Life Unexpected
The CW | CW | Release Date: January 18, 2010
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa TimesChuck Barney
Season 1 Review: Lux is one of those cute, quippy, ultra-mature teens you find only on TV. And several plot points unfortunately come across as false. But it doesn't matter. The lead characters in Life Unexpected are so likable, and the interactions between them feel so natural, that you find yourself willing to give the show lots of slack. Read full review
80
Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert
Season 1 Review: The show works, in its own hokey, feel-good, alt-soundtrack way. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterRandee Dawn
Season 1 Review: Life's clean, clear storytelling is worth a go-around. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesMary McNamara
Season 1 Review: The smart, insightful writing of Liz Tigelaar, the crisp and vibrant exteriors of Portland and the palpable chemistry between all the leads combine to make it, dare I say, lovable, an entertaining hour that might even offer a few insights into the complicated ties of desire and regret, friends and family. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley
Season 1 Review: Life Unexpected is TV pleasure unexpected. Read full review
80
Newark Star-LedgerAlan Sepinwall
Season 1 Review: Life Unexpected turns out to be a warm, sweet, fun family dramedy. The three leads are very likable, the stakes just high enough for the show to not seem inconsequential Read full review
80
TV Guide MagazineMatt Roush
Season 1 Review: There’s plenty of life in this deluxe entertainment, with each episode expanding the world of friends and family who have a stake in Lux’s future. So far, I find myself rooting for just about everyone in this feel-good show that’s refreshingly unafraid to wear its feelings openly. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan
Season 1 Review: This cast is so good, especially Polaha and Appleby, that by the third episode it was surprisingly easy to put aside the lingering questions I had and tolerate the fact that at that stage, some of the supporting characters still came close to being caricatures. Read full review
75
USA TodayRobert Bianco
Season 1 Review: There is pleasure to be found in Life. There'd be even more, though, if a few more of us were invited in. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesPaige Wiser
Season 1 Review: Although the show is somewhat predictable, Polaha adds a great deal of laid-back charm that lightens the mood. Read full review
75
People WeeklyTom Gliatto
Season 1 Review: The tenuousness of the situation, and the underlying hope for emotional growth by all, makes for a touching hour. [25 Jan 2010, p.43]
70
Philadelphia InquirerJonathan Storm
Season 1 Review: It can be obvious, sometime a little plodding, but its heart is bigger than all of Lux, and it's the kind of show parents and kids can watch together without anybody saying, "Ewww."; With the name Life Unexpected, it actually is an unexpected pleasure. Read full review
70
Washington PostHank Stuever
Season 1 Review: It's a pleasant mix of a little "Juno" hipitude and a lot of "Everwood" glow, and just when it comes dangerously close to feeling like an excessively cool tampon commercial, its characters compel you to keep watching. Read full review
70
Deseret NewsScott D. Pierce
Season 1 Review: The pilot is good; Episodes 2 and 3 aren't as good. But it has potential. Read full review
60
The New York TimesMike Hale
Season 1 Review: CW shows tend to walk a thin line between escapism and soap opera, and after its witty pilot the show spends Episodes 2 and 3 massaging the tear ducts, hard. But there is the potential for something at least as good as “Gilmore Girls." Read full review
58
NewsdayVerne Gay
Season 1 Review: The cast has major potential, but Life Unexpected still needs to find an original and compelling voice. Read full review
50
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen
Season 1 Review: Robertson is a find. She capably plays both Lux's world-weary, snarky attitude and her vulnerability. She's a large part of what makes Life Unexpected a minor delight, even if its charms are entirely expected. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleTim Goodman
Season 1 Review: Unfortunately, Life Unexpected took all of the schmaltz of "Gilmore Girls" and expanded it several hundred times over, forgetting to insert any of the quirk and only a smidge of the smart banter. Read full review
50
VarietyBrian Lowry
Season 1 Review: Despite its modest merits, Life ultimately spends most of its time paddling in the shallow end of the dramatic gene pool. Read full review
40
PopMattersCynthia Fuchs
Season 1 Review: The connections are sudden, relationships shallow, and dialogue glib. Read full review
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