Season 1 Discussion

[Zima]

I like the guy, but I find it funny that Callie is dating Brandon's brother-in-law. She just can't seem to give up on getting involved with guys who are semi-related to her, can she? 😂

[politichick]

I did not watch The Fosters, but I really, really like this show. And I am totally okay with Callie and her not being as integrated with the others as Mariana is. She has a totally different personality and that's fine. She also seems to have a more difficult job and is studying for the bar, has regular sex, so...

Maybe it's my age, but I find Mariana grating. Like when she took her sister's phone, that is some stupid shit. She doesn't always think about consequences, and that's okay, been there, done that, but I just find her a bit annoying. Love the women's group she started, though, and how she's handling things at work these days.

I do like Jaime, but for some reason want the end game to be Gael and Callie. Completely agree with the poster who said that Gael is way, way, way more into Callie than he's admitting. Also think that Ben is an insecure prat.

[Scarlett45]

49 minutes ago, politichick said:

Completely agree with the poster who said that Gael is way, way, way more into Callie than he's admitting. Also think that Ben is an insecure prat.

I think that was me. 

Ben is Gael’s boyfriend yes? I don’t blame him for being insecure. Somewhere deep down inside he KNOWS. K. N. O. W. S. he was second choice and probably 1. Likes Gael so much and 2. Has such a big ego he wants to “win” but he doesn’t seem like a dumb guy that he’s clueless. Also I’ve heard some LGBT people say that when seeing someone who is bisexual, you may worry that the lure of the heteronormative lifestyle is a very real point of insecurity. Basically I think these guys are well written, seems realistic to me. 

[Samwise979]

I haven't posted in this thread yet but I am loving this show! Watching tonight's episode right now and had a quick question, does Alice's ex-girlfriend live in the apartment? She's always there! And tonight's episode had her making dinner there. 

[gesundheit]

I watched The Fosters from the first second to the last, but somehow I can't recall how Stef is an "ex-cop." What does she do now?

I'm not really sure how it was so dramatic that Callie got taken off that case. At least she didn't get fired! I don't get how she was so shocked, but then that's Callie. Always crossing boundaries (often for good reasons, but still very improper and in this case unprofessional as hell) and then being stunned for being called out on it.

[slaterain]

3 hours ago, gesundheit said:

 I'm not really sure how it was so dramatic that Callie got taken off that case. At least she didn't get fired! I don't get how she was so shocked, but then that's Callie. Always crossing boundaries (often for good reasons, but still very improper and in this case unprofessional as hell) and then being stunned for being called out on it.

Seriously!!! I was totally expecting her to get fired or suspended or something! Just getting taken off the case is so minor - and didn't she think originally it wouldn't go to her being the newbie?!? Just seemed like the director wanted more drama and had her react that way. 

[possibilities]

I definitely thought she was going to be fired.

I think I want to see more of the judge's son. He clearly wanted to cause trouble, but he also might have had a point when he told Callie about the charges being dropped. He's a troll, and a brat, but maybe also one with an actual mission. That would be more interesting to me than just having him be an entitled spoiled brat, which  he probably also is.

I love the dude who runs/owns Spekulate. I really hope they know what they are doing, because there is a lot of potential for them to go wrong here, but if they handle his character well, it could be great for representation. So far, I've been giddy after every one of his scenes, so that's a good start.

I thought Stef was a detective, which I thought was still part of being a cop. I was also confused by the ex-cop comment. Maybe this is something new, and they left that breadcrumb to spark curiosity and are planning to reveal more later. They do jump around on the timeline a lot with this show, and like to tease us (which I hate, but am resigned to because that seems to be the fashion in TV these days).

That scene where Malika talks about being angry all the time, and Callie asks her who supports her, and then Jamal's mother says they can't afford, essentially, to be human and must be perfect/martyrs... brutal but honest. It's not fair, it's wrong a thousand ways, it's not sustainable, it's not enough, but it's not a contrivance, either.

I loved that Mariana didn't back down about the racism issue, and I loved how they explained her co-worker's reluctance to identify herself as a WOC on the spreadsheet, and also I love that Raj is leveraging his relative (though still vulnerable) position as a POC but also a male, to be an ally.

Sumi is too much for me. Knock it off.

I am irritated by the show's triangles. I really don't experience that as something that happens in real life, nor as something at all interesting to explore as a what if. But other than that, I really like this show and I really hope it lasts a while. There's a lot going on and most of it is really thoughtful and not just the same as every other show.

ETA: one thing I did hate was the way they made it seem like Lena and Stef might be headed for divorce, when Stef said "I'm out". That was manipulative BS and out of character. It was also "tell, not show" in an annoying way. Watching the two of them navigate the campaign and other life changes would be interesting. having them just show up and say it's rough isn't really good drama. It's thin, and a waste of good characters and story.

