ABC debuted their new show, Fosters, last night. Stef Foster
and Lena Adams are an interracial, lesbian couple. They are mothers to three
children; Brandon is Stef’s son from a previous marriage. Jesus and Mariana
came into the Foster home eight years ago and were adopted five years ago. Lena and Stef have just taken in placement of
Callie, a teenager who released from Juvenile Hall into their care. All four
children attend the school where Lena is an administrator. Callie and Brandon
were able to rescue Callie’s younger brother, Jude, from an abusive foster
father. As the first episode ends, Stef promises that she will make room in the
home for both Callie and Jude.
There’s quite a lot to like about The Fosters.
1. Stef and Lena are, in many ways, a diverse family – in that,
they mirror many real-world foster families, and hopefully make foster parenting
a more approachable concept for many couples. There’s a great need for more
foster families.
2. Stef and Lena take in Callie – a teenager who was recently
released from Juvenile Hall. Callie’s case worker sort of springs the idea on
Lena, and acknowledges that Lena might go to a group home if Stef and Lena don’t
take placement of her. Lena agrees to take her in, for a few weeks, and Stef
fairly quickly warms to her. Many times, certain elements of a kids’ story make
it more difficult for them to be placed, but they need loving homes, too.
3. Stef and Lena are good at welcoming Callie to their home.
They go over household rules, provide her with a change of clothing, and ask
questions to see her preferences on some aspects of her sleeping arrangement.
4. We are shown the truth behind Callie’s record. Callie has
been accused of destroying property. That shows up on kids’ records often
enough, and it’s usually viewed as pretty concerning. Callie also runs away
from the Fosters’ home. In combination, those two facts might have families
looking to have Callie removed from their home – but Stef and Lena hang around
long enough to learn the truth behind the record, and all of a sudden, Callie’s
behaviors make sense.
5. Stef and Lena have gone out of their way to make it
possible for Jesus and Mariana to have contact with their birthmother. Jesus
and Mariana are bilingual, and Stef demonstrates her bilingual skills as well.
Stef and Lena also consider the possibility that they are putting too much
pressure on Jess and Mariana to meet their birthmother.
6. Brandon quickly takes a protective role towards Callie;
when he discerns that she is running away, Brandon leaves a conversation with
his girlfriend to ensure that Callie is OK.
7. Callie worries that her actions towards saving Jude might
require her to be sent away from the Fosters’ home. Stef affirms her
beautifully, “You’re not disposable. You’re not worthless.”
A couple things were concerning, and it will be interesting
to see how they pan out.
1. Stef’s ex-husband is a police officer who shares a beat
with Stef. He comments that Stef and Lena “take in strays like some damn
homeless shelter.”
2. Mariana does meet Ana,
her birthmother, but the circumstances are very negative. Ana has asked Mariana
to bring her money. Their meeting lasts less than a minute; Ana says Mariana is
pretty, tearfully asks her for money, thanks her twice, and then quickly leaves.
Jesus had previously ripped a picture of Ana, proclaiming that “this woman is
not our mom.” The initial portrayal of
Ana could be developed – like we understood Callie’s story, we might eventually
be able to understand Ana’s. I hope so.
Overall, I enjoyed the show. It touched on so many important
issues (birthparent contact, what to call birthparents, the “reality” of
adopted kids as opposed to biologically-related kids, teenage placements, truth
vs. case records), and generally did so quite well. I’m looking forward to
following The Fosters as they continue to grow.
Did you see the episode? What did you think?
If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s available for viewing until
June 16
here: