THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES Impresses

Article originally published as THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES Review on Seat42F.

MTV becomes a player in the modern television landscape with THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES, premiering this week. Sure, the network has had some modest hits, such as Teen Wolf, and some quality programming, such as the first few seasons of Awkward. But THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES is a turning point because it’s a big budget epic with complex characters (who aren’t all teenagers) in a sweeping, fully developed world. Based on the trilogy by Terry Brooks (well, mainly the middle volume), this is the first show MTV has aired that I could easily see one of the higher quality networks carrying.

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES is set in a geographically small area on a future Earth in which mankind has died out. Elves control the height of civilization, with trolls and roamers on the fringes, all living in the ruins of once-great cities and technology, now nearly eroded away.

That’s where this main action begins, but it’s not where this story does. There is a lot of backstory revealed in bits throughout the two-hour pilot (from the first book) that set the stage for this world, and plays into the crisis at hand. Magic, thought to have died out with the Druids, is making its return as demons seek to escape their imprisonment and conquer the planet for good. Can they be stopped?

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES introduces us to a pair of heroes who may or may not be up to the task. Princess Amberle Elessedil (Poppy Drayton, Downton Abbey) is a headstrong young woman who refuses to accept her place in society, and is formidable enough to make waves, earning a position in a male-dominated force. She is joined by naïve Wil Ohmsford (Austin Butler, The Carrie Diaries), a half-elf with heroism and magic in his blood, though Wil is ill-prepared to follow in those footsteps at present.

Were those the only two principal players, this would be a typical MTV series. Instead, there’s actually quite a few others. Allanon (Manu Bennett, Arrow) is a druid awoken from a multi-decade slumber who takes Wil on as his apprentice. King Eventine (John Rhys-Davies, The Lord of the Rings) is the ruler who has swept the horrors of the past under the rug, and now struggles to hold onto his legacy. Heir-to-the-throne Ander (Aaron Jakubenko, Neighbours) has a different idea on how to handle current events. Younger Arion (Daniel MacPherson, Neighbours) enjoys the perks of royalty without the responsibilities. And roamer Eretria (Ivana Baquero, Pan’s Labyrinth) wants freedom from her clan’s leader (James Remar, Dexter).

Now, while this is not a top-tier cast, it is a group of performers who hold their own in this Lord of the Rings-type fantasy. Together, they make up a varied ensemble who’ll likely face death nearly as often as those on Game of Thrones, though being on basic cable, THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES pulls back slightly on violence, disregards all profanity, and only flirts with nudity. Though it does the latter quite often.

Filmed in New Zealand, THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES feels epic and sweeping, and likely owes a lot of that to the novels it is adapted from. There is no need for the show’s writers to develop a world as they go because one has already been clearly laid out ahead of time. That being said, the source material isn’t enough to keep this show going for more than a couple of years, so the written work is likely to be a jumping off point, rather than the sole inspiration.

I liked THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES a lot. It feels more sophisticated and well-made than the typical MTV fare. It may not win any awards, but it signals that the network isn’t just going to keep churning out sexy teens doing scandalous things as their only programming, and I look forward to seeing if their viewers embrace it, or maybe even earn the channel a new audience.

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m. on MTV.

"Midnight" For ARROW

Article first published as ARROW Review Season 3 Episode 11 Midnight City on Seat42F.




The CW’s ARROW continues a harrowing plot last night in “Midnight City” as those left in Starling try to make up for the presumed-dead Arrow (Stephen Amell). This is easier said than done, though, as powerful villain Brick (Vinnie Jones) has crippled the city and frightened the mayor (Christina Cox), and not every new costumed vigilante is up to snuff yet. Will Oliver return to save the day before it’s too late?

I think the best thing “Midnight City” does is expose Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) weaknesses as the Black Canary. She hasn’t been training that long, nor does she go through the experiences Oliver and Sara (Caity Lotz – whose voice returns!) do. Arsenal (Colton Haynes) and Diggle (David Ramsey) have spent more time on the job, but even they’re not up to the same level as Oliver and Sara were, so it’s nice to see Laurel isn’t, either. Better for ARROW to take its time developing its next hero than to unrealistically rush in.

And develop, she will. This week’s episode finds several members of the team struggling to carry on. Laurel has plenty of self-doubt. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) has quit because she’s so discouraged. But with Brick doing what he’s doing, someone has to step forward. So the series lets our main players wonder if they’re cut out for this kind of life, but then they recommit themselves to it because someone has to and they realize they stand the best chance of anyone in the city to do so.

