Death Watch: Tommy Walker
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Yesterday, we speculated that Robert’s would be the Shocking Death promised by the Brothers & Sisters promo. Today, we move on to another possible farm-buyer, inept corporate crook Tommy. Could Robert’s alleged health crisis just be a decoy?
Prospective corpse: Tommy Walker
Why it might be him: There’s been no secret about the fact that Balthazar Getty’s employment status with the show would be changing soon. Between his tabloid exploits with Sienna Miller, reported on-set tantrums, and status as Walker We Would Be Least Likely to Miss, it’s not surprising that Tommy’s attempt to re-take Ojai from Holly has become a one-way ticket to Trouble. We’ve been assuming that Tommy might be going to jail or on the lam, allowing for some actor rehabilitation and possible future return to the cast. But maybe things haven gotten so bad that it’s time for a Tragic Accident. Robert has a health crisis and it looks like he’s going to be the one to go, then just as he pulls through and the family starts to celebrate, the news comes that Tommy’s been hit by a truck. You know, like this. Lotta thirtysomething DNA in this show. They know from the death bait and switch.
Why it probably won’t be: Recent reports have indicated a bigger role for Getty next year than previously speculated upon, so unless it’s a massive campaign of misinformation, I think the dude’s sticking around. Honestly, if the powers-that-be are capable of tricking us into thinking Getty’s staying so they can surprise us with Tommy’s death, then they’re capable of giving us better storylines than we’re getting. Prioritize!
Why I hope it’s not: I don’t know, are we really ready to knock off a core Walker, even so annoying a one as Tommy has become? He may be dispensable to the plot, but not to the family. These people are still not done reacting to William’s death, three seasons in. Seems to me the emotional stakes are too high, and there are too many other things going on, to croak an actual brother or sister. The show can certainly stand Tommy’s indefinite disappearance, but if they killed him, I’d be afraid of him stepping out of the shower a season or two down the line to declare it all a dream.
Tomorrow’s Death Watch: Trish and the Little McCallister-to-Be
A funny thing happened while I was watching last week’s Brothers & Sisters episode,
If they threw a Brothers & Sisters story arc and Tommy was hardly in it, would anyone even notice?

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“The Feast of the Epiphany,” the new Brothers & Sisters episode playing this Sunday with 100 percent less 