Edited March 20, 2019 by possibilities

[Samwise979]

I forgot about that scene at the end of the meeting when the owner of speculate asked marianna why she never followed up on their meeting and then the 2 higher ups got in trouble. I literally put my arms up in the air and said YES!!!! (And I was watching alone, lol)

[shantown]

I really enjoy the relationship between Callie and Malika. They're not overly close, but they seem to get each other. I also thought FOR SURE that the judge hired the new clerk because Callie was getting fired.

Mariana's work situation continues to frustrate me (oof, does Alex have an awful personality or what) but I like watching how she deals with things - and how her situation relates to other things happening on the show. I'm hoping her pitch goes well!

Not much from the other housemates this week, other than the really awkward double date dinner. I wonder how long Meera is going to put up with Sumi for. ALSO I just realized that Meera was Agent Vasquez on Supergirl. I knew she looked familiar!

[tennisgurl]

Oh yeah, you tell those assholes for being dicks to Mariana, tech guy! Oh that was awesome, especially as the two of them were just sweating and stammering when he confronted them on trying to keep Mariana from talking to him. The stuff with Marianas office is often so frustrating, its nice to see her get a win. I also liked seeing her explain to the non POC women why they had to include race as well as gender in the pay issues, and Raj continuing to help out whenever he could, even if it meant outing himself as being a part of this.

No fair trying to act like the mom might be getting a divorce show, thats not even funny to joke about! Also, did Steph change jobs again, because if she is a detective, she is still a cop, just not one in a uniform. It seems like maybe they could leverage Steph being a cop in a good way, even if it freaks out some of the other progressives, as a way to reach out to more moderates? 

The Judge is so freaking passive aggressive towards his son, its so awkward and yet funny. "Wow Callie, you struggled so much but still triumphed over adversity! Unlike SOME PEOPLE who have everything handed to them on a silver platter and they screw everything up...oh by the way son can you hand me that cheese? Its on that silver platter." And Mariana trying so desperately to make polite small talk, and the son wanting no part of it. "...what kind of car?

I like Malika and Callie's friendship, and Callie trying to be supportive of her. There really is this unfortunate tendency that, whenever someone who was victimized is found out to have not been perfect, people will just be like "well, never mind I guess, now their murder/attack/abuse isnt important anymore" which is really sad and unfair. Yes, Jamal clearly had issues, but he didnt deserve to be murdered by cops. He should have been allowed to stay alive to learn and grow past those toxic views on black women. His poor mom.

[alexvillage]

16 hours ago, possibilities said:

ETA: one thing I did hate was the way they made it seem like Lena and Stef might be headed for divorce, when Stef said "I'm out". That was manipulative BS and out of character. It was also "tell, not show" in an annoying way. Watching the two of them navigate the campaign and other life changes would be interesting. having them just show up and say it's rough isn't really good drama. It's thin, and a waste of good characters and story.

I keep coming back to this show that I don't like much because they have the Fosters characters in it but then, this. It frustrated me too, the reason why I watched the episode and it was like watching a parallel universe Stef-Lena.

I like Mariana's story. I like the boss, which does look like a stereotype of an autistic, I hope the show runners do, at least, get some actually autistic person to advise on how to make the character a person, not a caricature - no feelings, incapable of interacting, all logic and nerdiness. I have no idea if the actor is autistic, it would be cool if he is. 

I also like the twist on Jamal's story. Coincidentally, there is an article on theGuardian today about how prosecutors, in the name of "transparency", dig out anything about the victim of police killing they can spin into "proof of bad character" to keep the cop murderers free. It is sickening. 

I thought Callie would be fired. She deserved to be fired. And the idea that she should just go through the internship and then go to work for ACLU is laughable. She wouldn't last there either because it is always all about her and the ACLU don't have the resources to keep fixing whatever she messes with. In a way she is still the teenager who believes she can change the world by simply having a good argument.

[KittenPokerCheater]

23 hours ago, possibilities said:

I love the dude who runs/owns Spekulate.

Me too!

[Lady Calypso]

I've caught up on the last three episodes that I missed. 

Evan, the boss at Spekulate, is probably the most interesting character on this show, besides maybe Dennis. He really does seem to be a great boss. I loved that he told off HR lady and boss guy. Neither of them seemed happy to be reprimanded by Evan. I like how he seems to genuinely enjoy Mariana. It really IS nice for her to get a win. I wish Evan knew about what douchebag Alex was doing, as I think Evan would outright fire him. Either way, it's nice to know that Evan is actually a good guy. 

I'm glad for Raj continuing to redeem himself from earlier episodes. Him and Mariana have a good friendship and they seem to be leading to something more eventually....well, right now more on Raj's end.

