'Brothers & Sisters': What happens in Mexico

Unlike others that have come before it, last night's "Brothers & Sisters" season finale didn't surprise us with shocking twists and revelations. Instead it reunited us with Tommy Walker and reinforced what we probably already knew, that Kitty and Robert still had work to do in terms of their marriage and that Ryan Lafferty wasn't going anywhere.

After enlisting Robert's help to locate Tommy, Nora finds herself in a small town in Mexico with nothing but a photo and the sheer determination to find her son. So what exactly has Tommy been doing for the last two months? He's been holed up at a "selfless service" commune fixing pipes and eating in silence. Call it his version of penance after his string of bad mistakes or a semi-effective way to escape his crazy family. Whatever his reasoning, it's not enough for his dear mother, who also convinces the rest of the Walker clan to cross the border for an intervention.

Once Hurricane Walker landed, there really wasn't a whole lot for Tommy to explain, though maybe it was because he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Tommy said very little — as he mentioned, he leaves the talking to the rest of the Walkers — but he did express his wish to remain in Mexico until he was ready to return (perhaps midway through Season 4 for another explosive two-hour episode?). Couldn't he have just gotten on the phone and told that to his worried mother? I suppose if he did, we wouldn't have been able to witness the silent cafeteria scene. It was a hilarious touch to have the family endure their first moments with Tommy in mandatory silence. Not only did they get to showcase their physical comedy skills, it also gave us a break from the bickering that came before it.

'Brothers & Sisters': The pursuit of happiness

In the end (or at least on the episode before the season finale), "Brothers & Sisters" is about finding happiness. And one needn't be a loyal fan to see that more than a few characters are having a rough time in its pursuit.

We start with Kitty, whose emotional affair with Alec has placed her in the dog house with Robert. Every phone call is suspect, and even her surprise welcome-back-to-the-office party for him seemed loaded with distrust and awkwardness. Being a politician, Robert usually keeps his feelings close to the vest, but we are treated to some of his rage during his confrontation with Alec. The single dad tries to get a zinger in, blaming Robert's powerful status for the demise of his marriage, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Robert means business.

Meanwhile, Kitty looks to flashbacks of her father's visit to New York for answers to her marital issues. While Kitty's great fear is becoming the passive wife that her mother was, Kevin points out she's more of her father's daughter. It was nice to see Tom Skerritt reprise his role as William Walker; his character's past plays such a profound role in the show's story lines that it only makes sense for us to see the Walkers' memories of him from time to time.

Things we learned about William in this episode: He loves surprises and is pretty cutthroat when it comes to breaking things off in a relationship. Through these flashbacks, Kitty not only decides she must end things for good with Alec but also realizes that William did go to Reno to end things with Ryan's mother, Connie. Could Ryan's theory that his mom committed suicide be correct?

'Brothers & Sisters' Q&A: Sarah Jane Morris bids farewell to Julia...for now.

The news that Balthazar Getty was moving from full-time cast member into recurring-guest-star status left an obvious question: What'll happen to Julia? Last night we found out the fate of Sarah Jane Morris' character, who was sent packing for Seattle with baby Elizabeth in tow. I spoke with the Nashville, Tenn., native about her last episode and life after "Brothers & Sisters."

Tell us about your last episode as a full-time cast member.

I was slightly nervous when I got the script and it was titled "Julia" because I thought, am I going to be in every second of this episode? It was fun to get an episode dedicated to my character, and they didn't do what I was expecting. Julia leaves Tommy and makes a choice for herself. I like seeing that from her because she hasn't been the "do things for herself" type of character until this moment.

Were you happy with how they ended things with Julia?

I was really happy. They could have let it be something that got swept under the rug, but they were kind enough to give me great material. It was a nice farewell, but it was very sad. The one particular day when I had to shoot the dinner and toast the family, I was crying all day. Everyone was very supportive and sweet, but it was definitely emotional.

'Brothers & Sisters': Saying goodbye

Tears were flowing on last night's episode of "Brothers & Sisters" as Julia made her exit from the show and Kitty got caught cheating.

