Sunday January 21, 2007
113
The family throws a party for Nora's sixtieth birthday. Surprises- but not the good kind- abound when half the family gets the flu, Nora's mother shows up, and the video tribute doesn't come out quite right.
Read Full Recap » (warning: possible spoilers!)The Walkers organize a 60th birthday party for Nora but of course things don't turn out as expected. The theme of the party gets mixed up and Sarah and Joe's sex tape ends up on Nora's birthday video. As Justin is released from rehab the party ends up being alcohol free and the siblings end up drinking in Kitty's closet. Really funny scenes there- the usual Walker family ironic humor. Loved it when Justin opens the door of the closet and says something like: "And I was the one who was in rehab." So funny.
Kitty asks Robert to the party as well and they also spend some time in that closet. I think it's actually my favorite scene from the whole episode when they both stand there with "I'm about to kiss you"-faces on. Well, it didn't happen but it's going to I'm sure. Nora's mum shows up for the party and we find out Nora's relationship with her is pretty complicated. It turns for the better in the end though but still for me this storyline could have been handled with a little more depth.
In the end Tommy, Kevin and Kitty all have flu and Kitty enjoys her role as a caretaking mother- the role she knows best.
I love this episode. It was so funny! Porn Videos and Gay grandons and a grandson in Rehab!! hide show
This episode was so funny, with the Grandmother and her not knowing Kevin was gay but thinking Justin was. Then not knowing that Justin was in rehab....
And blurting out about the "Porn Video"....with Sarah and Joe...hahaha.
The party was medevil and funny...and McAlister comming too.
It was just a good episode with all of them getting drunk in Kitty's closet. And then getting Sarah's cold. It was sweet what Nora's Mum gave her for her birthday though. Looking through all her stuff for the oldest photo she had of her. Sweet little baby in the photo too. I loved this episode. It made me laugh heaps!!
60
Written by Sherri Cooper And David Marshall Grant
Directed by Michael Lange
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Kitty (re Chad being closeted): "Is your little boyfriend in there?"
Kevin: "He's not my boyfriend".
Your 60th birthday only comes once to you in a lifetime and for the age conscious that's both good and bad but for Nora, it's less worrying about becoming older and more dealing with two parties that mark more than this particular landmark.
In fairness for neither party to yield results that aren't what you envisaged is bad luck but for Nora, she really should've seen some of the events coming and headed to Nova Scotia for this birthday.
The first party is lame and low key and opened the episode. Nora isn't the convincing of liars and her disappointment among the mundane effort from her loved ones is quite the feat. Heck, even when they somewhat rub salt into the wound, it's amazing that Nora is able to not express deep bitterness.
However with a small cake and perceptive comment from Saul that Nora is anything but low maintenance, it's soon established that Nora is being played. The crappy little get together is a smokescreen for a bigger do that you just know is going to be laced with some form of public humiliation. I'm half-tempted to keep a score card on when this lot embarrass each other and themselves.
In Sarah's house, everyone is going into meticulous depth of what's to be actually done and how importantly they can keep Nora away from the place until they land her with the surprise party of a lifetime. Kitty has the great pleasure of being a distraction while Tommy and Julia snares cakes and Justin and Sarah and Kevin are saddled with the heavy lifting.
It's great to finally see Sarah use some of that organisational savvy of hers for a plot that doesn't feel too laborious and given that Nora probably has the ability of smelling a rat at a hundred mile radius, at least Sarah is thinking of various ways to make this party a success.
As part of the celebrations each member of the family also has the privilege of doing a Video Testimonial which I happen to think is an excellent idea. My parents will be married for 40 years next December. Maybe it's a thing to consider.
Anyways despite being heavily opinionated, Sarah turns out to be a bit camera shy and Joe taking on the role of director does his best to try and get her to relax a bit and it turns out the best way of doing that is for Sarah and Joe to film themselves having sex. Hey if Ojai has any future financial problems, I can see a very lucrative solution right here.
Of course a little moment like that usually has to have some kind of public ovation and before Sarah gets the actual chance to confide in Kitty of her sexcapades, the video ends up in the testimonial packages which a stressed out Kevin ends up green lighting after being stuck with Sarah's chores after she falls sick the next morning. So instead of deafening his mother, Cooper might've just passed on what infected him in the previous episode.
Also because of Kevin's carelessness, Sarah and Joe's fun time got to be seen not only by the Walkers themselves but all of the guests at Nora's party and Sarah becomes privy to that, she freaks out a bit. It's a hilarious scene and it shows that Rachel Griffiths certainly has good comic timing as well. It's also something that needs to be used a bit more often too.
