S04.E06: Justify

[Tara Ariano]

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Lena and Stef are shocked by a secret Lena's father has been hiding that could jeopardize the entire family. Meanwhile, Lena confronts Brandon about the money he gave to Cortney; Mariana must deal with the male members of her STEAM team; Jesus begins to resent Emma; and Jude discovers Noah has a medical-marijuana card.

[ShortyMac]

I thought this episode was decent.

Go, Lena! She has no fucks to give! She is on a tear right now, laying down the law. She was 99% right about Brandon; I don't agree that all of the Brallie blame falls on him ("first, everything with Callie..."). It takes two.

I still don't like Cortney, but, I'm glad she gave Brandon money and is making sacrifices, too, which she should.

It's so hard when your parents fall off the pedestal that you put them on. They're human, too. I'm holding on to hope that something saves the AFs from losing the house. It's their house. Spoiler: 

Spoiler

A behind the scenes pic for 04x09 shows that the house goes into escrow, which is basically just a step below being sold (feel free to correct me). I have it posted in spoiler thread. So, the house does come close to being sold.

I liked the little snippet we got from Stewart about Dana having to sub a class for a colleague. although, he was probably lying. So, that says that Dana is a college professor, like the description that I read early on in the series. I like little details.

I haven't liked Aaron until he talked to Callie about embracing your past. I totally relate to that and how Callie was feeling. That's cool that he knows Cole.

Seeing Jude high was funny and I liked his scene with Brandon.

"Bitches get things done." Yes, Mariana! Can students really just walk out on a club like that? Not cool. Things with her and Nick will not end well.

I liked Jesus' and Emma's scene in the car. "Can I un-break your heart?" Cheesy, but cute. I love this recast.

Next week looks good. Can't wait. Can't believe next week is ep 7 of 10. The seasons always fly by and the long hiatus will be here soon.

[possibilities]

I don't understand how Brandon giving back the money is supposed to fix things. How does Brandon "make him take it himself"? There is a record of the test being taken with the other kid's name already.

Lena telling Callie to commit to the AF family was a shocker.

I didn't get why eating was ok with Jude, not smoking. Brandon's bad experience was from a brownie, wasn't it? I guess Jude doesn't know that, but still-- he went from not ready to ready just because the method of delivery was different?

Mariana: DO NOT LIE TO YOUR MOMS. DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO HAVE THE MOMS YOU HAVE, WHO YOU REALLY CAN TRUST WITH THE TRUTH????? I get that she felt she could handle it, because she handled it before when Nick had the gun (after Stef supposedly swept the house looking for him)-- so she's not automatically feeling Stef is her savior. But still-- she may have some of Brandon't white knight streak in her. She was trying to save Ana in season 1, as well-- selling drugs to give her junkie birthmom money.... I like how she and Jesus look out for each other, but I hope he squeals to the moms on this one. Also, the therapists should do their job, but if you lie and undermine them, it's that much harder. You are not helping Nick by supporting his delusions. And you embarrassed Stef who went to that hearing with wrong info. Though seriously-- if Nick was calling to ask for the necklace back, his message would have been-- "please ask Mariana to return the necklace" not "when is mariana coming to visit me?" Why did no one see through that in the hearing?

Mariana: I like you bitchy.

Emma and Jesus: objectively, I am glad they talked and clarified what was going on between them, but the truth is that I don't care and I find their storyline boring.

I was surprised that Callie warmed back up to AJ after the talk with Aaron. I thought for sure she was going to jump Aaron right there in the garage. I guess her M.O. is changing after all.

I understood her feeling that no one would want to see her project. For a long time, no one saw her and Jude at all, and so why would she think they would now? And also, she got a happy end of story while so many don't, so it probably feels self-indulgent to her, like: why is it important? She is still getting used to feeling like she matters. But I like her for her social conscience. Wanting to help others and wanting to bring attention to problems that need solving, is really good character, and I hope she continues to have those traits, even as she loves herself more and her life grows more stable and she is able to feel more joy.

