Does Good Trouble stand on its own or does it need Stef and Lena?

When fans watched The Fosters, they were used to Stef and Lena as they were the foundation. They aren’t series regulars on the spin-off, Good Trouble. Should that change?

As we all know, the premise of Good Trouble is for the viewers to watch Callie and Mariana navigate their adult lives. The girls are going through the struggles all young adults do to survive on their own, make money, and pay the bills.

However, something is missing on Good Trouble, and I feel it’s because Stef (Teri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum) aren’t series regulars on the spin-off. It feels off as we’re used to Stef and Lena on The Fosters, and we barely see them make appearances on Good Trouble. I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way, as the ratings below indicate that the audience wants to see Stef and Lena on the TV screen.

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Ratings

Season 1, Episode 4 “Playing the Game” drew in 0.12 in the 18-49 demo and 0.310 million in total viewers.

Stef and Lena’s guest appearance – Season 1, Episode 5 “Parental Guidance Suggested” drew in 0.15 in the 18-49 demo and 0.359 million in total viewers. There was a 25% jump increase in the 18-49 demo and a 15.81% increase in the total viewers.

Season 1, Episode 6 “Imposter” drew in 0.13 in the 18-49 demo and 0.345 million in total viewers. The 18-49 demo dropped 13.33% and 3.90% in the total viewers.

Typically, ratings do increase when fan favorites make appearances from the mother show, but there is no denying we miss the moms. Stef and Lena bring a special vibe to both shows, and it makes you comfortable knowing that they are there on your TV screens.

When the moms guest-starred in “Parental Guidance Suggested,” they were there for support for the girls and giving them advice. That’s what mothers do, and that’s why Stef and Lena have been missed.

What frustrates me is the sex scenes are getting worse. I wrote in a previous article that the nudity scenes are slowly cooling off, but they are back again, and it’s just becoming too much. Callie has become a sex addict with Gael, and now Mariana is doing a threesome? Come on, man! It’s like the girls don’t have morals anymore. Stef and Lena have taught them so much better than this.

If the moms are back, perhaps the nudity scenes will finally calm down as well, and we can have actual storylines. Otherwise, the show is doing great. It is taking time to get used to as the writers are not writing Good Trouble in linear fashion.

How do you feel about this? Do you think the producers should bring back Teri Polo and Sherri Saum as series regulars? Or does Good Trouble stand on its own? Share your thoughts with us below.

Good Trouble airs Tuesday nights at 8/7c on Freeform.