From the Writers of Last Night's Episode

Today we have a double-post, courtesy of the writers of "Something Ida This Way Comes" -- Sherri Cooper and David Marshall Grant. From now on, we're going to try and have the writers weigh in on their episodes Monday morning.
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"Tales from the Blogger Virgin"
by Sherri Cooper

OK, so we writers have just been informed that we must now Blog about our episodes from here on out,  (is that even a verb and is it supposed to be capitalized?)  and of course, timing being what it is, DMG and I are up first, but because I’m the newbie here on staff, because alphabetically, it’s me before him, and mostly because David seems to have taken on Ida as his new alter ego and quickly ushered me off to take the initial stab, here I am.

Mulling over potential blog fodder (can I use it as an adjective?), struggling to figure out what exactly a blog entails (I know it’s a noun), and trying not to be paralyzed by mounting performance anxiety, but the truth is, I’ve never actually blogged before.   Yes, I am a Blogger Virgin.

I’m not completely out of the cultural loop, it’s just that I went off and procreated.  And then I was busy, doing the whole mommy thing from home, until just this past November, when Greg and Robbie dragged me in from the neighborhood sandbox.

I’m still dumping sand out of my shoes as I sit here mulling over other people’s blogs and “Something Ida This Way Comes.”  Which, incidentally, was a bottle episode.  Which, come to think of it, seems apropos, given that I spent much of the last two years dealing with bottles.  Baby bottles that is.  Granted, TV Bottles are something completely different, but I did warn you I’m new at this, right?   

Anyhow, a Bottle Show is an episode where we use only our own sets, and a very limited guest cast in order to save production money.  And so the challenge with a bottle episode is to not only come up with a story you can tell using only the show’s basic elements, but also one that won’t feel… well, bottle-y.  Generally, it’s best to do a big event in a bottle show, an event where you can hang all your stories in and around the same sets, and where it makes sense for all your characters to converge.   Enter Nora’s birthday. 

The truth is, the more we talked about it, the more it felt right that the Walker kids would do something special for Nora on this landmark birthday, her first birthday without William.  Their first birthday without their dad.  And wouldn’t it be fun to finally meet Nora’s mother?  And so we had the seeds of the episode.

Conveniently, I had just thrown my own mother’s 60 surprise party this past summer, and so I had all sorts of fodder to pull from – yes, the surprise got botched, and hours before my mom arrived, I discovered our colorful palette suddenly made the dinner table look like a scene from King Arthur’s court...  And so we had a fun “runner”.

As for Kitty and McAllister… We knew that Kitty would invite the Senator to Nora’s party because, well, he is saving the day with his chef.  But after all the family chaos, the drama with Kevin, the sex tape, and then Sarah walking in confused, she wants to escape, and bringing him into her closet for a drink seemed like the natural thing to do.   And as we thought about this scene, we realized Kitty’s closet would be filled with clothing from her past life in New York--there’d be winter sweaters, and winter clothing, and of course, fabulous shoes.  Because, let’s face it, she was living in New York.  And she’d have the footwear to go with that.  And as we talked about it, we realized her shoes could tell stories about her past.  I know mine can.  My pre-baby shoes reveal a time of dancing on tables between a tortured playwright and a club promoter, a Halloween party, an ex-boyfriend...  And so Kitty shares bits of her past and there’s a connection between her and McAllister.

As for Ida… Well, I’m gonna pass the baton to David on this one.   
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"Picking Up Where She Left Off"
by David Marshall Grant

Let me start by saying, isn’t it annoying when people claim to be ill prepared for a task, or rusty, or lacking any of the requisite experience and then turn out to be incredibly good at it? Like that kid in high school who said he didn’t have time to study and then got an A on the final.

Or the friend who says she hasn’t played tennis in years and then beats you in straight sets. All I’m trying to say is Coop has nothing to worry about.  Aside from being a natural blogger (see above) she’s a great writer (see “Something Ida This Way Comes.”)  We really had a blast with this episode. It broke (that’s TV for figuring out the story. Berlanti says it’s funny when I use TV lingo.  I only do it because this is my first time (Oh, my God, am I pulling a Cooper?) writing for TV and I just can’t get enough of the vernacular. Like “bottle episode.” Coop covered that, but isn’t that cool. “Bottle episode.” Who knew? Or “act out.” That’s, pretty obviously I guess, the last line before the end of an act. I could go on, but you get the picture.) Anyway, I was trying to say the story broke easily and it was clearly going to be a little wackier than usual. So we just let our hair down and tried to have as much fun as possible.

