The TV Chick

Dear CW,

I don’t usually do this. In fact, I see people writing letters to networks and I think “Why bother? Leave them alone.” But I feel the need to speak up. We have had a long relationship, CW. Before you were even named CW, I loved you as the WB network. Gilmore Girls will forever remain one of my favorite shows. Veronica Mars (on the CW) was unreal amazing. And Dawson’s Creek was a tradition in my high school and college days. I still love your shows. I will watch pretty much anything you put on air (save maybe Fly Girls, but let’s not re-hash that). I eat up teen dramas, and feel personally invested in characters’ lives.

Continue reading “An Open Letter to the CW Network” »

Life Unexpected returns to the CW on September 14th, at 9 PM, and I absolutely cannot wait. The season premiere is titled “Ocean Uncharted,” and I am so glad the show is keeping up their “-ed” titles like Friends did with “The One Where…” So, to tide you over, check out some (fairly non) spoiler-y pictures from the season 2 premiere!

Last night’s Life Unexpected was truly heartbreaking for a number of reasons. Cate and Baze finally officially adopt Lux, and during the picture, Baze and Cate are holding hands. There are still feelings there, quite obviously. Lux tries to get Baze to admit that he loves Cate, and for Cate to realize this. At the rehearsal dinner, we meet Ryan’s family and all of their family and friends make ridiculous speeches that aren’t exactly glowing. In addition, Alice wants Ryan and Cate to both to sign a 5 year contract for the radio show but Ryan seems uncertain. When she can’t sleep that night, Cate goes over confront Baze about his feelings, but he tells her he doesn’t love her. A tearful Cate leaves, confused about what to think, with her wedding to Ryan happening in several hours. 

The next morning, Lux and Ryan have a heart to heart and he tells her he saw how happy she was Cate and Baze adopted her. He noticed that Lux was giving him the cold shoulder. If she’s not ready for them to get married, he can accept that but she has to tell Cate. I can’t explain how much this scene pulled at my heartstrings. Ryan really is a saint but at the same time, he has flaws. He was nervous to get married too. Lux goes to do just this and learns that Baze didn’t come clean about his feelings. After hearing this, she tells Cate that she loves Ryan and she needs to marry him. Lux is so wise, yet I wish that she had known the whole story.

Baze confronts his demons — in the form of his father — and admits that he’s the reason why he can’t step up and admit he loves Cate. His dad seems completely unfazed by the entire thing, but redeems himself later by showing up at Baze’s bar. As if we hadn’t already had enough tear enducing moments, Baze’s dad tells Baze that he loves him, and he doesn’t know why he berates him all the time. This is the spark that Baze needs to go tell Cate the truth, but of course, there is awful traffic and Baze gets to the church afterCate and Ryan say “I Do,” and right before the moment when Cate kisses Ryan. If ever there were a moment to be on Team Baze, this is it right here. I’m not saying I wanted him to completely ruin the wedding and for Cate to run off with him “The Graduate” style, but I wanted him to get his chance. I wanted Cate to be able to decide between Ryan and Baze without any mixed messages.

What a cliffhanger to end season 1! This episode was filled with so many intense, emotional moments. There was even a toast to bong lamps! So here’s what I’m going to say to the CW. Life Unexpected has good numbers. They even beat some other CW shows which have already been renewed. It has a loyal fanbase that wants to see more. In just 13 episodes, it has TV Critics and bloggers alike talking about how much they love it. Personally, I think it represents a return to the CW/WB Network dramas that I fell in love with. At first, it reminded me of Gilmore Girls and it still has those touches of quirky-ness and human emotion that you only see in a show that is well written and incredibly well done. I want to see more. I want to see more bong lamps, road trips, Starship singing, Baze messing up and redeeming himself, turtle racing, radio show bantering, and the forming of a truly unique family. There are a lot of shows out there that don’t deserve to be on, let alone to be saved. CW, if you don’t renew this show, you will be disappointing a lot of people (myself included, of course). Life Unexpected has worked its way into my heart, and I don’t want the last I see of it to be Cate getting married to the wrong guy (at least at the wrong time if it’s not the wrong guy). I want to commend Liz Tigelaar on an absolutely amazing season and I can’t wait to see more. Because right now, I’m counting on a season 2.

Last night’s episode of Life Unexpected was quite amazing. So many important things happened, and so many things were left unresolved. The title “Truth Unrevealed” fits perfectly with the episode, which showcased the incredible acting ability of the entire cast. The episode centered around the Baze/Cate/Ryan love triangle. At the beginning of the episode, Cate wakes up to find Baze using their bathroom because he stayed over again. Of course, this pisses off Ryan who tells Cate that it has to stop. Lux is getting ready for Bug’s hearing, which Baze told her she could skip school for. Later, Jamie accuses Baze of losing his touch with women. Jamie identifies a girl in a coffee shop he should try to pick up, and he fails miserably. Baze admits to Jamie that he slept with Cate about a month ago, and Jamie accuses him of having a thing for her (which he denies of course).

