that part of your life close to you. In other words, a secret.
It happens and it’s never black and white.
Philip — I work at a large law firm in Philadelphia (a city with a vibrant gay population), and I have seen my friends struggle with exactly these types of issues. Taking the discrimination lawsuit route labels you as litigious/activist and will put you out of contention for most corporate type jobs you may be interested in. Yes, these problems still happen in 2008. I wish you were right and they didn’t.
Now can we never see Holly again??? She is a BORE !
Kevin/Scott..great storyline. I hope they struggle w/this for a while before Kevin takes a job w/Robert. I love Rebecca/justin story BUT her NAGGING him was over the top.
Ojai…Walker’s Landing…Holly and Tommy…zzzzzz