You didn't think it's just Cate (Shiri Appleby) who'll do horribly in this whole parenting thing, did you? To balance things off on Life Unexpected, there's got to be an episode where Baze (Kristoffer Polaha) will screw up royally, and that's just what happened on "Formal Reformed." We also found out where Cate's kind of unlikable personality stems from (think horrible high school experience), though that doesn't excuse the annoying voice.
On tonight's episode, Cate and Ryan (Kerr Smith) are still doing the show, making snide remarks and pretending that they're together. It's creepy how well Ryan can switch from sweet banter to icy I-hate-you-b-tch in zero seconds. Ryan is pretty much absent on this episode, since it's all about the past.
The doesn't-Abercrombie-have-a-girlfriend situation was finally cleared, while Jones was helping Lux (Britt Robertson) out with her bike. He also casually asked her to the Winter Formal, and Lux's first reaction: "I'd rather eat paste." When she realized he wasn't kidding, she actually said yes.
But just as Lux was trying out her dress, she heard a tiny, "Hey," and turned to see that Bug and his spider tattoo were back. Lux was angry at first, but when Bug told her that he's ready to change, she just hopped into bed with him. Lux has a lot to learn about guys. But seriously, Bug's voice is really tiny it's distracting.
Bug's tiny voice was soon blaring into Lux's ears for going to the dance with the quarterback, something he discovered half-naked, under Lux's bed while Abby was giving Lux the Sex Talk. Talk about timing - getting the sex talk right after sex. Lux gave Bug a blinding flash of the obvious, which essentially was, "You left me first, jerk. Remember?"
With that out of the way, we can admire Lux's choice of footwear to the dance.
And since we're admiring stuff, we can also take the time to admire Jones' dance, which is mostly jumping up and down while pointing upward. While dancing, Lux noticed that her parents - actually, just Cate - were yapping in the sidelines again. "It always ends up about them," she complained to Jones in his car. Explanation: Cate was there with Math, who was chaperoning; Baze was there after discovering Bug's condom in Lux's room. So they both went to the Winter Formal.
Jones wasn't exactly pleased when he learned that Lux, on the same day, slept with Bug. Apparently, when he told Lux that they are "friends" he meant the other type of "friend." You know, the "friend" you slow dance with. Just as mother and daughter were sharing tragic tales of Winter Formals, Bug showed up with a bouquet of flowers and an apology. That small voice again.
When Baze got home to find Abby on the bar, we all know where things were going. But alas, just when we thought they wouldn't be sleeping together (and maybe Baze had indeed changed), their tryst was revealed in the only way
Life Unexpected knows how: in the most awkward of circumstances, by Lux. Cate was outside, and she wanted to recreate their own Winter Formal experience 16 years ago so she could move on from the past.
So now Baze has a secret?
Best quotes from "Winter Reformed":
1. "I'd rather eat paste." - Lux, after Jones asked him to the Winter Formal
2. "What are you wearing?" - Math, after Lux told them that she's going to the dance
3. "Cher. But not in a gay way." - Math
"Is there another way?" - Baze
4. "There are many ways to get the same feeling without actually having sex. Flexible showerheads, vibrating back massagers, the spin cycle of a washing machine.." - Abby, on telling Lux, needlessly, to stay a virgin
5. "Being back on this gym actually makes my boob hurt." - Cate, forgot the context (something about dodge ball), but still funny
(Image courtesy of the CW)