Life Unexpected

Season 1

January 18, 2010 (16 years ago)

13 episodes

7.5/10

After spending her life bouncing from one foster family to another, 15-year-old Lux has decided to become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological parents, Baze and Cate, and when a judge grants temporary custody of Lux to Baze and Cate, they agree to make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves.

Key Crew

Director

Gary Fleder

Age 44 (now 60)

Writer

Liz Tigelaar

Age 34 (now 50)

Producer

Rose Lam

Cinematographer

David Geddes

S01E01

7.6/10

Pilot

41m

January 18, 2010

After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux as decided it's time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal system leads Lux to her biological parents, local radio personality Cate Cassidy and thirty-something Nate "Baze" Bazile, who had a one-night stand back in high school. Although they haven't seen each other in 15 years, it doesn't take Cate and Baze long to fall into the same contentious relationship they had as teenagers. However, when a judge decides that Lux isn't ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the arguments and awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves.

S01E02

7.8/10

Home Inspected

43m

January 25, 2010

Cate and Baze are paid a visit by a social worker whose job it is to evaluate both of them and determine if they are fit parents. Lux is torn when her boyfriend, Bug, and best friend, Natasha, suggest that Cate and Baze may not be in it for the long haul and that Lux should return to her old life and the people who love her most of all. Meanwhile, Cate is pressured by the executives at the radio station to deny that she has a daughter in order to save her job.

S01E03

8.5/10

Rent Uncollected

43m

February 1, 2010

When Baze tells his parents about Lux, they insist on planning a dinner at which they can meet their granddaughter and Cate. Cate reluctantly agrees to go to the dinner and is further annoyed when her overbearing mother and neurotic sister show up unexpectedly. Meanwhile, when Cate hears about a gang fight at Lux's school, she immediately decides to have Lux transferred to her and Baze's alma mater, Westmonte.

S01E04

7.0/10

Bong Intercepted

42m

February 8, 2010

When Lux gets suspended from school, Cate does her best to convince Principal Dugan to give Lux a second chance, but, unfortunately, her efforts may have made the situation considerably worse for Lux. Meanwhile, Baze is insulted when he finds out that Cate and Ryan are hosting a radio station event at the bar across the street.

S01E05

7.0/10

Turtle Undefeated

42m

February 15, 2010

Off to a rocky start at her new school, Lux offers to throw a party in Baze's loft in an effort to impress the high school quarterback, Jones, and his friends. Cate worries that her relationship with Lux will never measure up to the bond Lux has so easily made with Baze.

S01E06

7.0/10

Truth Unrevealed

42m

February 22, 2010

Pressured by radio station management, Cate and Ryan reluctantly agree to let Baze join them on air for what turns into a public therapy session. Lux tries to get Jones to drop the charges against her boyfriend, Bug.

S01E07

Crisis Unaverted

42m

March 1, 2010

In the midst of feeling like he is being pushed out of Lux's life by Cate and Ryan, Baze wins the chance to compete against Ryan in a radio station contest and is determined to be the last man standing. Cate contemplates finally telling Ryan the full truth about Baze, but can't bear the thought of what might happen if she does. When Tasha tells Lux she may have to move three hours away to a new foster home, Lux decides to help Tasha track down her mother who is still living in town.

S01E08

Bride Unbridled

42m

March 8, 2010

Cate and Ryan are forced to put on a happy face as the hosts of a wedding expo, but the unfortunate situation becomes even more unfortunate after Baze and Math show up at the event. After watching Lux mope around the house for days, Baze solicits help from Jones in an effort to cheer her up.

S01E09

Formal Reformed

42m

March 15, 2010

Jones asks Lux to be his date for the Winter Formal. Baze finds a condom in Lux’s room, and thinking it belongs to Jones, shows up at the dance to try and stop Lux and Jones from having sex. Cate agrees to chaperone the dance, but being at her old high school for Winter Formal brings back painful memories about the night Lux was conceived.

S01E10

Family Therapized

42m

March 22, 2010

After Lux and Bug are picked up by the police for a curfew violation, Lux's social worker decides it's time to meet with Cate and Baze to reevaluate their custody of Lux. During a meeting with the social worker, Cate, Baze and Lux agree to put on a happy face to ensure that Lux isn't placed back in the foster care system. Meanwhile, in an attempt to show Lux that she supports her, Cate offers to find Bug a job at her radio station, but winds up disappointing Lux once again.

S01E11

Storm Weathered

42m

March 29, 2010

Lux is forced to face her complicated feelings for Jones when she sees him kissing another girl at a party. When a storm hits Portland, Ryan and Lux find themselves stranded at the radio station, and Ryan learns more than he ever knew about what Lux went through as a child. Cate goes to Baze's bar looking for Lux, but the storm traps her there with Baze, Math, Jamie and her sister, Abby.

S01E12

Father Unfigured

42m

April 5, 2010

With her wedding on the horizon, Cate decides to take a road trip with Lux to find her father, Gordon (guest star Peter Horton), who abandoned her when she was a little girl. Meanwhile, when Bug’s “friends” trash Baze’s bar, Lux invites Baze to join her and Cate on the road trip, allowing Bug some time to repair the bar before Baze discovers the truth.

S01E13

Love Unexpected

42m

April 12, 2010

With her wedding fast approaching, Cate must confront her true feelings for the two men in her life, Baze and Ryan. To complicate Cate’s already conflicted feelings, on the day of the wedding, Lux reveals something that threatens to change all of their lives forever.