This Sunday: Episode 304 – “Everything Must Go”

Written by Nancy Won & Michael Foley
Directed by Michael Schultz

Nora, making room for the next chapter of her life, decides to have a family garage sale. Kitty, hoping to publish her book, works hard to find Robert a qualified replacement. Rebecca, still working for the temp agency, finds herself taken aback by her latest assignment. Meanwhile, Tommy, fresh off the shakeup at Ojai, finds he’s getting the cold shoulder from Sarah, Kevin, and Saul.

What emotions can we expect to see in the Walker’s garage sale?
Producer Michael Foley hints, “Nora will seem overeager to purge herself of all things William Walker.  On the other hand, the rest of the family will be less willing to let go.”

In honor of the garage sale, can you guess which Walker sibling owns each of the following items???

1) Football Trophies
2) Break-Dancing Pants
3) Kneepads, which were used as “breasts” all through middle school

Tune in Sunday to see if you were right!

From Stage 6,
Cole Fowler

Comments

[David]

1) Football Trophies have to belong to Tommy
2) Break-Dancing Pants are probably Kevin's
3) Kneepad, used as "breasts" all through middle school...definitely Kitty.

I will tune in to see if I'm right!

[will]

Some people have commented on my nerve and my rudeness.

Let me get grateful here and count the great reasons I still tune in to "Brothers and Sisters":

MATTHEW RHYS
Matthew ia a larger than life actor. His talents can seem to jump out at you and bust beyond the tiny confines of the scripts he's given to play. His face can be overly-expressive too, almost rubbery, like early Jim Carrey. Yet he never seems to be "too much". He's just right. He OWNS the space he acts in. It's beautiful chutzpah. He's brazen and cheeky and insolent and the very definition of grace combined.

CALISTA FLOCKHART
Calista, oddly enough, fills the screen. I'm getting authentic vibes from her in those geeky glasses she wears; she's inhabiting this character. She's much less schtick and much more substance lately. The facial tics and sudden extraneous mannerisms are still there, just controlled. They're working for her instead of against her (that word "authentic" is her salvation. She doesn't seem to be battling, playing something she's not. It makes her beautiful).

RON RIFKIN, BALTHAZAR GETTY
Ron is a real charmer. It takes time to warm to him. He's older, he's subtler than the others. Like Balty, action needs to slow down to accomodate this guy. Ron doesn't come to the AUDIENCE, so to speak (like Matthew does), the audience slowly warms up, comes to him. It's kind of like slowly discovering an unexpected beauty in the poetry. Ron and Balty are not busy, showy personalities. They tend not to peacock or hype up their characters to draw your attention. They also tend to get lost in the shuffle of the large family melees. Ron or Balty don't fare particularly well, say, in the large Walker kitchen scenes where Matthew's chewing the scenery - in that brazen, muggy way that only makes you love him more - and Calista's grimacing and rolling her eyes and Dave's looking attractive and Sally has her own funky magic to vie for your attention. But I've come to trust and respect their talents, though it's taken months. That scene with Matthew and Balty talking quietly, secludedly in "Glass Houses" was a real winner. The action slowed, we got a chance to enter HIS, Balty's, rhythms and beats. He's unusual in that he's so darned introspective. But there's a whole other world brewing in him that's not much been tapped.

[Trinity Yanson]

wow,will! you have described matthew rhys beautifully and most accurately. you put into words what i thought him to be as an actor.thanks.i'll look forward to all your comments...

[Ziggy]

I agree with David, except I bet the break-dancing pants belonged to Rachel! She's got a lot of spunk! And I wouldn't be totally shocked if the football trophies belonged to Kevin or Justin, although I would guess that Kevin swam and Justin ran track. They could have their own Olympic team! From the United States of Walker!

[Charlie]

1.) Football Trophies - I'm gonna have to say Justin.
2.) Break dancing pants - Im going for Kevin.
3.) Kneepads? HA - Im going to say Sarah. She looks like a late bloomer. (nothing personal Rachel!)

I will continue to be a passionate obsessor of this show. Keep it up!

[Sylviane]

Thanks for this, Cole. I am curious how things will happen.

***Tommy, fresh off the shakeup at Ojai, finds he’s getting the cold shoulder from Sarah, Kevin, and Saul***
I hope he's not TOO suprised by that. He drew his line in the sand with Kevin, made Saul feel obsolete and Sarah 'no longer at home'. So there's no reason for him to be all insulted.

As for the
1) Football Trophies - Kevin - Overcompensating.

2) Break-Dancing Pants -
Please let it be Tommy, I hope that there was a time where he actually had FUN!

3) Kneepads, which were used as “breasts” all through middle school - Kitty

[Mary]

Did Rob Lowe really refer to Lanesboro,MN and a Shoe Shine Museum?

[Roxy]

Just wondering what the name of the song is that is playing as Sarah and Tommy are talking about the time capsule???

