"Brothers & Sisters" Episodes 101-105 Recap: "Introducing the Walker Clan"

Hey folks! Dennis here. Exciting news--since ABC has ordered a full season of Brothers & Sisters, AfterElton is going to start posting recaps of the show featuring what just might be the best new gay character on television.

Last month we reported on the series pilot and also interviewed the show's creator and head writer, openly gay playwright, Jon Robin Baitz. In case you haven't yet started watching we've thoughtfully decided to to bring you up to speed by doing a recap of not one, not two, but all of the first four episodes. I'll start with a general overview of the series' characters and main plot developments and finish up with a full recap of episode 5. So grab a Diet Coke, a bag of chips, and settle back.

Brothers & Sisters follows the trials and tribulations of the Walker family. From the very first episode I'm wondering, is it going to be hard for me to relate to these people? The Walkers are all pretty, white, waspy, and wealthy. Gosh, that's some groundbreaking television for you. I mean, it's unlikely these people have ever even heard of Hot Pockets – much less subsisted on them! Nonetheless, relatable or not, the Walker family has some intriguing problems to deal with.

For starters, family patriarch, Bill Walker, may be adored by his wife and five adult children, but he's not quite the pillar of the community he pretends to be. (Gosh, sounds like a Republican congressman or two, doesn't he?) Tom Skerritt plays Bill Walker, and in the very first episode we learn he's been keeping a mistress (played by Patricia Wettig) and has also been embezzling money from his company. (But he's not a Republican politician, really! At least I don't think so.)

His indiscretions are about to burst out of the closet and he knows it. So it's pretty lucky for Bill that by the end of episode 1, he takes a header into the family pool and dies of a stress-induced heart attack, leaving his shattered family to pick up the pieces. And also leaving Tom Skerritt scrambling to find another acting gig. At least he knew this was coming when he signed on unlike poor Gale Harold whose role on Vanished, well, you know.

Sally Field plays Bill's widow, family matriarch, Nora Walker. She must come to grips with her dead husband's infidelity and redefine her relationships with her five adult children. She also needs to do something with that hair. Is it me, or has Sally had the same basic ‘do since Smokey & the Bandit?

Calista Flockhart plays prodigal daughter, Kitty. In the wake of her father's death, she moves home to repair her fractured relationship with her Mom. Kitty thinks her Nora never really loved her, you see, but Nora assures her its nothing personal-- she just hates Kitty's politics. Somehow despite her blue-state, bleeding heart liberal upbringing, Kitty had the nerve to go her own way and become a famous, conservative commentator.

Okay, I'm going to come right out and say it: Calista Flockhart is unconvincing as a hard-hitting right-wing political pundit. Too timid and dainty, she's more Elizabeth Hasselback, than Ann Coulter. Normally, that would be a compliment, but in this instance it's not. So far, about all we really know of Kitty's politics is that she's a fan of Log Cabin Republicans. “Those guys are great,” she says. “They love me!” Does that mean Log Cabin Republican's love Ann Coulter? If so, I really don't get those folks.

Rachel Griffiths, of Six Feet Under fame, plays eldest daughter Sara. After Bill pops off, Sara must step in to run the family business, a large California produce company. Can she find a way to quietly replace the 12 million Dad stole from the employee pension fund before the feds come knocking and the company gets forced into bankruptcy? Perhaps more importantly, can anyone explain why 38 year-old Rachel Griffiths is playing 42 year-old Calista Flockhart's older sister?

The three Walker brothers are something of a mixed bag. Balthazar Getty plays solid older brother, Tommy. He manages operations at the family business and, other than butting heads with Rachel Griffiths over how to run the company, he hasn't had much to do so far. But kudos to Balthazar Getty for trimming down a bit since his stint on Alias. Looking great, Balthy!

Actor Dave Annable has more to do playing the youngest son, Justin. The black sheep of the family, Justin recently returned from fighting in Afghanistan. He's depressed, anti-social, and chemically dependent. In short, just like my last three boyfriends. Too bad he's not the gay one on the show. When asked to mingle at the family pool party in Episode 2, Justin refuses. “Alcohol is my gateway to pills,” he says. “The problem is—people are my gateway to alcohol.”

Oh Justin, I wish you were gay so we could date. I so get you!

And then there is the brother most AfterElton readers want to hear about--middle brother Kevin Walker, played by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys. Kevin is a successful lawyer and dutiful son. He is also openly gay and no one in his family seems to have a problem with it -- not even right-wing sister, Kitty.

His sexual orientation may be a non-issue, but the subject still comes up a lot in dialogue. It has to, because otherwise through the first couple of episodes you might never know what team Kevin bats for. As played by Matthew Rhys, Kevin is about the straightest-acting openly gay character on network TV! (Of course, given the number of gays on TV that isn't saying a whole lot.) Still, we know he's gay because his sisters rib him about that boy he had a crush on in high school, and his mom always asks why he never brings any guys home to meet the family.

A revealing tidbit comes in episode 4 when Kevin and brothers Justin and Tommy observe their young nephews roughhousing at a family get-together. One of the kids is in trouble for holding the other kid down and spitting on him, prompting gay uncle Kevin to ruminate: “They're just too young to appreciate the pleasures of spitting in someone's mouth.” Oh Kevin, you are one sick puppy! There's hope for you and me yet.