Part of what makes Brothers & Sisters so great is its unashamed can-do/hugs-make-everything-better spirit. So when Nora kicks off this filler episode by giving a "tour" of her new center for families with sick children to some of the family (Justin: "You keep calling it 'the center.' It sounds like a cult.") she gets to give a big go-get-em address to get their aid in cleaning up the run-down building. It's corny, but it's Sally Field and she pulls it off. Unfortunately, when she can no longer pretend the place is anything more than a money pit, Kitty gives another you-mustn't-give-up speech and it crosses the line from sweet to sappy so fast you don't even know it's happened until it's too late. (That's when the show is at its worst. It needs to be smart not sentimental and earn its emotions.)
After the last episode being so Kevin/Scotty-centric, they're essentially sidelined as part of the crew working construction on Nora's "center." It is cute though that Scotty knows his way around power tools. Naturally this turns Kevin on as much as any homo watching at home. Elsewhere, after Rebecca comes up with the most obvious idea in the world of trying to market wine to young drinkers, Holly's so impressed she offers to create an executive position for her at Ojai. And then gives her an office. Saul's old office. Nepotism must be nice. This news doesn't go over well with anyone, especially Tommy. I love the way Holly is always on the outside but a core character. She can be both wily and artless. And sometimes, even when she's being her most straightforward, she appears to have an agenda. Naturally this is something I love about her.
I don't know if it was part of the rumored young-ing down of the show (allegedly a contributing factor to creator Jon Robin Baitz left), but I love Sarah (above) more now that she's divorced. When former flame/business partner Steven Weber returns as a representative for an investor in Greenotopia, she gets to kick up her heels again. But don’t you just hear a resounding thud every time Kitty and Robert’s baby search comes into play? It’s not that the subject matter can’t be interesting, it’s just that with Kitty and Robert, it’s not. Even his potential running for president was more arousing than this. So when the pregnant doctor who turned down Kitty and Robert as adoptive parents shows up again, the reconciliation scene is ho-hum.
Cue one of the inappropriate pop songs that plays through too many of these scenes and we’re out. Next week: What could be another resounding thud (Tommy, Julia and the baby) might be more: We get to find out who the father of the baby is -- Justin or Kevin. Now that's drama! Why didn’t they run this stuff in sweeps?
-- HARKER JONES
Previously > RIP Gay-BC?
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