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Season 1 – Life Unexpected

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Life Unexpected 2010 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
76% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
After 15 years of being with different families in Oregon's foster-care system, Lux decides to try her luck as an emancipated minor. As she navigates the legal system in pursuit of that goal, she encounters her birth father, bar owner Nate "Baze" Bazile, living like an aging frat boy with two slacker roommates. He is stunned to learn that he has a teenage daughter and introduces Lux to her mother, radio personality Cate Cassidy, who is sad to learn her daughter has grown up in foster care but thrilled to meet and get to know the girl. She has plenty of opportunity to get acquainted when the judge decides Lux isn't ready to be emancipated and grants temporary custody to her birth parents.
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Life Unexpected — Season 1

Life Unexpected — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Though Life Unexpected occasionally overdoses on schmaltz, it's a well-acted and insightful look at a bright but unsettled teenager.

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Critics Reviews

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Randee Dawn The Hollywood Reporter It's a formula that often falls flat, coming across as unrealistic and condescending (at least to the grown-ups). Mar 4, 2019 Full Review Emily St. James AV Club Life Unexpected isn't perfect, but it's doing something no other show on TV is doing right now and doing it surprisingly well. Mar 4, 2019 Full Review Ken Tucker Entertainment Weekly Life Unexpected is indeed a charming new show, all the more refreshing for its smiles and unaffected grimaces on the CW. Jan 19, 2013 Full Review TV Fanatic Staff TV Fanatic There is just something so electric brewing between Cate and Baze that we can't deny. Rated: 3.5/5 Mar 4, 2019 Full Review Robert Moore PopMatters It is the first series that can invite comparison to the best dramas produced by the WB and the first ray of hope that the CW may be maturing into a more interesting network. Feb 11, 2010 Full Review Ed Bark Uncle Barky Life Unexpected overall is just too dumb to take into your homes. Rated: C- Jan 18, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (4) audience reviews
Nick W Questionable premise handled real well.Brilliant performances from Shiri Appleby and Britt Robertson and great writing make this a must watch. Similiar to something like Gilmore Girls which can easily shift to really serious melodrama to comedy and never feel out of place in either tone. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/26/23 Full Review steve d The show is a blast and one of my family's all time favorites. The cast is fantastic and the story is heartfelt, funny and often powerfully emotional. A must see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member I absolutely loved this show. The cast had great chemistery and their synergy added to the depth of every single charachter. It can at times be over the top and forced but the likeability of the cast more than makes up for it. Its a shame this show didnt last longer. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Terrible people cause drama, due to their own selfishness. People argue with each other then a slow song plays. That's basically every episode. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Life Unexpected — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Britt Robertson

Lux

Shiri Appleby

Cate Cassidy

Kristoffer Polaha

Nate "Baze" Bazile

Austin Basis

Math

Kerr Smith

Ryan Thomas

Rafi Gavron

Guest Star

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 18, 2010 Pilot After 15 years in the foster care system; Lux decides to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 25, 2010 Home Inspected Cate and Baze are evaluated by a social worker; executives at the radio station pressure Cate to deny that she has a daughter. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 1, 2010 Rent Uncollected Baze's parents insist on having Cate and Lux over for dinner; Cate decides to transfer Lux to Westmonte. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 8, 2010 Bong Intercepted Cate tries to intervene when Lux is suspended from school; Baze discovers that Ryan and Cate are hosting a radio station event at the bar across the street. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 15, 2010 Turtle Undefeated Lux tries to impress the high-school quarterback by offering to throw a party in Baze's loft; Cate fears that her relationship with Lux will never measure up to the bond that Lux shares with Baze. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 22, 2010 Truth Unrevealed Pressured by management, Ryan and Cate reluctantly let Baze join them on air; Lux tries to persuade Jones to drop the charges against Bug. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 1, 2010 Crisis Unaverted Baze competes against Ryan in a contest; Cate considers telling Ryan the truth about Baze; Lux helps Tasha find her mother. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 8, 2010 Bride Unbridled Baze and Math crash a wedding expo hosted by Ryan and Cate; Baze gets Jones to take Lux out on a date. Details Episode 9 Aired Mar 15, 2010 Formal Reformed Jones asks Lux to the winter formal; Baze discovers a condom in Lux's room; Cate struggles with painful memories about the night Lux was conceived. Details Episode 10 Aired Mar 22, 2010 Family Therapized Lux's social worker meets with Cate and Baze after Bug and Lux are picked up by the police; Cate tries to find Bug a job at the radio station. Details Episode 11 Aired Mar 29, 2010 Storm Weathered Lux faces her feelings for Jones when she sees him kissing another girl at a party; when a storm hits Portland, Lux and Ryan become stranded at the radio station. Details Episode 12 Aired Apr 5, 2010 Father Unfigured Cate plans a road trip to find her father and asks Lux to come along; Bug's friends trash Baze's bar. Details Episode 13 Aired Apr 12, 2010 Love Unexpected Cate's quickly approaching wedding forces her to confront her feelings for Ryan and Baze; Lux makes a potentially life-changing revelation. Details

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Life Unexpected — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Gary Fleder, Liz Allen, Alan Arkin, Nick Marck, Rick Bota, J. Miller Tobin, Jerry Levine, Jeff Melman, David Paymer
Executive Producer
Liz Tigelaar, Janet Leahy, Gary Fleder
Screenwriter
Liz Tigelaar, Adele Lim, Sallie Patrick, Emily Whitesell, Michael Eric Kramer, Taylor Hamra, Deirdre Shaw, Janet Leahy
Network
The CW
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 18, 2010