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« Brothers and Sisters
Episode recap "The Missionary Imposition"
This is a family show, right? And no, I’m not asking because of the over-abundance of romantic storylines in this episode. That I’ll attribute to the approach of Valentines Day. It’s just that family is what, supposedly, lies at the crux of this show yet I was hard-pressed to see the Walkers together at all tonight. Kitty’s in the car. Sarah’s in Cisco. Nora is home alone. Who knew I’d miss those family dinners so much?
Coming from a rather large family myself, Brothers & Sisters held the, “that’s so us!” appeal for me. (Though there have been no requests for sperm donors or nearly incestuous love triangles in my own clan, we’ve been known to have a squabble or two and family gatherings… well that’s whole other blog.) So what’s my point? It’s losing it appeal. Tonight’s show, featuring flirtations, recriminations, second dates and dangerous liaisons, was the closest I’ve come to watching a soap since I quit my daily obsession with As the World Turns (which, in it’s heyday, was a darn good show!).
The big event tonight was the return of Kevin’s prodigal ex-boyfriend Jason but their sit-down was interrupted by a particularly bratty Scotty who busted in with a soft-shell crab Trojan horse. While Scotty’s jealous streak wasn’t nearly as charming as he’d hoped it did get Jason and Kevin to honestly address their issues. You see Jason’s silence while abroad stemmed from a personal crisis of faith and seriously missing Kevin. Kevin couldn’t quite see the correlation between being missed so much and the lack of phone calls. And Jason’s glib “Yes Kevin, in a contest between you and God, God won!” retort did not do much to convince Kevin that he was truly missed. In the end Scotty won out over Jason though I doubt this triangle has been completely put to rest.
On the other end of the spectrum is Nora and Isaac and their burgeoning relationship. It’s understandable that after a gazillion years of marriage the widow Walker is unsure about the dating scene but this nervous Nora is hard to recognize. In the two season’s of the show Nora has been out there and with some pretty memorable guest stars. Enough with this twittering over Isaac. And please, Isaac, quit with the whispering! What’s that you say? Speak up man!
So that’s off my chest.
Now on to the show’s most boring couple. But first, let me explain. I’ve tried not to be uninterested in Tommy. I give up. I just don’t care about him or his wife or his girlfriend. His hopes, his dreams whatever. He is so dull. I want the writers to hurry back so they can write that little unfaithful family out of the show. Am I alone here?
At least Lena, the skanky secretary, finally got the message and left both brothers after mixed-signal-Tommy rebuffed her attempted kiss. This once I’ll say that she was somewhat blameless. Tommy was clearly asking for that kiss if only so that he could project the image of the faithful husband that he wishes he were. This of course leaves the sex-addicted Justin to now find another way to “escape reality”. Let’s just hope he doesn’t turn to Rebecca for anything more than sisterly support because I just can’t take another soap-opera twist on this show.
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Feb 11, 2008 12:00 AM
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I totally agree that family is at the heart of the show. But since the very last episode featured a classic family dinner, I understood why this one focused more on individual storylines. The show usually goes back and forth like that.
And in general, I liked the direction the storylines took. Sarah/Graham were very amusing; I like their growing flirtation. I also think the Kevin love triangle is pretty much resolved since the last scene made it pretty clear about how much he wants to be with Scotty. (And, really, it's about time Kevin's personal life was drama-free.) I wanted more Nora/Isaac screentime, but what we had was lovely. When Isaac asked Nora how she was and she admitted, "I don't know"...beautiful moment.
But yeah, I generally agree that more family, the better.
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Feb 11, 2008 12:33 AM
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I am sure I am in the minority, but I think Nora and Isaac have zero chemistry.
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Feb 11, 2008 1:50 AM
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Sarah: don't care for Steven Weber, but I like the plot line. It cracked me up when she thought the flowers were from him.
Justin: I'm glad he realized that sex was just another addiction for him. Egads, please tell me that was the reason for spending every waking moment with scary Lena. She had so many issues, she just made my skin crawl. A great brother/sister moment when Rebecca said I told you so.
Tommy: can't say I'm crazy about Tommy either. While involved in perhaps the most dramatic storyline of the whole show, he manages to be one of the most boring characters on TV. But I do like how he approached Justin with the news about Lena. Julia's emergence as a character in her own right, instead of just being Tommy's wife, reveals that she is by far the more interesting person in this marriage.
Kevin: as interesting and engaging as Tommy is boring. Yes, it was super-bratty of Scotty to barge in on Jason and Kevin's powwow. And what is up with Scotty's crustacean fetish? He and Kevin cross the line from friendship to relationship while eating lobster. He crashes the powwow bearing softshell crabs. What next? Scotty, Jason, and Kevin have a three-way with all sorts of sexually inventive uses for giant prawns?? Anyway, the sparks that were flying between Kevin and Jason definitely prove that all is not resolved in Kevin's love life, not by a longshot. Gotta wonder where this one is going, because I just can't imagine Kevin being able to commit to Scotty at this point.
