Brothers & Sisters

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.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Paige, Kerris Dorsey