At the radio station, there is much confusion amongst the callers about Cate’s former and present love life. Everyone seems to like Ryan but not Cate. After their show, Corporate shows up to hold a meeting about their ratings and likeability. It turns out one of the ”corporate” bosses is Trina, who Baze tried to pick up in the coffee shop. (The scene between Baze and Trina is pretty hilarious). Trina tells Ryan and Cate that Baze will be their co-host the next day to clear up the confusion about Cate’s life. The next day, Baze joins the two of them in the studio and it turns into a Cate bashing session, where he shares with listeners that she dated her dictionary in high school. It then comes out that something happened between Baze and Cate post high school, and Ryan questions Cate about it. She tells him nothing happened and that she also wants less Baze in her life. Cate goes to tell Baze this, and walks in on him shirtless (I can’t say I didn’t love this moment) about to have sex with Trina on the pool table. She storms out, and Baze follows her. She says there is nothing between them despite Baze claiming otherwise and asking her why she continues to lie every day to her fiancee.

Meanwhile, in Lux world, she goes with Bug to his hearing and his lawyer encourages him to take a plea where he would only spend 6 months in jail as opposed to 2 years. Lux encourages him to take the deal, but he insists that he isn’t guilty and doesn’t want to comply. She tells him to do it for them, so they don’t have to put their relationship on hold for 2 years. He tells Lux to talk to Jones so he can drop the charges. At school, Lux talks to Jones who says he will drop the charges if Bug gives him his motorcycle. She explains that he won’t give it up, his dad gave it to him, but Jones will only drop the charges under those conditions. Bug reluctantly agrees, and after school, Lux notices Jones having trouble starting the bike. She helps him and shows him where Bug grew up. Bug’s dad was abusive, his mom was an addict and he still has nothing. In a sweet moment, Jones tells Lux that Bug has her. He agrees to give the bike back and still drop the charges, but not without trying to kiss Lux first. They return to Cate’s house where Bug is waiting. Bug gets incredibly defensive and insults Lux telling her to go be with Abercrombie (kind of a great nickname for Jones if you ask me) and that “White Bread” just wants to know what it’s like to be with damaged goods. (I believe my mouth dropped open at this line). Lux tries to explain that nothing happened and that Jones is giving his bike back, but he won’t have any of it. Bug punches Jones, and Cate pulls up in the nick of time and orders Bug off her property.

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In the haze of the Olympics (which I do love), many new shows have been in reruns. Thankfully, there have been new episodes of the CW show “Life Unexpected.” By now, you know how much I love this show. It has only gotten better since the pilot and that is a hard feat since it started out so wonderfully. Tonight’s episode, titled “Truth Unrevealed,” features Baze filling in for Ryan as a co-host on the radio show. Here are some great video previews of tonight’s episode!

Liz Tigelaar (the amazing creator) previews the episode:

Clip #1 from “Truth Unrevealed:”

Clip #2 from “Truth Unrevealed:”

Clip #3 from “Truth Unrevealed:”

Be sure to tune in tonight to the CW at 9 pm for “Truth Unrevealed.”

Some shows lose their momentum after a few great episodes, but Life Unexpected certainly has not. It just continues to dig deep into the complex lives of the characters, while keeping the perfect balance of funny and serious. Last night’s episode centered around the ramifications after Lux’s big lie to her friends at school. Bug picks her up on his motorcycle and her ex-friends make comments about him being homeless and call her bong girl/lying freak/you name it. Jones (Brin’s boyfriend and intended recipient of the bong lamp) comes up to Bug and starts talking about motorcycles with him. Jones then tells Lux that because he never got the bong lamp, he gets to throw a huge party at Brin’s house, and that the bong gave him leverage. This exchange puts Jones in a positive light, as he is the only one who doesn’t seem to care about Lux’s past.

Lux then goes out for a fun night with Baze and friends. They have eating contests, and Baze tries to figure out how he could use this to bring revenue to the bar. Baze and Lux have a “father/daughter” talk about Jones (who also happens to be the quarterback of the football team), and Baze tells her that if she gets in with him, she’s golden. She asks him if they’d be friends in high school, to which he replies that he doesn’t know if he could be friends with someone who does an annoying victory dance after she beats him at air hockey. I absolutely love that this episode focused on the Baze and Lux relationship, which is one of my favorites. They are straddling the line between a friends and parent/child, but they just click so well. Sometimes there is almost a role reversal between the two of them, as we see later in the episode.

When Lux returns home, Cate is waiting for her, scared that something happened. Cate explains that she gave Lux a cell phone for a reason, and that she should use it. Lux tells her she’s fine, she was with Baze, and not to worry. This prompts some radio station discussion over whether Cate is laid back and fun. She and Ryan discuss attraction and a caller says she doesn’t see how they are attracted to each other because they are such polar opposites. Ryan tells a sweet story of their first date, but Cate is still struggling with how to be a “cool” mom. She is jealous of Baze because he seems to have this really close bond with Lux that they don’t have yet. And everyone at the station forgot about the station manager Alice’s birthday. Cate promises her a girls night out with “boozy fun” her.

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Sure, I will be watching the Olympics pair skating long program tonight as well, but I am really excited for a brand new episode of Life Unexpected. Check out a few clips from “Turtle Undefeated,” and be sure to tune in tonight to the CW at 9 pm! I adore this show so much.

Liz Tigelaar (awesome creator) previews “Turtle Undefeated”:

Check out a couple of preview clips:

My Mondays are packed with amazing TV, but one show I am most looking forward to is Life Unexpected. Tonight is a brand new episode titled “Bong Intercepted,” which I am sure will be fantastic (look for my review tomorrow!)

But if you just can’t wait until tonight, here are some great preview clips:

Liz Tigelaar (the wonderful creator) talks about the episode:

Trailer:

Short clip from the episode:

One more short clip:

Be sure to tune in tonight at 9 pm to the CW for “Bong Intercepted.” And tell your friends to watch, too!

Will you be watching?