S05.E02: Exterminate Her

[Scarlett45]

Quote

Callie gets control of her life and starts auditing art classes at a local college; Jesus distances himself from Mariana and Brandon so he can build his tree house with Gabe alone; and the Fosters get a new neighbor who has history with Stef.

1. I love all the attractive men of color on this show- from Jesus, to AJ to the neighbors & his son.......CUTE. 

2. Steph and the Neighbor Lady have history- please no more cheating plots for this couple. Let steph and Lena be happy!

Edited July 19, 2017 by Scarlett45

[JaggedLilPill]

I'm not trying to be mean. I'm sure David Lambert is great and all, but what do all of these girls see in Brandon?

I honestly had BH90210 flashbacks to when Clare did the same thing...for yet another Brandon.

Yeah, he's decent looking, but handcuffing yourself to a bed? For Brandon?

Cringe.

[Scarlett45]

6 minutes ago, JaggedLilPill said:

I'm not trying to be mean. I'm sure David Lambert is great and all, but what do all of these girls see in Brandon?

I honestly had BH90210 flashbacks to when Clare did the same thing...for yet another Brandon.

Yeah, he's decent looking, but handcuffing yourself to a bed? For Brandon?

Cringe.

Yeah David Lambert isn't a heart throb. I thought the actress did a good job at the subtle realization of "oh shit" and lame lie. 

[JaggedLilPill]

1 minute ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yeah David Lambert isn't a heart throb. I thought the actress did a good job at the subtle realization of "oh shit" and lame lie. 

She definitely did. I was like nah, you're lying.

Don't get me wrong. He's not bad looking, but he's not exactly Warren Beatty-esque or some other classic guy that women would dream over. But it's not his looks so much as, he just seems like a regular average guy?? I can understand why Taylia (sp?) liked him and even Callie to an extent, but then he as older girls like Grace and Cortney and I just don't get it. 

[UNOSEZ]

Ugh.. Callie she was kinda horrible this week... 

Also... Another week with no mike or aj... Not even a mention

[Lady Calypso]

For some reason, I didn't hate this episode. I actually liked it, even with some of the plots going on.

I think I'm crazy because I kind of enjoyed Brandon/Grace this episode. Not only that, but I was charmed by their last scene. Well, mostly from the actress of Grace. She really sold all the scenes. Grace is very cool and the best love interest Brandon's had. I do agree that I don't quite get what she sees in him. Hopefully Grace doesn't get hurt in any way. At least Grace is only a couple of years older than Brandon, instead of super old like Dani or Courtney. Speaking of Courtney, I still fear that, after their break up sex, that she'll come back pregnant. 

This better be the official turn in Callie's life. She just doesn't learn and I still hate it. The only nice change is that it's not about a guy. It's why I liked Girls United for Callie; she got to interact with other females instead of love interests. But seriously, her whole speech toward her family was frustrating, but I...didn't totally hate her whole plot. I thought Callie was finally starting to learn, even though she took off from Robert. At least her moms and Robert turned it around in the end, and I liked the image of Stef/Lena/Callie with Robert in the background. At the end of the day, he doesn't have custody and he's going to have to deal with it. 

But really, the show's in its fifth season. Callie cannot continue to be defined by her past for the rest of the series. If she doesn't grow this season, then I might not be sticking around to wait for that time to come. 

Also, I liked Callie/Brandon's scenes. They felt like a sister/brother relationship, which is really nice. Hopefully that continues. 

Stef and Lena meet the new neighbours. Stef knows the wife. Interesting. Judging by her reaction, I don't think she's an old close friend, but maybe Stef's first crush on a female? I feel fairly confident that it won't be a cheating storyline, so I'm curious as to what they're alluding to.

Also, hi Mariana's new future boyfriend! You're cute! I hope you're a good influence on her! 

So Jesus is not having a good day. Gabe definitely overstepped...several times. Stef has every right to kick him out of their home. She told him to follow their rules and he went about and defied them. Shut up, Gabe. Though Stef and Lena are not doing a good job in helping Jesus either, so I'm not quite sure what should be done. Stef and Lena already have Robert around to deal with Callie, because apparently they have other stuff to deal with that doesn't involve their kids. It'll be nice if they could have nice speeches about Jesus instead of it always being Callie. 

I get the feeling like Emma is not going to be able to handle Jesus' anger issues and she'll probably break up with him. Which is fair, because I think it's realistic that people learn that they can't quite deal with people with TBIs. It really does suck, but understandable. I do want them to work things out, though. I just see the distance already starting to form. Jesus is already fighting with Brandon and he's pushed Mariana away. And him trying to get closer to Emma is probably going to backfire after she's seen him in a violent outburst. 

