Brothers & Sisters

New episode tonight! Here’s what ABC’s press release says we have to look forward to:

“Book Burning - Much to the chagrin of her mother and siblings, Kitty decides to publish a tell-all memoir about Robert’s unsuccessful Presidential race and the trials and tribulations of the Walker family. Meanwhile, Justin slows his relationship with Rebecca to a near stand still, on Brothers & Sisters, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Brothers & Sisters stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Balthazar Getty as Thomas Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Rob Lowe as Senator Robert McCallister, Sarah Jane Morris as Julia Walker, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden, Emily VanCamp as Rebecca Harper and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper. Guest starring are Cathy Ladman as Carla Hanson, Karl T. Wright as Alan Simms and Marty Ryan as Mike. ‘Book Burning’ was written by Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper-Landsman and directed by Laura Innes.”

Sounds like a platform for more of that family argument wackiness we love, including, judging by the clip above, some sort of spicing disaster? Not sure why Kitty would think a Walker family dinner would be a good place to bring an adoption decision-maker in the first place, even without the apparent upset over her book. There’s always something.

I do think writing a book sounds like the sort of thing someone in Kitty’s position would do, in these days when all you have to do to get a book contract is be in the news for five minutes. She used to talk about her family on the radio, didn’t she? They were somewhat of an issue in the campaign, with the radio talk-show host raking them over the coals. And it’s not like they haven’t yelled enough in restaurants and parties to give a large portion of Pasadena a pretty good idea of the family issues. And, you know, get the family story out there, a few more of William’s progeny may turn up. Who knows?

Just to finish up with last week’s episode, here are five scenes I’d have liked to have seen. Maybe they got left on the cutting room floor?

1. A scene between Scotty and Tommy to parallel the one between Robert and Sarah. I like to see the spouses standing up for their Walkers.

2. A quick mention between Justin and Rebecca of the new jobs they got over the summer. Because they must be doing something with their lives? Right? Right?

3. Cooper and Paige getting some sort of punishment for the very dangerous and costly breaking of glass stuff. Um, Sarah, maybe there’s a reason why they’re little devils?

4. Holly sneaking into Sarah’s office when no one’s around, and messing up her air conditioner.

5. Nora consulting with Emily Craft on the most kick-ass dress to wear when confronting Holly. Nora would have gone for something sensible for hiking up the hill from the visitor’s parking, and Emily would have said, “Hell, no! Wear that little red number!”

Brothers and Sisters, Book Burning, Glass Houses