The Fosters - Recap: Mixed Signals Theater
Recap and review of The Fosters - Season 1 Episode 2 - Consequently:
After last week's premiere, The Fosters faced two key goals: developing the kids as individuals, and introducing organic, unforced conflict in the otherwise sturdy relationship between Stef (Teri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum). "Consequently" achieves both of these goals, and more. We get a bit of nascent romantic tension developing between Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Brandon (David Lambert), and the simpering bitterness of Brandon's long-time girlfriend, Talya (Madisen Beaty). But mostly what it does is establish the morality of the series. This is a show that walks a fine line regarding the discipline of children that aren't your blood, but are in your care nonetheless. Moreover, this is a series that explores loosely-defined familial relationships: for Brandon, authority is split three ways; and for Callie, she's accepted in name only -- while Stef and Lena pay lip service to the notion of giving Callie and her brother a temporary home, they aren't willing to give her the benefit of the doubt when one of Mariana's friends accuses Callie of selling her drugs. Of course, Callie doesn't really help her situation by giving the least convincing denial in the history of face-to-face confrontations. But the fact remains that, in a pinch, when asked to take one person's word against Callie's, they sided with the other person. And Callie's unflinching, weary resignation to this fact is kind of sad. Yes, she's taking the blame for Mariana (Cierra Ramirez), but only because no one would believe her if she told them the truth. That kind of complexity, of people who make mistakes despite their heart being in the right place, is what makes The Fosters such an interesting watch.
Credit: ABC Family
Much of the episode this week focuses on Stef and Lena, as they come to a head over Lena's status as Brandon's stepmother. Stef has tried to raise Brandon to view Lena as his mother as well, and she's also tried to help Lena see that she's more than an ancillary figure in Brandon's upbringing. But when Mike, Brandon's biological father, flips out about Stef and Lena's decision not to punish the boy for nearly getting himself killed last week, the resulting argument leaves Lena feeling as though Stef views her as a third wheel in Brandon's upbringing. It's an issue where all three parties have a legitimate gripe, as Lena has been there in the trenches with Stef, doing the work of raising a child, and she feels she deserves the respect that her effort accords. Stef feels that while Lena does deserve that respect, she wants Lena to see where Mike is coming from, since Lena probably wouldn't like it if decisions about her kids' upbringing were made without consulting her. However, this argument completely ignores that Brandon is being yanked in three separate directions, getting grounded by his frequently absent father after having already been let off the hook by his mothers. Brandon calls attention to this discrepancy, saying that he has no idea who he's supposed to take orders from anymore, before lacing into Mike for never being around. It's one of the more honest, real moments in the episode, as Brandon lashes out in a way that feels natural for a kid his age.
Credit: ABC Family
The Lena-Stef-Mike storyline is eventually ironed out via carefully-considered conversation, and I think it's a credit to the show that it presents a world in which matters can be resolved in calm, reasoned matters, without the need for shouting or other hysterics. Lena recognizes Mike's parental rights while accepting that Stef was right to defend them, while Stef acknowledges that Lena is every bit a mother to Brandon as she is herself (short of having actually delivered him). Meanwhile, Mike admits that Stef and Lena are good for Brandon, since they're the kinds of parents who are always there for him, yet he resolves to be a more active presence in his son's life, work be damned. It's not exactly explosive drama or anything, but it feels more authentic than an overly-contrived scene of shouting, tears, and broken dishes would have. Yet there are larger troubles looming on the horizon for Lena and Stef, as one of their kids gets into trouble with the law.
Much is made of Stef and Lena's indecisiveness about housing Callie and Jude (Hayden Byerly) any longer than a few weeks. As they speak to the siblings' social worker, he reveals that they never last in any foster home very long, as something always happens that leads to the pair being placed somewhere else. Stef and Lena do what they can to reassure Callie and Jude that they won't let the kids be separated again, and that this will be their last waystation before finding a permanent home. To this end, they try to make Callie and Jude feel more like a part of the household, bunking them in rooms with the other kids. Mariana is up in arms about the rooming arrangements, but Brandon basically tells her to quit being immature (Mariana, however, notes that Brandon is the only person who isn't required to give anything up).
Credit: ABC Family
Mariana remains a ball of negative energy, as her encounter with her birth mother last week continues to haunt her. She feels as though she was used, like an ATM. That she wasn't even a person in the eyes of her birth mother. Though her resentment continues throughout the episode, it takes a backseat when the school does a locker search, since someone in the school is abusing prescription pills. Turns out it's Mariana's friend Kelsey (Anne Winters), who got the pills from Mariana. However, when it becomes apparent that Mariana is about to confess, to avoid Callie taking the blame after Kelsey pinned it all on the new girl, Jesus (Jake T. Austin) steps in and takes the fall. He explains that he was sick of being viewed as the ADD kid, who couldn't even have a bad day without someone asking him if he remembered to take his pill. Few things have been established about Jesus beyond his flirty, playboy ways with Mariana's friend Lexi (Bianca A. Santos), but one of the key traits of his character is his willingness to protect Mariana at all costs. It makes him somewhat noble, if bull-headed. But, as Callie tells Mariana when she asks why Callie didn't sell her out to Stef and Lena, no one would believe that Mariana would ever have done such a thing as sell drugs. In essence, these kids' have already had their identities defined, for better or worse. And they're hardly even old enough to drive yet! That's kind of ridiculous, to be pigeonholed as a person at such a young age.
Credit: ABC Family
Of course, once Jesus confesses, Stef and Lena make amends with Callie and resolve to earn her trust. On the whole, things are looking up for Callie, as she grows closer with Brandon. She pours her heart out about her late mother, who taught her how to play the guitar, and the two bond over music, arousing the jealousy of Brandon's girlfriend, Talya. Brandon gifts Callie with the first guitar he bought from saving up his money as a little boy, and teaches her the proper way to play it. Ultimately, he ends up blowing off a planned meeting with Talya in order to have a therapeutic jam session with Callie, much to the consternation of Talya, who is convinced that there's more going on between Brandon and Callie than meets the eye. It's your standard soap opera plot, but that's fine for the early stages here. Mostly, what works about the show is the familial dynamic, which makes the potential romance between Brandon and Callie more complex, though not necessarily creepy or anything. It's simply an interesting new take on the standard Boy Meets Girl formula, and I'll be interested to see how it plays out in the coming weeks, as complications arise from their living together and, ostensibly, sharing parental figures, at the moment.
Credit: ABC Family
"Consequently" is as strong a follow-up to the premiere as I could have hoped for, and it continues to illustrate the promise the series showed in last week's uniformly stellar hour.