Also, nice directing work by Danny Nucci. I didn't pay attention to the opening credits this time around, but I hope Danny Nucci's still a series regular. Maybe they're just taking his name out of the credits in episodes he doesn't appear in.

[JaggedLilPill]

10 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Speaking of Courtney, I still fear that, after their break up sex, that she'll come back pregnant. 

Oh hell. You had to go there didn't you? LOL.

Don't send this out into the universe. Y'all know the writers of this show. 

10 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Judging by her reaction, I don't think she's an old close friend, but maybe Stef's first crush on a female? I feel fairly confident that it won't be a cheating storyline, so I'm curious as to what they're alluding to.

I saw someone reference this on twitter and then I remembered who Tess is. I had to rewatch the scene myself.  

Back in season 1, specifically 1x06, Stef goes to drop off groceries at Frank's and they talk about the church and why Stef never goes to church. Stef reminds him of the time when she was in high school and Frank caught her and her friend Tess cuddling on the couch. He then sent her to a priest who proceeded to tell her that being gay was a sin.

ETA: I decided to take the spoiler wrap away since I think we have all watched season 1 by now. LOL.

Edited July 19, 2017 by JaggedLilPill

[ShortyMac]

Hey, everybody. I know I said I was out, but...I'm not. It's a sickness. I can't give up Stef and Lena or their scenes with Callie.

This plot with Stef/Lena and Tess should be fun. lol

Jesus wouldn't be so angry if the family treated him like a person. The ableism is astounding, pacifying and patronizing him. Yes, Jesus has a TBI and symptoms, but his anger is allowed to be real and legitimate. I know Gabe overstepped, but I'm glad he didn't lie to Jesus. However, I also wish he wasn't living in the AFs garage.

Loved the moms' scene in their room. Humor and feels.

Lena is a beautiful person, her saving Callie's project. All the feels. I adored that scene so much.

I loved seeing Callie's mom's necklace and these callbacks to earlier seasons.

Callie is a kid and is going to keep making mistakes and repeating them, so, I get her. I also get her having a hard time believng in herself. I know that struggle well.

Also, timeline update thing: Stef said Callie is turning 18 in six months (which means we're in January since her birthday is in July), she said eight months in 04x13, so, I guess two months have passed since then? Who knows?

Edited July 19, 2017 by ShortyMac
I can't math.

[Lady Calypso]

21 minutes ago, ShortyMac said:

Lena is a beautiful person, her saving Callie's project. All the feels. I adored that scene so much.

So true. A smiling Callie makes me smile. From her excitement over the art professor giving her a chance to audit her class to this scene, I just wish they could give her more happy scenes like this. 

21 minutes ago, ShortyMac said:

Jesus wouldn't be so angry if the family treated him like a person. The ableism is astounding, pacifying and patronizing him. Yes, Jesus has a TBI and symptoms, but his anger is allowed to be real and legitimate. I know Gabe overstepped, but I'm glad he didn't lie to Jesus. However, I also wish he wasn't living in the AFs garage.

So true. Nobody's helping him through his healing. They just yell at him and then move on to their next issue with the next kid. I just wish the show was giving the moms more to do with Jesus instead of passing his story off with Gabe. He has nobody to talk to because they lie to him and then yell at him. Again, Lena rushed right back to work, even though Jesus still needs help. He wants to be a senior and Stef/Lena just...shrug it off? They're not going to try to help him get there? It's just disappointing. They've been doing this throughout the entire series, so I shouldn't be so surprised. They just started off with a potentially awesome storyline with Lena/Jesus and then...they just didn't follow through. 

Also, of course Callie got all charges dropped against her. How helpful. I really, really need this to be the season of Callie's growth or else all of this turned out to be for nothing. Callie needs to change and soon. Really, for my own sanity here. 

[possibilities]

I can't talk right now, I have a job interview.
Too bad, I've manufactured a faux crisis so you'll have sex with me.
Ok, I'll be right there.

I didn't really have a crisis, I just wanted to seduce you.
I'm so sorry!! I should have picked up on that, instead of being focused on trying to get to my interview on time!

 

Are we supposed to think this is cute? Brandon doesn't learn any more than Callie does. Maybe less.

[IntoTheMystic]

Even though we are five seasons in . . . it's only been a year and a half in Callie's life. If my math is correct. Which could be off by a mile. 

