Life Unexpected | 1x06 Reviewed

[Johno]

Anyone seen this little gem of a show before it got cancelled? I'm a fan of the lead actress so decided to watch it. Sad it was ended so early (26 episodes), but it was a sweet little show while it lasted. One of my favorites.

Teenager Lux (Brittany Robertson) had been through the foster care system for almost her whole life. Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby) had given birth to her while still a teen but gave her up for adoption believing a better home could be found for her. Most likely because of her heart problems as a baby, Lux was never adopted. On her 16th birthday, she decides that it's time for her to become an emancipated minor, but before that occurs, she has to get signatures from her unknown birth parents. First she encounters former High-School Football Quarterback, Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha), her birth father and owner of the Open Bar. He lives a semi-fraternity boy lifestyle above the drinking establishment with two lazy roommates, and sleeps with many women. However, even when he signs the papers, Baze discovers that he is bonding with his newfound daughter, and realizes that she has his eyes. He introduces Lux to her mother Cate, co-host of the "Morning Madness" drive time show at Portland radio station K-100 and Baze's former one-night stand from high school.

Lux has been listening to Cate's voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she's never met. Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care instead of the adoption she believed would take place and is reluctant to commit to her daughter. Eventually, Cate wants to be a part of Lux's life, and she shows that she really does care. When a judge decides that Lux isn't ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness. Cate, due to her job as a radio host, and the fact that she has a suitable house, is given primary custody of Lux. Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith), her radio broadcast partner, as well as her fiance, also takes to Lux.

Lux has several friends from her old life, including her best friend Tasha (Ksenia Solo). She must decide whether she can continue to have her old friends in her life as she attempts new friendships.

---

Season 1:
1x01 - Pilot: A
1x02 - Home Inspected: B
1x03 - Rent Uncollected: A-
1x04 - Bong Intercepted: B+
1x05 - Turtle Undefeated: A-
1x06 - Truth Unrevealed: A+
1x07 - Crisis Unaverted:
1x08 - Bride Unbridled:
1x09 - Formal Reformed:
1x10 - Family Therapized:
1x11 - Storm Weathered:
1x12 - Father Unfigured:
1x13 - Love Unexpected:

Season 2:
2x01 - Ocean Uncharted:
2x02 - Parents Unemployed:
2x03 - Criminal Incriminated:
2x04 - Team Rebounded:
2x05 - Music Faced:
2x06 - Honeymoon Interrupted:
2x07 - Camp Grounded:
2x08 - Plumber Cracked:
2x09 - Homecoming Crashed:
2x10 - Thanks Ungiven:
2x11 - Stand Taken:
2x12 - Teacher Schooled:
2x13 - Affair Remembered:

I'm gonna start rewatching from the first episode and post reviews on here. It's a really charming show. ;D

[Johno]

Life Unexpected: Pilot
Life Unexpected was not a show I planned on watching. It wasn't until I found myself charmed by its lead actress Brittany Robertson in Scream 4 that I wanted to check it out and see how she could pull off the lead actress role. And let's just say she's a wonderful young actress.

In the opening scene of the Pilot, we're introduced to Cate Cassidy and her co-host on her radio show, Ryan (who's also her boyfriend). A young teenage girl named Lux, played by Robertson, always tunes into this show in the morning. She plans on getting emancipated so she can live on her own now that she's nearing her sixteenth birthday, but when she approaches the court, they demand signatures from her birth parents. She meets her birth father, a fraternity-wannabe called by his nickname Baze, played by Kristoffer Polaha, and the two, after a moment of trying to get used to the situation, actually immediately bond.

Stringing up the timeline, Baze realizes that he had sex with a girl in high school - Cate Cassidy. Lux is surprised that Cate, who she's listened to all her life on the radio, is her mother. It's amazing the chemistry Robertson has with her on-screen parents. Shiri Appleby plays the role of Cate, a confused woman who's afraid of commitment, to perfection. Polaha as Baze is great too. They're the two most unlikeliest of parents and are shocked to find out that the judge rejects Lux's request for emancipation and gives them joint custody of her.

