Episode 1: "Pilot"; 6/26/06
Nicole responds to the discovery of a mysterious teen, gives him the name Kyle, and moves him in with her family when the detention center he's staying in proves to be too dangerous. But her husband and children are skeptical of the experiment.
Episode 2: "Sleepless in Seattle"; 7/3/06
Kyle is puzzled by society's preoccupation with the passage of time and the importance of sleeping, but his own insomnia becomes a distraction for the Tragers.
Episode 3: "The Lies That Bind"; 7/10/06
The police wonder if the discovery of a skeleton in the woods and Kyle's appearance are connected. Meanwhile, Kyle tries to figure out when it's okay to lie and what the varying degrees of untruths mean.
Episode 4: "Diving In"; 7/17/06
Love is in the air when Kyle ponders his attraction to a neighbor, Lori mulls her feelings for Declan, and Josh attempts to take a crush to the next level.
Episode 5: "This is Not a Test"; 7/24/06
Kyle, Lori and Josh have difficult experiences on the first day of school; Nicole and Stephen have an encounter with Tom Foss.
Episode 6: "Blame It on the Rain"; 7/31/06
Kyle's recent nightmares only add to his frustration at his inability to recall his past, while Lori hopes her birthday goes unnoticed.
Episode 7: "Kyle Got Game"; 8/7/06
The emergence of Kyle's excellent basketball skills lead to a tryout for the high-school team. Meanwhile, a rare source helps Nicole understand Kyle's unusual situation.
Episode 8: "Memory Serves"; 8/14/06
The emergence of Kyle's excellent basketball skills lead to a tryout for the high-school team. Meanwhile, a rare source helps Nicole understand Kyle's unusual situation.
Episode 9: "Overheard"; 8/21/06
After Kyle discovers his aural skills are far above average, he and Declan eavesdrop on Tom Foss outside his apartment for new clues about Kyle's mysterious existence.
Episode 10: "Endgame"; 8/28/06
The Tragers are glad that Kyle will be fine after an incident at the carnival, but are shocked when a couple show up at the hospital claiming to be his parents.
Review from The Patriot Resource:
Kyle XY is a "tweener." It's part teen drama, part scifi and even part family. The opening premise bares more than a passing resemblance to the cancelled Fox effort, "John Doe." A male is found naked in Seattle, who doesn't remember anything about himself and is a savant. That's where the similarities end. Kyle is a teen, who is completely unprepared for the simplest of human emotions (and functions). He's a quick learner and by the end of the pilot, he's endeared himself to his surrogate family. Also, the family, especially the two children, are developed.
The ten episode first season establishes Kyle, the mystery of his existence and develops the family and a small core of friends. The mystery of Kyle is the main arc, but the show is still very episodic as Kyle goes through several "one-off" experiences with some "realistic" teen issues for the two teens, Lori and Josh. However, adequate writing and strong performances by Seth Dallas (Kyle) give each experience a poinancy that is missing from many shows.
Probably the most difficult thing about the show is just who it's audience is. It's got a science-ficiton-arc to it with Kyle. After all, he's not just some kid with amnesia. He's a savant who may have abilities that most humans don't have. Most science fiction fans will find the "revelations" predictable and the teen-oriented material annoying. On the other hand, the show seems to be written for older teens and perhaps families who otherwise avoid science fiction. Even though the show is not what would be called hard-hitting (language or violence), it does explore teen issues that aren't appropriate for young children or pre-teens and conservative parents will likely find to be "liberal."
All that said, we enjoyed the progression of Kyle's self-discovery and the loose story arc. There are a few gripes: the sudden introduction of a crush's boyfriend several episodes in, a situation at the father's work which just begged for a follow-up and the climax of the sports episode. In spite of these, we are looking forward to the second season and how Kyle, the Trager family and a new female character come together. Hopefully, Kyle's child-like observations and emotional experiences will not be completely abandoned as the story moves forward.
