There are not a lot of shows out there that one can actually watch with their teenagers, especially where both you and your kids will be entertained. "Kyle XY" has just enough of everything to make for a terrific family show. What makes "Kyle XY" truly special is how frankly it deals with teenage subjects. If you ever wanted a way to broach a subject with that fickle crowd, here it is! Just pop in an episode and let the ABC Family hit do the talking for you. Hey, your kids may actually listen! ;)

If you haven't heard of it before, "Kyle XY" is a summer series on the cable network, ABC Family. The show got a big boost when ABC aired encore episodes Friday nights on the network. ABC also stirred a lot of interest with an aggressive advertising campaign that included giant billboards featuring the lone image of Kyle, showing his belly-buttonless naval with one line plastered across the bottom. “Who is Kyle XY?”

The pilot begins with Kyle (Matt Dallas) waking up in a forest outside of Seattle. He is naked and covered in pink "goo." Alone, he wanders through the forest and, eventually, into the city. As Kyle does not speak for 21 minutes to another soul, we are guided through his experience with voice over narration. Trust me, it's not as bad as it sounds. :) Probably underrated because he is on a cable family show, Matt Dallas does an exceptional job of drawing the viewer in with his first expression. Like any superior actor, Dallas does not need words to tell a story. With subtle movement of eyelids, eyebrows and his famous "Kyle" smile, Dallas deftly portrays a sweet, child-like innocence and curiosity while hinting at great intellect beneath the surface. So, within a matter of minutes, the viewer is drawn completely into Kyle's world.

"My birth was unconventional at best. My first memory was waking up in the forest. Like a newborn baby, I had no idea who I was or what was happening."

With the first three lines of narration, the plot for Season 1 is laid bare. Kyle is missing both memories and, it turns out, a belly button. Once he is taken in by psychologist, Nicole Trager, and her family, the mystery of who Kyle is and here he comes from intensifies. Nicole’s son, Josh, begins keeping a notebook of Kyle’s strange behavior and intently believes that Kyle must be from outer space. What else would explain how he learns to speak in a day, finishes an hour-long test in five minutes and is strong enough to hold a kid suspended in the air with one hand? Plus, it turns out he is being stalked by a mysterious man named Tom Foss. Although it is not clear whether Kyle is from the future, an alien, a science experiment, the next wave of evolution or the Second Coming, it is clear that he is, somehow, very important and has a profound effect on those around him. First rejecting the idea of a stranger entering their home, Kyle finds a way to bond with siblings, Josh and Lori, as well as parents Stephen and Nicole. Ultimately, the Tragers become Kyle’s family.

Rather than give away much of the season’s developments (because that’s the fun bit), I have listed the ten episodes and their key plot points. Together with the pilot, each episode pieces together Kyle’s past and, yes, the last episode of the season actually answers questions – although it also poses a whole new batch. ;) Still, I guarantee you will have a pretty solid idea of who Kyle is and where he come from by the time the credits roll on the final episode.

----Disc One----

Episode 1 – Pilot: Kyle is found and taken to a juvenile facility where he meets psychologist, Nicole Trager. Believing he is unsafe at the facility, Nicole takes Kyle into her home temporarily. This upsets the family dynamic as they find Kyle’s infantile ignorance inconvenient to their daily lives. Son, Josh Trager, is forced to share his room and caught by Kyle during an inconvenient bathroom moment. After Kyle makes a simple gesture towards amends, Josh relinquishes his resentment regarding the invasion of privacy. Daughter, Lori Trager, explores the angst of teenage relationships and the unpleasant side of drinking and parties. After rescuing her from a negative situation, she has a change of heart regarding Kyle. Mother, Nicole, is drawn to Kyle when he expresses great fear of the world and calls her “Mom” while asking for her help. Father, Stephen Trager, relinquishes his concerns about Kyle after he exhibits great thoughtfulness, demonstrates an aptitude with computers and has a bonding moment with Josh.

* Themes: Teenage sexuality & relationships; interpersonal communication.

