Brothers & Sisters

Many underlings and operatives have flitted through the offices of senator and presidential candidate Robert McCallister, but none have made as much of an impression as Travis. The series of check-ups of Kitty and her extended family concludes with an appreciation of the snarky campaign manager.

Origins: Travis has been with the McCallister campaign since the start of Season 2, when he sniped at Kitty for having the nerve to ditch the campaign to go see her injured back-from-war brother in An American Family.

Progress: Originally, Travis seemed like a stuffed shirt, only onstage to be a foil for Kitty. But as the season progressed, Travis sort of became part of the family, handling matters both professional and personal. He’s the one who clued Robert in that Kitty was pregnant, and heard Robert’s confession about not wanting more kids. He also spilled the beans to Jason about the fact that Isaac, now involved in Robert’s campaign, was the one who outed him years ago. Maybe accidentally, maybe on purpose to get rid of one or the other of them, or maybe just to have a little fun.

Current Status: Travis has taken the fall for a lot of campaign missteps, but he’s still there, advising and mocking. But will there be a campaign much longer to employ him?

Concerns: For these extended character check-ups, I’ve mostly been sticking to characters who’ve been around from the first season, and have a pretty clear Walker connection. But I’m making an exception for Travis, ’cause the character’s really grown on me — a credit, I think, to Denis O’Hare’s prickly performance, and the way it plays against Robert’s self-righteousness and Kitty’s ditziness. If the senator’s presidential quest does indeed run aground, I accept that Travis may have to disappear with it; there’s barely enough room for all the primary characters on this show to keep a secondary character around. But if we have to spend any time in Robert and Kitty’s workplace, I’d sure love for Travis to be there.

Prognosis: Whether Travis stays or goes, I hope he gets to attend at least one big Walker bash. His reactions while listening in on Kitty’s phone call were great; I’d like to see him get a load of her clan in person. And hey, Rebecca should be looking for another older married guy right about now.

Second Opinion: Karyn thinks Kitty and Travis would have been a better match than Kitty and Robert. What are your thoughts on Travis? Share them in the comments.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Travis, Denis O’Hare

No, don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for those two crazy kids to split up. But they both have a little relationship baggage in their pasts to be inspected. The series of check-ups of Kitty and family continues with a look at the loves of the past.

Jonathan
Kitty’s first fiance was also a control freak, although for my money not as charming a one as Robert. He proposed by dropping a ring in a martini glass, and Kitty initially accepted, but an affair with her co-worker Warren got in the way. Prognosis: It’s unlikely we’ll ever see Jonathan again, but … seems like maybe he and Graham might travel in the same big-money circles. If Sarah happened to run into her old almost-brother-in-law, how crazy do you think it would drive Kitty if her old beau dated her sister?

Courtney
Robert’s first wife left him for his chief-of-staff, and claimed that he had an affair with the nanny. Kitty successfully called her bluff about that when Courtney was planning to take it to the talk shows, but it’s clear there’s still a lot of bitterness over the years she gave to Robert’s political career. Prognosis: Courtney will always be part of Robert and Kitty’s life because of Sophie and Jack, but I’ll be just as glad if we never actually see her again. Though I like Marin Hinkle, the character we saw in the one episode she’s had was just unpleasantly frosty. If she does recur, it would have to be something to do with a kid-related crisis.

Warren
Kitty’s liberal counterpart on her political talk show was a goofy departure from serious Jonathan, and the diversion she needed to get rid of that guy. Not really serious relationship material, though, was he? They first slept together on the night Kitty found out about Holly, and tried to make a go of things after Kitty split with Jonathan. But Warren was already distracted by young blond bubblehead Amber, and that cut the Kitty activity short. Prognosis: Warren’s likely gone with the TV show plotline, but he was a lot of fun, wasn’t he? Got on awfully well with Nora, too. If I thought he had enough depth to go for an older woman instead of a younger one, I’d say there might be something there. How crazy do you think it would drive Kitty if her old beau dated her mother?

