Emma Caulfield on 'Life Unexpected': 'It's a Show Worthy of a Better Push Than It Has'

When Emma Caulfield called TV Squad a few weeks ago to talk about 'Life Unexpected,' The CW brass hadn't yet decided that they weren't going to order a full season of the sophomore series.

But even before the bad news, Caulfield expressed her disappointment at the show's struggle for ratings. "It's a show worthy of a better push than it has," she told us. "It's worthy of a life. It'd be a loss, I think -- definitely, actually -- to not let it run its course."

Aside from the show's bubble status, though, the Vancouver set seems like a happy place. Caulfield said she and her castmates hang out regularly because they genuinely like each other, and they love the show they're working on. She relates to her character, Emma, in a way that has nothing to do with the fact that they share the same name.

"She's got a lot going on," Caulfield said. "Emma appears very together and very confident, but she's got a lot of baggage. She's a very complex individual."

Do you relate to Emma?
I think you have to -- for any character you play hopefully there's something you identify with, otherwise there's really nothing to attach to. I haven't played a part yet where I haven't found something I can relate to.

I can relate to her being guarded. I'm very guarded. I will watch and observe for a little while before I engage, which can come off, unfortunately -- maybe, I don't know -- not good. [Laughs.] I don' t know if it can come off cold or it can come off, "What's up with that girl?" but it really is not. It really is just me, like, questioning people's motives. I'm not entirely trustful of people, human beings in general. "What do you want? What's your agenda?" [When] I feel like I can step foot into the situation, then I will, but otherwise I can't be bothered.

I'm glad that Baze and Emma finally realized they have a love connection.
Yeah, they're hot for each other!

What's coming next for them?
That relationship will be fully explored. They both bring out a lot in each other -- most of it very good. There's a lot there. For him, she's a huge catalyst in his development, and him for her as well. He definitely brings out a side of her that has been dormant for a long time -- for good reason.

A romantic side? A wild side?
A vulnerable side, a romantic side, a guard coming down -- maybe it's okay to put both feet down; maybe the shoe won't drop. But there's always this undercurrent of unrest with her, for good reason. She gets to laugh with him and she gets to feel alive with him. She's, I think, been pretty dead inside for a long time.

It seems like the cast hangs out a lot off set together.
We do. We have a good time. I think we just all really like each other! We have a natural chemistry. You can't really force that. We genuinely have a really nice, organic, comfortable rapport with each other and we make each other laugh. The degrees of stupidity that go on on a daily basis -- I couldn't even repeat the jokes that were told [when we all watched an episode together] last night. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time I laughed that hard. I mean, I was literally sweating because I couldn't catch my breath. That's not atypical of what we experience when we all hang out together. It's a very real friendship chemistry there.

What's it like to be in a show that's been on the bubble?
It sucks. What else are you gonna say? Who wants to be in a show that's on the bubble? That's lame. That's not a good time. it's definitely engenders a really amazing response from fans. You can see that there are people out there who love the show and who are being forced to be very vocal about their love for the show in order to keep it going, which is really lovely to hear. When you're working you do live in another kind of bubble, so it really does make a difference for the cast, hearing and seeing the response from people in an effort to save the show.

A lot of people have compared 'Life Unexpected' to an old-school WB-style show. You were on a WB show ['Buffy the Vampire Slayer'], do you see any similarities?
Yeah, I do. It has a sort of 'Dawson's'-'Gilmore Girls'-The WB of old vibe. ... It's not glitzy. It's not Las Vegas with glitter. It's a very slow burn, you know? I prefer that. That's just me.

What would you tell people how haven't seen the show? Why should they watch?
It has a sweetness to it. There's a genuineness to the characters and to the story. There's a real purity there. Ultimately, the show is about those little moments in time that you really don't realize until some time later how impactful they were to you.


[Follow Jean on Twitter @hijean]