This Sunday: Episode 318 – “Taking Sides”

Written by Michael Foley & Beth Schwartz
Directed by Michael Morris

The effects of Tommy’s embezzlement charges ripple through the Walker family.  But meanwhile, an unknowing Nora plans a dinner for Ryan to meet his half-siblings. Robert comes home from the hospital and must learn to accept the limitations of his recovery.  Despite attempts to stay neutral, Justin and Rebecca find themselves caught in the middle of a family feud.

- - - - - - - - - -

Our Two Hour Special aired Sunday night and got the best ratings since the season premiere.  It’s airing again on Saturday for those of you that missed it.  These days most of us TiVo it or watch online.  But then again, there’s people like my mom who wouldn’t know how to stream an episode if her life depended on it.  Hear that Mom?  Tune in this Saturday at 9/8c.  I know you missed the first 15 minutes.

We’re all very happy with how the Two Hour turned out.  We even had a viewing party for the writing staff, cast, and crew to celebrate everyone’s hard work.  Hopefully, you guys are as excited as we are for the stories we have coming down the pipeline.

In other news. today was the writing staff’s last day of work.  We have finished the script for our finale, written by our showrunners Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen (who also happen to be my amazing bosses).  The finale is currently shooting on location.

The writers may be packing up for the season, but many of the assistants will still be around.  Many blog postings ahead.

Until next time,
Cole

Comments

[Josh]

there's a charity fundraiser in los angeles happening next week where all attendees enter a drawing to win walk-on part on brothers and sister. pretty cool. it's for planned parenthood and it's called food fare:
http://la.events.org/cpage.aspx?e=18951

[sam]

Well, I have seen the sneak peek videos on YouTube. All I can see is everyone grudging about Tommy, That's all. I am expecting more this time for this sunday episode. Although maybe Ryan can add some diversion, let just hope.
Sam 19 yrs,
New Delhi, India

[Julia]

The Season Finalle is written???
I'm sure it'll be amazing!!! Cant wait for taking sides!!!!

[will]

"Brothers and Sisters" is shot in Burbank and set in Pasadena -- and is gay-friendly in front of and behind the camera & has the highest profile gay relationship on network TV -- so I don't think it's totally inappropriate of me to post a few thoughts about yesterday's CA Supreme Court consideration of the validity of Proposition 8, which re-amends our state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

California's Supreme Court is made up of six Republicans and one Democrat. Last May, in a 4-3 decision, they declared that denying marriage based on sexual orientation was against the California State Constitution.

Here's part of that ruling:

"Our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation - like a person's race or gender - does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights. We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples."

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

"a fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship" (regardless of sexual orientation).

So, if the justices vote to uphold the people's-choice ban on gay marriage (Prop 8), isn't denying gay marriage still unconstitutional? They said, unequivocally, it WAS last May.

So how can you have, on the one hand, a people-imposed (by a slim 52% majority) ban on gay marriage.... and, on the other hand, have a still fresh judicial ruling that says denying gays the right to marry goes against the state constitution - that gays have "a fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship"? The people and the Court are at odds.

The majority of justices will have to vote against their own majority opinion if they uphold Prop 8.

[Rachel]

Hope we would have a great seaso finale. I also hope you won't split Justin and Rebbeca after all they have been through during this wonderful season. It won't be right to do this...

[The Chief]

I am HOT! I want Holly out! I hope they finally get her one day! I know the Walkers will survive or they'll won't be a show, but Holly is crawling up my skin like a terrible, seemingly incurable disease. I guess that means the lady that plays her is a good actress.........or is it the writers that are just good at drama!

[kim]

it's time for the "Holly-Now-CEO-of_Ojai-Foods-To-Get-Back-At-the-Walkers-Storyline" to take a permanent vacation. it is not a believable story that a mistress now runs the company owned by the man she was screwing around with. Get real...love the show except for "Holly-character". Would like to see it take a different twist.

[S.L.]

Just finished the episode and I'm torn on it. I actually loved the stuff with Tommy: Holly's arguments which I agreed AND disagreed with simultaneously, Nora's reaction, her fight with Saul, Tommy's delusional justifications, Julia kicking him out, the family interactions. Probably my favorite scenes in the episode were the Saul & Nora scene and the Saul & Scotty scene.

Cons? If I'm supposed to feel bad for Robert, I don't. I don't care if he is depressed or scared. His attitude, especially in front of his children, was unconscionable. Also, I could not care less about poor Rebecca's hurt feelings. What's going on with Tommy is NOT about her. I really hope she and Ryan hit it off fantastically and they run off back to Berkeley together, so we never have to see either of them again.

And the biggest con of all: not enough Scotty. Not NEARLY enough Scotty.

[katia]

I missed tonights (3/8/09) "Taking Sides" episode (still having trouble setting the VCR!) and needless to say, I can't watch online due to very slow dial up so I need desperatley to know where I can read a blow by blow detailed of what happened tonight! Please! Anyone?

[Kat]

I agree it won't be right to split Justin and Rebecca--try to focus writing staff. Tonight's episode was sooo over the top. I have loved this show and last week's high drama was pretty extreme--albeit believable. But tonight was worse than the Y&R (and I think that's the worst TV series writing I ever had the misfortune to surf upon, once was enough). For a group of presumably liberal, tolerant, democrats, the Walker's are the most inflexible, no-compromise, pessimistic family I've ever seen. They leap to immediate conclusions, have no boundaries at all, and no one can ever control themselves. Finally, could someone please, please, please dress the Senator's wife appropriately? She's not 12! Get rid of the hand-mit overlong sleeves. This woman actually worked in his office? Really? This season is dropping fast in my estimation. Let's regroup and bring a bit of maturity in shall we? Constant reckless, infantile crisis is not my idea of superb programming. I'd rather watch reruns of West Wing--now there was superlative writing. Sorry, but I'm feeling pretty let down tonight.

