This Sunday: Episode 320 -- “Missing"

Written by Jason Wilborn & Nancy Won
Directed by Michael Schultz

Nora prepares for the Center's opening gala. Upon learning that Tommy has disappeared, the family pulls together to try to help clear him of the charges that he seems to be running from. Kitty questions Robert’s commitment to family, and finds a sympathetic ear in her new friend at the park. With Rebecca’s help, Ryan searches for evidence that William might have been involved in his mother’s death.

Between episodes 320 and 321, there will be about a month of repeats. Sorry! But when the new episodes air in April, get ready for this…

Ep321: S3X
Written by Cliff Olin & David Marshall Grant
Directed by Laura Innes
What will the return of Chad Barry (Jason Lewis) mean for Kevin and Scotty?

Ep322: “Julia”
Written by Molly Newman & Michael Foley
Directed by Michael Morris
How much is that pony in the window?

Ep323: “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
Written by Peter Calloway & Daniel Silk
Directed by Laura Innes
You say tomato, I say… fiasco?

Ep324: “Mexico”
Written by Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen
Directed by Ken Olin
Is it humanly possible for the Walker family to dine in silence?

Okay, enough teasing for now. Go, go off into the world, and mull about these cryptic questions.

xoxo

Cole  & Elysse

Comments

[MVLady]

Hi,
The comments are all good. I also would like Tom Skerritt back in the show, like Desperate Housewives' commentator.
Kitty should get involved with the guy in the park and Robert will be asked by his party not to run because of his health. Can he just be a lawyer somewhere and take the political time off?
I like Nora to get re involved with Roger; Rebecca and Justin belong together. Somehow the DNA got mixed up and she is a Walker afterall! That would really shake it up. Leave Holly alone but give her and Ken Olin more scenes. I love Kevin but only if he's straight. Not against gay anything but he's sexy with women also.
Keep Tommy in the cast but out of Ojai and again starting up a company. He and Julia need some drama again. You need to think up more creativity that's suspenseful. Watch KINGS on NBC to see how the writers keep you at the edge of your seat!

[Michelle]

Ugh. I'm so tired of Justin and Rebecca. Even after they break up, they still argue every week. It's the same thing with them time and time again.

[Alfred]

Let's not get our hopes up for episodes 21 to 24, as episode 20 was painful and disappointing as it was.

What happened to the writing and producing teams? Why did the story suck so much in season 3?

There are a few characters that I don't wish to see on the show, namely Ryan (such a bad idea to save Rebecca), Robert, Tommy and Rebecca (not worth saving). Please kill them.

Perhaps they should have started the show with only 3 siblings - Sarah, Kevin and Justin.

I did hold my reservation in criticizing B&S but now I just gotta let it all out - I am very very disappointed with season 3.

[Jane]

I love the way you deal with the Justin-Rebecca situation, and I hope that the suffering I have watching them split-up will worth the wait for their comeback

[Rachel]

A great episode. The last couple of episodes were a pleasure to watch. The Walkers are back on track!!!

When will ABC announce if there gonna be a next season? I can;t bear the tension...

I'm planning to watch all the episodes of the third season during this empty month and try to get a larger prespective for what we've been trough so far with the Walkers.
Im sure it will be fun!!

And did I mentioned how much I hate Ryan and loooove Justin and Rebbeca togather???

Didn't care for this episode at all. Like someone said earlier, a lot of the story felt like "filler."

Hate the whole contrived Kitty/Robert marriage crisis. Miss the old feisty Kitty so much. At least she would have stood up to an overbearing Robert and told him what for. She has now officially become a lifeless, depressing shell of what she used to be - kind of like Kevin and Scotty's relationship.

On the plus side (yes there is one), absolutely love the Kevin/Justin scenes. Matthew and Dave have such great chemistry together, and play off each other really well.

[Vin]

You rendered me speechless after I saw this episode. Not in a good way. I was dumbstruck by the ludicrous SLs and transformations of core characters into mere plot drivers and/or frivolous accessories.

So will Ryan be out for vengeance over his firm conclusion that William drove his mother to her death? Watching The Tiresome Two try and solve the 'Mystery of My Mama's Death' was an absolute time waster. As was watching Justin/Rebecca's endless love struggles.

Ironic that Ryan is shaping up to be a self-righteous villain, bestowing chaos upon the young lovers and undoubtedly out to cause more angst in the Walker family. Heck, are you sure he's not William and Holly's progeny? That would make the creepy crush he has for Rebecca surpass the grossness of the J/R union.

Faster than saying 'Holly needs another angle', Sarah is back at Ojai and the embezzlement charges against Tommy are dropped. If only real world situations like these could be resolved just as easily.