The premise in itself is simple, and the way the story unfolds can have its cliches. But the pilot does what it needs to do. It introduces us to the plot, the characters, and gives everything a proper, fulfilling introduction. I have a good idea on how the core three characters tick by the end of the episode. The episode is filled with some great tug-at-your-heartstring moments, and some pretty funny ones too (Baze and Lux crying at the reunion of that guy and his lion on Youtube, Lux to Baze: "I hate to be blunt... it blows!").

It's not totally a teen drama, as there's plenty for adults to enjoy too. The storylines of the parents, Cate and Baze, are front and center as much as Lux's storylines are. The Pilot sets up the importance of these characters and the relationships they'll share. You can't help but smile when Cate helps tie up Lux's hair when she blows her birthday candles out, all of them wary, but accepting of their uncertain future together. Ryan is a good character too, he's confused by Cate and how she acts, but it's obvious how much he loves her and how he'll be there -- and for Lux, too. It sets up for some very good character interaction and development in the future.

Lux is set up here as the perfect heroine for the show. She's far from perfect, she's not some snobby rich kid who parties and has sex all the time like most other CW shows (Gossip Girl, 90210 anyone?) She's a street smart, sarcastic kid who just wants to find her place in the world. It's funny seeing her as the most mature of the three leads -- as Cate and Baze argue on the steps of the courthouse, you can't help but chuckle at Lux just chilling in the background, pacing back and forth impatiently, waiting for them to finish. She's sympathetic, she's cool, and she's got her problems, which makes her a very intriguing lead.

While not the most exciting premise, and it was a bit predictable at times, Life Unexpected managed to do the, well, unexpected to me. It charmed me with its simplicity. The characters were real, they were written well and portrayed on-screen superbly. The cast has great chemistry, the writing is solid, and the show itself is promising. A great pilot, did exactly what it set out to do and accomplished it well.

SCORE: 9.3/10 -- GREAT (GRADE: A)

[Lie]

I'm quite interested in the premise, so this may very well be a show I'm gonna check out. There's a drought of good tv shows right now, so I may as well give it a shot

By the way; Good review, Johno!

[Blake (HDLYR)]

I had a major crush on Shiri Appleby when she played Liz Parker on Roswell.

Anyway, every other review I've read for this show has stated the Pilot was outstanding, but the rest of the series never quite lived up to the premise. Would you agree or disagree?

[Johno]

I'm half and half.

I'd say that it loses some of its luster by the time season 1 ends, and season 2 can be a bit rocky (it honestly was just the direction of a few storylines I personally wasn't happy with - you'll read about that later). But by the end of it, season 2 has my favorite string of episodes this show had to offer and I was happy I stuck around, because LUX was in its prime for a really strong finish.

The cast is really the highlight of the show. Even if the show did start losing its charm at points (every series has its ups-and-downs), the cast never lost theirs.

And I don't blame you for that Shiri crush! She's awesome.

Episode 2 & 3 reviews coming tomorrow.

[Johno]

Home Inspected
This episode was a solid follow-up to the Pilot. The characters (for the most part) progressed nicely and believably, while the plot introduced some new wrenches to throw in the works. However, I did have a few issues.

Cate's boss demanding she deny that Lux exists was just stupid on both parts. I don't see how being a single mother would effect her 'on-air image' and Cate was dumb for going along with it, knowing that Lux listens to that station pretty much religiously. It was just really cliche, who didn't see it coming that Lux would hear her on the radio just seconds after telling her friends they're not like her other foster parents? Even though it showed that she's not exactly compelled to accepting Lux, it's just odd comparing it to how she was in the last episode - willing, but not exactly ready, to bring Lux into her life. It was just really annoying, and left a bad taste in my mouth for Cate's character.

The rest of the episode introduces us to Lux's foster kid friends, a cliche, typical rag-tag bunch. Of course, foster kids who are just troublemakers. The only one that left me with a good impression was Sasha, her best friend. The scene where she comes forward about stealing the ring and telling Lux that she only did it to give it back because, while she stole Cate's ring, Cate "stole the only thing that mattered" to her. Powerful stuff. It's a heartbreaking choice for her, choosing between her former 'family' and her new potential one, and after hearing Cate disown her on live radio, I'm surprised she forgave and forgot so easily. The scene between Lux and Ryan was well done, it was good to see Ryan step up and do something besides support Cate.