The Nanny
Do we even have a name for the girl who got the blame for the McCallister break-up, even if she had nothing actually to do with it? She’s done an awfully good job of disappearing, particularly considering that these days, she could probably have made a pretty penny selling her story to the tabloids. Prognosis: You know, unless Kitty completely ditches her career, she and Robert are likely to be needing some childcare assistance in the near future. Good help’s hard to find.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Kitty, Robert

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s extended family and review the prospects of her brother-in-law.

Origins: Kitty had barely met Robert’s gay brother before trying to set him up with her own gay brother. But since she never completely confessed to Kevin exactly who it was he was meeting for coffee, he mouthed off about his contempt for the senator and did not make a good first impression.

Progress: Jason and Kevin were drawn together again as the planning committee for Kitty and Robert’s engagement party, and again, during the party, for a makeout session in the pantry. A summer romance that we didn’t see led to a declaration of love when the second season resumed. But then Jason, a Methodist minister, went off on a mission in Malaysia (so actor Eric Winter could go off to do the ill-fated Viva Laughlin) and — whether due to a crisis of faith or bad manners — didn’t call Kevin for far too long. When he finally did ring up, it was only to get dumped. An awkward evening with Kevin and old/new boyfriend Scotty after he returned didn’t do much to clear the air.

Current Status: Jason seemed ready to participate in Robert’s presidential campaign, but Travis’s discouraging words and the presence of Isaac — the man who outed him years before in a political attack on his brother — may make that less of an option.

Concerns: And so may the fact that Winter has apparently signed on to a semi-regular role on another series, CBS’s vampire drama Moonlight. That probably means that Team Scotty has won for the time being, too. Congratulations to Winter for the career heat he’s got going, but it’s really been unfortunate for this character. I thought there was nice romantic chemistry between Jason and Kevin, and nice brotherly chemistry between Jason and Robert, and I wish the character could recur as the story requires and not as the actor’s availability allows. I mean, we stuck pins in those Viva Laughlin voodoo dolls for this?

Prognosis: I’ve not watched Moonlight, but my impression is that it’s not the healthiest of new shows. If it gets a stake through its heart soon, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jason and Kevin build a friendship — do Walkers even get to have friends? — down the road a bit, when Scotty’s less threatened.

Second Opinions: Sylviane writes that if Jason comes back, it better be the pre-Malaysia version. What are your thoughts on Jason? Share them in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Jason, Eric Winter

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s extended family and check on the stepkids (with apologies to Colleen — now Jason’s next).

Origins: When we first met Robert’s children from his first marriage, Sophie was giving Kitty a hard time at dinner, resentful of her dad’s attempt to insert a new blonde into their relationship. The fallout sparked the couple’s first fight.

Progress: We haven’t seen much of the senator’s spawn, but Sophie’s usually had something snarky to say to her soon-to-be stepmom. When she told her dad she wasn’t looking for any new half-siblings in the family, it added to the complication of Robert’s reaction to Kitty’s baby craze. Still, though they weren’t necessarily nuts about his remarriage, Sophie and Jack stood up with their father at his wedding (yes, they did, though many viewers seem to have thought they weren’t there at all).

Current Status: Confined together by the flu, Kitty and her stepkids seem to have come to something of an understanding, and Sophie actually managed to be a little nice to her. Courtney, Robert’s ex, will probably load the girl back up with resentment when Sophie gets back home.

Concerns: As with Paige and Cooper, the kiddie plots are never going to overtake the grown-ups, nor should they. But some consideration of this new generation of Walker sibs and half-sibs and step-sibs and young cousins should be part of the plot moving forward. I like the way the show’s definition of Brothers and Sisters has expanded beyond the five Walker siblings into the brother-sister bond of Nora and Saul; expanding the other way a little bit might be interesting, too. The ways that Sarah, Kitty, Tommy, Kevin and Justin interact as adults was formed to a large degree by the way they interacted as kids, and though flashing back that far would be silly, the ways in which the youngest Walkers form their relationships might have some resonance — particularly in the differences between five close-knit kids growing up in what was perceived as an unbroken home and the children of divorce and re-marriage and sometimes re-divorce they’re parenting now.

