S02.E20: Not That Type Of Girl

[karas]

Callie meets another roadblock in her pursuit of a happier future, leading her to confront past demons. Mariana, troubled by the uncertain future of Ana’s baby, follows up on a letter Ana wrote to relatives. Meanwhile, Jude faces the painful fallout of a bad decision. Lena confides in Monte about her difficulties at home.

Edited March 12, 2015 by karas

[stopeslite]

Oy. I'm sure that letting Callie into the interrogation room and letting her tell Liam about Sarah was hella illegal. That was worse than what happened on Broadchurch.

 

I wish we could have seen Jude's reply to Connor. Loved that little half-smile he gave, though. Annoying how little time they gave that storyline, especially compared to the filler that was there.

 

Jesus driving - please no. 

 

Poor Emma. I feel more for her every episode.

[Bringonthedrama]

I felt bad for Emma. And Lena. She's exasperated about how Stef handles things and keeps things to herself (and rightly so) ... and now Monte is getting flirty. 

 

Marianna and Callie were so great in this episode. I wonder if the twins' grandparents will want to be grandparents to all the kids. 

 

The real reason Connor isn't allowed to be friends with Jude was a good twist. "Thanks for making me feel like a jerk, Jude"...Taylor, you kinda are. Your stupidity got a kid shot.

[stopeslite]

 

"Thanks for making me feel like a jerk, Jude"...Taylor, you kinda are. Your stupidity got a kid shot.

Yep. I'm no fan of piling it on, but yeah, it was her fault.

 

I missed the first couple of minutes - how exactly could the kids be running, the dad shoot from chest level straight out, and hit Connor in the foot?

[SparklesBitch]

Oy. I'm sure that letting Callie into the interrogation room and letting her tell Liam about Sarah was hella illegal.

 

Definitely.

 

All that aside though, I was totally digging Callie playing cop. Maybe she can follow Stef's footsteps into the academy and then they can become a crime fighting team, because I'd watch the crap out of that show.

 

Also.....I can't help it. I like Monte. I like Monte a lot. I don't necessarily want a cheating storyline, because I adore Stef and Lena together, but judging from the preview, poor Lena needs someone to talk to and Monte is usually so warm and open and willing to listen and smiley and I love her.....god, I'm a terrible person.

 

And OMG with Connor confessing to his dad and the texting and Jude's little smile and they're amazing!! I liked that Taylor gave Connor her phone so they could talk.

 

Couldn't really care less about Brandon or Jesus, but Mariana is making me love her more and more. I thought she nailed that talk with Emma (and was 100% right....why the hell would you let a bunch of boys tell you what kind of girl to be? Mariana is wise beyond her years!), and the scene with her and the grandparents kicked me in the gut. She's such a great kid, wanting to do something good for the baby.

 

And lastly, I was so proud of Stef for taking Mike with her to nail Liam.....up until the last second I figured she went by herself, as per usual. She's growing! Sort of.

[possibilities]

Jude and Connor are the best. They're better than ice cream and chocolate. It's almost enough to give me diabetes, but it stops just short of the line. And I 100% did not see it coming when Connor told his dad he'd snuck out to see Jude. I also didn't see it coming that his dad lied about what Connor said (though I should have). i wasn't surprised he forbid them from seeing each other, but up til that point I was successfully on a roller coaster of surprise and amazement.

 

I don't really blame Taylor for the shooting. She was being stupid, but her dad was stupider. And now he's self-indulgently staying in bed instead of supporting her, so she'd adopting a Daria-lite affect of teen ennui. But she came through for Jude and Connor, so I still like her.

 

In my head, Jude texted something like "I love you" back to Connor-- it was that sappy and they didn't show it because they were afraid there would be too many viewrs fainting and we'd all miss the next few scenes.

 

Stef all femmed out to buy the purse: that's love, for her to get dolled up in that particular way for Callie's sting. I was glad she told Mike what she as doing, and he was there as back up.

 

I love Emma. I love what they are doing with Emma. I love that this show has a variety of types and personalities among all the girl characters. Watching TV, you'd think there were only a few girl patterns out there, but this show is showing a 3 dimensional view.

 

I hope Mariana learns from Emma, and they aren't just setting it up for Mariana to change her or rescue her from alienation or some crap like that, though. It has to be a 2 way street and I want them to be real friends, not one shining at the other's expense .

 

Why did I not anticipate Jesus's driving style? I really, really feel I should have seen that coming.

 

Mariana with the Guitierrez family... I wonder if they will ask for Ana's baby and if Mariana will regret getting involved because she wanted Stef and Lena to adopt her. Maybe it will play out to be a good solution because the Adams-Foster family has enough on its plate already. The parallels with Callie-Robert can't be unintended, either. They are weaving quite a tangled web of plotlines. On the other hand, they might feel they are too old to adopt an infant and Stef and Lena are a good home, but they will decide to be more active grandparents. The guy having sent the name plate gifts to me makes it almost worse-- he knew who they were and still stayed away?

 

Mariana was so good in the scene where she tells Jesus about her first meeting with their birth parents. And Jesus looked so stiff and fake when he tried to pat her on the back and comfort her. I almost felt bad for the actor. Is he deliberately phoning it in?

 

Glad Liam got his. I hope nothing undoes it.

 

Couldn't care less about Brandon and Lu drama, but I admit I kind of like Brandon and Jesus together as brothers.

 

Hate Lena and Monte giggles. Also hate women who think they might try women because they are mad at men. Guess what? We're not the leftovers you go for when the good stuff goes bad. It's so annoying. I am starting to really despise Monte. Every week she's either stupid or offensive or both. And what's worse is that Lena seems to think this crap is cute, and that makes me question my respect for Lena, which I really never thought I'd do and I don't like how it feels.

