I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Brothers & Sisters knows how to do Sweeps. We got Kitty losing her hair and deciding to shave her head (just a well-made wig, ABC confirms), Robert telling off a racist opponent and becoming a YouTube sensation, Justin diagnosing Rebecca’s surprise pregnancy, Kevin correctly guessing that Scotty’s father was a philanderer, and a younger man (guest star Jon Tenney) courting Nora on the back of a hog. That’s an ensemble drama. Let’s break it down:
Kitty and Robert: Both of them were looking for a fight they could control. Kitty wanted to believe that she could kill her cancer with kindness instead of chemo, by ridding herself of negative thoughts and anger. Thank goodness she chose a combination treatment, or she wouldn’t have had to just give disapproving Nora and Sarah the cold shoulder — she would have had to leave the show. I hadn’t known that most people threaten to quit chemo at one point or another until Simon (Tenney), an oncologist who volunteers at Nora’s center, mentioned it. After Kitty started losing her hair, something she thought she could avoid by going the natural route, she realized that not all Type-A journalists react to an attitude and lifestyle adjustment in the same way and decided to return for her second round. Sometimes you think life will stop when a loved one is dealing with cancer, but as we saw as Sarah tried to convince Nora to go out with Simon as they awaited the debut of Kitty’s beautifully shaped bald head, life (and humor) goes on. As cruel as the mind can be — and as someone whose father has radiation-induced dementia, I’ve seen it — our ability to laugh at the darkest moments is more than self-preservation, it’s a little miracle.
Robert’s fight was, and will continue to be, with a wealthy businessman who’s newly entered the Republican primary. I was sorta shocked that Kevin didn’t want Robert to tee off on the guy outside an event, but then again, I guess Kevin had leaked that info. about the governor’s affair anonymously, so he wasn’t a total maverick. After the video of Robert’s “meltdown” popped up on YouTube, Kevin suggested he clarify it, back off, and look at the big picture — he can’t afford to piss off the conservative right in the primary. To Robert’s credit, as the most levelheaded candidate in the history of ever, he said he wouldn’t back down; you never know if you’ll be here tomorrow, so you have to make your beliefs known today. You are winning me back, Robert. Damn you.
Nora: No one does “concerned look” like Sally Field. You can feel the weight of her frown through the TV. I’m glad she addressed that Simon was younger than her, because it’s all I could think about. Well, that, and how Tenney had been married to Teri Hatcher, so it was interesting that he was guesting on an ABC show that aired right after hers. Nora riding on Simon’s motorcycle and asking him for a cigarette made perfect sense to me — when a loved one’s life is on the line, it’s so easy to suddenly not be as concerned about your own (in a freeing or destructive way). I like Simon. He seems serious, yet refreshingly normal and drama-free. I hope to see more of him. You?
Justin and Rebecca: The med student consumed with trying to diagnose his under-the-weather girlfriend is an utterly realistic plot line. That Rebecca would have a surprise pregnancy is believable, at least during November Sweeps. We all guessed Rebecca had taken a home test and that it was positive the second she approached Justin, smiling, the morning after he suggested she might be expecting. But alas, he did not, and rambled on about how he couldn’t imagine having a baby right now, so she didn’t tell him. I can’t imagine them having a child right now either, since he nearly lost his mind over the wedding planning, but I suspect he’ll have to deal with the news next week, when Rebecca isn’t drinking at the wine party. Maybe they’ll move in with Nora, too. Do you think they’ll actually have the baby, or that Rebecca will miscarry?
Kevin and Scotty: We all knew that Scotty’s dad was going to help finance the surrogate with a comic book the second his father told him that he was considering selling his collection for a fresh post-divorce start. But somehow, Scotty was surprised when the Captain America issue from the ’40s was delivered to his door (but not when his dad showed up in costume at the start of the episode). I guess it’s okay that Scotty’s dad cheated on his mom because she’s cold-hearted and unforgiving, and he only did it with one person, but not okay that William Walker screwed around on Nora because we like her and he had multiple partners? Personally, I still think Scotty’s dad should have left the mom before he started up with the blonde, but Scotty’s right to forgive him with or without the baby bribe.
Sarah: I’ve never loved Sarah more than when she busted her way into that room to see Nora and Kitty at the benefit. You can’t keep a Walker out when they want in. Did you catch how the writers set up next week’s “talk” with Luc with one line from Sarah about how her kids love him because he acts like a child? If they really make Luc as casual about dating a single mom as he sounded in the promo, I will be so annoyed. Women with children need to know where they stand because they’re playing with more than their own hearts. All men, even French artists, should know this. But Gilles Marini himself gives us hope that Luc isn’t just a man-child. As he told EW.com’s Annie Barrett: “It gets to something much deeper and more dramatic next week. It’s major. Everyone will be on a cliffhanger of no way, what just happened, no no no! It’s pretty deep and I cannot wait for people to see it.”
