Be Kind, Rewind

[ This review covers Season Four, Episode Nine of Brothers & Sisters, entitled Pregnant Pause, which airs on Sunday, November 29, 2009 ]

image credit / ABC

Rewind. That’s what the Walkers need to do. Rewind all the way back to the beginning of this season and just start all over. Something about this season of Brothers & Sisters is just totally lacking for me; I’m not enjoying it near as much as I was last season and a lot of the characters are actually starting to annoy me rather than entertain me – not a good a thing, especially when Holly’s supposed to be the only annoying one. Thankfully, however, this Sunday’s episode of Brothers & Sisters, “Pregnant Pause,” is not one of these episodes, making it a welcome addition to the world of the Walkers.

Right off the bat, it is obvious that this episode is going to be better than most of the others we’ve seen so far this season: there’s humor, and lots of it, especially in the first act. So much of this season has been drama-heavy, but this episode throws more laughter into the mix, making for an effectively entertaining episode. Kitty walks in on something any child wishes to never walk in on at the very beginning of the episode and it sets up a fantastic first ten minutes, featuring my favorite aspect of the series: the Walker family phone calls. Yeah, by this point it’s a tired trick, but I still love these scenes. The drama quickly comes out from the backburner, as Justin faces more trouble in school, Holly has to face Nora, and Rebecca still hasn’t told Justin about her pregnancy.

I’m not ruining anything by saying the latter comes out in this episode. Now, Justin and Rebecca – I love them. They are my favorite couple on this show and I’m highly invested in them. So I was frightened at what was going to happen when Justin found out about the pregnancy, but let me tell you: it doesn’t go quite the way you expect it to. And there is quite the ambiguity in Justin’s motives at the end of the episode that leaves me wondering just how he really feels and showing that these two still have quite the rocky road ahead of them. I only hope that they can make it through in one piece and stick together.

As annoying as Rob Lowe’s Robert has been this season, I actually really enjoyed him in this episode. He throws Justin an awful bachelor party and gets in on some of the Walker family action that he generally gets left out of, which gives him a scene with Justin at the end that is just utterly fantastic. Why can’t Robert be like this all the time?! Holly was also actually surprisingly unannoying. She enters into an agreement with Nora that can only end in disaster, but I found myself not wanting to throw things at her while she was on screen, which was a welcome relief.

The best part of the episode, however, involves Nora. You’ll see a completely different side to Nora – like a Brothers & Sisters alternate universe episode – and it is so hilarious, especially watching the reactions of Kitty and her siblings. Her relationship with the young doctor has been an interesting move creatively this season, but it appears that things are not as they seem… (Of course, when are they ever?)

As for the highlight of the episode? NO RYAN! Seriously – that’s the thing that makes the episode so good. Any episode with Ryan in it makes me cringe and I just can’t like it. He’s worn out his stay and needs to go away now, please and thank you.

So, if you’re like me and like Brothers & Sisters but think it has been lacking this season, be sure to tune into “Pregnant Pause” this Sunday. You won’t be disappointed, and I can only hope the writers continue to provide us with episodes like this one.

November 29 on Brothers & Sisters: Pregnant Pause – As the wedding grows closer, Justin’s resolve to stay sober is weakened as he and Rebecca harbor secrets that could make or break their relationship for good. Holly’s financial crisis grows much more dire, and Sarah is consumed with worry and jealousy over Nora’s newfound romance as she struggles to get over her own heartbreak from her love affair with Luc.

December 6 on Brothers & Sisters: Nearlyweds – In typical Walker fashion, Justin and Rebecca’s on-again, off-again beachside wedding plans take a shocking turn, while Tommy takes a dangerous risk to assure that his daughter is by his side.

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