Character Check-Up: Jason
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
March 13th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Perfect timing! I agree, Terri, I would like to see a friendship that doesn’t turn into musical beds.
Poor Jason, We Hardly Knew Ye! Such a waste of good chemistry with Robert and Kevin. He was very believable as Rob Lowe’s brother (voice, body language, etc.).
Jason was unlucky in love and in the writing for his character, which I found maddeningly erratic. First, the Methodist Church is not the “friendlier audience” if Reverend wants to have a boyfriend. Why not Unitarian or MCC?
Most unbelievable though was the “Jason Goes to Malaysia and Forgets How to Phone/Write/Email” scenario (title credit to Sylviane!) I was an aid worker in Africa for 8 years and found this ridiculous. While the crisis in mid-mission is very true to life, in the beginning (at the very east) you keep in touch. Jason’s been punished enough by losing Kevin, no need to pile on and make him a complete jerk.
We also lost the chance to see what strength Jason got from his faith. I would have loved a little scene on the order of Saul’s prayer in “Light the Lights.” I think this side of Jason was very hard to understand for Kevin, someone for whom family is all.
And it’s a pity the last scene between the brothers McCallister was written so flat. I really missed the snarky Jason of the earlier episodes.
Looks like Jason is off to the Island of Lost Loves. (I think the lost loves have taken the cruise to New Zealand that Nora won in the auction, and I wish Jason, Tyler, and Noah would return).
March 14th, 2008 at 7:25 am
There’s always a chance Jason could return in future seasons, but I’m honestly not surprised by this casting news. Based on the current storylines, there really wasn’t a place for the character.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Thanks for the credit, Colleen
Allright, Jason.
First off, I am 100% on the Scotty team, so my opinion is also based on the fact that I want Kevin to stay with Scotty and not get romantically involved again with Jason.
Furthermore, I am absolutely and totally crazy about Kevin, so anyone hurting HIM is by definition the ‘bad guy’ in my book.:-)
So, I have now TWO burning issues with Jason…
And I SHOULD be angry at Jason for not getting in touch with Kevin, especially with Kevin putting his heart on the line to tell Jason that he loved him. And seeing him get hurt (and doesn’t Matthew Rhys suffer terrifically? :-))just should have made me resent Jason.
Ah, but here comes something called common sense. Like Colleen I found the whole Malaysia-story-line to be unbelievable and totally not in character with the Jason I had come to know (and love, but not as much as I love S.).
I simply refuse to believe that the Jason, who told Kevin that he loved Kevin and who, in 1.23 admitted that he was very traditional and that ‘jumping Kevin’s bones’ was atypical for him, to be the same Jason who just would not contact Kevin AT ALL and ignore Kevin’s pleas for a reply.
MY Jason would have called Kevin, no matter how much it would have hurt him and tell him that is difficult to stay in touch, but that he was still on Jason’s mind.
And, I admit, Jason did redeem himself a bit in my eyes in 2.11. But that was more thanks the pain that Eric Winter managed to put in the line “I missed you too much”, then by the rest of the Jason’s behaviour in 2.11+2.12.
In 2.12 his last scene with Rob Lowe fell totally flat and I blame the writers more then the actor, because Eric, in my eyes, tried to put as much integrity in those words as he could (without laughing). And he DOES have a good chemistry with Rob Lowe.
As for Jason’s future: If Kevin and Scotty break up again, and Jason would come back, I hope it will be the Jason we saw prior to going to Malaysia. And that he will treat Kevin’s heart and feelings with more respect, then that Malaysia-Jason did. And that he will be more in a ‘fighting’ spirit then the bland Jason we saw in 2.11+12.
I would certainly like to see a friendship grow between Kevin and Jason as well as Jason and Scotty, because MOST of all I want Kevin to stay with Scotty, but Jason was intesting too.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Terri, you wrote: “I wish the character could recur as the story requires and not as the actor’s availability allows.”
While I generally agree with this, I’d add that in this particular instance, I think the story required that Jason be off the show for the time being. Given the decision to put K/S back together in a relationship, and what we know of the upcoming campaign storyline twist, it would be been awkward to shoehorn him in somewhere.
In other words, I think this was the producers’ choice.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I’ve been reading some comments about the supposed chemistry between Jason and Kevin, I must be blind because I do not see it. Eric does not convince me as a gay character;
Matthew is such an amazing actor that I’m sure he could show chemistry with an ameba, if he had to! He has no limits, no boundaries! He just acts like any good actor should do. And Luke is also a wonderful actor, it is a pity he is only a guest star and not a regular one.