How does selling the house solve the problem? They pay off the IRS and then have nowhere to live? Are they going to go live with Lena's parents? Where the hell is that, anyway? Maybe Stef's mom will fly in with a big check and buy the house from them and let them live there or something. Or Robert-- I forgot about bio-daddy ex machina. He bought Girls United a house, right? Hmm. Or maybe they can all go live with Brandon and Cortney. True sacrifice!!

[Valny]

43 minutes ago, ShortyMac said:

I thought this episode was decent.

Go, Lena! She has no fucks to give! She is on a tear right now, laying down the law. She was 99% right about Brandon; I don't agree that all of the Brallie blame falls on him ("first, everything with Callie..."). It takes two.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

A behind the scenes pic for 04x09 shows that the house goes into escrow, which is basically just a step below being sold (feel free to correct me). I have it posted in spoiler thread. So, the house does come close to being sold.

 

Yes! I love how mad she got at Brandon. Man,she was super pissed as well she should be....he kept denying and making up things but she kept at him.   I was wondering if she was going to tell Stef,but I guess she didn't. Wonder if it will somehow find Stef's ears.  And when he told her he was fixing what he did, she still was holding on to the anger and not letting him off the hook.

 

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Next week looks good

  Was that

Spoiler

Jesus in the hospital?  looked like his nose/face was messed up. Maybe it had something to do with Nick.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Valny

[ShortyMac]

12 minutes ago, Valny said:

Was that

  Hide contents

Jesus in the hospital?  looked like his nose/face was messed up. Maybe it had something to do with Nick.

Spoiler

Yes, that's Jesus in the hospital.

[izabella]

34 minutes ago, ShortyMac said:

Can students really just walk out on a club like that? Not cool. Things with her and Nick will not end well.

Too many cooks in the kitchen...Mariana and team will be better off without them.  And I'm glad Jesus is watching out for Mariana, because Nick is going to be trouble.

[Cassandre]

Oh it's finally time for Stef and Lena to get rid of their kids and tell them to go live with their birth parents! I can't wait for the next episode when they tell them that! Jude will go with Donald since he hates Callie who is going to live with Robert. Jesus and Mariana will be part of Mike and Ana brady bunch. And Stef and Lena will buy a little house near the beach so they finally can have sex! Can't wait! 

Seriously can really Stef enters every "court" like that ? Just because she's a cop or she has something to do with the case ? I remember her last  entrance to save Ty. Same thing. Can just someone come and start talking in a trial ? 

And why on earth wouldn't Mariana tell her moms about Nick ? They can help... 

Well I was hoping that Lena would be harsher to Brandon. He didn't seem to understand. I'm just praying so hard  he doesn't get into Julliard. I forget the show is all about his eternal success.

[ShadowFacts]

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

I don't understand how Brandon giving back the money is supposed to fix things. How does Brandon "make him take it himself"? There is a record of the test being taken with the other kid's name already.

That was ridiculous.  The kid knows he will do worse than Brandon, so he's not going to take it himself.  Though he can retake it to better "his" score, why would he?  And he keeps the money.  Lena still has an ethical problem because she knows students in her school committed fraud, one of whom is her son.  Writing fail, unless they pick it up again.

Thumbs down to Noah's mother for supplying her kid with tons of edibles that he uses recreationally right under her nose.  Even before getting high, I've never seen Jude smile so much or be so happy; he doesn't need this complication now.

I still wonder about Stuart's mental state -- still with the ridiculous investment schemes.  Good to know Dana is a professor, but what is his job?  If they owed $200,000 to the IRS over 4 years, that's $50,000 in tax a year.  Assuming they filed jointly, Dana would have to sign the return, and be aware of the amount owed each year.  How is she surprised now?  I think Callie's bio-dad is the ace in the hole, he can buy the house and rent it to them until they can save for their own down payment.  Or something. 

Mariana is probably my favorite character, at least among the teens, but she needs to get real about Nick.  By not telling her moms, she's putting the whole family in danger. 

P.S. the newly tough Lena may not be as cool with Jude's drug experimentation as she was with Brandon. 