Prognosis: I’m still waiting for that meeting of Paige and Sophie. Those girls could get in some trouble together.

Second Opinions: Colleen’s suggesting a pool party for getting those girls together. Where would you like to see Sophie and Jack? Share your thoughts in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Sophie, Jack, Justine Dorsey, Max Burkholder

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s family and look in on the senator.

Origins: When Robert met Kitty, she offered to stay away from sensitive questions about his divorce (and alleged affair with the nanny) in an interview if he could keep Justin from going to war. Robert refused, Kitty threw the interview anyway then confessed about it on the air, and Robert decided that the inability to keep a secret is exactly what he wanted in a communications director. It’s a Walker skill-set, to be sure.

Progress: As Robert went from being a senator to a presidential candidate, Kitty came along as communications director, then fiancee and finally wife. An unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage brought up the topic of children; Kitty wants some, but Robert, who has two from his first marriage, isn’t so sure.

Current Status: The senator survived a scandal in which his alleged wartime heroism was revealed to be less heroic than advertised, but it seems likely that his campaign will fall short of the White House.

Concerns: Has there been a more polarizing character on this show? Some folks hate Robert because he’s too perfect, and some love him because he’s Rob Lowe. He’s been accused of hijacking storylines, and credited with raising ratings. Personally, I’m not so much a fan of Rob Lowe as I am a fan of Sam Seaborn, and the fact that this role hits so many of the same notes makes him very easy for me to like. But I also — and I seem to be in the minority here — am really interested in the character of Robert McCallister. I don’t find him bland or boring or excessively perfect at all, though I do think there’s a directness to his personality that contrasts with the Walker neuroses in a way that makes him seem less complex. He’s kind of a control freak, though, and is unable to roll very well when events don’t match his vision. He’d rather keep up the facade and hope that things will work themselves out, as he did with the war story and, likely, the problems with his first marriage. Maybe what attracted him to Kitty was the way she confessed her journalistic dishonesty quickly, when she didn’t have to. And maybe what attracted Kitty to him is … well, hmm, do we know another powerful man in her life who was able to hold onto a facade of happiness and respectability while the truth was far from it?

Prognosis: The end of the campaign may offer an opportunity for Robert to come to terms with the conflict between his career and his character. He may realize that it’s not possible to be “the most ambitious man you will ever meet” and also have a family and an code of ethics. Losing that image of himself as made of ambition will be a hard but good thing. And judging by the kitchen scene in The Feast of the Epiphany, getting Robert more involved with the extended Walker clan will be a good thing, too.

Second Opinions: Colleen would like to get more of a look behind Robert’s control-freak facade. What are your thoughts on the senator? Share them in the comments.

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Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Robert, Rob Lowe

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s have a visit with Kitty.

Origins: Kitty was the prodigal daughter returned in the opening episode, greeted with enthusiasm by her soon-to-be-dead dad and reserve by her still-mad mom. She was in town to consider a job as a TV pundit, but boyfriend Jonathan wanted her to chuck all that, settle down, and make Republican babies.

Progress: She did chuck that job soon enough, but Jonathan sooner. She made her peace with Mom and had a little fling with her TV show colleague, but before long the love of her life turned up in the person of Senator Robert McCallister, candidate for president. She started out as his Communications Director, but became in time his fiancee and then, with a wedding in Season 2, Mrs. Senator.

Current Status: With the success of Robert’s presidential campaign looking doubtful, she may soon be in a position to … settle down and make Republican babies.

