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CW’s new show an UneXpected gem
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Written by Tricia O'Neill, Staff Writer
Last fall, the CW announced the January 18 premiere of a new original series titled “Life Unexpected.” The show was brought on to fill the 9:00 to 10:00 time slot while the station’s most successful show, Gossip Girl, was films its next season.
“Life UneXpected,” is a series about a fifteen going on sixteen year-old girl named Lux (Britt Robertson), who after growing up in the less than satisfactory foster-care system of Portland, Oregon, decides to apply for emancipation upon the arrival of her sixteenth birthday. However, in order to apply, she must get the signatures of her two birth parents who never legally signed away their rights.
She first finds her father, Nate Bazile or ‘Baze’ (Kristoffer Polaha), a young, single, and slightly irresponsible guy. She finds Baze living on the second story of a bar he opened after being left the building by his own father. What she did not expect was that Baze had no idea she had ever been born. Baze then explains that her mother had gotten pregnant in high school and that he had assumed she “had taken care of it.”
Upon hearing Lux’s own story; however, he agrees to help track down her birth mother, who he had lost contact with. Lux soon learns that her mother is the famous radio talk show host, Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby), who she has listened to in order to escape her own personal struggles. After finally reaching Cate and explaining her situation, Lux talks her in to signing the emancipation form.
Cate offers to drive her to go and see her social worker so that she can file the emancipation request, and after getting to know each other and hearing about her traumatic childhood, Cate is struck with regret and remorse.
On the day of her trial, Lux is surprised to find both her parents come to her rescue when she is questioned about her plans if she was to be emancipated by a judge . Interestingly, her request is denied and her parents are given temporary joint custody over her.
“Life Unexpected” is both a comedy and a drama about the relationship between Lux and her parents, as well as Cate and Baze. Upon watching the first episode of the season, it is uncertain who the story focuses on and; therefore, by extension, the show’s target audience. But as the season continues and the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the story is as described, “A cross between Juno and Gilmore Girls.” The story follows both sides of the story, Cate and Baze dealing with the newly found parenthood and complicated relationship, and Lux adjusting to having parents who actually care about her. In addition, the show does a good job of mixing the past and the present, gradually filling in background information about the characters lives, which helps viewers get to know them on a more personal level.
The show is overall both an entertaining and touching story, but it will most likely take viewers several episodes to really get hooked.
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