This show has vastly improved from the dreary season opener just nine weeks ago.
Callie (Maia Mitchell) is no longer the sullen, angry at the world teen. She is nice and helpful. It probably helps that her deep, dark secret was revealed. I suspected it some time before she finally revealed it. Her former foster brother, Liam (the nasty Brandon W. Jones) was super nice and sweet to her, sneaking candy bars into her lunch, but then, despite Callie being only fourteen at the time, he raped her. She can't even really do anything legal about it because it is illegal to have a relationship with a foster sibling (who knew?). Fortunately, Brandon (David Lambert) urges her to tell their moms (the great Teri Polo and Sherri Saum) who don't judge her for it. Also, Callie began seeing this pretty nice guy named Wyatt (Alex Saxon) who is now moving somewhere else. However, he does give her his blessing to go after Brandon, but Brandon is back with his ex, Tayla (Madisen Beaty), who is also nicer now than in the beginning of the season.
Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) still hasn't been caught for stealing her brother's drugs. But meeting with her mother severely backfired. Ana (Alexandra Barreto) is seeing a man who treats her horribly. Jesus (Jake T. Austen) wants to get her away from that situation. Instead, Stef and her alcoholic ex-husband, Mike (Danny Nucci), both policepeople, show up and the situation ends tragically with the nasty guy shooting Stef (not fatally) but then Mike comes in and shots the nasty guy after the bad guy drops his gun. The alcohol is certainly affecting him in many ways.
As for Jesus, he had unprotected sex with his girlfriend, Lexi (Bianca A. Santos) and had to give the morning after pill which angered her deeply religious parents. In the process, Lexi finds out that she and her parents are undocumented.
Now, Stef is recovering from her injuries and finally, she and Lena are getting married. Callie must deal with the pre-trial, but it is her word against his and things like that normally don't go her way. But at least they got his current foster sister out of that situation. That is one win, at least. Now, the lawyer firmly believes that the case will get thrown out, but if she admits that she wanted it, then it is statutory rape and he could surely get one year in prison.
Meanwhile, wedding planning is difficult with the parents having different opinions of which flowers should be had, etc, but fortunately, the wedding will go on. Before this, they deliver a bombshell to both Callie and Jude (Hayden Byerly) and the audience. They plan on adopting Callie and Jude, who is for the record, her younger brother.
Now, things are crazier as Callie, realizing that she deserves to be happy, makes out with Brandon, but Jude oversees and is furious because she not only ruins things for herself but also himself. He brushes off her apology. Also, some more interesting information, adopted siblings are not allowed to get married. I find this particularly interesting.
The wedding does happen and Lena's parents (who are Stephen Collins and Lorraine Toussaint) and Stef's mom (Annie Potts) have some super kind things to say to them. They are very much in love with each other. They are soul mates.
Callie also admits to Jude that she's been selfish. Mariana also dedicates a song to her beloved moms. Everyone dances at the end, but the ending can't be perfect. Callie runs away, which I totally called, and after some reservations, Wyatt takes her with him to Indiana, leaving the Foster-Adams family to wonder where she went.
The acting is not consistent. Some are very good, such as Jude, Jesus and the moms while Callie and Mariana are much more inconsistent, with wooden or odd facial expressions at times. I still don't like the character of Mike, but I suppose he is needed from time to time. The show piles a lot on and some plot twists, including the one where Lexi's parents hiss that they won't be returning from Honduras (where their family is from) but it deals with some difficult issues and for the most part, does it well with some great lines tucked in between loads of soapy suds. Grade: B (finale), B (season)
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