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“Brothers & Sisters” Episode 211 Recap: “Missionary Imposition”
Cut to Tommy’s house. He finds Julia in the bedroom and tells her that Lena has quit. Julia says Lena wasn’t the problem and that they need to talk to a marriage counselor. He agrees. Looks like these two crazy kids are gonna work things out. The bad news is we viewers are probably going to be subjected to a bunch of couples counseling session scenes with these two.
Cut to Walker Produce. Graham comes in late, and Sarah chides him for missing the plane that morning. Apparently he spent the night with that Naomi “before all the work done” Judd look-a-like. Cut to the Walker mansion. Nora gets a call from Kitty, who wants to hear all about her date with Isaac. Lips aquivering, Nora admits that they “had a really great time.” This seems to be code for, “I’ve fallen madly in love.”
Cut to Justin and Rebecca traipsing around a park at night. This is the same park they visited the first night he met her. He apologizes for dating Lena. Rebecca says “I told you so.” You could cut the incestuous romantic tension with a knife. Why don’t these two just get a room?
Well, that’s it for this week’s installment of Brothers & Sisters. We have only one more pre-strike episode, which will air next Sunday, February 17th. Then the show is on hiatus at least until late spring. (Even with the strike now ended it will take at least 8 weeks before any new episodes will be ready to air.)
Submitted by on Tue, 2008-02-12 17:04. |
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Great recap, Dennis! You had
Great recap, Dennis! You had me in tears laughing again.
I have been waiting a while to post this and it seems to fit after this episode. This is a little basic Psychology applied to a TV character, but for what it's worth:
Kevin is a helping personality. Everyone he loves in his life goes to him for help. He likes helping people (even if he complains about it).
Helping personalities, generally speaking, enjoy not only being loved but being needed in the lives of those they love. To a certain extent, Kevin "needs to be needed" in addition to being loved. It's part of his make-up, not unlike Nora who has a need to be needed.
Scotty loves, and wants, Kevin. He also needs Kevin, and not just for shelter. Kevin makes him want to better his station in life (his career, etc.), to work on those things he refers to as "his homework". Kevin needs the kind of affection and attention that Scotty gives him. Scotty has helped him to be more comfortable with who he is.
Scotty makes Kevin a priority, doing little things that go a long way toward "I care about you very much" - yes, even jealously barging in on Kevin's tea party. Kevin admitted he secretly liked that.
Jason has made it clear that he may have loved Kevin. But he has also made it clear that he doesn't, never has, and probably never will, need Kevin. He, like Robert, is fiercely independent.
Being that Kevin "needs to be needed" so to speak, Jason is not a good choice for him. Scotty is, however, a great choice. They both love, and need, each other.
Kevin the caregiver
Thanks and about Scotty
Thanks for the compliment, Dennis. That theory has been gestating for over a year now.
Dennis wrote:
I winced when they made Scotty homeless. I saw earlier attempts by the writers to make him a more sympathetic character this season, but making him homeless just made him kind of pathetic. Maybe they thought it was a necessary plot device to tighten their proximity, but I disagree it was necessary. I think it was lazy writing and a way to save time.
I do think they were trying to illustrate that Scotty needs Kevin, but I thought that Scotty "changing his life" was something Kevin provided the impetus for. Thus Scotty would not feel as he did after their first date: "I feel totally and completely out of my league. Frankly, I feel like such a total loser when I'm with you. But that's a whole other conversation. That's my homework." ("Date Night")
I hope that Scotty sticks around for a long time. It's time Kevin have a real committed relationship. Now that he has chosen Scotty (again), I think they can make it work. It will be "messy", but that makes it interesting - and real. I also hope Scotty finishes school and gets a good job soon. He won't stop needing Kevin, and he won't be pathetic.
I don't think of Scotty's asking Kevin not to make plans with Jason as pathetic. I thought it was a reasonable request. I even understand his jealousy (which I think Kevin secretly relishes, but won't admit). Boyfriend alone with attractive ex feet from the bed he sleeps in. I would be jealous and suspicous too.
Excellent Assessment
Lee I think you've hit the nail on the head. A lot of people say that Kevin is self-absorbed but truthfully what we see on the show disproves that. How often has he dropped whatever he was doing and run off to help one of his siblings or his mother with some problem? Also, he went to court for Scotty even though at that point they'd parted on less than amicable terms and Kevin was (at least in theory) in a relationship.
Kevin is a caregiver by nature. Sure he bitches about it, but he's the product of a Jewish mother after all (and has a little Jewish mother in himself as well). What he wants in return for his care is for someone to show him some love and concern. He's very successful career-wise so he's not looking for a rich boyfriend, and he apparently has no problem getting laid, so it's not just sex he wants either.
I just knew things were going to go badly with Jason when he showed up in his clerical gear. It takes 10 seconds to change one's shirt and yet he showed up dressed like that, clearly as a way to armor himself against Kevin. I think, however, that his hostility and emotional attacks mask the fact that he really does want Kevin. The problem is that he doesn't want to make any emotional concessions to their relationship.
