Brothers & Sisters

They came. They giggled. They conquered. The Jones’s had their way with the Walkers in “Game Night,” leaving our already bruised and battered family humiliated all over again. It would have been nice to see the sarcastic triumph over the smug, but given the Walkers’ inability to follow rules, it’s not surprising that they’d go down in defeat. Speaking during charades was small potatoes; bigger rules were broken in bigger games, with bigger consequences. Rules like:

Rule #1: No set-ups. Kitty finally meets Robert’s gay brother while vetting the people in the senator’s past, and she’s immediately all about getting him together with Kevin. Even after Robert makes her swear not to do it, she does it. Knowing that Kevin won’t date a McCallister, though, she leaves out that bit of information about “Jason M.” being her boyfriend’s brother, leading Kevin to break …

Rule #2: Don’t talk politics unless you know who you’re talking to. Kevin messes up a perfectly pleasant meeting for coffee by trashing McCallister, something his brother doesn’t really find too charming. When Kevin finds out later to just what degree he’s been set up, Kitty’s in deep trouble with both him and the senator.

Rule #3: Reserve your Easter turkey ahead of time. Because apparently there’s only one store in all of L.A. that sells them. And the only alternative is duck. Losing the appropriate fowl to Miranda Jones spurs Nora’s competitive impulses, while being reminded of past game-night humiliation sparks Kitty’s, and before you know it, the “Bizarro Walkers” are invited over to play games with our real Walkers. And that doesn’t even sound like fun.

Rule #4: Don’t gang up on the new kid. Justin berates his siblings about being friendlier to Rebecca, leading Sarah, Kevin and Tommy to call her, one-two-three, with offers of tea and movies and fellowship. Rebecca gathers the brothers and sisters together to say, “Thanks, but I’m not a family project.” All but one sister, that is; and when Kitty shows up unexpectedly, rattling on about Game Night until she spies the interloper, awkwardness ensues. Sarah soldiers on, though, inviting Rebecca to the house to meet her kids, as well as her shaggy musician husband, who she should possibly lock in the attic with all his guitars.

Rule #5: No ringers. Sticking to the immediate clan would have served the family better in their Battle With the Joneses, and not just because Rebecca muffed the big trivia question (accidentally? on purpose? Let the conspiracy theories begin). Sure, Robert got that “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” charade, but he also fought with his girlfriend and made it clear that, although they have anger at Kitty over the set-up in common, he doesn’t think Kevin’s good enough for his brother. And why was Joe even there, if he was only going to hang around outside, feeling left out and bonding with Rebecca? That led to the breaking of …

Rule #6: Your wife’s sister, illegitimate or no, is off-limits. When Rebecca stops by the Whedons to take up the invitation of a loaner guitar, Joe just has to cozy up to show her how to play a tricky chord, leading to suggestive eye contact and … well, we don’t see what else, but Rebecca’s pretty freaked out and confesses to Justin that his brother-in-law kissed her. Did he? Is he really that big of a jerk? Is she lying to worm her way into the Walkers’ sympathies, or to help her mother destroy them? We’re apparently meant to wonder, but one thing is crystal clear: Joe, you dumbass, nothing good can come of sitting next to a woman and showing her how to play. It’s burned you once, it’s going to burn you again. Learn how to teach from across the room, buddy, or find another line of work. And a barber, maybe.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Game Night, recap, Jenna Elfman