The Fosters Review: Safe (Season 4 Episode 2)
This week’s episode of The Fosters is so uneven and haphazard, it’s as though the show isn’t even confident in its storytelling.
The first half of “Safe” navigates through elements of horror tropes – characters sneak up on each other, the ominous gusting wind provides an eerie atmosphere, suspense builds around Mariana as she’s in the shower, Jude thinks he’s seeing a ghost, etcetera, and etcetera.
For a second I forget what show I’m watching because stylistically, this episode feels off.
It’s divorced from what we have come to know as The Fosters, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s the way they choose to execute it that makes it hilarious and absurd.
Look, I don’t want to knock on this show. I love this show, and I want to continue loving it. But, as discussed in last week’s review, Nick’s deteriorating mental state could have been interesting to watch had we known and cared about Nick more. And because Nick’s story pours into this week in an overtly horror enthused way, the impact of last week’s school shooting is eroded.
And yes, there is an emotional punch in the episode’s conclusion, but it would have been more effective to have Mariana cradling a wrecked, weeping Nick at the end last week instead of engineering another episode or Lurking Nick for chills and thrills.
The only thing that can save or even remotely justify this story-line is if it changes the core of who Mariana is. If there are long-lasting effects character-wise, and if Nick’s actions drive larger discussions on mental illness, child abuse, and gun control, then I can get behind it.
Knowing this show and how it tackles important and difficult subject matters, it wouldn’t be a stretch for this random and shock-inducing horror fest to evolve into something deeper and more consequential, but time will tell.
Let’s move on.
As per usual, the standout moments are the ones rooted in family complication. The whole conflict revolving around Brandon and Callie has been fascinating to watch, especially because of the uneasiness it causes in the house.
Admittedly, I’m not much of a shipper, and I’m not all that invested in Brandon and Callie as a couple, but my sympathies have always lied with them and their burgeoning love affair because nobody has ever been on their side.
It is hard enough living with someone you are drawn to when you are forbidden from acting on your emotions. But, when your parents are largely unsympathetic about your struggles, it’s even harder. Add teenage angst and hormones to the mix, and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Stef and Lena’s main shortcoming in this situation is that they buried their heads in the sand. They tried to sweep everything under the rug and pretty much demanded that Callie and Brandon get over their feelings for each other. Not surprisingly, it didn’t work, and now it has resurfaced as an even bigger problem with Callie being officially adopted.
Stef and Brandon’s stifling argument is yet another example of the fundamental difference between parent and child. Stef feels betrayed and disobeyed by Brandon and Callie’s transgressions, and Brandon feels like his moms weren’t more understanding of his feelings.
The idea of disconnectedness between parents and their children isn’t a novel one, but The Fosters have repeatedly shown that they excel in demonstrating these clashes in a way that feels authentic, making us see the issue from both sides.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this will change the family dynamics, and how this can either destroy the family, or force them to compromise.
Given that Brandon, in an impulsive huff, decides to move out of the house and live with Courtney, the situation will probably get a little bit worse before it starts to get better.
What did you think of this episode of The Fosters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:
The Fosters airs Mondays at 8/7c on Freeform.
Shabnaj Chowdhury
Shabnaj is a pop-culture enthusiast who spends much of her time enabling her coffee addiction and thinking about Jon Snow's hair. Some of her favorite shows include Friday Night Lights, The Leftovers, and Game of Thrones. Shabnaj also loves to write creative non-fiction.