With Tommy gone indefinitely, it only makes sense that Julia finds a way to move on. He leaves her in a financial bind; since he handled all their bills, the mortgage was left unpaid and their house in foreclosure. Julia, fearful of being "that woman" who is ignorant of her own family's finances, gets some help from Nora and Kevin, who front her a huge check for the mortgage. Nora is intent on Julia working as a tutor at the cancer center to keep her and Elizabeth (OK, mostly Elizabeth) in L.A., but Julia pulls a fast one and decides to take a teaching job in Seattle. She also reveals that she plans on telling Elizabeth that Kevin is her biological father.

I'm glad Julia -- for three seasons the show's most underused character -- stood her ground and made her own strong choices. Tommy and Julia had juicy plot lines involving infertility, infidelity and the loss of a child, but their story often took the backseat to Kitty, Sarah and Kevin's. Julia filled a chair at the Walker dinner table, but in contrast to Scotty and Robert, we never really got a glimpse of who she was outside of  Tommy's wife and Elizabeth's mother. I had completely forgotten she was a teacher until she mentioned it last night. We knew she was just as flawed as her husband (she cheated on Tommy during their separation last season), but that story got swept under the rug along with her personality. It was refreshing to see Julia finally exerting some independence and standing up to the Walkers; unfortunately, it was too late.

'Brothers & Sisters': It's raining men

The weather wasn't the only thing that was hot last night. "Brothers & Sisters" welcomed us back from a long break with loads of sexual tension — both the good and the bad kind.

The good kind was spurred by men and lots of them. Hunky Jason Lewis returned as Kevin's actor ex-boyfriend, Chad, whose recent leap out of the closet included a showy public display of affection and a naughty proposition. When Chad enthusiastically suggested grabbing drinks with both Kevin and Scotty, I knew the story was headed towards threesomeville. However, the proposal itself wasn't nearly as amusing as Kevin and Scotty's reaction to it. They were appropriately awkward, vacillating between prudish and curious before succumbing to the former. Though a gay three-way would have pushed the prime-time TV envelope, it was relief that Kevin and Scotty's relationship defied cliches and emphasized a commitment to monogamy. Plus, anymore scenes involving Kevin, Scotty and Chad would have resulted in cuteness overload.

The man buffet continued at Ojai Foods, which was suddenly teeming with prospects for the single and sexually deprived Sarah. Since her divorce, I've been waiting for the show to spice up her love life. My prayers were answered with Cal (short for caliente, of course), a lust-worthy accountant-volunteer firefighter played by "Dancing with the Stars" hottie Cristian de la Fuente whom she happily breaks all the office rules with in the supply closet. If Cal sounds too good to be true, it's because he is; he was a temp that will probably never walk Ojai's halls ever again. The important thing is that Sarah got her groove back. Let's hope the show continues to shower her with more steamy yet longer-lived love interests.

'Brothers & Sisters': Tensions are brewing

After giving us a heart attack, a new baby, another half-sibling and a fugitive on the lam, it was time for "Brothers & Sisters" to offer a transitional episode that didn't pound us with drama or plot twists. Certain foundations were laid, however, for what's sure to be an eventful season's end.

With Tommy on the lam, Sarah regained control as president of Ojai Foods and persuaded the board to drop the charges against her brother. It's not exactly the most realistic outcome considering the current, real-world embezzlement cases, but I'll take it if it means future Sarah-Holly sparring. Holly may have agreed calmly to drop the charges and support Sarah's leadership, but we all know that means bupkis. Her eyes said it all: Rage and revenge are brewing. Tommy's legal situation is wrapped up for the moment, but what about the money he stole? Will we get more closure when he returns in the season finale?

Meanwhile, tension is also building in the McAllister household as Robert and Kitty grow further and further apart. She's settling into motherhood and domesticity while he's determined to continue his gubernatorial campaign despite his fragile health. Things didn't look good when Robert was more concerned about  how Tommy's disappearance would hurt his PR than how it affected Kitty. It didn't get any better when he used Nora's cancer-center opening to gain publicity. His actions justified Kitty's burgeoning relationship with Alec all the more. Alec is  a widower with a young son whom she met at the park. I doubt Kitty will cheat on Robert, but as she spends more time with someone whose priorities are in line with hers, she'll realize that her marriage may not withstand the new path her life has taken.

'Brothers & Sisters': A run for the border

When things hit a boiling point on "Brothers & Sisters," the members of the Walker family go back to basics before tackling life's obstacles. For Kitty, whose sleepless nights and dead-end arguments with her stubborn husband have left her worn and haggard, basics means a trip to mom's house. For the newly arraigned Tommy, broken-hearted Justin and sex-deprived Kevin, it means some quality time with the bros.

