Life Unexpected: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Ratings

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Life Unexpected

Now Playing: Life Unexpected

Season Details & Credits

The CW | CW | Season Premiere Date: January 18, 2010

Starring: Kerr Smith, Shiri Appleby, Britt Robertson

Summary: After 15 years in foster care, Lux seeks out her birth parents so she can become an emancipated minor. She finds her father who reveals her mother is her favorite radio host. A judge refuses Lux's request and gives shared custody to her parents instead.

Creator: Liz Tigelaar

Genre(s): Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E13. Love Unexpected
Air Date: April 12, 2010
tbd
S1:E12. Father Unfigured
Air Date: April 5, 2010
tbd
S1:E11. Storm Weathered
Air Date: March 29, 2010

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times

Chuck Barney

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

David Hinckley

Life Unexpected is TV pleasure unexpected. Read full review

Randee Dawn

Life's clean, clear storytelling is worth a go-around. Read full review

Tom Gliatto

The tenuousness of the situation, and the underlying hope for emotional growth by all, makes for a touching hour. [25 Jan 2010, p.43]

Hank Stuever

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

Mike Hale

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

Cynthia Fuchs

The connections are sudden, relationships shallow, and dialogue glib. Read full review

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User Score

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7.9

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Mixed:

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User Reviews

1975Supra

Apr 4, 2012

A heart-warming, if not sometimes heart-wrenching, show with an on-screen chemistry between the actors that has not been seen in a TV series for a long-time. Cut off in it's prime by CW with the season 2 finale showing the leaps made to wrap the series from the previous episode. A missedA heart-warming, if not sometimes heart-wrenching, show with an on-screen chemistry between the actors that has not been seen in a TV series for a long-time. Cut off in it's prime by CW with the season 2 finale showing the leaps made to wrap the series from the previous episode. A missed opportunity for at least 2 further series. Britt Robertson is an actress to watch out for in the coming years alongside Kristoffer Polaha ( a fairly new face to UK TV ).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

lmcd

Nov 29, 2010

LUX is a great show about a 15 year old girl, who has spent all her life in foster care, finding and connecting with her birth parents. The script is a perfect mix of heart and warmth, drama and humor and it always leaves you wanting more. Shiri Appleby who plays Lux's mom -Cate- looksLUX is a great show about a 15 year old girl, who has spent all her life in foster care, finding and connecting with her birth parents. The script is a perfect mix of heart and warmth, drama and humor and it always leaves you wanting more. Shiri Appleby who plays Lux's mom -Cate- looks barely old enough to be Lux's older sister, but the acting is so good and the chemistry between Shiri and Britt is so strong that their relationship is really believable. Then there is a bit of a love triangle between Cate, Cate's husband Ryan, and Lux's dad Baze, which is really confusing for the audience, because both Ryan and Baze are great guys, so it's tough to pick sides. I think what makes the show so special is that the cast and crew have a real bond off air and this really comes through on air. I can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the season, and hope with all my heart it will be back for round three.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

nerdherder

Feb 15, 2011

One of the best shows to come out of 2010! I Have just finished watching Life Unexpected in the UK (literally seen the finale today) and I've been watching an episode a day (as they've been broadcast) for about a month, if I could have sat down and watched it all back to back I would haveOne of the best shows to come out of 2010! I Have just finished watching Life Unexpected in the UK (literally seen the finale today) and I've been watching an episode a day (as they've been broadcast) for about a month, if I could have sat down and watched it all back to back I would have done. The show has been created from such a simple concept but there was never a dull moment! As with any show, every now and again you like some characters more than others but at the end of the day there are some fantastically written and crafted story lines!! It was sad that the show had to end (yet another annoying cancellation!!) but unlike some shows, this one at least got a good ending that nicely wraps up the show!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Paul

Jan 20, 2010

Unwatchable soap opera nonsense meant to fool the very young who haven't seen it ALL before. Everything is a writer's manipulation. The teen's name is Lux. (Means light, get it? Funny how her name isn't, say, Verbose. Look it up, kids.) And the couple who will raise her Unwatchable soap opera nonsense meant to fool the very young who haven't seen it ALL before. Everything is a writer's manipulation. The teen's name is Lux. (Means light, get it? Funny how her name isn't, say, Verbose. Look it up, kids.) And the couple who will raise her are radio talk show hosts, so they can display the angst both off AND on the air. Oh, goody! Couldn't last through more than 20 minutes of this phony nonsense. I feel for Shiri Appleby, who deserve's MUCH better. It's a shame when your real life drama makes less sense than your Sci-Fi drama. Why don't reviewers just tell the truth and review these shows with 2 words: CW soap. That's all they need to say.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful

annieshannon54

May 1, 2019

Lux is really the reason why their is always a problem. Yeah she was in foster care, that isn't what any child wants, but now she finally has a family and all she does is lies. She's honestly annoying and thinks the world revolves around her. I know she is the way she is because she didn'tLux is really the reason why their is always a problem. Yeah she was in foster care, that isn't what any child wants, but now she finally has a family and all she does is lies. She's honestly annoying and thinks the world revolves around her. I know she is the way she is because she didn't grow up with parents, but the least she could is stop lying to everyone and just tell the truth. All the lies and excuses she comes up with is getting really old for the show.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seasons & Episodes

69

Series Overview
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: January 18, 2010
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 14, 2010
Season 1

69
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 18, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E13. Love Unexpected
  Air Date: April 12, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E12. Father Unfigured
  Air Date: April 5, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E11. Storm Weathered
  Air Date: March 29, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E10. Family Therapized
  Air Date: March 22, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E9. Formal Reformed
  Air Date: March 15, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E8. Bride Unbridled
  Air Date: March 8, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E7. Crisis Unaverted
  Air Date: March 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E6. Truth Unrevealed
  Air Date: February 22, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E5. Turtle Undefeated
  Air Date: February 15, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E4. Bong Intercepted
  Air Date: February 8, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E3. Rent Uncollected
  Air Date: February 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E2. Home Inspected
  Air Date: January 25, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: January 18, 2010