Pick your top three annoying plot twists
Season 2 was a busy one for the Walkers, chock-full of plotlines that flashed by, plotlines that couldn’t get gone fast enough, and plotlines that seemed to be going somewhere then fizzled out.
I thought that, all in all, and considering the complicating factor of the writer’s strike, it was a pretty enjoyable little seasonette. But of course, there are always nits to pick, and what do we really have to do between now and September but sit around and pick them?
Much wrath has been focused of late on the Rebecca-Justin and Ryan twists at season’s end, but those were hardly the only plotting missteps, and the verdict isn’t necessarily unanimous on the badness of any of them. So let’s take a moment to review some additional contenders for Most Misbegotten Plotlines. Share your most-hated three (or contribute more nominees) in the comments.
1. Rebecca? Not a Walker after all.
2. Justin realizes that he was totally wrong about that “She’s hot, and I feel nothing” thing.
3. A computer password and an old photo are once again taken as indisputable proof that there’s an R-named illegitimate Walker at large.
4. Holly’s benevolent financial rescue of Ojai Foods just coincidentally puts her in the CEO’s seat.
5. Julia splits for Arizona instead of sticking around for a decent postpartum depression storyline.
6. Tommy declares Julia the love of his life, then sleeps with the office manager.
7. Justin takes Tommy’s girlfriend hand-me-downs.
8. Jason goes to Malaysia and forgets how to dial a phone.
9. Justin becomes an addict again, but it doesn’t matter, because he can kick the pills at the Walker’s in-home detox center.
10. Sarah finally gets to have a little fun, and is promptly punished for it.
I’d say I was probably most annoyed by 4, 6, and 8, with the latter two bothering me way more than 1, 2, and 3. How ’bout you?
Photo: ABC.com
Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Season 2, commentary
May 20th, 2008 at 8:30 am
3. and 4.
May 20th, 2008 at 11:30 am
4, 6 & 7. Hated Lena and it was a bad storyline for Tommy. I don’t think there was anything “benevolent” about Holly helping out Ojai. She only decide to “help” after Rebecca was venomous to her.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
On the no 1 position. NO contest in my mind:
No 8!!!!!
I love Kevin, I adore Scotty, I am SO glad that Jason and Kevin are through. But THAT storyline was stupid, ignorant, insulting and totally out of character.
They created a character who seemed involved, caring, fun and charming with an awareness of how difficult it was for his lover to open up and commit himself. But Kevin eventually does, Jason is happy!
So, he goes to Malaysia and forgets not only how to use the telephone, but also fax, telex, sms, internet, even a damn postcard is too much troubles for the minister who (boo-hoo-hoo) suddenly turned out to have had a crises of faith and is insulted that Kevin didn’t wait for him after months of silence. - Yes, at least 2 months, because between 2.07 and 2.08 lies a gap of 6 weeks, as told by Justin to Lena. And Jason already didn’t call prior to that, while Kevin is supposed to call twice a day, week in, week out…. Now do the math. One week would be 14 unanswered phonecalls, 2 weeks makes it 28… Frankly, if I were Kevin I would have left a message after the 20th phone-call saying ‘HEY!!! This is your boy-friend, I won’t call you, just call me. This message will self-destruct in one week and so will our relationship.” But that is me.
Not to mention the ‘glitch’ in WHERE Jason was. Kevin says in 2.03 that he is on Tioman and immediately acts as a travel-agent to give us details (I checked, yes, they are about Tioman), but in 2.11 both Jason and Kevin say that Jason was in Kota Kinabalu… two places seperated from eachother by the South Chinese Sea (translation from Dutch, you might call it differently)
And no, I am not some maniac, who is looking for nitpicks. I wanted to write a fanfic about Jason in Malaysia and wanted to orientate my self a bit and wondered where on Tioman (an island) the town of Kota Kinabalu was and was ’slightly’ confused by the discovery I made.
Now, ofcourse there is a mistake, the writers conveniently ‘forgot’about 2.03, like they also forget about things, but it adds, in this case, ‘injury’ to the ‘insult’.
Jason deserved something better than that.
)
(Can you tell I’m still PO’d about the story-line?
And no 5, is a close second for personal reasons. I would have loved to SEE Julia handle her depression, rather than hear about it briefly mentionned in an episode. What she went through can have a profound impact and the writers could have done better.
If I HAVE to pick a 3rd one it would no 10, because I like Sarah, I liked Graham, although I didn’t trust him, but I did respect the fact that he stayed with her until she sent him away. And I feel that she was treated unfairly.
The others are annoying, irritating, etc.
but this would be MY top 3.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:34 am
Sylvaine, I don’t disagree about your Jason ranting. Eric Winters got Viva Laughlin so I guess they had to get rid of the character someway. I was cheering for Kevin/Jason but only before I knew that they might give Kevin/Scotty another chance. It did give us that funny line about flying squirrels and the slow loris;-)
Looking back, I think that Kevin was the one who always had to compromise in the Kevin/Jason relationship. That scene with Kevin in the church, on his phone, was interesting and telling. Jason put his vocation before Kevin and probably always would. Ultimately, that wouldn’t work for Kevin.