 

WTF re the previews? Lena kissing Monte seems like such a horrible idea. And a fatality in the car? Are they going to kill Jesus instead of sending him to boarding school? I can't think of any other character I could bare to see killed off, but even I think killing Jesus would be too much-- poor Mariana, if it's true!

 

ETA: I also wondered how that bullet managed to get into Connor's foot. And I agree that Stef and Callie as Crime Fighting Duo would be a great spin-off!

Edited March 17, 2015 by possibilities

[DCCFanInKy]

WTF re the previews? Lena kissing Monte seems like such a horrible idea. And a fatality in the car? Are they going to kill Jesus instead of sending him to boarding school? I can't think of any other character I could bare to see killed off, but even I think killing Jesus would be too much-- poor Mariana, if it's true!

 

As I speculated in another post...

could it be Robert that is the "fatality"?  Or maybe Monte?  Or even Ana/baby?

[FrumiusManxome]

I am really peeved that the plot most pushed in the commercials was shoved to C-plot status once again. I really hope there is some sort of closure on the Jude-Connor front next week. There wasn't much to go on this week because it looks like we're building up to some huge gesture or something, but it could have at least been the main subplot. It just feels a lot like Jude based plots are shoved aside too often because he has (until now) more normal adolescent issues.

 

Taylor is not as cool as I originally thought. Her idea to drink and break into her own house in the first place was stupid. Like unbelievably stupid. I also did not like how she jumped on Jude for blaming her when all he was doing was stating facts. She did suggest it, and though it's all of their faults (where is Daria right now?), it mainly falls on her as the one who started it. I hope she doesn't feel too guilty though. She is only like 13 after all.

 

I almost wish Callie had kept her ruined credit for awhile just so we can drop this ridiculous emancipation idea. It felt out of left field and an unnecessary way of doing Liam in. Like, why did that have to happen right now? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Liam is going to jail where he belongs, but it felt really random to suddenly bring him and Sarah back like this. Basically why did we waste time putting this obstacle in front of Stef's stupid plan that isn't going to pay off in the long run anyways. There is no way this emancipation thing is going to fly for long so why did we even humour it as if it was a serious option that could have worked for Callie that was being threatened here? Especially, when it got resolved in like 5 minutes. And I so was expecting them to go the cliche Callie baits Liam into admitting he's been using Sarah and Sarah was watching from behind the glass way. I was pleasantly surprised Callie had actually thought outside the box for that. Kudos to her for that. Even if going into the room with Liam and all that was hella illegal, I'm sure. 

 

Mariana's dance team stuff has not interested me and I don't think it ever will, but the girls are really talented. I was very impressed. I loved all the girls' response to Emma quitting. I was immediately irritated that Emma tried to go the slut-shaming route instead of admitting she gets enough flack as the only girl wrestler and with her intelligence the sexual dancing just gave people more to talk about. All of that is understandable, but trying to put girls down for owning their sexuality is not. I'm glad the girls shut that down really quick. I especially loved the girl who was like 'What's wrong with being a spokesmodel?" and Mariana asking what was wrong with being smart and sexy. I think Mariana is doing a pretty good job of embracing both. 

 

Mariana going to the grandparents is a huge no-no though. I am so tired of this family not talking about anything. I really can relate to Lena's frustration with Stef in this respect. No one in this house communicates ever. They all push and make their own decisions and then when it hits the fan THEN they want to sit down and have a chat. I am especially not feeling, the parallels between this storyline and the Callie-Robert-Fosters custody battle situation. Can we not just let the Fosters adopt the baby without the grandparents potentially fighting for the kid too? We already have enough drama with Stef and Lena about to be in the midst of the baby's adoption whilst their marriage is falling apart. Another custody battle will try my patience. 

 

Speaking of the marriage. I honestly do not fault Lena for seeking comfort in Monte. She has legitimate concerns with Stef, but Stef constantly pushes them aside because of EXACTLY what Lena is telling her the problem is; she thinks she needs to shoulder everything alone. There is no communication in their marriage any more. And Stef's tentative attempts to rebuild the bridge may be too late considering all that has happened now. Despite, all this I never condone cheating so Lena is firmly in the wrong if she does not immediately pull from the kiss (assuming Monte initiated) or if she initiates the kiss. Yeah, I can see how Lena needs someone to talk to because Stef has steadfastly been refusing to discuss anything all season and Monte is there. Of course, she's going to seek solace in her. The amount of solace she is seeking is wrong, but this really just tells me that Lena needs more friends. Seriously though, do either of Lena and Stef have friends? It's like Mr. Schue from Glee all over again. This situation would not be happening if either of them had friends to confide in. Stef has Mike, but confiding stuff like that in your ex-husband is a whole other can of worms. 

 

Monte's complacency in the situation bothers me as well though. She obviously is aware of her own attraction to Lena. She knows Lena is married. Why does she continue to foster (ha!) such an increasingly intimate friendship with her? It it not technically wrong seeing as it has not gone past the bounds of friendship, but it sure is morally wrong.

 

Do not care about Brandon. Do not care about Jesus. 

Edited March 17, 2015 by FrumiusManxome

[Bringonthedrama]

 I am starting to really despise Monte. Every week she's either stupid or offensive or both. And what's worse is that Lena seems to think this crap is cute, and that makes me question my respect for Lena, which I really never thought I'd do and I don't like how it feels.

I read the reaction as somewhat amused by Monte's male-bashing in the aftermath of divorce, and then surprised and unsure about to how react/respond to Monte being flirty. When Monte walked away, it seemed like Lena was thinking she likes chatting with and teasing (re: the male teacher) Monte, but now she's not quite sure about the woman's intentions toward her. I didn't take it at all that she was amused by the idea that Monte's thinking oh men suck, what about women instead as a second choice.  

[Samantha84]

When Brandon isn't being pervy and in Callie's orbit? I tend to enjoy him more. Like the last 2 episodes and his scenes w. Mariana ... and liked his scenes w. Jesus tonight. Funny. I'm finally getting a picture of what the 3 of then looked like growing up together. 

