LIFE UNEXPECTED: Truth Unrevealed

Sorry for getting this up a day late.  Someone forget that you have to actually hit the “Publish” button in order for the post to appear on that site. Silly, silly someone.

Last night’s episode may have included what seems like the now obligatory scene  – Cate and Lux rehashing the day’s drama and finding the life lesson within, but I’m happy to report that was one of only a few things that made last last night’s episode a typical LIFE UNEXPECTED…and that’s a good thing.

Since its inception we’ve been seeing a variation the same theme every week.  Lux has some kind of life crisis and her newly found parents bumble their way to her aid. They fight. They have differing points of view on what’s best for their daughter.  It all ends in a sweet yet strained moment during which one of the two ‘rents explain to Lux that they are new at this and they need her as much as she needs them.  It was cute the first episode or two, but it quickly left us wanting a little more in terms of character development and plot.

This week’s “Truth Unrevealed” put Lux and her issues on the back-burner and brought the slow burn that is Cate and Blaze’s relationship right up front for all the world to witness. Maybe not all the world, but at least the greater Portland area.

Seems that since Lux and Baze reentered Cate’s life she hasn’t thought of much else. Focusing on Lux is a good thing. It’s understandable. But Cate’s preoccupation with Baze seemed to be a little off-putting to some, most notably her fiance, Ryan. Baze had become a little too much of a presence in Cate’s day to day life, both physically and emotionally, and even a great guy like Ryan has his boiling point.  If waking up to Baze in his bathroom wasn’t enough, then certainly have his fiance’s former lover taking over his radio show was where Ryan drew the line.

Yes, welcome to Morning Madness with Cate & Ryan & Baze. Trina, the stuffy but slutty network exec who already has a chip on her shoulder about Cate, welcomed the opportunity to tell the ‘she said’ part of this morning duo exactly what she thought of the show’s sliding ratings. With her back against the wall, Cate really had no recourse when Trina insisted that Baze join the duo on their morning show. They way Trina saw it, since Cate talked about Baze so much, the audience might as well hear from him. In doing do, perhaps the confusion about the Ryan/Cate/Baze triangle would finally me sorted out. If she only knew.

It’s not a matter of if as much as it is when it’s going to be revealed that Cate and Baze slept together the night of Lux’s emancipation hearing. If Cate’s obsession with all things Baze wasn’t tip off enough, Ryan saw a glimpse of a physical connection last week.  You can’t blame the guy for wondering how deep the connection really is between his fiance and her baby daddy.

When confronted by Ryan, Cate denied that anything had happened between her and Baze. Oh Cate. She’s keeping the truth from Ryan, yet she has no problem talking to Lux about her one-nighter with Baze. That’s kind of a big lie to ask your 16 year old daughter to hold on to. Given the way she blurted out Cate’s very private relationship with Ryan, you would think Mommy dearest might want to get ahead of the truth this time around.

It what seems to be a trend, Lux once again shown more maturity than both her parents combined in her handling of her own messy relationship drama. Faced with Bug going to jail for “borrowing” Jones’ car, Lux pleads with her classmate to drop the charges. He agrees on the condition that Bug hand over his motorcycle. Bug reluctantly agrees, but Lux decides that Jones needs to better understand why the bike is so important to Bug. In retelling the woes of Bug we get better insight to the hardships that Luz herself has faced.  Her whole life she’s grasped on to  any signs of love and affection, even if it was a cheap, fake gold locket.

Misinterpreting what he saw between Lux and Jones (or maybe not), Bug flew off the handle and punched Jones. Ok, maybe he punched Jones first and then jumped on the handles, but either way, Bug wasn’t too happy.  He lost his temper with Lux and called her “damaged”. Ouch.

Witnessing the whole exchange, Cate wan’t too pleased to see someone hurt her daughter like that.  She told Lux that she needed to confront Bug and tell him just how not ok it is to treat her so cruelly. Lux confessed that she was afraid to do so out of fear that she might lose the already emotionally fragile Bug. But Cate told her that she had to be honest with him if they ever had a shot of being happy together. Cate in all of her motherly wisdom tells Lux that a relationship can’t be built on lies.

