The TV Chick

Last night’s episode of Life Unexpected “Honeymoon Interrupted” was one of my favorite episodes of the series to date. There was a ton of drama and some sexy moments, but most importantly, we finally find out Ryan’s backstory. I knew this was coming sooner rather than later but I think it explains a lot about Ryan and takes him off the “saint” pedestal. I had been so curious to know what his dating past was like and why he keeps coming back to Cate even though she has messed up so many times. In addition, there are advancements on the Baze and Emma front and we delve into the Lux and hot teacher Eric/Mr. Daniels relationship. All of this makes for one amazing and packed hour of television.

The episode starts with an awkward loft moment, where Eric and Lux run into each other after his night with Paige. I enjoy Paige but I’m kind of hoping she doesn’t stick around too much longer. In the office, Baze made Emma a mix CD. Aww he has a crush. She’s not so receptive to this crush however. And Cate wants to go on a staycation with Ryan to a new hotel in Portland. Quickly ruining the fun, Baze calls Cate for advice on Emma. She tells him to find some time alone with her, and to get in on the company retreat. (You know, there’s always free alcohol at a company retreat).

Of course, at the hotel where Ryan and Cate are having a staycation, Baze’s company is having the retreat. So much for a real honeymoon. Cate and Ryan about to get down to business (um, super sexy by the way) when Baze barges in and asks to switch rooms because their room is next to Emma’s room. Baze’s old room is a hot mess. Ryan gets back spasms trying to pick up the heavy bags. Honeymoon fail. Meanwhile, Baze is rehearsing his speech to Emma, and discovers she has a man with her in the room.

In an attempt to salvage the staycation failure, Cate and Ryan look through wedding photos. Of course there’s one with Ryan and Julia talking in the background. Ryan is all defensive and gets pissed about Baze when Cate brings up uninvited guests. Then we get our first flashback scene. I love flashbacks! This flashback is right after Cate and Ryan broke up because he found out she slept with Baze. Ryan shows up at Julia’s door, and they sleep together. I have to say Ryan without his shirt off is pretty hot. And I really enjoy Jamie Ray Newman who plays Julia. But I digress.

In Lux world, she got an F on her recent essay test and thinks the tutoring isn’t working. She wants a new tutor and is quitting hot teacher. Oh boy, Lux, don’t quit him! Paige and Lux are hanging out that night while Cate and Ryan are away. Hot teacher comes over with the movie version of The Outsiders, hoping maybe that registers with her more than the book did. Lux and hot teacher talk (and bond) after the movie, and he thinks she understands the material and should take the test over. Lux gets upset and tells him to go home. Clearly, these two both have feelings for each other. It seemed so natural when they were hanging out, and all of a sudden it took a turn for the worst when hot teacher showed interest in her schooling and her life. Lux really needs to learn to open up a bit and let hot teacher in. That was not meant to be as dirty as it sounded. I meant in the emotional sense, you pervs!

Cate calls Paige (who is um, passed out drunk and Lux is nowhere to be found) and asks her who Julia is, and finds out she is Ryan’s ex girlfriend. Paige tells Cate that Julia is “the one that got away.” Ryan clearly never told Cate about Julia. I love that Ryan isn’t perfect. He has this shady dating past and who’s to say that he wouldn’t have gone back to Julia if the wedding had been called off? Next is flashback scene #2! Julia shows up at Ryan and Cate’s house because he wouldn’t answer her calls. She tells him she thinks she’s pregnant. Holy crap big twist! She took a home pregnancy test, but hasn’t gone to the doctor to confirm it. He tells her to call him when she knows for sure.

Cate goes back to Ryan and brings up Julia. He comes clean about sleeping with Julia when he was drunk, hurt and they were broken up. She questions his talk with Lux at the church the morning of the wedding and if it was genuine. Flashback scene #3!  This time, we flash back to the wedding talk with Ryan and Lux. Tears! Right after the Lux talk, he talks to Julia and she tells her it’s a false alarm. Cate asks Ryan if she had been pregnant would he have called off the wedding. His answer “I don’t know.” Amazing! Also, I have a theory. I think Julia really is pregnant but didn’t want to get in the way of Ryan’s wedding. I have no inside information on this but I just have a feeling it might come up in the future ala The O.C.