I've mentioned it before, but my wife and I work with very, very, very damaged children who have been through the foster system. We've seen the ugly underbelly of it. It is SO hard to teach kids to value themselves when they feel like no one else does or will. Especially the teenagers who go from home to home waiting and hoping to be adopted but they just get older as their chances dry up. I can completely understand what the writers have done with Callie. She's been devastated by the system, absolutely gutted by the authority figures in her life. She's been left disappointed by the adults around her so many times that she convinced herself that Callie is the only person who can take care of Callie. She keeps running away when accountability knocks because she hasn't seen much accountability and doesn't know how to own her crap. She keeps trying to save other people because she believes that she'll somehow save herself in the process. It's sad to watch but unfortunately . . . it's pretty accurate. Especially in this wonky timeline. Kids don't just leave the bad baggage at the door of a new home ... they lug it all over the place and it's backbreaking to pack and unpack it after a while.

But I do think this episode was a breakthrough for her. I think she has finally seen the light and fully understands what she could lose. Herself. 

[Cassandre]

7 hours ago, JaggedLilPill said:

Back in season 1, specifically 1x06, Stef goes to drop off groceries at Frank's and they talk about the church and why Stef never goes to church. Stef reminds him of the time when she was in high school and Frank caught her and her friend Tess cuddling on the couch. He then sent her to a priest who proceeded to tell her that being gay was a sin.

And the priest was in Padre episode (1x15) and Stef talked about Tess again.

This storyline is such a big deal. 

[ShadowFacts]

I haven't been a Callie fan, but when Stef told her words to the effect of "this girl is unacceptable", wow, harsh.  Even though she basically apologized at the end, and she was pretty upset when she said it, sometimes you can't unring the bell.  She should have said the behavior was unacceptable, and actually should have said it decisively a long time ago.

12 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Also, I liked Callie/Brandon's scenes. They felt like a sister/brother relationship, which is really nice. Hopefully that continues. 

It was nice, but I was thinking about how hard that would actually be to pull off in real life.  To live in the same house as siblings, and continue that way, would be (for me at least) kind of impossible after what they have previously been to each other. 

[gesundheit]

VERY excited about Tess, and the Moms getting a storyline that isn't about damage control for the kids. Teri Polo's reaction was adorable.

[jace]

13 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

1. I love all the attractive men of color on this show- from Jesus, to Gabriel, to AJ to the neighbors son.......CUTE. 

2. Steph and the Neighbor Lady have history- please no more cheating plots for this couple. Let steph and Lena be happy!

Gabe is white. Why are people coming up with this bs that Gabe is of color. Jesus himself called him white.

[Scarlett45]

9 minutes ago, jace said:

Gabe is white. Why are people coming up with this bs that Gabe is of color. Jesus himself called him white.

@jace my deepest apologies- assuming a white person is POC is SUCH BS I will amend my post straight away.

I thought the actor that played Gabe was Latino-Non White. Brandon Quinn is served well with his looks being ethnically ambiguous, he can play several ethnicities on screen.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Scarlett45

[Scarlett45]

6 hours ago, gesundheit said:

VERY excited about Tess, and the Moms getting a storyline that isn't about damage control for the kids. Teri Polo's reaction was adorable.

And yes to @Cassandre and the other posters that made the connection about Tess! So this Tess was Steph's first real crush it sounds like. 

 

I do feel for Emma regarding her pulling away from Jesus. She has been more than willing to show empathy and understanding during his recovery, but his violent outbursts are scary- it's not fair or realistic to expect a 17 year old girl to subject herself to that type of instability. No one is blaming Jesus for his injury, but the consequences effect others- what it he hurts someone on accident? His own sister said she wasn't going near him in that state after what he did to Brandon's room. I like the actress and want her on the show but I wonder how this will play out- with their relationship.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Scarlett45
Jesus and Emma

[Cassandre]

6 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

So this Tess was Steph's first real crush it sounds like. 

 I would say that Stef's first real cruch was when she was 13.  She had a crush on her best friend who dressed like Madonna (as reffered in 2x18 when Stef was wondering if Jude had a cruch on Connor).

 

Tess is a friend from highschool.  The mistery behind her relationship with Stef makes this more complicated than what it seems.  Stef has never said she had a cruch on Tess. She said that what was going on was innocent. That doesn't mean they didn't like each other that way...  That means they didn't know what was going on between them to actually be able to put a word on it.

[marceline]

19 hours ago, ShortyMac said:

Hey, everybody. I know I said I was out, but...I'm not. It's a sickness. I can't give up Stef and Lena or their scenes with Callie.

This show is really hard to quit because as frustrating as it can be, when it hits, it really hits. Whenever Stef and Lena break through to let these kids know just how much they are loved, it reels me back in.

