First look at "Life Unexpected" my review

The network's description:

"After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux (Britt Robertson, "Swingtown") has decided it's time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate "Baze" Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha, "Mad Men"), who owns a bar, lives like an aging frat-boy with two slacker roommates, and is astonished to learn that he has a teenage daughter. Lux is equally astonished when Baze reveals that her mother is Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby, "E.R."), a star on the local "Morning Madness" radio show, along with her on-air partner and real-life boyfriend, Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith, "Eli Stone"). Lux has been listening to Cate's voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she's never met. Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care, but thrilled to finally meet her beautiful daughter. When a judge decides that Lux isn't ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves.

What I really like was the old school WB in the best possible way, "Life" may be both the sappiest and the smartest show to come out. It all begins with the collective awesomeness that is Britt Robertson, Kristoffer Polaha, Shiri Appleby and Kerr Smith. Effortlessly charming, stunningly empathetic and an all around a joy to watch, our central quartet make what could be written off as a silly premise - two opposites must now raise the precocious product of their one night stand from high school! - into a surprisingly poignant tale about love and forgiveness.

Britt Robertson will break your heart at least once in the pilot as her wise-beyond-her years, "Juno"-esque Lux simply asks the world why no one loves her. Credit writer Liz Tigelaar and director Gary Fleder for answering that question with two very real responses. In Baze's case, he didn't know about her but now that she's here, she's somehow unlocked an - for the lack of a better word - unexpectedly paternal part of himself. For Cate, it's the full grown reminder of a decade and a half of shame and mistrust as a result of her decision to give Lux up for adoption, one that becomes all the more soul crushing after learning she never got adopted.

Now in order to take care of Lux she'll have to do the previously unthinkable - fix herself. In other words, both Baze and Cate definitely need some growing up - and Lux is the kick they need to do it. It's a wonderfully adult take on your typical quarterlife crisis as I genuinely want to know what made these people who they are and see what they become.

The steamy sex scene between Nate and Cate was definitely something I was not expecting to see and it was most definitely hot! And to have the Spin Doctors playing throughout it? Awesome! I love that song!

I am starting to feel old these days, especially because we relate more to the parental figures then the teenager in this show, but Nate knows how to make me feel young again. I think Lux is more mature than him.

There were plenty of tear jerker moments throughout this episode and I, for one, think that is a big feat for The CW. Most shows these days don't put that much of an emotional investment into their characters. It's so nice to watch something on television that isn't a crime scene show or a reality TV show. I have very high hopes for Life Unexpected!

What I didn't really like was the show admittedly can get a little too saccharine at times. For instance, Lux wasn't adopted because of congenital heart defect - she literally had a hole in her heart; while Lux also reveals that she's been a lifelong "Morning Madness" fan, meaning her mother had in effect been a part of her life all along. These types of blatant tugs on the heartstrings, while forgivable, still feel kind of unnecessary. All in all though...

Until next Monday, I will leave you with a few of my favorite Life Unexpected quotes:

Lux: You both can't be parents, you both need parents! |

Baze: My dad said to do what I love and I love to drink for free. |

Lux: You'd think with your last name being Foster, you'd actually be equipped to be a foster parent. |

The bottom line: ...it's the start of a beautifully charming series.