Felicity should also calm a bit when she decides to help Ray (Brandon Routh) finish his super suit. Ray may not be ready to take on any baddie too big, but he does have some of the same qualities that many of the rest on the team do. If they aren’t up to Oliver’s level, their strength can come in numbers by adding another capable person to the mix. As we see in “Midnight City,” Laurel can afford to stumble if Arsenal has her back. Ray should help with this.

Of course, there are more people to watch out for than even Team Arrow knows about. This week, it is revealed that Chase (Austin Butler) is working for Maseo (Karl Yune) and the League of Assassins. That certainly explains his interest in Thea (Willa Holland), though she deserves someone genuinely attracted to her. But it also leaves a big question mark in what Chase’s intentions are and what he is prepared to do.

Maseo is a shady character. He rescues Oliver, sure, and that makes him somewhat noble, repaying Oliver for the past. However, Maseo also still works for The League. And while he’s willing to kill some of his fellows if it endangers Tatsu (Rila Fukushima), his ex-wife, and himself, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any loyalty left towards his employer. This arc is far from over.

It’s nice to see Thea stand up to Malcolm (John Barrowman) using his own words against him. That’s a strong sign she has not turned into his puppet, and may not listen to him at a crucial moment when she shouldn’t.

As if all of the action isn’t enough, major emotion comes into “Midnight City” when Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) hears that Black Canary is back in town. Naturally, he assumes it’s Sara, as he still doesn’t know that Sara is dead. Laurel goes to great lengths to keep him believing this, with assistance from Felicity in mimicking Sara’s voice. I don’t think it’s smart to keep stringing this out because Quentin is going to learn eventually and then be even more upset with Laurel for keeping it from him. But the reasons behind Laurel’s actions are pure, and it’s very moving to see how faking it affects her.

What ARROW is doing well is building large mythology and big arcs. Even this week’s flashbacks are more tolerable because they seem even more relevant to the present than most. At a time where some serial shows are disappointingly shifting more procedural (I’m looking at you, Sleepy Hollow), it’s nice to see a show go the other way, as it makes for a far more compelling story.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

THE CARRIE DIARIES "Runs" Out of Time

Article first published as THE CARRIE DIARIES "Runs" Out of Time on TheTVKing.

The CW's The Carrie Diaries, a prequel of sorts to Sex and the City, but taking its cue from the novels, rather than the HBO show, draws its second season to a close this week in "Run to You." As they graduate, Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb) and her friends are at a crossroads. Their decisions will take them in different directions, and none has a harder choice to make than Carrie herself.

"Run to You" is a disappointing hour because of the lack of female empowerment. Here's Carrie, eighteen years old and barely out of high school, and she's ready to move across the country with no prospects of her own for a guy, Sebastian (Austin Butler). Granted, Carrie may be trying to escape her problems, having lost her job, too late to try to go to college in the fall, and estranged from her father, Tom (Matt Letscher). But still...

Even worse is Maggie's (Katie Findlay) story. She is a strong girl who is just finding out how she can stand on her own, but rather than decide that she wants to pursue her own goals, she's happy to accept Pete's (Claybourne Elder) marriage proposal. Will she even still go to college now? Who knows? Her fate is in the hands of a guy she only recently met.

Samantha (Lindsey Gort), the epitome of a woman who can use a man for her own selfish needs, though she isn't cruel, is watered done and overly sentimental in The Carrie Diaries. Perhaps she hasn't grown into who she will be yet, but this version of Samantha contains only occasional hints of the beloved icon fans adore.

This isn't a great example to have on TV for impressionable teens to watch. The characters of Sex and the City wanted to find love, sure, but that was far from the only thing going on with them, and they weren't going to compromise themselves or settle. The Carrie Diaries is teaching a new generation that its OK to just find a guy and do what he wants. Carrie herself breaks away from this at the end of "Run to You," but it's too little, too late, the message already hammered home.

 This show is set in the 1980s, so it's not like women were only destined to be housewives at the time. The 1980s was a period where females did want careers and were proving they were as good as men, continuing to break into fields that were long male-dominated. Where is that spirit in this finale? If anyone would subscribe to it, it would be Carrie Bradshaw, who has shown her mettle in previous installments.

Even Larissa (Freema Agyeman), the symbol of the free-spirited, independent woman, ties the knot in this season finale, marrying Harlan (Scott Cohen) in an airport. Granted, she has negotiated the arrangement she wants with him, but she's also using him as a crutch to escape her unemployment issue, bumping up the marriage so she can concentrate on fun in his arms, rather than trying to rebuild her career yet. It's not inspiring.

