karas February 18, 2015 Share February 18, 2015 Callie must face the upsetting impact her news has had on her siblings, especially Mariana. Mariana finds it difficult to deal with impending changes at home and focuses her attention on organizing a student protest over an administrative incident at school. Meanwhile, when she learns Kiara is back in town and on the streets, Callie is willing to do anything she can in order to help her friend, even if that means disobeying Stef’s orders and putting herself in danger. Jude finally confronts Connor over the mixed messages he’s been sending, leading to a make-or-break moment in their friendship. Link to comment
stopeslite March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 OT, but I was watching an old episode of M*A*S*H last night and a very young Jeffrey Tambor was on, and I was completely struck by how much the guy who plays Brandon looks like a young Tambor. Coloring, face shape, expressions, it was kind of eerie. Not the best pic, but here's one: http://i42.tinypic.com/34xqixk.jpg The principal doing everything wrong because she doesn't understand the academic environment is in some ways old and tired, but then again it keeps happening in real life and more and more often, so good for the show for highlighting that particular kind of problem of administrators who don't get it and thereby make things worse. Whoa, crossing and double crossing and nothing with Kiara went the way I thought it would go, except that crying hug at the end. Not a fan of the loud music playing all over the last couple of scenes. The sound mixing just drowned out the lines. Booooooo on having Connor and Jude and then just dropping it like that. Boooooooo. 1 Link to comment
DeepPoet117 March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 (edited) That last scene with Stef and Callie is almost worth all the drama. And yet again they leave the Jude and Connor story hanging. Though at least they pick it back up next week, according to the previews, rather than dropping it for a couple weeks. Also, what happened to Connor's mom? I'm totally all right with Connor spending the night at Jude's because it leads to awesome scenes like we got tonight, but his dad gets stuck in another state or something, and Connor is left stranded? And good for Mariana for awkwardly mentioning her friends the football players when she accidentally told the wrestling recruiter she was home alone. Edited March 3, 2015 by DeepPoet117 4 Link to comment
dohe March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 The show always seems to be forgetting the Jude and Connor story at the oddest times. Here is a big moment and well lets not go back to those characters at any point for the rest of the episode. No Jesus it is okay. Go to boarding school. The show can check in on you every 10 episodes or so. And you can be mentioned in passing once an episode. Now head on out Jesus. Go ahead. Have fun at boarding school. 3 Link to comment
possibilities March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 (edited) I think they know the masses are hanging on the Jude-Connor story and they're stringing us along on purpose. I did think they cut that scene too soon, though. We had to watch Brandon and Lu both in bed and then smooching on the porch. It's not fair! Brandon-Lu is just typical teen story, and there's not really any drama there. Connor-Jude had stuff to work out, and we don't ever get to see it or hear the whole story. I don't think I've ever understood shipper whining until now; I may be aging backwards due to this storyline. Apologies to those who are immune. I was pleased that Rita was talking tough with the kids but not really planning to do nothing about Kiara. I know that people in her position have to have some level of detachment in order to keep from being crushed by what they observe, but I was still happy that she wasn't as resigned as she made the kids think she was. I was also glad Callie called her and Stef; I didn't think she'd actually go back to PimpTown with Kiara, but part of me wondered if she might do it, kind of like "suicide by cop" except not by cop, by "deliberately stupid act I know better than doing but am doing anyway in hopes I don't make it out alive." Is it true that when kids are moved from one foster home to another that they have all their stuff taken from them? That's one I didn't know about. Mariana remains my hero. She listened when Callie yelled at her, just like her mamas listen when one of them yells at the other. And then she did both Jesus and all the rest of us a favor and put his/our best interests first. Also, she's techsmarter than the rest of her family. I don't want Monte and Lena walking on the beach together, but I guess their conversation was OK. I thought Brandon was going to ask Mike to fund the tour. I was glad he didn't. I'm still wondering if the moms will ever find out about Idyllwild, though. Why can't Mike afford anything? He lives in a one bedroom apartment and has a decent job. Edited March 3, 2015 by possibilities 2 Link to comment
stopeslite March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I assume Mike pays child support for Brandon, which would take some of his money. And being a cop doesn't pay a huge amount of money, and I assume he has a huge car insurance bill given his history, and he doesn't have anybody to share expenses with. And $1500 is a lot of money, no matter how you slice it. I really hope that Brandon's "I would rather not go on the tour if it keeps you here" means "moms are going to forbid me from going on the tour and I'll go to the classical camp". Jeez. These storylines are dragging out forever. Link to comment