[LisaM]

I particularly liked the callback to the pot brownie and how Lena calmly reacted to that incident -- in contrast to her smackdown of Brandon for committing academic fraud with the SAT test. Also liked how Lena reminded Brandon about the fake IDs and pointed out that he has a bad pattern of behavior. Her smackdown of Brandon was epic especially because Stef is usually the mom who goes ballistic. I was actually taken aback at how harshly Lena spoke to Callie; that was out of character for her but perhaps it was the jolt that the girl needed. 

Stewart falling apart - and his last gasp attempt at another get rich quick scheme - was well done. 

Jude becoming a pothead was funny although I find that I am not as enamored of Judicorn now that he looks so much older. Stef will not be pleased. Thought it was interesting that it is well known that Noah gets stoned to deal with certain events - even Lena's party. 

Really liked how Aaron came out to Callie as transgender although I seemed to know that fact earlier. Perhaps I read it in connection with the actor instead of it being divulged on the show regarding the character? Quite groundbreaking to have such a low-key reveal. 

I can't imagine that they will lose the house as this would necessitate building new sets. Interested to see who will rescue them? Brandon's hand money? Robert? Sharon?

[possibilities]

8 hours ago, izabella said:

Too many cooks in the kitchen

Too many saboteurs in the kitchen.

[Perfect Xero]

Damn, Lena was on the warpath tonight. I know it was because she was dealing with her Dad's lies and stupidity, but was shocking and somewhat refreshing to see from this show.

When Brandon told Jude about how "cool" Mama was about the pot I was like, "No, Jude, don't do it! That was pre-lien-on-the-house Lena, nuLena will get up in your face about that time Connor got shot because you were drinking and tell you that Judicorn was always a stupid nickname!"

[MaryHedwig]

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Really liked how Aaron came out to Callie as transgender although I seemed to know that fact earlier. Perhaps I read it in connection with the actor instead of it being divulged on the show regarding the character? Quite groundbreaking to have such a low-key reveal.

Did Callie already know that Aaron was transgender? Were we supposed to have already known that?

[Lady Calypso]

Yeah, I have a feeling that Lena may not be as cool as Brandon says she is with Jude doing pot. Not because Brandon is lying, because Lena was strangely ok and it was during Brandon's lowest point. But Lena is stressed enough with possibly losing the house and her parents being in financial trouble that Stef might be the cool, calm, and collected parent. 

But maybe this Jude on pot storyline will lead to his issues with being a foster kid. We've seen so little of his experiences compared to Callie, so it would be nice if this storyline led to that instead of it just being about Connor and Noah. I'm sure Jude has a lot of anxiety when it comes to his past, so maybe this will lead to some revelation that he's not as ok as he appears to be. Also what's troubling about Noah is that his parents seem to think that giving pot to their fourteen/fifteen year old son is the best idea for his anxiety. Also that they don't monitor the dosages as they have no clue he has some stored for recreational purposes. Sure, they may have their beliefs that prescription drugs are worse than medicinal drugs, but...I don't know, I feel like there's a lot to be explored with medicinal marijuana being used. I should do my own research on it, but I wonder if his parents went through doctors to get this officially approved. I suspect this is going to cause some short term effects on Jude, though. 

Seeing Lena lose her cool was a nice surprise. We rarely see it and sometimes I wish that she did it a little more. It's nice to have Lena being so calm to counteract Stef's personality, but it's also nice when sometimes the roles are reversed. I think she may have been very harsh toward Callie, but I think she had the right idea. Callie is running away from this project and she does need to stick to one idea. I'm glad Callie began to see it that way. 

I think Callie and Aaron work very well as friends. I actually like the character of Aaron and this episode solidified my enjoyment and how I'd love for him to stick around as a recurring character. He's oddly been good for Callie, at least this episode showed that, and I'd be happy to see this friendship continue. I may not like AJ/Callie as a couple, or Callie/Brandon, but I'm perfectly content with Callie having a boy friend, rather than a boyfriend. Plus, Callie's the only one with consistent friends who stick around. Also, I love how casual Aaron told Callie about him being transgender. It helps that at least the online audience knew about the actor being transgender, and it helps that this could normalize 'coming out' stories with such ease. 