[possibilities]

I think the identity theft story was put in because the writers wanted to highlight how this is "very common among foster children"-- and Callie's looking into her credit history as part of the emancipation story was an opportunity to do that. I agree the emancipation plan is doomed to fail, but I think they also chose that storyline so they could show how hard it is for teens who don't have decent options.

 

Where Callie actually has two possible homes, both of which are basically viable despite how many of us strongly prefer one over the other, many foster kids have no good options at all, so the show probably feels like it is important to at least show the harsher and more common realities. Kicking Callie around the block with obstacles probably helps a lot of kids in foster situations feel like the show isn't a total white wash, and hopefully it opens the eyes of some people who know little about the system and would otherwise buy the "happily ever after" myth.

 

In a way, this show is incredibly rosy. As painful as it is, Callie having two families that want her is incredibly rare and kind of a nice problem to have, compared to the situation of most foster kids.  It's kind of shocking actually. I know I feel week after week like this show is putting me through the ringer. But at the same time, reality is actually much worse! Stef caught the identity thief in what? Two days? It is usually a very expensive and long process, and she did it during regular business at her job!

 

This show is kind of ambitious in how many groundbreaking things they are packing into one show, and how many never-before-on-TV issues are getting showcased. The Jude-Connor kiss was a big media to-do, but the foster system being exposed for the dysfunctional and tragic mess it is (not slamming any wonderful foster parents, just saying that it's not all good and there are plenty of sad stories out there), and showcasing the lives of foster kids is as important as helping LGBT kids feel better about themselves and less alone and unheard by the world around them. This show is carrying water for that population, too, and I don't think anyone else on TV is doing that. I wish the media would get as worked up over the scandal of identity theft of foster kids, or girls turning to pimps because they feel safer on the street than in the state-ordered foster placement, as they do over two boys kissing.

 

And I say this as someone who is blown away (in a good way) by Jude/Connor and Lena/Stef being on TV, having grown up a lesbian kid in the 1970s when Anita Bryant was telling us all that the gays were destroying America, while she sold orange juice and smiled for the camera. I want more Jude-Connor, too-- and more Stef-Lena with their friends, too! :-)

 

lscobie, those are interesting ideas (spoiler talk). I guess I will just wait and see and not worry ahead of time about what they are actually doing!

 

bringonthedrama, I like your interpretation of Lena's reaction to Monte better than mine. I really hope you're right! ....And besides all that, Monte is Lena's boss. Monte just rejected the idea of getting involved with a subordinate, and rightly so. Let's hope they both back off and none of my fears come true.

 

ETA: I didn't really think of what Emma was doing as being slut shaming. She was respectful, she just didn't want to do that dance. I think there is some reality to her position, that she doesn't want to be viewed a certain way because it obscures the qualities she does want to be known for. And also, not everyone identifies with that particular brand of "sexy" and that's okay, too. Mariana is also right, that sometimes you can change things and it's better to fight it than let it influence you, but that choose your battle thing applies in both directions-- is the dancin worth fighting fir, to Emma? If not, I think that's just as valid as if for Mariana it is. Mariana tends to value some of the more traditionally girly-defined things than Emma, and to not even notice it when she's given the "PR" role instead of being recognized for her other smarts. But Emma wants those things more, and has had less support for it, so I can see her desire to protect her priorities as valid. Having mariana offer to help her have both is a great friend thing, as well as being self-serving. But Emma hasn't had that kind of support before. Which reminds me-- I liked hearing Jesus in the background calling the wresting goon an idiot when he the goon made a stupid comment about Emma.

Edited March 17, 2015 by possibilities

[Kat]

I for one, loathe Monte and find her manipulative and unprofessional. I hated seeing that kiss in the previews for next week!

I too was surprised that the Jude/Connor storyline was relegated to C tier tonight. But nonetheless I cried during the text message exchange. Very impatient to see what happens next for those two.
I'm going to harp some more on Taylor's dad - I mean I'm glad Connor's going to be okay but, how bad a shot do you have to be shoot a young teen in the foot?
The minute Anna opened that door I knew Stef was going to take her home. STOP Stef, you're ruining your marriage.

 

From the recap:

 

The wives of Senators would have ripped off each other's wig brooches to beat their way to various podiums to beg their fellow Americans to Think of the Children.

"Wig brooches"! Hee! God bless you, Allison.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Kat

[Primetimer]

#Totes.

Read the story

[butterbody]

The minute the social worker asked if she had a credit card, I thought of Callie using her card at the wind up dog boutique with the photographic memoried salesgirl. Then Callie said she didn't have any credit cards and I was like Gurl, why you lyin? Did anyone ever mention this card? It seems weird to forget that detail yet be so thoughtful with the foreshadowing of the name thingies her grandpa sent anonymously at Christmastime.

[maraleia]

The minute the social worker asked if she had a credit card, I thought of Callie using her card at the wind up dog boutique with the photographic memoried salesgirl. Then Callie said she didn't have any credit cards and I was like Gurl, why you lyin? Did anyone ever mention this card? It seems weird to forget that detail yet be so thoughtful with the foreshadowing of the name thingies her grandpa sent anonymously at Christmastime.

Callie has a job so she gets paid and hence has a bank account which gives her access to a Visa or MC debit card. That's what she used to pay for the wind up dog.

[marceline]

I was completely on board with Emma. I love that girl. I wish I'd had her sense of self when I was her age. This is the second time Mariana has tried to get another girl to do something out of her comfort zone in the name of her particular brand of "sexiness." She did it last week with Callie. Mariana may be comfortable shaking and shimmying but not every girl is. She seems to have forgotten about the younger version of herself who gave her panties to a guy only to be humiliated because of it. 

