It's rare when the pairing of two young, attractive television characters stirs up controversy, but the coupling of Justin and Rebecca on
Brothers & Sisters has accomplished just that. The duo discovered their feelings for one another shortly after realizing they weren't related, which is a rather icky way to start a relationship. The current season of the ABC series has found them opening up to each other emotionally, and, in the latest episode, finally having sex for the first time. We've had plenty of time to adjust to the idea of the couple, so why does their relationship still feel creepy and wrong?
I like both Justin and Rebecca as characters, and I have no problem with the fact that
Dave Annable and
Emily VanCamp are dating off screen. However, I'm not sure I buy executive producer Greg Berlanti's claim that the actors had too much chemistry to be denied. "I looked like an idiot," he told
Entertainment Weekly earlier this year. "Here were two young people who didn't grow up with each other, didn't know each other, but they had this electricity. There was nothing I could do."
It's possible I just don't know on-screen chemistry when I see it, but I don't remember any sparks flying between the
Brothers & Sisters duo before this storyline started. Both actors are young and attractive, but that doesn't mean they're required to become an item on the show. Contrary to what Berlanti says, I wouldn't have thought him an idiot if the supposed siblings never made out. I usually find it perfectly normal when a brother and sister don't lock lips, but maybe that's just me.
I've tried to keep an open mind about the Justin and Rebecca pairing, but I couldn't help but squirm in my seat a bit when they finally had sex in Sunday's episode. The writers have been smart to take it slow and allow the audience time to adjust to the couple, but I've decided that no amount of time is going to make this relationship seem natural. Justin and Rebecca are creepy together, and there's nothing the intelligent folks behind
Brothers & Sisters can do about it.
- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: Entertainment Weekly
(Image courtesy of ABC)