I'm so glad Jesus' main story was following Mariana but his little sidescene with Emma was about them dealing with their breakup. Sure, they could end up back together, but I liked Jesus/Emma, so I'd be fine with them getting back together. But at least it's only hinted at and nothing more. Jesus has his sister and his biological father to deal with right now, which is such a nice change of pace. I think Jesus will be hesitant on telling Stef/Lena out of respect for his sister, as well as the fact that Nick's locked up. But I think if Nick somehow gets out and him and Mariana meet up without the barriers of a fence, he'll do the right thing to prevent any harm from coming to her. I actually buy Jesus' concern for his sister this time around. And soon, I think I'll be able to stop referencing Jake T Austin's Jesus and fully embrace Noah Centineo's Jesus. 

Cortney's a lot of things, but her moment of paying Brandon back made me think that she's not a lost cause. I don't want her anywhere near Brandon after they inevitably break up by the finale, but she doesn't seem like a bad girl after all. Brandon trying to rectify what he did with the SATs? Lena's still in a tough spot. It's going to bite Brandon and possibly Lena a little later on, I think. I don't know if Lena will actually tell, but she should. Brandon needs to face the consequences and realize that just giving the money back isn't going to make things better. He needs to talk in order to save Lena's career. I do think Callie needs to still be held accountable for her actions with Brandon, or Lena/Stef need to acknowledge that Brandon is messed up in his own way. It may not be on Callie's level of messed up, but he's had a lot of trouble in his life as well (alcoholic father, being raped, his hand being smashed and his dream almost completely gone, etc). The fact that I don't think they understand this is what's troubling. 

Also, why can't these people go to therapy? At least Callie, Jude, and Brandon need it for sure. Mariana's well on her way to needing it, and Jesus could probably use a few therapy sessions himself. It's seriously not a bad thing. 

[possibilities]

I don't think Callie or the audience was supposed to know Aaron was transgender until he said so, but I think a lot of us suspected it because we knew the actor from Faking It, and had heard rumors about Aaron. I like the way they handled it. With Cole, we we got to know the character already knowing. I think having people not know, and form opinions without the info, is also useful in terms of generating a reaction and some self-reflection about what is or is not assumed about people.

I thought it was interesting that Lena did not tell Stef about the SAT. She probably didn't tell her about it when she altered Jude's exam so he could go to Anchor Beach, either. Until now, they've all been treating things as "adolescent stupidity" but Lena has crossed the line and decided it's no longer at that level. I wonder if she, Stef, and Mike will have a three-parent conference like they used to do when Brandon's life is under discussion, or if Lena will so something without consulting, like Stef often does.

Also, it started as a typo, but I think I will now call the kid "Brandon't" on purpose.

[ShortyMac]

2 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Also, why can't these people go to therapy? At least Callie, Jude, and Brandon need it for sure. Mariana's well on her way to needing it, and Jesus could probably use a few therapy sessions himself. It's seriously not a bad thing. 

Callie was shown in one-on-one sessions in Season 2. 

Jude had a therapist when his selective mutism (anxiety disorder) came to light in Season 2.

Lena mentioned that they needed to continue sending Mariana to counseling two episodes ago, at the beginning, after she slept in their bed.

[maraleia]

I love that Lena yelled at Callie because it was another way that the show signaled that Callie is truly Lena and Stef's daughter and she has to accept that this means she will be treated like the rest of the kids.

They've spent so much time walking on eggshells around Callie and I'm glad the show has moved beyond this point.

I still think tthey should have Callie contribute to the school yearbook with her photos. She really needs some non foster kid extracurricular activities for her college applications.

As for Jude, I might be the first one to say it but I think he's better with Noah than Connor.

[marceline]

I breathed a sigh of relief when Aaron came out as transgender because that peach fuzz on his upper lip has been driving me crazy.

