'Brothers & Sisters' recap: The Pasadena Primary

It was a night of big decisions and gratuitous shirtlessness, and you know which one we’ll be discussing first…

Just when I thought I would be okay with Rob Lowe leaving Brothers & Sisters later this season, Senator McCallister had to go and have a workout that left his T-shirt so sweaty he couldn’t possibly wear it any longer as he took a phone call trying to raise funds for Kitty’s campaign. Though, I suppose, there could’ve been something wrong with the phone lines last night, because Scotty also had to make a call shirtless when he rang Nora after just stepping out of the shower and having only enough time to put on a towel. Again, not complaining, just noting. Sarah’s boyfriend’s Roy’s shirtlessness was warranted, as after a month of dating, he finally sped up the “taking it slow for my kids” plan and took her to a hotel. I thought he was a good guy, but now I’m just not sure. Who hasn’t seen Spinal Tap? Shouldn’t that be something you reveal to someone before you sleep with them? I fully expected Sarah to get a text from Roy saying that he’d rented the film as she showed Kitty Luc’s “I miss you” text, but it didn’t happen. Cliffhanger! Sarah gave Roy a 7.5 in bed, which Kitty said they could improve on. I hope we get to see those efforts, because I imagine they will be as hysterical as this Kitty-Nora exchange:  ”Did you see, like, fireworks and stars and stripes and everything?” “That must be what happens when Republicans orgasm.”

Nora’s big decision was whether to support Kitty in her run for Robert’s Senate seat. When Kitty told the family about her plans, Justin thought they should put it to a vote, “like we used to vote on family vacations, and whether or not Justin was gay.” Ha! Justin, you are funny when the story line has nothing to do with you. Let’s keep it that way. Nora pushed for anonymous ballots, which meant everyone assumed the single no vote was hers. Turns out, she’d voted yes, even though her heart told her no — she saw what campaigning had done to Robert, and she didn’t want Kitty to be in that fight. Robert reminded her that Kitty wants to fight, and Nora was officially onboard. That conversation came after Robert and Nora served as guest chefs for some poorly explained event at Scotty’s restaurant (pictured). Their time in the kitchen trading barbs made me realize I’ll miss more than Lowe’s torso. McCallister can be quite witty, like when he referred to the knife set Nora unrolled as weapons. “Only a Republican would see these as weapons and not kitchen utensils,” Nora said. “You know, with our Kitty in the Senate, you wouldn’t have to conceal those bad boys,” he quipped.

In the end, it was Kevin who’d voted no. He knew Kitty would ask him to be her campaign manager, and that he would say yes, and he’s ready to get out of politics. She took this incredibly well, just like she did when she found out that Kevin and the brother of her opponent for senior class president rigged the election in high school. She knew Kevin did it just because he was so desperate to fit in and have a friend. That “friend,” Brent, fell off the wagon and blurted the prank out to Kitty, Kevin’s date at his 20th reunion, and told Kevin not to be such a fag after he apologized to Kitty. “You ever again call my brother a fag… I will have you killed,” Kitty said at the end of a heated retort . Hooray for protective older sisters! I can still picture my sister, three years older than me, standing in the doorway of my third-grade classroom threatening to kick the crap out of the boy who wouldn’t stop teasing me. Like Kitty, she meant it. It’d have been too cheesy to see a flashback of Kevin in high school, sitting in the bleachers with his alto sax and leg warmers, and yet, I totally wanted to. Those bleacher memories never fade, do they? Kevin was still so desperate to fit in with Brent that he told him he and Scotty were expecting a baby when they hadn’t yet been notified that the implantation was successful. Of course, Kevin got the call from Scotty shortly after saying that Michelle, their surrogate, had gotten her period. Take 2?

It was also decision time for Holly. PLEASE tell me she did not sleep with Dennis York, who summoned her to a hotel room to cut a deal. He knew she was dragging her feet, and figured it was because she suspected there was a “boatload of money, millions of dollars waiting to be spent” that he couldn’t get to without her selling him her shares in Ojai. They could become partners, he said. She wanted to hear about the boatload, he wanted to order drinks so he could “relax.” I had to pause my DVR — and scream — when he moved Holly’s hair off her shoulder and said, “I want the same deal that William got.” If he was going to spill his secrets, he wanted Holly’s loyalty. I have no idea how sex with him would equal loyalty — seems to me he would need a contract for that, saying Holly wouldn’t take his info and run. They cut to commercial as he was kissing her neck. The next we saw Holly, she was at home, sitting at her table crying. In walked David, who’d told Rebecca (who’d told Holly) that he was going to leave and be the second unit director of a film in Belize because Holly wouldn’t walk away from the all-consuming Ojai. David said he realized he’d never given Holly a reason to think he’d be there for her if she let go — then he proposed. “Are you serious? ‘Cause after the night that I’ve had,” she said, fighting back tears. She said yes and promised that she was selling her shares and getting out of Ojai. Say what you want about Holly, but she is a strong woman. If she was really reduced to sleeping with Dennis, I want to slap each and every one of the show’s writers. Do you think she’s really going to sell her shares? To whom: York or the Walkers?

What did you think of the episode? It ended with a unanimous family vote over ice cream sundaes (and wine, of course) for Kitty to run for Robert’s seat. What drama do you foresee her campaign bringing?

Photo credit: Randy Holmes/ABC