Nora: not crazy about Danny Glover, and YES, the whispering drives me NUTS. OK, Isaac's a nice, sincere guy. Isn't there some other way to convey that besides whispering all the time?! But that moment when he asks her how she's doing and she has no idea was priceless. It seems Nora hasn't quite figured out that her children, while perhaps not totally grown up, are all grown, and she needs to make a new life for herself.
Absentees: Saul, Kitty, Senator, although Kitty's scene in the car with Typhoid Travis cracked me up.
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Feb 11, 2008 4:24 AM
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Let's start with Kevin. I thought he ruined the Scotty thing way back in the beginning of the first season and thought they should've moved on. I'm definately on team Kevin/Jason. Like Scotty said, it seems like the three of them are just trying to fool themselves. Although I must admit, the last scene in the parked car on the street was adorable.
I, too, tried to like Tommy and it didn't work. LIke everyone else said, he's just kinda dull. And in return, made his wife, Julia, dull as well. Which is ashamed, you can tell Julia can be a fun one when you throw her in with the rest of the gals.
But be careful Justin, you're starting to give me a little snooze as well. He was at this best when he and Rebecca are buddy buddy.
I'm still unsure about the Nora/Isaac and Sarah/Steven Weber thing yet.
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Feb 11, 2008 4:39 AM
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Maybe Justin and Rebecca will start an affair and it will turn out that she is not a Walker but the daughter of the director
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Feb 11, 2008 8:19 AM
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I thought this episode was good. The last episode was the boring family dinner where absolutely nothing happened. At least we were treated to a little bit of everyone individually.
I have to agree on Tommy and Julia. I find myself nodding off when they are on.
Love where the Sarah storyline is starting to go.
Kevin's story, so so.
The rest can all be dumped and move on to something else.
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Feb 11, 2008 9:21 AM
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I love the family dynamic as well but consider this - they have to go outside the Walker mansion to get all that gossip they're so fond of bickering about.
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Feb 11, 2008 9:49 AM
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Guess we have a different idea of what constitutes "bratty" behavior. I thought Scotty was being insecure not bratty by showing up at Kevin's 'tea party.' And with good reason since Kevin is commitment-shy and obiviously the Jason situation was gnawing at him. I also think Kevin is the kind of guy who likes being looked after and Scotty is more than happy to take on that role. I'm not sure Kevin deals well when his lover is too independent from his own life.
Saul was in one scene with Sarah discussing the China project but he does seem to be MIA from the family lately (and I really miss Ron Rifkin). And Nora seems to have gone backwards--before she seemed to be making an effort to have a life of her own (taking classes) but now it's like she's regressed into fulltime mom mode though she complained to Kitty about not knowing what was going on in her kids' lives. [And where have Sarah's kids been lately? Spending all their time at dad's? Even Grandma Nora has mentioned them.]
The ending of the Lena situation seemed rather abrupt but I'm glad she's gone; maybe Rebecca, who doesn't seem to have a job, can fill in at the winery for awhile.
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Feb 11, 2008 10:11 AM
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I'm hoping that when the writers come back they've had a moment to rethink the Scotty Kevin romance and see how little chemistry the two actually have. He is NOT Kevin's Mr. Big, as the creator has been quoted as saying. He's boring and they're boring together. Kevin and Jason have sparks. HUGE sparks and now that Eric Winter has a more open schedule they should take advantage of that and give Kevin a relationship he and the audience can be passionate about.
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Feb 11, 2008 10:36 AM
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First off. Doesn't a family usually have some kind of an anchor? maybe that person shifts but this family is just floating off to la-la land.
Is Kevin-Scotty, just to show gay guys like a play thing? Scotty maybe puppy-dog sweet but, only a fool can think there can be any stability in that relationship?
Glad to see Julia is growing some, because who is Tommy to call the kettle black. After messing around with psycho-chick Lena there will be more of a price to pay. STD, kidnapping, something.
Sarah the perfect mother - NOT.
Nora and Isaac - tree-huggers in real life, and little chemistry in character. This will get Sally an Emmy nom for acting -like she could fall for a GOP played by Chavez-loving Glover - another great acting job.
Entertaining as a whole to see what black cloud will float over each character, but this show is verging on science fiction it is so unreal.
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Feb 11, 2008 11:05 AM
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Okay - I know that October Road gets a lot of flack around here, but in my mind, last nights episode of Brothers and Sisters wasn't any better that the last ep of October Road!
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Feb 11, 2008 11:09 AM
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I agree with Ranger, but then I like October Road. I will not complain, I am just happy to have a new episode.
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Feb 11, 2008 12:28 PM
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I LOVE Nora and Isaac! And, yes, knowing both actor's political "leanings" they both deserve Emmy's...
My fav moment, though - Holly sincerely telling Lena to get her own life. It showed a little more insight into Holly's character and why she was so intent on becoming a part of Ojai and starting the winery.
Also, I don't know about everyone elses family, but mine is really close - and we don't see each other everyday or call each other every day. To say the show has lost it's direction b/c there wasn't a fam night with all the Walker's together is a little unrealistic, I think.
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Feb 11, 2008 1:11 PM
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Does anyone think that Robert will win the Presedential Election?
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Feb 11, 2008 4:16 PM
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