Brothers & Sisters (season 4)
| Brothers & Sisters (season 4) | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
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| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | September 27, 2009 – May 16, 2010 |
| Season chronology | |
The fourth season of Brothers & Sisters was picked up for a fourth season on April 23, 2009.
The premiere aired on ABC on Sunday September 27, 2009 and concludes May 16, 2010. Season Four began three months after the events of 'Mexico'.
Most the main characters from the previous season returned; however, Tommy (Balthazar Getty) appeared only briefly mid-season, having relocated to Seattle. Sarah Jane Morris left the series, while Luke Grimes was promoted to starring status as newest Walker son, Ryan, only to be written out mid-season. The storyline followed the final demise of Ojai Foods and the discovery of Narrow Lake (an untapped aquifer that made the family rich), as well as the rocky relationship of the finally-married Justin and Rebecca and the politically volatile Kitty and Robert.
Denzel Whitaker, 19, was cast as Carter - Justin's new lab partner - for several episodes as Justin attempted medical school.
Gilles Marini joined the show as Luc Laurent, an artist Sarah meets in France and who eventually follows her home to Pasadena. He was first confirmed for a five episode arc before joining as a permanent part of the Walker tribe.
It was announced that Rob Lowe would be leaving the series at the end of the fourth season; the reason he gave was that he felt "underutilized". It was speculated that he would move to a recurring character and not be killed off, a theory supposedly first supported by the news that the character 'Alec Tyler' who caused problems between Robert and Kitty in the previous season was set to return. However, after lengthy coverage and confirmation that Lowe would leave the series, his injury and subsequent death ended the season and began the next.
The show sought out actors to play certain characters at younger ages for what were first planned as double flashback episodes to air in the second half of the season. Roles for the 1973 scenes were to include William Walker at 33, Nora Walker at 28 and Holly Harper at 21. The 1986 scenes included Sarah Walker at 20, Kitty Walker at 18, Tommy Walker at 16, Kevin Walker at 14 and a 6-yr old Justin. Ultimately, only the 1986 scenes were utilized, featuring the 5 children and Sally Field as a young Nora (although mainly heard and seen in shadow only), in a storyline that revealed a long-hidden family secret about Kevin accidentally causing a friend's paralysis, and Nora and Holly in partnership trying to fend off a hostile takeover from Dennis York, William's former "enforcer" who attempted to blackmail Nora.
Nora begins to date a younger man, Simon, an oncologist who volunteers at her cancer shelter - however Sarah and Kevin become suspicious after they discover he was sued twice as a doctor and believe he had his license taken away. After Nora gives him a sizable amount of money, he apparently loses interest in her and tells her he has to travel for a few weeks. Upon his return, Sarah tries to convince her mother that Simon is up to no good, but it turns out Nora is already aware of this and hands him over to the police. Nora also spends time taking care of Kitty as she, along with her husband Robert and son Evan, move in with Nora during her cancer treatments. Dennis York, an old associate of William's, reappears and blackmails Nora with a secret she has been keeping that could tear apart her family. He agrees not to reveal this secret if she convinces her children to sell their shares in Ojai to him. While trying to talk her children into agreeing, Nora brings Tommy home to talk to Sarah, who is most against selling the company. Nora eventually reveals that she and William had been paying off the family of a young boy who became paralyzed after a fight with Kevin.
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