I really wanted to post a sophisticated, intelligent, analysis of character, directing, acting, etc. But that's just going to have to wait because next week? Road Trip Sarah?

EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

In all seriousness, great work by Dave Annable tonight. They are being a little sloppy with some of the details on his injury. (I.E. Rebecca walks in on him while he's taking a bath and asks for her toothbrush. Rebecca's room and bathroom are on the 2nd FLOOR! How the hell is Justin getting up the steps?)

Scotty wasn't nearly as annoying as he used to be-at least he wasn't pulling his gayer-than-thou shtick this time-but I still didn't miss him at all and really don't want him back.

Damn, if this show doesn't continue to work.

Still, the Winery "office affair" plot is TOO damn obvious. We can see this one coming from a mile away, and its NOT good to be that predictable.

Wow, what a somber episode. That last scene was absolutely gut-wrenching. The silent looks of Nora and Justin gave me shivers.

I really don't like where this Tommy/Leena thing is going, though. Hopefully that's not going to get messy.

This was a pretty good episode. Scottie's back!!!

Most Heartbreaking Moment: The look on Justin and Nora's face as he took the pills. That brief shot made me well up.

Still not feeling anything toward Tommy's storyline and hoping like everyone else that TPTB don't go down the affair road.

Scotty! Yay! I actually felt bad for Tommy. I think that's the first time I had any emotion towards him.

Julia's father is a dick. His little comment at dinner about how Julia old boyfriend didn't have his dad's money to help him start a business? What a jerk.

Ugh. Hate hate HATE Julia's father. What a jerk.

I feel sorry for Tommy but I can see this "he's gonna nail the office assistant" plot coming a mile away, and I'm not a fan.

Justin's storyline was very sad.

Scotty!

Where was Sarah this week?

The ice cream scene is what really got me. It wasn't until then when I realized that they really just opened a huge can of worms.

As I said before, its the predictability factor that irks me. Any time you can see a plot point three episodes before its actually probably going to happen, its too predictable.

Also, the show JUST got past an "affair" storyline. It's too soon for another one.

No. Just No. When they were making a fuss over Lena at the beginning, I was wondering what her purpose was. Then they hit us over the head with it.. comfort for Tommy, threat to the marriage, etc. Crap!! I hate that. His baby just died, his wife is gone, don't mess with the marriage any more than that. (ETA: hee! Everyone else hates it too. Listen PTB!)

The great thing about this show is how complete the characters are, they feel so real. The relationships feel real (ignore Kitty/Robert). I cry for Justin and Nora. There are so many people going through that, so many young men and women coming home with issues and injuries. Maybe I just didn't feel it until recently. My cousin's husband was in a vehicle that hit a bomb in Iraq a couple of weeks ago. He survived with shrapnel wounds. He pulled out a guy who lost his leg, others died. What must he be going though? This show is exploring that and maybe that's why it feels real to me. I just really love this show this week.

The final scene of Nora watching Justin in the kitchen was especially touching and emotional. However, I found the rest of the episode very monotonous. I don't need to be hit over the head with information to process it--that goes for the Nora/Justin story, the Senator's wife story (though I really like that actress), and the Julia/Tommy/in-laws story. Too much repetition in the writing for my taste.

What was Rebecca watching on her computer screen when Nora brought her ice cream? It was Justin's face, but I couldn't figure out what exactly it was. Please, let's not do the Flowers in the Attic storyline. V.C. Andrews has that one covered just fine.

I enjoyed Kevin and Scotty's story, and damn if Kitty didn't have some giant sized balls in her little detente with the ex.

Does the Senator ever have faults? Like ever. I don't know, I'm just annoyed out how things get brushed over so quickly with him. I knew he probably didn't have the affair but there is just a little too much squee! around him.

On this show its just as likely to be a "he gets emotionally close to another woman, kisses her, and feels enormously guilty" plotline. Which in its own way is just as bad (not to mention repetitive).


I hate Senator Snore. He's basically the male equivalent to a "Mary Sue" character.

I think she was looking at the photos she took of Justin when they went out.

Missed Sarah terribly.

I think Nora was thinking the same thing. I saw regret on her face big time.

Sarah was sorely missed.

Tommy was pretty good this episode. Julia might be better off taking a break, considering that she blames Tommy for Little William's death. I did like the Saul/Tommy scenes.

