If I learned anything from Brothers & Sisters this season (in addition to the fact that vegan food gives Kevin the trots, of course), it’s the power of the henley: Robert (Rob Lowe) was slightly less douchey in my eyes any time he wore a blue one; I was not completely unhappy to see Tommy (Balthazar Getty) last night when he popped up in Mexico wearing a white one.
What we’ve always known about this show, however, is that any situation that activates a Walker sibling phone tree is acceptable. So what if Nora never would’ve gone to Mexico without asking Saul to go with her? It allowed Sarah to conference in the family after she got a frantic call from Nora saying that Tommy had gotten mixed up in some kind of cult. Justin understood that Nora being kept from one of her children could quickly escalate into an international incident and was immediately for the rescue mission. (I loved how Rebecca was in on the call at first, and then just sat there reading. That’s how many Walker family crises she’s seen — she’s bored now.) Kitty was in, too. Kevin, however, needed some convincing because he still can’t forgive Tommy for abandoning Julia and Elizabeth. Scotty, a.k.a. the best husband in the world, urged Kevin to go even if it meant missing their anniversary.
I have to say: Med school is already making Justin smarter. Or, at least his dialogue cleverer. When Nora came speeding into the center of town in a truck to pick the kids up, he deadpanned, "Ohmygod, they got her, too." Off to the spiritual retreat they went, where Nora explained that everyone there eats their meals in silence (Kitty: "No way") and does "selfless service" (Sarah: "I don’t like it"). I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who eagerly anticipated the Walker clan having to dine without talking. Sarah stole the scene by writing "I am back at Ojai" on a napkin, showing it to Tommy, then miming blowing her brains out. After the family spotted the $20,000 (!) watch Rebecca had gifted Justin on his wrist, Rebecca attempted to act out that he’d gotten into med school in a way that I would need to rewind to fully understand. (Nowhere as funny as that scene in the silent Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Hush" when Buffy mimed staking someone repeatedly. Do the motion, you’ll see the comedy.) The celebratory commotion got them kicked out of the retreat, and they ended up, where else, at a cantina.
The show sent Tommy out gracefully: He was trying to work through his breakdown and become a better man by meditating and installing new pipes that would allow the town’s fountain to work again. Tommy preferred Kevin’s honesty about his disappointment to Nora, Kitty, and Sarah’s coddling, which made me not hate him for a second. My Tommy Wall further crumbled when he reminded Nora that he wasn’t like the rest of the family — he didn’t get a lot of screen time he doesn’t like to talk about his problems — and she just sat there beside him, quiet, until he sobbed in her arms. He’s going to stay in Mexico with his working fountain, selfless service, and picture of the family (and yet somehow be a dad to Elizabeth). My gut reaction is still to write "Hooray!" — so the Tommy Wall was also repaired.
That resolution aside, this episode was really about raising questions for next season:
• Did Saul tell Ryan about his role in Ryan’s mother’s death, or just Holly? It’s nice that Sarah wanted to give Ryan a cushy severance package, but it’s lame that she didn’t take it to him herself (or have human resources do it). Let’s show her as the strong woman we know her to be, thanks. She asked Saul to do the honors, which seemed strange since he doesn’t work for the company, which Ryan noted. But it had to be him so that Saul could tell Ryan not to take the offer. Saul then asked Holly for a job at Ojai so that he could watch over Ryan. He told Holly he owes him: That night in Reno, it was Saul who coldly offered Ryan’s mother a check to stay away from William, because William couldn’t make the trip since Sarah had gone in to labor with Cooper. Saul resented his role in the situation so much that he was "unfeeling" to her screaming, crying, and humiliation. So do you think Saul told Ryan about that? I’m thinking not, and that it will come out, explosively, after Saul becomes Ryan’s mentor at the company. Regardless, a big yay! to potentially seeing more of Saul next season. What will Holly want in return now that he owes her?