I loved Baze's antics in this episode. I love that he's not exactly "parent" material. Right now, he's the cool older brother Lux never had. The pair make for the most unlikeliest of parents, and it's nice to see Cate and Baze's relationship grow. It'll be interesting to see Baze's character develop and be more fleshed out, because I can't see his constant comic relief scenes holding his character together for much longer.

This episode actually really made me think that maybe Lux was better off on her own -- she seems a lot more mature than both her parents put together. It was awesome to see Math, Baze's roommate, laid the smackdown on him for the failed home inspection. Definitely a great scene, I loved how he told him that not everything's a joke here and that he needs to grow up. Hopefully he'll take Math's words into account. He and Ryan seem like the only mature adults on the show.

I wasn't really impressed with the storylines of the second episode. I do like how the writers attempted to show us more of Lux's life and focus on her struggles between her old life, and new life, but the adults' storylines were just so -- I don't know. They don't seem mature enough, or good enough, to be Lux's parents. It wasn't a horrible episode, the writing is still solid and the acting is amazingly charming, and the heartwarming stuff is still there, but it was a definite step down from the Pilot. The last 15 minutes or so really made up for the beginning of the episode, there were a lot of great moments. I loved the Cate/Sasha scene, one of the best in the show so far, Ryan/Lux was awseome as said before, and the Cate/Baze moments were awesome too. It was like a totally different episode - disappointment for the first 3/4 of it and greatness for the last 1/4...

The execution was better than the storylines themselves, from the acting to the writing and dialogue, it was all handled well and helped carry the episode. Not bad, especially with the good ending, but just a bit disappointing compared to the series' strong premiere.

SCORE: 8.0/10 -- GOOD (B)

[Lie]

I'm getting more interested in this show as I read your reviews

I was wondering, does it get a good conclusion at the end of season 2?

[Johno]

Rent Uncollected
Time to meet the parents! The show continues to expand the family that Lux has. The first episode she meets her parents, the second we are introduced to her foster friends, and now she is introduced to her parents' family. Even if it feels like the show's throwing a lot at us in such quick succession, each of these additions seem natural and should make for some interesting interactions with the other characters.

The standout character in this episode was honestly Baze. This episode began the progression from 'boy' to 'man'. We learn that his father is disappointed in him, and that he pays for the rent on Baze's bar. Baze's father overheard Cate's sister Abby confront her in a hilariously over-the-top scene on the radio, and is surprised that Baze has a daughter. Baze denies that Cate ever told him about Lux, and his father demands they have a family dinner.

A fight at school causes Cate to be worried that Lux isn't having the best opportunities there, so she instantly applies Lux at her alma mater, Westmonte High School. Lux actually gets a little annoying in this episode, especially in the first two acts. It seems that all she does is whine and then run away from her problems. During the awkward family dinner, she just storms off with her boyfriend Bug. In her talk with Cate, at least she explains why this is the case. She's never taken any threats seriously and running away and not listening to authority is all she's ever known, so you kind of have to take a backseat and look at it from that point-of-view... She's not yet used to the family life, and she has a lot to adjust to.

Baze's father is a top notch jerk, hated him throughout the entire episode, but he was great for Baze's development. Lux really shined in the scene where she decided to pay off Baze's rent with her saving's, and the money from the bong lamp she decides to sell to a girl she made friends with at her new school. It was a sweet scene, especially how she told his dad off. Lux really is a rocky girl, one moment I'm annoyed with her, the other she's really the best character here. Understandable, due to the circumstances, but it's getting a little annoying that she's so moody.

Cate's family was so over the top, but they were enjoyable since they didn't have a huge role in the episode so they didn't get too annoying. Alex Breckenridge and Cynthia Stevenson were charming in their roles, nailed em down perfectly.

The ending with Cate and Baze finally growing to accept a convergance between Lux's old family, and her current one with them, was perfect. Opening up to her boyfriend ("spider web tatoo guy") Bug should be very particularly interesting to see. Also, there was mention of one of the girls' at school's boyfriend Jones and a party that Lux lied she'd go to, I can see that becoming important later in the season...