I so see a Rebecca/Justin thing coming. Not a fan.

Poor Tommy, the victim of the passive-aggressive in-law slam against which there is no defense. Oy. I like him and Ron Rifkin together, kind of a stand-in father figure.

Love Kevin and Justin's bathroom scene. Whatever he said about the sensitive Kevin face and then the WHAM! CD.

I'm going to give the show the benefit of the doubt that they're going with some completely fictitious pain med for now (until they name it and blow it). Because the only one that comes to mind able to be the 160mg that Nora said would be OxyContin, which would not be a starting dose for someone who'd been opiate naive for any length of time. They already blew it with the perceived pain scale (7 down to a 2-- not predictable by dose or time). Even two glasses of Shiraz doesn't shut up my nitpicky pharmacy brain, though it might be rendering it inaccurate.

Too much Tommy. Not enough Sarah.

So true. No one is perfect, they are all just well rounded and for the most part, all the actors are able to pull off the wide range of emotions so deftly. Sally Field, the amazing actress she is, being the focal point.


Very true. I just hope they don't drag it out too long. Obviously, he's going to go through ups and downs recovering, but just don't make it an after-school special. I was going to get a little tired of the heming and hawing of whether or not to take the pills, if it wasn't resolved tonight

Are you referring to Sarah & Joe or William & Holly? Either way, I agree its way too soon, and way too unoriginal. Its like they heard all the comments last season about how Tommy and Julia are the invisible Walkers. So they are trying to fix it by giving them the most predictable, hackneyed storyline possible.

I think that says it all. They could use a lil more emphasis on the more positive relationships(Kevin/Scottie?!?) and less affairs.

Bill Smitrovich is SO good at playing passive aggressive. He was annoying, but... it's his little girl. I'm curious of the history of Ben and Tommy's relationship, though, and why it is the way it is. I feel badly for Tommy, it's not fair that he has to lose out on seeing the first few months of his daughter's life, even if it is important that Julia work things out.

I hated that far away look in Justin's eyes after he took the meds. And by hated, I mean loved that Dave Annable is so in touch with this character and has such perfect reactions in every moment of every scene. I'm so impressed by how well he has the Justin his family needs to hear be present even in the moments of extreme pain ("I already called in the prescription", "of course you did!"). I love Justin and I want this to go as well as it can, but it's a drama. I know that ain't gonna happen.

Yay, Scotty! I love his chemistry with Kevin, but please don't let Kevin kiss him!

Loved the Nora/Justin stuff. The build-up to the moment where Justin finally takes the pills, and then the final glances between the two, heavy with concern and foreboding. Great ending.

Sally blew me away in the scene in the dining room with Rebecca, when she admitted she just projecting her anger about the senselessness of Justin's injury.

Kevin was adorable tonight. Loved his scene with Justin at the start with the CD's, and his running back to Scotty, sorta tipsy, saying "We should do the 'friend' thing!" I enjoyed seeing Kevin and Scotty strike up a mature friendship, but I still sorely miss Jason.

I've alwayed like the Nora/Rebecca relationship, so this was a nice development of that dynamic.

Tommy's stuff was pretty good. Really felt for the guy at the end, though I think this temporary break might be ultimately what saves this couple. (Though I'm also wary of Lena.)

My biggest complaint: Not enough Sarah! Thankfully, she's back in full force next week.

Seriously. I didn't realize how boring I found Tommy until the evil father-in-law (who I realized would be evil as soon as I spotted Bill Smitrovich) was taking his wife and baby away and I felt nothing.

I think the whole Justin-Nora dynamic is amazing. And I liked how Rebecca seemed to have a much more realistic idea of how tough this was going to be. I hope this storyline continues to be this good (accuracy aside).

I can't believe that Julia blames Tommy for William's death. Talk about blameshifting. Rather than deal with the real issue of postpartum depression and that storyline, they go for the whole blame-the-husband deal. Yuck! I love Kevin with all my heart and Justin/Nora scenes break me apart.

Okay, for the first time in a very long time, I really do feel bad for Tommy. I don't know if Julia really does have PPD or not, but blaming Tommy for William's death was just too much. It's really going to take a lot for me to like Julia again. Also, I hate Julia's dad. Tommy may not be the perfect husband, but I think he loves Julia very much and for him to act as if Tommy's an uncaring husband when it comes to Julia was beyond irritating. It's easy to pass judgement when you aren't there.