• Why couldn’t Kevin call or text Robert and tell him that Kitty was chasing after the helicopter? Not that I wanted her to catch the helicopter, really. Robert and Kitty, presumably to keep their separation hush-hush, were working with Kevin on the terms, negotiating things like the number of public appearances Kitty would make with him a month and where she’d live. She thought he wanted her to stay in their home to avoid gossip, but when he flew to Mexico (Kevin’s idea, not yours, Robert!) he told her that it was because he thought if she moved back to Pasadena to be near her family, she would never return. This, combined with Sarah’s uninspiring "make a decision" speech, was somehow enough to make Kitty realize that she wanted to save her marriage and she went running through the wilderness to no avail. Here’s my thing: Robert doesn’t want to go to counseling — and that has to be because he’s worried about his image. He’s still putting his ambition ahead of her. I want to see more of Kitty next season, so she needs to be closer to her family. Sorry, Robert.
• Is Rebecca going to go psycho? Looks like we’re also going to be seeing more of Rebecca next season, as the writers used Holly’s reaction to her engagement to Justin as a way to remind us that Rebecca has an impulsive past (remember, she followed the married social studies teacher she’d been sleeping with to Chicago when she was 16). I guess we’ve seen that side of Rebecca before: her impromptu trip to New York to find David when the Tommy deal went down. But that had a healthy result. And her relationship with Justin seems healthy, too, now that we’re over them having thought that they had the same father, right? Rebecca was able to let Justin go before, so they better not make her clingy now. The $20,000 watch congratulating him on getting into med school was a bit much, as was guilting him in to telling his family about their engagement. (Though Justin kneeling and proposing again in front of them all as they completed Tommy’s water project was sweet.) Here’s hoping Rebecca stays sane and that the only drama surrounding the wedding is created when Rebecca wants supportive Nora to help her plan it instead of Holly. Those two are due for another food fight.
Your turn: What did you think of the season finale? What are you hoping to see — or not see — next season?
Comments (1-30) of 66 Add your comment
I thought the finale was a bit of a letdown. I had a much more emotional connection to the previous episode. Also, speaking of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I feel like the Kitty/Robert helicopter scene was a carbon copy of the Buffy/Riley helicopter scene from season five.
I thought it was good. I will stick with this show because I love the characters. Great music also, even though I don’t see myself checking out ABC’s Music Lounge haha. I love Sarah, I can’t get enough of her. I am most excited to see how HER story develops! I want more of her and Scotty! Will she fall in love again? Will Nora get back with the guy who left his wife for her (name escapes me currently)…will Rebecca quit being a spoiled rotten brat? I love Justin too but I am OVER her. When is the next season scheduled to start? Anyone know? I can’t wait! P.S. I am happier with Tommy now than I was before…but I am fine with him being out of the picture for a while.
Thank God, at least the worst season is over! Finally!
The Walkers have gone from being entertainingly quirky to absolutely annoying. The only – ONLY – person on this show who has any sense whatsoever is the “villain,” Holly. She is the voice of sanity and reason among all these wackadoos.
But my biggest problem is Justin in “med school.” Now maybe I missed developments…. but in what world does a complete moron get into a fabled (i.e. non-existent) bachelors/MD program (ha!) without taking MCATs? The most this character could be capable of is finishing his BA at a community college in some “pre-med” program…. which certainly ain’t med school.
I hope Ryan forged that acceptance letter to mess with Justin’s head. That would be HILARIOUS.
The season finale was one of the most ridiculous hours of TV I have ever watched. I hated it, but LOVED to hate it, as I often do with Brothers and Sisters. The show has certainly reached the pinnacle of ridiculousness, especially when they were all trying to communicate with hand motions during their silent lunch. The prior episode was far better, this was a letdown, for sure.
I second the finale let down. It was just blah. It’s interesting that after all is said and done, they’ve kind of hit a reset button with Holly and MOST of the family back at Ojai. Kitty and Robert bore me to tears, but I find Robert more interesting as a character now that his ambition is taking precedence over his marriage (he can chastise Kitty all he wants but every decision he makes is made in relation to how it effects his image for his campaign). And while Rebecca’s impulsiveness is a part of the past of the character, she did just recently and pretty solidly break up with Justin. So this manic need to rush the marriage is coming out of left field.