omgsowicked March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 - When Lena revealed her pregnancy to Monte, I groaned... now they're opening up to each other about deep, emotional stuff. I'm not as worried as I was about it leading to cheating, maybe more of an emotional cheating thing. Which still wouldn't be great but it's more workable. - I'm glad that Callie told Stef what was going on... I didn't want that to be something they held onto forever. That was a really well-done scene, too. I don't know that I want Callie with Robert over Stef and Lena now but I'm definitely fed up with the way they (Stef) go about things. I get that Stef is very emotional about this but going to his house like that (in her uniform, for extra intimidation), scoffing at him calling her his daughter... Stef and Lena have both been curt with him and he's been nothing but kind, and now... I'm sure Robert will still let Callie see them because he knows that's what she wants but it's gonna be miserable for everyone, thanks to this. Ugh, Stef, just stop with the intimidation tactics, it's not helping! *ignores the promo for next week* - I didn't expect to be so moved by Kiara, since she's only occasionally on our screens but tears were welling up, especially when Rita walked away from her on the streets. I'm glad Callie was one step ahead of her and that she's going back to Girls United. - So Jude and Connor kissed in the tent? I guess kids do things backward nowadays because I thought that hand holding stuff was so intense... too intense for them to have already kissed. Also, I didn't think they'd have had their first kiss occur off-screen. I'm curious to learn how that happened (and why the trip was "mostly" fun) but I doubt we'll find out. I liked that they showed Jude making a little move of his own, with him scooching closer to Connor, so we know Connor's not the only one interested. I was curious to see how Hayden and Gavin handled this, since they're pretty young and also best friends, and they handled it all very well. And of course, they were never seen again. I understand that they have a limited amount of time with the kids but it really sucks to have their stories dropped after such a huge moment. Also, I was so happy to see Taylor again but I hope she gets more to do than constantly assuring Jude that they can survive Daria and Connor's PDA. - I continue to adore everything about Mariana and Callie's relationship. And I liked Brandon asking Jude about his "girlfriend" at breakfast. - What in the world was with Jesus', "Jude and Connor can sleep in the yard and pretend they're camping," comment? Does he know something or was he supposed to be making a legitimate joke? Does he hate Connor? What the heck. And then when he changed his mind about going to the wrestling school... man, stop playing with my emotions. Go to Colorado. Make an appearance at holidays only. Goodbye! 2 Link to comment
KaveDweller March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I liked seeing Callie finally come clean, but it would have been interesting to see Stef and Lena's reaction to exactly what Callie and Brandon did. I'm really curious what they'll do next, because it seemed like things were pretty much finalized with the judge. They can't go back and tell him Callie was lying to cover up her role in a kidnapping and really wants to stay with the Adams-Fosters. - What in the world was with Jesus', "Jude and Connor can sleep in the yard and pretend they're camping," comment? Does he know something or was he supposed to be making a legitimate joke? Does he hate Connor? What the heck. And then when he changed his mind about going to the wrestling school... man, stop playing with my emotions. Go to Colorado. Make an appearance at holidays only. Goodbye! I guess he was supposed to be joking about not wanting an extra person in his room? Less "Jesus time" and all that. Link to comment
JaggedLilPill March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Loved the kiss, but definitely wish we had seen more of the aftermath. I know they have other storylines going on, but it felt weird to leave it hanging at that moment. Also glad Callie fessed up to Stef. Let the parental showdown commence. This tour storyline can go away at any moment now. It's literally three weeks. I'm not a Brandon/Callie shipper by any means, but Lou and Brandon are no better. Really, Lou? Asking your boyfriend to sell something his dead grandfather left him? To go on a three week tour? Just felt kind of crass. I could understand Brandon selling it for something else, but not this teenage tour of contrivance. Whatever. That Kiara/Rita moment was intense. I hope we see more of the GU crew. What in the world was with Jesus', "Jude and Connor can sleep in the yard and pretend they're camping," comment? Does he know something or was he supposed to be making a legitimate joke? Does he hate Connor? What the heck. Yeah honestly this confused me too. Not only the tent remark but his "not long enough," comment. I couldn't figure out if it was just him being a dick or if we're supposed to think Jude mentioned the Connor fight and this was Jesus's way of sticking up for Jude. Probably not. Jesus is definitely closest with Marianna and Brandon, which makes sense. Him and Marianna are twins and they grew up with Brandon. He has moments with Jude but his relationship with Callie is pretty non-existent. But I still thought it was an odd exchange between him and Connor/Jude. 3 Link to comment
