The Fosters: The Longest Day

We were so close to the end of the episode and I honestly was sitting there thinking, "Oh, I can't really write a post this week. Nobody had sex with anyone appropriate or inappropriate, there was some good drama that I really can't make fun of, I actually felt compassion for Brandon for literally one entire episode, they acknowledged that statutory rape is a thing which normally ABC Family has some disconcerting trouble with to say the least, and they didn't spend any time trying to get us on board with Callie and her brother's true-love-forever destinies, so I really have nothing to get grumpy about. So what is my job here?"

And then I looked at Twitter. Damn you, Twitter! After a scene that seemed to be demonstrating that young Sophia is deeply, deeply troubled and suggested to her father that they just go ahead and adopt Callie because that seems cool and Callie is neat and Sophia is used to getting spoiled, Twitter erupted. Not with, "Oh, how inappropriate that the dad didn't shut that down more explicitly" or "Is this child maybe a bit psychotic, what's going on with her?" Nope. It exploded with, "Omigah that would be amazing if she went to live with them because it means we can have our #BRALLIE4EVER!!!!1!!"

It almost lasted, y'all. It almost lasted one episode. Thankfully I don't think it was the writers' intention this time. Sure, the Adams-Fosters have seen this child through juvie and a group home and running away and more than one court case and accusing her rapist and a slew of other things. And sure, they've adopted her brother from whom she's never been separated. But hey, her never-before-known birth dad is rich and her half-sister really likes her, so they should go ahead and keep her SO CALLIE CAN HAVE THAT BOYFRIEND. That seems way more important than having a loving family forever! Lord knows there's nothing that means more in the long run than who you got to date at 16.

But now I'm just ranting about viewer reactions and not the actual show, and I think the show is above that silliness. And even if it's not, I do not think it's what was on display last night. What was on display was pretty terrific in the A-storyline: Brandon, with Lena by his side, tells Stef and Mike about the night that Dani took advantage of him.

Everyone took it really well! Okay, no they didn't. But they took it realistically. Which led to Brandon leaving the room and Lena giving Mike and Stef one hell of a dressing down. (She did have the added calmness advantage of having had time to process this.) (And admittedly I was slightly bummed later in the episode when the implication seemed to be that he'd told only Lena because Stef is "too hard on him." First of all, Brandon told Lena BECAUSE HE WAS STONED. Second of all, STEF IS NEVER HARD ON ANYONE, NONE OF HER CRIMINAL CHILDREN HAVE EVER BEEN PUNISHED BY HER.)

Quick aside to add that there were really stellar performances here all around by Teri Polo, Sherri Saum, and Danny Nucci. Good on ya, actors!

And it speaks well for everyone that Lena was able to convince Stef to see how humiliated Mike was and to show him some compassion. And through showing him compassion, she was able to turn him around completely on the statutory rape issue (Brandon hated the idea and demanded they not tell the police, you know, right after he just told two police) by asking him to imagine if the genders were reversed. Thankfully, Mike came around and hung out on the street like a boss while his now-ex-girlfriend got cuffed and driven away in a squad car.

Good! Really, really nicely done on all fronts. I'd worry about Brandon getting really upset about having to offer up a statement or whatever ultimately happens with Dani's arrest, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he all of a sudden was okay with it. After all, we never learned if the kids got in trouble for their party. This week we barely heard about last week's baby loss. And in previews for next week it looks like we're focusing on a fire instead of the aftermath of this week. Um, I want more of this. That said, I noticed next week's title is "Girls Reunited" so does that mean we get to catch up with some of the group home girls? I would like that very much.

Elsewhere, the less said about Mariana and the dance team the better. I love Mariana and I've really been interested in her issues about identity and fitting in this season because they feel honest, but dance team. Ugh. Oh and now Hayley is lying to Jesus about her life to get his sympathy and time, which is a bummer because it feels like the point is to send him back to Emma. Emma's not so bad but I'm still mad at her for turning on her entire gender. Funny how a thing like that'll stick with you. Girls shouldn't be misogynists, it makes no sense! Despite what Twitter suggests! (It's starting to seem like I should take a Twitter break, isn't it.)

Callie went yachting with Robert and company. Yes, yachting. I'm trying to enjoy all these complicated new relationships but the "it turns out your birth father is mega-wealthy!" storyline just feels too much like a fantasy my friends and I would've played out in elementary school. Thankfully, Callie accepted the college fund. Because please. If anyone offers you a no-strings attached college fund, take it. Don't be an idiot. College costs way more than pride. And Sophia continues to be a weirdo and wants Robert to scoop up Callie, and Jude is sad that any of this ever happened.

Again, the A-story was really the take-away from last night but I'm sure there are a million different points I didn't touch on.

What did you guys think? Am I overpraising something just because I was blinded by my delight at the show acknowledging that adults shouldn't sex up teenagers (because I watch that "other" ABC Family show that makes my head hurt weekly)? And is anyone worried the fire means someone we like is going to end up at Girls United, hence the episode title? I'm psyched to see those kids but nobody better mess with Daphne. And I hope we see Cole!

Comments

[Lauren]

I really liked the Stef/Mike and Mike/Brandon stuff. The actor who plays Mike doesn't get enough credit- that could have just been an almost throwaway part and he's made so that I'm super invested.