Kevin and Scotty looked like they didn't know each other. Are they still a couple 'cos I couldn't tell just by looking at them. Nary an acknowledgement of recognition passed between the two.

Was that because Kevin was too busy being miserable for the entire episode? It was a real disappointment to see him be a mere vehicle to express one emotional state throughout. What a waste of such a good actor.

So every Walker marriage needs to end up in disaster? I fear for Kevin & Scotty's now.

Maybe you should have kept 3.19 as your last episode before going on break.

[Ronda]

I love this show...it is the very best of TV for me!

[Alicia]

We've not been getting enough of Kevin and Scotty lately. Nothing important is happening with them.
Could you please give us more love scenes between them? They have been married for less than 1 year and it seems as if they have been together for 10 years.

[Julia]

Love this show, think Kevin and Scotty are better off, they are boring like hell. Kevin is much more interesting with other guys...

What a great season this is... those who keeps complaining all the time just whant to see Kevin and Scotty kiss in every episode, and when it's not happening, they keep crying and say that everything is wrong.
Well, it isn't. The plot is interesting, the characters are brilliant and the acting is amazing- Emmy stuff.
Keep up the good work hopfully next season as well

[Scott]

I don't need Kevin and Scotty to kiss every episode.

What I DO want is to see them actually have a storyline and, you know, *act* like a married couple.

The season started out promising for the couple. But they have been astoundingly neglected in the second half of the season. They are barely ever together, let alone featured.

Hell, *David and Holly* got more screentime than Kevin/Scotty in the last episode. That's so wrong they need to invent a new word for "wrong."

I get it. It's tough to find organic ways to give Holly screentime. But hey, you've already maneuvered Sarah back to Ojai to fix that "problem" (we all knew it was coming -- the only reason Holly's still around is because of plot machinations like the above).

Holly's personal life is wasted screentime. *Especially* when it comes at the expense of exploring the lives of characters we actually care about.

I can only hope Kevin/Scotty get their due next season and are given an actual, sustained story arc. It amazes me that the decision was to forego that in lieu of the petty, one-note melodrama that characterizes the Justin/Rebecca relationship.

One can only hope the final four episodes get back the show's mojo. Because currently, I'm finding the reasons to watch increasingly few.

[Sylviane]

The kid who became William's illigitimate son because someone found some random picture, thinks William is a murderer because he happened to have been in the same town as his mother the night prior to her maybe/maybe NOT suicide?

What? Are William Walker and Connie Lafferty the ONLY persons to have EVER spend at night in Reno? Poor town. They should do something to activate their tourist-industry... You know, build a casino or something.

I guess, if Ryan would find out that more people spent an over-night there, he'll think it's a conspiracy... So here's to hoping that he doesn't know how to use Google.

Oh, I'm sure it will be all be reasonably explained in one of the next episodes. In the meantime, thanks for the good laugh.

[will]

Scott: The powers at "Brothers and Sisters" have made a clear decision: Rebecca and Justin (or Rebecca and Ryan) are more important than Kevin and Scotty. Period.

The proof is right there in the pudding. Just look at the tv screen. What you see is what you get. What you see is what has been deliberated and discussed for many, many hours in writers meetings and storyboarding sessions. The minimalization of Kevin and Scotty is no "accident". If more of them were wanted, they'd be there together on the screen. It's planned. Just as keeping Holly front and center is planned.

The writers are telling us - in their not so oblique way - that Kevin and Scotty are not as important or viable or marketable or dramatic as Rebecca and... whatever Walker guy she happens to be dating at the time. The writers and higher-ups are wrong, of course; that's why the ratings keep slipping, gradually, surely, like clockwork, but this is all beside the point. What you see is the result and culminations of this current team's best efforts. And despite the writers telling us in blogs how "brilliant" and "awesome" they all are - they're a very insular, isolated lot - their best effort is simply not good enough. This particular group in charge at B&S has blown up the franchise, the public is handing down the ultimate verdict by way of Nielsen ratings.

[S.L.]

As Scott said above, I don't need to see K&S kissing in every episode. I wouldn't mind it, of course, but I live in the real world and know what's going to be "acceptable." I do want to see them occasionally talk to each other about their lives, something we saw earlier this season before Kevin became nothing more than Robert's lackey and Scotty completely disappeared. I also find it hypocritical that the show is more than willing to accept honors and praise for presenting a gay couple, but they refuse to have them alone on the screen together for more than a few minutes every 3 or 4 episodes (if that!).