SparklesBitch March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 - I'm glad that Callie told Stef what was going on... I didn't want that to be something they held onto forever. That was a really well-done scene, too. I don't know that I want Callie with Robert over Stef and Lena now but I'm definitely fed up with the way they (Stef) go about things. I get that Stef is very emotional about this but going to his house like that (in her uniform, for extra intimidation), scoffing at him calling her his daughter... Stef and Lena have both been curt with him and he's been nothing but kind, and now... I'm sure Robert will still let Callie see them because he knows that's what she wants but it's gonna be miserable for everyone, thanks to this. Ugh, Stef, just stop with the intimidation tactics, it's not helping! *ignores the promo for next week* So, I pretty much totally agree with your entire post, especially this part. I loved the scene with Callie and Stef at the end. It was very well done and a great way to show the bond between these two characters. I really liked that Stef knew something wasn't right and was eventually proven to be correct, however, she really really needs to stop these secret little intimidating meetings with people. They're going to get her into huge trouble someday. Or at least they should. She's becoming a loose cannon and it's a little scary. She just makes up her own mind about what's right and acts on it without consulting anyone else and practically forces people to bend to her will. And that leads me to my next point: - When Lena revealed her pregnancy to Monte, I groaned... now they're opening up to each other about deep, emotional stuff. I'm not as worried as I was about it leading to cheating, maybe more of an emotional cheating thing. Which still wouldn't be great but it's more workable. I adore Stef and Lena together, I really do, but after seeing the preview for next week, I really have to ask: is Stef actively trying to risk her marriage by continuing to shut Lena out of these huge decisions she keeps making??? No wonder Lena is confiding in someone else about her life and her feelings. Stef tends to bulldoze her and it's getting old. So that being said, I actually enjoyed the walking on the beach scene with Monte. I don't want Lena to even so much as consider cheating on Stef, but I like Monte as a friend for Lena. That being said, Stef and Lena and the whole "you'll have to handcuff me" remark? So cute. Also, Stef asking Lena if she thinks Callie really wants to live with Robert in that small wounded voice? That's why I continue to root for Stef. Because I think that no matter how much she bulldozes and intimidates and all that crap, she does it out of love. She loves hard and she loves fully and she fights for her people. She has their best interests at heart even though she doesn't always show it in the right way. She I root for her even though sometimes I'd really love to knock her upside the head. I think that if she really thought that Callie truly wanted to live with Robert, she'd put aside her own feelings and deal. It might take her a little while, but she'd do it. My other favorite parts were the scene with Kiara (I've missed her!) and Rita on the street, the scene with the three girls and Rita at Girls United, everything Mariana and Tia (girl throws some great shade!), and of course Connor and Jude. For being so young, those boys are really knocking this whole storyline out of the park. Amazing stuff, and they're so. freaking. cute. Also the sisterly bond between Mariana and Callie. Love it. I wish they'd send Jesus to boarding school and forget he even exists. 7 Link to comment
Bix March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Did Brandon say the baseball was tied to any significant event in Tony Gwynn's career? Looking at eBay, a Gwynn-signed baseball goes for a few hundred dollars at most. 1 Link to comment
possibilities March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I think Mike just paid what he knew Brandon needed for his "tour." It wasn't really about what the ball was worth on the open market. Link to comment
auntiemel March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Ha! That street that they filmed the hooker scene on was right by my old apartment. It's a little run-down there, but nothing like they tried to make it look! :D 2 Link to comment
Aliconehead March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 But Brandon said he checked online and he could get what was needed for the tour. I thought this was odd myself as an active Gwynn memorabilia collector he probably would only get a few hundred. Gwynn was an exceptionally nice man that signed everything when asked. Also to get any significant money you would have to have a certificate of authenticity. 1 Link to comment