Episode 2 – Sleepless in Seattle: Nicole becomes concerned when she discovers that Kyle has not slept since his arrival. She takes him for testing and he ends up with an odd MRI. A police investigation continues into Kyle’s mysterious appearance. Lori plays cat and mouse with potential boyfriend, Declan McDunaugh. Josh starts keeping a notebook of Kyle’s odd behavior and tells Nicole he believes Kyle is an alien.

* Themes: Uncertainty of teenage relationships; feelings of being out of place/not belonging; what it means to be part of a family/adoption/foster care.

Episode 3 – The Lies That Bind: Kyle has gone from not sleeping to oversleeping. A body is found in the woods where Kyle was found, along with a mysterious keycard. Stephen takes Kyle to work. Stephen is asked to lie about upcoming layoffs. Josh asks Kyle to complete a test for his summer school class. Lori asks Kyle to lie about being left home alone when she was supposed to watch him. Amanda Bloom (potential love interest) wrecks her car after seeing Kyle jump off the roof. She panics about what to tell her mother. Tom Foss is associated with the body.

* Themes: Lying, loyalty & responsibility; having a purpose/feeling “in the way”/belonging; teenage sexuality & relationships – betrayal & holding on to someone who doesn’t feel the same.

Episode 4 – Diving In: Kyle nearly drowns at the pool and discovers what an erection is after the lifeguard (Amanda) saves him. Trying to get out of having to watch Kyle, Lori strikes a deal with Josh. She gets him the phone number of a girl at the pool and he arranges for Kyle to take swim lessons for a few hours a day with Amanda. A connection is made between Kyle and the body found in the woods. We learn more about Tom Foss. The Tragers try and enroll Kyle at school with one-on-one tutoring. Amanda is creeped out when she discovers pictures Kyle has drawn of her. Lori finally gets a date with Declan. Kyle learns about Amanda’s father who died a year ago.

* Themes: Male sexuality, erections & masturbation; teenage relationships; female sexuality & loss of virginity.

Special Features: Audio commentary for Pilot episode and “Diving In.” Pilot commentary includes producers Julie Plec & David Himelfarb, actor Matt Dallas and creator Eric Bress. The commentary for “Diving In” includes Julie Plec, Matt Dallas and actress April Matson. Both commentaries are excellent, giving a lot of tidbits and insights into the process. Julie Plec carries both commentaries, providing very detailed information with her vibrant and inviting voice. Surprisingly, Matt Dallas also provides a lot of information in both commentaries. On the other hand, April Matson only chimes in haphazardly. The Pilot commentary is exceptional as Himelfarb, Bress and Plec actually talk a lot about the process of creating the pilot, including audience testing. They also give notes about why changes were made from the original pilot (included on Disc Three) to the version that was finally aired. The commentary for “Diving In” is also particularly insightful; the only disappointing part is when the commentary cuts out for a few minutes. Plec mentions wanting to share what was written in the original script and then she is clearly censored. The extensive lull leaves one with an intense curiosity regarding the original scene. Props go out to the commentators for not getting stuck in “actor praise” or any other kind of congratulatory rambling.

----Disc Two----

Episode 5 – This is Not a Test: Kyle goes to school with Josh and Lori. Lori is on the outs with her best friend and alienated by their group. Josh is placed in remedial classes, while trying to maintain his connection with his friends he insults and alienates a school bully who is in class with him. Nicole insists that Kyle receive one-on-one tutoring instead of attending classes with everyone else. Meanwhile, Kyle wanders off and makes friends with the school outcast. Tom Foss breaks into the Trager house.

* Themes: Being an outsider/feeling different; teenage friendships & fighting; connection & alienation.

Episode 6 – Blame it On the Rain: Kyle starts to recover some memories of his past when Declan appears at the window in the middle of the night. Kyle discovers the man in his memory is a professor who has gone missing. Lori is unhappy about her birthday and is upset that Declan stayed the night in Kyle’s room. The day becomes awkward as they deal with the aftermath of their night together. Amanda comes over and everyone spends the day inside because of the rain. Kyle becomes stir crazy due to his lack of memories and blows up at Josh for his alien theories. Tom Foss is a security guard and keeps tabs on the Tragers.