I complain about the lack of Kevin and Scotty because they're my favorite characters and at this point they're the only reasons I'm still watching the show. But my problems with this season go much deeper than not being able to see the gay couple kiss. I feel that the pacing is all off, stories are introduced and dropped randomly, and characters are behaving unbelievably for the sake of forced stories. Disproportionate focus is given to characters who, if you look around these message boards and other sites, are disliked by a large number of fans, while other characters are ignored. I would love to see more of Sarah (a newly single mom trying to figure out her career and family!) or Saul (an older man starting his life over and all the problems that could go along with that!) or Nora (a woman pursuing something for the first time for herself rather than an overpowering, oversexed man like her husband or, ahem, Roger!) Furthermore, not everything has to be about romance - Justin trying to figure out his future education and career or even really serving as a sponsor to a fellow addict (instead of yet another possible cheating storyline) is, to me, much more interesting than his problems with Whiny Rebecca.

For the first two seasons, I told everyone I knew they had to watch this show. At its best, the show has amazing acting and writing. There are so many interesting stories that could be told. When I complain, I don't mean to personally insult the writers or even anyone who disagrees with me. It's just the only way I know to provide feedback. And hopefully, if enough people object to certain things, the writers will listen and try to fix things that are bothering their viewers. Otherwise, I don't know if I'll be back next season. Maybe one person doesn't mean that much overall in the ratings, but I'm clearly not the only person feeling this way either.

[will]

Oh. One more.

This current team of B&S decision makers needs an intervention... or hostile takeover...

You guys are squandering away the capital of the show built from Season One, moving far away from Robbie Baitz's original conception. You've now constructed a show that fewer people wish to view. You are mortgaging the show's future with irrational plots, gimmicky relationships and mediocre scripts.

Good luck with that.

[will]

S.L. writes:
"When I complain, I don't mean to personally insult the writers or even anyone who disagrees with me."

--------------------

I, on the other hand, wish to personally insult the writers. Something that forcibly breaks through the invisible fourth wall.

Hit you upside the head. Knock some sense into you (as grandma used to say).

[Alice]

will I suggest you watch the season again from the start and see how much what you said isn't true.
In each episode the focuse in on a different charecter

Kevin and Scotty got their focuse in episodes 2, 5, 8, 11 and 19
Kitty and Robert - in episodes 2, 6, 12, 16-17
Justin in 3, 7, 11, 14, 19
Sarah in 6, 9, 12, 13
Rebecca in 15

and i can go on and on... the bottom line is that nobody is neglected. Each charecter get a decent place in the plot. I love them all - including Kevin and Scotty, but as a part of the whole picture.
If you want to see just Kevin and Scotty so maybe they should have their own show.. after 2 episodes you will get board.

[Sylviane]

***... those who keeps complaining all the time just want to see Kevin and Scotty kiss in every episode, and when it's not happening, they keep crying ***

Honestly, I think the writers would get worried when we STOP complaining, because it would mean we've given up/stopped caring.

***When I complain, I don't mean to personally insult the writers or even anyone who disagrees with me. It's just the only way I know to provide feedback. ***

I agree, I am well aware that the writers have a difficult task. It is IMPOSSIBLE to please everybody. Especially with this great groupe of wonderful actors and actresses that this series has. And each actor/actress comes with their own fans who all want to see THEIR favorite.

But the story-lines lately are just going in all directions and nothing makes sense. The characters are out of character and the story-lines don't make sense.

I can only hope that somehow/someway it will start to make sense by the end of the season and that somewhere I'll get the lightbulb moment of "So THAT's what it's been all about!" but, for now, I feel completely disconnected.

For now, all I can see is that the Walkers are turned into a bunch of losers.

Nora finally gets her centre but has it run by someone else, so she can get all frantic about her kids (again!)

Saul, No real story-line whatsoever.

Sarah is back at Ojai. For what? She cannot work WITH Holly. She cannot win anything, because Holly always HAS to win, otherwise she no longer serves a purpose, so Sarah will be the loser, no matter what.

Kitty used to be this Republican who would "fight for a living", was dating a hot Senator, with who she had a sizzling relationship, until she just HAD to become a mom, come hell or high water, whined about it for 25 episode and now has her little toy and a marriage that is sinking faster then the Titanic.

Tommy, loser and a coward for running away from his responsabilities and walking away from his wife and kid.

Kevin, went from succesful lawyer to spineless doormat for Robert.He wanted to make a difference but has accomplished NOTHING in the time that he worked for a quarter of his former salary, for the wrong party, in a job he's not suited for and for a man who hasn't showed an ounce of respect. No wonder he's depressed.

Justin, his most meaningful story line this season: "How many different variations of "I'm sorry, Rebecca." can I come with? Oh, right, he met a soldier who's life he saved, but then Rebecca had to interfere. And he left his mom's place (3 minutes of air-time). And he PLANS to MAYBE become a doctor, but for the moment he crashes at Sarah's, has no work and we haven't seen him do much studying either.

