User Reviews

What an excellent start, i was gripped within the first 2 minutes of watching the excellently paced 1st episode. This show wants you interested right from the start but there's no tricks or flashy style, just good solid drama. The acting is superb, especially from the 2 moms, it was nearly like watching a documentary of a family in action. I also remember thinking the music the show used was particularly appropriate and very complimentary to the visuals.

As the title implies, The Fosters is a show about a foster family but with a nice modern day twist - there are two moms instead of a mom and dad, the eldest son is the biological son of one of the moms from a previous marriage, and then there are the twins, a boy & girl, recently adopted by the family. This is a show concerned about all the people who fall outside of the traditional family existence, about the children who need another family to take them in. And they make it interesting! Really can't emphasize this enough, there was obviously a great effort employed to combine the serious and complex issues with the need to entertain to tell the story, and they did brilliantly, i wasn't bored for a second.

I have to thank the reviewer who summarized The Fosters as "filth", i may not have ever watched it but after reading his/her review i felt it my public duty to actively counteract this act of douchebaggery by watching the show and then actually saying something objective somewhere in my review. I was so glad to see that 0 out of 12 people found his review useful (lol) but because this poorly-disguised rant against homosexuality was the featured user review, and also because there were only 2 reviews at time of writing, i felt it would be useful to be number 3 to let you guys know you won't be wasting your time with this one :)

I really can't think where they fell down, apart from a small complaint that 'who was who' was a little hard to follow at times, even though that by the end you know who is who. I'm taking a hard stance on this point and deducting one from the score.

9/10.

Season One: 8.5/10

Themes: Drama, Foster System, Family, Relationships, High School, Lgbtq+, Forbidden Romance, Lesbian Couple & Adoption.

Top three characters: 1) Stef Adams Foster, 2) Callie Jacob and 3) Wyatt Casey.

I live in a small city in Wisconsin where being gay is rarely spoken about. I am a high school English teacher at a local high school and the adviser for the Gay Straight Alliance. "The Fosters" gives me hope and I believe it also gives my students hope. I love the way it normalizes a marriage between two women as I hope to be married someday to a woman as well. This show is tastefully written and beautifully acted. The relationship between Teri Polo and Sherri Saum's characters feels authentic and is well represented. I am appalled by the reviews of others on the IMDb site who feel that The Fosters is ''trashy" or "disgusting" or should not be classified as a "family show." This is the truest family show I have ever seen because it speaks to who I am. Shame on those who cannot see past their own biases concerning what it means to be a family. Congratulations to everyone involved in the production of this show. You should be proud of yourselves.

I love the idea of this show and my four adopted kids are watching it carefully. We are a mixed family both in race, gender, and biological children. Our kids are teens and preteens now and came to us in similar fashion as the show. Please do your research to keep the show real. The show is touching quickly on hot topics and should explore both the good and bad of blending a family. My kids are blocking out the time slot for this show and we are watching as a family so that we can talk about important issues that the show brings to the forefront. My girls are huge fans of Jenifer Lopez and three of my six children are Hispanic. If the show is done correctly, than they can see where their past experiences link to the show and how choices the characters make may come up in their futures. Best of Luck with the show.

I´m watching on netflix, so I haven´t watched the whole series. What I can say so far (after 4 seasons): it is like a soap opera, in which you get attached to the characters and want to see what happens to them, you will root for some couples, be annoyed with others, and get mad with some of them. In the beggining, it is very interesting, mostly because of the topic about the foster system and the family formation. I just think that they exagerated a bit with the "important issues" and the story gets a little artificial. I understand that it is important to talk about some matters, and the show does it in a really gentle and sensitive way, but sometimes it just seems like too much; it becomes hard to believe that EVERY TIME something really problematic is happening with a group of teenagers. But anyway, it is a sweet show that got my attention and I think it can bring important information as well.

I am one to be very cautious when watching a teen-drama on ABC Family. After all "Pretty Little Liars" isn't the most enthralling teen murder-mystery show and "Secret Life" just wasn't sophisticated enough to be smart TV fare. However, ABC Family has blown me away with it's brand-new television series "The Fosters." The show starts off telling the story of Callie, a girl in foster care, she's just getting out of juvie and is now sent (her younger brother Jude will join her) to live with another foster family but this one is a little bit different from her other homes. The house is made-up of three other teenagers: Brandon, the biological son of his mom from a previous marriage; Mariana and her brother Jesus, twin Latino teenagers who were adopted when they were children; and we round it up with Lena and Stef, a bi-racial lesbian couple raising the children together. Stef is Brandon's biological mother but that doesn't stop him from referring to Lena as mom too. So now Callie is in this whole new situation that is something she never even considered possible until now. Now the insane weekday mornings getting ready for school and work can begin.