 

I completely agreed with Emma that the dance was too sexual. When Tia said "We're athletes" I thought "Show me another athletic that requires you to crouch with your legs open as you give a come hither smile." My understanding (based solely on watching the occasional cheer competition) is that these dance teams are supposed to be about physical strength, cohesiveness and creativity. Much in the similar vein of gymnastics. That's not what I see when I look at Mariana's team. I see young women being taught to conform to the male gaze with booty popping and stripper moves and I'm glad the show addresses that from different angles. If Emma feels like her being on the dance team is costing her in other parts of her life then she has the right to draw the line.

 

I've been questioning why the show keeps inflicting the dance team story on us and now I think I see why. Just like Jonner gives us the chance to look at how Jude and Connor define themselves and their sexuality, the dance team story does the same for the girls.

Edited March 17, 2015 by marceline

[starri]

 

I AM JUST SAYING, PLEASE LOOK: IT GOT BETTER.

This line absolutely did not make me cry.

[Gulftastic]

Ugly Betty's Dad! Yay for casting!

Poor Marianna when he refused to have anything to do with her. I hope they become part of her and Jesus' lives now. They seem like caring Grandparents.

I too was shocked when Connor flat out told his Dad he was out for Jude. Way to not drag it out for too long, show.

And as soon as I saw the kind of place that Anna was living, I knew Stef would be taking her home. I'm a little surprised that Mike even let her move there in the first place, though.

[Ljohnson1987]

I totally forgot who Sarah was. I didn’t like that they brought her back without any introduction. She hadn’t been on the show since season one. So glad that Liam got what’s coming to him. Karma is a bitch.

My heart ached for Mariana. I cannot imagine having people reject you, when they don’t really know you.

Jesus is a danger on the road.

I’m sure the finale is going to be great.

[RedFire2000]

I don't like what they're doing to Lena's character. She was a confident vice principal with a sensitive soul, quiet calm confidence and mama bear instincts. Now she is becoming unfocused (her mannerisms appear flustered) short tempered (especially with Stef) indecisive and abrupt at the same time. They seem to be making her weak. Which I guess would leave her vulnerable to stray.. I hope she doesn't.

[QueerGirrl]

My MVP was Mariana for sure.  Not just for the Grandparents thing or the Dance Team thing, but for failing the driving permit test once before!!!!  She really thought they were trick questions.  It couldn't be that obvious, but it totally is!  It just common sense stuff.  That makes me like her more.

[omgsowicked]

- I'm glad Callie finally got a win with Liam but having her in the interrogation room was reallllly pushing it, haha. Also, I wish they had mentioned that you can freeze credit for minors... you don't have to be in the foster system to find that information useful.

 

- Ana and her hot potato baby... Mike wants her, Stef and Lena want her, and now the grandparents will probably step up and want her. I didn't catch it at first, that shot of the woodwork names, but when Mariana said thanks for the Christmas presents, I was like, "omg". Really nice callback.

 

- I love how Stef and Mike get each other... I'm guessing Mike realized she wasn't just buying a purse and insisted on being backup, and he also knew she couldn't see Ana in that motel and not want her out of there right away.

 

- Monte... "Maybe I should try women! *heart eyes*" Nooooo! I'm surprised Lena didn't say something about how you can't test drive being a lesbian, since this show is all about pointing stuff like that out, but I guess she's really that unhappy with Stef right now. I don't blame her since Stef keeps making unilateral decisions, and Monte's been a great listener, but... ugh!

 

- I understood Emma's mindset, those things are real issues, but based on what occurred in the episode, it seemed like she was overreacting. Her hesitancy to join the dance team, being upset about being relegated to marketing, and in the past she's said she doesn't get along with girls... I feel like there's more to her story and I hope they're intending to tell us about it. I liked Mariana asking her why she couldn't be both sexy and smart, and why would she limit herself, etc. But I did think some of the moves were too sexy... instead of quitting the team, maybe Emma should have pushed to alter those moves.

 

- Connor's dad has had it out for Jude so I was pleasantly surprised that he initially suspected Daria for the sneaking out business. Sucks that Jude got thrown under the bus anyway but I'm glad that was cleared up between the boys by the end of the episode. This is the second time Connor snuck out to be with Jude, time to face the facts Mr. Connor's dad, lol.

 

Taylor's to blame for the crappy idea, so she should feel bad about that... but she's a kid, and also not the one who pulled the trigger (which yeah, how the heck did that bullet hit his foot when the guy had it aimed way higher?). Still think she's awesome and love her with Jude. I don't recall, did we hear anything about Daria? How is she handling her boyfriend getting shot?

 

Dude, Connor came out before Jude did! Unexpected. Connor's only a recurring character but I want backstory, stat. He went from being uncomfortable with the idea of kissing Jude (spin the bottle) to initiating both kisses we know of, he took a slug of that hard liquor in the last episode like it was apple juice (which it probably actually was, hehe)... I feel like there are some stories they could delve into with him.

 

- The promo for next week... lawd.

 

I'm not sure but that black car looked like Stef's... I wonder if she was with Ana, perhaps? I don't think it'll be Jesus or Mariana, though it would be good foreshadowing, since they both were practicing driving. But honestly, toying with the idea of sending Jesus away is enough, they don't need to kill him off, geez. The most callous option is that Robert gets killed... and I think that's the most likely option.

[LisaM]

I loved Callie finally getting a win versus Liam. I don't care how unrealistic it was - it felt very satisfying. Also loved Callie and Stef working together. Particularly loved when Stef identified herself to Liam as "Callie Jacob's mom". Thought it was a great idea to complicate the story with Sarah's involvement. This show does continuity well.

 

Loved Mariana pushing to meet the grandparents. I wasn't surprised by the Christmas present reveal because I figured it was from them. Judging from the woodwork on the walls, there are either cousins or aunts/uncles too.

