Our Lives

Our Lives is an American television drama series created by Samantha Raymond, Andrew Bennett and Clark Edmonds which aired on September 19, 2006 on TV Generation.

The series focuses on the lives of the Watkins-Samuels family, an interracial blended family from the city of Oakridge, (located in Mount Larkin County, Illinois).

Our Lives is one of the highest-rated and most-watched shows on TV Generation (along with the long-running medical drama series, "24\7") among the 18-49 age demographic.

As of 2024, it has aired for 18 seasons, making it one of the longest-running television series on TV Generation (next to "24\7" which has been airing since 2000).

The show is well-known for its diverse cast members and for tackling a number of issues throughout the years such as alcoholism, death, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, adoption, foster care, mental health (including anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression & PTSD), domestic violence, child abuse, sexual orientation (including bisexuality), gun violence, police brutality, racism, suicide, sexism and current events (such as the COVID-19 pandemic).

In February of 2022, it was announced that Our Lives has been renewed for two more seasons.

The show has also been well-received by critics and received many awards & nominations, including "Best Drama Series" at the TV Generation Awards.

Premise
The series follows the Watkins-Samuels family, an interracial blended family from Oakridge, Illinois which consists of Andrea Watkins-Samuels (a widowed Caucasian mother of one son and five daughters) and Mitch Samuels (a divorced African-American father of fraternal twin sons and three older adoptive children).

Andrea and Mitch were childhood friends who dated each other during their teenage years, but fell out of touch after they broke up during Mitch's freshman year of college and got remarried to different people in later years.

In 2004, they reunite when Mitch attends the funeral of Andrea's first husband, Jason (who was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver) with his parents; at the time, Mitch was divorced from his wife, Jasmine, who struggled with alcoholism and later abandoned her family (especially her children).

After the funeral, Mitch helps out Andrea and her children which rekindles their relationship, and they start dating each other again. They got engaged the day before Valentine's Day in 2006 and later moved into a new house together with their children.

The first season followed Andrea and Mitch as they prepare for their wedding and shows their families adjusting to living together, especially Andrea's 12-year-old daughter, Karina, who has a hard time accepting her mother getting remarried at first. In the season finale, Andrea and Mitch get married in May of 2007.

By the third season, the show began focusing on the four teenage children of the Watkins-Samuels family: Connor, Karina, Jake and Darien, who became the breakout characters on the show.

Starting in the fourth season, it also began focusing on the lives of their friends, including Bradley Harris, Sable Simmons, Owen and Dylan Travis, Trevor Kirkland (Karina's boyfriend and later husband), Chantelle and Ashlyn Duncan, and Skylar Timmons (Jake's girlfriend).

As the youngest children of the Watkins-Samuels family (Alyssa, Finley, Savannah and Haylie) and Brendan's stepdaughter, Adrianna began aging throughout the series, the storylines became focused on them as well.

Cast
Current
 * Alicia Nolan as Andrea Watkins-Samuels (née Carson'')
 * Darryl Barnett as Mitch Samuels
 * Danielle Kendrick as Bridgette Harper (née Samuels) [credited as Danielle Bruno from seasons 1-3]
 * Kendall Avery as Dr. Royce Harper [Main cast: season 3-current; recurring co-star: season 2; guest-starring role: season 1]
 * Isaiah Dunne as Brendan Samuels
 * Nicole Harrison-Vaughn as Cheyenne Samuels (née Cantrell) [Main cast: season 2-current; recurring co-star: season 1]
 * Simone Lee as Adrianna Cantrell [Main cast: season 11-current; recurring co-star: season 1-10]
 * Hakeem Warren as Jake Samuels
 * Breanne Rollins as Skylar Timmons [Main cast: season 9-current; recurring co-star: seasons 6-8]
 * Bryant Chase as Darien Samuels [credited as Bryant Chase Williams from seasons 1-6]
 * Vincent Kyle as Connor Watkins
 * Gaby Marlow as Maxine Watkins (née Blair) [Main cast: season 9-current; recurring co-star: seasons 7-8]
 * Marisa Raye Lopez as Karina Kirkland (née Watkins)
 * Caleb Harkins as Trevor Kirkland [Main cast: season 3-current; recurring co-star: seasons 1-2]
 * Tessa Chadwick as Finley Watkins-Cordova
 * Jolie Ferrera as Lisette Watkins-Cordova [Main cast: season 15-current; recurring co-star: seasons 11-15]
 * Sierra Myles as Savannah Watkins
 * Destiny Morgan Larson as Haylie Watkins
 * Marcus Raye as Bradley Harris [Main cast: season 3-current; recurring co-star: seasons 1-2]
 * Meaghan Addison as Sable Harris (née Simmons) [Main cast: season 3-current; recurring co-star: seasons 1-2]
 * Austin Reynolds as Owen Travis [Main cast: season 6-current; recurring co-star: seasons 1-5]
 * Aubrey Collins as Ella Burke [Main cast: season 15-current; recurring guest-star: season 12; recurring co-star: seasons 13-14]
 * Zachary Pruitt as Dylan Travis [Main cast: season 6-current; recurring co-star: seasons 1-5]
 * Cassidy Parnell as Liv Deane [Main cast: season 6-current; recurring co-star: seasons 3-5]
 * Tiffany Quinn as Ashlyn Duncan-Adamson [Main cast: season 6-current; recurring co-star: seasons 4-5
 * Amber Newton as Lexi Adamson [Main cast: season 16-current; recurring guest-star: seasons 12; recurring co-star: seasons 13-15]
 * Tori Quinn as Chantelle Duncan [Main cast: season 6-current; recurring co-star: seasons 4-5]

Recurring Co-Stars and Guest Stars

 * Soleil Renee Lopez as Alyssa Watkins [Main cast: seasons 1-13; recurring guest star: seasons 14-current]

Past Main Cast

 * Trey Moore as Ryan Samuels [Main cast: seasons 1-15]
 * Johanna Young as Bree Collins-Samuels [Main cast: seasons 5-15; recurring co-star: season 4]

(*For a list of more recurring co- and guest stars, see Our Lives recurring characters.)

Broadcast history
Our Lives aired on Tuesday nights at 8:00 P.M. (7:00 P.M. central) for its first two seasons.

In the third season, it was moved to Thursday nights at the same time slot where it has remained and held strong ratings ever since.

Spin-offs
Our Lives has spawned two spin-offs:
 * Colorado Bound, which premiered on September 24, 2019.
 * Raising Harris, which premiered on September 23, 2021.