What Callie's been doing at work has definitely been toeing the line. This time, she got too confident in her role at the clerks office and it cost her her role on the trial. I think she does need to figure out that sometimes, she can't fix everything and that she should learn to let certain battles go. It's not a bad thing to be assertive, but as we've seen with Callie, it can go wrong and it's unrealistic for her to win every single battle. 

That being said, Judge Wilson's son is a piece of work. No doubt did Wilson invite Callie and her family over as a way to get through to her son, as if trying to show him what COULD happen if his son changed his behaviour. But obviously, his son has no interest in his dad's games. 

The issue with Stef and Lena's fight is that we're only seeing the tail end of it. Most of their issues are taking place offscreen because this isn't The Fosters, where we'd be able to see more of their story playing out. However, it was nice to see the moms again and I loved their scene at the end.

Ok, this HAS to be leading to Alice telling Sumi off, right? Because that woman is HORRENDOUSLY selfish and she knows EXACTLY what she's doing. She knows that she's playing Alice and that Alice is vulnerable and naive enough to let her. When Sumi paused at the door when Joey and Alice were talking, she was definitely listening in. Sumi is really awful and Alice deserves way better than a woman not only playing her, but playing her fiancee Meera as well.

Jamie is such a good character. I enjoyed his interactions with the housemates from Davia's birthday and I like how he challenges Callie when he has to. Gael isn't a bad character either. I just don't think him and Callie are right for each other right now. I'd love to see Gael interact more with other characters because I do like him. I'd like Brian too, but Gael's boyfriend is being pretty petty and passive aggressive. He knows that he wants Gael, but he's also challenging Callie to get him, in a way. But he also cares about Gael a lot.

The Jamal case may have taken a turn, but I agree that it seems like his video is a distraction from the jury in order to build against him. It's a classic maneuver to ensure Jamal's case loses.

To briefly touch on the previous episodes, I'm gonna miss Rebecca a lot. She was, no doubt, one of my favourites but I know the actress has other roles so I can see why she didn't stick around. It's a shame, though. She was really great and way better than Ben. I also liked Dennis calling Brandon out on what he was doing by not talking to his wife. I feel bad for Malika's awful mother and enabling brother. I think her brother will eventually come around, but at what cost? His sister is so right and his mother is as transparent as glass. 

I'll be disappointed if Dennis ever leaves because he's now my favourite character since Rebecca left. 

[ShortyMac]

For those wondering about Stef's job, remember at the end of TF, before the time jump, Stef went to IA and came clean about the real events of the shooting with Mike in 1A. I assume she resigned/quit, and after the time jump before Brandon's wedding, she said she runs a battered women's shelter. 

EDIT: For reference, here's the actual line.

And, Stef, you're in social work now?

Yes. I run a non-profit child welfare agency and, uh, shelter for homeless families and abused women. 

Edited March 22, 2019 by ShortyMac

[possibilities]

Thanks, ShortyMac. I totally forgot about that.

[KaveDweller]

I totally thought Callie was going to be fired too. She should have been taken off the Jamal case weeks ago, as she has been biased all along. And I don't think it's because of Malika, I think it is just because she hasn't gained the skill of staying neutral and making decisions on the law.  Working for a judge is really not a good place for her. She may be better as some kind of public defender, but she'd have to believe her client's are innocent.

Alice's ex is really, really, awful. I hope she loses her fiance and Alice stays with Joey. 

[alexvillage]

11 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I totally thought Callie was going to be fired too. She should have been taken off the Jamal case weeks ago, as she has been biased all along. And I don't think it's because of Malika, I think it is just because she hasn't gained the skill of staying neutral and making decisions on the law.  Working for a judge is really not a good place for her. She may be better as some kind of public defender, but she'd have to believe her client's are innocent.

Alice's ex is really, really, awful. I hope she loses her fiance and Alice stays with Joey. 

Interning for judges is like interning for elected officials - you have to go in thinking about the experience you will gain, not changing how the judge or politician thinks. Many students intern for politicians they  disagree in most everything, but they are INTERNS so they shut up and do their job. I don't think a conservative judge would hire a "liberal" intern because the judge wants to "learn the other side". They hire them because one, they have to, as a matter of whatever written or unwritten rules of allowing the younger generation to experience the "wisdom" of the elders (and to do work that is boring but needed), and two, so they can have a cover for whatever conservative argument they need to defend.

The way Callie acts is naive at best, arrogant at worst. 

[Scarlett45]

Watching the episode late this week-everyone has touched on all the points I wanted to make. I’m really loving this show and the characters are well done. 