[tennisgurl]

Damn, I like angry tough love Momma Lena. I actually think she should have gone off on Brandon more. He messed up bad, and I think he needs to face some more real consequences before he really grows up and deals with his issues. I will give Courtney some props on selling her surfeboard to contribute. Still not a fan of her and her relationship with Brandon, but this is at least a step in the right direction. 

On the other hand, AJ and Callie are really cute. Now that AJ has kind of dealt with his family drama, he just seems like a nice, stable sort of guy who Callie can have fun with. He has baggage too, so he can relate to Callies issues, but he seems to be moving forward with his life. Aaron is alright, and I liked the reveal that he was transgendered, but I am steal enjoying Callie and AJ as of now. 

I also had to agree with Lena telling Callie off for wanting to scrap her project. Lena might have been harsh, due to everything else going on, but she was right. Callie has good intentions, and its awful that her former foster brother is in jail for something he probably did not do, but she does need to take care of her own life as well. Self care Callie!

A Jude and Brandon scene! When was the last time that happened? And it was charming and cute, and makes me wish we could focus more on the kids being siblings, instead of all their romances. Brandon awkwardly telling Jude not to do acid made me laugh a lot. 

Jude and Noah are cute, and Jude being high was honestly kind of adorable. Still, I really hope this does not turn into a "Drugs are bad, mmmk" story line. We can only hit so many social issues in one show!

[possibilities]

I love the sibling interactions, and agree they are much more juicy than the romantic stories. Maybe I'm just too far past teen to appreciate the world of teenage dating.

I wonder about AJ and Ana's baby. Is Ana still living with Mike? If so, AJ should be spending quite a bit of time with her/her baby, and it might be interesting to see him and Mariana talk about it, sometime.

[izabella]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Jude and Noah are cute, and Jude being high was honestly kind of adorable. Still, I really hope this does not turn into a "Drugs are bad, mmmk" story line. We can only hit so many social issues in one show!

I was wondering which way they were going with the mj story line.   I wondered if they were going for the "medical marijuana is helping kids with some medical conditions" angle (which is true, though I don't know where social anxiety is on that list of conditions), or the "if you're gong to try pot for the first time, the safest place is at home while your moms are in the house" angle, or the "uh-oh, we need more drama, so let's make Jude crave gummy worm edibles because drugs can be bad, mmkay, especially for kids whose brains are still developing so don't make it a daily snack."  Maybe it will be all three!

Edited August 2, 2016 by izabella

[MaryHedwig]

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I wonder about AJ and Ana's baby.

Gulp! Please tell me you meant, "I wonder about AJ's interactions with Ana's baby."  Otherwise, I thought you might be revealing who the baby's father was- which would be more drama (and felonies) than I could handle.

[possibilities]

Yikes! For sure I mean AJ interacting with Ana's baby. The idea that he might be the dad is definitely not what I intended.

[maraleia]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Damn, I like angry tough love Momma Lena. I actually think she should have gone off on Brandon more. He messed up bad, and I think he needs to face some more real consequences before he really grows up and deals with his issues. I will give Courtney some props on selling her surfeboard to contribute. Still not a fan of her and her relationship with Brandon, but this is at least a step in the right direction. 

On the other hand, AJ and Callie are really cute. Now that AJ has kind of dealt with his family drama, he just seems like a nice, stable sort of guy who Callie can have fun with. He has baggage too, so he can relate to Callies issues, but he seems to be moving forward with his life. Aaron is alright, and I liked the reveal that he was transgendered, but I am steal enjoying Callie and AJ as of now. 

I also had to agree with Lena telling Callie off for wanting to scrap her project. Lena might have been harsh, due to everything else going on, but she was right. Callie has good intentions, and its awful that her former foster brother is in jail for something he probably did not do, but she does need to take care of her own life as well. Self care Callie!

A Jude and Brandon scene! When was the last time that happened? And it was charming and cute, and makes me wish we could focus more on the kids being siblings, instead of all their romances. Brandon awkwardly telling Jude not to do acid made me laugh a lot. 

Jude and Noah are cute, and Jude being high was honestly kind of adorable. Still, I really hope this does not turn into a "Drugs are bad, mmmk" story line. We can only hit so many social issues in one show!

