The season-ender of Brothers and Sisters aired last week, but I just got around to watching it. Apparently, I like this show enough to TiVo it, but not enough to rush to watch the thing once it's 
recorded. This one, titled "Matriarchy," was supposed to be the counter-balance to the premier episode, titled "Patriarchy," I guess. But it was something of a letdown. First off, I don't need weepy montages and sappy background string music to make me feel sad that Justin is going back to Iraq. I get it. There are too many times in this episode--two, three, four?--when the writers try way too hard to yank on my heartstrings. I want to just kick them in the groin for not trusting me to Get It. Also, I really really don't need to hear dialogue like this, when Kitty is addressing her Iraq-bound brother, Justin:
"I don't know what I believe in anymore, but I know I believe in you."
Yech. Gag me with a spoon, as we used to say, in one of those decades that passed a while ago.
There were, however, several great Walker family fights in this episode. My favorite was between Nora Walker, played by Sally Field, and her daughter, Kitty, played by Calista Flockhart. We were supposed to believe, at first, that Nora was upset that her late-30's something daughter, Kitty, would be moving out of the house to live with her Senator fiance--played by the delicious, but completely unbelievable Rob Lowe. (No Senator in the history of Congress was ever that adorable.)
Nora says, "Let's face it, you're a little old to be living with your mother." Kitty gets angry, asking why her mother has to insult her, instead of just admitting that Nora will miss Kitty when she goes. Nora yells back:
"Why can't you just say that you're scared to move out? You have to make me into this clinging, neurotic mother who's trying to force you to stay!"
Kitty yells back, and the other sister, Sarah, comments: "Wow, this is like the Passive-Aggressive Olympics here."
There are also standard gay jokes, like the fact that gay brother Kevin is taking Justin to see Wicked, his sixth visit to the show. And Kevin pairs up with the Senator's gay brother, saying: "We both share the gay party planning gene, so all you have to do is relax."
Still, the show was a disappointment, especially in the Boomer sexual athletics department. Just no action for Sally this week. Maybe next season.
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