With Tommy on the fence about entering a plea for his embezzlement trial, Sarah persuades Kevin to take him out of her crowded house and talk him into avoiding a long, futile trial. This is no small feat, considering Tommy's bull-headed nature, so the brothers, partly using Justin's breakup with Rebecca as a ruse, wrangle him for a weekend trip to Mexico.

It has been a while since the Walker brothers spent some time alone together (the last time, if I can remember, was when the guys sequestered Justin during his detox), and while circumstances have changed, we are reminded of the Freudian roles they play in each other's lives. Justin is the rehabilitated id, an impulsive but compassionate nudge to go for what you love. Kevin is the ego, an acerbic mediator who keenly understands both sides, and Tommy is the superego, a prideful traditionalist whose efforts to uphold his family's values and legacy go awry. I could have gone without the cheesy spring-break scenarios to get to the bonfire convo, but it was sweet that Tommy was willing to suffer a black eye to defend Justin from furious frat boys. The brotherly bonding doesn't stop a desperate Tommy from running away, however, but we do know he'll be back for the season finale.

'Brothers & Sisters': Brothers and secrets

Things did not look good for Tommy Walker on Sunday night's episode of "Brothers & Sisters." I suppose no happy ending comes out of embezzling money from the family business, but the real wrath comes when you don't tell your own mother about it.

After Tommy's arrest and arraignment, it's a little difficult to believe Nora could be in the dark for that long. Nora's part of the Ojai Foods board of directors -- wouldn't she have at least gotten a call from a fellow board member? But that's besides the point. How about that slap! It was well deserved if you ask me. It's one thing to keep a secret from Nora Walker but another to have it revealed by the newly anointed illegitimate son, Ryan, during a party she worked hard to plan.

While Tommy bore the brunt of Nora's anger, it was Saul who disappointed her most. I enjoy watching Sally Field and Ron Rifkin's scenes together because the show's title not only refers to the relationships among the Walker siblings, it also refers to Nora and Saul's. Their relationship is complicated -- he's often acted as a confidante to her late husband as well as her children in situations where she's kept ignorant -- but you can also rely on them to remain supportive of each other despite this, much like the Walkers. 

'Brothers & Sisters': Beginnings and endings

Last night's two-hour episode of "Brothers & Sisters" meant business: Kitty finally got her baby, Robert suffered a heart attack, Tommy got busted and Ryan showed up at the front door.  I don't know about you, but the action-packed episode washed away the feelings of disappointment I had over the season's first half.

The deluge of stories all worked around the themes that introduced the series, birth and death. In the pilot episode, William Walker dies on Kitty's birthday, and since then, the show has centered on the regenerate aspects of life. Its thesis is that when one door closes, another one opens, but the passage through those doorways is anything but an open-shut case.

Contrary to the previews, no one permanently dies in this episode (Robert flat-lining with his eyes wide open was pretty intense, though). His illness, however, did mark an end to Kitty and Robert's relationship, not to mention his career, as we know it. The very characteristics that drew them together — ambition and drive — are now tearing them apart, and the two have never been on more opposite planes than they are now. The heart attack gave Robert a pass for missing his adopted son's birth, but his insistence on continuing his gubernatorial campaign after receiving bypass surgery officially marked him as delusional. He clearly exhibited denial during his bedside scene with Kevin, so while he'll struggle to reconcile his pride with his health limitations, there's no doubt he's entered the first stage of grief.

'Brothers & Sisters': Ryan's hope

After months of anticipation, "Brothers & Sisters" finally introduced us to Ryan Lafferty, the latest contestant in "Who wants to be William Walker's long-lost illegitimate child?" His existence was revealed in last season's finale after a DNA test eliminated Rebecca from the game and prompted both gasps and eye rolls from devoted fans.

Some were shocked that after a season and a half of developing Rebecca as a potential Walker sibling, the show would pull the rug from under them and then pair her romantically with a character she thought was her half-brother. Others were frustrated at having to endure yet another illegitimate child story -- couldn't the writers come up with something else? Needless to say, expectations run high with this Ryan character, who enters the scene as an emo Berkeley student.