In the very first episode it is as plain as day that this family isn't the definition of what is considered a "traditional family" but that doesn't matter, people are too busy getting breakfast ready and skateboards out of the kitchen to really care. The show has done an immensely wonderful job at describing how much the definition of family has changed throughout the years. When you think of the perfect family you think of "The Brady Bunch" but as Stef elegantly put it during a conversation with Lena "We're not the Brady Bunch." Instead of being "perfect" they're real which is very refreshing for family drama.

The maturity in this show is also very surprising considering it is a teen drama from ABC Family, which (except in the case of Switched at Birth) usually always ends up being a soap-opera. The writers obviously take their time in crafting convincing characters that we will love and absolutely relate to. But this would definitely end up being a stereotypical, cheesy show if it wasn't for the amazing cast assembled on the screen. Even in it's most melodramatic moments the cast finds a way to keep it one of the most grounded shows on television.

But probably the main reasons to keep watching are because of three women: Maia Mitchell (Callie), Sherri Saum (Lena), and Teri Polo (Stef). Teri Polo and Sherri Saum have natural chemistry that easily transitions on screen with their performances. Both women are equally convincing in their roles as caring mothers raising the five teenagers under one roof and as a loving, married couple who would do anything for each other. To see that kind of affection is inspiring. However, it is Maia Mitchell who steals the show as the reserved and tough Callie. Maia Mitchell brings a subtlety to the role that makes her performance all the more powerful. Maia breaks the stereotype that all foster children are delinquents bent on destroying everything in their path and showing that not all foster kids are like that. She shows that Callie has a wisdom beyond her years because of her experiences in foster care and that she is a capable young woman with true issues from her past. Such honesty is something rarely seen in any young performer these days and to find it in an hour show every week is a dream come true. She definitely has a bright future ahead of her.

In the end, "The Fosters" proves to be a wonderful family-drama about love, trust, and just living life. There was much potential for this to go wrong but also just as much potential for this to go right. And I am pleased to announce that this has gone right indeed. With wonderful performances, smartly written script, and sensitive direction "The Fosters" sores beyond the usual expectations of family-dramas. And yes, Stef was right when she said "We're definitely not the Brady Bunch" and thank God for that.

I am so happy that this show exists. It does a great job at bringing foster life to light. There are some fantastic foster families out there, but there are also lots of abuses. This show gives an example of both in a very accurate way. Bravo to the fosters for taking that leap. And bravo to the actors for doing such a fantastic job at playing such emotionally charged roles and doing it so flawlessly. I can't wait to keep viewing and see how their stories unfold. There is so much pain in the world, but the Fosters' house seems to be the cure and can be a model for all families to go by. Regardless of where you come from, you are worth love and the sense of belonging.

This show is amazing not because of its progressive stance (a multi-racial family that includes same-sex parents), but its ability to avoid stereotyping. We could've had a show that took a political standpoint for or against gay marriage, but instead we get a series that paints a loving family going through the trials that all families have to go through. Everyone's different background (the Latino twins, the delinquent foster child, the son from one of the partner's previous marriage) could've been used to create one dimensional characters whose behavior was predicted based on label. However, this show doesn't resort to that. It has a well- rounded cast in terms of acting and has you empathize with every P.O.V. :] Thank you ABC Family for giving us this rare gem. Sad we had to wait till now to get something like this on television.

I first heard about this show at episode 3. I wasn't that impressed with the one episode but thought this is a show I'd like to know more about, so circled back to the pilot and ep. 2. I must say, not only did I change my mind but I want to thank ABC Family for putting this show on the air. It's unique, delightful, real, impressive in all it's warts of family life and a wonder to see unfold.

It is rare, indeed, to see lesbians on screen in any capacity. To see a series devoted to moms and their family is noteworthy. To see a real life depiction of a foster situation, and all the inevitable anger and acting out against the "good guys" (in this case, the good moms) is even more rare and wonderful. I have no issues with the acting, only with the preposterous scenario of setting up ex-spouses as police patrol partners. Never gonna happen. For good reason.

To be a foster parent means, by definition, to show great patience and love with children who need it more than you can imagine. I think this is exactly what you see on screen. And ultimately, what you see is children who appreciate that, and show it in ways large and small. As much as they can muster on any given day.

Well done ABC Family.