[Samwise979]

Oh man! Crazy how this show in such little time has made me care about Dennis so much.  Gut wrenching. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Samwise979

[Lady Calypso]

Oh no, not Dennis! I really, really, really hope they get to him on time. I already declared him and Rebecca my favourites. Now, Rebecca is gone and Dennis may be too. C'mon, show! Let him live!

Ok, I'm annoyed that everyone seems to think that Evan likes Mariana romantically (shut up, Raj)....ok, it's mostly douchebag Josh who is the issue. HR Chick (Angela?) seems less willing to jump on board with Josh. All I know is that I'll be annoyed if Josh is right. The show has done well with Evan and maybe it's just Josh being a sexist dickhead who doesn't know Evan at all that leads him to this, but then who's that Amanda chick that he mentioned? 

I liked Evan/Mariana talking at the Gallery. I liked him talking about his social anxiety and other little quirks about him. 

Sumi's an awful person. I don't give two shits if she's still in love with Alice. She's a manipulative person and Alice needs to turn her down. I even feel bad for Meera, who is in love with a narcissist. 

So, Gael gets broken up with and it looks like the Gael/Callie/Jamie love triangle is coming to an end once she has to choose. I guess it's bye-bye Jamie, for now. I don't really see Callie not choosing Gael, which is a shame because the two might be sexually attracted to each other but that's about it.

Ok, Davia was alright in this episode and I like how she figured out what Dennis was doing by the end of the episode. Seriously, get to him, Davia! I refuse to accept that I might lose Dennis, who is a very interesting character. 

[KaveDweller]

37 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Oh no, not Dennis! I really, really, really hope they get to him on time. I already declared him and Rebecca my favourites. Now, Rebecca is gone and Dennis may be too. C'mon, show! Let him live!

Ok, I'm annoyed that everyone seems to think that Evan likes Mariana romantically (shut up, Raj)....ok, it's mostly douchebag Josh who is the issue. HR Chick (Angela?) seems less willing to jump on board with Josh. All I know is that I'll be annoyed if Josh is right. The show has done well with Evan and maybe it's just Josh being a sexist dickhead who doesn't know Evan at all that leads him to this, but then who's that Amanda chick that he mentioned? 

I agree about being annoyed that people think Evan lines her romantically. Is it seriously not possible for a man to think a woman is good at her job and not want to sleep with her? 

I did like that the HR chick gave Mariana all the men's salary info. I guess she would know if there is a gap. But I did see some issues with Mariana's spreadsheet.  When they showed it last week it looked like they were tracking people's time at the company, but not years experience in general. If someone came in with years of experience, they shouldn't (necessarily) get paid the same as Mariana who is straight out of college. I suppose in most cases people would have different titles, but it didn't seem that way from what they have said.

I hope they find Dennis in time.  I really like him and feel for his situation. I'm glad they had Davia realize there was more to him than she thought.  

Next week's preview makes it look like Callie and Marianna are competing for who can make the worst decisions.

Edited March 27, 2019 by KaveDweller

[tennisgurl]

Oh no, Dennis! Dont you even think of playing me that way, show! Dont you even think about it! I've grown to like him so much, I would be so upset if he leaves, especially like that! Hopefully Davis finds him in time. I do like that it was Davia who figured it out and called him, as the two of them have been building a dynamic for awhile now.

Sumi sucks, and I hope that Alice doesent give her the time of day anymore. She cheats on Alice and leaves her for another woman, sends her all sorts of mixed signals even though she has to know that Alice still has feelings for her (subtle she aint), strings her along, then when she gets engaged, she tells Alice that she loves HER and not her fiance. She seems like the kind of person who just loves when people love her, but is too selfish to really give that love in return in healthy ways. So she jerks people around to get attention and validation. 

I really like Evan, and I hope that his feelings for Mariana are just professional or friendly, and not romantic. Of course Josh would assume that the only reason he would talk to her was because he thought she was hot, not because he liked her ideas. HR lady didnt look convinced though, and she did give Mariana the male employees salaries, so not sure where that goes from here now. They do have a nice back and fourth, and them talking at the gallery, while he talked about his social anxiety, was a really nice scene. 

Davia can self centered at times, but I thought Malika was pretty harsh with her about the kid she brought home. I get her point, but telling your friend she shouldn't have her job because of her background and skin color is a pretty crappy thing to say, especially because things escalated super quickly. I wonder if that plot will turn about again? It really is not a great thing to bring a kid home though, especially to a communal living situation where strangers come and go pretty often. Of course, that was all brought up by Malikas foster issues, so that was probably more of the issue. And Davia throwing that back at her later wasnt cool either. 

So how soon before Callie dumps Jamie for Gael now? His breakup with his boyfriend was inevitable, but I am not looking forward to Callie ditching Jamie. I like him a lot. 

