The Fosters Roundtable: The Honeymoon (Episode 11)

impassibly Spoiler alert-o-rama!  These weekly Roundtables are your place for queer family banter about the new ABC Family show The Fosters, and they’re chock-a-block with SPOILERY content.  You’ve been warned!

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I missed this show when it was on hiatus!  There was a lot going on in this episode – if this was the first episode I was seeing I’d be thoroughly confused.  I like that the show has so many story-lines unfolding simultaneously, but it is a lot to keep track of, especially after a five month break.  Still, I think I managed to keep up.

It’s the day after the big wedding – as is clear from the opening scene in which Stef and Lena lovingly greet each other as Mrs. and Mrs. The episode focused mainly on Callie’s life on the lamb and how her running away is affecting everyone back home.  There are a few scenes about Lexi going to Honduras – including Lexi, Jesus and Mariana finding out that it’s a permanent move – but they are largely anti-climactic.

Here’s what I loved about this episode… and what drove me batty.

Love:

• How Stef’s mom is infuriating, awesome, supportive, overbearing and hilarious in her brief scenes.  She nails the role of visiting mother.
• Stef (Teri Polo) nearly crying, but not really – perfect tough woman – when she’s (rhetorically) asking why Callie would run away.
• Lena’s message on Wyatt’s voicemail.  She’s concerned, but reasonably calm – she even calls herself out on waiting for a voicemail to respond to her question.
• Mike holding down the home front.  He hasn’t always been my favorite character, but it really warmed my heart to see him trying to manage the chaos at the house so that Stef and Lena could search for Callie.
• The scene with Stef’s mom and Jude on the bed.  It was nice to see them connect and really refreshing to see Jude just being a kid and joking around.

Blah:

• The whole Lexi-Jesus-Mariana storyline.  I know, that’s harsh – but I really feel like the revelation that Lexi is moving fell flat.  I think in part I don’t love these scenes because the acting isn’t as strong and in part because I relate more to the parent equation of the show than the teens.  Still, I’m glad for this trio because they get a whole demographic to tune in that might not otherwise watch a show about lesbian moms.  So go ahead, Jesus, profess your undying teenage love for your girlfriend that’s moving to another country.
• The last scene.  I just can’t make sense of what Callie is thinking.  She’s getting herself arrested…why?  So she has a safe place to sleep?  So she can go back home?  To be like her dad?  So she drives already bad situation to the point of no return?  I don’t get it.  Her character is smart.  That move didn’t seem to fit.

So what do we have to look forward to?  Well, I’m intrigued by Callie trying to reach out to her dad.  I imagine there will be many many tears and feels when we officially say goodbye to Lexi – and I hope they take advantage of the opportunity to really highlight the heartbreak of undocumented immigrants.  At some point Stef is going to have to see her dad and the wedding – and his absence – will inevitably come up.   Plus, I doubt we’ve seen the end of the fallout from the shooting and Mike’s drinking.  Looking forward to the rest of the season.