'Brothers & Sisters': Half-Sister Act

In non-happier news, Kitty and Robert had serious issues to deal with this episode: Congressman Taylor dropped by, as Kitty predicted, to ask Robert to be his running mate. Unfortunately, he showed up early, while Robert was on a run and Kitty was in a towel and a face mask. Mercifully, the writers didn't drag this out: We got the funny: Kitty relenting — ''All right, let's get to know each other'' — after not being able to sit in awkward silence with Taylor. She's a Walker! And Kitty saying, ''I certainly don't miss the asses,'' when Taylor said his wife is the kind of political spouse that likes to kiss ass. We got the tension: Kitty told Robert that she didn't want him to run for vice president because she wanted a private life and believed his ambition was blinding him to the fact that Taylor couldn't be trusted. Robert told Kitty that his ambition is nothing new (true) and that he thought she was actually happy that he'd lost the presidential nomination. We got the resolution: Robert had it out with Taylor and realized that he was being used (and would be bullied). And though Taylor promised Kitty that one day Robert would resent her for being the woman that stood between him and the White House, perfect Robert assured his wife that he'd turned down Taylor's offer because Taylor is a prick. (Okay, that was a paraphrase.) I'm sure that Senator McCallister will find some professional reason to be out of those comfy polo shirts again soon, but for now, it looks like we can all just enjoy next week's preview, which showed Robert and Kitty trying to make a baby the old-fashioned way (read: by having a lot of sex). Thank you, sweeps!

Last but not least, this episode gave us visual proof that Kevin and Scotty are, in fact, still together. (Not that I needed more proof than seeing Kevin's ex, Reverend Boyfriend, on CBS' Moonlight Friday night.) Scotty sliced his hand at work and needed seven stitches that he has no health insurance to pay for. Of course, we all could have scripted what would happen next: Kevin, being practical, suggested that they do the paperwork to become domestic partners (or ''domesticated partners,'' as Justin said), so Scotty could be on his insurance. Naturally, Scotty said no, because that's not the marriage proposal the 12-year-old girl in him had been waiting to hear. Like I said, predictable, but it's nice to see that our Kevin hasn't gone totally soft. And bonus, it gave Scotty a chance to joke about starting his own charity, Stitches for Bitches. (I laughed at that. Almost as much as I did at Sarah telling Rebecca that she was doing ''sucktacular.'' Using that.)

So, what do you think? How will the Walkers save the family business? What's next for Kitty and Robert, other than copulating like Democrats? When will Rebecca come clean to Justin? (On a scale of 1 to 10, how uncomfortable were you when he took a little too long strapping Rebecca's surfboard to her ankle?) And why was Rebecca wearing the same color of dress as Kitty at the fund-raiser?

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