It’s funny how the first show (or sometimes several shows) back from summer hiatus focuses on settling the events we missed. It is like the “What I did over my summer vacation” assignment writ large. It’s the next episode (or whatever) that sometimes carries the task of setting up what the whole season will look like. That’s what I think Life Unexpected was doing with “Parents Unemployed” because Cate’s and Baze’s storylines this year are going to be about what jobs they do have, not the ones they lost. I hope Eric is just a storyline passing through, but I do expect Lux’s academic challenges at school will probably stick around for a while.
I have a bit of an issue with this “Lux is failing” storyline. First off, she’s proven herself to be a pretty smart girl. She’s one of those students that doesn’t need to need to try to do well (then you hit college, and your grades go downhill and nothing makes sense and … um … never mind). Then, there’s this other, fairly significant factor. One of her teachers lives with her father. You’d think that Math might have a conversation with Baze. Or use it as an excuse to talk to Cate. It isn’t like his is the class that she’s performing the worst in … Oh, wait….
Lux’s decision to take the easy way out does work for me though. Not that I’m advocating cheating or anything (because cheaters never win, boys and girls), but because it makes sense for Lux. In fact, there’s a lot more to be learned from cheating on a test about Great Expectations than actually reading Great Expectations. Because she’s going to get caught, and if you can’t see that coming, then, well, I just don’t know what to tell you. Hopefully she’ll realize it is much easier to watch the movie and fake your way through it.
I’m a fan of teachers dating students as much as the next guy (only because I still haven’t gotten over a particular crush that we won’t talk about again), but this one just feels creepy. Julia will probably find a way to call me a sexist for this statement, but for some reason, it always feels much more creepy when the younger participant in the relationship is a girl. Pacey and Tamara didn’t seem nearly this unseemly, nor did Dan and Rachel on Gossip Girl.
That being said, I’m not exactly sure how Lux lied to Eric. She did date Bug for years, she was wearing an engagement ring. Did Eric announce his age at the beginning of the “not-date?” I don’t think so. Granted, the relationship will never work, and should never work, and I’m not exactly looking forward to a several episode arc to prove that. I think, considering her background and history with Bug, that it would be interesting to see her try to be in a normal high school relationship, as much as any high school relationship is normal.
I’ve been excited for the addition of Emma Caulfield to the cast ever since the announcement. Anya is one of my all-time Buffyverse favorite characters, owed a great deal to what Caulfield brought to such a unique character. I’m not entirely sure I like Baze not trying to re-open Open Bar (Coolest. Bar. Name. Ever.), instead trying his hand at corporate life. I do have to ask, what is the over/under on Baze and Emma getting together?
Notes & Quotes
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Sep 22, 2010 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
‘family trees that are as bent or broken’ — ಠ_ಠ
‘only because I still haven’t gotten over a particular crush that we won’t talk about again’ — who?
I just don’t want to see the student dating a teacher thing in this because it was just done on Pretty Little Liars. This was even set up in a similar fashion: he met her in a bar.
I had some other comments when I read this on my phone like 3 hours ago but I forgot them. If I remember I’ll post again.
*POST AUTHOR*
Yeah, you like what I did there??? :)
Student/Teacher crush. No real story.
I don’t watch Pretty Little Liars, but the Dawson’s Creek and Gossip Girl takes on the same story were enough for me (And DC did it well).
That’s why you get the look of disapproval sir. I literally groaned when I read that. upvote for you. (wow I spend too much time on reddit)
I loved when DC did it. In fact, I just love that show. My friend introduced me to it back in like 2003 when I was in high school.
At least on Pretty Little Liars they went further than the crush & actually kept a hidden relationship. Good show, you should check it out. It’s over for the summer, but was still an interesting show to watch.
*POST AUTHOR*
I didn’t recognize the disapproval. Actually, at this point I’m just going to imagine you liked the best theme song pun since S1 Veronica Mars said’ “We used to be friends, a long time ago.”. :)
Pretty Little Liars, and whether or not I would watch and/or cover it was such a running joke this summer that I came home to find my then girlfriend watching it and made her turn it off :)
I was a little disapointed with how things finally unfold. I was really hoping to see the Kate and Baze show in the compiting radio show (that would be awesome!), but in the end if we get more Emma is fine by me.
*POST AUTHOR*
I actually expected Ryan to quit and go to the other station with her, whom indicated that they’d like to have both of them.
I dropped the show after 15 episodes last season and you underline I was right in doing so. The writers seem to struggle finding anything for the characters to do. It’s as if those three could be a happy little family but the show (or better: the demo) needs conflict. So the writers pull conflict out of their collective asses and it jus seems idiotic.