“Brothers & Sisters” Episode 122 Recap: "Favorite Son"

Cut to the grounds of the Santa Barbara hospital. Julia is up and out of bed and she and Tommy are pacing the grounds trying to make a decision about the twins. Do they risk their daughter’s life to try and save their son? Tommy asks about her parents (I was wondering where they were). Julia says “they’re trying to get a flight out of Costa Rica" – which conveniently explains their absence.

Tommy: I don’t think we should do the transplant.
Julia: You don’t?
Tommy: We’ll wait for another donor. Getting pregnant was a miracle. We’ll wait for another one. Its too much of a risk for Elizabeth.
Julia: Elizabeth?
Tommy: Yeah. I saw it on your baby name list and I thought I’d try it out.
Julia: I like it. Elizabeth. William and Elizabeth.

Well, the baby girl finally has a name.

Cut to later that afternoon in the hospital. The doctor comes to find Julia and Tommy to tell them William has spiked a fever from the dialysis.

Doctor: He’s gone into septic shock. His organs are failing. He doesn’t have much time.

Julia breaks down in tears. I gotta say, the actress playing her is pretty effective in this scene. The writers should really give her more to do.

Julia: I wanna hold him. Can I hold him?

Julia rocks her dying baby while Tommy inanely tells him that his namesake William Walker, Sr. will be up there in heaven to take care of him. I’m paraphrasing but that’s the gist of it. If the dying baby had the cognitive skills to be comforted by that sort of platitude, he’d no doubt be jealous that his kidney-hording sister gets to stay amongst the living Walkers-- drinking it up and living the life of Riley.

Okay, that was a bit caustic on my part. It’s a sad moment and I don’t mean to make light of it.

Actually, this storyline could generate some interesting conflicts down the road. What are Kevin and Justin going to think about Tommy and Julia’s choice not to go through with the transplant? I can’t wait to see how that plays out.

Cut to some gala event at the Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA. Kitty and the Senator are outside drinking wine. A clear violation of California open container laws, but Kitty’s in the mood to celebrate.

Apparently, Kitty never told the Senator about Sergeant Cole’s attempted blackmail, because McAllister thinks she spent the entire day at the hospital with Julia and Tommy. He aks how the twins are doing. She quickly changes the subject.

Kitty: So what is all this about new beginnings?
McAllister: When you proposed to me I should have jumped at the chance and said yes before you ever changed your mind.

The Senator pulls out a wedding ring and presents it to Kitty. She’s deliriously happy and accepts immediately. But their happiness is short-lived because Kitty’s cell phone rings. Its Uncle Saul who’s called to tell her that baby William has died.