I am glad the Justin debate is over. DA is doing a *great* job with this arc. As is Sally Field. I really hope Justin doesn't relapse, and they can get through this. I also teared up when Justin kept saying how much it hurts because I don't think he was just talking about his leg, just as Nora pointed out.

I hated it when Nora got mad at Rebecca for trying to take Justin out of the house to talk to him, but to her credit, she did admit she was wrong. Also, I'm really beginning to like Rebecca more and more with each episode.

I'm glad Kitty ended that nonsense with Courtney. She's the one who had the affair, not McCallister. For her to try to come off so icy, self-righteous and superior was unbearable.

Scotty and Kevin are still cute together. I hope they really can be friends.

I feel so bad for what this show does with the Tommy chracter. Yes, he got a lot of screentime tonight--always good when Tommy is concerned; he was almost Chuck Cunningham-esque last season in his absences--but now he's saddled with the ever-so-predicatable "affair with the assistant" plot. It just dismays me that the writers couldn't make anything of the great story ideas inherent w/ his life as sa family man and the situation w/ Julia. Shipping her off (Boy, the Walker spouses have a short shelf-life) isn't a daring story idea--it just gets rid of the evidence that the writers could enver figure out to do with her of her marriage to Tommy. Somehow, I can't see her returning as anything more that a reoccurring guest star.

That bitching done, LOVED all of Dave Annable's work tonight. That last scene, as so many have said, was heart-breaking. This (vs. the above plotline) has a lot of possibilities...though I hope incest with Rebecca isn't one of them. Really, what the heck is going on there? Eesh.

The scene in the bath w/ Kevin and Justin was also great. The candles, WHAM!--hee.

You know, I've been rewatching season 1 this weekend and I was thinking about that. He is a Mary Sue, but in big family scenes, he's a welcome calm in that storm of insanity. I rather enjoy that.



And you know, I don't mind it too much. Obviously they're not going to be the loves of each others lives, I doubt they'll even kiss, but its still an interesting dynamic to explore. And they do have good chemestry, I trust if they're gonna go down this road, the writers'll do it right.

See, what irritated me was that waht she got handed was toothpaste. I would have to go back and see if the toothbrush was included as well.

I could see Justin getting up the stairs on crutches (I used to) but I can't see that bathroom on the first floor of anyone's house, so that did not bother me. The pain med dosage bothered me -- wouldn't anything strong enough to reduce a 7 to a 2 make you so not inclined to get up and move around? That's my recollection. Unless they are heavy handedly implying that Justin's body still craves drugs so bad that the least bit makes him someone else. What ever happened to the theory that you won't become an addict when you really do need the drugs for physical pain? And I didn't care for the anvils from Rebecca about her addict friends backsliding.

I didn't realize until I read the episode title how they were tying all these storylines together. Tommy and the affair (repeating his father's history). Justin and the drugs (repeating his own history). Kitty and Robert (repeating Robert and his ex-wife's history - I kept waiting for Kitty to be shaken up by the exes thoughts, especially since she's been so whiny about being demoted to just the fiance). Kevin and Scotty (repeating their own history although I hope they stay just friends).

What I like is that I didn't notice the theme until I saw the episode title, which means the show is coherent enough to be thematic but subtle enough that I didn't get beaten over the head with it. Good work, show.

Good Ep. Saul rocked, as did Kitty, and Nora. Tommy was useless till he finally layed it on Ben (who's a complete ass) Julia's a bitch, and so is Courtney. Not nearly enough Sarah (Boo!) I fear for Justin, and I still can't get over the fact that a grown man calls himself Scotty. Unless your flying a spaceship in the 23rd century, it's just not respectable.

You mean that look that he was already relapsing, that he was a total failure, that his soul was dying? It was genuinely haunting. Dave Annable is as good an actor as Sally Field, in my book.

Unpopular opinion: I was relieved that we got a break from the Sarah storyline this week.

Popular opinion: No Holly this week! Yay!

I feel like the show really missed an opportunity here, though. It would've been much more interesting for her to have some kind of valid beef against the Senator, rather than having her be some kind of caricatured vengeful wife. I agree with folks who've been commenting that the Senator just seems too damned perfect for his own good; I was eager to hear about some flaw that would make his character a little more interesting and multifaceted, instead of the smooth, excessively bottle-tanned machine that he seems to be right now.