[ann]

What that a Cat Stevens song in the end? Does someone have the title of the song.
Thanks

[anne]

at the end of the program a singer was singing in the background. What was the song? and who was singing it - it was quietly playing as the show ended

[Gingee17]

Okay i've gotta know! after each episode there has been beautiful music playing as the credits scroll by. Who composed it and how can i get it! Are sound tracks available from previous seasons?

[will]

"Everything Must Go" (1)

Holly: (to Rebecca) You HAVE the two million dollars I gave you!"....I stare at the tv dumbly. This line is pure cheese (Self-righteous Lana Turner should be saying it). Oh, right, Rebecca, in an act of conscience, refused to accept that money! My mind wanders all over the place when Holly and Rebecca talk. The storyline is so tinny and arch the audience doesn't really care one way or the other if she took the money or not.

Calista's growing on me. What happened? I've been unhappy with her forced charm and canned quirkiness in the past. Now there's something authentic going on. Don't get me wrong! I love quirks and actresses with a predisposition for dramatic excess (I love Katherine Hepburn, especially in the 1930's and '40's. And I dearly love Diane Keaton). But what I felt was hyped-up and canned in the past - in essence, eccentricity tacked onto the character - is starting to feel innate with Kitty now (unfortunately Calista's hair keeps shifting slightly from shot to shot with Rob. Continuity thing).

[Sylviane]

Wow! A very good episode! There were several things I liked.

Kevin/Robert, always good for some enjoyable moments. The rumor that Robert would offer Kevin a job had me worried. Robert's halo of perfection nearly destroyed Kitty's character and I feared what it would do to MY favorite character, Kevin. But you guys dug up the differences between Kevin and Robert, which was good, but at the same time you made Robert more human by letting him be insecure and worried about his relationship with Kitty, which was refreshing as well.

Needless to say, but Sally was great as always. She can just as easily make me cry as she can me laugh. Her falling apart in the empty room was expected, but realistic.

Kitty/Kevin was nice. I personally liked how Kevin talked about what he would do if he found out that Scotty was cheating on him, because if felt as if he is REALLY into being faithful to Scotty and hopes that Scotty will do so too.

I felt sorry for Tommy in this episode. He is CONVINCED that he's doing the right thing, that he's saving Ojai, that he is who is needed and I felt like he was genuinely hurt when his family gave him the cold shoulder.

But could someone please point out to everyone that it was SAUL who screwed up and not Sarah. I'm getting a bit tired of Sarah getting on the blame and Saul NOT having to take any responsability whatsoever.

And I appreciated that Holly admitted that she had to 'earn' Rebecca's trust back.

I do hope that we will soon get something that will make Ryan interesting, because so far I still couldn't care less. As curious as I was about Rebecca, as disinterested I am now in Ryan.

[will]

(2)

"You're pathetic Tommy. You're just Holly's little b!tch"....another terrible line. I was digging Balty here though. He's boyish and has this weird, soft vulnerability that's always restless and unrooted just below the surface. I used to think that Kevin was the loner brother (deep down), but it's Tommy. I don't think it's written into the script exactly, but it's baggage the actor seems to bring to the role (loss, melancholy, a tentativeness). Balty is bringing a beautiful muted discontent to his character.

I noticed that Balty has a sort of Tom Brokaw-like delicate lisp thing going on (very endearing). Yeah, I'm cottoning to Balty big-time now for whatever reason. Was I missing something before?

Kevin (to Kitty, at yard sale, in front of strangers): "You pumped him up, now it's time for him to pump you!" I laughed with this: Nice line. Kitty's wearing a kind of faux Annie Hall compendium of assorted mismatched clothing items. Or at least I wish it were a bit more Annie Hall - because she's a cute funky chick (I hope I'm not subconsciously trying to turn her into Diane Keaton!). Matthew is doing that Matthew thing where he overdoes the sarcasm VERY SUBTLY in that overripe way of his - and his face gets rubbery and hyper-expressive and for a second he just oozes distain and backhanded meanings - and he's so freaking watchable. I get this way with Laurence Olivier and Ralph Fiennes. It's manic how he rivets attention.

[will]

(3)

I wish every once in a while there were more compelling story and first-rate dialogue to really challenge this great cast. We do seem to go from fluff to fluff.

When Nora and Justin get all this junk out of the garage (stuff that's - what? 20, 30 years old?) it's all so clean and unmusty in fresh boxes when the garage door goes up. My junk is never like this. The monkey didn't need dusting.

The scene with Matthew-Rob-Calista - where Robert offers Kevin a job - worked quixotically (it seemed rashly impulsive, the scene suddenly developed a wild rhythm), Unexpectedly fresh, nicely timed comedy; the direction was sure and fluid. The music heightened - finally working WITH - the images. I actually will re-watch this later, I don't trust my first impressions. This series lacks a truly distinctive auteur's style - if anything, it suffers from too many chefs - and so it's strangely jarring when a scene strikes an authentic original comic tone.

