"Brothers & Sisters" Episode 203 Recap: “History Repeating”

Cut to the Walker mansion. Rebecca, Nora and Justin are finishing up dinner. Justin hoists himself out of his chair and makes to go do the dishes. Oh please, that’s just stupid.

Rebecca and Nora yank the plates out of his hands. Nora points out that he never washed dishes before. Why start now?

Nora sends him off to lie down and then corners Rebecca about trying to convince Justin to take some pain pills.

I want to throw something at the television at this point and yell at Nora, “Why didn’t you just bake a few into his ravioli? Is that so hard?” I stick my dog’s pills in peanut butter – works like a charm.

Nora doesn’t think of this. Instead she wants Rebecca to work on poor Justin.

Rebecca doesn’t feel very good about it, but she agrees to try.

Cut to the LA County Courthouse. It’s an exciting courtroom drama – all that’s missing is that Law & Order “bum bum” sound effect as Kevin cross examines the homophobic police officer into submission.

Policeman: He was in a 1972 rusted orange Ranchero missing a tail light.
Kevin: I see, and what made you give him a breathalyzer?
Policeman: I felt because of his demeanor and his breath that alcohol had been imbibed recently.
Kevin: And what was his demeanor?
Policeman: A lot of catty back talk. It also appeared he was living in his vehicle.
Scotty: (piping up) It’s like an extra closet is all.

Scotty, I’m so with you. I keep my off-season wardrobe in my trunk.

Kevin makes quick legal work of the case – pulling out the spotty service records on the breathalyzer machine. That’s enough for the judge to throw the case out.

Afterwards, Scotty invites Kevin to dinner at an exclusive French restaurant. Chez Frou Frou or something. (I couldn’t quite catch the name.) Anyway, Kev’s amazed that Justin can snag reservations at a five-star restaurant, and further that he could afford to pick up the tab.

Kevin: I’m not gonna dine and ditch with you, Scotty.
Scotty: Trust me, I have an in.

Cut to Tommy’s room. He’s listening to his Wham CD again via headphones and doing calf bends.

We hear a camera shutter snap. Damn the paparazzi, will they never leave those Walkers alone?

Oh, turns out it’s just Rebecca. She’s taken up photography. (About like Nora took up creative writing last year.)

Justin: What are you doing?
Rebecca: I’m going on a field trip and you’re coming with me.
Justin: Good luck getting that past General Walker.
Rebecca: Yeah well, she’s out running errands. Now’s our chance.

Cut to a DC brownstone. Or possibly an Ethan Allen showroom. The faux early American furniture makes it hard to tell. And hey, good to see Senator McAllister actually in DC once in awhile! And here I thought in this alternate Brothers & Sisters universe, California had seceded from the United States and they’d set up the Capitol of the new nation state in Pasadena.

But he’s not in DC to visit Capitol Hill. He’s visiting his ex-wife Courtney.

She turns out to be a cool and calculating cucumber. She tells him he taught her that success is all about timing. She has a book to plug and he might not get the presidential nomination. She has to strike now.

McAllister: Is this the same self-justification you’re going to use when our children are old enough to know that you lied?
Courtney: Well, they’ll have Kitty McAllister by then so what does it matter?

They’ll have Kitty? Talk about cold comfort.

McAllister: You are completely defiling yourself. I know you. You won’t be able to live with it.
Courtney: Well it can’t be any worse than what I’ve lived with until now.

Okay, what is this scene about? Is she the villain, or is he? It’s a subtle drama. So subtle, I think I might have nodded off, because when I wake up again we are on a golf course with Tommy, Tommy’s father-in-law, and Uncle Saul. Oh damn. I think I woke up too soon. Well, since I’m here, I might as well recap: