Brothers & Sisters

Talk about truth in advertising. That no-fun title is a pretty good indicator of a darker-than-usual episode, so if you’re drawn to this show for the goofy family high jinks, well, you’re pretty much stuck with Kitty. For whom love is also difficult, but in a silly kinda way.

No silly stuff for Sarah this week, no cute little cell-phone ring-arounds with the siblings. The girl’s in marriage hell, complete with bad sex and agonizing therapy. Joe is having trouble, um, “letting go” in bed, and that brings them to a therapist who sits smugly in his really nice-looking home office and lets Sarah and Joe rip each other’s hearts out. And probably charges an arm and a leg for it, too. Joe’s upset because he’s just trying to be a good stay-at-home dad but he’s hungry for a little adult companionship in the middle of the day, and Sarah doesn’t understand him. Sarah’s upset because the human companionship he’s chosen comes in the form of giggling neighbor mom Vanessa, and maybe he’s thinking of her when he has those “letting go” problems. Is Sarah projecting her almost-affair-worthy feelings for her co-worker (remember him? remember that five-minute subplot with Michael Beach wayyyyy back at the beginning of the series? no? probably doesn’t matter much) on Joe’s relationship? Nora thinks so, and urges Sarah to confess to Joe like William never confessed to her. Joe doesn’t seem particularly moved by the information, but he is moved to quit the hellish ineffective therapy. That leaves Sarah to visit the shrink by herself, so he can explain all the reasons why pain is a good thing. You know, I have to say, I’m with Joe. I think they should dump this guy and go back to not talking and pretending everything’s OK. Pain? Overrated.

Speaking of pain, there’s a big old busload of it barreling down the highway in Kevin’s direction, and although he knows it’s coming, and can kinda see the headlights, he’s powerless to get out of the way, because that Chad? He’s a pretty good actor. Right now, he’s playing the part of “contrite lover who is willing to give up everything to get back with the beloved.” Dump fake girlfriend? Check. Be seen holding hands in public places? Check. Talk about finally finding the one he wants to be with 4ever? Check. Kiss in the doorway without first checking the hall for witnesses? Check. Problem is, the dumped fake girlfriend calls to warn Kevin that this has been a long-running play for Chad, and he’s had many, many performances. Yet Kevin lets Chad hang around and stomp on his heart for a while longer, because why? Love is difficult, people! Pay attention.

Love is difficult for Tommy, but not romantic love, goodness knows, because he has about the most agreeable wife in creation, and one who pretty much disappears when she’s not having hot sex or babies. No, the love Tommy’s having difficulty with is family love, specifically loving a father who seemed to never have quite enough confidence in his business-running skills, and a sister who came in and took over, reducing him to an underappreciated underling. Holly’s contention that William wanted to buy the vineyard for Tommy to run has a nice history re-creating ring to it, but only if it’s true and not something Holly made up to ruin the Walker family harmony. Through a few flashbacks and a long chat with Dad at the cemetary, Tommy decides that it was indeed true, and Daddy really did love him, and although Sarah won with the Ojai Foods board and got out of buying the vineyard, he’s going to buy it and go into business with Holly. Yikes, Tommy, you think love is difficult. I think you’re going to find working with that woman to be more hellish than Sarah and Joe’s marriage. But who knows. Meanwhile, hey, look who’s here, meet your half-sister, who figures you’re maybe her mom’s boyfriend! She thinks you’re totally cute, by the way.

Speaking of totally cute, McCallister and Kitty are having their own love difficulties, but not really, because they’re this week’s featured Cute Subplot. Seems one of McCallister’s operatives put a poll in the field to see how much of a liability Girlfriend Kitty might be, and the results were: a big one. Kitty gets a hold of the poll — and can I just say, if the senator’s aides can’t keep a secret better than this, he really wants to consider a staff overhaul before hitting the presidential campaign trail — and is displeased to find that the majority of Americans consider her displeasing. Oh, the witty banter! McCallister is predictably unconcerned about her polling numbers, having once been underestimated by voters himself; besides, he’s done some polling of his own, and 100% of Senator Robert McCallisters are in favor of him kissing Kitty in the workplace pretty much all the time.

Love’s not so difficult this week for Justin, who apparently makes some sort of sandwich that keeps Tyler coming back for more. And love used to be difficult for Nora, who is emptying her angst into finishing a short story, started before her marriage, about someone named Dora who just wanted to run away. Maybe she was seeing Joe and Sarah’s therapist at the time.

Original air date: 2/18/07

_{Photos: ABC.com}