Brothers & Sisters

He’s dated his brother-in-law’s mistress but admitted to having been in love with a man, making Saul’s love-interest check-up a little more complicated than most.

Holly
Saul told Holly that he’d been sweet on her for years, even while William was alive, and maybe he’d convinced himself that was true. Still, it was never really for certain whether their romance was real or just a ruse for Saul to get information out of her about William’s financial shenanigans. Either way, their hook-up was worth it if only for that scene in the restaurant where Nora, on a date, spots her brother on a date with Holly and they have that great little juvenile whisper-shouting match. Prognosis: If and when they ever get this coming-out storyline over with, it will be interesting to see Holly’s reaction to the news. Her advice to him at the wedding that you can’t help who you love makes it seem as though she already has an idea about it. Or maybe she was just sympathizing with him about his niece marrying a politician.

Milo
Since Milo was introduced in last season’s finale, Saul’s been doing more running away from him than running towards him. He’s clearly not as interested in jumping back into a long-lost and out-in-the-open relationship as Milo is, but going to a party at Milo’s and showing up at his apartment unannounced indicates that he’s no longer fleeing in terror, anyway. Prognosis: I’m not sure we’ve really seen signs that Saul still has a thing for Milo; it’s been more a matter of grappling with what Milo represents. Nora’s dip in the dating-pool-of-the-past didn’t work out so well. Nothing against Michael Nouri, but it might be better for Saul to move ahead with someone new.

Evan
Maybe this guy? Saul met Evan when he made that unannounced visit to Milo’s, and found his friend housesitting there. They had a nice chat about Milo, but that was about it as of the strike break. Prognosis: When Enrico Colantoni’s casting was announced, he was mentioned in many sources as a love interest for Saul, so I’m going to guess that’s what’s ahead. Maybe Milo finds romance on his vacation, removing any awkwardness that might arise over his friend getting involved with his old heartthrob. I thought the actors had a nice rapport, anyway.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Ron Rifkin, Michael Nouri, Enrico Colantoni, Patricia Wettig

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 venture onto the Holden family tree with a look at Uncle Saul.

Origins: Early on, Nora’s brother was a man of mystery, covering up for William’s financial and personal indiscretions and earning the distrust, even the open hostility, of his nieces and nephews.

Progress: Saul was absolved of wrongdoing in Ojai’s post-William financial fiasco, but his pursuit of a relationship with his brother-in-law’s mistress, Holly, caused some bad feelings in the family, as did his insistence on telling Nora about Rebecca. After spending most of the season as a back-burner character, Saul caught a storyline wave (if an exceptionally slow-breaking one) when Milo, an old “friend,” turned up at Kitty’s engagement party to reminisce about a long-ago trip they took together, and let Saul know he was divorced and available. Saul initially rebuffed the advances, but later went to a party at Milo’s where he was seen by Scotty, causing Kevin to wonder whether his bachelor uncle was gay, and why he didn’t come out about it. Saul did finally tell Nora he once was in love with a man, but refused to go into detail despite her pleas.

Current Status: Saul went to visit Milo, but found another man in his apartment — just a friend, a house-sitter. The two struck up a conversation about Milo, the break-up of his marriage, and the feelings he had for Saul.

Concerns: It’s right that this plotline of Saul coming to terms with his sexuality and what it might mean to go public with it should take its time … but time enough, now. Whether because there were so many flashier stories to zip through, or because there was discomfort at the network about another gay character or more airtime for an older character, Saul’s front-burner storyline has been set to endless simmer. Saul’s one of the characters that this show has always had trouble making time for, and if they really can’t sustain consistent interest in him, then maybe he and Milo should head off into the sunset together and be done with it. But I hope it doesn’t come to that, because I’ve enjoyed the relationship between Saul and Nora, and the reminder that there’s more than one generation’s worth of brothers and sisters on Brothers & Sisters.

Prognosis: I’d like to see this Saul-comes-out story that started with last season’s finale come to fruition by this season’s finale. There’s spoiler talk of some business complications involving Saul, and that seems to just be spinning him back to the start of Season 1. A little character development for this fellow, please.