Concerns: I can’t see much future in a storyline that sends Robert and Kitty to Washington as either president and first lady or vice president and … second lady? But it’s hard to think of another storyline for the couple that wouldn’t be kind of been-there, done-that. Last season saw getting-pregnant and infertility drama and a birth with complications. We’d certainly see more of a Kitty pregnancy than we did of Julia’s, and there could be amusement in that. But is this career woman suddenly going to be all about the babies?

Prognosis: It seems pretty likely that there’s a baby in the future for Kitty. And I’m not sorry to see the campaign go. But I hope some thought will be given to keeping up her political and professional life. Because otherwise, it just seems like Jonathan has won.

Second Opinions: Isilda would like to see Kitty divorce her husband and get back to the family. What do you see in the future for Kitty? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Kitty, Calista Flockhart

Another Sunday night, another week of missing the Walkers. There is no new episode of Brothers & Sisters on tonight, and no old episode, either. Instead, ABC would like us to watch this cross-promotional reality fiesta on Here Come the Newlyweds, the current inhabitant of our 10 p.m. slot:

“Take My Wife Please” — To see how well they can work together as a team, the couples get a tango lesson from “Dancing with the Stars” alumni Tony Dovolani and Elena Grinenko. Dance expert and “DWTS” judge Carrie Ann Inaba gives the couples their final scores.

On the plus side, we only have five more of these dismal Sunday nights, and then the Walkers come back on April 20. In the meantime, let’s huddle before our cold, dark TVs and tell spoiler stories. Click on the link below to continue, if you dare.

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It’s Saturday night — date night, for some — so let’s finish our check-ups of Sarah and family with a look at the eldest Walker sister’s love interests, present and (dare we hope) past/future.

Graham
The slick business consultant started working with Ojai Foods, and working on Sarah to date him, early in Season 2. It looked like the two of them might hook up on an overnight business trip to San Francisco, but he took her word that she wasn’t interested and made other plans. Still, in the last episode before the break, the combination of divorce papers and drunk karaoke finally lowered Sarah’s defenses sufficiently to allow a one-nighter. Prognosis: Steven Weber is doing a sit-com pilot for NBC, which means Graham’s likely to be a passing fling. Still, his consultant gig means that the guy could reasonably return from time to time if Ojai’s expanding or Sarah needs to have some fun. He’s supposedly got a woman in every town, right?

Noah
The former co-worker of whom Sarah said “Being in synch with a man who’s not your husband, is almost as bad as not being in synch with your husband” was presumably the reason she left that job and came to work in the family business. We haven’t seen him since early in Season 1, when any storyline involving the two of them was lost in the re-shuffle. Now that Sarah’s through with Joe, though, couldn’t she look that old pal up again? They only had a couple of scenes, but Rachel Griffiths and Michael Beach definitely had some chemistry going. Prognosis: As I mentioned in Sarah’s profile, I’d like to see Sarah sow some wild oats and get her confidence back before she slides right into another relationship. But when she does, I’ll vote for it being Noah she gets involved with. And our votes count, right, writers? Right? Right?

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Sarah, Steven Weber, Michael Beach

We’re continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — with a look at Sarah’s branch of the family, including today’s subject, sullen stepson Gabe.

Origins: We’ve not seen much of Joe’s teenage son, but he was instrumental in inspiring stepmom Sarah to figure out the code that unlocked her dad’s secret account. But did he ever get his plate?

Progress: In one of his few episodes, Gabe got in trouble for bringing a bottle of vodka to school. Sarah took a hard line, but Joe undercut her and went easy … then reconsidered, and backed her up. It was a rare moment of unity for the struggling spouses, but of course, it didn’t last. No fault of Gabe’s, though.

Current Status: Gabe’s parents are now reunited. Does it feel so good to him? No way of knowing, ’cause we never see the boy.