What did you think about last night’s episode? What do you hope happens next week?
Photo credit: Randy Holmes/ABC
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I thought this was a good episode. I have a friend who unfortunately is going through something similar to Kitty’s situation but is thankfully getting better. I have to say, it really looked like Calista shaved her head, although I’m sure she didn’t. Her bald head with the peach fuzz looked similar to my friend’s head, though.
Got the official answer for you, Erin.
I think it’s great that you actually read and respond to the comments.
Great ep, though I was a little disappointed in the thing with Justin and Rebecca. It’s such a movie/tv cliche when the man gives a speech about how a baby is a bad idea at the very moment the woman is about to tell him she’s pregnant.
I was thinking the exact same thing. It’s so overdone.
Agree. Plus, the whole pregnancy storyline is old. Geez, doesn’t anyone on these t.v. shows believe in/use birth control? Hey, writers, come up with something new and interesting……
Saw it coming a mile away. Actually thought this episode was a bit of a dud.
I think it would be interesting if they decided to have an abortion. This is not a personal choice comment, just what would be the most original storyline. But then again…this is not a program that ventures far from expected plot twists.
I really wanted to like the whole Simon storyline..but I stop feeling like Fritzy is cheating on Brenda Leigh!
can’t stop
How HOT is Jon Tenney? My goodness, I’ve seen him in other stuff before but he was totally yummy last night! Maybe the leather jacket and motorcycle added to the appeal, but I literally shouted “Go Nora!” at the TV!
Alex
Raves first:
1) No Holly. No David. No Ryan… THANKS, writers!! Keep it that way!
2) Kitty/Nora/Sarah together. Need I say more?
3) Calista’s acting this season. As much as I loathe the newly brain-dead, de-politicized, little-wife Kitty; I have to give props to Calista for her heart-wrenching portrayal of a cancer patient. Emmy, please!
4) Kitty’s dress was simply gorgeous. Nora’s dress was very nice, too. Props to costume department staff.
5) No Holly. No David. No Ryan… it bears repeating!
And now to the Rants:
1) Nora is on to her third cliched romance… First the black guy, then the married guy, and now a younger guy (cougar alert!). What’s next, a priest? A lesbian affair? Come on, Sally Field and Nora Walker deserve better than this.
2) Half of the episode was wasted on filler material. Instead of Holly and her DOA storylines, we get to watch Robert and his errand boy Kevin take on “the bad guys”. What is the point, exactly? And how is this relevant to the heart of the show (The Walkers)? No clue. FREE KEVIN!
3) More filler in the guise of Scotty’s dad dressed up like Mr. Terrific (from The Golden Girls). It turns out he’s cheating. And Scotty is s-h-o-c-k-e-d… And the audience is a-s-l-e-e-p… And this twist adds nothing to the show, or Kevin/Scotty, or anything else.
4) Tommy is still missing. But we get lots of filler stories and irrelevant characters instead. Why?
5) Another pregnancy! Why, oh, why? At least this one was done the old fashioned way (a novelty for this show); but we don’t need more pregnancies every season. Are there no other stories to be told???
norahs dress WAS very pretty!
Tommy isn’t ‘missing’–Balthazar Getty left the principal cast and the writers have done their work by writing him out in the best way possible: playing up the fact that he is an insufferable asshole. Hardly something to lament.
No, they didn’t even mention him this episode and it was a HUGE part of last week’s episode and how he stormed out on Nora without even a hug or an i love you. I want to know what is up with him! I guess they can’t fit it all in 1 hour, they should make b&s 2 hours!!!
How could you not mention Kevin’s brilliant reaction when he opened the door to find Scotty’s dad in a comic book costume?!?
omg! i laughed so hard at kevins reaction! That was the funniest things ever! Great acting on kevins part!
I agree. That reaction was fantastic, as was Scotty’s “my father shows up out of the blue at my door in a comic book costume all the time” reaction.
Kevin’s reaction was hilarious and so fitting. I would have totally freaked too seeing that guy as I opened the door. Kevin is my favorite Walker with Sarah a close second. And Scotty is a cutie pie.
thats what i was gonna comment on. i laughed soooo hard! it was great
Flockhart was absolutely lovely again. Give her the Emmy.
Another meandering, unfocused episode this week. And the show keeps leaking viewers: The ratings are out and it looks bad. B&S hit season lows on viewership and the all-important 18-49 demo.
This is what happens when the Walkers play second fiddle to secondary characters: Kevin is reduced to cheerleading for Robert and providing comic relief in that awful Scotty/Dad plot. Saul doesn’t exist outside of Ojai/Holly’s shadow. Tommy is not even on the show. Justin is like a puppy around de-Walkerized Rebecca. No wonder the show is leaking viewers like the Titanic!
