"Brothers & Sisters" Episode 310 Recap: "Just a Sliver"

Now that it’s clear they’re all determined to blow off T-Day at Walker Manor, Kevin suggests they tell Nora together. Then Tommy raises the minor matter that no one’s talked to Sarah yet. And frankly I’d think facing the wrath of Sarah would be much more terrifying than Nora. Nora might be able to guilt them into collective shame spirals. But Sarah’s capable of inflicting bodily harm. I’m just saying I think it’s a good idea to keep her away from sledge hammers during this little meeting. Speaking of which, here’s how it goes …

Sarah: You’re all dead to me.

Heh. How often have we all wished to say those exact words to this little group?

They’re facing Sarah in Nora’s kitchen, and have imported copious amounts of alcohol for the occasion. Sarah is not taking it well, although in honor of the impending holiday she seems to be dressed up as some sort of elf. I’m mystified how somebody with so much on the ball can so consistently look terrible. Can’t the writers contrive some plot twist involving an emergency visit from Tim Gunn?

Sarah’s siblings collectively murmur words of conciliation that only seem to enrage her more. She starts ranting about how it’s her first Thanksgiving without her kids, she’s stuck home watching over some neighbor’s sickly cat so she can’t get away herself, and her siblings have “simultaneously decided to form [their] own little satellite states like a Balkan uprising.” Finally, she moves out of the Anger and Fratricide phases of familial negotiations into Acceptance, murmuring that she can’t believe she’s spending Thanksgiving alone with her mother and a decrepit cat.

Next on the agenda is which of them will be charged with the happy task of talking to Nora, and they decide to draw sticks. Kitty is first to draw and she lets out this little yelp. I’m guessing she just thinks she drew the short stick when in reality she’s merely felt her own finger. But it turns out she’s the loser again, and they all celebrate her bad fortune with an exuberant, “Woo-hoo!”

Sarah’s still sulking though, so Justin tries to put a positive spin on it by describing how she and Nora can hang out and have a ladies night. I’d say this is the best idea he’s had ever. I think I’d pay to see Nora and Sarah on the prowl and hitting the bars together. Given how they both have such terrible taste in men, it would be fascinating to see who they wind up with. Like maybe they’ll hook up with a pair of father-son divorcees played by, I don’t know, William Shatner and Michael Bolton.

Sarah: I hope you all get salmonella and die.

She starts to storm out, and they all follow after her, leaving Kitty to face her terrible fate alone. But when they realize Nora’s pulling into the driveway, they all quickly scurry back, a retread of the old days when Mommy and Daddy would be coming home from that special grown-ups-only block party with all the keys, and the kids would have to get all the bottles back into the liquor cabinet before they got through the door.