I actually found myself really feeling for Robert in this episode. He's trying to play by everyone else's rules but he just wants to be a father to Callie. The come here/stay away dynamic that the Adams-Fosters have with him is really unfair but also completely understandable. At the same time, the moment he steps out of line he gets a smackdown.

I'm glad that the show allowed us to see how Jesus' rages make both Mariana and Emma afraid to be around him. I understand that Jesus needs support but living in a house or being in a relationship with someone who can become uncontrollably violent at a moment's notice is a very real stress.

I didn't see the Steph/neighbor thing coming. Well-played, show.

[LisaM]

This was my favorite episode in a very long time because there was no Callie In Danger/Callie Saves the World. I really liked both scenes with the Moms and Callie as well as the scene where Stef yells at Jesus. We finally get to see the Moms parenting teenagers for teenage appropriate behavior. So glad that the court issues with Callie are over. I like her new art class friend and look forward to her being a good influence on Callie. It's good for Callie to have someone who is not a part of the foster care system as a friend. 

I also liked seeing how the Moms are dealing with the two bio dads who are involved with their lives right now. 

Very interested to see how the return of Tess plays out. I definitely remembered the name from the episode with Frank. Great idea to insert her into the show. I don't see Stef cheating but this will be a very interesting complication. 

I like Grace far better than any of the other girls/women with whom Brandon was involved. I also like how he is struggling to figure out his future now that Juilliard is out of the mix for at least a year. 

I actually may re-watch this episode; I haven't said that since the episode when the Moms got remarried. 

[sara416]

On 7/19/2017 at 3:51 AM, IntoTheMystic said:

Even though we are five seasons in . . . it's only been a year and a half in Callie's life. If my math is correct. Which could be off by a mile. 

I've mentioned it before, but my wife and I work with very, very, very damaged children who have been through the foster system. We've seen the ugly underbelly of it. It is SO hard to teach kids to value themselves when they feel like no one else does or will. Especially the teenagers who go from home to home waiting and hoping to be adopted but they just get older as their chances dry up. I can completely understand what the writers have done with Callie. She's been devastated by the system, absolutely gutted by the authority figures in her life. She's been left disappointed by the adults around her so many times that she convinced herself that Callie is the only person who can take care of Callie. She keeps running away when accountability knocks because she hasn't seen much accountability and doesn't know how to own her crap. She keeps trying to save other people because she believes that she'll somehow save herself in the process. It's sad to watch but unfortunately . . . it's pretty accurate. Especially in this wonky timeline. Kids don't just leave the bad baggage at the door of a new home ... they lug it all over the place and it's backbreaking to pack and unpack it after a while.

But I do think this episode was a breakthrough for her. I think she has finally seen the light and fully understands what she could lose. Herself. 

This. I work with kids who are adopted/have been in foster care/have complex trauma and I felt her speech in this episode was very true to life. Adolescents struggle with identity formation as it is, and when you add in someone who has been shuffled from home to home, rarely given real love and care...well, that just complicates things immensely. I love the line she had about Stef and Lena telling her she was not disposable, but still trying to believe that herself.  Kids who have been through the system do not always see a future for themselves because they are too busy thinking about the present and the more immediate future. They do not have the capacity to think about where they will be in a few years (graduating, college, marriage, etc) because they don't even know where they will be next week. And adoption in one loving home does not make all of that doubt go away. 

All that being said, why is this girl not in therapy???? In real life all of this kids would have therapists. And before the adoptions were official they probably would have been court ordered to do so. 

[tennisgurl]

I actually thought this was a pretty good episode, mainly because it looks like we might FINALLY be done with Callie the Savior, and we are back to Callie the Actual Person. Callie clearly has very serious mental health issues, and should be in all kinds of therapy. It was nice seeing the Moms being supportive, but I need to see her (and, preferably, all of the other kids as well) in therapy ASAP.

I will laugh so hard if Mariana totally drops her crusade against private schools to get with the new cute neighbor boy.

I actually do like Brandon's new girlfriend, at least more than the last few girls. She isn't inappropriately older than him, annoying, or his sister. So, that's a win. Although, chaining yourself to a bed to get a guy to sleep with you, even though he has an important interview? Kind of weird tactic. I also like that he and Callie are in more of a brother/sister dynamic lately, even if it always has a weird undercurrent, knowing what they've felt for each other before.

More scenes like Lena saving Callies art project please! That's the shit that keeps me coming back, not endless cheap convoluted melodrama and teens gone wild.

[alexvillage]

Haven't watched any of the new episodes but don't mind being spoiled, so

On 7/19/2017 at 6:21 PM, marceline said:

I'm glad that the show allowed us to see how Jesus' rages make both Mariana and Emma afraid to be around him. I understand that Jesus needs support but living in a house or being in a relationship with someone who can become uncontrollably violent at a moment's notice is a very real stress.