Eeksquire March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 That being said, Stef and Lena and the whole "you'll have to handcuff me" remark? So cute. Also, Stef asking Lena if she thinks Callie really wants to live with Robert in that small wounded voice? That scene gave me a bit of whiplash - they were flirting with each other and then suddenly: Stef is worried about Callie. It just seemed a little too abrupt a tonal shift. I do love that Callie yells at Mariana about being self-centered and her "abandonment issues" and Mariana IMMEDIATELY acts on it to convince Jesus to go to boarding school. (Also: If the people in this family are serious about keeping things from Mariana, they really need to get better at it because they fail every.single.time. in the dumbest ways.) 2 Link to comment
marceline March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I found the end scene with Callie and Stef then the aftermath really interesting. I thought back to the camping trip where Lena told Stef that the kids don't come to her because she polices them instead of talking to them. Callie calling her shows that sometimes the kids want and need a little policing. They want that fierce mama bear and Stef's reaction was just perfect. "There is nothing that you could ever, ever do that would make us not want you." Then of course she overdoes it by going on the rampage over to Robert's. It reminds me of a saying a long gone friend who was a therapist used to say, a person's "worst" quality is often their best one taken too far. I'll be honest, I've always found Rosie O'Donnell to be more drama than she's worth (see the recent View antics) but her performance as Rita is a joy. That heartbroken look as she walked away from Kiara tore me up. Conversely seeing her swoop in with Stef, like a couple of avenging angels all to show Kiara and Caliie that they really truly are LOVED. I really want a Girls United spinoff. Now the things that scare me. I'm not sure what's going on between Lena and Monti but I'm even more squirrely about Stef and Robert. There's something weird there because it always seems to be Stef going over to his house to talk to him or his wife alone. I don't know whether they are headed towards a story where Stef gets accused of doing something to him or worse, hate sex. 3 Link to comment
izabella March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Conversely seeing her swoop in with Stef, like a couple of avenging angels all to show Kiara and Caliie that they really truly are LOVED. I really want a Girls United spinoff. I really like Rosie in this role, too, and would love a spin-off! It seems like they're kinda turning this show into a Girls United show, though. Callie spends more time interacting with the GU girls than her own family, including Jude. 1 Link to comment
Ikki March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 That scene with Rita and Kiara broke my heart, and then the next scene was Conner and Jude playing catch and then wrestling. What is this show doing with my emotions. 1 Link to comment
Eeksquire March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I'll be honest, I've always found Rosie O'Donnell to be more drama than she's worth (see the recent View antics) but her performance as Rita is a joy. You know, I tend to ignore whatever she's up to IRL, but I love her in this role too - I think she's got acting chops and wish she'd go more in that direction instead of the daytime talk/feedback loop of crazy. 2 Link to comment
Ljohnson1987 March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Didn't Lena have a stillbirth and not a miscarriage? Link to comment
Primetimer March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 And Lord help Al Lowe, because she has a sinus headache from the endless crying. Read the story 1 Link to comment
Gulftastic March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Stef's stare of death! Do not mess with her, Robert! Link to comment
possibilities March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Aliconehead, you're right. I had forgotten that Brandon said that about the baseball. Lena developed pre-eclampsia, which was making the pregnancy a life-threatening situation for her. They had to abort the fetus to ensure that Lena stayed alive. What is this show doing with my emotions It's like interval training: Get all upset! Take a dose of ubersquee-ness! Cry your guts out from pain! Cry your guts out from relief! Love! Fear! Rage! Heartbreak! Love! .... Link to comment
Mielzner March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Cierra Ramirez continues to turn in absolutely phenomenal work as Mariana. That scene with Jesus' scout was PHENOMENAL. 3 Link to comment
WildFlower87 March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I was shocked the kiss even happened to be honest. I think Jude is just shocked and didn't know what to do, they are both so young. Also was this the youngest gay kiss to occur on US television? 1 Link to comment
Gulftastic March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I could almost hear the Million Morons wailing from my side of the Atlantic. Well done, show. Very brave. Link to comment
