’Life Unexpected’ Is Unexpectedly Sweet

Most shows on the CW are not exactly family-friendly, and slide much more toward the “soap opera” side of the entertainment scale. However, “Life Unexpected” a new family drama that debuted this season, is a welcome breath of fresh air.

The story follows a teenage girl (Lux) who has been bounced around in foster care her entire life and is now trying to get emancipated from the state. In order to do so, she needs the signatures of her birth parents, two clueless professionals who gave away their child as teenagers and assumed that the system would care for her.

Once her birth parents meet her, however, well-meaning Cate and stuck-in-puberty Baze don’t feel like they can just abandon her again, and so begins a fantastic discussion on family, love, responsibility and the choices we face.

The concept is decidely pro-life – while Cate was a scared and lonely 16-year-old who got knocked up by the high school quarterback – she still delivers her child and gives her up for adoption, making the tough choice for life.  Pro-choice advocates would probably tell this story as a great reason for abortion, completely absolving Cate of all guilt if she had chosen to abort Lux.

But she didn’t. Now this child that she chose to give life to is a feeling, hoping and beautiful young woman who wants a family more than anything in the world.

“Life Unexpected” is not perfect, any more than real life is. People make mistakes and family is messy, but “Life Unexpected” shows an appreciation for life, family and marriage, despite a world that often devalues such eternal things.

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