 

Love the supremely uncomfortable situation with Ana in the Foster home. Good for Mike for leading Stef with the prenatal vitamins a la breadcrumbs to that hellhole.

 

Great scene with Jude reading Connor's texts on Taylor's cell phone.

 

I can see the Monte/Lena scene unfolding exactly as it did. We finally found out that her ex was a man.

 

I really liked this episode -- particularly because there was a respite from the Quinn custody drama.

[possibilities]

I keep wondering where is Connor's mom? It seems like his dad is a single parent. But earlier in the show they established that Connor's mom has migraines, which is why Connor doesn't ask his friends to go to his house. Did they just decide it was easier to give him one and only one parent, and for some reason they wanted it to be a dad, not a mom, so they are hoping we forgot? They could have just as easily given his mom a bad case of anti-gay sentiment to go along with her headaches, and covered the same story. It just seems weird to me that his dad is the only parent in the picture anymore. I wonder if he's abusive to his wife as well as to Connor, and she just has zero voice anymore. At this point, though, I feel like we need some explanation, for why she's no longer mentioned and has never been seen-- not even in the hospital after her kid was shot!

[knaxx]

I think the identity theft story was put in because the writers wanted to highlight how this is "very common among foster children"-- and Callie's looking into her credit history as part of the emancipation story was an opportunity to do that.

 

Totally agree.

Sure the plot wasn't necessary in the big picture but shows need some breathing between the high stakes drama episodes so I'm good with it. And it did shine a light on an important issue while also tying up loose ends on Callie's past.

Besides, I'd rather watch all those sub plots about issues and characters that never get shown on TV like credit fraud in the foster system or the stories from the Girls United girls (being trans, being a teen mother, prostitution...) or Jude and Connor than watch the 1876862782th cheating storyline on TV so there is that...

 

I was completely on board with Emma. I love that girl. I wish I'd had her sense of self when I was her age. This is the second time Mariana has tried to get another girl to do something out of her comfort zone in the name of her particular brand of "sexiness." She did it last week with Callie.

 

Love Emma as well! I am so glad the show is having so many female characters that are all different and they never "judge" in the sense that one way of being a girl is better than another. They very obviously advocated for Emma here by adding the comments from the boys about her being "a real girl" and her being overlooked in coding class. I didn't get the feeling that despite all the other girls protesting, Emma was in the wrong here.

At the same time, the other girls also got to stand up for themselves because if you truly like dancing and being "sexy" or being the "PR" girl or being a "spokesperson" than there is nothing wrong with that either.

And I don't think Mariana pushing Callie last week reflected badly on her at all. The opposite actually because Callie honestly didn't enjoy dancing like this and the result was that Callie quit and Mariana understood. Emma on the other hand does enjoy dancing like this, she just doesn't enjoy how she's perceived because of it. And in this case, Mariana pushed but not without hearing Emma's concern and offering her help.

Good parallel if you ask me.

 

The minute Anna opened that door I knew Stef was going to take her home. STOP Stef, you're ruining your marriage.

 

I am not happy with the marriage drama either way because I think it's unnecessary and overdone. However I also don't think it's fair to always place the blame on Stef.

The show started out with Lena bringing home Callie without consulting Stef beforehand. Of course it was a time sensitive matter while Stef could have waited a day before getting Ana but my point is that Stef isn't actually doing anything both of them haven't done before.

Stef not talking to Lena about having Robert investigated and blackmailing him is obviously not okay. The other things like checking the possibility of getting Callie emancipated before bringing it up is very much along the lines of their normal M.O.

And not too long ago there was a scene with Stef literally begging Lena to talk to her about things that are bothering her instead of going to someone else with their problems. But 5 minutes later Lena found out about the blackmail and ever since then she's had nothing but passive aggresive remarks for Stef while she keeps confiding in Monte. It's not like she keeps trying to talk to Stef and Stef keeps blowing her off. Half the stuff Lena is complaining to Monte about is somthing she hasn't even brought up with Stef recently. Sure you can argue that Stef should be able to tell something is wrong but communication is a two-way street and right now both of them seem very set in their own ways.

Stef needs to take a step back and remember to check in with her wife more and Lena needs to stop taking her issues to the wrong person. 

 

I usually don't like Brandon but I think the scenes where he took the twins driving was fun. My favorite part was Brandon freaking out when Mariana hit the breakes too hard but when Jesus is driving around like a maniac he just holds on and talks up a storm. lol

[possibilities]

My favorite part was Brandon freaking out when Mariana hit the breakes too hard but when Jesus is driving around like a maniac he just holds on and talks up a storm. lol

I didn't even notice that double standard! Hilarious!

[knaxx]

I liked Mariana asking her why she couldn't be both sexy and smart, and why would she limit herself, etc.

 

I liked that "you can be sexy AND smart" was mentioned as a statement.

But I also think it's easy for Mariana to say because Mariana is a girly girl who coincidentally enjoys the traditionally more female roles she is given when she's in male dominated groups. Unlike Emma, she is never overlooked for something because she is a girl and neither is her status as a "girl" ever questioned.

We know Emma is accepted as a good wrestler by her team. A team where judging from the comments this episode, she is mostly perceived as "one of the guys". So in the group where she isn't seen as a girly girl, she is respected for her talent.

Meanwhile in STEM class, she is overlooked when it comes to coding - even though she's aparently one of the best in that class - and lumped together with Mariana for the - in her mind - more girly tasks.

It was a natural conclusion for Emma to think the more you are perceived as a girly girl, the less respect you're gonna get based on your talent. I think they handled this storyline really well.

[Bringonthedrama]

I liked the Brandon & Mariana, Brandon & Jesus scenes as well. They really seem like sibs who have grown up together. While I know the scene of Callie with Liam in the interrogation room is illegal/unrealistic, it was so great seeing her assert herself, and have no fear of him left. MM did excellent work there.