And I hate that, because I really like the Walkers, I would like to see things go RIGHT for them every
once in a while.

I know, you can't make a series about a happy family, not enough drama, but give them a break every now and then. Let the Walkers win occasionally.

[BC]

Lemme guess, you've hired soap writers to scrounge up such drivel. Are they cheaper? Where are the quality storylines like we had in Season 1?

Give us balanced, realistic drama, and not a ridiculous soapfest!

[will]

Sylviane writes: "I know, you can't make a series about a happy family, not enough drama, but give them a break every now and then. Let the Walkers win occasionally."

--------------------

No, just let the family BE THEMSELVES for a few episodes. Let them joke and bullsh*t and get into comical dialogues. (Terrence McNally does it! John Guare does it! Christopher Durang does it! Wendy Wasserstein did it! Woody Allen continues to do it!) When the writing is good, we have no need for little Justin-Rebecca filler moments or trumped up plots that go nowhere and die within the episode. I'd rather see Kitty and Kevin go to lunch and wittily b!tch and gossip about current events and family life and nothing at all. Just breezy, polished repartee.

By the way, you writers really insulted us with Sarah and Holly and Ojai this week by building up a large contrived plot, then trashing it and resolving the issue WITH 2 LINES OF CHEAP, PHONY DIALOGUE (talk about deus ex machina).

Now, whenever Ryan talks about William Walker, my eyes just glaze over. It's beyond plausible. There is only so much suspension of disbelief you can take before laughing at (not with) these plot contrivances.

[Lee]

Alice wrote:

"Kevin and Scotty got their focuse in episodes 2, 5, 8, 11 and 19"

Scotty was not even in Episode 302. The only episodes this season that had a decent amount of Kevin/Scotty story in them were 303, 305, and 308.

311 was mostly Kevin dealing with his surgery recovery and Tommy/Elizabeth...while Scotty sparred with Nora.

319? One scene under two minutes is the focus of the episode? As you said, Alice, watch it again. This episode is about Tommy and Kitty/Robert/Ryan.

I haven't really enjoyed this season much at all. My kids (who encouraged me to watch when the series started) stopped watching after episode 302. Allowance was made during the second season for the writer's strike.

I don't know what has gone wrong this season, but it's not the acting. It's the stories that are/aren't being told. Dave and Emily have lost whatever chemistry they supposedly once had. Ryan was an unnecessary contrivance to replace the "R" in William's password (I beg you, don't do this again). Now Ryan is on a lunatic bender that William caused Connie to kill herself? Really? Seriously?! And what happened to all that potentially wonderful conflict that was set up in 301? It never played out and in retrospect it turns out to be a really irritating episode with a family of characters I didn't recognize, and more importantly, disliked for the first time.

Maybe you all need a nice rest to recharge your creative batteries and perhaps return to what made the show great in the first season: Intense interpersonal conflict and family drama - not daytime soap contrivance. That doesn't mean you have to break up every happy couple on the show - people can/do have conflicts, survive them, and grow closer because of them. Again, I refer you to season one.

Please come back with the wonderful family drama that we all fell in love with in the beginning.

And yes, I will make my standard plea for Kevin and Scotty to have solid story arcs - there is so much material you haven't touched yet that is common to any newly "married" couple. Gay couples have the same kinds of problems that straight people do.

I realize that 3.21 will have Kevin meeting up with Chad again. I do hope David and Cliff were on the top of their game with this episode. The title/premise has potential to reinforce some very unsavory stereotypes.

Rest, relax, rethink, regroup to all the producers and writers. Please come back with something akin to the quality of season one for season four. For all of our sakes.

[teri p]

I do not get the Kitty/Robert storyline. Kitty was a political junkie all her life, and she suddenly turns into ms. mom??? And she suddenly hates the fact that her husband is into politics??? Come on, writers, that is who she is, and that is who she married. I hate that she is going down this mommy road! And the fact that she has done this complete 180 is as unbelievable to me, as it obviously is to Robert.

[Billy]

I love this show and this season is great. Full of Drama and interesting developments for all the characters.
The group we hear a lot around this blog of will, S.L and Sylviane are beginning to sound like a broken record.
The viewers I know (and there are many of them) enjoy every episode and look forward to the next one. It's like watching a very long movie, and it's so much fun. The acting - great. You have to understand that the Walkers can't be all perfect, and that season 1 is over, we need to step forward, understand that they are changing, developing.
Beside, you can say what you want but every family gathering of the Walkers is a pleasure, the way it had been in seasons 1-2 and now on season 3.

[Ana]

I totally agree with S.L. and Sylviane.
BTW, sorry for keep complaining and crying. We are expecting too much from an american-tv series, a gay couple together on the screen! How could we dare?