"Brothers & Sisters" Episode 308 Recap: “Going Once … Going Twice”

Meanwhile, Kevin finds Scotty and tells him he’s got the surprise to end all surprises. Scotty wonders if it’s a puppy, which, frankly, I’d be even more pissed about than a surprise house. At least you don’t have to freeze your ass off twice a day waiting around outside for a house to poop.

Finally, Paul’s mystery date arrives at the door. Everyone girds themselves in anticipation for the sparks that are certain to fly between these two crazy kids. Justin immediately introduces Saul to Paul, and Paul describes it as “quite the road to Damascus moment.” Heh. How brilliant is that line? I think Paul’s hired out the same writer as Rebecca this episode. For God’s sake, somebody loan this writer to Tommy!

Saul looks like he’s wondering if he’s experiencing his first senior moment, saying he has no idea who Paul is. Paul says they can remedy that right away, and pulls him aside for a private “chat.” [Editor's note: Another classic look from a great actor. Rifkin need not speak a word for us to know he's thinking, "It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but some day California you are going to rue what you just did. Or maybe I'm projecting.]

Later, Saul breaks away from a conversation that apparently involves Paul’s various addictions to pull Justin aside. He’s clearly angry, I’m guessing because Justin didn’t realize he’s been playing in the Michael Nouri leagues and doesn’t need to go down to the minors. Justifiably, Saul criticizes Justin for assuming that since he and Paul are both older gay men they should naturally hit it off. Although I might have gone a bit softer, because clearly Justin means well and I think would have made the same dimwitted but good-intentioned mistake for his straight relatives as well.

Cut to the weekly dinner-from-hell scene, already in progress. Paul kicks it off by complaining that Sarah’s chairs are “back killers” and says that he prefers them “bigger and puffier.” You know, like his men (thanks for that one, Airplane!). This is around when Saul starts begging Tommy for more wine.

Sarah clinks her glass and proposes a toast to Scotty, the guest of honor. Because a good hostess can always tell when her guests are so involved in their own personal dramas that they need a friendly reminder they’re actually there for someone else.

Then Kevin decides to steal thunder from his sister as well as Scotty by topping off her lovely toast with his own very special announcement. After telling Scotty how much he loves him (awww) and wants to make him happy (awww) and to provide for him (uh-oh), he drops the bomb about the new house.

Either Scotty’s tasted Sarah’s over-cooked chicken or he is seriously, seriously pissed. Because he just sits there looking like he wants to puke, preferably in Kevin’s direction. Paul, bless him, breaks the uncomfortable silence by making it even more uncomfortable, saying, “If I bought a house without talking to my boyfriend, he would have tarred and feathered and left me for dead!” Scotty excuses himself from the table. [Editor''s note: I'm guessing he knows Paige keeps tar and feathers in her room for "play" dates.]

After he’s gone, Kevin speculates that Scotty is merely “overwhelmed,” and now Nora finally gets her say. Obviously steamed over how she was treated by Kevin during the auction, she says Scotty feels “bulldozed” by Kevin, and that Kevin just can’t accept the fact that anyone can succeed without his help. She accuses all the Walker men of plowing ahead thinking they can just fix everything for everybody without asking them first. She’s definitely right about this too, other than the fact that the Walker women are just as guilty of this behavior, especially her.

Kevin responds that he’s surprised to hear Nora talk this way, because all through their childhoods she talked about how happy she was when their father surprised her with their house. She says she “pretended” to be happy about it, and I can well imagine what sorts of other things she faked for William’s benefit.