Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins, Relate Contributing Writer
Before the series began airing in January, the show Life Unexpected was marketed toward fans of Gilmore Girls. While the shows have an executive producer in common, and maybe a few mother/daughter moments (some nice, some, well, not so much), Life Unexpectedreally does have that likeability factor that keeps you tuning in every week.
(Photo by cwlifeunexpected.com)
Brittany Robertson stars as Lux Cassidy, a fifteen-year-old who, in her quest to become emancipated after spending her entire life in foster care, finds her biological parents. She is quirky and defensive and somehow manages to make poor choices every time, but she also calls things as she seems them and really, truly wants nothing more than to be accepted as she is. Lux has difficulty adjusting to life with parents and wanting to stay in touch with the friends she had made while in the foster care system who understood her before but now suddenly don’t seem to get her at all.
Shiri Appleby (Roswell) stars as Cate Cassidy, Lux’s mom who is also a “Morning Madness” radio show host. Cate is a perfectionist who excelled in school but was also attracted to “Baze,” her complete opposite. Cate decided to give their baby up for adoption. She had been comforted by the social worker who convinced Lux would be adopted right away, but now must come to terms with the fact that her baby spent those years in foster care and is now in her life. Cate fumbles terribly in her first attempts at parenting, but it’s the fact that she cares so much that makes her so forgivable.
Kristoffer Polaha (Mad Men) stars as Nathaniel “Baze” Bazile. Baze is the type of guy who doesn’t seem to ever want to grow up as he is trying to make a business of a bar in a building owned by his father. He’s not the responsible guy at all, but he is the one that bonds instantly with Lux. And maybe that attraction to Cate isn’t quite something he grew out of, either.
Kerr Smith (Dawson’s Creek) stars as Ryan, Cate’s co-host on their radio show and her fiancée. He provides further tension between Cate and Baze, the third component of the love triangle and not the man who knew her then but knows her now. Or so he thinks.
They’re all trying to grow up and adjust and learn from each other. The show is filmed in Vancouver and although it wasn’t up for early renewal by the CW, it is still in contention. Tune in to the CW on Monday evenings to find out how unexpectedly easy it is to fall in love with this show.
Tags: gilmore girls, life unexpected, Lux Cassidy, the CW
