This season of ABC's Brothers & Sisters began rough, with the loss of cast member Rob Lowe, and the reduction of some of the others' parts, including the departure of Emily VanCamp. 
I am most upset about VanCamp, as I took her breakup personally, and am most unhappy about it. Happily, Ryan (Luke Grimes) was finally booted as well, having been rarely seen last spring. I figured the necessary shakeup due to actors wanting to leave created the uneasiness I felt, and eventually things would settle down into the show I've loved for years.
Sadly, that has not been the case. The last two episodes of the fall run in particular demonstrated just how downhill this series has rolled. In "Get a Room", all of the Walkers (who appeared in the episode) ended up in the same hotel and ran into each other in a comedy of errors. The show has done similar things before, but apparently they're running out of ideas on how to make this massive collision of their lives happen.
I can tell you, sending them all coincidentally to the same hotel was not it. It lost all believability, even as I tried to tell myself, as they said in the episodes, "well, the rooms were half off".
Even worse was the fall finale, "Cold Turkey". Nora (Sally Field) decided to go away for Christmas with her new boyfriend, Karl (Johny Terry, Lost). First of all, the Nora Walker we all know would never, and I mean never, abandon her family on Christmas. I don't care how they tried to explain it away, and gave her a huge guilt trip for going. 
She would not have left in the first place. Second of all, the dream sequence she had, where her kids had grown up evil and colluded with stepmother Holly (Patricia Wettig) to kill Nora was ridiculous. I don't care where Nora's brain was, it was way too bizarre. I sat very uncomfortably through the entire scene.
Article comments
1 - Sarah
I agree 100%. The show and characters are no longer recognizable, it is like a completely different show now. It's really sad. I was wondering if there are new writers now? It's really disappointing, this was one of my favorite shows ever.
2 - Blondie
I find this season is boring and the homosexual scences are disgusting...the kissing should be deleted, you are jamming homosexuality down our throats..nothing against gays just don't like watching them making out.
3 - Jerome Wetzel
Aw, now come on. There is heterosexual kissing on TV, and no one complains. You gotta be equal opportunity.
4 - David
So sad - use to love the characters and the smart, funny and sensitive writing of this show. I would never want to miss an episode. Now the characters are not even the same people behaving like whinny idiots. I feel so bad for these amazing actors who are forced to say these inane lines and directed to behave so childishly that I am embarrassed for them. I know the actors are brilliant but the script is crap. Please please please bring back the original writers! Hate to see this beautiful, smart and funny show go down the toilet.