TV Review: The Fosters “The Long Haul” & “Diamond in the Rough”

New beginnings seem to be rooting through everyone’s life in this episode of The Fosters. The opportunity to celebrate the wedding of Sharon and Will brings Stef’s mom back to San Diego, the always-funny Annie Potts creating new and refreshing dynamics between the characters. Sharon’s independence and free-spirited mentality has led her to the realization that she doesn’t want to let marriage ruin her relationship with Will. This inevitably leads to Stef and Lena living through the shortest divorce in history; having only finalized their divorce a day prior, the couple take the opportunity to remarry and (in a time when we need it most) show the world that their love is equal but most importantly, unbreakable.

Emma’s abortion storyline continues as we see her navigate the next step in the process. Desperately yearning Jesus’ comfort through all of this, she decides to write him a letter explaining her decision. Jesus, of course, isn’t able to read the letter and so his reaction to the news will be something we can anticipate before the season ends.

Callie’s never-ending string of bad decisions continue as she tries to figure out a way to break Troy Johnson’s alibi. The problem now, is that Callie begins to push AJ to help her. Her complete lack of understanding for AJ makes him call her out on her impulsivity. Callie is blind to the harsh reality AJ faces as a black man with a record. He doesn’t hold her same privileges if he gets into trouble with the law, and I’m glad he pointed that truth out.

A very cool storyline this season has been the LGBT sex education class Jude brought to Lena’s attention. Expecting an empty classroom, Lena shows up to a room full of LGBT kids who fear outing themselves to parents who wouldn’t understand. It’s wonderful to see the realities of these communities represented on the screen. Here’s to hoping they hear the message sent their way, “How can I turn them away? Kids who can’t come out to their parents, they need this more than anybody.”

“Diamond in the Rough” explored more of the heartbreaking story-lines The Fosters got its name for. Stef’s new detective position places her on a human trafficking case. A young girl named Diamond, in a broken foster care system, has taken to the streets in search of the happiness she was never allowed to have. The fact that Diamond feels safer on the streets than in juvie leads Stef to take her to Girls United. The emotional abuse is jarring as we see her try to get her pimp to take her back, I do hope we get to see her happy ending.

Jesus’ enduring struggle with his brain injury gives Mariana the idea of a project that will help her brother hope for the future once more. A tree house project that both looks back on a less complicated past and forward to a healing future brings the twins together, it’s always beautiful to see the bond they have get more time on-screen.

And then there was the disappointing end (or what seems to be the end) of Callie and AJ’s relationship. What has been rocky for some time seemed to be getting better as Callie came through with her promise to listen to AJ more than she has been. Despite seeing the kiss between AJ and another girl, they seem to move past their problems. AJ’s confession that the kiss meant something to him, ends with a complaint that being with Callie is too hard for him. I get that Callie is complicated, but this relationship has so much more to explore, in my opinion. It doesn’t seem that AJ is going anywhere, as he’ll be living with his brother only an apartment away from Mike; one big, happy family. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

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