(S02E02) My husband tells me that Heather Havrilesky has written in Salon that Brothers and Sisters is manipulative. She writes, "'Brothers & Sisters' is emotional Frogger. Luckily, I loathe these beautiful, wealthy, loving, empathetic humans and so it brings me deep joy to watch them suffer."

I, however, persist in liking Brothers and Sisters, manipulation and all. That isn't to say that I don't get irritated with the show, as readers who followed my posts last year can attest. I was irritated tonight with the blatant manipulation of opening the show with a funeral, when last week's episode left us in some doubt about whether or not the youngest Walker (oops, second-to-youngest), Justin, was killed in Iraq.

Let me also just take a moment to say that I try to deliberately play dumb about upcoming shows and spoilers when I write these reviews. I just watched the scenes for next week, just like you did. Of course I knew Justin was still alive. However, I try not to address these scenes for next week in this review because it can color the whole review, and there are people who a) haven't seen this episode yet and b) deliberately don't watch scenes for the next week because they want to be surprised. So, for the sake of building a little suspense, let's all pretend that we haven't seen them. Especially when the previews often promise to be really significant and ominous: "Senator, is there any way you can get out of this marriage?" and then turn out to be rather humorous instead.

I know about hooks, Public Relations, advertising, etc. But it's still highly annoying when that happens.

So, back to the review. I found the opening scene manipulative. However, the writers managed to pull off compensating for this in the last line of the show when Robert tells his annoying assistant that he will stop going to funerals when soldiers stop dying. That was good. That was really good.

I hope that, regardless of your politics and views about the war, you can appreciate the fact that this show chooses to address Iraq and injuries and multiple viewpoints about the war. The show is unapologetically liberal in its views, but they do balance things (or attempt to) with having two of its most charismatic stars playing Republicans: Calista Flockhart and Rob Lowe. This at least allows the characters to have conversations.

Despite the serious subject matter, I thought there were a lot of funny moments in this episode, and I would almost call it light because of that. Sarah getting Kevin to open the window because of sexual frustration. The interplay between Kevin and Sarah on the couch was great; that is acting skill right there. Especially with two actors who, in real life, have pretty strong accents from their countries of origin. Rob Lowe's scenes with his assistant were also nicely timed and comical. Rob Lowe does not hit a single wrong note in this role.

However, some of the humor bordered really annoying (and yet worked; read on.) I wrote in my review of the season finale that I absolutely hated the farcical ending when everybody at the party jumped into the pool, fully clothed. The show's producers explain that they did that to balance out the seriousness of Kitty and Nora saying goodbye to Justin. Okay, fine. But the farcical elements still bother me, because I like to take this show somewhat seriously just because of the fact that it does address a lot of serious themes: Spouses dying; adultery; divorce; war; babies dying. But perhaps without the farce, the producers perceive that these topics would be too heavy for network television.

The biggest source of farce was the scene when Kitty, Kevin, and Nora were listening to Rush Limbaugh Luther Reeves' conservative talk radio show on their way to pick up Justin from the VA hospital. One of my sources of frustration with the scene is, in fact, that Kitty called in. She was right to stop Nora and Kevin from calling in, and she, of all people, should know better (deja vu: I typed that same sentence about her last week, too). I think the scene would have worked better if Nora had been the one to call in. For some reason, the farce bothers me far more when Kitty is at the center of it, mostly because it doesn't seem consistent with her character.

That aside, it was still a funny scene, particularly when Kevin called Luther 'Lucifer,' and insinuated that if he and his boyfriend had sex that was outlawed in the Bible in the Lincoln bedroom, it wouldn't be the first time that had been done. That got extrapolated into McAllister accusing Lincoln of being gay and culminated with a line of Iowans on the Lincoln Highway, prepared to pelt the presidential campaign with pennies if McAllister didn't go onto the show and fix things. I had to laugh at the way they completely extrapolated the situation out into the absurd. That, somehow, made it better, and I think it's because, at that point, the show starts to turn around and make fun of itself. It's a wink: "We know we are being silly, and we are doing this on purpose to provide some levity. Shakespeare did it too. It's called comic relief." At this point, form follows content, and instead of having some producer lamely try to explain the reason for a scene, the writing and the acting come together to show us what they're about. And it is the show's consistent ability to perform this feat that keeps me coming back to it week after week. (Yes, it's my choice: I petitioned to review the show again this year, because I like it so much).

Tommy's life continues to crumble, which is sad, because he really seems to be a decent guy. We get more hints about Saul's sexuality when he is mistaken for gay. Sarah discovers that Joe has moved on and is now back with his ex-wife, which is astonishing to her. To us? Not so much. Last year, Sarah was my least favorite character. I found her very shrill and one note (this year, Kitty, that baton is soon going to be passed off to you). This year, Rachel Griffiths has brought a softness and a warmth and vulnerability to her character that has humanized her. I thought Sarah was absolutely right when she told Rebecca, "It might have made a difference if you had told me then. But to tell me now is to make yourself feel better, and that is the height of selfishness." Bingo! Rebecca admitted that she only spoke up because of a promise to Justin-- not out of any real desire to make her sister feel better. Rebecca, my eye is on you.

There is still do much I want to say about this episode, but I don't really want us to be here all night. So, I will say that I think the relationship between Nora and Justin is beautiful. She fawns all over him and then grimly assesses in the kitchen that he has changed. It's her greatest fear. As a mother of sons, I understand how complicated this is. If Justin is not the same boy whom she sent off, then she feels guilty and responsible for not protecting him better. It's her job as a mother. Also, she wonders how this will affect his future happiness, his future functionality. And at the cold, stone heart of her fear, she wonders how this will affect their relationship, their intimacy and closeness. So, she is going to keep at him like a battering ram, refusing to let him turn her away, which is heart-breaking to watch, and oh, so lovely.