Oh writers, must you be so blatant? Sorry, but the mother-daughter relationship parallels were a little too heavy-handed for me last night.

It was also during this mother-daughter chat that Cate unloaded about her feelings for Baze and Ryan. It seems Cate’s inner 16 year old still wants to be liked by the popular guy. I think it has more to do with the fact that (a) she shares a child with Baze and as such a deep rooted connection and (b) Baze is damn hot! But if Cate needs to find a way to justify her feelings then more power to her.

Taking her mother’s advice, Lux went to Bug and confessed that Jones did try to kiss her but she pushed him away. But she did nothing wrong and didn’t deserve to be treated then way he did.  She went as far as to compare him to his degenerate father, a line Lux probably wishes she hadn’t crossed.  Bug insisted that Lux leave as he didn’t want to be around her if he was turning into his father.  In the end, Lux got a call from Gavin saying that Bug left town.

Bug, come back! I have to say, Bug (Rafi Gavron) had really grown on me.  Yes, he might be a little rough around the edges, but to take his own line, the kid is in fact “damaged”. Not damaged beyond repair, but enough so that he is emotionally fragile enough to cut out on someone before they cut out on him.  Here’s to hoping Bug comes back soon, because I think he’s a sweet kid underneath all those neck tattoos.

Just as Lux was confronting Bug, a teary-eyed Cate showed up at Ryan’s doorstep (I guess he didn’t get rid of his bachelor pad) with the full intent on confessing her indiscretions. Unfortunately, Cate – who is always so quick to judge Baze’s emotional maturity – opted to tell Ryan that all she and Baze had shared since their high school one-nighter was a kiss. If there is a sale at Home Depot this week someone pick up Cate a few shovels. She’s going to need them. The hole she’s digging herself gets deeper by the day.

It’s getting harder and harder for me to like Cate. Seems that Baze and I differ in that way.  Just as she’s trying to figure out her feelings for him, Baze is trying to sort out what he feels for Cate. He really needs to move on.  Cate is with Ryan and Ryan is awesome. That goodness the showrunner  has gone on the record about Ryan’s role. I’m not ready for Kerr Smith to go anywhere. He’s really brought something special to Ryan. I think with a lesser actor it might be easier to just root for Team Baze.  But Baze has a lot of growing up to do. I’m most definitely rooting for Ryan!

This episode came at just the right time. The patience of some viewers had been wearing thin. With only a handful of episodes under its belt, LIFE UNEXPECTED was already becoming a bit too formulaic. Glad to see it broke its own mold this week.

A few other random thoughts while I contemplate how to get Ryan to leave Cate and marry me (I’d love a summer wedding, Jack McPhee)

• I need Cate to be more likable. I understand she’s the one who thinks she shouldering all this responsibility, but she’s not. She’s bringing most of her woes on herself.  I feel like lately all she’s doing is judging others in that shrill way that she does. Make me want to root for her, writers.

• How about a little more from Baze’s friends.  Jamie is growing on me. He’s got some funny stuff.  But my heart belongs to Math. Talk about the angel and devil on Baze’s shoulders.

• Kerr Smith is really impressing me.  The scene in the doorway when he asked Cate if she slept with Baze slayed me.  Oh how I love Kerr!

• I haven’t yet figured out how I feel about Jones. As I’ve said, I love me some Bug, but I don’t think Jones is going away anytime soon.  He seems like the cliched jock, and I can just imagine the predictable storyline if he and Lux were to get together.  Ugh.  But on the other hand, he bought her that locket and that was all kinds of adorable.

• Going back to my first point here, Cate needs to lighten up. How about more nights out with that producer friend of hers. Love her! That’s the chick from BEING ERICA, right?

• Base is a complete and utter mess of a man. But I love him.  It can’t be helped.

So I’m late to the game but I’m hoping someone has some thoughts to share on this week’s LIFE UNEXPECTED.  Anyone?