GenevieveS March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Is it true that when kids are moved from one foster home to another that they have all their stuff taken from them? That's one I didn't know about. Putting on my foster parent hat again, with the warning that I don't foster teens.... It shouldn't be true, but I don't doubt that it happens. My foster kids have never gone from my home to another foster home -- only home or to a family member; I've only had one that came to me from another foster home. My kids go home with everything they own, as best I can. (Sometimes I find something after they're gone -- usually small things like a sock in the dryer or a toy under a bed.) I have packed up literally a mini-van full of stuff to send home with a 4 year old; her mother met me half-way with 2 vehicles. It is emphasized in training how important it is to foster kids to have things that are "theirs." Everything that comes with them is theirs. Everything I am reimbursed for buying (with a clothing allowance, for example) is theirs. Everything that is given to them as a gift (from bio family or from charities) is theirs. All those things should go with them when they leave and, in my personal case, always have. But can you see the foster parents we saw Kiara living with doing that? Often they come to me with nothing. Children are removed quickly and generally don't get a chance to pack; school age children may be picked up at school and not go home. The one who came from another foster home had one small suitcase (think one of those rolling carry-ons); he'd only been with them for 3 months, though and he was 10 months old, so his clothes were small. Kids who come to me from Mommy's house with nothing and are placed with Daddy have probably just lost everything they had. I wouldn't be surprised if everything gets "lost" while a teen is in juvie or if things "disappear" in group homes a lot. 4 Link to comment
Kat March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 (edited) Holy shit, this show! I was seriously boo-hoo sobbing by the end of it. Seriously you guys, some of the best acting and best writing is happening on a show on a dumb "kid's cable network". Amazing. Also was this the youngest gay kiss to occur on US television? I think it might be. Both actors did so well in these scenes. Oh, and I just need to say this - Monte weirds me out. I don't like her at all. And why a principal would "make" a vice principal write a letter or email about possibly suspending half the student body is beyond me. That's YOUR job, you ass!!!! Edited March 3, 2015 by Kat 1 Link to comment
Ikki March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 Oh, and I just need to say this - Monte weirds me out. I don't like her at all. And why a principal would "make" a vice principal write a letter or email about possibly suspending half the student body is beyond me. That's YOUR job, you ass!!!!In my middle and high school experience, it was always the vice principal who was in charge of discipline. I just figured it was the same here, though since Lena's own kids are involved, it probably shouldn't be. 2 Link to comment
Eeksquire March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I wanted to mention one thing (which I had forgotten about until I saw the screen cap with Al Lowe's piece today): Kudos to the costume/makeup department - I knew they were going to flash us to Kiara at some point and expected that she would look different, but I truly didn't recognize her at first. I guess I was expecting more of a ... homemade (that is a terrible word, but I can't come up with something better) look than what we actually saw. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of the girls that Callie ran into outside the convenience store when she ran away (borrowed the one girl's phone to call the prison where her father was and then stole the candy bar to land her back in juvie) rather than a product created by a pimp. I also thought it was good writing for Kiara to reference it later when she wanted to go back and get some of the things her pimp had bought for her. The whole sequence gave me chills. 2 Link to comment
Samantha84 March 4, 2015 Share March 4, 2015 Was this the first time/episode that Brandon called Lena "mom"? Sure it's not but this stood out to me. The story that this show is telling between Jude and Conner is beautiful! The actors, Hayden and Gavin, are doing a great job. The Fosters' Gavin MacIntosh Opens Up About Making TV History With Just One Kiss Young but so poised, aware, and smart 2 Link to comment
LisaM March 4, 2015 Share March 4, 2015 One of my favorite episodes due to the Stef/Callie scene and the Callie/Mariana sister moments. I also thought that the Jude/Conner kissing scene was very well done. The two young actors are quite good -- in contrast to the actor who plays Jesus, who continues to be beyond wooden. Please let him go to boarding school in Colorado! I loved seeing smart Mariana figure out how to hack the e-reader. So nice to see a teenaged girl praised for being smart. Have to admit that I teared up at the final Rita/Kiara moment. So glad that Callie called Rita and Stef - real character growth for her; the old Callie would have tried to handle it on her own resulting in a debacle or worse. I also liked how we are seeing the next step in the Lena/Monte friendship - sharing personal and difficult details. I noticed that Monte still hasn't mentioned if the person she was getting divorced from was male or female. I think that their growing closeness is very natural - at school, it seems as if it is the two of them versus everyone else so it makes sense that they are sticking close together. The Stef/Callie scene is why I watch this show. Terrific. 5 Link to comment