Naturally Sarah caught in porn star moment has some ribbing from Tommy and Kevin in a scene where the three of them hid in Kitty's closet with a copious amount of wine to console the horror show that has been unfolding.
Sarah and Joe's film making is the least of Nora's concerns when her mother Ida shows up uninvited and blabs about the surprise party that's been thrown in her honour. If Kitty had issues with Nora, then Nora certainly has a good few issues with her mother, Ida.
Played by former Happy Days actress Marion Ross, Ida is a bit of a cantankerous woman who within seconds deflates Nora by criticising her love of kitchen gadgets and more shockingly had opted to go on a cruise instead of attending William's funeral. Saul seems somewhat determined to get them to talk to each other whereas Nora felt more at ease raiding the house for alcohol.
The issues on William's death are a justified thing with Nora but in Ida's defence, besides the remark on kitchen appliances, she doesn't exactly say that much to really get at Nora, although her shock at learning certain family secrets does little to put her in Nora's good books either.
I have to admit that I did laugh at some of Ida's reaction such as her assumption that Justin was more likely to be gay than Kevin and her stance on Sarah's video career but despite her hatred for William, she wasn't exactly jumping up and down and screaming 'I told you so' when Nora told her that William screwed around and was a philanderer.
There is a fabulous scene later between Nora and Ida where some of the issues between them do get resolved. Although you can understand why Nora and Ida don't see eye to eye, the show's attempts of not vilifying Ida either work brilliantly. Still while Nora might've let go of some of her anger, it didn't stop her from being happy that Ida left the next day either.
Then there's another thing, Nora's relationship with Saul, which really hasn't been as focused on as you would've expected earlier on in the series. Here Saul really does step up as big brother and fights Nora's corner against Ida and with any luck, the dynamic between these two will be explored a little more in upcoming instalments.
Speaking of exploring, Tommy found himself with the responsibility of having to be entrusted with Justin while he was released from rehab and then having to make sure the party was a dry event but alcohol wasn't much of a worry for Justin.
Not because he's being serious about turning his life around but because out of the people that he has hurt over the past few months, Tyler is the only one who hasn't gotten an apology until now and to be honest she's got plenty of reasons to be pissed with Justin.
The best thing about Justin is that when he catches up with his former flame he knows exactly what to say to her. Tyler isn't stupid to fall for lame excuses, so Justin trying to justify his action was never going to work. The truth and a sincere sounding apology on the other hand certainly made the impact on Tyler and it's great that she was the one to figure out about him spiralling because of the army letter.
Sadly any hopes for an emotional reunion between Justin and Tyler are crushed because while Tyler does forgive him, she's dating someone and trying to get support from drunken siblings is another thing Justin can't rely on. Well if it helps, he's the probably the sanest Walker in yet another episode.
Elsewhere Kitty did a decent job of distracting Nora but once again her storyline seemed more geared towards Robert as opposed to her family. Yes she and Kevin argued about Robert's politics but getting support from Nora almost seemed to drown that out by comparison.
Robert on the other hand was generous enough to give the Walkers his chef but also was more interested in trying to get closer to Kitty. Ignoring shoe metaphors and the "man fast" pact from last week, Kitty does seem to be getting closer and closer to giving into Robert and the sooner, the better in my book. Not only does the guy seem to genuinely care for her but he even brought her soup when she, Tommy and Kevin ended up getting struck by Sarah's illness and if Nora doesn't want to spearhead him, he has to be doing something right. Plus this teasing will end up getting tedious if dragged out too long. The last thing we need are allusions to lengthy "will they, won't they" twists that have haunted series like Friends, The West Wing, etc.
While Kitty might love Robert, Kevin has certainly made no bones on where he stands and while in principal he has the right to not be very receptive of Robert, he could've kept his hostilities in check during Nora's birthday and may be concentrated talking to people who didn't irritate him.
Having to do the grunt work for Sarah certainly brought out a far grumpier side to Kevin too as he **** about the package they got, the alcohol having to be hid, the video testimonials, enduring Ida and when being sick, how much of a jerk Robert still is. To sum up, Kevin complained a lot in this episode which sadly wasn't a good thing. Love the guy but you could've just had Kevin gagged for the amount of whining he did in this episode.
I think a part of the moodiness stemmed from his relationship with Chad. Scotty might have been undermining at times but at least Kevin didn't have to feel like he was hiding and because Chad believes that being gay is a career no-no.
The thing I do kinda like Chad and we did get a decent post sex scene between him and Kevin but I don't necessarily see this being a healthy relationship for either one of them, especially given how Kevin really isn't the type to conceal his relationship for anyone, including a person he's involved. Then again it might be a bit too early for Kevin to have found his "One" as such. Chad in some ways runs the risk of being a stop gap.