'Twould be nice if they'd run a storyline that involved two people who divorced because of mistakes on both sides, instead of turning Courtney into a shrew who needed to be slammed down by Kitty's bluffing ways. They did drop a few hints about the Senator's ambition taking over everything; hopefully we'll see more of this side of him in future eps.

Also, I was glad to see Scotty! He's totally cute, and I like Kevin's endearing bumbling-ness when he's with him. I emitted an "Awww!" when when he was staring down at the plate that Scotty had prepared for him, looking for all the world like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Last week, I thought Tommy said he was going to get his own coffee.

Why is Saul so smiley and upbeat this season? He was a monotone all last year, and the change of tone is enormous. Is he seeing his boyfriend on the side and still not sharing it with the family? Or what? And when will anyone notice?

I loved Kevin helping Justin in the bath. I agree that Rebecca and her toothbrush were a weird bit of discontinuity. It seemed totally gratuitous, as well. How does this advance the story? Is it supposed to be amusing?

Julia's father is obnoxious for sure, but Tommy really should have responded better to the confrontation about how Julia needs help. His determination to be passive and do nothing is really unacceptable to me. He hasn't been trying, as far as I can tell. It's like he resents her as much as she blames him. I am disgusted with the show for dangling another affair prospect in front of us though. Is this supposed to be a way of givng us sympathy for Holly and William? First Sarah resists the affair and it turns out her marriage was a sham anyway. Now Tommy is developing a relationship with a supportive, friendly woman while he wife unreasonably blames him for their son's death. I am not buying the excuses, though. DEAL WITH YOUR ISSUES. Don't just seek escapes. In a way, Robert's first wife is another example. Maybe she had legitimate grievances in her marriage, and maybe Robert was a total dick to her and she sought solace elsewhere. But I still don't give adults a pass on crappy behavior just because someone else is also behaving badly. I hope this show isn't trying to justify it, but it is starting to look to me like they are. Kevin's lonely because Jason's away... does he call Jason? Get on a plane (he can afford it) and go visit? Or does he rekindle with his former flame?

I'm certainly not an expert in these matters, but I find it somewhat hard to believe that Justin is the first drug addict to have an injury that requires the legitimate use of pain medication. Surely there are means of pain management designed for patients like him.

I've never been a big fan of Scotty and tonight was no exception. I know we are suppose to believe that he was the victim of the evil homophobic police officer, but they certainly seemed to treat his drunk driving rather cavalierly. .08 is legally drunk in most states. I think he should have suffered some consequences. Last season, when the manager fired him for making out with Kevin during the charity event, that was supposedly an example of homophobia as well. Maybe, just maybe, Scotty keeps finding himself in these situations because he is a screwup and not because everyone is out to get him.

Am I the only one hoping that maybe something did happen between McAllister and the nanny? I like the character, but he's just too perfect. He needs some flaws, fast.

I'm getting that vibe way more than I'm comfortable with. I can see Rebecca having a certain kind of admiration for him, and I can even throw her a bone with liking him in a way you wouldn't ordinarily like your brother, but I really hope they don't go down a road that includes full-fledge pining, attraction and affection.



Yeah, that would be the one. Dave does a fabulous job of making Justin a person that anyone could know and care about. I could completely relate with Nora's sentiment of just wanting the pain to be over for him. At the same time, his eyes were also reminding us that without the pain, he can't be distracted from the memories either. He's got a ways to go and it's not going to be an easy road.

I had the same thought when Lena came in with coffee. I think both with Tommy and in her scene with Rebecca last week, they mentioned how she wouldn't have to get anyone coffee. And there it was, her first scene in the episode, and she's getting everyone coffee. LOL.



No, you're not the only one. I got a strange vibe there as well. And I agree he's a little too perfect.

Also, is it just me, or is Rebecca a much more likable character when Holly isn't around?

I don't think that was the issue though. All the doctors wanted Justin to take the medication. The problem had been getting Justin to take it. Now the problem will be whether he will take only the prescribed medicine, in the prescribed dosage...



I doubt the tan is going away anytime soon. I think it's one of those tricks to make Rob Lowe's eyes look so blue.