I do give The Carrie Diaries credit for not doing a traditional graduation episode. Since there have only been two short seasons, it would be weird to have big, tearful goodbyes for several of the players, but a lot of shows would have done so anyway. In "Run to You," the ceremony is brushed over in favor of getting to more character development, even if it's not good development.

I also liked the ending between Mouse (Ellen Wong) and West (RJ Brown). They are forced back into one another's orbits and do sleep together, but then Mouse tells him it was a good way to leave things, both heading on to very different futures.

The Carrie Diaries has done some things right. The portrayal of homosexuals in the 1980s is eye-opening. The main gay character, Walt (Brendan Dooling), is a fully fleshed out individual who defies stereotypes and forces his parents to confront who he is in a very moving scene. Donna (Chloe Bridges) ends up being a really interesting person, the pretty bully who is secretly a genius. The father-daughter relationship between Tom and Carrie and Tom and Dorrit (Stefania Owen) is great, and the sister bond between Carrie and Dorrit is sweet. The period references are only occasionally forced. The acting is decent.

But it also gets a lot wrong, as I've argued in many of the above paragraphs. It's a fluff teen drama that doesn't live up to its potential or legacy, and with the chance of a third season so low, it's not unlikely to be long-remembered. I did find it entertaining enough to sit through all twenty-six installments, and I'll admit I'd like to see it go on, albeit with a few things corrected, and likely without most of the cast just because that's what makes sense for the story.

I guess the thing that bothers me most about The Carrie Diaries, though, and this is a huge obstacle going in, is that none of these people are still in Carrie's life when she's an adult, except Samantha, of course. That means with every squabble she has with them, I'm waiting to see this being the last straw for their relationship. Yet, the tone of the show does not allow anything but hugs and reconciliation. This robs the chance of it being any kind of true prequel to the original show, lessening my enjoyment considerably. It needs more pathos.

The Carrie Diaries has not been picked up, and the odds are not in its favor.

THE CARRIES DIARIES "Win Some, Lose Some"

Article first published as THE CARRIES DIARIES "Win Some, Lose Some" on TheTVKing.

The CW's The Carrie Diaries, a prequel to Sex and the City sort of based on the book of the same name, returns for a second season tonight with "Win Some, Lose Some." It's summer, and Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb) is ensconced in a fabulous New York City apartment. Too bad her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian (Austin Butler), shows up and ruins her good times. Luckily, a true, life-long friend is just around the corner for Carrie.

In the first season, the connections drawn between this new show and SATC are few and far between, which could have made it harder to gain viewers. Though most SATC fans aren't watching the CW, anyway, with the network's main demographic having been born too late to enjoy the SATC craze. Either way, season two immediately sets about to make the parallels a little more obvious, tying the two together.

For one thing, Carrie's hair is now looking more familiar. And I'm burying the lead, because Samantha Jones (Lindsey Gort, 2 Guns) is on the scene! It takes awhile in "Win Some, Lose Some" for Samantha to show up, but once she does, she clocks plenty of screen time, with the promise of more in the near future. The official website does not currently list Samantha as a main character, but Wikipedia does, so I'm not sure how much she'll be included in The Carrie Diaries from now, but probably quite a bit.

It's very hard to make a prequel series (whether or not they call it that, it is considered such) because the performances of certain characters will inevitably be compared to those that came before them. Robb is not a lot like Sarah Jessica Parker, even though her locks now match somewhat, but I think Gort hews a little closer to Kim Cattrall. The mannerisms and the voice are a little off, but with her mouth closed, Gort looks a lot like her predecessor. Now, whether matching the look is a good thing, further inviting comparisons, when the personality is off, is debatable. I'm just reporting the facts.

"Win Some, Lose Some" does not really establish the needed chemistry between Carrie and Samantha. Their bonding feels a little false, and it's puzzling why Sam, as she's presented, would tag along with the kid. Her dialogue indicates Carrie is annoying her. Samantha actually seems kind of bored and lonely, which is the only explanation that makes sense for Samantha to follow Carrie around. Not the best start to an extremely important relationship.

That aside, though, "Win Some, Lose Some" is not a bad episode. It splits off the characters in pleasing pairings, and moves the story along. Plus, it's set during the summer, which is rare for a TV show to do. I wonder if The Carrie Diaries will stay in the warmer months for awhile, given that the sequel to the book is set in the summer? Let's hope so, because it feels novel and interesting.