Also in "Something Ida This Way Comes"
More musical stuff this week when Kitty took Nora to see Wicked and Kevin once dated a flying monkey. ABC clearly have a musical agenda.
Kevin (re texting): "Nothing frantic about it. I have fast thumbs"
Sarah: "Great, I'll put you to use in the kitchen".
The episode's title is a play on the phrase "Something Wicked This Way Comes". Charmed have also done that.
Nora: "You know I like to cook"
Ida: "It's not cooking when you use all this stuff, it's cheating".
Julia: "Sarah this is so not your fault"
Kevin: "Yes it is your fault".
Kevin's apartment is seriously a bit too green. I don't remember it being like that in "Date Night".
Security Guard: "You won't even know we're here"
Kevin: "I doubt that".
Saul (to Nora): "Sarah deserves all the credit"
Kevin: "Oh what did I do all day?"
Robert got nicknamed "Senator Homophobe" by Kevin who also compared Ida to "Joan Crawford". Kevin can be a spit fire when ****
Kitty (to Robert): "Oh you should relax; you'll never get her vote"
Nora: "Oh I don't know, he's my favourite Republican since Abe Lincoln".
Nora (re Sarah/Joe's sex video): "Senator, please don't watch"
Robert: "Please I'm in politics, I've pretty much seen everything".
Robert's brother once cruised Chad in a gym. Kevin seemed pretty jealous when Chad revealed that.
Robert: "Hypothetically of course"
Kitty: "You'd be the first pair I'd try on".
Joe: "We were a team"
Sarah (shrieking): "It's not funny".
There was no Paige or Cooper in later scenes of the episode and Holly was missing for the second week in a row.
Ida: "I've never understood this family"
Nora: "That's because you never wanted to".
Chad (re Robert's brother): "He cruised me once at the gym"
Kevin: "It must be almost impossible for you to work out".
Standout music: "It All Began With A Song" by Nicole Gordon and "One" by Michael Meanwhile.
Kevin (re Robert, to Nora): "Big whoop! Maybe he'll use it in his next slogan – 'Vote Me and you get soup'".
Chronology: A week or two since "Sexual Politics".
Birthday episodes are usually fun on many shows and while this may not be Six Feet Under type hi jinks, there is plenty of chaos to admire in "Something Ida This Way Comes" and the more fun on this series, the better.
Family drama all around... hide show
This has to be the funniest Brothers and Sisters episode yet. I was laughin all around with Sarah and her great humiliation, Nora and all her kids and their issues. I think Brothers and Sisters is developing quite well, after seeing this episode. It may not have started in the most brilliant way, but it is definetly turning into an audience favorite. This episode truly has a realness to it, because family are not at all perfect and do have complications. Things like the ones shown in Nora's birthday happen in true life and that just makes it funnier, it's relatable at the same time.
Nora has a surprise 60th birthday part and what a surprise it turns out to be. hide show
Okay, I gotta say this is gonna be one of the funnier episodes of the season. I think that everyone needed a break from the tearjerkers and this episode hit the mark. The opening scene with the fake birthday party for Nora was great. Crappy gifts and a store bought white coconut cake for Nora. Ha.. and she's such a good sport about it all. Then there's of course the tribute video. Joe and Sarah really give a star performance by showing off a little more than is anticipated. Ha.. that was just good. Then the whole theme for the party. Sarah thought she ordered the "midlevel" package and instead ordered the medieval package. I thought the whole coat of arms, the goblets, the wenches and the armor was a great little add for the show. And then there's of course the alcohol in the closet because Justin can't be at a place that serves alcohol since he's out of rehab. I especially liked Robert's remark about Kitty's family.. "It's like dinner theater.. or the circus." HA.. wonderful.
But then of course the entire episode can't be silly. Nora's mother comes to the "surprise" party and ruins the surprise for Nora. She degrades Nora in front of all her guests as if it were nothing. Nora's mother didn't even come to William's funeral. I was so happy when Saul finally stood up for Nora and told his mother off. But then when Nora and her mother talk after the disaster she kind of settles things with her. Then there's the scene with Tyler and Justin. Justin goes off to meet with Tyler to apologize for being high the last time they were together. He tries to make amends but comes to find out that she's already dating someone else. She asks him what he plans on doing after rehab and he tells her that the army called him back. She finally puts two and two together and realizes that Justin got his notice to return that same day he got high. It was nice for her to get some closure and comes to serve as a way for her to get back together with Justin later.
Overall this episode was great and I'll watch it over and over again when the season comes out on DVD.
javnah
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KaitlynReynolds
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