I hope the story develops into something pedagogic and didactic and does not go to an easier path of soap opera.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I have already said (on other boards?) that ‘chemistry’ is also in the eye of the beholder.
Some see it between Nora and Isaac. I do.
Between Justin and Rebecca. I don’t.
Between Sarah and Graham. Not sure.
Between Kevin and Jason. Mhmmm. No.(but I’m bias)
Between Kevin and Scotty. Definitely.
I think that Eric Winter did the best he could with the material he got…
March 15th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I adored Kevin and Jason up until the ridiculous “no phone call” storyline. The Jason who returned from Malaysia was definitely different, but I’m wondering if perhaps this was on purpose. Wouldn’t his trip have changed him in some way? Also, there could be more to the Malaysia story than Jason said. After all, Scotty was present at the time, so the argument was pretty stilted.
March 15th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
We will probably not find out in the near future as for the time being Eric Winter/Jason is with another show.
I guess, I would not have been surprised if Jason would come back a different man.
I somehow picture him as being from a wealthy and protected upbringing and I don’t know if this is the first time Jason was sent away (I think so however), but being in Malaysia and seeing poverty/misery at such close proximity and at another level than he is used to, must have had an effect on him.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Agreed, it’s a life-changing experience, as is being in love. But the change we saw was too extreme and thus unbelievable. I see it as more to do with different writers writing the character in different episodes and not having enough time to check for continuity because of the strike.
As I said above, getting overwhelmed in the middle of the mission is completely believable and indeed true to life. But for someone who is in love to never call, write, etc. - no way, especially someone who prides himself on being “very traditional.”
March 16th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I don’t think it was lack of communication between the writers. The “no communication” storyline was carried through 2.06 to 2.11. We can critique the storyline, of course, but it’s pretty clear it was decided upon by the writers as a group.
March 16th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Scott, I was thinking of the last scene between the brothers in 2.12, which I and many others found inconsistent with their previous scene, as well as dramatically flat.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Colleen, the writing for that particular scene w/ the brothers was really badly written. No brother would say “You’re so good. I wish I could be more like you.” I can’t believe the actors made it through that scene without busting out laughing. Unfortunately, they couldn’t change a single word due to the strike.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Wasn’t it godawful? So annoying, especially since that may be Jason’s swan song. What a way to have to go out! (And the Tommy-Justin scene in 2.11, which was also supposedly affected by the strike, was so much better. I really liked that one.)
It was a one-note scene. I waited in vain for the comic relief: “So you want to be the gay brother now?” Or some such.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
It wasn’t that more comic relief was needed, but rather we needed a more believable resolution than the schmaltz-fest we got. In particular, Jason’s transition from angry to all-forgiving happened waaay too quickly. The controversy related to one of the most painful experiences of his life (being outed at a young age), and yet he’s over it completely in a few minutes and is waxing profoundly about how he and Robert are “called to serve.”
Whatever. Give me the Walker siblings anytime, who actually interact and behave like real people.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I swear: if the scene had been shot at daylight the sun would have burst through the windows while a choir of angels were singing…. Yugh!!
I would have understood a sentence like “Robert, I thought about it and decided to let it rest. It happened a long time ago and I want to concentrate on the here and now, and if Isaac helps you, than I will understand,…. just keep him VERY far away from me…” with a tone of anger, but also love for his brother, and I’m sure Eric could play that.
But this ‘making compromises for a greater purpose…’ bs… You’re right, Karyn, I can’t believe the actors made it through that scene without laughing.
Too bad that this might be Eric’s last scene for the time being.. He deserved better and so did Jason.
March 16th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
And not only that, it was inconsistent with the way the McCallister brothers were zinging each other in Season 1. And I find scenes that have emotional honesty leavened with humor, as in the Tommy-Justin scene at the end of 2.11, very effective.
March 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
The key really is emotional honesty. The scene was bereft of any. The line of dialogue Sylviane wrote would have been perfect, as it would have “resolved” the issue insofar as Isaac’s presence while still conveying Jason’s lingering pain. That’s what I found most unrealistic about the scene (deep pain like that doesn’t evaporate in minutes).
March 16th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Sorry, I just can’t see him saying it that way, but we all have our own take on the character. It’s interesting to hear other theories.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:43 am
I’m not sure who Kevin should be with, but I’ve been watching Moonlight and It’s a great show too. I would hate to see it cancelled just to free up an actor for a secondary role.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:01 am
I’m glad to hear you like Moonlight; you should tell everyone to watch. I plan to check it out in April. BAS and Moonlight are on different networks: CBS will renew Moonlight if it gets good ratings for its last 4 episodes. All the shows that are “on the bubble’ (uncertain for renewal) are bringing in guest stars for their post-strike episodes.