Second Opinion: What do you foresee for Saul? Share your thoughts in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Saul, Ron Rifkin

I’ve been reading reaction around the Web to Jon Robin Baitz’s Huffington Post blogs on his ouster from the everyday running of Brothers & Sisters, and some speculation on how it might affect the show’s storylines. Particularly of interest have been the ongoing discussion in the Television Without Pity forums, and a long article on the AfterElton site.

There seems to be some consensus among posters and commenters that Sally Field is too prominent for age-ism to force Nora’s stories to the sidelines, and that Kevin is too much a part of the ensemble to have his love life given short shrift. What people tend to settle on is a conclusion that, with Baitz’s departure around episode 3, Uncle Saul’s coming-out story has been pushed to the back burner.

This Saul development, introduced in last year’s “Matriarchy,” certainly has been proceeding at a slower pace than other plots, and that can make it seem neglected. Really, though, it’s simply the only plot positioned in “Matriarchy” that hasn’t been dispatched with undue haste. Could be that’s actually a good thing.

Good for Ron Rifkin, anyway, because it gives him a reason to be around. Saul has always been a back-burner character that the writers can’t seem to find anything to do with. I feel like he’s been closer to the front-burner this season, with more consistency to his character. This isn’t a guy who would leap out of the closet after decades of denial. Most episodes this season have had small, important developments on the Saul front. There’s a definite feeling that, with him having made a revelation to Nora, and hearing from Holly that we can’t help who we love, he may be building to an announcement. I don’t think you could argue that the plot has been dropped.

Whereas everything else from Matriarchy? History. Justin’s gone to war, come back, recovered. Rebecca’s moved home. Kitty’s married. Sarah’s divorced. Kevin’s ditched Jason for Scotty. Julia’s run away and come back, apparently over her depression. Presumably, the damage done by the tent and the marauding McCallisters has been all filled in, too.

Really, if anybody’s been sidelined this season, I’d have to say it was Rebecca — the youngest of the brothers and sisters, and presumably the one who would have been pushed most to the forefront if the youth movement that Baitz seems to allege was really afoot. At the end of last season, she was messed up and dangerous, but for most of this one, she’s been a meek little helper with bangs. By “Holy Matrimony!” she was starting to get her spirit back. But if the network was really pushing for a younger demo, they’d have had her and Justin sharing a beach house with Lena and making friends with surf bunnies by now.

Whoops, don’t want to give ABC any ideas.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Jon Robin Baitz, Ron Rifkin

There’s a cute little item in the Los Angeles Times blog about the writer’s strike regarding two Brothers & Sisters stalwarts. According to the post, titled “He’s a Writer First” and filed at 9:53 a.m., Jon Robin Baitz was among those hitting the New York picket lines this morning, marching in front of Rockefeller Center. Although he’s a producer as well as a writer, he is, as the title suggests, “a writer first.”

Joining him on the picket line was Uncle Saul himself, Ron Rifkin, demonstrating solidarity between actors and writers. “There’s nothing for actors to do if we don’t have writers,” Rifkin is quoted as saying, and if he didn’t know that before, he sure must have learned it last season when the writers couldn’t seem to figure out how to write for his character.

My favorite quote from the post, though, is this one from Baitz about the inevitability of compromise: “I think we will face some very bad days and pernicious scheming, but at the end of the day, there’s no getting around it.” Very bad days and pernicious scheming? Sounds like a good Brothers & Sisters plot. I’m thinking Holly must be involved somewhere.

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If you live in the Los Angeles area, or will be there roundabout February 2008, you can see Holly and Saul themselves, Patricia Wettig and Ron Rifkin, performing in a play by Brothers & Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz.

The production is The Paris Letter, and it’s running from February 20-24 as part of the “The Play’s the Thing!” series at L.A. Theatre Works. The play will be performed at The Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and recorded for later broadcast on satellite radio.