Of course in TV anything is possible and once we were done with the blue pages (more lingo: the second published draft of the script is in blue. The next draft is pink… And then get this, golden rods. I don’t know why I love that one the best, but I do), we were told that Calista was really sick and had to be taken out of two scenes. So Coop and I figured out how to give two whole scenes to Kevin that were originally hers. Can you guess which ones? And after that was all figured out we went on vacation so it was nearly three weeks before we were back shooting. The whole thing became a little disjointed in our minds, so it was such a pleasure to watch the final cut and see what a good job Michael Lange did directing and, of course, what the actors did acting. A word about our actors… I don’t think it’s possible for a show to have a better group of them. We really have the most insanely talented, funny, deep, sexy, charismatic group of performers one could ever wish for. Every week they make the scripts better than they were on the page, which is what you dream an actor will do. And being an erstwhile one myself, I can tell you it’s often the other way around.

As for Ida, all mothers are a little like her, aren’t they? Or maybe not. But what I thought was most interesting about bringing Nora’s mom one was she was also Saul’s mom. We are reminded that there are another set of brothers and sisters in this show and it’s them. And watching them do their scenes was like such a window into their childhoods. Suddenly you could see Nora and Saul as kids fighting on some other set on some other show so many years ago.

The only other thing I’d thought I’d tell you is that I have come off the famous fast (four days) only to go to the gym to do wind sprints (I know – what was I thinking?) and my back has gone out… way out. I am a pathetic sight as I hobble down the hallway. Bye from Burbank.

Comments

[Ashley]

Loved this episode! Please keep them coming.

[will]

I heard that Jason Lewis' (Chad) contract was extended a few episodes than originally agreed on (so we're getting more of him), that Kev runs into Scotty in a February episode & that Kev also ends up hooking up with the senator's gay brother. Don't know how much is true. Floating around the web.

[Getta Grippe]

It's interesting to watch the stern vexation of the anti-gay brigade, all of whom are getting increasingly infuriated that their prejudices are not being acquiesced to. I imagine they are used to cowering others into silence with the "might makes right" philosophy, but what they fail to realize is that...the world has moved on without them. Rational, educated people no longer believe the absurd myths about gay people that contaminated society for so long. Gays are as much a part of God's plan as anyone else, and just as worthy of being portrayed in the entertainment media. That's just the way it is. Deal with it, or finally make good on your promises to change the channel. But in any case, please stop the endless whining and mewling. Nobody cares, you know?

[Marie]

I look forward to this show every Sunday! Brillant!

[LACalifornia]

LOVED THE SHOW LAST NITE. Cant wait for the new ones in two weeks. I love kevin and his role on the show, and i like his new relationship. Dont listen to all the anti gay bloggers on this blog, its the same two people writing a whole bunch of comments w/ different names. Keep the good ones comming
Oh and does anyone know how many more episodes we will get this season?

[ilovemylife]

……………“Nothing against gays”……………
Some of the posters have said he/she have nothing against gay human beings but either “ask” BROTHERS and SISTERS to stop including any scenes that aren’t script-wise neutered for one and only one character, Kevin, or make “threats” to stop watching, etc. I suppose I don’t have anything against gay human beings either, I just land in a different position. This show has shown me that about myself. I don’t expect to convert anyone from their own personal opinions, however I would like to expand the point of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

We all just want to feel acknowledged and truly alive. We don’t want to live closed up and in a silent world of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. When asked by someone, whether a family member or some unseen blogger, to not be out there in some way, that act of asking is really asking someone not to be. To be denied of who they are. No one has that right. We are all born to be fully alive. Not partly alive.

A mother that I took to dinner lost her young man of a son to a sad heart. A heart that felt no one could understand his emotional pain. So he took his life. In the family’s basement. She talked about discovering him, that night at dinner. I share this because if there is any young soul out there who feels disconnected and lonely, find someone you can confide in or write in a journal to find a way out of your pain. There is someone out there who wants to be useful today. Give them the opportunity. Reach out. Life should not feel more distant than death.

