Being somewhat of a mix of a soap-opera, "The Pretender", and "Dawson's Creek", this show certainly surprised me, especially since I don't much care for those three.
We start with a basic mysterious boy story - he has some exceptional abilities, no memory, a caring psychiatrist, a newly acquired family to take him in, and a mysterious stalker - within which setting he must try to discover his identity.
This premise sounds pretty boring and even overdone in movies and TV, but the show grew on me, and I was hooked by the end of the season. Though many comments complain about the poor script and wooden acting, I beg to differ. Matt Dallas is well cast as a juvenile and naive character. He is supposed to have that doe-eyed-in-on-coming-head-lights look. I have to admit that some of the overall dialogue approaches cheesiness at times, but for the most part, the story stands well on its own and makes up for that.
I also thought this had nowhere to go after the first season, but the writers managed to put in a decent finale that will keep fans interested for the next season.
Some people have complained about the "adultness" of the material. I suppose this isn't the type of show for children to watch if they aren't yet familiar with typical teenager topics like sex, drinking, relationships, drugs, and general mischief; all the stuff that I'm sure many parents want to turn a blind eye to. Is it appropriate for ABC Family channel? You be the judge. Try it out, though. I think you'll enjoy the series. 7/10