Maggie (Katie Findlay) and Mouse (Ellen Wong) are at odds over Maggie sleeping with Sebastian last season, and apart from Carrie, we see how these two girls work out the tension between them. With Carrie destined to move on without her high school gal pals, one hopes that they can rely on each other, long after Carrie exits the picture. The season premiere finds a lot of strife in their friendship, but perhaps they can come to some sort of understanding eventually.

Elsewhere, there's a nice little story between Dorrit (Stefania Owen) and her father (Matt Letscher). Again, Carrie clearly is not involved in their lives down the road, based on SATC, so viewers will want to know these two have each other, even when Carrie moves on in the Big Apple.

It's kind of hard to appreciate some aspects of The Carrie Diaries, knowing so many of the characters must either die or having a falling out with the main girl before the end of the show's run. Perhaps it will seek to chart a new path, one in which Carrie's friends and family from her hometown keep in touch, but if this show sticks to the established plot, Carrie will move on without them. Thus, I appreciate that Carrie is on her own in this episode, even as I hope for happy-ish tie-ups of the supporting players, sans Carrie, at the end. Or in the middle, judging by the pacing thus far.

Donna LaDonna (Chloe Bridges) is the one person I wish for most to somehow forge something lasting with Carrie. However, after she does something nice for Walt (Brendan Dooling), The Carrie Diaries can't resist souring our image of her once more.  I love this character as much as I hate her, and it will be interesting to see how Donna turns out as an adult... if we get that far.

The Carrie Diaries is somewhat stuck in honoring what came before it, but for the parts of the episode that a viewer can forget SATC and just take this show on its own, it's enjoyable. Maybe waiting a few more years before making this production would have helped with that somewhat, but since the CW did not, I do appreciate what's being done, even if it's not quite rising up to the shadow it's living in.

The Carrie Diaries premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

Open up and read The Carrie Diaries

Grade: 81%

Everyone is at least a little bit familiar with the HBO hit Sex and the City. When the author of the book that series is based on, Candace Bushnell, decided to write a prequel, it is little surprise that the CW, known for their teen-centric dramas, would latch on. THE CARRIE DIARIES, premiering Monday, January 14th at 8 p.m. ET. The show has a built in audience, and will surely deliver big ratings, at least initially, from Sex and the City fans who want to see how it all began.

What’s disappointing is that there is not more connection between THE CARRIE DIARIES and the original series. Yes, they are made by different people, but given the popularity of Sex and the City, and that is what the CW will be banking on to build an audience, besides their typical demographic, a cameo by Sarah Jessica Parker, or a glimpse of a familiar setting, would go a long ways. While Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte won’t show up for awhile, some thread to their world would be nice. The only touch I noticed in “The Pilot” that speaks to this is the final shot of Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) writing as she looks out the window.

That being said, the bones of the new show are firmly in place as THE CARRIE DIARIES begins. Robb may not look all that much like Parker, but she has the narration, fashion sense, and free spiritedness down. Carrie is still in high school and has a long way to go, but she’s starting off on the right foot.

Also, leaving the series set in the 1980s is a good decision. It allows it to be a period piece, setting it apart from the rest of the CW’s lineup. In retrospect, the production team can hand pick the best trends and music from that era, knowing what will stand the test of time. In this arena, they do well.

The key to the story of THE CARRIE DIARIES has to be that Carrie will grow into the character fans the world over love. That’s why the scenes set inNew York Citywork far better than the ones that take place inConnecticut. In the Big Apple, Carrie visits Century 21 department store and is introduced to the cultural scene by the style editor of her favorite magazine, Larissa (Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who, Law & Order: UK), which sets her off towards her life goals.

Back at the high school, Carrie hangs out with Mouse (Ellen Wong, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Maggie (Katie Findlay, The Killing), and Walt (Brendan Dooling), while drooling over Sebastian (Austin Butler, Life Unexpected). None of these people speak to who Carrie will become as an adult, which is probably why they will, or should, all drift away sooner, rather than later, during the run of the show. Obviously, in high school, Carrie is just beginning her real life, but knowing that none of these people play important roles later, the investment to be made in them is minimal.

The balance will have to be found in making Carrie’s high school days matter. Because they don’t, viewers will want her to hurry up and get out of her small town. But she can’t too quickly, because she has years left there. This could potentially stifle the plot, and perhaps the gun was jumped by bringing in Larissa and Carrie’s downtown job so soon.

