It’s remarkable to think that a decade-long franchise will be coming to an end.
When Good Trouble hangs the key on the hook at the Coterie, it will mark the end of The Fosters franchise and its enduring legacy.
It’s hard to even put into words what it will mean to close the chapter on such a monumental and influential franchise that has spanned two series and to say goodbye to the Adams-Fosters specifically.
We had the opportunity to follow Callie and Mariana Adams Foster from their adolescence into adulthood.
The closing of this saga also harkens to the void in primetime television as family dramas continue to sign off with nothing left in their wake.
My colleague, Jack Ori, has previously lamented the loss of family dramas, which I heartily agree with. From the end of Blue Bloods to This is Us and A Million Things, we’re missing out on a central aspect of primetime television that endears people and brings them together.
Family dramas are such an art form; some are difficult to execute but appeal to the masses.
It’s why we were so delighted to learn that The Fosters coming to an end didn’t mean it was gone for good when Good Trouble premiered shortly after, capturing a lovely mix of adulthood, identity, and the art of the found family.
With Good Trouble, the series had such heart and spoke to Millennials and Gen Z as they either come into adulthood or find their place within, navigating life, careers, relationships, family, friendships, and so much more.
Good Trouble was able to expound and expand on The Fosters‘ ability to tackle controversial issues, social movements, and more with a diverse group of characters with whom we fell in love.
As bittersweet as it is, with the fear of whether or not the series can successfully wrap up the final season to the satisfaction of the viewers who tuned in over the years, the timing feels right.
Related: Good Trouble Cancelation Signals the End is Near for Freeform Original Content
We have some remarkable arcs that need to be wrapped up as the season and series come to a close, and we have compiled a list of things we hope and need to see in the series’ final episodes.
The Silas and Cult Plot Needs an Immediate Resolution
The content has definitely been bleak this season, and while some interesting components have derived from this convoluted cult plot, and it’s granted Cierra Ramirez the opportunity to show off her incredible range, I don’t know how much more viewers can take.
With us now knowing that Good Trouble isn’t long for the world, and we only have a few episodes remaining of the series, it would be ideal if we could skate past all this drama quickly and in a hurry.
The cult plot has grown legs and become such a time suck and has long since stopped passing the vibe check.
It’s doubtful fans would put up too much of a stink if they managed to resolve most of the murder investigations cult situations and stopped Silas offscreen or simply wrapped it all up within an episode so we could focus on other things, including the aftermath.
Malika Needs a Suitable Purpose and a Healthy Love Life
Of all the characters in Good Trouble, Malika Williams has had one of the most scattered plot points that bounce from one thing to the next.
In the remainder of the final season, Malika deserves to find her purpose within her career and have a happy work, life, and love balance.
Politics wasn’t for Malika, and it was a relief when she finally walked away from her job after things fell through with the women’s shelter.
She has the best, pure intentions when it comes to making a real difference and helping people, and there has to be a way for her to either combine that passion for activism with an actual career or figure out a way to do things on her own.
It may be time for Malika to take things into her own hands rather than having to pursue her passion under someone else’s thumb.
It would also be nice to have Malika brought into the fold at the Coterie more, as she finds more time for her found and biological family outside of work and maybe even love.
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With Isaac’s return and the two cohabiting, we have the perfect setup for these two characters to reunite romantically after they’ve spent time growing and working on themselves.
They wouldn’t be reentering a relationship in the same place as where they started, which is what may build a stronger and lasting bond for the pair.
Alice Makes Her Biggest Break Yet
We’ve spent five seasons watching Alice Kwan struggle to make it big and make a name for herself as a comedienne.
While there’s nothing wrong with the ferret adventures and her intergenerational friendship with the Mortys, it would be even cooler if Alice’s career trajectory mirrors her portrayer a bit more.
It’s well past time for Alice Kwan to be the star that she is rather than watching her grind to get somewhere. We’ve also witnessed her growth in confidence — she’s become a woman who knows and has become confident within herself.
The final episodes should focus on Alice’s talent being recognized and her getting her biggest break yet. It would be such a triumphant high note for the character, especially as she has her personal life outside of that pretty sorted out.
Alice deserves the Sherry Cola Renaissance.
Gael Needs His Art Career to Literally Pay Off and His Love Life, Too!
Like Alice, we’ve spent the better part of five seasons witnessing Gael’s attempt to break into the art industry and get side-tracked.
It’s been a breath of fresh air to see his passion for art start anew as he’s gotten to express himself and his own messages through street art.
It’s the most fun he’s had in some time, and he’s due for his art to pay off and pay him, too. Street art isn’t the most lucrative avenue for this single father, but he’s making a name for himself.
Now is the time for Gael Martinez to make his art work for him, being one of the lucky few who can follow his passion as a viable career, or he needs to refocus his priorities.
If his art can’t pay the bills, he needs to find a new career option and consider art a side hobby and passion project. But maybe that’s just the realist in me, wondering how he’ll continue to support himself and Lyric.
And the romantic in me needs Gael to find someone he can genuinely stand a chance of spending his life with or at least have a long-term relationship with.
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His love life is nothing short of disastrous. The man is way too talented, kind, and hot to end this series single. It would be a gosh damn travesty.
Haven Needs to Be Dennis’ Safe Haven. Period.
Dennis’s dream to open up a restaurant felt like it came out of nowhere at first, but the transition from food truck to food restaurant suits him.
He’s had such a difficult trajectory as someone who has been doing the work of getting through depression and literally fighting for his life every single day so the suicide ideation doesn’t win.
Dennis Cooper deserves good things, a stable life, some semblance of happiness, purpose, and routine. And he’s found that. He’s been content in his relationship with Davia and this new dream of bringing something he genuinely loves to do, cook, to the masses.