I thought the Quinn stuff was really good. I like Robert and I won't particularly have an issue if he doesn't want to sign away all rights to a daughter he wasn't even given the chance to know particularly when they keep forcing the ridiculous timeframe that Callie's only been with the Fosters for six months (really all that happened in six months?). I liked how warm Robert was with Jude, and I also liked that he pushed the college fund. I'm also glad that they resisted the urge to make Jill an evil stepmom. But even as a huge Brandon and Callie fan who will always root for them, I don't expect or want Callie to move in with the Quinns long-term but I also don't expect she'll ever be adopted. And I think that would be fine- Callie is already a member of the Foster family which harkens to the whole love makes a family idea that is central to the show.

My perception is colored as someone who wants the door to never be entirely closed on Brallie. But I also very much like seeing her relationships within the house so I wouldn't want that to all fall apart just to pave the way for them.

I was hoping the fire was Hayley setting Jesus on fire and ending their awful storyline.

[Louise]

I agree, Lauren, Danny Nucci really nailed his scenes. I was really impressed.

[Ziyal]

Lauren and Louise agree... wow! :p

Lauren, your quip about the fire had me LOL-ing. SO AGREE!

I too liked the A storyline, and although skeptical at the beginning of the episode, I thought it was really well done, with a satisfying ending. Also agree on Nucci's quality contribution.

In a way, I was even more intrigued by the outcome of Callie and Jude's visit to the Quinns because regardless of the money, I am still very much inspecting the horse's mouth. I too am happy that there is no evil stepmother for now, but her questions to Jude were (rightfully) inquisitive, so I am sold on her being a benign addition. It doesn't help that she seems to be very uneasy about the whole situation (rightfully so) and the fact that we have no evidence that she and Robert are on the same page as to where their relationship with Callie (and Jude) is going.

Are we sure the college fund is no-strings-attached? I'm not saying she should have said no, but at the same time as soon as Callie takes that money, she can never shut him out again, not to mention that it opens her up to emotional blackmail by the whole family once she's at college and dependent on their financial support. Considering Callie's history, I totally understand why she is reluctant to just accept his money at face value.

Re: Sophia, I was more disturbed by her conversation with Callie in which she expressed a wish to not exist, and that is where I got confirmation that she is indeed deeply troubled. (That girl appears to not be allowed to do anything that she enjoys. I think she said that she no longer enjoys riding since now it's all about winning competitions. She lives in a golden cage, and I don't blame her for being deeply troubled.) Her last scene with her dad was somewhat "I am used to getting what I want", but at the same time, she is correct that Callie has only lived with the Fosters for a little while and who is to say she would not learn to like the Quinns too. I can totally see a kid like Sophia thinking that *that* makes sense. I don't think she understands how the Fosters are different than all the other places Callie has lived (she doesn't have all the information), and if she's moved that many times, she can move again, especially since Robert is her *real* dad. I interpreted Sophia's interest in Callie more as a cry for help: "I am just about at the end of my rope if something doesn't change in my life, in this house, in our family." I think it's similar to Lena's own reasons for wanting a biological child -- it doesn't really make sense to anyone else, but it makes sense according to Lena's and Sophia's fears and wishes for their own lives.

Actually, I would love to see Sophia get some much needed help (not by Callie living with them).

I wish we also had more continuity as to previous events on the show.

I loved and was saddened by Mariana having to assert that Lena and Stef were her real parents. I am hoping that with spending more time with Tia, Mariana will learn to love herself and go back to her natural hair color.

[Kate]

I clearly can’t read well since I thought what you said were the actual twitter comments. And I was thinking that, while apparently most want B/C to get together at least we can all agree that the Buffalo Bill half sister has a couple of screws loose. She seriously gave me the creeps from the very first time we met her when she was so desperate to show Callie her room and then giving her the same jacket that Callie complemented, which she so obviously did just to be polite. So she can’t even read human emotion properly. I liked that her mom called her out, cause girl you look desperate & psychopathic. But no that wasn't the case, proving that once again nothing good comes from social media.

A stray observation about Callie. I have never seen a child with more potential parents: the guy she thought was her father, her biological father and two moms, yet still is an orphan.

There is something I don’t get about this show (well there is a lot but this is my latest distress) why have this revolving door of characters and actors that I don’t know whether or not to get invested in since next week they might never have existed when they have a solid central cast. I really don’t care about Callie’s other family with crazy girl. Instead of that convoluted storyline (rich birth dad and all) why not give Jesus & Mariana better more meaningful material so they get some screen time seeing as they are part of the main cast.

Poor Brandon I don’t hate the actor I just hate what the writers did with the character. It’s my own fault for assuming things. I honestly thought they were going to have him hate Callie because he thought she was going to upset the family balance and because of his uptight type A personality and since he is the eldest he would always bail her out of trouble. However with time he grows to love and accept her as his sister. Instead I get close but not quite incest and the hebegeebees, and yes I gleaned all that from the first episode.

Louise I agree with you about Emma, what’s that saying don’t trust woman who don’t have girlfriends. Why did they have to go there? Why can’t she be a tomboy, love wrestling, have a good head on her shoulders, be strong and pretty and not disparage other girls? Lets drop that whole archaic girls = too much drama nonsense in fiction and real life henceforth.

A random thing I noticed; Mike’s last name is Foster too. Does he and Stef have the same surname like from birth, did he take Stef’s name and kept it, or did she Tina Turner it and keep his. It’s a non thing I’m just curious.

I wish I knew what you are all taking about in regards to a fire but since I get my viewing from not so legit sources they always leave the previews out.

[--k]

Leave it to me to cancel cable before what sounds like an amazing episode. Dammit!

Kate, I just belly laughed about the Tina Turner comment. Haha! I didn't even notice the last name thing.

[Ziyal]

Can someone agree with me that Jesus is THE DUMBEST KID EVER?!!! Even his moms think that!