Overall, great episode. One thing I'd like to see is toning down on all the sappyness. It's fine for now, but could start to bug me out later. (Get it? Bug? Lux's boyfriend? Oh, never mind...) A definite step up from the previous episode. Not on par with the pilot, but close!

SCORE: 9.0/10 -- GREAT (A-)[/color]

---

Lie, on the topic of the series' conclusion, it does a good job of wrapping things up. It ends just like the writers intended they'd write it, it just seems rushed because they found out about their cancellation so last minute, so it was filmed to give the finale a sense of conclusion. It was a bit rushed, but it wasn't at the fault of the writers of the show. Overall, yeah, I was definitely satisfied with the conclusion we received.

[Johno]

_{Brittany Robertson as Lux}
Bong Intercepted
One problem that I've had with the show so far is that the show seems to be restating its premise over and over again in different fashions. Lux is a troubled foster kid forced to return to her unwilling parents, Cate and Baze, who are dealing with issues of their own. Even the show's creator, Liz Tigelaar, admitted that the show's early episodes would suffer from 'Pilot-itis', restating the show's premise over and over again for the first few episodes in order to grasp potential new viewers' attention. While that's fine and all, one has to wonder when it will stop.

This episode was a step in the right direction, it served as sort of a part 2 of sorts for the events of the last episode. Lux took Baze's bong and sold it to one of her friends at her new school to pay off Baze's rent so he could keep his bar. It was nice to see the show following up on that plotline. Character progression is nice for the most part - especially with Cate, who finally puts her foot down to tell Lux how hard she's trying to be a good mother. I was a bit disappointed with the huge lack of Baze in this episode, he took a backseat here and it was kind of sad to see it based on how his storyline was starting to develop in the last episode.

This episode had its fair share of touching moments like the past few, and one of them was really good. Cate, Ryan, and Baze get Lux's case file from foster care, and we get to see each of their reactions to a letter to Santa she wrote when she was 8, describing how all she wants for Christmas is a mom and dad. It was really touching, and Baze had one great moment here where he realized what a "loser" he was and how he'd never compare to the dad she always dreamed she'd have. I was always worried the show had the potential to get a little too sappy, but I really feel it's avoiding getting on my nerves at the moment because of how well-acted the scenes are. There's so much emotion and realism in the acting that avoids what could be one of the sappiest shows on the air, completely avoiding that problem.

The bong antics made for a great way to pave through and explore these complex characters and how they can all interact with each other. The creators of this show have a great ensemble and this episode really started to show how they can make them shine. It all worked well in the end, since there were great character moments sprinkled throughout (I loved Math's chat with Lux on the bench, Cate sticking up for Lux about selling the bong, Cate's ultimatum to Lux was fantastic, and even Baze and Lux's scene where both are unable to sleep). Lots of fantastic moments through the episode. I had my doubts that the bong shenanigans and the Drink-a-Date being good enough to support an entire episode, but they did a great job handling my doubts.

It really terrific to see Cate and Ryan's relationship finally revealed, all thanks to Lux's little explosion as a giant 'f' you to Cate after another big fight between them. It was a silly idea to begin with, so it's nice to see them being outed finally at the Drink-a-Date. Lux has always been the most mature of the cast so it was great seeing her finally acting like the frustrated, pissed off 16-year old we know she is.

Hopefully this episode signals the end of repeatedly restating the premise to us. Either way, it was a solid episode. Despite a few problems, still a good episode and a satisfying and emotional hour of television. Let's hope the writers can continue to offer us some better plots to help develop the fantastic ensemble they have.

SCORE: 8.7/10 - GREAT (B+)

[Lie]

Always as interesting to read your reviews, John

Question: Would you describe the Life Unexpected as a regular teen show or does it have more to it?

[Blake (HDLYR)]

Good review - I like the insight into "pilot-itis". I'll probably never watch this show, but I like reading each review.

[Johno]

Thanks Blake and Lie! Glad you guys like reading 'em. ;D

And Lie - it definitely balances it. The teen drama isn't the usual (party, sex, catfights) that you find in most CW shows. It's more real, like Lux trying to fit in at school. A lot of the show is based on Cate and Baze, though, her parents. Their storylines are just as important as Lux's is.

