This week's episode is called “All in the Family.”

The show opens as it almost always does – with somebody in bed. This time it is Nora. She reaches out and rubs the undisturbed pillow beside her. Either she misses her dead husband or those Martha Stewart poly-blend sheets are starting to pill.

Through a voiceover we hear Nora describing her bleak existence. But pulleaze! How bad can it be? Cheap linens aside, she's a rich white lady with a rockin' bod living in a mansion in Southern California.

In the self-pitying voiceover, Nora refers to herself as “Dora,” which is our tip off that she's been pursuing this creative writing thing they sprung on us a few episodes ago. Give her maybe two more episodes to hone her craft—by the end of the season she'll be a published author on the short list for Oprah's book club. Things move so fast in the Brothers & Sisters universe.

Nora (V.O.): Each day seemed to bring some new disturbing revelation. Some bomb that would make her reconsider her entire existence.

Oh come now, Soapdish and Not Without My Daughter were hardly bombs! Now Punch Line-- that one could make you reconsider your entire existence.

With the glum voiceover still providing running commentary, we cut to Nora making breakfast. Her phone rings. She checks the caller ID and doesn't answer. It is Sarah, who's called to tip Nora off to a Betty Freidan television documentary.

Nora: (V.O.) …family dynamics were strained. The fallout could be felt for miles.

Cut to Kevin signing some papers for Uncle Saul at Ojai Foods. Kevin is all perfunctory and officious. Saul tries to make conversation, ask him how he's doing, but Kevin completely brushes him off and abruptly leaves. Looks like Kevin is still mad at Saul for telling Nora about Rebecca. Either that or his IBS is acting up.

Cut to Holly's house. Rebecca waltzes through with her backpack without even saying good morning to her mother. Holly tries to entice her with an egg white omelet but Rebecca doesn't even bother to acknowledge her mother before heading out the door. Just an aside, but if Rebecca's so upset with Holly she should move the hell out of her house.

We cut to the source of Nora's voiceover. She is standing in a creative writing class, reading from her short story (which is obviously thinly-veiled autobiography.) Peter Coyote is behind her, leaning against the desk. He must be the instructor only he doesn't seem all that impressed with Nora's work. Based on the slack-jawed reaction shot of the other, younger, students, it doesn't seem like they were all that taken with Nora's prose either. As if to underscore that fact-- you can actually hear the sound of crickets chirping in the classroom. (The show's Foley editor went a bit overboard with that sound effect.)

The Professor asks the class for feedback on Nora's work.

Student 1: Pedantic comes to mind.

Student 2: What a soap opera. I was waiting for like an evil twin to appear, or for someone to get like amnesia or something.

Whoa dude! We are so on the same wavelength!

Nora tells Student 2 that her story was coming from a very “real” place. Besides, his story about incest at the White House (like maybe the Bush twins getting it on in the Lincoln bedroom?) was no great shakes.

The Professor interrupts to focus the conversation back in on Nora's story. He tells her to cut back on all the convoluted plot and focus more on the emotions of the characters. No doubt this is a tip off from the B&S writers that nothing much plot wise is going to happen during this episode. Too bad, because I think the show is in desperate need of an evil twin or amnesia or something, just as Student 2 suggested. Imagine Kitty with amnesia. She'd be asking everyone: “Who am I, where do I live?” And I'd be all like, “Shh! For the love of God nobody tell her.”

But I'm wandering off to pure fancy.