Unbelievably boring and silly, like this whole season. (And it’s not a good omen that Kitty probably will spend the next season whining about being a single mom.) The one redeeming feature to me was Sally Field’s face. God bless her for being one of the few women on TV who’s brave enough to look a bit old!
I did enjoy it but I must say even by this shows standards it was the sappiest episode they ever did. Sugar was coming out of my TV. Still I liked it. I loved the closing shot with Tommy picking up the family picture and walking down the street with the song Mexico playing.
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/
chuck
Sorta let down epi.,but glad Saul is back @ Ojai – like Justin & Rebecca $20k too much – impulsive! Never enough Scottie. He diffently keeps Kevin balanced. Kitty needs to bend – Robert loves her – Robert is Robert – BUT they do need to move closer to family! Hope Tommy cames back & Julie moves back before next season ends. Love Walker family phone calls!
Yes Kitty needs to a bend some. She was acting pretty “B-ish”. There’s little hope for if she maintains that attitude. But Robert needs to get over himself. The man has continued to lie to her about his career and he refuses to take marriage counseling. He has no right to put all the responbility for repairing their marriage on her. As if their marriage problems are all on her part. It was ridiculous that he was too proud to tell her his reasons why he was against the separation until after he got fed up. If he just told her his fears at the beginning, she probably had been willing to stay. It was as if he was unwilling to be in any kind of position of weakness.
As for Robert being unreasonable about “his image”. He has every right to think the situation out and worry about appearances. A writer at a gossipy magazine like EW should understand that more than anybody. You’d blow the situation to an unreasonable proportion. You wouldn’t allow them privacy or to behave as real people would and would allow no nuance in the situation. The way the writers on the show write Kitty is ridiculous – she is a professional, a media star, an author and a political consultant and they have her reacting and behaving like a normal housewife. It would have been more interesting to see true behavior from the perspective of someone with her experience.
I thought the Walkers were going to have a horrible accident in that Mexican rickety blue bus. Or Rob Lowe’s Copter would crash. That’s a season finale. but in the end they went for love…awww.
This season, it felt like all the Walker siblings were the plot devices for giving Robert, Rebecca, and Ryan some screentime…I’m tired already.
Hello! Tommy in a white henley was hotness! I know Tommy is a total d-bag, but I have had a crush on Balthazar Getty since Lord Of The Flies (its not gross if I am his age, okay…). That said, I won’t really miss his character, or his boring wife. We need more Scotty, and more Psycho-Rebecca! Can’t wait!!
I thought it was a let-down, too…weird, unsatisfying plot twists: Saul is going to work @ Ojai to “protect” Ryan what?! Rebecca is so into Justin going to med school, you’ll know she threaten to break up when he bombs out…don’t care about Tommy…Sarah is a remarkably bad manager and can’t keep saying a public company is a “family business”…writers think viewers are morons!
OK, haven’t finished reading this yet and this has nothing to do with B&S. The writer mentioned an episode of Buffy “Hush”. Yeah, scared the crap out of me. To this day I can’t watch it. I couldn’t find anything in that episode humorous if you paid me.
Question to all the women out there: how is it fair that Kitty be p*ssed at Robert for being driven/career-oriented when that was the reason she fell in love with him in the first place? Wasn’t he running for presidential nominee while they were dating?! You can’t love a man for who he is and then just decide you hate him for that very same reason. Why hasn’t Robert, or any of the Walkers, pointed this out to Kitty? She used to be career-focused too, if we all recall!
Worst. Episode. Ever.
From the big reveal revolving Ryan’s mothers death, to the “cult” sub-plot, to Holly’s reservations about Justin & Rebecca, to the ongoing saga of Kitty amd Robert, the whole thing was just …lame.
This was the worst episode they have ever written. it was just terrible.
