Brothers & Sisters' Rebecca Problem
Emily VanCamp in Brothers & Sisters by Randy Holmes/ABC
We saw it coming. We dreaded it happening. And now it's official- or as much as anything can be in the world of TV soap opera, in this case ABC's
Brothers & Sisters. Rebecca is not a blood relation to the Walkers. So says her DNA. And her reaction to this genetic shocker was predictably unhappy- so much so that it prompted her biological daddy to split for the other coast, leaving poor Holly once again bereft. Compounding the misery: Rebecca is now lying about it to Justin, the Walker who matters most. As if the surfing lesson that ended the episode wouldn't have had enough queasily sensual subtext as is.
All of which leads me to this week's critical quandary. Is it possible to hate a storyline and still love the actors caught up in it? (This also struck me watching last week's
Ugly Betty, with Henry succumbing to pregnant Charlie's manipulations and sadly letting birthday-girl Betty down in every way possible. Christopher Gorham deserves better material, and fast.)
The moment Rebecca got the news in Sunday's episode of
Brothers & Sisters, my cringing began. But there's no denying that Emily VanCamp hit it out of the park. "I fell in love with that family," she cried. "I was happy." There goes this year's Mother's Day celebration. The awkward scenes that followed with Dave Annable's Justin were excruciating, and not just because of the implications of her new Big Lie. Or the ickiness of the moment when he attaches the ankle strap to her leg as they go surfing the next morning. The sexual attraction has always been unmistakable, but the bonding has already gone deeper into the complicated emotional waters that bind siblings for life. To backtrack now and play out the romance would be distasteful.
Still, I'm looking forward to Rebecca's inevitable big scenes with her two moms, Holly and Nora (Sally Field's reaction is going to be priceless), and to the inevitable showdown when the truth finally comes out to Justin. I'm not thrilled the show took us to this tiresomely contrived point, but I trust the actors to get us through it. And for Rebecca and the Walkers to find a way to redefine the rules of family once again.
All in all, it was quite the pivotal episode as the show crunches a lot of story into these last weeks (only two to go before the season wraps). Kitty acts like a petulant brat as Robert works out issues of political ambition and professional pride. The Ojai food company is again on the brink of collapse (could I care less?). Kevin and Scotty discuss domestic partnership for insurance reasons, which Scotty rejects for being more practical than romantic. (Hello? Real world calling!)
Even having a love-hate relationship with a show is healthier than not really caring, which has been my general response to the most recent episodes of
Desperate Housewives since its return- although on balance, still a much-improved season. A literal bitch fight between the unbearable Gaby and Carlos' seeing-eye dog? Desperate for cheap laughs, if you ask me. Talk about storylines I can't wait to be over. Love the dog, though.
That said, how satisfying was Lynette's discovery that her enfant terribles twins and not her husband set the restaurant fire? And Gary Cole as Dylan's lurking daddy, maybe the most sinister traffic cop since the opening reel of
Psycho, offering pie and sympathy to his daughter while Katherine remains oblivious? So creepy and twisted.
For Cheers & Jeers' reaction to
Housewives (Bruce and I disagree about Gaby), go
here.
For a full recap of Sunday's pivotal
Brothers & Sisters, go
here.
