Summary
TheGood Troubleseries finale didn’t just tie up the last five seasons of the series — it was the end of a decade’s worth of Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana Adams Foster’s (Cierra Ramirez) adventures, whom audiences first met inThe Fosters.Good Troublepremiered in January 2019 and lasted for five seasons before the season finale aired on August 01, 2025. As a spinoff ofThe Fosters,Good Troublefocuses on Callie and Mariana, two sisters who moved to Los Angeles, and into a communal living space known as the Coterie, where they live their post-grad lives.
Though there were originallyplans for aGood Troubleseason 6, season 5 is all viewers ended up getting. The events surrounding the cancelation of the series and the unique solution the network gave to the showrunners resulted in a fascinating series finale that depicts some events from three months previous,then jumps to three months later to show where all the major characters have landed in their lives. This extra-long, 90-minute affair gives complete and satisfying endings to the show’s ensemble cast and makes for an emotional final chapter.
Silas Thompson
Good Trouble: 4 Best Couples (& 6 Worst)
Love is in the air on Good Trouble, but not every couple experiences a fairytale love story. Here are some of the best and worst couples on the show.
The Coterie Is Sold And The Residents Gather For One Last Dinner
Everyone Updates Each Other On The Last Three Months
TheGood Troubleseries finale starts with Alice (Sherry Cola) getting a phone call and learning that the Coterie is being sold, and the landlord is giving everyone three months to move out. This moves the episode three months into the future where the residents and friends have all gathered together for one last dinner.It’s at this dinner that everyone gives an update on their livesandGood Trouble’s many storylines are all tied up.
After everyone’s story is told, one by one they all get up to say their goodbyes, leaving only Callie and Mariana.Callie and Mariana sit together, tearfully remembering past moments from the series as they flash across the screenin a montage. Finally, Mariana says,
“It’s been quite the journey.”
Callie responds,
“It certainly has. And there’s no one that I would’ve rather done it with,”
Callie then reaches for her adopted sister’s hand and asks, “Ready?” as the pair walk together into whatever new life the future holds for them.
Malika’s Campaign For City Council Is Going Well
Malika Got Her Women’s Shelter Up And Running
Malika (Zuri Adele) had previously gotten her women’s shelter back in order and later announced that she would be running for city council. Three months later, at the dinner,Malika tells her assembled friends that the campaign is going very well. Her girlfriend, Angelica (Yasmine Aker), makes sure to point out that Malika is actually gaining in the polls. While Malika is speaking about local government, Ladle (Tetona Jackson) makes a quip,
“You sometimes have to choose been the better of two old men when one wants to be a dictator.”
According to showrunner Joannah Johnson, this is a pointed reference to the 2024 U.S. election, which was still between Donald Trump and Joe Biden when the episode aired (viaThe Wrap),
“I’m very concerned about this election and I’m very concerned about young people not voting because there’s not the perfect candidate … it’s never going to be perfect. If you don’t vote for Biden, you’re basically voting for Trump. That was important to me to put a little of that in there, and the network’s always been good about letting us do that.”
Alice Is Hosting America’s Funniest Ferrets & Friends
Alice’s Sitcom Was Canceled
Alice has received a few offers for sitcoms in the last three months, andher acting career took off after she sent in an audition tape to be the host ofAmerica’s Funniest Ferrets & Friends. Alice was offered the hosting job, but she declined it, not wanting to jeopardize her sitcom co-stars.
Good Troublewinks at the audience when Alice mentions that her show was canceled and that TV can be brutal, an obvious reference toGood Trouble’s own fate.
However, things ended up falling into place for Alice after her show was canceled, so she was able to accept the gig atAFFF.Good Troublewinks at the audience when Alice mentions that her show was canceled and that TV can be brutal, an obvious reference toGood Trouble’s own fate.
Gael Has Decided To Pursue A Career As A Street Artist
Gael Earned A Commission In Los Angeles
Gael (Tommy Martinez) announced to the group that he turned down an apprenticeship with a well-respected artist and instead has chosen to focus on his street art. Far from being disappointed, his friends are glad that he’s finally seen what they have always known,that he’s a talented and capable artist. Things are already looking up for Gael, and he’s been commissioned to create a public mural in downtown Los Angeles.