Food is a love language, and cooking is a beautiful way of communicating and connecting to others.
If we could get past all the Jeet nonsense, we could have an endearing version of Dennis trying to run a first-time restaurant with all the passion and sad boy wonder if Carmy from The Bear.
Davia Needs Denvia Proof Drama
It’s frustrating that Davia’s drama always goes back to Dennis or her connection to him.
While her theatrical production arc isn’t nearly as compelling as her finding her confidence and self-love via burlesque, it has brought about interesting elements of sexism within that industry.
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Maybe that’s why a rumor-riddled arc poking at a one-sided love triangle with her irksome costar is such a letdown. Ideally, we can ditch all this stage drama and delve into something else for Davia.
And after five seasons of Will They/Won’t They angst, can they leave Denvia alone now? Please, and thank you.
Can We Focus on Luca Finding His Family and Learning More About Himself?
Luca is a beloved addition to the series, and there are no regrets about his promotion to series regular.
But the direction they went down with his character was annoying. They reduced the lovable puppy of the bunch to becoming a Rizz master who leads one girl on while chasing after another, and it’s such an underwhelming turn for his character.
It would be ideal if they revisited Luca learning more about his biological family and explored that angle, especially as he potentially faces deportation to Canada, which honestly feels low stakes.
I’m more interested in learning more about Luca’s background as he navigates becoming part of the Coterie family and pursues everything he desires now that he has stable housing.
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The Riley/Mabel love triangle is a total bust and needs to be dropped. And unless we get a bittersweet ending of Luca getting shipped to Canada after a brush with the law, there’s not much interest in pursuing a half-baked deportation arc.
Joaquin Needs Journalistic Recognition and to Finally Rest
Ideally, the series can wrap up the cult storyline. And if that happens, it would be great if Joaquin got some recognition for his work in busting up, exposing a cult, and taking Silas down.
Whether or not it makes things right with his sister is yet to be determined.
But Jenna aside, the Coterie is a place where lost souls can find home, community, family, and safety; everything we’ve learned about Joaquin suggests that he needs that.
I hope the series’ last episodes showcase Joaquin becoming an integral part of the Coterie family and allowing himself to love and find solace in this community and get it in return, whether things work out for him romantically with Mariana or not.
Mariana is a Boss B*tch Businesswoman
One of the series’ most successful and compelling arcs was the trials and tribulations Mariana faced entering the tech industry as a woman.
From sexism and racism to ruthlessness, betrayal, and corporatism, Mariana has faced it all from the moment she first started working at Speckulate until she was running it as acting CEO.
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Mariana has the chops to run her own company or pursue all her heart desires in leadership roles in business. She’s done the work and excelled in many aspects of her career.
We’ve seen her confidence grow and her battle with Imposter Syndrome. She’s become more assertive and demands she be paid and recognized for her worth and so much more.
I would love to revisit what’s next for Mariana in her professional life. As one of the stars of this series, she deserves to go out on the highest, happiest, most successful, and fulfilled note of all.
Mariana’s Love Triangle with Evan and Joaquin Needs to Be Wrapped Up
There’s a strong case for why Mariana should end up with either man.
I won’t lie; we’ve invested so much time in Eviana that an endgame is what feels most right. It’s far too gripping of a prospect that Evan’s memory will return; he’ll realize how much he loves Mariana and how much she loves him, and they’ll finally be able to make it work once and for all.
Evan and Mariana have been a love story for the ages.
But Joaquin is a viable prospect for Mariana if Eviana isn’t the ultimate choice. They have such a special bond and seem to understand each other fully in such a short period.
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Mariana and Joaquin feel right, too. Something is comforting and secure about their dynamic. Despite our seasons of investment in Mariana and Evan, we can surmise that Mariana would be okay if she ended up with Joaquin, too.
Nevertheless, the love triangle needs to sort itself out.
Callie Prominent Return, Jallie Wedding, and The Fosters Reunion
With this being the final season, it only feels right that Callie returns to the series more prominently in the back half.
Fortunately, Callie has shown up throughout Good Trouble Season 5 enough not to feel like she’s been forgotten during the series.
And with her impending nuptials to Jamie, there is more space for her to appear in the season, interact with her old roommates, and be given a nice sendoff.
After all, we started Good Trouble with Mariana and Callie, so we also need to end it with them.
The wedding would also be an excellent opportunity to reunite as many of The Fosters alumni as possible.
We can already guess from the promotion that Stef and Lena will return. Fortunately, they’ve also carved out a space within Good Trouble and become staples in their own way.
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Given that Callie is the one who is getting married, it would also likely mean an appearance by Jude, which will be fun.
But it would be even better, if not a tad awkward, if Brandon could appear in the series, at least for the wedding episode.
And if they could squeeze in a cameo with Jesus, that would be all the better. Can Noah Centineo fit an appearance into his schedule or even do a brief scene via Skype or something?
At this point, we’re not above a nod to the original Jesus popping up, either.
More Coterie Family Fun, Togetherness, and Love
At the heart of Good Trouble is the Coterie family, and hopefully, after the bleak nature of the first half of the season, the series can return to its roots during the final stretch.
The Coterie is at its best when all the characters engage with and lean on one another. The Found Family angle of the series has always worked best.
With a big event like Callie’s wedding to bring them together, we’ll at least have that.
Related: Good Trouble Season 5B Promo Teases Mariana’s Triumphant Comeback and Jallie Wedding
However, our wishlist includes more of those moments between the Coterie characters, sharing meals, helping one another through dark spots, or celebrating life with each other.
Over to you, Good Trouble Fanatics. What’s on your wishlist for the final episodes of the series? Hit the comments below!
Good Trouble returns with the winter premiere on a new night, Tuesday, January 2, at 10/9c on Freeform!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.