Back at the loft, Lux and hot teacher fight. He blames her for failing because she clearly knows the material. He doesn’t want to give up the only time they get together that’s actually permitted. Lux storms off in tears. Aw Lux. I want you and hot teacher to get together. Clearly, I love these relationships (see: Aria and Ezra from Pretty Little Liars). I like that hot teacher finally opened up to her. He had been acting so guarded around her because this relationship is not exactly allowed, but I was glad he admitted his feelings.

Meanwhile at the retreat, Baze runs into Emma at the pool. Baze talks to her about his dad and how they’ve come a long way, and he’s why he finally got to the point in his life he wanted to be…with his kid, with her. She seems to like him too. They are about to kiss and she pulls away. Poor Baze! Baze shows up at Cate and Ryan’s door to get Cate’s advice, but Cate went home. Ryan explains that they fought about what went on before the wedding, but Baze thinks that Ryan is talking about him and Cate and not Julia. Oh boy! Ryan makes Baze come clean. Really, Cate didn’t do anything wrong (she admitted her feelings and pre-wedding jitters but that’s it). Baze calls Cate and leaves a message that they have to talk. Baze finds out that Steve of Steve and Emma is gay! ANOTHER TWIST! Emma pretended to be in a fake relationship. He tells her she doesn’t have to be alone, there are plenty of guys who would date her. Come on Emma, give in to Baze.

Hot teacher comes to the loft to talk to Lux about the night before. The only way he can show he cares is through helping her with schoolwork. He thinks she might have a learning disability. They leave things sort of up in the air, but when Lux goes to her tutoring session the next day, she has another tutor. And Lux finds out that hot teacher broke up with Paige. Yay!

Ryan returns home and wants to talk to Cate. He confronts her about having doubts and telling Baze that she might be in love with him. She says she put those feelings to bed the second she said I do. He asks her what would she have done if Baze said I love you back? She doesn’t know. I absolutely love that both Ryan and Cate admit they had doubts about the wedding and might have even called it off had the circumstances been different. Every relationship has flaws and everyone has doubts, but this is huge. Both of them almost didn’t want to get married. What if Julia is pregnant? We know Baze is still in love with Cate, even though he is trying to move on. What happens when he finally admits this to Cate? Side note: I totally had a dream that this scene happened and Cate was going to go back with Baze but was crying and admitted to him she was scared he would hurt her. I think about this show WAY too much. I love it!

Later, Cate and Baze talk. Baze is apologetic, but Cate blames herself. Baze totally still loves her. Baze talks to Emma and says he got hurt because he didn’t put himself out there with Cate, not because he did. When he tried to put himself out there, he was too late. He doesn’t want to make the same mistakes. Love this talk Baze! He admits his feelings for her and they make out. I love Emma’s character and I clearly love any forbidden relationship (see above: Lux and hot teacher). I’m so glad they finally hooked up.

At the end of the episode, Cate and Lux talk. Lux is making sure that her and Ryan will get through it. This moment was a complete call back to the pilot episode when Cate tells Lux everything is going to be okay. I was so excited they made a callback to the pilot episode, which is also one of my favorites of the series. To be honest, I don’t know if Ryan and Cate will get through this right away. It’s going to take a lot of work. It’s going to take Cate realizing what her feelings are for Baze. It’s going to take Ryan figuring out if he still has feelings for Julia or if he resents Cate. Whatever the case may be, I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. At the end of the episode, Cate smashes the crystal vase from Julia. So much drama!

“Honeymoon Interrupted” packed so much into one episode, it’s incredible. I loved seeing each character’s vulnerability. Lux is flawed. Ryan is flawed. Cate is flawed. Baze is flawed. But despite their imperfections, they are all trying to find love, or keep love and form a family. I try not to read any reviews before I write my own, but I saw some complaints on Twitter that Cate and Baze were not being the best of parents leaving Lux by herself. In my opinion, Lux is incredibly independent, and leaving her alone for a staycation isn’t inappropriate. I also think this episode was crucial to Ryan’s story. I’m so glad he isn’t a saint. I’m so glad he slept with Julia. I’m sure this episode is not the last we have seen of her, and I can’t wait to see what happens when she reappears. I loved the fact that Baze put himself out there with Emma. He is finally allowing himself to potentially get hurt, and I think before he might have been too selfish to do so. I absolutely adore this show. I look forward to it every week and it really, truly deserves a full season. Come on, CW! Renew it please! In the scenes from the next episode, Lux and hot teacher hook up. Oh my goodness. And Tasha catches them. I am so excited!

Life Unexpected airs Tuesday nights at 9 pm on the CW.