Love your entire post. FYI it's just transgender without the ed at the end.

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I love the sibling interactions, and agree they are much more juicy than the romantic stories. Maybe I'm just too far past teen to appreciate the world of teenage dating.

I wonder about AJ and Ana's baby. Is Ana still living with Mike? If so, AJ should be spending quite a bit of time with her/her baby, and it might be interesting to see him and Mariana talk about it, sometime.

AJ is not the father of Ana's baby.

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, izabella said:

I was wondering which way they were going with the mj story line.   I wondered if they were going for the "medical marijuana is helping kids with some medical conditions" angle (which is true, though I don't know where social anxiety is on that list of conditions), or the "if you're gong to try pot for the first time, the safest place is at home while your moms are in the house" angle, or the "uh-oh, we need more drama, so let's make Jude crave gummy worm edibles because drugs can be bad, mmkay, especially for kids whose brains are still developing so don't make it a daily snack."  Maybe it will be all three!

I hope at least one of the things they hit on is the irresponsibility of Noah's parents in not treating it like any other prescription, e.g. not letting him run around with baggies of edibles that he can use willy nilly, and pass to his friends. 

Edited August 3, 2016 by ShadowFacts

[Parachutes]

21 hours ago, possibilities said:

I didn't get why eating was ok with Jude, not smoking. Brandon's bad experience was from a brownie, wasn't it? I guess Jude doesn't know that, but still-- he went from not ready to ready just because the method of delivery was different?

I may have missed some of the dialogue in these scenes where Jude and Noah are high and giggling, but Jude didn't have a choice in being ready anymore, right? Since he had already eaten the MJ-laced candy? And after that, he had no choice but to ride out the wave and ended up feeling okay with it in the end. I think he still would have passed on the pot altogether if Noah had initially told him that it was in edible form.

 

8 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Also what's troubling about Noah is that his parents seem to think that giving pot to their fourteen/fifteen year old son is the best idea for his anxiety. Also that they don't monitor the dosages as they have no clue he has some stored for recreational purposes.

While I wouldn't personally take this parenting route, I had to realize my shocked reaction to it as option was because of the stigma surrounding marijuana as a (mostly) illegal substance. But I think, as a country, we are realizing that just because something is legal and/or FDA-approved doesn't mean it isn't dangerous and that largely we are very conditioned to seek out medicine as a quick and blanket fix for any and all ailments before seeking alternative treatments. As for his parents monitoring the dosages, they are, but the problem is that they're not monitoring him while he's ingesting it which gives him that window to siphon it out and store it (and also, share it wish his peers).

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I also had to agree with Lena telling Callie off for wanting to scrap her project. Lena might have been harsh, due to everything else going on, but she was right. Callie has good intentions, and its awful that her former foster brother is in jail for something he probably did not do, but she does need to take care of her own life as well. Self care Callie!

Totally agree about the self-care. It was hard to watch Callie finding a way to run again, but at least, Lena's harshness and her subsequent talk with Aaron was enough to quell that desire this week. 

Overall, I thought the episode marked a really good shift towards moving this into more balanced, adult drama when it comes to storytelling in the sense that I felt very inside the lives and world of these characters and everything felt more "every-day", somehow. And I give a ton of kudos to Cierra Ramirez and especially, Sherri Saum for being to hold so much tension in their bodies and mannerisms in their scenes where they had to really step up and be directly confrontational or on edge. It could have easily spilled-over into overacting, but their anger and tension felt really palpable. Very nice touch.

[KaveDweller]

10 hours ago, Perfect Xero said:

Damn, Lena was on the warpath tonight. I know it was because she was dealing with her Dad's lies and stupidity, but was shocking and somewhat refreshing to see from this show.

When Brandon told Jude about how "cool" Mama was about the pot I was like, "No, Jude, don't do it! That was pre-lien-on-the-house Lena, nuLena will get up in your face about that time Connor got shot because you were drinking and tell you that Judicorn was always a stupid nickname!"