* Themes: Belonging; relationships; judging others; friendship; responsibility.

Episode 7 – Kyle Got Game: Josh convinces Kyle to try out for the basketball team. When Charlie (Amanda’s boyfriend) gets him on the team, Josh starts taking bets on the outcome of the championship game. Stephen shows exceptional interest in Kyle instead of Josh. Lori and former best friend, Hillary, compete for Declan’s attention. Declan is upset about competing with Kyle on the team. The coach pushes Declan too far, demanding that he play on an injured ankle. A connection is made between the missing professor and the body in the woods.

* Themes: Loyalty, competition & friendship; jealousy; what it means to be part of a team; the pitfalls of gambling.

Episode 8 – Memory Serves: Kyle uses hypnosis to recover memories. He makes a connection to the missing professor and Tom Foss. The Tragers talk to the security company and have Foss moved from their block. While under hypnosis, he also starts spouting gibberish. Lori and Declan hatch a plan to take Kyle to the University of Washington to explore his connection to the missing professor. Lori gets jealous when a college girl hits on Declan, so she spends the night with one of the college guys. Kyle discovers a picture of a man who looks identical to him. Declan learns to trust Lori. Kyle learns to trust Declan. The relationship between Kyle and Declan begins to interfere with Lori and Declan’s relationship.

* Themes: The importance of communication; trust; relationships/being faithful; honesty.

Special Features: None.

----Disc Three----

Episode 9 – Overheard: After Foss’ warning, Kyle stops searching for his past in order to protect the Tragers. We learn more about “the company” that is after Kyle and wants him dead. Kyle learns that he can read lips and, if he concentrates, he can hear people’s conversations from a distance, but it comes at a price. Nicole pushes Kyle to continue to explore his past, while Lori and Stephen encourage her to give him space. Declan helps Kyle investigate Tom Foss. Hillary has a relationship with a “mystery man” and Lori suspects its Declan.

* Themes: Trust; letting go & believing in children; believing in one’s self; believing in friends.

Episode 10 – Endgame: Kyle’s past seems to be uncovered at last when his parents arrive to take him home. Kyle goes to church with Josh and Amanda. Lori talks with Hillary about her mystery man. Kyle demands answers from Tom Foss and questions whether these are his actual parents. He works with Declan to connect the pieces of what he knows. Kyle finally recovers all his memories and learns why they were missing in the first place.

* Themes: Religion & faith; loyalty & trust; hypocrisy; honesty & betrayal; sacrifice for others.

Special Features:

Alternate Pilot – Featuring an uncomfortable voice over by an “older” Kyle and a markedly younger Josh, it is clear why it took a year before the pilot was launched. This version is uncomfortable and disturbing. The alternate voice prevents connection with Kyle’s character from the outset. In addition, Nicole Trager’s work as a psychologist is further explored. While the producers may have been pleased with this original version, Nicole comes across as having a dysfunctional relationship with her work and the family appears fractured from the outset.

Extended Season Finale – This version primarily shows the Tragers dealing with Kyle’s absence and, like the original pilot, is off the mark making for uncomfortable family dynamics.

Kyle Declassified – An overview of Season 1 plus sneak peaks at the story lines for Season 2. Includes interviews with the cast and producers.

Main cast

* Matt Dallas as Kyle
* Marguerite MacIntyre as Nicole Trager
* Bruce Thomas as Stephen Trager
* April Matson as Lori Trager
* Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Josh Trager
* Chris Olivero as Declan McDunaugh
* Kirsten Prout as Amanda Bloom

---------Check out my other Video reviews-----------

http://www.epinions.com/content_415213391492
http://www.epinions.com/content_415685906052
http://www.epinions.com/content_412646674052
http://www.epinions.com/content_412648902276


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older