Concerns: Gabe, like Sarah’s co-worker Noah, seems to be one of those “road not taken” characters that just never went anywhere. The role almost seems to have been a consolation prize for young actor Tyler Posey, who in the original pilot was the son of original gay brother Bryan, who had an ex-wife and family. With that plot gone, the spare teenage boy was assigned to Joe. And he could just as well disappear with Joe, except … then, when Sarah said, movingly, “I might not be your mom, Gabe, but you are my son,” she really just meant, “for as long as I’m married to your no-good father, and not a moment longer.”

Prognosis: Where could a kid like Gabe go if he had a fight with his now-reunited parents, or a secret that he couldn’t share with them? If the answer was that nice former stepmom who treated him firmly but fairly, that could add an extra complication to the arrangements between exes Sarah and Joe. And what if, say, the secret in question was that Gabe’s gay? He could reasonably see the Walkers as the go-to family for some understanding and acceptance, bringing Sarah’s divorce situation into the same Kevin-Saul-William flashback episode we were talking about a few posts back. I don’t really expect we’ll ever see Gabe again — but if we did, this is how I’d do it.

Second Opinions: Scott is pretty sure we’ve seen the last of Gabe. Do you think the guy’s out of sight and out of mind, or due for a comeback? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

_{Photo: http://www.risingstar.to/tgposey.html}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Gabe, Tyler Posey

We’re continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — with a look at Sarah’s branch of the family, including today’s profilee, Cooper.

Origins: The jumpy little son of Sarah and Joe has always been running around somewhere, usually at top speed, but other than being cute, he hasn’t had much to do.

Progress: Not for nothing did this little actor star in a direct-to-video Dennis the Menace movie. Cooper’s one identifiable character trait has been hyperactivity, though the show has foregone the obvious ADHD/Ritalin storyline for Paige’s diabetes/insulin one. He’s usually good for some comic relief, anyway, as his flustered aunts and uncles try to keep up with him, and keep him from stoking up on sugar. Occasionally he gets a little plot involvement — bringing Holly and Sarah together a little bit at the engagement party, or causing friction between Nora and Justin over wheelchair races — but mostly he’s there for show.

Current Status: Cooper now has two houses to tear through, as his divorced parents share custody. He hasn’t seemed as broken up by all that grown-up stuff as his big sister Paige, though.

Concerns: While I’ve admitted to missing Paige and seeing worthwhile storylines for her, Cooper — maybe because of his age, maybe because he’s not good for much but hyping around — isn’t nearly so compelling. If this was really a soap opera, they could just bring him back as an older and more interesting child. As it is, let him be seen zipping about, but not heard too much of.

Prognosis: How ’bout if Joe takes Cooper and moves far away, and Paige gets to stay with Sarah? No? No, probably not. But I bet there are some pretty good boarding schools for kids like him.

Second Opinions: Laura says she’d choose Cooper over Paige any day. Do you think Coop’s super, or superfluous? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

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Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Cooper, Maxwell Perry Cotton

We’re continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — with a look at Sarah’s branch of the family, including today’s profilee, Paige.

Origins: The precocious young daughter of Sarah and Joe was looking at the stars with Grandpa William when he keeled over into the pool and died. Giving her a completely understandable fear of chlorinated water.

Progress: Uncle Tommy took care of the pool phobia, but other threats to Paige’s health and happiness haven’t been so easily dispatched. A diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes caused her to require painful shots, and religion-shop for a faith that would cure her. And her parents’ divorce hit her harder than younger brother Cooper, causing her to act up in school and enter prematurely into sullen teenage behavior.

Current Status: Paige’s running away (but just to grandma’s) was enough to jolt Joe into realizing that shared custody was best for the kids. She’s presumably happy now, bopping from house to house, but we never seem to be looking in on Sarah when it’s Mom’s turn to mind them.

Concerns: Young Kerris Dorsey has done a great job of creating a complex character in Paige, and although I wouldn’t want her to take over the show or anything, I kinda miss her when she’s gone. I’m curious about how she likes living with her dad’s ex-wife, and how she’s handling the ongoing challenges of diabetes. I hope we don’t lose her and Cooper in the divorce shuffle. (Well, Cooper maybe.)