[Lady Calypso]

9 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Oh no, Dennis! Dont you even think of playing me that way, show! Dont you even think about it! I've grown to like him so much, I would be so upset if he leaves, especially like that! Hopefully Davis finds him in time. I do like that it was Davia who figured it out and called him, as the two of them have been building a dynamic for awhile now.

I'm hoping he does survive, but I also worry that the next episode will still be his final episode. If he does survive, I totally see him deciding to leave and start fresh, which will still disappoint me.

10 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

I really like Evan, and I hope that his feelings for Mariana are just professional or friendly, and not romantic. Of course Josh would assume that the only reason he would talk to her was because he thought she was hot, not because he liked her ideas. HR lady didnt look convinced though, and she did give Mariana the male employees salaries, so not sure where that goes from here now. They do have a nice back and fourth, and them talking at the gallery, while he talked about his social anxiety, was a really nice scene. 

It was nice to see Angela on Mariana's side. I guess Angela didn't take kindly to Josh's attempt at threatening her. I like Evan as he is and hope that whatever the Amanda situation is, that it's not what Josh and Angela presume it is. I hope there's more to it and that we're seeing the real Evan with Mariana. 

[Samwise979]

This and Roswell are fast becoming my favorite shows. 

I really like Jamie but I feel like the writing is on the wall there. I hope the show finds a way to keep Jamie on even without being with Callie. 

I wouldn't be opposed to a relationship happening between Evan and Marianna but not for a long time. Right now I'd prefer his interest in her be strictly professional. Like someone stated above, can't a man be supportive to a woman without wanting to sleep with her?  Plus I do kinda like Marianna with Raj. 

Davina has been my least favorite character (besides Sumi) but she grew on me last night when she realized what was going on with Dennis. And speaking of Dennis, I posted this already above but, crazy how much I care about him in such little time. I really hope he is ok but I am afraid that he is not. 

Did anyone pause on Marianna's spreadsheet last week and think to themselves that they chose the wrong career? Right out of college and she's already making over $100,000 a year?! 

[TVForever]

For the first time, I actually got misty-eyed over this show at the thought that Dennis has attempted/committed suicide. Dang!

I'm dreading finding out Dennis' fate next week!

I actually feel sorry for Bryan and Jamie. They never really stood a chance, did they?

Anybody else find Alice and Joey (I think that's her name) adorable? And I love that Joey recognizes exactly what Sumi's about, but is secure and mature enough not to be run off by her games. And Alice seems to be coming around to the idea that her attachment to Sumi is unhealthy. Sometimes having some good in your life makes you recognizes what's been bad all along.

That's all for my random thoughts from this episode.

[Lady Calypso]

2 hours ago, TVForever said:

I'm dreading finding out Dennis' fate next week!

I know! I'm surprised with how quickly Dennis became my favourite. It shows why he lives in Coterie with the younger folk, as he has a lot of his own issues, but he also has a maturity that can help the rest of them out too. 

Spoiler

I did do some digging on anything season 2 related after watching last night's episode and I did find a picture of Josh Pence at the season 2 premiere table read, so unless he'll be in a flashback or dream sequence, it does point toward him surviving, especially since last night's episode ended on him not attempting suicide yet so MAYBE there's a chance. 

2 hours ago, TVForever said:

 I actually feel sorry for Bryan and Jamie. They never really stood a chance, did they?

Bryan kind of has turned into a jackass the last couple of episodes, but seems like it's all to get Callie/Gael together, rather than Bryan actually being a jackass. As for Jamie, the good thing is his connection to Brandon as his brother-in-law so I could see Jamie sticking around, even when Callie inevitably breaks things off. The way they had Jamie interacting with the Coterie roommates, it seems like he could befriend a couple of them. Or maybe that's my hope. I don't mind if Jamie and Callie don't end up together (because, let's face it; Jamie deserves better than Callie, as she doesn't seem to have grown up from her teenage years) but I want Jamie to stay.

3 hours ago, Samwise979 said:

I wouldn't be opposed to a relationship happening between Evan and Marianna but not for a long time. Right now I'd prefer his interest in her be strictly professional. Like someone stated above, can't a man be supportive to a woman without wanting to sleep with her?  Plus I do kinda like Marianna with Raj. 

True. Raj is definitely flawed, but I think he is a mostly good guy. Maybe he also tries to hard to be good, but I also believe he doesn't mean to be a jackass. But yeah, I like Evan and I like his unique personality enough where I do NOT want Josh to be right. I want the whole Amanda situation with Evan to be a misunderstanding on Josh's end. I want Evan to be a really good guy who just is socially awkward and gets misunderstood a lot. Just because he gives Mariana a chance to voice her opinions, it doesn't mean Evan is some sexual predator.

[politichick]

I did not watch The Fosters, and I am way, way, way too old to love this show the way I do, but, there you have it!

