"Brothers & Sisters" Finale Recap: “Prior Commitments”

But exchange the secondhand rings they do, as they publicly declare their love and devotion to one another. Kitty pronounces them officially … and then stammers. So Kevin finishes, declaring themselves “married.” Then, holding both of each other’s hands as they face each other, they lean in and kiss. And to borrow the title of one of my favorite movies, it’s a beautiful thing

Later, at the alcohol-free punchbowl that clearly only Justin and possibly Paige will have any interest in, Rebecca corners Justin and apologizes to him, saying she knows what it’s like to have someone you thought you trusted lie to you. He tells her he’s actually not mad at her, just shocked, and wishes he’d been more sensitive to what she’s going through. So he proposes they start from square one, meeting each other as just a guy and a girl.

Meanwhile, Uncle Saul compliments Nora on her wedding-planning abilities, then tells her that he came out to Kevin.

Nora: Oh, Saul, I’m proud of you.
Saul: I always thought that all I had to do was just tell one person. Just say the word out loud, and I thought it would always be easy … [In reference to the wedding…] I think that was the bravest thing I’ve ever witnessed.
Nora: It’s amazing what our children can teach us.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sarah tells Rebecca that the two of them and Nora are the only single girls left in the family. Rebecca says she doesn’t need to be included, but Sarah tells her that once you’re a Walker, they never let you go, just like the mafia. Or being a PBS donor.

Sarah gives her the old baby photo that started all the trouble, telling her she assumes Holly must have given it to William and it wound up in his files. Rebecca takes one look at it and knows it’s not her. For one thing, it doesn’t have bangs or a pouty lip. Plus it’s a boy.

Sarah calls a mini-family meeting with her siblings right in the middle of the reception to announce that, while they all thought the photo was Rebecca, it’s possible there might be another Walker out there. After all, William’s password had six letters in it for each of his children’s initials, not five.

But the other sibs aren’t interested in hearing any more of Sarah’s Nancy Drew-like investigations into “The Mystery of the Old Photograph and the Horndog Patriarch.” They basically think Sarah’s hurt and angry over losing control of the business to Holly.

Mid-argument, Saul walks in and assumes they must be talking about him. So he goes ahead and affirms himself as a gay American, only to find everyone other than Kevin is pretty shocked by this announcement. I’m shocked any of them are shocked. I can’t believe they never had a drunken conversation amongst themselves about what’s up with kindly old sensitive bachelor Uncle Saul.

Justin: God, this is like the gayest week of my life.

You’re still young Justin. I’m hoping there’s much gayer weeks in your future. Like maybe Uncle Saul will marry Milo or Veronica Mars’ father at one of those clothing-optional guesthouses in Key West.