What am I hoping to see? More Scotty and Kevin, more Saul, more smart, capable Sarah (and less “my life sucks without a man” Sarah). What I am hoping NOT to see? Ryan. Ever again. Same goes for Tommy. I’m also fed up with Kitty and Robert each acting as though they’re the only injured party. They BOTH screwed up. Robert doesn’t get to keep his decision to run for governor from Kitty and then get all snotty because she’s being distant. And Kitty doesn’t get to make goo-goo eyes at Perfect Park Guy and then treat Robert like he cheated on *her*. I agree with you that he refused couples therapy because it might jeopardize his career, which definitely amps up his suckiness rating. But he wasn’t sitting on a porch swing smooching someone who wasn’t his wife, either. Nora needs to wind up and smack them both, same way she walloped Tommy.
I thought this was a good episode, but it did NOT feel like a season finale. I actually wasn’t even sure it was the finale until there was no previews for next week, and then I read this column this am and confirmed it. So, good episode, but nothing too exciting or shocking. That’s said, this was MUCH better than last year’s lame-o ending where they introduced Ryan in what felt like a forced attempt at being SHOCKING. Maybe they learned their lesson and decided to play it safe this year with the finale – which I guess is fine with me.
Oh, and I agree with everything that C.J. just wrote. Very well-said!
RE: Thataboy:
Thataboy Mon, May 11, 2009 at 09:29 AM EST
The Walkers have gone from being entertainingly quirky to absolutely annoying. The only – ONLY – person on this show who has any sense whatsoever is the “villain,” Holly. She is the voice of sanity and reason among all these wackadoos.
But my biggest problem is Justin in “med school.” Now maybe I missed developments…. but in what world does a complete moron get into a fabled (i.e. non-existent) bachelors/MD program (ha!) without taking MCATs? The most this character could be capable of is finishing his BA at a community college in some “pre-med” program…. which certainly ain’t med school.
———
In the first or second season (you may have missed it), Justin was a MEDIC in Iraq-during both of his tours-so he has already had some medical training either prior to or during his military life. FYI. Also, his military service may have given him priority in getting into a pre-med program.
Thought the finale was just OK — needed more Scotty and less Ryan, as many have said. I laughed at the “Mexico” set — the same hollywood backlot that they used in a few episodes of My Own Worst Enemy a while ago.
I generally am just a passive viewer and tend to note when things are good as opposed to bad, but this episode was awful. continually so. character motivations and behavior was off and the writing itself was just bad, especially for a finale. i realize they have to “line things up” but no. no.
Rebecca was nonsensibly irrational and Sarah was so coy and unfocused, as if she were drinking margaritas at a mexican resort instead of an anxiety riddled “save our brother/kitty’s marriage/mom’s sanity” mission. Kitty was similarly irrational and the whole chase the helicopter scene actually made me roll my eyes. i’m not sure why this show is so inconsistant in the writing. i hope they fix it cause when it’s good it’s really good, but another couple of episodes like this one and i may just tap out.
Jon – I completely agree – how is Robert to be blamed for all the problems. I couldn’t stand her snippy attitude last night. And really the Walkers were not remotely endearing last night at the dinner table – the world revolves around them and that was very clear last night.
When Kitty was running for the helicopter, all I was thinking was “don’t these people all have cell phones?” We already know they get reception there because that’s how Nora sounded the cult alarm. These types of shows really need to rethink how they do the cliche drama situations in light of modern technology that everyone uses.
Three cheers, jon. I second your comment. Kitty loved Robert for his ambition–and now she acts like he is this terrible person for being…ambitious. Just because she opted for the slow lane doesn’t mean he has to follow. You love a person for who they are–and you strive to grow with them, not to impose change upon them. She’s a terrible partner–because she’s no partner at all.
What began several years ago as a compelling family drama that dared to address issues most tv dramas would ignore has sadly evolved into bad soap opera with well established characters being asked to do things that they would never do, weak attempts at humor with the ever bickering Walker clan, and an overall lack of intellect. I used to look forward to this Sunday night staple and now find myself groaning through each episode.
I agree that Kitty is ridiculous! She is acting like it is all his fault (although in a good marriage he would have discussed it first), but she knew she was marrying a politician! Plus, she had the affair! That really disappointed me for B&S. What happened to having at least 1 couple on a tv program that didn’t fall in that trap? That is what I would like to see…a couple that faces that challenge, but actually stays faithful!