Spinoff ‘Good Trouble’ embodies best parts of ‘The Fosters’

After the abrupt discontinuation of their TV show “The Fosters,” television channel Freeform kept their angry and discontent audience’s attachment to the Adams-Foster family alive with the the spinoff "Good Trouble."

“The Fosters” is a five season long television series following the Adams-Fosters family. This unconventional family consists of  mothers Stef and Lena, Brandon — who is Stef’s biological son from her previous marriage and adopted twins Mariana and Jesus.

The show begins when 16-year-old Callie Jacobs, just released from juvenile detention, is set up to be fostered by the Adams-Fosters. Shortly after, we discover that Callie was sent to jail as a result of smashing her previous foster parent’s car to distract him from abusing her gay younger brother Jude. Eventually, both Jude and Callie are adopted by the Adams-Fosters.

Throughout the seasons, Freeform captivates fans by focusing on the complexities of a “non-traditional” family as well as current events, differing opinions about gay marriage, relationships between adopted children and their biological parents and reform of foster care. These social issues give the show a diverse and relevant premise, making it loved by many.

After “The Fosters” season finale show, with all of the kids graduating and hastily maturing into adults, "Good Trouble"  picks up with sisters Callie and Mariana moving to Los Angeles together.

Even though "Good Trouble"  is a spinoff, in its first few episodes the show gives enough background information on the characters to be able to watch it without having to binge 104 episodes of “The Fosters.” Additionally, for the fans watching the series because of their love of the Adams-Fosters, there are occasional cameos from former characters.

Throughout the first season, the show follows Callie and Mariana through their journey of learning to become adults,  when they move out of their family’s plush, familiar home in San Diego to a communal living facility where they meet important side characters.

Callie, fresh out of law school, scores a clerkship with an extremely right-wing judge who she hopes to sway. Mariana learns how it feels to be a little fish again after going from the valedictorian of her class at MIT to the very bottom at a virtually all-male tech startup.

Similar to “The Fosters,”  "Good Trouble" addresses important topics in the media such as lack of women in STEM jobs through Mariana’s experiences and the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality through cases Callie clerks for.

"Good Trouble" keeps some of the same lovable characters from “The Fosters” with a tendency to cover current, controversial issues plus a handful of new, interesting side stories. Paired with lighthearted boy drama and the struggles of being a broke adult, "Good Trouble"  makes for an intriguing watch whether you have watched “The Fosters” or not.