Life as We Know It

The Yankees weren't playing, so I was flipping around and caught this show. Now, there have been many films/shows about hormone-driven high school boys.

What sets "life as we know it" apart is the writing. The dialogue and story lines are both funny (the one guy whose parents accuse of being chronic masturbator) and heartfelt (Dino's mother's affair). The performances from the three leads are top-notch: Foster is much improved from his brooding turn in "Door in the Floor," and Faris, who looks like Tom Cruise, Jr., is also a fine actor. With his looks and acting ability he is probably poised for superstardom.

The friendship that the three boys share is really at the center of this show. While on the surface it may seem like it is only about sex, most viewers will be able to see that this show is really about surviving adolescence in America and "getting by with a little help from your friends."

Highest Recommendation

Great! I saw the pilot about an hour ago, and I'm still itching to watch more. I can't help it! There are tons of teen dramas on television nowadays that I try to shy away from (The O.C, One Tree Hill, Degrassi), but honestly, I don't think I'll be able to not watch this.

It's edgy, and it uses a completely original (at least, as far as I've seen) format for how the three main characters' stories are told, through freeze shots where they relay their inner thoughts to the viewer. Our hero's aren't perfect, they all have flaws (for instance, the character Dino's sneaky schemes to get his girlfriend to have sex with him), but they are all endearing.

The music is great, the acting is decent (and nowadays, decent is all you can really ask for) and the subplots are all intriguing. I mean, it's only the pilot, and already there is loads of drama to have me in front of my T.V set next Thursday night!

I must say, my favorite character already is Johnathan, who's an awkward but sweet guy, desperate to keep up with his friends (especially the ladies man Dino), but also confront his feelings for his "fat" best friend, played by Kelly Osbourne (who, surprisingly, did really well!). Overall, if you're looking for an hour or so of some solid entertainment (nothing award-winning I admit), and you're a fan of this genre, you might want to take a gander at this show.

WOW.."Life as We Know It" has been only on 3 times and i've fallen head-over-heals for this show! I can relate to it so much. I give my friends, family, and myself each a role in the show... it is like our lives but on TV. I've never seen anything like this before. The show seems so real, like you are there with the characters. When the characters talk to the TV screen and say what they are feeling, i thik its great. For all those times a girl has no idea what a boy is really thinking in his head (and vice versa) it is revealed; and its not revealed in a corny way either, it actually makes sense. I hadn't seen previews for the show in a few weeks and i thought it might have be canceled, which would be completely wrong. This show is basically a teen agers life in a nut shell, and the way they have to deal with different difficulties is so real. I look forward to it every Thursday night!!

Coming from a 14-year-old male, I was genuinely interested in seeing this. I knew it was going to be blunt, but I had no idea. The guys willing tell you that they're horny, and one even gets up and runs off to the bathroom, presumably to masturbate.

At least wait until you get home.

ANYWAY, this is one of the best teen dramas I've seen in a while. The idea of characters narrating the story does make it seem a bit like My So-Called Life, but "life as we know it" found a different way of narrating. The background freezes, and the character looks directly at the camera and comments. It felt a little forced at the beginning, but it soon meshed in and felt natural.

Each of the main characters (Dino, Jonathan, and Ben) have their own problems, aspirations and failures, and plenty of flaws. And they talk like any normal person would. I'm sick of hearing people on TV flaunting words I've never even heard of.

The characters were well thought-out, they appear to be contrived for a moment,(Stud, Skittish Nerd, A Student) but almost immediately reveal different facets to their personalities, making them seem multi-dimensional. By the time I finished the pilot I felt like they were my best friends, that I'd known them my whole life. The acting is very good, especially coming from kids, and Kelly Osbourne held up remarkably well.

Their reactions and emotions ring true, and thank God, Jonathan (the nerd) actually acts (although doesn't look) like a nerd. He stated, "I've only really been with one other girl, and she...well, we tried and I like, couldn't find anything. I mean, it's not like diagrams or even in the magazines, it's really complicated!! So...she just laughed and, um, left."

Ouch. But finally a "nerd" who has "nerdy" problems.

Anyway, this is one of the best, and most realistic teen dramas I've seen in a while. It's actually quite funny at points, so it's thankfully not a soap-fest. And it's also a relief to see a teen drama that isn't built around an outlandish premise...(cough, The OC, One Tree Hill, cough cough). It takes place in thankfully unremarkable Seattle. I just hope that this show doesn't fall into the same ratings no-mans-land that My So-Called Life did.

So, watch this show, it'll be worth your while.

There have only been two episodes of this so far, but I am hooked already! Kudos to ABC for presenting a teenage drama that does not sugarcoat teenage issues or pretend to moralize. I look forward to seeing what develops in the future. I knew guys (and girls) just like this when I was in high school. Sex, drugs, drinking, parties...yes, parents, it all happens. This is very well-written and developed, and I hope it can escape the axe. ABC needs to give this show a chance to build a fan base. I also enjoy "The O.C.," but it is more fantasy escapism. "Life As We Know It" is more edgy and real. Also, Kelly Osbourne is such a natural actress! I am impressed with her acting and I love her character.