Here’s the write-up on the Theatre Works site:

“The latest work from one of America’s most important young playwrights and creator of the current hit TV series, Brothers and Sisters. Financial powerhouse Sandy Sonnenberg finds his personal and professional life threatened by unraveling secrets from his past. A tragic game of financial and moral betrayal plays out over four decades, with an exacting price — family, friends, love and marriage. Variety calls it ‘head and shoulders above most current dramatic offerings … THE PARIS LETTER has potential to rank beside works of Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. Baitz writes vibrant, stingingly literate dialogue.’”

Boy, from the description, it sure sounds like another Baitz work we’ve been following frequently.

Brothers and Sisters, Jon Robin Baitz, The Paris Letter, Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig

What’s ahead for Uncle Saul? We may have to wait until September 30 to find out, but Best.Gay.Week.Ever.’s Michael Jensen has an interview with Ron Rifkin that gives the actor’s thoughts about the character’s coming out. A few quotes:

• On Saul being gay: “He’s not gay. Come on — that’s ridiculous. He just sleeps with men. [laughing]“
• On the value of a good storyline: “One of the TCA’s [TV critics] said to me ‘Your character is on the back burner.’ Actors don’t want to be on the back burner. But TV series are a very living breathing thing and developing a character is a very delicate thing.”
• On Saul’s character arc: “I just hope it’s not gonna be celebrating young bodies. I’m sure it won’t be, given the level of these writers and with Robbie around. I want it to be complex and I want it to be…I think it’s gonna be a struggle.”
• On how Nora will react to her brother’s secret: “Obviously, she’s okay with her son. I think she would probably smack him around for having kept it from her so long and having suffered over that.”

Speaking of reactions, Jensen also posts this quote from Matthew Rhys about how Kevin will take the news: “Maybe in total shock. But I almost hope there will be bemusement. I think he’ll be happy for him because I think a lot of things will fall into place and he’ll understand him a lot more. But I think there is just a wealth to that relationship between the two of them. I just hope I get to take him to his first club.”

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Ron Rifkin, AfterElton, Best.Gay.Week.Ever.

TV Guide’s latest issue features a big splashy article called “They Did What?!” in which “Insiders answer this season’s biggest burning questions.” And you wouldn’t think Brothers & Sisters would have anything to contribute to that, having peacefully ended its season without the kind of cliffhangers, bodily peril, or explosive revelations so popular these days. But there our little show is, amongst all the splash and flash, with one simple question for show creator Jon Robin Baitz: “Why did you decide to make Saul gay?”

Personally, I didn’t think this character move was such a surprise, since Saul himself has been such a mystery throughout the season, the loyal elder statesman with no discernible life of his own. It almost seemed as though Saul had been written as deliberately vague with this sort of twist in mind. But nope, as it turned out, they just ran out of ideas and went fishing for one. As Baitz told TV Guide:

“The story lines for Saul [Ron Rifkin] were just starting to run on fumes, and we kept looking for more areas to explore with him — the business and stuff — but none of it seemed as juicy as this. Next season, Saul’s going to struggle to come to terms with himself and confront his shame — ‘I’m a nice Jewish boy. I can’t be gay.’ But it took me a month to ask Ron. It wasn’t what he had signed on for and I thought, ‘Is this really what he wants to be doing?’ I hadn’t even finished the sentence and he was like, ‘That’s great — why would that be a problem?’ He’s thrilled.”

I’ll bet. It’s nice, in a big cast like this, to have some actual work to do. Saul’s drifted and out of the story this season, and Rifkin’s too good an actor to keep in the … well, closet, I guess. Who’s going to pay the price for that extra screen time, though? Sarah Jane Morris, who’s also been enormously underutilized this season, better hope that sleeping-pill scene in the finale was pointing toward a big post-partum depression storyline, and not a quick fatal overdose.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, Saul, Ron Rifkin, season finale, TV Guide

A while back I mused about how ill-defined the character of Uncle Saul is, and how unknowable he seemed to be. And now comes an end-of-season spoiler to shed some light on that. I’ll post it after the jump, so that those who wish to remain unspoiled can just die of unfulfilled curiosity.