Carrie’s home life is a different side of her entirely. Dealing with her mother’s recent passing, Carrie acts as a sort of mother figure to her younger sister, rebellious Dorrit (Stefania Owen, Running Wilde), while trying not to be too much trouble for her father, Tom (Matt Letscher, Scandal, Eli Stone). Dorrit and Tom are not in Carrie’s adult stories, so do they drift apart, do they have a major falling out, or will tragedy strike?

The home stuff is actually pretty interesting, because unlike the high school scenes, it contributes to Carrie’s maturation. But, again, because we all know what is to come, it feels a little painted into a corner. Sure, Carrie might maintain healthy relationships with her family, even though they aren’t mentioned for six seasons and two films, but it seems unlikely.

THE CARRIE DIARIES struggles with delivering the CW’s normal fare, teen angst, while building towards something much more. The “Pilot” is intriguing, but not overly special. The cast seems capable enough; will the writing find a balance that succeeds in moving things appropriately forwards? Having not read the novel yet, I do not know if the source material has a good answer for any of this, but the television show has to if it wants to stay on the air.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on Seat42F

Switched at Birth doesn't quite celebrate "The Homecoming"

     ABC Family's freshman drama Switched at Birth ends its summer run with "The Homecoming." Bay (Vanessa Marano) is no longer looking for her biological father, Angelo (Gilles Marini, Brothers & Sisters), but he finds her. This creates no shortage of drama when Bay is the only one in the family who wants Angelo around. Angelo attempts to explain why he left Regina (Constance Marie) a dozen years before the series began, and also makes efforts to reconnect. Meanwhile, Daphne (Katie Leclerc) tells Emmett (Sean Berdy) about her feelings for him, and even though Emmett ops to stay with Bay, Daphne isn't ready to give up.

     Perhaps because of the leap of faith required to accept the premise of the show, Switched at Birth doesn't seem to force unnecessary drama down the viewers' throats like other ABC Family dramas do. Until now. Daphne has never shown any interest in Emmett beyond friendship. Bay is right when she accuses Daphne of clinging to something comfortable and familiar when her life is in turmoil. With no one else to turn to, Daphne chooses Emmett. But she doesn't truly love Emmett. If she did, she would step back and let him be happy with Bay, which he most clearly is. Drama series do need drama to keep them going, but regarding Bay and Daphne's constant guy switching in the first season, this needs to stop. Especially when a dear, old friend is involved.

     Angelo appears to be a good guy, at first impression. His inability to trust Regina after learning that Daphne isn't his is a justifiable reason to leave. Yet, one can't help but wish Angelo had stuck around long enough to figure out what was really going on. Casting Marini in Switched at Birth is brilliant, as he makes Angelo immediately sympathetic, and it's easy to imagine that the character had the best of intentions with the nuanced actor in the role. Plus, he looks the part. Having little to work with in "The Homecoming," Marini is just getting started, but already brings the same wonderfulness he did to Brothers & Sisters, even after that series began slipping horribly in quality.

     How long it will take Regina and Daphne to forgive Angelo is certainly up in the air, but it will happen. It has to. Now that Angelo knows that Regina never cheated on him, he is determined to stay and be a part of his daughters' lives. He will succeed, because there is plenty of story to be had if he does, but almost none if they turn him away. To keep a drama going, story needs to be there. Expect Angelo to be around Switched at Birth quite a bit in season two.

     A sweet subplot of "The Homecoming" involves Toby (Lucas Grabeel) and Wilke (Austin Butler) trying to convince Emmett to play a gig with their band. When Toby realizes Emmett is breaking Bay's heart, he stops caring about the gig and talks seriously about his sister. But the best part of the whole situation is how quickly Toby and Wilke begin treating Emmett like they would any other guy. An obstacle portrayed in the show is the hearing community's strange behavior towards the deaf, something Emmett is well acquainted with. And of course, when the boys first meet Emmett, they are guilty of the same. But only weeks later, while perhaps taking slight advantage of the hook of a deaf drummer to land the gig, they are communicating perfectly normal towards Emmett. Lesson learned?

     Switched at Birth has been renewed for a second season, and will return soon (probably winter) to ABC Family.

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Article first published as TV Review: Switched at Birth - "The Homecoming" on Blogcritics.