 

I watched the preview again and I'm 99% sure Monte kisses or tries to kiss Lena. This week's episode was a set up for that. You could almost see the wheels turning as Monte looked intently at Lena, lamenting that she and Stef are not in a good place.  

[LeGrandElephant]

I thought it was immediately obvious that Connor's dad was lying about Connor saying it was Jude's idea. But that plan can only hold up if his dad plans to send him away. Maybe to anti-gay camp?

Did I miss it or did they not include the scene from last week's previews where Lena says something like "losing a friend is hard"? Is that for next week?

Edited March 18, 2015 by LeGrandElephant

[maraleia]

I thought it was immediately obvious that Connor's dad was lying about Connor saying it was Jude's idea. But that plan can only hold up if his dad plans to send him away. Maybe to anti-gay camp?

Did I miss it or did they not include the scene from last week's previews where Lena says something like "losing a friend is hard"? Is that for next week?

Connor's dad can't send him away to a reparative therapy place because they are outlawed in California. Now that doesn't mean he wouldn't send him away out of state.

[Perfect Xero]

Totally agree.

Sure the plot wasn't necessary in the big picture but shows need some breathing between the high stakes drama episodes so I'm good with it. And it did shine a light on an important issue while also tying up loose ends on Callie's past.

Besides, I'd rather watch all those sub plots about issues and characters that never get shown on TV like credit fraud in the foster system or the stories from the Girls United girls (being trans, being a teen mother, prostitution...) or Jude and Connor than watch the 1876862782th cheating storyline on TV so there is that...

 

 

Love Emma as well! I am so glad the show is having so many female characters that are all different and they never "judge" in the sense that one way of being a girl is better than another. They very obviously advocated for Emma here by adding the comments from the boys about her being "a real girl" and her being overlooked in coding class. I didn't get the feeling that despite all the other girls protesting, Emma was in the wrong here.

At the same time, the other girls also got to stand up for themselves because if you truly like dancing and being "sexy" or being the "PR" girl or being a "spokesperson" than there is nothing wrong with that either.

And I don't think Mariana pushing Callie last week reflected badly on her at all. The opposite actually because Callie honestly didn't enjoy dancing like this and the result was that Callie quit and Mariana understood. Emma on the other hand does enjoy dancing like this, she just doesn't enjoy how she's perceived because of it. And in this case, Mariana pushed but not without hearing Emma's concern and offering her help.

Good parallel if you ask me.

 

I'm not sure I understand why you believe that Emma enjoys dancing like this (assuming that "this" means "sexy") even though she voices otherwise? I get the vibe that, yes, she enjoys dancing, but I believe her when she says that she's not comfortable with the sexy choreography that the team is doing.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Perfect Xero

[poppy-]

Mariana's not wrong, but Emma's not wrong either, and I hope the show gets to a place where Mariana can acknowledge that.

 

I feel like Connor and Jude is the Darryl Dixon of this show....the thing allll the viewers want more of, but they just dole it in tiny dribs and drabs.  3 minutes here, 2 minutes there, a big scene, then nothing for a while....

 

Any chance Connor is lying, though? That he told his dad? I guess not.  The dad's reaction (find a way to keep the kids apart  without acknowledging the real issue) was very realistic.  But Connor is sometimes brave, sometimes kind of squirrely. And I got the impression he liked kissing girls, too.  Dunno.

[Eeksquire]

Here's the thing:

 

I can see the Monte/Lena scene unfolding exactly as it did. We finally found out that her ex was a man.

SO WAS STEF'S.  This show - whoever said it (I think in a previous thread) that everyone's worst qualities are their best qualities taken to an extreme was 100% right AND in this show, people have established patterns of behavior and (seemingly) have to learn the same lesson over and over again.  So now what? Monte is going to tell Lena that she came out to everyone and "even used the word 'lesbian' "?  I don't like this, no matter how true to life it may be.

[stopeslite]

Connor's dad doesn't have to send him away - Anchor Beach is a charter school. All he has to do is pull him from that and send him back to public school, and he won't have any more contact with Jude.

 

I wanted Connor to declare himself bisexual, so it at least didn't look like he was totally using Daria. Would have been nice to have a little more diversity from that standpoint, too. 

 

I hope the Emma thing doesn't resolve as entirely "it's ok to be sexy and people will still take you seriously!" Because she's right, they won't. Society is still sexist, and yeah, being seen as girly will end up with you getting the crappy assignments in after-school tech class. I'll be interested to see where they go with this.

[LeGrandElephant]

A charter school IS a public school. But is there always a non-charter alternative?

Anyway, they live nearby, and if he goes to a normal school he'd have internet access there. So my point was this deception would only hold up in the long run if he's going to seriously keep Connor locked up somewhere, like military boarding school or homeschool. Or maybe he just didn't think it through.

Edited March 18, 2015 by LeGrandElephant

[knaxx]

I'm not sure I understand why you believe that Emma enjoys dancing like this (assuming that "this" means "sexy") even though she voices otherwise? I get the vibe that, yes, she enjoys dancing, but I believe her when she says that she's not comfortable with the sexy choreography that the team is doing.

Bad wording on my part. I just meant that I got the impression that Emma enjoyed dancing itself and that she didn't mind the choreography until the boys from her wrestling team made her feel insecure about how she was being perceived because of it.

She looked happy enough during auditions last week. Same goes for the beginning of the routine this week. Compare that to Callie who looked uncomfortable with the dance moves no matter where or in front of whom she danced.

I just think that if Emma could dance or do cheerleading without people making her feel like "the silly girl on the sideline" or that she isn't being "taken seriously" or that she's "a joke" (all things she mentioned as reasons as to why she wanted to quit) then she wouldn't have had as big a problem with the routine. I agree that she doesn't enjoy flirting or being deliberately "sexy" the way Mariana seems to but I do think she'd just go with it as part of a dance routine were it not for the unwanted consequences. That's just my interpretation though.