dohe March 4, 2015 Share March 4, 2015 (edited) I believe that is the youngest romantic same sex kiss on TV in terms of the character's ages. In terms of the actor's age, Evan Rachel Wood was also 14 when her character of Jessie fell in love with and first kissed the character of Katie. However, unlike Byerly, she was playing a character older instead of younger than her real age. Anyways that was a well done sequence and it is important that same sex kisses be treated the same as kissed between a boy and girl. Great Job the Fosters! Edited March 4, 2015 by dohe 1 Link to comment
karas March 4, 2015 Author Share March 4, 2015 I wish Jude and Connor would have an on screen conversation about what is going on between them. Hopefully, the lack of communication will be addressed -- are they feeling awkward about discussing things? Do each of them feel they don't need to talk about it because there's a mutual understanding? 1 Link to comment
DeepPoet117 March 5, 2015 Share March 5, 2015 I wish Jude and Connor would have an on screen conversation about what is going on between them. Well Jude was trying. And then Connor kissed him. And then they just left it there. Hopefully they'll go back to that conversation in the next few episodes. 1 Link to comment
dohe March 5, 2015 Share March 5, 2015 I wish Jude and Connor would have an on screen conversation about what is going on between them. Hopefully, the lack of communication will be addressed -- are they feeling awkward about discussing things? Do each of them feel they don't need to talk about it because there's a mutual understanding? I am a bit torn on that. I just don't remember at that age processing that. While it may help explain the interiority of the characters, I think the show has done a strong job with that already. Jude moving in tighter to Connor was realistic. Connor's uncertainty was realistic. Even both having pseudo-girlfriends was realistic. However in depth conversations not so much. If they choose to go the route of processing what occurred they have to be careful of it not coming across as unconvincing. 2 Link to comment
HeatherinThailand March 5, 2015 Share March 5, 2015 Oh, the angst in this show! I regress to 15 every time I watch it and am usually a crying mess to boot. So glad we got to see more of Kiara, and I wonder how often that sort of thing happens to kids who run away from foster care, thinking they can take care of themselves? I was glad Callie expected her to freak and go back to the guy and called Stef and Rita to come get her. Jude and Connor, talk about a long con. Sheesh, we finally find out the truth about the camping trip after the innocuous story (aka LIE).......how many months ago? I can't even remember. Way to keep things current for your characters and viewers, show! And don't even toy with me about Jude being in the same house as a gunshot! But, much as I love J&C, my favorite scene was with Callie and Mariana, when she was finally fed up enough to be like "hey, guess what, not everything is about you, and this is destroying me as well" (paraphrasing, obviously). We rarely see Callie reveal her true feelings that way, so that felt very realistic and like a conversation sisters would actually have. 1 Link to comment
karas March 5, 2015 Author Share March 5, 2015 (edited) Oh, I wasn't thinking of an adult processing session. But to kiss and then go back to the other characters and we don't get to see the next thing that happened was frustrating. Did they go back to playing video games or decide to go steady. Just SOMEthing. Even a "I like you" or a "what the hell are you doing, Connor? You can't do that" would've been better than fade to black. Edited March 5, 2015 by karas Link to comment
wagthedog March 6, 2015 Share March 6, 2015 (edited) I like how the show is handling Jude/Connor. With young actors I think less is often more. And actually, with tv romance in general less can be more. Not everything needs to be explicit. I thought the little finger cross at the movie theater a few episodes was more compelling than what you get with most tv couples. Yes, the story is a bit fragmented and drawn out, but I think that's fairly representative of exploring romantic feelings when you're in your early teens - lots of fits and starts, uncertainty, confusion. Whether you're gay or straight or something else or questioning, young love is crazy, weird, amazing, awful - all at once. And what's nice about this show is that when it gets a story right, like I think they're getting Jude/Connor right, it's not "good for a gay storyline." It's just good. Also loved the Callie/Stef interaction. I was skeptical of the bio dad story as a means to block Callie from getting adopted but I think they've used the ploy effectively. We've really gotten to see Callie's fears, the bond she has developed with Mariana, and the unconditional love of Stef and Lena. Maybe I'm just a sucker, but I've found it pretty believable and that includes Robert's actions in all of this. And it paved the way for Callie to grow as a character. After all these years of fending for herself, of protecting Jude (often at her own expense), of putting up walls to keep herself from getting hurt she finally turned to her moms. I noticed that Monte still hasn't mentioned if the person she was getting divorced from was male or female. I thought she said mentioned divorcing her husband at one point. Maybe not. Anyway, that first weekend encounter, I wondered if the show was setting up a potential affair between them, but in this episode it felt like platonic friendship. To which I say "hooray!" because in crowded field of normal everyday things television lacks, stands female friendship that isn't compromised by competition for a man. Plus, even though I'm not entirely a Stef fan, I don't want to see a cheating/breakup story. Edited March 6, 2015 by wagthedog 1 Link to comment