I never cared for Brian and always felt like he was way too insecure and needy for someone like Gael, whom I really enjoy seeing with Callie. I think he also objectified Gael, which was kind of gross.  I do like Jamie, though, and hope he continues to be on the show even if/when he and Callie break up.

Absolutely never want to see Mariana and Evan together. She is way too immature to deal with someone with his issues.

Praying for Dennis. Also praying for Alice; she's too good for that Sumi.

[KaveDweller]

9 hours ago, Samwise979 said:

Did anyone pause on Marianna's spreadsheet last week and think to themselves that they chose the wrong career? Right out of college and she's already making over $100,000 a year?! 

Yes, absolutely.

8 hours ago, TVForever said:

Anybody else find Alice and Joey (I think that's her name) adorable? And I love that Joey recognizes exactly what Sumi's about, but is secure and mature enough not to be run off by her games. And Alice seems to be coming around to the idea that her attachment to Sumi is unhealthy. Sometimes having some good in your life makes you recognizes what's been bad all along.

I really like Alice and Joey. I also really loved when Joey watched Sumi and her fiance leave and said, "that wedding's not happening" so matter of factly. 

[Lady Calypso]

In other news, season 2 is coming much faster than we think. Season 2 will premiere on June 18th. So, essentially, there's a little over two months hiatus.

I forget that Freeform either has super long hiatuses in between seasons or shorter ones.

[shantown]

Wow, that montage of Dennis with each of the montage was just heartwrenching to watch! Does anyone know the song that was playing during that scene? I really like Dennis. I also think from a writing standpoint I’d like to see what they do with having a character not complete a suicidal ideation. How do they integrate back in? How do people reconnect with them? I think it’s more interesting than watching people grieve. 

Also Joey and Alice, standing in front of the video of bombs exploding, deadpanning “That wedding isn’t going to happen, is it?” was a hilariously good part of the episode.

[alexvillage]

10 hours ago, shantown said:

I also think from a writing standpoint I’d like to see what they do with having a character not complete a suicidal ideation. How do they integrate back in? How do people reconnect with them? I think it’s more interesting than watching people grieve. 

That would be a great plot. I don't follow the show - I follow this thread to see if I want to watch the episodes - but might watch season two if the writers decide to explore the other characters and storylines like the one you suggested. 

I am not convinced though that they can. The creators of the show tend to throw all kinds of important themes then get them either forgotten or resolved too quickly/in a not so realistic way. Suicide is not something easy to write/talk about. It needs to be threaded with care. Dennis is a secondary character, the writers would need to spend more time that they might want to spend on him to go all the way into the story. 

(By important I mean things that I consider important and that are actually happening in the real world)

From what I saw so far, I would be 100% ok if they swapped the Gael/Callie sex montages for more dialogue and the other characters' lives.

[Aliconehead]

4 hours ago, alexvillage said:

From what I saw so far, I would be 100% ok if they swapped the Gael/Callie sex montages for more dialogue and the other characters' lives.

I would be fine if the just showed less montages of Gael and Callie period.  I want more of the other residents.

[shantown]

I also am not rooting at all for Gael/Callie. I don't think they're good for each other.

I think Callie needs someone who can help keep her grounded, and vice versa, she brings a little bit of wild idealism into someone's life. That won't happen with Gael. Not to mention, I think Gael is kind of a jerkwad. If Bryan wants to date exclusively and you don't, act like an adult and tell him that. 

[mcgkgm]

Why the hell would you keep a spreadsheet that could get you fired on the work servers? Especially, as HR lady said, in a company full of computer geniuses.  Work on that on your laptop at home, geez.  She's super, super lucky that Angela ended up being an ally, because that was colossally stupid.

[Scarlett45]

12 hours ago, alexvillage said:

That would be a great plot. I don't follow the show - I follow this thread to see if I want to watch the episodes - but might watch season two if the writers decide to explore the other characters and storylines like the one you suggested. 

I am not convinced though that they can. The creators of the show tend to throw all kinds of important themes then get them either forgotten or resolved too quickly/in a not so realistic way. Suicide is not something easy to write/talk about. It needs to be threaded with care. Dennis is a secondary character, the writers would need to spend more time that they might want to spend on him to go all the way into the story. 

(By important I mean things that I consider important and that are actually happening in the real world)

From what I saw so far, I would be 100% ok if they swapped the Gael/Callie sex montages for more dialogue and the other characters' lives.

I want Dennis to be okay but I’m not sure that would happen. I can completly believe that he was a shitty husband and father, and now that his son is dead he’s wrecked with guilt about that- but Dennis is still here!! He still has a life to live. 

Gael- you did Bryan shady, apologize and let him go. 