Ethan And Davia Take Their Play To New York City
Ethan Remembers Davia Is His Muse
Before the three-month time jump, Ethan (Miguel Pinzon) finally came to his senses and recognized that he would never be able to be the playwright he always wanted to be without his muse, Davia (Emma Hunton), involved. He tricked Davia into coming back to read for his musical by acting like one of his actors was sick, and he needed someone right away. When Davia arrived, Ethan told her the truth, that he wanted her there, and she ended up nailing the performance as Ethan knew she would.
Now the musical, Davia, and Ethan are all headed to New York City, and Callie and Jamie (Beau Mirchoff) say that they will come up to see it. Davia and Dennis (Josh Pence) agree to keep seeing each other long distance, as he has his restaurant to attend to. While it will be difficult, both know that two years isn’t much time in the grand scheme of things.
Mariana And Joaquin Stop Silas And Uncover His Cult
Jenna Saves Mariana And Joaquin From Silas
One ofthe best couples inGood Trouble, Mariana and Joaquin (Bryan Craig) have an action-packed final episode. Before the dinner, they finally track down the cult leader, Silas (Graham Sibley), whom they’d been trying to corner. The pseudo-detectives get a tip-off from Jenna (Maiara Walsh) to where Silas is digging up a body, and they go there intending to film him committing the crime. Joaquin and Silas fight andSilas nearly gets the upper hand on both of them with a shovel.
Before he can land a killing blow, Jenna shows up and shoots the criminal, though he survives to stand trial. Three months later, Silas is in jail, Jenna’s in rehab, and Joaquin is writing stories about cults. Notably, he and Mariana are not a couple any longer.
The Rest Of The Cast Of Good Trouble Has Their Happy Sendoffs
Everyone Ends Up Somewhere Good
Everyone gets a sendoff in theGood Troublefinale, though some are only briefly discussed. Alice and Sumi (Kara Wang) have bought a house together and invite everyone to continue gathering at their home even after the Coterie is sold. Luca (Booboo Stewart) managed to solve his immigration problems and has begun dating Ladle. Luca’s dance career is taking off as well, andhe’ll soon be going on tour with Olivia Rodrigo.
Evan (T.J. Linnard) regained his memory and admitted his love for Mariana. He comes late to the dinner and sits next to her. Before everyone leaves the rooftop, the characters dance to LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” around the pool while they share one final drink. Dennis toasts,
“The best of times past and the best of times to come.”
Johnson Invented The Idea Of The Coterie Getting Sold For The New Finale
TheGood Troubleseries finale, “What Now?”, wasn’t supposed to happen that way. There was originally supposed to be a season 6, but the 2023 WGA strike changed everything. Johnson toldThe Wrap,
“We were 99.9% sure that we were coming back for Season 6. But the strikes were so bruising, and they went on for so long, the network had to make some tough decisions.”
Plenty of shows were canceled during the writers' strike, butGood Troublewas fortunate, relatively. Disney allowed theGood Troubleteam to use their savings toreshoot scenes and film additional ones to turn the season 5 finale into a series finale. Johnson said,
“There are a lot of really good people in the business, and they really took care of us and let us do that. It would have broken my heart if we had just pulled the plug and not been able to resolve things.”
Though the timeline was sped up, the series finale was what Johnson always intended for the characters,
“We always wanted to do those stories, but we certainly weren’t going to do them yet — we were going to have been involved more in the struggle. We had plans, but we accelerated everybody’s success.”
On the decision to end the show with Callie and Mariana,Johnson didn’t know another way to do it,
“Good Trouble began with the two girls, I felt like it needed to end with them. It began with them coming to the Coterie, and it ends with them leaving, and their relationship was very centered in the show.”
It wasn’t an easy finale for anyone to film,
“We ended up using the takes where they let it go. We were all in tears behind the scenes watching this … There couldn’t be a better way to go out.”
Despite the show being canceled unceremoniously, Johnson and the cast were able to giveGood Troublea moving and complete finale — one the audience and crew both deserved.
Good Trouble
Cast
Two sisters move to Los Angeles to start their careers and navigate adult life. They settle in a communal living space, where they encounter diverse neighbors and face various personal and professional challenges.