Ok. I'm in love with Balty (Sarah and Tommy scene near the end). The more I see, the more I warm up and get him. Balty has an appealing, understated, almost throwaway, mellow, half-garbled very California delivery that just loosens this damned WASPY half-jewish family drama up, and adds another distinct sound to the mix (if the scene is slowed down to meet his rhythms, he can bring the moment alive). BRAVO, Balty! Your night. No false notes! (even in the dreadfully written scene where Sarah calls Tommy "Holly's little b!tch).

Lots of casual loose clothing tonight. I like. The clothing didn't seem to have that never-been-worn-before starchy just off the rack feel. Matthew and Rob, outdoors, looked like they dressed in casual t's and sweatshirts from their own closets... the clothing felt lived in. I just wish more singular dialogue could be made that felt equally lived in.

Lived-in. Particular. Peculiar.

It would benefit this show if it thought in terms of moving from the general to the particular & peculiar in ALL areas of production.

[Lorna]

My tape cut off just as Rebecca was looking into the file about Ryan at the end. Can someone tell me what happened after that? Thanks!

[Trinity Yanson]

i can't really understand what regular means on this show,cause now that luke macfarlane is one,i hardly see him. kevin/scotty are the main reason i tune in to this show every sunday and they don't get enough screen time. enough with justin/rebecca scenes,pls.and more of kevin/scotty.

[nicol becky]

a kevin-robert scene is guaranteed to be interesting.i wonder how a kevin-ryan scene will play out....ok,i'm always rushing things,but i'm really excited abt ths ryan storyline

[will]

Hey, just wanted to give you writers a wholehearted thumbs up (I'm typing with a major headache right now - and drinking caffeine to counter the headache - so I hope I can collect my thoughts).

I re-watched the Matthew-Rob-Calista scene again in "Everything Must Go" where Robert offers Kevin a job. The chemistry between the the three is beautiful, particularly between Rob and Matthew who riff and spar off each other in a way that...portends?... seems an omen for great things to come. Rob put a slight spin on the line "but, Kevin, you're a corporate lawyer"... Rob has a great natural casual instinct for comedy while playing it perfectly straight and Matthew, of course, has his own whole oddball eccentric comedy stylings working full-throttle, his unabashed way of hamming it up while staying perfectly, appropriately in character.

Funny - Even in dramatic scenes, Matthew is somehow predisposed to stealing scenes. It's in the little things. In the semi-serious scene between Kevin and Tommy talking outdoors in "Glass Houses", it's Tommy's scene. Tommy's dilemma. Yet in reaction shots, Matthew squinches his eyes, clenches his teeth, at one point he rolls and flicks his tongue. He's a 100% ham actor through and through and I love this guy dearly (and I don't mean for a second to imply he's a ham actor in any ordinary cheesy way; he's always THERE, always present as a character; always skilled; in the end, you remember him as nothing but graceful).

At any rate, the conservative character Alex Keaton in "Family Ties" was a great match for his hippie parents; Megan Mullally as Karen from "Will and Grace" always had a great chemisty in the work scenes with Debra Messing's Grace. Some characters just FIT together despite (because of?) ethical and moral differences... AND....this is a long-winded way of saying that I think Robert and Kevin (as characters) and Rob and Matthew (as actors) have a special chemistry, a fabulous elan, to provide that buzz that can make their scenes snap, crackle and pop.

And, again, kudos to the director of this episode and that scene. Done with unusual flair.

[no will]

please no robert Kevin.......
and holidays for Tommy

[Bonnie]

Yes, Rob referred to Lanesboro, MN. It is a great place to live and where I reside. I am trying to figure out the connection. Which one of the writers has been to the
'Boro? Or one of the actors?

[Vin]

As much as Robert's job offer of Communications Director to Kevin is highly unrealistic (hey, a little more plausibility goes a long way), I thoroughly enjoyed the way they play off each other and the antagonism between them just sizzles. Kevin lifts Robert's game whenever he snipes at him. They have an undeniable chemistry. I hate to admit it but Robert is actually interesting whenever he's interacting with Kevin.

Though lets face it, there's no one that Matthew Rhys doesn't connect with on most levels. Any scene with him in it is a joy to watch. There's just something wonderful about Matthew Rhys...If not for him, I'd have stopped watching a long time ago.

This episode was good but there were just way too many Holly scenes for my liking. Keep her manipulative ways subtle and her scenes to a minimum otherwise she'd start to grate on the nerves.

[jill]

name and singer of song when Sarah and Tommy were filling time capsule to bury

[Erin]

Please, please...as previous posters have asked...can anyone tell us about the song playing towards the end of the episode (during the time capsule scene)? I meant to copy down the lyrics and search for it and then accidentally deleted the episode from my DVR. Help! Thanks!

[ann]

the song sung during the capsule was Could We Survive - by Joseph Arthur