Alice needs to let he ex girlfriend go emotionally, although she’s 100% leading her on. 

[Samwise979]

I noticed another episode recorded on my dvr and I don't know how, but it was next weeks. Am I the only one? I don't want to spoil anything. 

[Lady Calypso]

14 minutes ago, Samwise979 said:

I noticed another episode recorded on my dvr and I don't know how, but it was next weeks. Am I the only one? I don't want to spoil anything. 

If you're from Canada, they accidentally also aired the finale so...yes. 

I'm from Canada, but currently am in the States so I'm sad I missed out on the extra accidental episode. 

[possibilities]

Do we know for sure that Mariana had the spreadsheet on her work computer? She was carrying it around on a laptop, and HR Lady said something about how they have hackers-- she didn't seem to be saying they obtained it through normal boss-access-to-employee-files means.

[alexvillage]

Interesting, somewhat related to the Mariana storyline because it happens on big tech, which is full of disparities and contracts that generate government abuse - not that I think the writers will go that far, but still

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/28/tech-workers-silicon-valley-activism

[Jax7917]

I’m very over the Gael and Callie plot line . So far through the entire season , every scene they have together is either a sex one or looking longingly at each other . We get it . They want each other . Either make it happen or don’t . I’m sure because there’s a season 2, the writers will put them together but eh , they do nothing for me . And I thought that scene with Brian flipping out on Gael was terrible acting on both their parts , especially Brian’s . 

[shantown]

Wait, next week is the finale already? I didn't realize we were already at #13. I think that's a good sign for the show though - I didn't get bored of it, and I want more!

[Samwise979]

16 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

If you're from Canada, they accidentally also aired the finale so...yes. 

I'm from Canada, but currently am in the States so I'm sad I missed out on the extra accidental episode. 

Oh I see. Thanks for the info! I guess I got to see the finale before everyone else but I won't spoil it! Will wait patiently for next Tues evening to post comments. 

[pivot]

I wish this was just a show about Marianna's workplace. I really have no interest in the Callie storylines or the loft people. 

[Lady Calypso]

Show, how cruel can you be with giving us that awful cliffhanger with Dennis last episode and then waiting until the last few minutes to reveal his fate? Here's the thing; they had a really great idea with Dennis and they were building it up quietly in the background, but it felt like they used Dennis' cliffhanger at the end of last episode only to get more people to tune in to the finale. That being said, his moment with Davia was nice. 

I liked Davia a lot in this episode. I'd love to see her working at her school, because her scenes with her student have shown a different side to her. 

Poor Alice and poor Joey. Alice has to work on getting over Sumi and I like that Joey pointed out the real possible truth that Alice wasn't comfortable with being gay. I do love that Alice's parents always knew. I thought they might have been faking us out, like the show loves to do with the back and forth timelines, but it was actually something that happened. Hopefully that was the moment to get Alice to move through her own issues. 

Yeah....I think showing Callie actively conflicted about jeopardizing her career reflects worse on her than actually jeopardizing her job, if she did. We already know she doesn't give a shit about logic and only cares about making rash, emotional decisions when she thinks it's the right thing to do. It just shows that she hasn't really grown up, especially if she ended giving that information out. 

Wait...the Callie/Gael/Jamie stuff from the finale promo WASN'T a promo shot for the show? It was actually part of the show?!?! It legit looked like those cheesy network promos. What a stupid few minutes. 

Um...we were supposed to give a crap about Malika's mom dying or that Malika had to see her shitty mother's POV? Ok, so she was a single mother struggling with two jobs. Her taking drugs is all on her and her attitude toward Malika a month prior is all on her as well. That has nothing to do with her being a single mother. In fact, Malika needing to see her POV was all kinds of sad. But maybe Malika's more mature than I am. 

The Spekulate stuff went as well as I expected it to go. A bit cheesy, but after the disgusting misogyny from some of the men there, I didn't really hate it. 

....oh come on, show. I was really digging Evan and then they had to have him react the way that he did in this episode. Hopefully next season, they have the whole Evan/Amanda thing proven wrong. I like Evan and his intentions are still kinda ambiguous, but still. 

They really left a lot open. Not much was really concluded. I wish there was a little more closure, even with just one storyline. 

[Samwise979]

I think it was the wrong choice to wait until nearly the end to reveal what happened with Dennis. I couldn't enjoy the rest of the episode. 

I cringe watched that entire dance sequence. Ugh that was bad. Like, really really bad. 

Davina has been the most annoying character all season (imo) but the last 2 episodes have given her a lot of growth and I'm starting to like her more. 

Marianna and Raj!!! 😍😍😍😍 I watched that scene twice. 