Also, Brandon got high when he was 16/17 and Jude is 13/14. I think that makes a big difference when reacting to experimentation.

13 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

That was ridiculous.  The kid knows he will do worse than Brandon, so he's not going to take it himself.  Though he can retake it to better "his" score, why would he?  And he keeps the money.  Lena still has an ethical problem because she knows students in her school committed fraud, one of whom is her son.  Writing fail, unless they pick it up again.

Thumbs down to Noah's mother for supplying her kid with tons of edibles that he uses recreationally right under her nose.  Even before getting high, I've never seen Jude smile so much or be so happy; he doesn't need this complication now.

I still wonder about Stuart's mental state -- still with the ridiculous investment schemes.  Good to know Dana is a professor, but what is his job?  If they owed $200,000 to the IRS over 4 years, that's $50,000 in tax a year.  Assuming they filed jointly, Dana would have to sign the return, and be aware of the amount owed each year.  How is she surprised now?  I think Callie's bio-dad is the ace in the hole, he can buy the house and rent it to them until they can save for their own down payment.  Or something. 

Mariana is probably my favorite character, at least among the teens, but she needs to get real about Nick.  By not telling her moms, she's putting the whole family in danger. 

P.S. the newly tough Lena may not be as cool with Jude's drug experimentation as she was with Brandon. 

I don't know how it works with SATs these days, but I remember when I was in high school they said if we took the test multiple times our highest score was automatically the one reported to colleges. If that kid takes the test again and does poorly, how's he supposed to explain wanting to use the lower score? You don't just list your score on the application, it gets verified. Plus, the kid's probably just going to hire someone new to take the test next time.

21 hours ago, possibilities said:

I didn't get why eating was ok with Jude, not smoking. Brandon's bad experience was from a brownie, wasn't it? I guess Jude doesn't know that, but still-- he went from not ready to ready just because the method of delivery was different?

I don't think it was that he was ready because it was food, it was that he'd already been eating the pot candy so it was too late to stop.

[izabella]

18 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

I hope at least one of the things they hit on is the irresponsibility of Noah's parents in not treating it like any other prescription, e.g. not letting him run around with baggies of edibles that he can use willy nilly, and pass to his friends. 

That part seemed a little contrived.  Noah made a point of saying his mom regulates how much he gets, so I'm surprised she would give him so much that he'd have so much extra saved up.  Maybe the props team was a little too generous and put too many gummy worms in the bag, lol.

[possibilities]

Thanks for clarifying that Jude had already eaten the candy-- I missed that detail.

While I agree that it's a bit suspicious that Noah somehow has all this extra beyond what his mother doles out to him, she might just trust him. Lena and Stef trusted Jesus with his ADD meds in Season 1, and he let Mariana sell them. Really, any kind of medication has street value these days, and some of the most ridiculous stuff is used recreationally by some subset of the population.

I think the whole thing is mostly a plot convenience, but the most plausible scenario I can think of is not really that far-fetched. Noah could ask for a "dose" for this or that situation where he anticipates being anxious, and then not take it, saving it for later. I guess he also could be a liar, and he's the local drug dealer, and his mother knows nothing about it and it's not prescription at all, but that would be one more boyfriend trauma for Jude and I'm not quite ready to see this all blow up. Taylor did say Noah was high, though, and to watch out for the preacher's kid. She doesn't seem particularly catty, generally. So maybe Noah really is getting high and using off-label. Maybe it's not a prescription at all for that matter.

I think we need to meet his mother at some point. I want to know if she's a hippy dippy parent who really doesn't care if Noah is getting high, or if she's a super-trusting and inexplicably oblivious parent like Stef and Lena have often been.

Also, I was glad they didn't go the obvious route and have Stef grab some of the "candies" and wind up high herself. I was really worried the show was going for maximum cliche when she walked in there. On the other hand, it seemed a bit unlike her to be so casual. In the very same episode, she was telling Jesus not to snack and ruin his dinner.  I know I just said Stef and Lena are sometimes oblivious, but I thought that whole scene with her bursting into the room and exclaiming about the "edibles" and then just dropping it was hackneyed and also a bit out of character. Maybe I'm just cranky.