Obviously, Unkie Saul is "gettin' some".

*stands up and applauds*

While we're on that topic...Scotty claimed he had one glass of wine. Is it really possible to reach .08 on one glass of wine?



And it's a lot better some than Holly.

I was glad to see Scotty which I never thought I would say. I hope he and Kevin stay strictly friends though.

When Kitty cut the ex off mid-sentence, all I could think was honey, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. She knows. I hate the Senator. Whoever called him a male Mary Sue, word. Kitty has always been my love/grates on my nerves character and pairing her with him does not help. I just do not buy them as a couple.

I missed Sarah.

I really felt for Tommy. But at dinner when his father-in-law was making those passive-aggressive comments towards him I couldn't believe he didn't pick up that there was something going on. Tommy knows Julia calls her parents every night crying- did he think they would be okay with that or understand the whole story to not be angry with him? I thought their golf course conversation was a wakeup call he needed. Julia needs help, he knows the extent of her problems better than anyone, and he's not helping her. All that said, their goodbye scene was really sad for me. I do believe he loves her very much.

Justin and Nora broke my heart, the end scene in particular. It really showed how alone he is. She can help him, but they're not actually doing this together.

Depends on how big the glass is. ;)

A good sized glass of wine on an empty stomach? Yes, it is. Especially if the machine had not been calibrated properly, as was said to be the case.

To all of you newer viewers who joined B&S either late first season or at the beginning of this season, I envy you. You get to see Scottie as a kind foil and sounding board for Kevin. Unfortunately, there are some of us -- okay, just me -- who will ALWAYS go back to the horrendous first scene he was in, written by Marti Noxon, in which he was a "gayfirst" homosexual who accused Kevin of trying to "pass" as straight because there were no rainbow flags in his office.

I hated Julia until her last scene; I think she really redeemed herself. IMO, she has post-partum depression which classifies as mentally ill, and she KNOWS that it's irrational to blame Tommy for her son's death -- but at the same time, it's what she feels right now. Kudos to Sarah Jane Morris for doing a lot with a little. As for Lena, I really just want her and Tommy to be really good friends. I think there's a lot of potential for this character -- who knows, maybe she'll be the one Saul first "comes out" to.

I am loving Kitty and how every episode she gets a kick-ass speech.

Hooray for the episode ending on a happy note! And Road Trip Sarah next week? Is it Sunday yet?

Don't believe so (at least not a normal-sized glass). That was Kevin's point: Since the breathalyzer had missed two of its calibration inspections, it likely gave an inaccurate reading.

In other words, I think we were meant to take Scotty at his word that he wasn't drunk, legally or otherwise.

I agree the senator is way too perfect, and I, too, would like to see some sort of flaw in his character. However, given what we knew of Courtney before this episode (she's the one who had the affair, not McCallister), I really couldn't muster any sympathy for her. I want McCallister to have flaws, but when it comes to why his marriage dissolved, I can see why they didn't change that.
Word. I do think that Tommy was in a bit of denial about Julia, and I think he was going to try to start dealing with them, but Julia's parents coming really hurt that possiblity and made him resentful. But yes, I do not want another affair. It'd be nice if a couple would actually talk and try to work through their issues. An affair doesn't count as "working through your issues".

I second this wish. We've already had enough affairs for two seasons, maybe three. I want this show to stay on the side of drama, and not drift into the realm of soap opera.

That whole bathtub scene was a little too Tony/Angela/Who's The Boss/Shower Scene for me.


Why did she just have to go get her toothbrush at that moment? Could she not hear all the commotion and yelping coming from Justin? She knew he was in that bathroom. Unless she had some sort of dental emergency, she had no reason to go into the bathroom.

His first appearance was PAINFUL - not just because of the writing but because it was so bad LM just looked like a walking cartoon.

Ok, the creators are aware of the "chemistry" between Dave and Emily - why the hell would they throw in that scene of her walking in on him taking a bath? Was that really necessary? Emily dated her on screen brother from Everwood and they were professional in their scenes and unless someone told you, you would never know. But this show? I understand wanting to perpetuate a closeness between them - more than the other syblings with Rebecca- but there's a line between that and being smug - and I hate if this relationship even approaches attraction.

They keep bringing up the nanny I think the Senator lied. Or at least, that's the only way I can see this character not being a Gary Sue.