Recently, I was watching a repeat Oprah show about high school students and the emotional pain that they walk around with every day. It was stunning. Behaviors and words that were used to bully, discriminate, dehumanize classmates by other classmates as well as some teachers - was illustrated simply and realistically. The two most common categories of the taunts were racism and being gay. And of those two categories, the students at this school admitted themselves, that gay students got it the worst. Two gay students, a senior male and a junior female, told their schoolmates of the pain that they endured from these attitudes. We play a part in this cruel atmosphere when we simply ask gay people to be invisible and hide who they are.

Gay students are six times more likely to commit suicide than their classmates. And it isn’t because gay human beings have an urge to die. It has to do with feeling isolated, unaccepted and alienated. We do that to them with our attitudes. Our children tune into our judgmental statements. And they learn quickly what they can and can’t share with us.

Moses Brown High School in Providence, Rhode Island, encourages and welcomes gay students to be open. It is a private school, run with Friends’ principles. The Quakers don’t believe in killing and were active in aiding slaves to escape to freedom in our country’s brief history. Last year’s MB senior class’ president was an openly gay male student. However, I can say that our local high school didn’t have this same kind of atmosphere for the gay students. I taught in this system for 29 years.

It takes so little to be a good human being. Though raised in a family that condemns being gay, I have moved over to the other column. I can love gay human beings based on the content of their character, as I do with straight human beings.

Done “Waiting for the World to Change” without speaking out.

Matthew Rhys is an acting genius. I had never heard of this guy before B&S, but he is far and away my favourite part of this great show. Thanks for giving him such wonderful material to work with.

To all the gay-haters out there - please, do me and favour and stop watching. We're 13 episodes in and "The Gay" hasn't gone anywhere. I think he may just be here to stay. Also, please tie your tubes (or get your husband to).

[CeCe]

R Clement....you don't agree with that lifestyle, but you don't judge? Really? OK, then DON'T. Watch the show if you want, and ignore those whole 2.5 seconds on the screen, or don't watch. But whatever you do, please stop "not judging" in here. It's getting tiresome and boring.

Marion....LOL! No kidding, right??

This show is so amazing, and I agree with the many comments about it being the best episode yet. The show, the writing, the actors, the characters... they are ALL really gelling and hitting their stride now, and it is such a pleasure to watch. That family melt-down storyline could have easily been too over-the-top in less capable hands, but it was perfectly done! THANK YOU!

And dare I say it? I liked Chad more this week! He had a sexy twinkle in his eye! Good for Kevin! Enjoy it, Kev. We all deserve a little sexy and pretty now and then. It's just that some of us are old and married and heavy-laden with kids (I say that lovingly), so we have to live vicariously through our TV boyfriends.

Maxine...thank you for your post, and especially your last paragraph. It bears repeating:
"This show is doing something that no other network tv station has done before...present to the audience a beautiufully realized and unapologetic gay male character who stands toe to toe with all the other main characters on the show. Thank you so much for this. And it's about damn time!!"

[TBMeow]

I too loved this episode. The past 2 eps seem to bring more of the funny. Lots of lines can go almost missed - much like West Wing - which I always taped to not miss a word. The writing is great here. Great cast.
I came to the show because of Rob Lowe and agree with the comments about keeping him on. The chemistry with CF is great but it was fun to see him last night with the other characters. I loved him with Sally Field. Her reaction to the Senator is priceless - both at the party and when he comes to the door.
Great cast and thanks again and again for getting Rob Lowe back on our tv screens again.
One suggestion. More promotion needed for this show. Not just the promos but the actors on talkshows, magazines, and entertainment "news" shows. RL did some of this when he first debuted on the show but more is needed and not just by him - although he brought me and a lot of people I know to the show.

[ilovemylife]

Dear David Marshall Grant & Sherri Cooper,

It is a treat to hear from you. On so many levels this show blog idea offers us, the viewers, an added component to a really courageous and exciting television show. I have only visited one other show’s blog and it is nothing like this one. Their viewers’ postings are confined to polite, cool, even-handed words. It gets hot here. Must be the raw nerves that become irritated.

I hesitate to say this because I don’t know if I can choose a favorite episode, but if I were to pick one, including all the elements, I think “Something Ida Comes This Way” would be the one. But picking a favorite scene or two is even harder. My favorite actors are Matthew Rhys and Sally Field, but that regrettably leaves out all of the other SUPERB actors and actresses.

