BROTHERS & SISTERS is a Downer Despite Being an Upper

I set my alarm at 6:15 this morning so I could get up and watch BROTHER & SISTERS before I had to start my workday. Had I known it was going to be so depressing I would have just slept in. Sunday night’s episode wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly how I like to see my Walker family. Yeah, they were all still a bit neurotic and crazy, but there was no fun. I was left feeling a little down…too bad the same could not be said about Justin.

Justin is back from Iraq and is in major pain from the multiple leg surgeries he had. He’s been refusing any kind of pain medication because as a recovering addict he doesn’t want to go down that path again. A commendable choice, but not a realistic one. This may come as a shock but Nora was overbearing and annoying while trying to convince Justin (and anyone that would listen) that Justin needed to take his meds. I wish someone would put Nora on some meds…she needs to chill out. In the end, after an outing with Rebecca during which he re-injured his knee (the sound effect of which made me want to hurl) Justin begrudgingly decided to take the meds. By the end of the episode we saw his glassy eyes and vacant expression – all which we and the Walker family know too well. Uh oh.

I’m interested to see where this is all going. My prediction – Justin once again becomes addicted tot he drugs which leads Nora into a downward spiral herself for pushing the meds on him in the first place. Prove that you can do better than that writers!!

In other sad and depressing Walker news. Julia’s parents came to town, much to the dismay of Tommy. Her father isn’t a fan of Tommy and probably took a small amount of pleasure in letting him know that Julia and Elizabeth would be leaving California and going home to Arizona to live them for a while. Poor Tommy. It’s clear that Julia is suffering a combination of postpartum depression and grief over the loss of their son, but how she thinks leaving Tommy is a good idea is beyond me. I was really upset that she would be so selfish as to take her daughter away from her father, but I guess she did what she thought had to do. Too bad for her that Tommy’s grief over losing baby William and the stress over having Julia and Elizabeth move to Arizona is going to lead him straight into the arms of Lena, the new office manager at the Vineyard. (Psst, writers…I don’t know if you are trying to be subtle about this one, but it’s not working. It’s actually blatantly obvious).

In other Walker news, the exes were in full effect last night. Robert’s ex-wife (played by Marin Hinkle who will always be Judy from “Once and Again” to me) was about to kick off her book tour and slander McAllister, but opted out after being paid a visit from Kitty. I love McAllister but I’m worried that’s he’s hiding something when it comes to this nanny affair. Hmmm.

And on the other side of town, Scotty returned to ask Kevin’s help in getting out of a bogus DUI. Seems Scotty has made some positive changes in his life and wants Kevin back. Kevin just wants to be friends. Yeah, right. Let’s see how long these two can remain “platonic” while to Reverend is in Malaysia. But I like Scotty and I don’t mind seeing him around again (but I’d be lying if every time he was on the screen I wasn’t wondering if he is really dating Wentworth Miller…sorry, but I’m just being honest.)

So between the injuries, the drugs, the guilt, the exes, and mamas leaving town with their infant children – it was a rather depressing episode. Let’s hope they Walkers lighten up a bit next week. At the very least I think we need a scene with them getting drunk, right? If not, I’m going to be asking Justin to borrow a few of his happy pills next week.