karas March 6, 2015 Author Share March 6, 2015 (edited) I thought she said mentioned divorcing her husband at one point. Maybe not. No, she said she recently divorced. California has had same sex marriage for years now so we mustn't assume that she divorced a man. To paraphrase Lena, 'let's agree not to be heteronormative.' Edited March 6, 2015 by karas Link to comment
wagthedog March 7, 2015 Share March 7, 2015 Wasn't assuming she divorced a man. Just thought she specified "husband". Either way, whether she's hetero- or homo- I'd rather see her and Lena as friends. An affair in the Lena/Stef relationship feels very out of character. Link to comment
maraleia March 7, 2015 Share March 7, 2015 I'm hoping that if Monte is a lesbian Lena and Stef conspire to hook her up with one of their single friends. We haven't had much of Stef and Lena's life outside of the kids lately and it would be nice to see them interact with friends on occasion. 4 Link to comment
possibilities March 7, 2015 Share March 7, 2015 I love that idea. There was an episode in season 1 where they had a party, and I loved seeing all their friends. It was so much more "real lesbians" than anything The L Word ever cooked up. 1 Link to comment
Perfect Xero March 9, 2015 Share March 9, 2015 (edited) Now the things that scare me. I'm not sure what's going on between Lena and Monti but I'm even more squirrely about Stef and Robert. There's something weird there because it always seems to be Stef going over to his house to talk to him or his wife alone. I don't know whether they are headed towards a story where Stef gets accused of doing something to him or worse, hate sex. I wouldn't worry about that last bit, I'm pretty sure that the last thing that will ever happen between Robert and Stef is any sort of sex. Realistically she should be accused, the fact that she's twice shown up at their house unannounced to mark her territory over an ongoing custody matter (in uniform this time with a gun, no less) is harassment and with his lawyers he'd easily be able to get a restraining order against her. As someone who has known a few bully cops in my life Stef's demeanor and posture in those scenes reminds me very much of them, it makes me very uncomfortable to watch and I hope the show doesn't just write it off as "Mama Bear" protecting her cubs. I'm also uneasy about this general storyline, the message reminds me way too much of storyline on Switched At Birth where Angelo's baby was taken from the hospital (in his case, literally while he was on his way there to see his daughter for the first time) and given up for adoption without his consent, and then when he found her everyone on the show acted like he should just give up and let the adoptive parents keep her because she'd already "bonded" with them. That ABC Family shows keep pushing this attitude toward the parental rights of biological fathers is getting rather disturbing to me. This show is one of the few representations of the foster system, the message that the foster parents will somehow be able to fight biological parents tooth and nail to prevent reunification (particularly in this case, where the child was only placed in the system because the father was never informed of her birth) and that the child will prefer to stay with the foster family of less than a year just seems to be irresponsible of them. Edited March 9, 2015 by Perfect Xero 2 Link to comment
LeGrandElephant March 9, 2015 Share March 9, 2015 I agree with whoever said they should have done this plot with Mariana instead. Ana might not have known or told who the father was if she was such a mess. Having him show up now and be a nice guy would be real conflict. Having Callie's father show up is totally fake conflict because there's no real life reason the courts wouldnt just be like great, you live with him now, and since he's nearby and a nice guy he'd let Callie visit her brother and ex Foster family often and that would be that. She could see them as much as Brandon sees Mike. 1 Link to comment
possibilities March 10, 2015 Share March 10, 2015 Did anyone else notice, in the credits, that Rob Morrow directed this episode? I don't know if it was a one time thing or if he's done it before, but it surprised me. I think of him as the actor who played Joel Fleischmann on "Northern Exposure" back in the day, but he was more recently the lead on "Numbers." I wonder how he got involved with this show. Link to comment
smrou March 10, 2015 Share March 10, 2015 I did not notice that. Looking at IMDb it seems this was the first episode of this show that he's directed, but apparently he directed three episodes of Joan of Arcadia. Cool! Link to comment
dmmetler June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 I'm glad that Lena talked to someone about her feelings on the loss of Frankie and the possible adoption of Ana's baby-and that she was told it was OK to NOTwant to adopt. This story is one which needs to be shown on TV, where often a miscarriage or stillbirth is seen as a way to have a pregnancy storyline without the nuisance of a baby, and everyone forgets it the very next episode. Link to comment
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