Then again, if they provide condoms, maybe they are the sort of moms who think it's better to have the kid try it at home than to sneak around and do it somewhere potentially less safe. I dunno. Of course, condoms are not illegal, either. And I think they'd be shocked and upset if Jude needed one of those at his age, too (thus the "doors open" command).

I'm over thinking this, probably.

Edited August 3, 2016 by possibilities

[ShadowFacts]

6 hours ago, possibilities said:

I think we need to meet his mother at some point. I want to know if she's a hippy dippy parent who really doesn't care if Noah is getting high, or if she's a super-trusting and inexplicably oblivious parent like Stef and Lena have often been.

Ha, so true, the moms do have inexplicable obliviousness disorder at times.  On the other hand, is there anything their kids haven't gotten mixed up with?  I can't remember gambling, but that might be my faulty memory.  The thing with edibles is the dose levels can be off the map high (no pun intended) and overdosing is a big risk.  So Noah's parents would have to be extra careful about candy, brownies, etc.  Not to mention that he is obviously using recreationally and handing it out to friends, so there is a supervision problem. 

[LisaM]

I'm looking forward to seeing how they save the house. I can't see TPTB investing in new sets. 

[Perfect Xero]

1 hour ago, LisaM said:

I'm looking forward to seeing how they save the house. I can't see TPTB investing in new sets. 

The crazy sitcom solution: They'll all move into Brandon's house!

The sensible solution: Stef's Mom will step in and save the house with all that money she got from Stef's dad.

The way the show works: Marianna will hack the bank's computers and wipe out the debt, but she'll do so using AJ's computer and both of them will be arrested. Callie will post a video online about how it's not fair that her sister and her boyfriend are in trouble for trying to save the only home where she has ever felt safe and compare the bank to Liam. The bank will applaud Callie, cancel all the Fost Adams debts, convince the judge to set her former foster brother free, and set up a scholarship in Callie's name. Brandon will be awarded the scholarship. Jesus will break some minor rule and the Moms will ground him for a month.

[Jax7917]

maybe brandon will do another stupid illegal activity in order to pay off their debt

[MaryHedwig]

I made a list of all the people on the show I thought might be wealthy enough to save the house; which is, after all, in on the opening credits:  Please correct, add, or delete errors:

Callie's real father: Mr. Quinn

All of Mr. Quinn's rich friends

Nick's father

Stef's mother

Stef's mother's boyfriend

Noah's father's church

Justina's (corrupt) organization

The foster kid Callie is trying to get out of prison once he gets state restitution money

Brandon after he sells his Romeo and Juliet musical

Marianna after she wins the robot competition

A.J. after he sells some graphic designs

Isn't there some rich old man neighbor that we worried about one Christmas?

Edited August 5, 2016 by MaryHedwig

[SnarkyMcSnarkerson]

On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 7:47 PM, maraleia said:

Love your entire post. FYI it's just transgender without the ed at the end.

AJ is not the father of Ana's baby.

(bolding mine) I automatically read this in Maury Povich's voice, and laughed so hard once I realized it!!!

[dmmetler]

On August 2, 2016 at 4:11 PM, maraleia said:

I love that Lena yelled at Callie because it was another way that the show signaled that Callie is truly Lena and Stef's daughter and she has to accept that this means she will be treated like the rest of the kids.

They've spent so much time walking on eggshells around Callie and I'm glad the show has moved beyond this point.

I still think tthey should have Callie contribute to the school yearbook with her photos. She really needs some non foster kid extracurricular activities for her college applications.

As for Jude, I might be the first one to say it but I think he's better with Noah than Connor.

I also think she needs a non-foster kid senior project. In fairness, it's what she's proposed/set up-but the fact is that until she stops defining herself by just those experiences and starts finding other focuses, she's not going to move on. Having Lena tell her to get her stuff together and finish the project is a good mom line-but it kind of misses the point that Callie is struggling with her identity and can't get beyond "foster kid", and that's one reason why she can't finish a project.