[possibilities]

Given how Evan has responded with respect so far when informed of things-- he's getting rid of Josh, he's fixing the salary problem, and apparently he genuinely likes the app-- why doesn't Mariana just tell him that there's a rumor about this Amanda person, and that she wants to stay and do the app, but he's her boss and she doesn't want it to be a romantic entanglement? So far, Evan has responded well to directness, and done the right thing. She has not much to lose at this point. He asked her to stay, so if he fires her now, it will be a slam dunk sexual harassment lawsuit. And if she's going to lose the app if she quits, what is really at stake for her to just be honest with him?

So now we have a triangle with Davia and Dennis and Jeff?

I like Joey and I like Alice's parents. But I think her parents should have TOLD her they knew, and that they were fine with it and support her, instead of just leaving Alice to struggle on her own.

Not sure what I think about Callie's situation. I did laugh when she was dancing with Malika and Judge Wilson. I like to watch dancing and that made a fun picture. But as far as the context is concerned, I hope she can find her internal sense of what she wants to be, instead of always feeling pulled around by other people and her loyalties to them. That dream was more like a fantasy than a nightmare, which I think is a mistake. Does the show want us to think she gets off on having the power to please or reject others, to make or break cases and hearts? I hated that it was basically a power struggle with her in the desired and controlling position, and not her wrestling with something other than her ego-- there was nothing about Jamal or BLM, it was all about how she, Callie, was the focus. It's like she didn't really have any concern about outcomes or consequences of her choices, she was just dreaming about being powerful and beautiful and special.

I liked the nuance and overlap in Malika's and Davia's stories with Davia's student. Davia is probably a mandatory reporter, and I hope that doesn't lead to any trouble. I was glad Sandra showed up to support Malika in the end. Sometimes life is complicated and there isn't a perfect answer.

Edited April 3, 2019 by possibilities

[alexvillage]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

I hated that it was basically a power struggle with her in the desired and controlling position, and not her wrestling with something other than her ego-- there was nothing about Jamal or BLM, it was all about how she, Callie, was the focus. It's like she didn't really have any concern about outcomes or consequences of her choices, she was just dreaming about being powerful and beautiful and special.

Haven't watched but it looks like this is the general position of a lot of white people who feel entitled to be praised for SAYING they support people of color, even when they don't really DO much to show the support.

[gesundheit]

Ugh. I was so worried when they announced this show that it wouldn't really be a duo/ensemble show and would actually just be primarily about Callie, like The Fosters too often was. That they chose to end the season finale the way they did kind of confirms it. I'm tired of it. And her work issues are really tedious considering she chose to clerk for an infamously conservative judge because she was dumb enough to think she could influence him (or however she described it). That ain't how clerking works, ya ninny!

I didn't like that they didn't stick to realism. I'm fine with the non-chronological framing, but whatever they were doing with Alice (which honestly confused me and her conversations with Sumi needed to be fleshed out a lot more, but she's not Callie so...) and then Callie gets a scene with literally herself, and then that silly dance scene. With the way they jump around so much, they need to not muddy the waters with "is this even real or not" on top of that.

I wonder what the heck Roger Bart thought when he got this script. "I'm sorry... I, a Broadway star, am going to be in 5 seconds of a dance sequence with ....my character's clerk?"

Hallelujah that Dennis is alive. 

I hope Joey isn't gone from the show for good. Totally fine if Sumi is.

[alexvillage]

1 hour ago, gesundheit said:

That ain't how clerking works

That's one reason why I am reluctant to watch the show. The writers come up with realistic stories, they dip their toes on things that are happening right now, sometimes they go even deeper than just the toes - sometimes well done, most times not so much. Then, they have Callie save the world, or teach a lesson, or be the only one who can possibly understand. That was already happening with The Fosters and it annoyed me. Most of the main characters didn't show an ounce of bigotry, even though human beings privileges do inform us how we react to situations we are not familiar with. Some of us do learn, or at least try to learn (I hope!) but it does't mean we don't put our feet in our mouths from time to time. Not Callie. She is always on the "right" side of every issue. It is bull.

[Guest]

A few things that I took from last evenings Spring Season Finale. I enjoyed the dance sequence between Gael, Jamie, Malika, Judge Wilson and Callie as it showed that Callie is torn in all directions and what choices will she make once the show picks back up will be exciting. As for Mariana and her choices to stay with Spekulate which I feel she will choose to stay and more advances from Evan will come toward her and her and Raj will also continue to move forward as well. I was so proud of Alice in this season finale as she didn't break down and go back with Sumi. I also loved how it all ended with the phone call with her parents and I hope things can be patched up with Joey and her. The whole court hearing is what I am not sure of what turn it is going to ultimately take and all I know is I hope Callie doesn't do something stupid with the files.  As for Dennis and Davia I hope she makes the right decision in kicking Jeff to the curb once and for all.