Instead of devoting the whole episode to Kitty’s struggle and it impact on the Walkers, the writers waste precious airtime on Robert’s grandstanding and Scotty’s pouting. At least Holly and her smirks were a no show this week. But still, what a waste of time.
Something drastic needs to be done. ABC just fired the FOURTH show-runner in as many years, and appointed one of the writers as the new man in charge. Based on his recent interviews, we can expect more of the same… which means lots of Ken Olin’s relatives taking over the show. The surrogacy story will be front and center (to give his daughter plenty of work). Holly will also be in the spotlight as she fights for Ojai and her place in the family (his words… ugh). And maybe some stories about the Walkers. He didn’t elaborate.
Too bad. The show was such a gem in the first two seasons.
I don’t deny there are still problems, but this season is a dramatic improvement over last season. I agree the entire episode should have been focused on the Walkers, but a good 70% or so was, and that’s a ton more than we would have gotten in Season 3.
Also, you’re ignoring the context of ratings. Yes, it was a low night for B&S, but it was an low night for ABC overall, especially for Desperate Housewives. B&S’s ratings have always depended to a significant extent to its predecessor show. If you look closely, the % retention was the same (high 60’s). The show had been doing relatively well the past few weeks.
Also, “Brothers & Sisters” does very well among viewers who watch via DVR. It gains about 2 mil viewers per week from recorded viewing. So, the show is still going strong.
I wondering if Ken Olin is responsible for some of the lousy plotlines. Why else would Holly still be on the show? But I think the show is actually getting better. Luc has been a great addition and there’s been more Kevin/Scotty, too. Certainly Kitty’s storyline now is more interesting than her crumbling marriage.
Kitty looks like she should be on the new series V. I’m so SICK of the cancer/chemo scenes — get a new subject.
Loved it – love this show, loved Robert (he’s winning me back too) esp. reading to his son. LOVE LOVE Nora’s new guy – cute, funny. And I hope Rebecca doesn’t miscarry – we went down that route with Kitty and it was wholly unfair to us and to the characters.
“Do you think they’ll actually have the baby, or that Rebecca will miscarry?” It’s a shame the network would never consider airing a third option.
True. Although Sandra Oh’s character on Grey’s Anatomy was going to have an abortion until her convenient miscarriage.
That said, I’m hoping Rebecca got a false positive. She’s a smart woman who is financially capable of obtaining reliable birth control. Blech.
Kitty & Robert: They did amazing when they shot the shaving her head scene, I couldn’t tell it wasn’t Kitty. Who would shave their head for a part in a show? I think Robert is right in a sad way, who knows what tomorrow has in store for us, so live for today.
Nora: she will definitely be going on another “date” with biker boy. He’s younger and a doctor, can anyone say “Only on TV!”
Justin & Rebecca: I was annoyed with them tonight, Rebecca is stupid, how do you not see the signs??? I knew it right when she said the food smelled gross and I thought “oh no, Rebecca is preggers, like this doesn’t happen in every other show on tv” How do women get preggers without trying? They make it seem like it happens all the time on TV, right? Anyways, then Rebecca brushed off Justin’s comment about being pregnant, um, if that was me, I’d be like “really? yeah, that’s a good idea, I have been late, I should take a test”, but no, she jsut denied it right away, weird. I’m not done, THEN Justin won’t even let her talk the morning after and he goes on and on about negative stuff, then she doesn’t tell him! IDK about you guys, but me and my fiance tell eachother EVERYTHING and if that was me, I’d be like “hey retard, listen to what I’m trying to say”, ah whatever, it’s TV.
I agree – I hate when a conversation is pre-empted like that. No matter what Justin said, I would have told him. He’s her fiancee…and she just lets him walk out like that instead of saying, hey, we’re expecting a baby???!!! I’m not sure that would happen in “real life.”
I really like how B&S is playing the whole cancer/chemo storyline. I just got done with chemo and I have to say what Kitty is feeling and going through is very realistic. I thought I would hate it when they gave her cancer, but it’s been very good. I cried for her when she shaved her head. It’s a difficult but necessary thing to do – and somehow it is freeing! I look forward to her wig struggle….. good luck Kitty!
The cigarette comment was so out of character, especially with a daughter fighting cancer.
Can someone give that hystronic Sally Field a good shaking? God if she was my mother I would have left home years ago. Tommy is the only one smart enough to leave!
Histrionic? Wow, I was impressed with her control. If my sister had suggested she was stopping chemo, I would have freaked out completely, and I can’t even imagine the heights of hysterics our mother would have reached.