Hard to Take In THE FOSTERS

Article first published as THE FOSTERS Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 81%

ABC Family’s newest foray into hour-long drama is THE FOSTERS, premiering tonight at 9 p.m. ET. It’s about two moms raising a bunch of children, most starting as foster children, in their blended household. In the first episode, “Pilot,” the household is shaken up when a new girl joins the clan.

The network definitely checks all its boxes when casting this series. The homosexual parents at the center are also in an interracial relationship. Besides one biological son, they have taken in a pair of Latino twins. This is a true twenty-first century family, of the type that has not existed historically before this current age.

The positives of a series like this are that it fosters, excuse the pun, acceptance of diversity and teaches the young people that watch it not to judge or hate. This is an admirable concept to push forward, and despite some religious groups’ protestations, this is a good thing that will help make our society more inclusive. Everyone is equal and deserves to be treated the same.

The problem is, THE FOSTERS gets a little preachy in that message. One character even says in the “Pilot” to another that they are not disposable. It’s the right message, but delivered a bit too heavy-handed. Yes, the characters depicted should be held up as role models, but their actions tell the story well enough without beating us over the head with it.

The real issue I have with THE FOSTERS, though, is that lack of chemistry in the cast. Teri Polo (Meet the Parents, The West Wing) plays Stef, a cop who is married to Vice Principal Lena (Sherri Saum, Gossip Girl, In Treatment). There is no love to be felt between the two, especially coming from Polo’s side. As much as I have enjoyed Polo in other programs, I wonder if she can’t play convincing lesbian, or if she is having trouble connecting with the material. Either way, it makes it hard for viewers to get into it, too.

Similarly, the twins that Stef and Lena take in, Jesus (Jake T. Austin, Wizards of Waverly Place) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez, The Secret Life of the American Teenager), don’t even see like friends, let alone brother and sister. And there is no affection present between Stef’s biological son, Brandon (David Lambert, Aaron Stone), and his girlfriend, Talya (Madisen Beaty, Benjamin Button), who is very clearly just a placeholder until Callie (Maia Mitchell, Castaway, Trapped) comes along.

Which brings up another problem with the series: forced drama in unbelievable scenarios. How can Stef and Lena possibly give Callie a home with them if she’s just going to hook up with their son? Not to mention, Stef’s new partner on the force is Brandon’s father, Mike (Danny Nucci, The Boot at the End), who requests to work with her in a really out-of-sync scene, despite the complications this brings to Stef’s marriage. Mariana is secretly selling drugs so she can give her bio-mom money, someone Stef and Lena are happy to help Mariana connect with, but Mariana is going behind their backs to see. And all the teens attend the school Lena works at, a very progressive charter school where teachers are addressed by their first name and the students can go behind the building and surf, since it is built on a beach.

All of this adds up to a big old mess. While I like the idea of THE FOSTERS and some of the cast, especially the adults, nothing really adds up to the sum of its parts. The acting is weak, the dynamics are off, and the setting is far less than realistic. It doesn’t flow right, and I didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters, including Callie, who is sort of the main protagonist, and has a very serious problem that must be addressed in the first hour. If she can’t be sympathetic, no one in this series can.

If ABC Family’s goal is to appeal to the same viewers that eat up their currently popular shows, THE FOSTERS should suffice, as it is on par in terms of quality. But with other cable networks doing projects that are so much better, this one pales in comparison, and will get lost to the discerning viewer.

The advantage ABC Family has is that they have no direct competition to the niche that they serve. If anyone else decides to get into the game, it won’t be too hard to beat THE FOSTERS and their ilk.

It's time to Man Up

     ABC's newest sitcom "Pilot," Man Up, finds three guys wondering what defines masculinity in 2011. Will Keen (Mather Zickel, The Cape, Delocated) searches for a very special 13th birthday gift for his son, Nathan (Jake Johnson, Little Monk). Will's brother-in-law, Kenny Hayden (Dan Fogler, Balls of Fury) still lets his ex-wife, Bridgette (Amanda Detmer, What About Brian, Private Practice), get into his head. Which she loves to do, made easier by the fact that she remains best friends with Will's wife, Theresa (Teri Polo, Meet the Parents, The West Wing), and so is always around. Craig Griffith (series creator Christopher Moynihan, 100 Questions) would really like his ex back, but she's getting married.

     In 2011, many men are no longer defined in the way that their parents and grandparents were. For instance, Will's narration covers how his grandfather and father both fought in wars. Sure, there are still soldiers overseas, but without the draft, and with the implementation of drones, there seems to be less manpower needed. Instead, many men today have embraced more feminine traits, such as keeping good hygiene and pampering oneself from time to time. Even the more widely accepted "man-like" activities, such as playing video games, are tame. Thus, Will, Kenny, and Craig are left wondering how, without uprooting their entire way of life, should they demonstrate that they are men? This message is especially apt for Will, who must provide a standard of man for his son Nathan to look up to.

      Not all men will relate to Man Up, of course, but that applies to any other television series as well. For those of us that do identify with the "weaker" end of the spectrum, though, Man Up tries to show that there are new ways to be a man. In "Pilot," when Craig angers his ex's new guy, and some males arrive at Will's house to seek revenge, the central trio still head out into the yard, thinking that they must engage in violence to be manly. Yet, once Bridgette's date handles the physical end of the altercation, they are only too proud to claim they act in a manly fashion, even without throwing punches. This is a message guys who have no desire to fit into older generations' definitions can get behind.

     Arguably, Will is as manly as he needs to be. He provides for his family, sets a good example for his children, is a loving husband, and a good friend. Where all three men fall short, though, is letting women control them. This is not necessarily a great message, as equality is the more desired option. Will uses an offer of sex to get free time for video games, knowing his wife will turn him down, but compromise. Is this a sign that he is subservient, or merely that he can play the game?

     Kenny and Craig have it worse. Craig can't get over a woman that no longer wants him. Kenny lets Bridgette yank him around, even going and bailing her date out of jail, post-fight. Is Man Up saying that modern men have gone from patriarch to second-in-command of the household or relationship? If so, that's a sad state of affairs. And yet, the way it comes across in the story, these guys don't feel whipped, and are mostly satisfied with their lives.

     Questions of gender roles aside, Man Up proves far funnier than expected. From frequently replacing the f-word with fluffin' (this is network TV, after all), to holding Toby Maguire, of all people, up as the standard men should measure up to, the laughs keep coming. Bridgette is a wonderfully delicious drama queen, and Nathan is so un-manly, he cuts himself as soon as his father gives him a knife. With characters such as these, as well as delightful chemistry between the three main men, Man Up should prove to be a decent addition to the airwaves.

     Watch Man Up Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

    If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!