So I'd say it's a "family drama" over a "teen drama". It does a great job of mixing both genres together to appeal to whomever.


_{Brittany Robertson as Lux}
Turtle Undefeated
Most shows lose steam after the first few great episodes... Life Unexpected has not. This episode was proof of that. This episode was the end of the 'Pilot-itis' virus Life Unexpected has been stuck in and it felt great for it to do something new. Less of the heartwarming, mushy drama stuff and more of a funnier, light-heartened episode.

I love how simple the basic plot for the episode was. All the characters were woven in wonderfully. Lux is having a rough time at school after the lies about her past have been exposed thanks to Cate. Everyone knows about her foster care past, and no one will accept her. Here, we're finally introduced to Jones (Austin Butler), who has been mentioned the past few episodes as Brin's (the girl who bought the bong and is now shunning Lux) boyfriend. Brin was planning on throwing a party at her house for Jones's birthday, but her parents decided not to leave town until the week after, so her plans are ruined. Lux, desperate to fit in and just have some friends, decides to throw a party at Baze's bar. He's cool with it, as long as she stays in the upstairs loft.

Baze trusts Lux too much, he's just trying not to be his dad. I get that, but if you're in a bar, and you've got a bunch of teenagers upstairs, telling Lux NOT to get the beer is just not gonna cut it. It goes to show how irresponsible he is, and just like he puts it later in the episode, she sees him like her big brother, not a father. Cate, meanwhile, hates that Lux and Baze have struck such a quick bond so fast while she always has to play the "bad cop" role. She used to be a wild party girl, which is how she and Ryan met apparently, but has since become 'boring'. The development here is natural - Lux is obviously preferring one of her new parents while the other desperately craves her attention. Cate has some hilarious moments here, like when she crashes the party to play beer pong with the kids in order to prove herself to be 'fun'.

I love how conflicted Lux is here - this episode really was about her. It was about time we explored how she's trying to mingle in her old life with her new one, and having Tasha and Bug try to comfort her, thinking she was really sick, only to discover she was throwing a party without them was actually pretty heartbreaking. They were the only friends she had for so long, and it seemed like she was dumping them just to get the attention she craved at her new school. You see both sides of the equation here, and it's pretty tough to say what's right and what's wrong. When Bug steals Jones's car, I had to wonder what he expected. If someone stole my car, of course I'd call the cops.

This leads to a hilarious scene where Cate and Baze try to calm down a cop as he wrestles down Bug -- they both end up getting arrested too for "assaulting a cop". At the station, Baze and the cop get it on easily and Cate makes mention about how everyone in the world seems to instantly like him and befriend him, especially Lux. Baze tells her that while Lux sees him as a 'friend' she sees Cate as a mother and respects her. Cate begins to soften up here, it was just really sweet to see them reflect on the day and she finally gets a laugh out of how ridiculous the situation is.

The character arcs progressed nicely. We're seeing everyone slowly start to develop and grow, and this episode was a nice break from the endless drama of the past few. It was a cute, fun episode and I enjoyed it. It lightened up and slowed down with all the "tug-at-your-hearstring" moments just to have a little fun with the characters. One of the best so far.

SCORE: 9.0/10 -- GREAT (A-)[/color]

This episode also made me realize how many great lines there are in this show. So now I'll start with this wonderful little section;

Memorable Quotes:
'Hey bong girl. If your homeless boyfriend ever talks to me again, I'm telling school security. I felt sexually objectified.' - Blonde bitch
'You're wearing pants that say 'JUICY' on your ass!' - Lux

---

'I don't know what I was thinking.' - Lux
'At least you weren't playing beer pong with people half your age.' - Cate
'Better than playing the real life version of Grand Theft Auto.' - Lux

[Johno]

It's been ages but I'm finally returning to these reviews! I've missed this show so much!

Truth Unrevealed
Gina Holden's first episode in a recurring guest spot as "corporate's" Trina Campbell was a fantastic introudction. Cate's new revelations in her life, being a mother and now always mentioning Baze on air, has concerned and confused viewers of Cate and Ryan's radio show. Trina's presentation of the viewer's perception of the Cate & Ryan pairing was pretty amusing, and Cate's panicking reaction priceless ("I've never had my likability put on a pie chart!"). 