[Li]

Can you please get rid of Holley? The way she speaks is horrible, so broken up and uncomfortable. I know she's married to someone who makes these decisions, so maybe he can break it to her easier than someone else. It's time for her to be gone.

[robin]

I truly loved 30something and Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig but must admit that I don't like them much on B&S. I wasn't always a fan of the show but started watching it about a year and a half ago. After seeing Ken's name as a producer, I knew then it would only be a matter of time before he and Patricia appeared.

[Wendy]

The show has gotten a lot darker lately. It's almost depressing. I hope it lightens up a bit. I'm not getting the whole Rebecca/Ryan thing. Too wierd.

[Michelle]

I actually like Rebecca and Ryan. I think they have good chemistry. Just my opinion. :) Besides, Justin and Rebecca were getting boring. All they ever do is fight in like every episode. And it'll create some juicy drama between Ryan and Justin, who already don't seem to get along.

Great episode, guys!

[Jane]

I'm soooo dissapointed with what you did in the last episode. You ruined an entire season!!! You spent the whole season in making us getting used to the fact that Justin and Rebbeca are good for each other, and just when I understood that and attached to their storyline - you bring Ryan to split them?!!? That doesn't make any sence at all! I really hope this isn't over and that you plan some kind of comeback between them by the end of this season. Otherwise - I won't stay for the next one...

[annoyed with holly]

get rid of her!!!!!

[bob]

there's going to be a season 4 right?

[S.L.]

I just wanted to expand on my earlier comment about the Saul and Nora scene. I love the hinted-at years worth of tension and resentment in addition to the friendship and support. It's easy to forget sometimes that they are part of the "Brothers and Sisters", too. I've always suspected that Saul was in love with William which was why he turned a blind eye or even helped him in so many of his unethical behaviors.

Of course that makes the Saul-William-Nora/Kevin-Robert-Kitty parallels even more nauseating to think about, so I try not to give that suspicion too much consideration.

And continuing my OTHER comment about Scotty - if you're not actually going to use LM, could you drop him back down to recurring guest? We saw him more then. Plus he might be able to do other TV or movie projects then, and I'd actually be able to see him. Thanks.

[Sylviane]

I actually liked this episode on first view.

Good points:
- NO Kevin/Robert!!!!
- Kevin back acting like lawyer. Hot!
- Scotty was there. Not enough, but just enough to put a smile on my face.
- Justin and Rebecca finally had a GOOD reason to fight, instead of some contrived dramatic thingy so Justin would have to apologize and Rebecca would benevolently agree that HE was wrong ALWAYS and they could make up again in a random position.
- Tommy, thank God, remained a jerk. I feared for one moment, that he would get all teary-eyed and apologetic, but no! He still believes he was right and that everyone else is wrong.
- And, YES, Robert remained a jerk as well.
- Sarah talked to Holly, pleaded Tommy's case, but didn't BEG. Good, because Holly doesn't deserve that.
- Nora slapping Tommy had me go "YESSS!!!" in front of my little screen.
- Nora/Saul at the end was great. Harsh, but good.

[Jessica]

Can someone tell me how it would be okay if you did not like Rebecca with Justin that her dating another WAALKER ins't equally as bad? ICK. I am finally letting Justin/Rebecca start to work for me, and to have her move to yet ANOTHER Walker makes Rebecca pretty unlikable. I'm not invested in Ryan, but I do love Justin so to not only date another Walker is insane, but to also hurt another character I like just makes me dislike Rebecca. WHAT ARE THE WRITERS THINKING? Seriously? It's a horrible idea. You put Justin/Rebecca together but never gave them a chance after you took that stand and now you throw her together with ANOTHER family member? Ugh. It's just plain horrible period.

[Natalie]

Rebbeca with another Walker? How is that right? I have to know at the writers meeting if you actually thought this was a good idea. I guesss the only people to date in Rebecca's world are Walkers and that hurting Justin is not a big deal to the wirters. I really like Justin, so it's a huge deal to me. Don't do this please.

[Kevin]

I love the show, However why is it that in every episode someone is fighting with someone, there is alway drama in that family. I grew up in a dysfunctional family, but there was piece and quite sometimes, with the walkers there is always some kind of tension. Also PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of Holly, I hate her, the only reason she has stock in Ojai is because William left her that land in the desert because he THOUHGT Rebecca was his daughter. Nora should sue Holly for fraud.

[Ro]

You're losing me. I'm sure it's the writing. Last week "Troubled Waters" was predictable and over dramatic (hospital, etc). This week "Taking Sides" didn't grab me at all. Fantastic actors. What happened to the clever subtleties?

[Kevin]

I am glad Im not the only viewer who is sick of the Holly character taking the show. When will the writers give the Walkers their glory and get their company back? Maybe the new found Walker can get the company back for them or something. But Im over the Holly always winning.

[Missy]

Great episode..BUT
What does Ryan have going for him?I don't trust him, he has hidden agenda.he's wierd! AND, PLEASE DO NOT
Let him and smart Rebecca
get involved! Holly was my star last night, she's strong, tells the truth and doesn't let anyone push her around! BUT I hope she doesn't end up owning Ojai..something has gotta give? My favorite line last nite was when Ryan meets Rebecca at Ojai
He says it's "take your illegitimate son to work week" and she replied in kind.."I did that last year" or to that effect..that was funny!