The Fosters: More Than Words

Just try convincing me that the episode title doesn't make you think of the Extreme ballad that, let's face it, was pretty much about how if his ladylove didn't start giving him more BJ's instead of just telling him she loved him, she was out the door.

Where was I? The Fosters!

It was a delight to see that instead of rehiring a child molester or quietly ignoring the permanent absence of Lena's father, they hired a replacement! With this and the Jesus recast, it's refreshing to know that this isn't a show that changes course due to actor departures and is willing to go ahead and replace someone if the story demands the character. And even better: he was replaced by Bruce Davison! (Coincidentally, the last time I saw Davison on stage he was playing a child molester.) And Bruce Davison is wonderful. And is not a child molester.

It also meant the return of Lorraine Toussaint as Lena's mother, which I'm sure triggered PTSD for any Fosters viewers who also watch Orange is the New Black. (Which I assume has to be almost all of them? Well, all of the adults anyway.) Vee was terrifying, y'all. But it really spoke to Toussaint's talent that Dana is basically Vee's polar opposite.

Can you imagine if someone had spat a racial slur at Vee?

They'd be dead by morning. Nate would have been the toast served at breakfast.

Instead, the show seemed to imply that Stewart Adams will literally never speak to his son again. I'm not sure if that's the case, really, a lot of people say "I'll never forgive so-and-so" and then a year later everything changes. But I do know one thing: Nate's car ride home with his black girlfriend is going to be ugly! And there she was probably thinking, "Look at this, I'm in a room full of exclusively interracial couples! We totally get each other!" Oops.

Also, I really enjoyed Stef sticking up for Lena to Dana. That was a nice little touch.

So, what else happened? Oh, Brandon got kicked out of music camp because he plagiarized a Bach piece to make Kat look bad. It worked on one level, in that she looked like a fool for criticizing the piece (thinking it was Brandon's) and eventually she got ousted from camp, but so did he. Good work, Brando, you continue to be an effing genius. I find this whole thing really disappointing because that means his big storyline will move back into everyone else's, which likely means he's going to be spending a lot of time feeling jealous about his sister and his brother flirting with each other. (THAT'S STILL A REAL THING HAPPENING ON THIS SHOW, YOU GUYS.)

It could also, however, mean that Mat's news that the band is going back out on tour will send Brandon away for a while! 

Oh who am I kidding. We can't be that lucky. I can't wait for the sibling love triangle.

Admittedly I don't understand the kids these days, but I
 cannot look at that face and see "dreamboat."

Speaking of poor Mat, Mariana dumped him because she cheated on him and couldn't live with it. Which, okay, but the poor guy is now wondering what he did wrong.

I'd also like to point out that she seems to be chatting with Wyatt on the reg these days, and I'm in no way ready for her to move on to him as her next love interest. It doesn't seem like that's where it's headed because she's the mayor of Guiltville right now, but he sure is pursuing it. Please don't turn Wyatt into a weird stalker. Don't damage his hair's reputation like that!

And finally, can we talk about how ABC Family is a network that Pat Robertson started that still airs The 700 Club three times a day and aired an episode of television last night that not only focused on one half of an interracial lesbian married couple dealing with racism in her family, but also on an LGBT dance for kids? I hope Pat's okay. This show must give him an ulcer. Well, I think a few other things in the news recently might have already exacerbated an extant ulcer. Should we check on Pat?

At the dance, a lot of kids introduced themselves to each other with how they identify. I'm not sure I heard the name right so my apologies if that part is wrong, but seriously: "Leonard. Genderqueer. My preferred pronouns are they and them." That was a line of dialogue on The 700 Club's network. I'm sort of giddy.

Cole tried to kiss Callie and she let him down not-very-easily although, you know, when you agree to be someone's date to something you should probably give some consideration to the fact that the other person might consider it... a date. Of course when she wouldn't kiss him back he didn't exactly need to storm off! Anyway, they sorted it out when Callie pretended she's just not interested in dating anyone at all right now, and didn't mention that she has the hots for her brother's new foster brother. (She has no obligation to be attracted to every guy who's into her, let me clarify that! I just mean: ha. She's definitely into someone right now.)

Also, when everyone was throwing around all their labels, Jude was all "NO HOMO!" and unfortunately some buttinsky kid at the dance assured Connor it meant that Jude will eventually ditch him because he's not comfortable calling himself gay. Later, Cole gave Jude a little pep talk about how, yes, sometimes labels can be really annoying but other times they can give you a community. He added a nice touch about how Jude has the luxury of saying "I'm just whatever!" because he lives in such a welcoming household, but a lot of people find great solace in those labels because they can help them find their true home (as the "transgender" label did for Cole).

Jude took it to heart and went back in the dance to assure Connor that he is, indeed, very very gay. For him. Because sometimes people just need to know where the heck they stand with you, you know?

ADORABLE.

Comments

[Kim B]

How do Connor and Jude get CUTER every week??

[Caitlin]

So I was really thrown off by the recast Grandpa. Nothing against Bruce Davison (and maybe he would've bugged me less without the facial hair?), I just could not see him as Lena's dad. It distracted me the whole episode, mainly because I thought the casting department did such a fantastic job with the original grandparents (you know... before we knew what we know now).

Speaking of Lorraine Toussaint in other roles though, it occurred to me this morning that I would not have objected to Michael Moriarty taking the role. My Ben Stone/Shambala Green-shipping heart still beats. (I swear I'm not as old as this paragraph implies.)

[Carmen SanDiego]

Great recap, as usual
This show must really give Pat Robertson an ulcer

[Mary]

Caitlin, OMG thank you for the shout out for Ben Stone and Shambala Green (and no, it does not make you old.) Seriously, Lorraine Toussaint played one of my favorite recurring defense attorneys on the original Law and Order. As much as I loved their interaction on that show, I'm not sure if they'd work as Lena's parents but I wouldn't mind seeing Michael Moriarty on my screen again. I know he's had issues in the past but I've always enjoyed his performances. He's still my favorite of the ADA's on L&O with Sam Waterston and Raul Esparza as very close seconds. And speaking of past roles, Lorraine Toussaint also starred with Annie Potts in the Lifetime? show Any Day Now. She definitely can do it all.