Life as We Know It: The Complete Series DVD Review:

Teen shows come and go with regularity, nearly always containing the same plot twists, and yet there is something oddly addicting about them despite their unoriginal qualities. One of the only exceptions to these standards was Freaks and Geeks, a remarkable and original show which only lasted one season because audiences were never able to adjust to the originality of the show. Boasting the same producers as Freaks and Geeks, Life As We Know It also only lasted one season and seemed promising in the same way. Unfortunately this is a large deception, because Life As We Know It has none of the qualities which made Freaks and Geeks special.

Instead of casting original talent, Life As We Know It boasts an attractive cast full of hopeful heartthrobs. Instead of a subtle biting humor, Life has a melodramatic tone with obvious sex jokes. Life is a perfect example of MTV culture at work in pop art, fusing real life situations with music and fancy camera tricks. The real topper is the fact that a reality show/musician’s daughter celebrity was cast as one of the characters on the show. This show could not be much more hip, and yet that also seems to be part of the downfall.

Dino, Ben and Jonathan are ordinary high school guys; they want to have sex. Little else matters as much as this, but other issues definitely arise, which makes completing the task difficult. These three guys have little else in common aside from their obsession with women, but they have a loyalty to each other which is often the anchor of the show. The women in their lives are unpredictable and parents prove to cause more problems than not, but these three can count on each other.

The latest thing in teen drama series is to cast a fairly well recognized face as one of the parents, and D.B. Sweeney is given this privilege even though the storyline he must act out is much more generic and melodramatic than most. Still, it helps to have a few familiar faces among all of the new actors. It also helps to distinguish the show from all of the others.

There are many storylines which seem to be used in nearly every teen drama, and they are all here. Dino’s parents are going through a separation when his mother has an affair and Dino catches them. Ben begins a forbidden affair with his English teacher, one that he keeps secret from everyone including his friends. Jonathan starts to date his close friend who also happens to be somewhat heavy, an issue which bothers him only because of the ridicule he knows he will receive for dating her.

The young cast is almost too perfect, flawlessly dressed and at the highest level of cool. Even the characters which are supposed to be un-cool are so polished and perfect that the show is difficult to take seriously. The acting debut of Kelly Osbourne is a distracting one. She has a clearly American mother but she has a very inconsistent American accent herself. It is difficult to tell if they meant for her to have a subtle accent or if she is just an inconsistent actor. After a number of episodes are watched it becomes possible to ignore these distractions and get caught up in the story, but this may take time or a lower level of maturity.

All thirteen episodes, including the two which were never aired, are fit onto three stylish discs. The entire package is extremely stylish, from the weathered looking cover to the glamour shots on the inside. The bonus features include numerous audio commentaries, outtakes, deleted scenes, and a photo gallery.



Ryan Izay