'Brothers & Sisters': Forging ahead

Sunday night's "Brothers & Sisters" was anything but uneventful. The episode offered some big reveals, but the focus on stories involving only the immediate Walker family members gave it a more intimate feel. One-on-one conversations -- notably those featuring Robert and Kevin and Nora and Sarah -- were shot close-up, with the camera vacillating between the two before holding still at one character while the other continued to talk. Those moments felt even more real and private, and they gave viewers a chance to really focus on the characters' subtle reactions. The episode also maintained a steady momentum, which had me looking forward to what the next few weeks will bring.

Now on to the revelations, starting with the biggest. Rebecca is pregnant! When the promos showed Justin confronting Rebecca about being pregnant, I figured it would be a tease, so I'm glad that they followed through with it. This piece of news will finally shake things up with Justin and Rebecca, who've been so uninteresting since they announced their engagement, by adding another layer to their mounting responsibilities. Plus, it means there'll be another big birth to look forward to at the end of the season. If you haven't let go of the creepiness factor that first haunted Justin and Rebecca's relationship, you should do so now.

The next big reveal wasn't very surprising but was still quite a shock to see. As an effect of her first session of chemotherapy, Kitty's hair began to fall off, leaving her no choice but to buzz everything off. When she emerged from the bathroom in her baldheaded splendor, it signaled a shift. The cancer quickly moved front and center, and Kitty was no longer the person we're used to seeing.

The buildup to that moment, however, proved that Kitty's hair loss won't diminish her fight. Determined to take more control of her situation, she announced that she wanted to explore alternative methods of treatment, much to the chagrin of Nora and Sarah. Although I felt just as scared as they were that she had gone off the deep end, Kitty's emotional blend of fear with her usual stubbornness and neuroses gave me comfort. Her circumstances will continue to change due to her illness, but the Kitty we know and love will continue to shine through. 

On a happier note, Nora has a love interest blooming. Simon, an oncologist played by Jon Tenney, is exactly what the Walker matriarch needs. He's kind and compassionate yet is still very much tough and masculine -- he did, after all, convince Nora to hop on the back of a motorcycle. I was a fan of Nora's British beau Roger, but Simon definitely has more to offer. He's not married, lives locally and can relate to her situation with Kitty. Nora's been a punching bag lately for her kids, so it'll be nice to see her receive some sort of support.

Time for your thoughts. Were you shocked to hear of Rebecca's pregnancy? Do you like Simon for Nora?

-- Enid Portuguez

Photo: Kitty McCallister (Calista Flockhart) hugs Sarah Walker (Rachel Griffiths) in "Brothers & Sisters." Credit: ABC

Comments

[Kevin]

I love this show. And since cancer has hit my family hard this last year, I appreciate how well the writers and actors have delt with it. Specifically Ms. Flockhart. As much as I respect this show, watching Kitty go through this is a bit difficut. I know it's just a TV show, but the people involved did thier homework. Bravo.

[erica stephens]

Nora has played a suburban hag complete with gray hair,a sagging neck,frumpy dress and wrinkled skin.A Love interest yes,a young handsome guy?...No No No.just unbelievable.

[Michael Owens]

I felt the tie-up of the pregnancy conversation between Justin and Rebecca (actually, Justin's monologue because Rebecca barely got a word in edgewise) was business-as-usual. She's ready to reveal and he leaps in with "oh-too-busy-to-deal-with-a-baby" response. Unoriginal. And of course we're left hanging. Will she actually have the baby? What dramas will the two endure on her way to a decision, or her decision to tell Justin? Why do these characters always play out the same routine? Why couldn't Rebecca have just said, "Oh, well, we'll just have to find a way to expand our world...Guess what? I'm pregnant!!"

On the Nora front, I hope that the producers will allow the writers to follow a relationship somewhere in the near vacinity of a conclusion. Let's finally get Nora involved with somebody for longer than a couple of episodes. First Danny Glover, then Nigel Havers. Nora's needs to get involved in something apart from her family. Allow us viewers to see how she navigates a relationship of her rather than her kids and their relationship ups and downs.

I thought that the handling of Kitty's decision to shave her head echoed that of Samantha's on Sex and the City. Still, even though it was reminiscent of the SATC episode, the tone was different enough to banish any thought of the moment being derivative. I appreciated the honesty and authenticity Calista Flockhart demonstrated through Kitty. Her scenes of emotional tug-of-war over how to deal with her cancer were moving and real.

[Lisa]

Re: Nora's love interest - Did I miss something? The last thing I remember is that Nora decided to give things a shot with Roger since he left his wife for her. Was something said to wrap up his character?