I would like to guess the scenes that Matthew took on that Calista was too sick to do. I don’t know if these scenes are considered separate: 1) where Kevin is the conductor of the Medieval fiasco in the Walker house, followed with 2) when Kevin opens the door to LA Mountie-type uniformed police security detail. Regardless, I loved, loved, loved Kevin in both of these scenes. Of course, most people probably are sick of me singing Matthew’s praises. He was simply brilliant in these scenes. In every thing else, he is only supremely extraordianary. : ) And the policeman, who had lines, was so good.

About the scene with Nora and Ida in the bedroom . . . I don’t know whose idea it was to have Ida place the handkerchief over her eyes while she said what she can’t bring herself to say to her daughter eye to eye - but that was another brilliant idea. I heard myself involuntarily go "O-O-ah-ahaa . . . " when this scene was going on.

The writing was stellar. BROTHERS and SISTERS gives me hope in our country’s people and humankind as a whole. Mr. Baitz, the writers, producers, directors, actors, actresses and all who are a part of this offering of creativity - deserve HUGE CREDIT to DARE TO step out and BE SO BRAVE WITH SUCH INTELLLIGENCE. I am grateful to be graced by this show. A simple “thank you” barely seems enough. But, “Thank You”.

[Dee]

Like everyone that visits this site, I am a fan of the show,the cast and writers for making it possible. Perhaps not as much as in other shows, but still none the less the music that has been selected for the show is amazing. Are there plans for a soundtrack, and if not is there any way that we could get a listing of the songs on the site . Thanks so much !

[Patricia]

I LOVE THIS SHOW, EVEN MY HUSBAND WATCHES IT! WE WERE GONE AND I MISSED IT, SO HAD TO WATCH IT ON ABC.COM. IT WAS GREAT ENTERTAINMENT! WE LAUGHED SO HARD.I LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY WEEK.FINALLY THERE IS SOMETHING DECENT TO WATCH ON TV THAT REMINDS OF THE DAYS OF DYNASTY, KNOTS LANDING AND FALCON CREST. IT'S IS LONG OVERDUE!!! KEEP UP THE GREAT WRITING, AND THE ACTRS ARE FANTASTIC!

[keith]

omg, i love this episode, prob on of the funniest of this season

[Janice from LA]

O.M.G. as if your WICKED and Jinky's references weren't hilarious enough (have I mentioned how much I love this show takes place in LA?!Cause I do!)...but then, THEN, you have closet drinkers, Aussies makin' porn, and Marion Ross as Joan Crawford, but the piece de resistance...? was Sally 'friggin' Field climbing a wall in the pantry set and then she and Ron Rifkin downin' mini-bar flasks of somethin' yummmy!

BRILLIANCE!!!

You have no idea how this show makes me smile!!!

[ilovemylife]

2nd scene?
Dear Sherri Cooper & David Marshall Grant,

Is the second Kevin-scene, originally planned for Calista?: In the kitchen - Nora and the wrapped-in-a-blanket Kevin. Starting with Nora: “How’s your sister?” Kevin: “She’s not moving. We all spent too much time in the closet. How do YOU feel?” And then, Kevin admits they all feel terrible about Nora’s childhood. Etc.

[MP]

Maxine said: "These are the some people who promised to not watch when Kevin and Scotty locked lips at the begining of the season, then promised to not watch last week when Kevin and Chad locked lips, and now they promise to not watch again this week after Kevin and Chad locked lips, not once but twice while in bed."

Funny, isn't it, Maxine? For people supposedly repulsed by "men-on-men loving" they keep coming back for more. I bet they volunteered for "watch gay kissing duty" in whatever group it is they belong to that sends them over here to protest (I don't believe that most of them are actual viewers).

It was fitting that David Marshall Grant co-wrote this episode so we could see the next generation of his famous morning after scene. The difference in reaction gives me hope that there has been progress even if we have a long way to go.

The show keeps getting better and better. What attracted me to it was the character of Kevin. Gay roles that are so well-written and well-acted are rare and wonderful to see. But even if I came for Kevin, it's the entire family that's keeping me here. It's made me realize how difficult it is to portray a family convincingly. I think ensemble casts who play coworkers or friends have an easier job than those trying to make us believe these are people who share a lifetime of history together. But somehow this show does it, and credit goes to both the terrific actors and the writers.

My favorite line of this episode was Ida's "Kevin's not gay. Justin maybe, but not Kevin."