Update: The first half of season 1 was pretty great. And then they took a six month break and came back with a second half of the season that appears to have been written with focus group feedback and/or merchandising potential in mind. Not much of it was believable except that emotions run high amongst teenagers. It was a big disappointment. I'm hoping for a return to better writing with the new season.

2nd update: 2015 - Quickest demise of a noteworthy series on my watch. Bad writing has ended my season pass. What first brought praise now brings scorn for shoddy workmanship. Come on, Hollywood. You know you can do better.

The first few seasons were pretty good, but after that it just got repetitive and annoying to the point that it was unbearable to watch.

These are one of the most relatable shows I've ever seen, since every characters have a story to tell, not neccessarily a good one. This family is about encoutering problems and fixing them as a team, a family. One of the characters, Callie Jacobs was a foster, and her personality is that she won't accept the fact people live a hard life, that's why she always puts herself first, so she ends up in trouble pretty often. That is one of the characters who's had a pretty hard life but a good one. The Fosters also have a spin-off, good trouble

the only trouble about this show is sometimes I start to get bored in some episodes (since I usually bingewatch stuff) but at last this is a story of a family, who similar stories like this could exist in real life. It sucks that people can be homophobic, and this show is all about acceptance, and problems in the world that should be fixed.

This show was really good. Though I will say when Noah Centineo replaced Jake T Austin, I was a little baffled but I think it ended up working. This handled some really important topics and I think they portrayed the difficulty of foster care really well. On a side note, the best episode by far is the R and J one. I did not expect to still be listening to those songs now. They are so good.

The Fosters is a great show. The idea behind the show is well executed and feels very modern and believable. As the world becomes more tolerant and accepting, the definition of "family" has changed substantially. It's nice to see a diverse cast of characters that blend in nicely together.

Although I do really enjoy watching this show, I question how many seasons it can run for. There has been so much drama in the first season that it could turn completely unbelievable if they try to maintain that level. Luckily that hasn't happened yet.

If your looking for a family drama that will keep you coming back for more and also invest in the characters then this is perfect for you. Their lives are super crazy and filled with lots of baggage. A perfect escape from reality.

I was a foster child growing up even though my great uncle raised me from the time I was born until I was eleven when he died unfortunately & then my first cousin & his wife took care of me for one year & then they dumped me into the foster care system & in my opinion the foster care system overall is really horrible & a bad thing so it is extremely rare to find people who make good foster parents. I love this show & how it focuses on every angle of life & not only being foster parents & foster children & or adoptive parents & adopted children & everything else our current president hates & spreads so much hate about like the LGBTQ community, religion, race/ethnicity, etc. I like how in season five in this series they are standing up standing out against the president the chump trump & his hate for all these different human beings. This show shows how all humans can live & work together & the show has great diversity.

This show is about two lesbians, one a police officer with a teen son from a previous marriage, one a vice principal. To get a sense of things upfront, note that one is white, the other black. This show is full of that sort of thing -- it covers a lot of ground, has a lot of subplots and issues to cover. Each episode is likely to have multiple subplots.

Anyway, the couple (in the first season, we learn how they met & so forth) eventually adopted a pair of twins (Hispanic) whose mother is a drug addict (the father is missing - at least for now!). The show starts with Steph and Lena taking in -- for just a little while surely! -- a troubled teen as a foster child. BTW, the name of one of the women is Stephanie Foster. So, foster parents/Foster -- thus the title. Well, Callie sticks around & turns out she has a brother, each with issues.

A lot of issues on this show, and up to a point, it was fun as well as dramatically enjoyable. I think it fell off for whatever reason after the first set of ten episodes. The show's original plots started to get tiresome and the new ones not as interesting. And, by the third set of episodes, it got too repetitive, melodramatic and tiresome. I still liked the characters in various ways. They weren't use correctly.

The first ten episodes were at times "10" worthy & overall deserve a high rating. The show dropped off and the average rating would be much lower. The show got to be too much & I stopped watching it regularly. Sad.

I'd really enjoyed this show!!! Absolutely great scripts. Glad now there's a show called Good Trouble with same characters. Disappointed that The Fosters ended wish could've made even more & more & more seasons...

I'll keep it short :

The Fosters push boundaries in terms of acceptance, of learning about the US foster system & has overall good actors - you get attached too all this if it is your style. The subject discussed during the serie are so important especially for teenagers.

But it is poorly directed, over-uses cliché and drama for it to feel fully realistic. Sometimes you can look past that to follow some of the storytelling to see how this family grow up & learn from mistakes/life.

Amazing representations of the foster care system and LGBTQ+ characters.