The McAllisters are like that. I recall in Season 1 the episode where Robert took Kitty to dinner with his kids and it was a disaster. When Kitty questioned his motives and the speed he was moving at Robert immediately got hostile, asked her to leave and was then cold with her at work the next day. You don't question the way a McAllister wants to do things.
This Saul thing is beginning to grate. We had a huge friggin' bomb dropped with his character and the crater is still smoking, yet no movement on it seems to be happening. He's admitted to having been in love with a man (presumably Milo, who is still carrying a torch for him). Is this just going to be ignored?
Nora and Isaac are doomed. He's way too much of a political player on the Right. William was one thing, a Republican but not a politico. Also, based on the preview for next week I wonder if the McAllister campaign is about to take a decided swerve to the Right. Robert has been playing just too moderate to date, which of course allows him to fit into the Walker family. But running for the GOP nomination he's got to win Red States. This may also feed the coming conflict with Jason.
And that may invigorate our love triangle again. If Jason suffers an emotional battering in a fight with his brother, and if he reaches out to Kevin then Kevin will instinctively try to help him. He can't help himself. And it's not clear how Scotty will take that.
Re: Saul
Fortunately, there's going to some forward movement on the Saul front in the next episode. I agree it's long overdue.
Conflict
Thanks for the compliment, Psionycx.
And that may invigorate our love triangle again. If Jason suffers an emotional battering in a fight with his brother, and if he reaches out to Kevin then Kevin will instinctively try to help him. He can't help himself. And it's not clear how Scotty will take that.
I'm trying not to spoil too much here, but the conflict that Robert and Jason have in the previews for next week is not what it seems (shocking, I know /sarcasm). It has more to do with something that happened to Jason years ago as a result of Robert's political career.
I don't think Jason will be turning to Kevin for help on this one. I think Kevin is going to keep his distance with the McCallisters for the time being. He's still working on convincing Scotty that he is sincere. I have a great deal of faith in the writers of the next episode, so I think it will be a good one.
Quote:And that may
Since being a caring person is something that is also in Scotty, I doubt that, if Jason was really in need of help, that Scotty would turn him down. There seemed to be certain understanding between the two. (Kevin and Scotty DO have an vacant airmattrass.... ;-D)
But I think that maybe Jason will withdraw even more into his religion. That seems to be his most important anchor right now. He values that more than Kevin.
On the other hand I believe that one of the spoilers for 2.11 was that that episode would mark the ending of the triangle K/J/S? And that they wanted to focus on the relationship between Robert and Jason as brothers? And let Kevin have some fun, in stead of constantly being in a drama?
Offcourse the writers can always change their minds now that they are back.
Lee, Great analysis.
Lee,
Great analysis.
It just helped me realize that I am also a "helping personality" and one who wishes to find someone with a personality like Scotty.
I think the writers really did their research in developing Kevin's character and have created in Scotty a good long-term partner for him.
Maybe they will be brave enough to explore the possibility of Kevin and Scotty getting married or at least having some sort of commitment ceremony.
It would good to see that on network television.
Kevin/Scotty Marriage
You know, that would also be really great to see. It would make for interesting political discussion on the show.
Kitty has said she doesn't disapprove of civil unions although she does disapprove of same-sex marriage. Robert's position is unclear. He voted for a Constitutional ammendment to ban same-sex marriage for political reasons but was vote counting and didn't figure it would pass. But if Kevin and Scotty opted to tie the knot in the near-term, what would the ramifications be for Robert's campaign to have his brother-in-law marry a man? Would he be expected to boycott the ceremony? Would Kitty?
There could be all kinds of story angles with that.
Kevin/Scotty Marriage
That would be a great plotline from so many angles. It's interesting that someone brought it up after Scotty's comments that he would "make a great husband...but don't worry I'm not fishing."
I'd love to see this on network TV, but this season would be too soon given the few episodes left to air. If it does happen, I think we can guess who wouldn't be performing the ceremony.
Kevin/Scotty Marriage
It would be nice, if Kevin would at least propose in the season's finale... Considering that they don't HAVE to hurry for political campaigning and that it will be highly unlikely that Scotty is pregnant, there would be no reason for an immediate marriage, but it would certainly put the topic on the map, show his commitment and give everyone something to talk about during summer hiatus. ( Will he? Won't he? Should he? How upset will everyone get? )
God, I hope Eric Winter
God, I hope Eric Winter doesn't disappear off from the show after this storyline. I really want him to stick around and see them develop his relationship with his brother Robert. Or probably him and Kevin can get back together sometime in the future.
that sucks
"Then the show is on hiatus at least until late spring. (Even with the strike now ended it will take at least 8 weeks before any new episodes will be ready to air.)"
^ damn. stupid strike.
I'm really hoping Jason's
Saul!
Brilliant recap!
This made me laugh loud!: "Other than that one major detail, it’s a perfectly constructed scene. Although I find myself a bit distracted by how big Scotty’s nostrils are and how long and skinny Jason’s neck is. If mean, they're both beautiful men but composite 'em together and you'd have a giraffe."
I'm happy to read that Saul's storyline will continue!!
On "Brothers"...Loved the Man on Man Kiss
YEAH FOR SCOTTY!