Welcome to AfterElton.com’s recap of Brothers & Sisters season finale: “Matriarchy.”

The show opens at the beach where Justin and Tommy are about to go surfing. I was hoping we’d see some skin here but alas, the boys are just zipping up their wetsuits. At least I think they are wetsuits – they might be Spanxs – those full body girdles which I’m told are all the rage in Hollywood these days.

Tommy is pointing out pretty girls in bikinis as they pass by, but none have much appeal for Justin. Maybe he plays for our team after all? Okay, I admit -- wishful thinking on my part. It’s just that Justin is so darn adorable.

Tommy: What about that one. No? Well what about this girl right here?

Oh, if only a male bodybuilder in a thong bikini would walk by right about now so we could test out my wishful theory. But no such luck.

Justin: Bro, I’m a recovering alcoholic who’s going to Iraq in 10 days.
Tommy: My point exactly. A military man who’s going off to war – you could get some serious sympathy action.

Justin doesn’t seem all that interested in getting laid. He becomes wistful remembering the last time he went surfing-- their Dad was still alive. But hey, so was Jerry Falwell, and Anna Nicole Smith – I’m not sure exactly how surfing specifically calls to mind his Dad’s demise. But then, people grieve in the strangest ways, don’t they?

Justin: It’s been a long and complicated year. But we’ve had some good times.
Tommy: It’s been a barrel of laughs.

No doubt Tommy’s thinking of the baby he lost last episode. As I said, people have different ways of dealing with grief. Surfs up!

Tommy asks about Julia. Tommy tells him she’s fine, which in nighttime drama speak means she’s probably slipping into suicidal, post-partum depression. Oh well, nothing can spoil the boys’ day at the beach, and they race out into the crashing waves.

Cut to dinner at the Walker Mansion. Rebecca is seated beside Kitty and she can’t help but notice Kitty’s engagement ring. It’s a very big piece – like maybe it was designed by Christo and Jean Claude.

Rebecca: Wow. That’s a rock. I’m sorry, I just can’t help but stare.

Saul: Come on, everybody’s staring. It’s the “meet the ring” dinner.
McAllister: It’s my grandmother’s. She left it to me.

I’m wondering – does this mean that McAllister’s first wife wore the ring?

Rebecca asks when they’re having their engagement party. Which is a bit forward if you ask me. I guess she’s expecting an invite.

Kitty says she doesn’t want a party what with everything that’s been happening, and besides, Justin ships off to Iraq in 10 days. Everybody tells her to get over it, the family needs to celebrate. Nora says she’ll handle all the planning.

Cut to Tommy and Julia’s house. Tommy arrives home to find Julia curled up in bed at 8:30pm. Uh oh, looks like she really is suffering from post-partum depression. She’s all dull and listless. More than usual even. Julia confesses that she didn’t make much headway on decorating the nursery, and Tommy volunteers Nora to take over the task. You know, he might have asked his mother first. Doesn’t she have an engagement party to plan?

Tommy tells Julia to conserve her energy for when their daughter gets home from the hospital.

Julia: I just want her room to be pretty.