The Fosters

5.6
197630m

The Fosters is a British sitcom created and written by Jon Watkins and Eric Monte. It showcases the early work of Lenny Henry as the budding artist son of easygoing family man Samuel Foster (Norman Beaton). The series follows the day-to-day trials of Samuel, his lively wife Pearl (both immigrants from Guyana) and their three children on a South London housing estate.

Production

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Seasons

14 Episodes • Premiered 1976

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 1: Sex and the Black Community

1. Sex and the Black Community

Sonny goes out to get a bottle of mouthwash ahead of his latest big date, Pearl's unhappy about Shirley's involvement with a 21-year-old, and Samuel comes under fire when he changes his mind about an obscene book.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 2: My Son the Lover

2. My Son the Lover

Pearl refuses to think about what life will be like when the nest is empty, Shirley ridicules the idea that a popular girl could be interested in Sonny, and talk of popping the question suggests that things are pretty serious.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 3: God's Business Is Good Business

3. God's Business Is Good Business

Shirley gets a shock when she sees a Black face on the broken television, Samuel recognises the preacher as someone he knew in Guyana, and Pearl's far from pleased when the swindler offers her husband a job.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 4: The Check Up

4. The Check Up

Shirley ends up with the wrong hours when she gets a job at a chip shop, Benjamin finds that his father's irritability might be due to hypertension, and Pearl knows that being laid off from work will make him even worse.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 5: Black Jesus

5. Black Jesus

Sonny decides to enter a new art competition at the West Indian Centre, Pearl's unhappy when her special picture of Jesus changes colour, and an old drunk gets all the credit when the family have a run of good luck.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 6: The Man I Most Admire

6. The Man I Most Admire

Benjamin tries to pick a man to write about for an English composition, Shirley insists that women are just as worthy of admiration as men, and Samuel returns home miserable after he chickens out of a job interview.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 7: Situations Vacant

7. Situations Vacant

Pearl's told that an older woman has been given the job that she wanted, Samuel's left fuming when sexual discrimination laws get in his way, and the kids have to cook for themselves when their mum goes out to work.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 8: Sonny Gets a Patron

8. Sonny Gets a Patron

Pearl and Shirley get sick of finding art equipment left around the house, Samuel discovers that his son's patron is a scammer, and Benjamin's not the only one to miss Sonny when he decides to move out.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 9: Buy Now, Pay Later

9. Buy Now, Pay Later

Vilma has to take messages when Samuel forgets to pay the phone bill, a blind encyclopaedia salesman is shown pity when he comes knocking, and a closer look at the contract suggests that signing it was a mistake.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 10: The Windfall

10. The Windfall

Returning home from work, Samuel finds a paper bag full of money in a dustbin.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 11: Over the Hill

11. Over the Hill

Samuel is chosen for a government re-training scheme.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 12: The Matchmaker

12. The Matchmaker

Pearl turns matchmaker when she decides it’s high time for Vilma to remarry.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 13: Benjamin's Rebellion

13. Benjamin's Rebellion

Rebellious Benjamin is sent home from school for being insolent.

Still image for The Fosters season 1 episode 14: New Year with the Fosters

14. New Year with the Fosters

The Fosters invite a poor neighbour to Samuel Foster supper, but what is her meat loaf made with?

Cast

Photo of Norman Beaton

Norman Beaton

Samuel Foster

Photo of Lenny Henry

Lenny Henry

Sonny Foster

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