(And of course those consequences aren't just gonna go away because society sucks so we'll have to see how the show deals with it or what ocompromise Emma can come up with.)

Edited March 18, 2015 by knaxx

[stopeslite]

 

A charter school IS a public school. But is there always a non-charter alternative?

There has to be - charter schools get to pick the students who go there from their applicant pool. One of the big criticisms of charter schools is that they get to take the best students and leave the difficult to teach ones for the public schools to pick up. Remember when Jude was in danger of getting kicked out due to his performance? That's something a public school can't do; they have to put him in a lower grade level to catch up. So there has to be at least one "regular"

 public option to take all of the rejected kids, no matter how many charter schools are in a district.

[ChocButterfly]

Well, it's interesting that when I started watching this show, Mariana was the most selfish, shallow and annoying character of it.Now she's becoming my favorite. Now, that's character growth, way to go show!

 

However, I was with Emma this episode. Not that Mariana was completely wrong, but I remember Emma being hesitant at the beginning to join the dance team because she said she didn't want to display her sexuality that way. And why do they have to turn on the sexy while dancing? Why can't it be just good dancing, without having to do those suggestive moves and make those porn faces? It's clear Emma enjoys dancing, but not necessarily displaying her sexuality like that. And that other girl who said they were "athletes"? Oh, please, if they were real athletes they would focus on the right moves, jumps and the technical aspect of it, not in looking like a temptress hooker. You don't have to turn on the sexy up to ten to be a great dancer.

 

Speaking of which, wasn't Mariana barely able to follow the steps and was only a mediocre dancer just a year ago? Now she's the best dancer AND choreographer??! I remember it was her cool friend who was very talented, how come Mariana is calling all the shots?

 

There was something I didn't understand about the identity theft plot. Can minors get credit cards without parental approval? That doesn't sound right. Wouldn't the state be directly responsible for any credit card debt that Callie could have?? Minors cannot get into contracts with banks, they cannot get loans or anything. If it's so easy to steal a minor's identity and get credit cards with them, isn't it also SUPER easy to prove that's not your real debt? Like, well, this was a debt acquired when I was 16, so whoever was my legal guardian then it's responsible for it. I mean, if all of a sudden Jude appears to have a mortgage, are you telling me the law is so stupid as to actually charge him for it? At 13? Kids cannot buy houses on their names, therefore, the mortgage cannot be theirs. And for that matter, how can anyone who doesn't have a credit, bank account, job or anything get TONS of credit cards with apparently very generous credit?? The whole thing didn't make any sense to me.

[maraleia]

There was something I didn't understand about the identity theft plot. Can minors get credit cards without parental approval? That doesn't sound right. Wouldn't the state be directly responsible for any credit card debt that Callie could have?? Minors cannot get into contracts with banks, they cannot get loans or anything. If it's so easy to steal a minor's identity and get credit cards with them, isn't it also SUPER easy to prove that's not your real debt? Like, well, this was a debt acquired when I was 16, so whoever was my legal guardian then it's responsible for it. I mean, if all of a sudden Jude appears to have a mortgage, are you telling me the law is so stupid as to actually charge him for it? At 13? Kids cannot buy houses on their names, therefore, the mortgage cannot be theirs. And for that matter, how can anyone who doesn't have a credit, bank account, job or anything get TONS of credit cards with apparently very generous credit?? The whole thing didn't make any sense to me.

Here is a link to some articles that talk about this issue. It's sadly true. http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/in-plain-sight/preying-vulnerable-foster-youth-face-high-risk-identity-theft-n157641 and http://www.aecf.org/resources/youth-and-credit/

[ChocButterfly]

Wao! Thanks, Maraleia, but that sounds so...wrong. The law is so, so wrong. :(

 

You know what else was not very believable? That the authorities didn't try to track down Mariana and Jesus' relatives before getting them into the system. With Callie it was even more convoluted, since ALL those years no one had noticed her father's name on her birth certificate? But all of a sudden they do check when the Fosters want to adopt her.

[kalamac]

Can minors in the US actually get credit cards that aren't attached to those of their parents or is that something that's been done just for the sake of the story?

In Australia you have to be at least 18 to qualify for a credit card (I do believe that back in the day some stores had credit cards you could get at 17 provided you had an job, but I think that's changed), the only option for teenagers are the Visa debit type card, where they're using their own money, not going into debt.

[peachmangosteen]

Did I miss it or did they not include the scene from last week's previews where Lena says something like "losing a friend is hard"? Is that for next week?

 

They showed the same scene from last week's promo with Lena and Jude sitting on the floor of what looked like the hospital and crying in the promo for the finale. Maybe it's actually related to the apparent car crash from the finale.

 

And I got the impression he liked kissing girls, too.

 

I was really hoping they'd have Connor be bisexual. That would've been really great representation. 

 

Speaking of representation, I honestly mostly hate this show and think it doesn't really do most of the stuff it's going for justice, but still I would like to see them have an asexual character. Now there's an orientation that's woefully underrepresented in media.

Edited March 21, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[wagthedog]

I was really hoping they'd have Connor be bisexual. That would've been really great representation.

Is that ruled out at this point? Yeah, he texted Jude that he told his Dad he's gay, but that's really just an easy label to attach to something that may be more complex for some (many?) people. I'm not knowledgeable of the topic, but I get the impression that bisexual remains a label that people are less familiar with, less willing to use. Acceptance of homosexuality has progressed, but I'm not sure acceptance of bisexuality has done the same. Anecdotally speaking (and with an obviously limited sample size) when I hear the topic of bisexuality come up I hear many people associate with being "confused" or something because apparently if you don't fit into the binary labeling system some people don't know what to make of that. Anyway, I don't see Connor calling himself gay in a text as being some sort of definitive last word on the subject.