Prognosis: If Joe’s taking his former ex to Europe, that should provide an opportunity for Sarah to do some full-time single mothering. The adorableness of that babysitting scene in which Paige totally tricked Kevin also illustrates the potential for interactions with all those aunts and uncles. She presumably has a good relationship with Nora — since that’s who she ran away to — but we’ve really not seen much in the way of grandmothering from Ma Walker, and I’d like to. And just for fun, I’d like to see some scenes between Paige and Robert’s daughter, Sophie, since the actresses are sisters in real life.

Second Opinions: Cvmillers would like to see Sarah struggling to balance work and single-mothering. Do you want Paige around, or will she just cramp Sarah’s style? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

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Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Paige, Kerris Dorsey

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Sarah’s family and revisit old Joe.

Origins: When we first met Joe, he was Sarah’s scruffy house-husband and a bemused observer of Walker family foibles. That laid-back musician’s persona, though, masked a pretty ugly passive-aggressive streak. Also, an irrational fear of hair care.

Progress: As time went on and Sarah’s work life didn’t get any easier by the transfer to the family business, Joe’s resentment started to come to the forefront. He somehow found a way to blame Sarah for their lifestyle, their marriage problems, his stay-at-home dad career path, and his kiss with Rebecca. He quietly snuck around and made a case for full custody of the kids even as he let Sarah think they still had a chance.

Current Status: The guy seems to have a limited dating pool, ’cause he went right back to his first wife, the mother of his seldom-seen son Gabe. He’s now officially divorced from Sarah, but thought twice about the full custody thing and is now sharing the kids.

Concerns: Sarah and Joe were, perhaps, equally culpable for their marriage breakdown, but things ended on Joe’s terms, and I don’t think he deserved it. He made the break permanent when Sarah still had hope, and she only has shared custody of their kids because he allowed it. She’s not had much control in the situation, her trust has been pretty consistently betrayed, and that may be an issue for her moving forward and trusting someone else.

Prognosis: Given that Joe left Sarah for his first wife, it’s not unlikely that when he has problems with her again, he’ll bounce back Sarah’s way. This might give her an opportunity to end things on her terms, with an acknowledgment that she has moved on and is better off, and that, buddy, you blew it. From there, I’d like to see an amicable divorce in which they’re both the good parents that they’ve always been, and Joe pops up on the show whenever there’s a child issue that calls for it. Maybe he could get a haircut somewhere along the way, too.

Second Opinions: Scott thinks Joe’s time on the show is done, and good riddance. Do you want to see Joe come back, or go to hell? Share your thoughts in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Joe, John Pyper-Ferguson

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s look in on big sister Sarah.

Origins: When the series began, Sarah had recently taken over her father’s business, and both that enterprise and her marriage to Joe were unsteady, particularly after Dad died and left behind an embezzlement mystery and a bitchy girlfriend.

Progress: The business got back onto firm footing, but the marriage, not so much. Though Sarah and Joe struggled along for a while with marriage counseling, when Joe kissed Sarah’s newfound half-sister, it was pretty much downhill from there. For a while it looked like there would be an ugly custody battle, but after getting temporary full custody from a judge, Joe realized it was too hard on the kids and they’re now sharing Paige and Cooper. Sarah has also been plagued by Holly, her father’s mistress, who pushed her way into a share of the family business, then went off to start a winery with Sarah’s brother Tommy.

Current Status: Sarah’s being pushed by Saul and consultant Graham to expand Ojai Foods into the international market. She’s also been fending off what she’s seen as Graham’s romantic advances, but the arrival of her divorce papers and the departure of Joe for a European vacation with his ex-wife/current girlfriend — in combination with a lot of tequila — led her to proposition him. Successfully.