[betty]

Loved this episode...it totally flowed and the writing was outstanding...equal to the family counseling episode.

[will]

Jim, I've kinda learned something from this whole blog experience. Homophobes will always be with us. (Fine. Whatever. I guess I can live with that.) But we give people WAY too much power (close-minded heterosexuals) to determine the course of OUR lives & what's in OUR best interest. We live in a free, democratic society last I checked & I'm part of it, exactly as I am... you too. I was born gay, no "choosing" orientations here, & I'll be DAMNED if I'm gonna let some (gay-unfriendly) joe schmoe dictate to me his vision of a happy society where we're all jammed firmly back in the closet. I'M FED UP & NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!....(or whatever that "Network" line was.) I can either scream at all the ignorant hatred "AAAAGGHHHHHH!" & fret like the girl sitting at home not taken to prom - or take a cooler pro-active approach. Yeah, that's it, cooler.
I'm gonna try to not let the "traditionalists" eat me up anymore. We'll change laws, we'll get our storylines told (thank you B&S) & our community has education & money... life will go on. I am woman, hear me roar. (No, that's someone else's liberation song) Hee hee hee. Defuse the haters. Can't let it get ya down. We're here, we're queer....& society has a lot to gain from our complete open integration into the culture.

[Stevenscollege]

Will (and everyone else),while America was being outraged by the sight of two men side by side in bed in`89, in Britain at the same time we had our 1st full on mouth to mouth gay kiss, it was on the most popular programme in Britain and went out at 7.30pm, which probably explains why there were questions raised in parliament about it but still. The big difference here is the BBC because we all HAVE to pay for it (if you own a TV and even if you dont watch any BBC programmes) everyones voice should be heard. "Queer as folk" was shown on network TV here on Channel 4 (which I believe has the British rights to B&S) at 10pm the same time B&S goes out in America and we`re not talking fleeting kisses here, can you imagine Will (and anyone who saw the British original) the reaction if ABC put the sort of scenes in "QasF" in ANY programme, it would be hilarious.and that was in 1999.

[CeCe]

MP said: "I bet they volunteered for "watch gay kissing duty""

*raises hand*

I think there are at least a few of us straight ladies here who would like to know where we can volunteer for this job! ;-D

Will...did you really just quote Helen Reddy? Hee!

[Michael]

This show is the greatest in a longtime, the Casting of Matthew & Claista was an excellent decision and they add more flavour to the show. Great to see that Sally Fields is back. Can't get enough of this show. After chaurch, tis is the most important thing on Sunday!!!!

[Sue]

All you gays are going on and on about how you are here to stay and the rest of us will just have to embrace and approve of your lifestyle! Well wouldn't you be upset if we asserted the same amount of force on you. You ARE HETEROSEXUAL Bashers!

All of the immorality shown on television is offensive, up to and including the gay agenda. Okay so you are in a democracy and you have a right to do what you want... yadayada... "homo sex is natural to humans (?)" ..."And the world won't collapse or burst into hell-fire either. Trust me, life will go on."...

I DON'T THINK SO!!! According to the Bible, Leviticus 20, "If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have commited an abomination; they shall surely be put to death.."

Now if you don't believe in the writings in the Bible, that's fine (though 85-90% of the popultion does). Anyway, I'm not a "homophobe"; I just choose to live my life in the way God intended!

Our job, as humans/Christians, is not to hate nor judge you...He will do that when the time comes. So don't bother attempting to defend your status to the posters on this board. You are truly wasting your time.

[Proud Christian]

Will...

ABC is in the business of broadcasting. Writing for a show on a Broadcast network is very different than writing for a niche channel. In order for a show to succeed, it must appeal to the broadest audience possible.

So countering your warm-hearted cries of judgmental "homo-phobes" with an equally judgmental "homo-press" only limits the show's ability to move the gay agenda forward.

[mark]

Sue, bless your heart...
I pray for you.

[Scott]

Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before Leviticus was invoked.

Thankfully, we live in a pluralistic society which is comprised of individuals of differing religions, nationalities, sexual orientation--and the list goes on. B&S is a truthful, progressive drama that reflects this human reality. It's that simple.

Oh, and please don't attempt to play the victim card by saying we are "heterosexual bashers". Calling for equality on the basis of sexuality is a call for respecting ALL types of sexuality, including heterosexuality. I'm sorry that you seem incapable of grasping this fact.