Character Check-Up: Saul
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
April 8th, 2008 at 2:11 am
I am not sure how I feel about Saul. A part of me cannot seem to care for his character, (maybe because we don’t see enough of him?)but I, too, am wondering what will happen to the ‘Saul is gay’ storyline.
I hope he gets to meet Milo again, mainly because I like Milo, (and I like Michael Nouri). There is something very sophisticated about him and they are not getting any younger, so they should hurry up a bit.
I am curious, as to what it is, that he will do to get Ojai in troubles and if indeed, as we imagine, Graham is responsible for ‘talking him into it’.
I hope we will get see more of Saul in the upcoming episodes, so we can get to know him better as well.