Adding Baze into the mix as Ryan and Cate's radio co-host for the day by Trina to help "clear things up" about where Cate stands with the men in her life was interesting, with equally as interesting - and hilariously awkward - results. Then it gets to the breaking point for Ryan when one of the callers says that Cate and Baze have great chemistry and asks if anything happened between them in high school. Ryan's concerns about Baze are understandable, however I'd like to see more of an effort with him and Lux. He seems like he sees her as more of an obstacle in his relationship with Cate than anything else. He needs to find a way to balance having Baze around - for Lux - but not for Cate. You've gotta feel for the guy, especially since Cate lied straight to his face since her and Baze DID have sex. Baze and Trina have a fling after his roommate Jamie recognizes his sexual confusion, and Cate walks in and explains how confused she is over the situations. It's understandable considering the situation.

The parents' storylines seemed to take center-stage here while Lux's school storyline takes a backseat. While it wasn't particularly interesting to a point, it got very interesting by the end. Lux tries to get Jones to drop charges on her boyfriend Bug for stealing Jones's car. He says that he'll do it if Bug gives her his motorcycle, the thing his father had given him. He hesitates, but does it anyway because he'd rather stay out of jail and be with Lux. Lux takes Jones on a ride to Bug's old house where she tells him a story about Bug's previous life before going to foster care and how the motorcycle is the only thing he's really got. Brittany Robertson puts a lot of soul into her role as Lux (something I didn't see from her as Cassie in 'The Secret Circle' pilot, but that's another story...), you can tell she really understands and knows this character. Jones takes her story the wrong way and makes a move, she freaks out in confusion.  Bug finds Jones and Lux together and dumps her, even after she tells him the truth and gets his bike back because he gets the wrong idea about her and Jones being together on the bike when in reality it was all for him.

Cate and Lux's mother-daughter talk together parallels the potential triangles here between their characters, Lux/Bug/Jones and Cate/Baze/Ryan. It was a great moment for these two to talk and for Cate to come forward that she still has odd feelings for Baze - he makes her feel like she's back in high school. I was almost waiting for Ryan to walk in on Cate and Lux's talk about her feelings for Baze, and I'm glad it didn't go that route because it would've been totally cliche.  It was heartbreaking to see the parallel continue between Cate/Ryan and Lux/Bug. Cate lies to Ryan and saves her relationship with Ryan while Lux does everything she can to keep Bug and herself together and when she tells the truth, he decides to let her go. It was perfectly executed, cutting between their conversations.

This episode was great at painting a better portrait of these characters and their relationships with the more minor characters. This episode definitely had a lot more focus on the adults than the previous episodes but near the end balanced it out better. It really is unfair that Cate gets to lie and continue her relationship with Ryan, finally locking in a wedding date, while Lux tells the truth and loses her's with Bug, but I guess it's good to see Lux looking for better. Another great episode with an ending that lets you look forward to where the writers will take these characters next. Probably the most well-written episodes so far, one of my favorites in Season 1.

SCORE: 9.5/10 -- GREAT (A+)

Memorable Quotes:
'You know what viewers do when they tune in and get confused? ...They tune out.' - Trina Campbell

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'I've never had my likability put on a pie chart!' - Cate Cassidy

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'When Bug was nine, his mom OD'd while he was out here playing in the yard. She was okay, eventually. But she checked out of his whole childhood, and let his dad beat the crap out of him until child protective services took Bug away.' - Lux

'So, then why does he want to keep that bike? If it was his dad's?' - Jones

'Listen, a while ago, I got placed in this foster home, out in Girsham. It was as bad as this place. This one Christmas... Mom, she was awful... She gave me this locket. This cheap costume jewlery someone had given her her, and she didn't want it. But I wore it until it fell off my neck. I guess I held onto it... cause I dunno... It's... better than having nothing. And that's what Bug has. Nothing.' - Lux

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'You esentially just raped my eyes!' - Cate (in response to walking in on Baze and Trina)