Life Unexpected Ends Unexpectedly

     It seems like not that long ago (last April 13th, actually) when I wrote a fond farewell to what I was sure would be Life Unexpected's series finale. Thrilled that the CW gave the little show a second season this year, though it was renewed well after last spring's finale, so we were left hanging for quite awhile, I find myself with mixed feelings that the show is gone for good. Ok, it's not officially canceled, but it might as well be. Kudos to the network for allowing a second chance, but the ending, while plenty tear inducing, also left me frustrated, more for what it didn't show than what it did. As such, I will be focusing this review on the final moments of the show, rather than the whole series, whole season, or even the whole episode.

     The big news, of course: Baze (Kristoffer Polaha) ended up with Cate (Shiri Appleby). How could you not cry when Lux (Brittany Robertson) interrupted their make-out session to call them (for the first time seen on screen) Mom and Dad? Of course it was the dream of every child who grew up without parents, or parents being together. This was also the dream of many fans of the show, not counting myself among them. Yes, I longed for that in season one. But Baze was moving on in season two, and Ryan (Kerr Smith) was so well fleshed out as a likable character... It seemed more realistic that Cate would stay with Ryan.

     I praised the show the first time around for doing the unexpected, ending with Cate marrying Ryan. Cate and Ryan were just so invested in each other, that even after their marital problems this year, I was not happy to see them broken up. It seriously tainted the moment. Had the show been given another two seasons, as the final few moments were set two years in the future, I could easily see Ryan having left Cate to raise his baby with Julia (Jamie Ray Newman, Drop Dead Diva, Eureka) in a more natural way. Plus, it would have helped their radio careers to have them fight a lot and eventually divorce, but stay on the show. Or even not fight too much, as they seemed to still care for each other, and Ryan stayed in Lux's life, as he should have. But as Julia had barely been seen up to this point, it bothered me immensely. It was just too abrupt.

     Baze, like Cate, also had another love interest, in the form of Emma (Emma Caulfield, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gigantic). It broke my heart when he ended things with her. I totally understand. I knew finding out that she had had a four year affair with Baze's father, Jack (Robin Thomas), would end things between them. How could it not? As such, I blame the writers for ruining such a perfect pairing with that twist. On the other hand, the couple got really serious, really quickly, and had the show continued, I guess it would have been a bit boring for Baze to settle down with a woman so quickly. Not for me, but for most viewers, who like the on again-off again stories. Still, I missed Emma in that ending.

     Another option for Baze, and the one I thought was happening at first, was having him end up with Alice (Erin Karpluk), who was almost absent from this season entirely, but managed to be in the end. When I saw a pregnant Alice sitting next to Baze, I assumed she was his happy ending. It made sense. She was sweet, pretty, and recently divorced before the jump forward. Sure, since she wasn't with Baze, I am glad she was with Math (Austin Basis). Math is the epitome of a nice guy, and his unluckiness in love has been disheartening. I don't wish to take away from his happy ending by complaining. I'm just very unsettled by the whole last minute Cate - Ryan split, and that has influenced my whole opinion of the end.
 
     The other thing I had hoped for was the return of Eric (Shaun Sipos). As someone in the teaching world, I was disgusted by the Lux dating a teacher arc. But I also saw how they came together, completely unaware that they were doing anything wrong, and it hurt my heart a bit, too. Eric was good for Lux, and I had hoped he might return after she became legal age. Unlike the other relationship jumps, I'm fine with Lux ending up with Jones (Austin Butler), even though he had been dating Tasha (Ksenia Solo). Jones was the ultimate symbol of how Lux had been healed emotionally.

     I also wish for another season so I could see Lux fall in and out of love with Sam (Landon Liboiron) before she settled on Jones, as that was clearly being set up before the finale. She had some more healing to do, and Sam would have helped that process along, being a good choice for the damaged Lux, but on the road to healing himself from his parents' broken home, he could have taken her with him. Sam's continued presence would have kept Emma around long enough for Baze to try to get past her past, if he ever could, which is doubtful, but how I hoped it would go.

     Happy endings were also given to Jack, who was at the graduation sitting behind Baze, presumably with their relationship once again on the mend, and Jamie (Reggie Austin), who had almost disappeared from the show in season two. I felt like Kelly (Amy Price-Francis), similar to Sam, lost a good ending because of the pressures of wrapping up the show. Paige (Arielle Kebbel) was even more cheated, as she had been worked fairly prominently into this second season, just to go missing in the final couple of episodes.

     Life Unexpected wasn't always consistently top notch, often (especially in its sophomore year) falling to cheese or what seemed like too much drama. However, it was also often heart warming, and I will miss it.

Article first published as TV Review: Life Unexpected Ended Unexpectedly on Blogcritics.

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