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He’s a puzzle, isn’t he, that old man? Of all the many, many characters on Brothers & Sisters, — and I’m including here Julia, who’s had a total accumulated screen time of about five minutes — Uncle Saul is the one who’s remained the most undefined. Maybe it’s because we’ve never seen him outside the confines of work or his sister’s family drama (Holly being part of that). Does he have a life? Has he ever had a wife? Does he have an apartment of some sort, or does he just hang upside down from the Ojai Foods rafters waiting to be called into service? What does he even do at the company?

Early on, he seemed like a somewhat shady fixer, hiding William’s crimes and maybe conspiring in them. When he first went out with Holly, it looked like maybe he was just doing it to get secret codes out of her. Sneaky, and not above hurting his beloved sister if the plan calls for it. But wait! He’s such a sweetie at Hanukkah, saving Paige’s day; he defends Nora to their mother; he practically weeps when Tommy announces twins. Aw, he’s a teddy bear! Or maybe not. You never know. He’s unknowable, and that’s not a good thing.

He cracked like an egg when Nora expressed guilt about hating Holly, and told all about Rebecca, making himself persona non grata among his nieces and nephews. But couldn’t it have easily been the other way around? He was the voice of reason with Sarah and Kevin and Tommy, pointing out quite rightly that they should have learned more about the danger of keeping secrets — but if that scene had played just the opposite, with the siblings wanting to tell and Saul insisting on concealment for the sake of his dear sister, that wouldn’t have seemed out of place.

Saul’s kind of a moral utility player, able to go soft or shady as called for. That’s useful to the writing staff, I guess, but it sure would be nice to know if anything makes the guy tick besides the click-clack of computer keys. I don’t know, maybe he used to be a spy or something, and has trouble losing the moves.

Photo: ABC.com

Brothers & Sisters, ABC, commentary, Saul, Ron Rifkin

For those just joining Brothers & Sisters because you’re Rob Lowe fans, or live in Australia, or are finally willing to believe the show’s not as bad as it was made out to be and may be sticking around for a while, here’s a brief guide to who all those brothers and sisters are. Use the episode suggestions to catch up on key episodes in ABC’s Full Episode Player.

Name: Nora Walker
Age: Turned 60 in episode 13, “Something Ida This Way Comes.”
Occupation: Meddlesome mother; worked briefly at family company after husband’s death, but quit after her son Tommy didn’t appreciate “Bring Your Pet to Work Day” or her rules about callers to the company needing to be polite.
Spouse: William, who died in the series’ first episode, leaving his family to painfully find out about his embezzlement from the family company and his longtime affair with Holly Harper, with whom he has a yet-unseen child, Rebecca.
Children: Sarah, Kitty, Tommy, Kevin, Justin
Siblings: Saul
Likes: Liberal causes, cooking, manipulating her offspring
Dislikes: Conservatives, Holly, Kitty’s boyfriends; had tense times with Kitty, who she blamed for pushing Justin to go to war after 9/11, but they’ve mostly made up. Also has mother issues of her own.
Key Episode: In episode 3, “Affairs of State,” she revealed that she wasn’t as in the dark about William’s indiscretions as everybody thought, “innocently” inviting the woman who was her husband’s mistress to a party and then coolly outing her at the dinner table.

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Hanukkah began at sunset today, and whether you celebrate that holiday or Christmas or, like Nora, worship the ACLU, good luck keeping a dry eye while watching this very sweet scene from last Sunday’s episode in which Saul rescues Paige from all the Hanukkah overkill and shares a candle-lighting moment with her while reminding the assembled Walkers of what they’ve lost and what they still have to be thankful for. If you’re unmoved by such things, here’s another reason to watch this clip: Can you find Tommy’s nonverbal wife, Julia, anywhere among the assembled family? Already the actress hardly gets any lines, and now she’s left out of touching family scenes, too? Surely the couple’s infertility struggle and subsequent impregnation with brotherly sperm was among the family’s milestones in their very unusual year, and yet there is no mention of it, and no shot of the beaming mother-to-be. A little odd, isn’t it? Yet my heart is too warm to care.