The Fosters – Giving Up the Ghost

By starrymag | March 6, 2018

By: Taylor Gates

 

Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) meets with her guidance counselor to discuss college options. Her counselor notices all the colleges on her list are extremely competitive and suggests she apply to some backup schools as well. Mariana thinks that the roller derby team will set her apart, but her counselor tells her that colleges want to see perspective students immerse themselves and stick with one activity. She recommends getting back into STEAM club.

 

That afternoon, Mariana, Poppy (Nandy Martin), and Emma (Amanda Leighton) all make the roller derby team. Someone recommends that Emma try out for jammer during position tryouts, but Mariana tells her that she and Poppy have been working super hard for the two spots. Emma agrees to go for blocker instead. Emma has to run off after practice to work on her robot, as she’s attempting to get a competitive internship in LA the next summer that would basically guarantee entrance into the college of her choice. Jesus (Noah Centineo) promises to work with Poppy to train for the jammer position.

 

That night, Mariana researches the internship she overheard Emma talking about. Stef (Teri Polo) gives her permission to go if she’s accepted since all expenses would be paid. Emma drops by looking for Jesus and sees the internship application open on Mariana’s computer. She tells her she can’t apply—there’s no way the program will accept two students from the same city let alone the same high school. Mariana reminds Emma that she competed against her for the derby team, but Emma says this is different. Jesus comes in, and Emma yells at him for abandoning her for Poppy yet again that afternoon.

 

During position tryouts, Emma goes out for jammer at the last minute. Despite Mariana trying to go easy on Poppy and hard on Emma, Mariana and Emma get the two available jammer spots. Jesus gives Emma the cold shoulder, telling her she screwed over Poppy just to get back at Mariana. Feeling bad, Emma tells Ximena (Lisseth Chavez) she doesn’t want the position, but Ximena tells her Poppy won’t want something she didn’t earn. On this team, they compete against themselves—not each other. Emma apologizes to Poppy, and Poppy sadly but earnestly tells her it’s okay. Emma tearfully tells Mariana to apply for the internship.

 

Brandon (David Lambert) and Grace (Meg DeLacy) have booked a gig opening for Someone’s Little Sister and are planning to spend the weekend together rehearsing. When Brandon gets to Grace’s house, she tells him that her ghost is back. Brandon is confused, and Grace explains that he’s a presence who’s been with her off-and-on since she was a kid.

 

Their rehearsal goes poorly, as Grace is doubting her songwriting abilities and wants to redo their whole set. Brandon tries to kiss her and stop her from stressing out, but she gets the feeling the ghost is watching and stops him. At this point, Brandon is frustrated, and Grace admits that she only feels the ghost when she’s sick, which makes her scared. He’s never followed her home from the hospital before, though. Brandon tries to rationalize that the ghost only followed her home because he knows she’s never going back to the hospital.

 

Brandon researches how to get rid of a ghost, telling Grace to talk to it as if it were a child or misbehaving pet. She and Brandon tell the ghost they no longer need him and do a ceremony with some sage. They put some salt by the door and have sex just to be safe. The next morning, Grace thinks both the ritual and her t-cell treatment are working.

 

Callie asks Jude (Hayden Byerly) if he minds going to dinner at Donald (Jamie McShane) and Natalie’s (Cara Pifko) house alone. Jude thinks it will be too awkward and begs Callie to accompany him. She reluctantly agrees and drives them both there.

 

When they arrive, they meet Natalie’s soon Caleb (Cullen McCarthy). They start talking about Jude’s gaming job and Caleb’s interest in sports. When asked about college, Callie says she was accepted to Portland State but doesn’t tell them about her rejection from UCSD. Natalie continuously mentions how great of a dad figure Donald is for Caleb, and Jude boldly asks Caleb where his father is. Natalie says they divorced when he was little and hasn’t been a very involved father. Jude throws shade at Donald, saying it sucks when that happens.

 

Jude and Caleb hang out while Donald and Callie talk on the porch. She admits to Donald that she didn’t get into art school. She’s a little disappointed but tries not to want anything too much. Portland doesn’t have an art program like UCSD, but she’s not worried about going out of state. Donald pushes her to open up more about art school, and she admits maybe she didn’t care enough about getting in and the college sensed that. Donald tells her she doesn’t want her missing out on life because she’s playing it safe. Callie suggests that maybe Donald is playing it safe by not moving in with Natalie. She tells him he deserves to be happy, too, and shouldn’t have to pay for what happened forever. Natalie comes out and informs them that Jude is gone.

 

Callie spies Jude walking home alone, berating him for rudely leaving without saying goodbye. Jude says that he thought Donald didn’t reach out because he was too depressed. However, he now realizes it was because he was too busy with his new family. Callie says they learned a long time ago that they can’t count on Donald, but she assures him he can always count on her. Jude brings up the conversation he overheard about her going to Portland and continues walking home by himself.

 

When Jude gets home, he and Callie sit on the porch and talk. Jude tells Callie that she’s a great artist and UCSD is dumb not to accept her. He admits he always thought she would go to college close by and live at home. Callie says that the fact they now have a loving family is why she feels comfortable going away. She promises she’ll always come back home.

 

Jude visits Donald the next day and apologizes for walking out. He also gives Donald permission to act like a father to Caleb, telling him he would feel worse if Donald held back from being involved with Caleb’s life for his sake.

 

Callie heads to UCSD to talk to Helen (Emily Kosloski). She wants to appeal the decision, realizing that she held back in her application and portfolio. Helen kindly but frankly tells her that it’s not talent or desire she’s lacking: it’s passion. She already clearly has it for helping people like Ximena, but it’s not quite there with her art. Maybe art, Helen suggests, isn’t her true calling.

 

Stef is reading the news before bed. Lena (Sherri Saum) starts kissing her, wanting to distract her, but Stef says she’s not in the mood. Lena asks her if she’s given any more thought to the couples retreat Sharon (Annie Potts) gifted them, clearly wanting to give it a shot and get some time away. Unfortunately, Stef doesn’t take the hint and says she’ll tell Sharon to see if she can get a refund.

 

Mariana tells Stef that Logan (Christopher Meyer) is coming over later to study. She promises she didn’t say anything about Tess (Kristen Ariza), especially afar what Tess said to her on the porch. When Stef hears about Tess’ actions, her first instinct is to go next door and yell at her. Lena tells her she needs to calm down and stay out of the Bayfield’s personal business. Lena asks Stef why it bothers her so much that Tess might be a lesbian. Logan overhears this conversation and scurries home.

 

Tess knocks on the Adams Foster’s door, demanding to see Stef. Lena tells her she’s not talking to Stef or Mariana, warning her to keep her drama on her side of the fence from now on. Their family has enough of their own problems to deal with. Stef overhears this and admits to Lena that she’s not happy with herself. She wants to go on the couple’s retreat Sharon gave them and try to heal their relationship.