Concerns: Sarah can be warm and funny and snarky, but she can also be shrill and judgmental and vindictive. That’s not unrealistic, necessarily; but the latter qualities aren’t so much fun to watch. Not for nothing does everybody rejoice when it looks like Road Trip Sarah’s in the house. The battles with Holly brought out the worst in Sarah, and I’d like that not to happen too often.

Prognosis: Unlike Nora and Kevin, who both need to jump off the dating-go-round and have a real relationship for a change, Sarah needs to have some fun and play the field. That’s why, while I truly hope we see a return of Noah one day, I’d like it to wait a while. Graham’s a nice diversion, and maybe there are some more wild oats to be sewn and karaoke to be sung before she commits to someone new. Let Joe eat his heart out.

Second Opinions: Colleen and Sylviane are both hot for Ioan Gruffudd to be Sarah’s next big fling. Who would you set up Sarah with? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Sarah, Rachel Griffiths

Hey, it’s Sunday! Is there a new episode of Brothers & Sisters on tonight?

Ha. You wish. No new episodes for us until April 20, courtesy of the writers strike.

Well, okay, then, how ’bout a re-run?

Nope, you’re forgetting: ABC hates us. That’s why they’ve programmed a reality show called Here Come the Newlyweds in the hallowed B&S slot for the next way-too-many weeks. Here’s the network’s description of this particular slice of reality:

“Hosted by comedian Pat Bullard, “Here Come the Newlyweds” is all about relationships, the differences between men and women, and the universal issues that every couple must face. The newlyweds are diverse, sexy and competitive, including such pairings as high school sweethearts, couples who fell in love at first sight, an arranged marriage, an interracial couple and two divorcees who are hoping the fourth time is the charm. In this six-episode show, each couple faces a variety of mental and physical challenges which will test the love and passion they have for one another as well as their competitive spirit. At the end of each episode, the field will be narrowed as the couples vote to send one couple home. The stakes get higher as the potential nest egg grows, until one couple ultimately wins the grand prize.”

Please join me in weeping.

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Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s pause to remember the Walker patriarch.

Origins: When we met William in the first episode of Brothers & Sisters, he was the beloved head of his family and his family business, but there were whispered phone conversations and mysterious blondes at the office to indicate that all was not as it seemed. Then, he dropped dead.

Progress: Being deceased didn’t keep the guy from driving plot, though. He turned up in flashbacks during the first season, and unraveling his embezzlement, infidelity, and illegitimate parenting moves kept his clan hopping. Even as his widow and mistress visited his grave on the first anniversary of his death, the thought entered their minds that there could be more women out there.

Current Status: Referenced occasionally this season, as Sarah runs the family business, Rebecca wonders if she’s somebody else’s illegitimate daughter, and Tommy follows in William’s unfaithful footsteps.

Concerns: The family has switched from a patriarchy to a matriarchy, and that’s as it should be. But for a guy whose presence was so heavily felt last year, even in death, he doesn’t seem to be thought of much anymore. Given the dominating force William was for this family, good and bad, I’d think it’d take more than a year to shake him off. Or maybe it’s just that I’d like to see Tom Skerritt again.

Prognosis: Aw, I’m not really proposing more flashbacks with bad Nora hair. But the legacy of duplicity and judgment William left his children with still has some dramatic juice in it. If we actually get a good strong storyline about Tommy’s marriage repair, his relationship with William should be part of that. Justin’s still got some daddy issues to resolve, and Kevin as well. If Rebecca does get confirmation that it’s really William, not David, who’s her dad, it would not be unrealistic for her to make a more thorough investigation of who and what he was than she’s done so far. And who knows — maybe the reason Saul never formed any meaningful relationships over the years is because he was secretly pining for his brother-in-law.

Second Opinions: Sylviane thinks we’re owed a scene between William and Kevin. Is there a William moment you’d like to flash back to? Share your thoughts on this character in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, William, Tom Skerritt