If well done, I think it is great. By well done I mean - if they don't turn this into a "so hard on the family!". Yes, it is hard, but Jesus is disabled (maybe temporarily, but disabled). He didn't ask for that, it happened and the reality is that he needs supports, and the family needs supports. But HE is the disabled person and if the show begins to go in the direction of the "difficulties of having a disabled family member and its effects on everybody else", then it will be ableism. 

I know, I am way ahead of myself here. It is just that the media is so bad with disability themes, I always expect the worst. Unfortunately, I also usually get the worst.

 

For what I've read, Lena really slacked on her decision to be there for him, so maybe the show should cover that too.

[Perfect Xero]

I think I got whiplash from Mariana's sudden change of heart on the Anchor Beach privatization thing when she realized that her new cute neighbor was looking at private schools.

I don't even know what it is that Lena is supposed to be doing with Jesus? She's already back at work and it's been, like, month in show time since they refused professional therapy and brought him home? Brandon seemed to be doing more to try to help him than Lena did.

The whole thing with Jesus and Brandon in this episode was a weird beat to me. It seemed like at the end of last episode, when he found out the truth, Jesus felt bad about trashing Brandon's room and accusing him of sleeping with Emma and Brandon was the one who was upset with Jesus because he destroyed everything Brandon owns, but this week Brandon is the one trying to reach out and Jesus is refusing to talk to him? But he is talking to Emma?

Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty worried about roller derby girl giving Callie the advice that she needs to be herself, good advice for most artists, but Callie being herself is what leads to her almost being raped and murdered by a drug dealing pimp.

Tess, I didn't see that twist coming. When the father offered to fix their fence for free I was expecting the twist to be that he wasn't really the husband and was some stalker who used fixing the fence as an excuse to install hidden cameras or something.

[Chewy101]

On 7/20/2017 at 1:02 PM, sara416 said:

On 7/19/2017 at 3:51 AM, IntoTheMystic said:

Even though we are five seasons in . . . it's only been a year and a half in Callie's life. If my math is correct. Which could be off by a mile. 

I've mentioned it before, but my wife and I work with very, very, very damaged children who have been through the foster system. We've seen the ugly underbelly of it. It is SO hard to teach kids to value themselves when they feel like no one else does or will. Especially the teenagers who go from home to home waiting and hoping to be adopted but they just get older as their chances dry up. I can completely understand what the writers have done with Callie. She's been devastated by the system, absolutely gutted by the authority figures in her life. She's been left disappointed by the adults around her so many times that she convinced herself that Callie is the only person who can take care of Callie. She keeps running away when accountability knocks because she hasn't seen much accountability and doesn't know how to own her crap. She keeps trying to save other people because she believes that she'll somehow save herself in the process. It's sad to watch but unfortunately . . . it's pretty accurate. Especially in this wonky timeline. Kids don't just leave the bad baggage at the door of a new home ... they lug it all over the place and it's backbreaking to pack and unpack it after a while.

But I do think this episode was a breakthrough for her. I think she has finally seen the light and fully understands what she could lose. Herself. 

This. I work with kids who are adopted/have been in foster care/have complex trauma and I felt her speech in this episode was very true to life. Adolescents struggle with identity formation as it is, and when you add in someone who has been shuffled from home to home, rarely given real love and care...well, that just complicates things immensely. I love the line she had about Stef and Lena telling her she was not disposable, but still trying to believe that herself.  Kids who have been through the system do not always see a future for themselves because they are too busy thinking about the present and the more immediate future. They do not have the capacity to think about where they will be in a few years (graduating, college, marriage, etc) because they don't even know where they will be next week. And adoption in one loving home does not make all of that doubt go away. 

All that being said, why is this girl not in therapy???? In real life all of this kids would have therapists. And before the adoptions were official they probably would have been court ordered to do so.

THIS. If I have to feel sorry for this kid and her selfish decisions week after week, can't I also see her doing some work in therapy and growing? She needs more than some one great friend, she needs real help. WHY are they ignoring this, when she ruins their lives day after day?

Kerr Smith playing the 40 something father to this generation of Katie Holmes is so jarring. Time marches on.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Chewy101

[Chewy101]

Brandon is one sloppy depressing turd. Why are we supposed to believe self- respecting girls like this?

[ShadowFacts]

On 7/22/2017 at 0:09 PM, Chewy101 said:

Brandon is one sloppy depressing turd. Why are we supposed to believe self- respecting girls like this?

Had to laugh.  Yes, he always comes across as a pure mope to me.