I agree. Jason called his brother but not Kevin which was a wakeup call to Kevin. I like to think that Kevin realized that Jason could not fulfill what he needed in a relationship and made a mature decision to break it off. Hey, Kevin really tried to be faithful and patient but Jason was giving him no encouragement. Yes, Kevin agreed to wait but Jason gave no hint that he still wanted the relationship.
When Jason returned there were definitely sparks with Kevin and I was concerned that Scotty would be put to the curb again. That dinner scene with Kevin/Scotty/Jason is uncomfortable to watch. But, ultimately I think that Kevin/Scotty is the right match. They are just so comfortable with each other. But, I agree that the Jason plot was a bit clunky.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Getting rid of a character is one thing, character-assassination is another.
Strangest thing is I shouldn’t even care, I’ve been a Kevin/Scotty shipper since 1.05, but it really GETS to me. Time to call my shrink I guess. 
I actually find the dinner scene between Kevin/Jason/Scotty the most fascinating and brilliant scene written, played and filmed of the entire series. There is SO much going on in SO little time.
Scotty’s remark about ‘calling home twice a day’ was so deliciously wicked
, Kevin’s sarcasm more acid than usual, Jason admitting ‘I missed you too much’ conveyed his pain, but it was too little, too late. And Jasons sarcastic ‘Yes Kevin in a contest between you and God, God won.’ was really good. But only topped 2 seconds later by Scotty’s “Well, I’m really glad we had that talk.” 
I think all three actors excelled in that scene.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Ok no. 3 would have to be my least favourite.
First of all, there’s a major flaw with the baby photo. In one of the episodes in Season 1 where Sarah and Saul meet with Holly to discuss possible passwords related to Rebecca, Sarah hands over the now notorious baby photo to Holly and Holly without hesitation says that it’s Rebecca in the pic. Now how do you justify that???
This sudden emergence of a Ryan and Rebecca’s statement that it isn’t her in that photo is just too much of a stretch I think.
Secondly, I know the name of the show is Brothers & Sisters, but we don’t really need to add more to the pack than there already is. I’m sure there are other more interesting and convincing subplots to explore. If Ryan comes out of the woodwork in Season 3, I’d prefer that he crawls back in where he came from within one episode at the very least (even though he might be a hunk).
Thirdly, William sowing his oats all over the place sort of undermines Nora’s character and strength. I think that’s a real pity.
Sylviane, I totally agree with you about the Jason in M’sia glitch. I’m originally from M’sia and it got me irritated when at first he reportedly went to Tioman (which is a beautiful holiday resort island off the coast of Peninsula M’sia) and then suddenly he supposedly was in Kota Kinabalu which is in East M’sia. We have good mobile and internet connection in Malaysia and they made it seem he was in the middle of the boonies somewhere. Though I’m glad Jason finally admitted that he didn’t call because he was having a crisis of faith and not because the “service was spotty”.
I too loved the dinner scene with the three of them. I was really glad they had that talk too
Finally, I don’t like how Justin got with Lena after she got busy with Tommy. Ick. Thank goodness Lena is out of the pic - couldn’t stand her.
As a side, I don’t know whether it’s just me but when Justin kisses, he really goes all out and kisses, doesn’t he?
May 21st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
#3,6 and 7.
I like Rebecca not being a Walker but still being part of the family and the Justin/Rebecca storyline. Hate the Ryan idea. It makes more logical and consistency if Holly lied and William did think Rebecca was his. Also makes the late daddy Walker less of a sleaze.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
Some poor wording on my part - “That dinner scene with Kevin/Scotty/Jason is uncomfortable to watch.” I actually meant that as a compliment. I agree that it is well written, well acted, and provides alot of character insight. But the ludicrously small table makes me laugh every time.
I guess that I was never invested enough in Jason to worry about character assassination. Now Tommy with Lena was true character assassination.
I’ll have to check out the Justin kissing - never noticed.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
On a side note, I wasn’t surprised by Jason choosing his religion over Kevin. In a slightly similar vein, I’ve been following the JP/Kieron Hollyoaks storyline on YouTube. It’s rather soapy but interesting.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Most annoying for me were #1, #2 & #3. I could tolerate the crap that was the Lena arc. I could tolerate #8 because it was a contrived plot convenience to put Kevin & Scotty back together (which is great, IMHO). Next season I will have to say #9, but that I will wait until next season.
Basically, most annoyed plots and twists were anything that had to do with retconning a season and a half worth of storylines just to suit some stupid tweeny fantasy romance BS.
May 24th, 2008 at 7:30 am
4,6 and 7
May 24th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
1, 2, & 3.
May 26th, 2008 at 9:35 am
#1, without any doubt. Way to ruin a perfectly good storyline and to demote the wonderful Emily VanCamp from a Walker to whiny Justin’s love interest.
All because some people thought there were some sparks between Justin and Rebecca? Idiotic.