 

 

 

but still I would like to see them have an asexual character.

Are there any asexual characters on tv? It would be interesting to see (although I imagine most shows would fail at handling it well). But I think this show might actually need to cut back on the issues it's trying to portray. I appreciate their willingness to tackle a variety of topical issues, many of which don't get much consideration on other shows, but I think one of the reasons The Fosters sometimes struggles in the way it addresses these issues is because it jumps from topic to topic trying to address as many issues as possible rather than taking their time with a few issues.

Edited March 22, 2015 by maraleia
removed quotations around bisexual and gay and the hyphen in bisexual per standards

[peachmangosteen]

I appreciate their willingness to tackle a variety of topical issues, many of which don't get much consideration on other shows, but I think one of the reasons The Fosters sometimes struggles in the way it addresses these issues is because it jumps from topic to topic trying to address as many issues as possible rather than taking their time with a few issues.

Great point. But I think this show is probably the only one who might actually do an asexual character story line so I still wish they would, even if I suspect it wouldn't be very good anyway lol.

As for there being any asexual characters on tv, there is currently one on Sirens.

Edited March 22, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[smrou]

Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory certainly seems to be asexual even though I'm not sure the term has been explicitly applied to him on the show. But as he's also not otherwise...typical? (I'm struggling with what words to use here)...he may not exactly be considered to be good representation of the orientation. And he's in a romantic relationship with someone who isn't asexual, which is I think an interesting and important thing to explore/show but as it's a silly comedy I can't say they treat it in a particularly sensitive or insightful way. 

 

As for Connor I'd like to think him having made that one statement via text--that he told his dad he's gay--isn't necessarily the end of the story. He may be using that term somewhat loosely. Or he may be at a point where he's still sort of working things out and since he clearly likes Jude his reaction is to identify as gay.  Perhaps further thought/discovery/conversation will lead him to identify as bisexual, which I think would be nice. Or maybe Jude will be bi/pan/something else. He hasn't explicitly stated what his orientation is, has he? At any rate, I think the possibility still remains for bisexuality to be represented on the show.

Edited March 22, 2015 by smrou

[Bringonthedrama]

 

 

As for Connor I'd like to think him having made that one statement via text--that he told his dad he's gay--isn't necessarily the end of the story. He may be using that term somewhat loosely. Or he may be at a point where he's still sort of working things out and since he clearly likes Jude his reaction is to identify as gay.  Perhaps further thought/discovery/conversation will lead him to identify as bisexual, which I think would be nice.

Excellent point!! Poppy and peachmangosteen, I agree with your thoughts as well. I absolutely thought he was bi after kissing Jude, looking comfortable kissing Daria, and that moment of hinting to Jude about the two of them having some alone time. I figured he lied to his dad because he's afraid of his dad, and felt attracted to Jude but didn't have overwhelming strong feelings for him. So, the gay line via text shocked me. I think that was the point. 

[izabella]

This is the first time in a long time that I actually enjoyed Brandon.  He was great with Marianna and Jesus during the driving lessons, and with Marianna looking for her grandparents.  More of this, show, please! 

 

I also liked Jesus for the first time in a while when he spoke up for Emma with that wrestling idiot.  Emma seemed to me like she was having a lot of fun dancing, until the wrestling team came in.  She is hyper-conscious of how she might be perceived by others, so I hope she does eventually learn that she shouldn't do or not do things solely because of what others might think.  She shouldn't limit herself or forgo doing things she loves because of it. 

[evilolive]

showcasing the lives of foster kids is as important as helping LGBT kids feel better about themselves and less alone and unheard by the world around them. This show is carrying water for that population, too, and I don't think anyone else on TV is doing that. I wish the media would get as worked up over the scandal of identity theft of foster kids, or girls turning to pimps because they feel safer on the street than in the state-ordered foster placement, as they do over two boys kissing.

 

 

This is a really good point. Nothing to add, just agreeing. And also speaking as someone who is blown away by Jude/Connor and Stef/Lena.

 

I'm looking forward to the season finale this week. The Fosters is fantastic at the moment. I don't care about every storyline but I care about pretty much every character at the moment, which is quite something given the size of the cast. 

 

I really hope Lena doesn't cheat on Stef. I'll be upset! And I'm dying for Jude and Connor to have an honest face to face conversation, however brief, no more cliffhangers about who is/is not gay and who does/doesn't like who in "that" way. What am I saying? This is the Fosters. There'll be at least 3 Shocking Twists before the end. 

 

And oh my God, Brandon, please go to Idlewild already. I've loved the stuff with Brandon and his dad recently, but the band storyline needs to end. Nothing against the kids, they're fine, but the music stuff is so, so boring.  

[izabella]

And I'm dying for Jude and Connor to have an honest face to face conversation, however brief, no more cliffhangers about who is/is not gay and who does/doesn't like who in "that" way.

 

That doesn't bother me nor does it surprise me.  Most kids that age don't have and aren't able to have honest, open conversations about such things regardless of their sexual orientation.  It's not like Marianna or Jesus are much better at honest face to face conversations with their love interests.  Puberty and first relationships are awkward for everyone.  Which is why I don't get into Jude and Connor's stories, any more than I did with any of the twins' relationships either.

[smrou]

Most kids that age don't have and aren't able to have honest, open conversations about such things regardless of their sexual orientation.

This is likely true, but I think it's pretty clear that Jude has been wanting to have such a conversation because he's been confused about what's going on with Connor. I also think it's pretty clear that Connor wasn't ready for that conversation. But now that Connor's come out to his dad maybe he's ready. Though I wouldn't expect a lengthy, heart-felt conversation or anything. I think what they need and what I'd like to see is just something kind of definitive to clear up confusion between them about what their relationship is.

"So...do you like me?"

"Yeah."

"And you don't like Daria?"

"Not really."

"Okay."