History Series / SouthOfNowhere

''South of Nowhere'' (2005-2008) is an award-winning teen-oriented TV series about a family who moves from UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} to UsefulNotes/LosAngeles. It is the first such show conceived with a lesbian character at the outset. The show was produced and aired by [[Creator/{{Noggin}} The N]], a teen-targeted programming block that aired nightly on the Noggin channel.

* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: [[spoiler:Kyla and Ashley in Season 3. Subverted kind of when they start to do things with their music.]]

* AmbiguouslyBrown: Carmen. Her name is a commonly Hispanic name while she is played by a white actress of Italian and Russian descent. Writers are often confused about her nationality. The fact that she [[OnlyOneName has no last name]] doesn't help.

%%* PoisonousFriend: Jake.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Clay]]; also an example of [[spoiler:BlackDudeDiesFirst and McLeaned]].

* BabiesEverAfter: Five years after the series ends [[spoiler: Spencer and Ashley]] are happily married, and [[spoiler:Ashley]] is pregnant with their first child.

* ChekhovsGunman: A literal example happens in Season 2. In one episode two thugs are seen hassling Boz. Glenn and Sean fight them off. They come spoiler and open fire on the prom, killing [[spoiler: Clay]] and three other students.

* IfItsYouItsOkay: Rare heterosexual example. Ashley is almost solely attracted to girls, and Aiden

* OpenMindedParent: Spencer's father [[spoiler:is not even slightly phased by his daughter's homosexuality despite being married to a very conservative woman. Somehow despite the fact that they were high school sweethearts, this difference of opinion surrounding homosexuality never came up.]]

* PositiveDiscrimination: The three most well adjusted and wholesome characters on the show are Chelsea (black woman), Clay (black man), and Spencer (lesbian).

[[quoteright:314:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/south_of_nowhere_2641.jpg]]

Sadly, the series was canceled after three seasons. The last half of Season 3 took several months to air in the US--at which point it had [[ShortRunInPeru already been properly aired in France]]. ScrewedByTheNetwork much?

Sadly, the series was canceled by Noggin LLC after three seasons. The last half of Season 3 took a bloody long time to air in the US--at which point it had [[ShortRunInPeru already been properly aired in France]]. ScrewedByTheNetwork much?

* BabiesEverAfter: Five years after the series ends[[spoiler: Spencer and Ashley]] are happily married, and [[spoiler:Ashley]] is pregnant with their first child.

* ConvenientMiscarriage: Chelsea. Ashley had one pre-series.

%%* SchoolgirlLesbians: Spencer, Carmen.

Season 2 opens on the [[FrozenInTime morning after]]. The season introduces Kyla Woods (Eileen April Boylan), Ashley's half-sister, who moves in with her after the death of their father (played by CC [=DeVille=] from Poison). Kyla ends up hooking up with Aiden. Meanwhile, Spencer comes out, Glen becomes addicted to painkillers and Clay faces the ultimate test when his girlfriend, Chelsea Lewis (Aasha Davies), announces that she is pregnant to him. Clay dies during a drive-by shooting on Prom Night.

At school, oldest natural child Glenn (Chris Hunter) endeavors to make the pro-basketball circuit, which brings him to rivalry with Aiden Dennison (Creator/MattCohen). Meanwhile the younger natural Carlin, Spencer (Gabrielle Christian) is questioning whether or not she should pursue a relationship with Aiden's ex-girlfriend, Ashley Davies (Mandy Musgrave). And while that is happening, the Carlins' adopted son Clay (Danso Gordon) is finding out what it means to be black in a mostly-white world. Meanwhile, Aiden's other ex, Madison Duarte (Valery Ortiz), moves onto Glen when Aiden starts showing interest in Spencer.

At school, oldest natural child Glenn (Chris Hunter) endeavors to make the pro-basketball circuit, which brings him to rivalry with Aiden Dennison (Matt Cohen). Meanwhile the younger natural Carlin, Spencer (Gabrielle Christian) is questioning whether or not she should pursue a relationship with Aiden's ex-girlfriend, Ashley Davies (Mandy Musgrave). And while that is happening, the Carlins' adopted son Clay (Danso Gordon) is finding out what it means to be black in a mostly-white world. Meanwhile, Aiden's other ex, Madison Duarte (Valery Ortiz), moves onto Glen when Aiden starts showing interest in Spencer.

''South of Nowhere'' (2005-2008) is an award-winning teen-oriented TV series about a family who moves from UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} to UsefulNotes/LosAngeles. It is the first such show conceived with a lesbian character at the outset. The show was produced and aired by The N, a teen-targeted programming block that aired nightly on Creator/{{Noggin}}.

''South of Nowhere'' (2005-2008) is an award-winning teen-oriented TV series about a family who moves from UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} to UsefulNotes/LosAngeles. It is the first such show conceived with a lesbian character at the outset.

Sadly, the series was canceled by The N. The last half of Season 3 has then took a bloody long time to air in the US--at which point it had [[ShortRunInPeru already been properly aired in France]]. ScrewedByTheNetwork much?

%%* BlackBestFriend: Chelsea to Spencer from Season 2 on. Interestingly, Sean to Clay (who is also black). It's hinted that he didn't have a lot of black friends in Ohio.

* AllAbusersAreMale: Averted with Carmen.
* AlphaBitch: Madison.
** GirlPosse

* [[spoiler:BabiesEverAfter: Five years after the series ends Spencer and Ashley are happily married, and Ashley is pregnant with their first child]].
* BeachEpisode
* BlackBestFriend: Chelsea to Spencer from Season 2 on. Interestingly, Sean to Clay (who is also black). It's hinted that he didn't have a lot of black friends in Ohio.
* BreakTheCutie
* BrokenBird: Ashley.

* [[CantHoldHisLiquor Can't Hold Her Liquor]]: Spencer.

* CharacterDevelopment

* ComingOutStory: ''The'' ComingOutStory.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Clay's death in season 2 via drive by shooting.]]
* DysfunctionJunction

* {{Gayngst}}
* GirlsLove: One of the biggest plot lines in the show.
* GreenEyedMonster

* IntertwinedFingers: Spencer and Ashley.
* JerkJock: Glen.

* LawOfInverseFertility
* LingerieScene
* LipstickLesbian
* TheLoinsSleepTonight
* LoveDodecahedron
* MoodWhiplash: [[spoiler: Episode 1 of season 2, Spencer and Ashley are celebrating with Ashley's father, less than 30 seconds afterwards we switch to a report of Ashley's father dying in a car accident.]]
* NaiveEverygirl: Spencer

* NoGoingSteady: Aiden sure gets around a lot, having been paired with as many as ''four'' girls. Others, not so much--although by the midway point of Season 3, only Chelsea is left over.
** Five actually: Spencer, Ashley, Madison, Kyla, and the aformentioned Sasha

* PaintballEpisode
* PoisonousFriend: Jake.
* QueerRomance

* SchoolgirlLesbians: Spencer, Carmen.
* SexyCoatFlashing

* TeenIdol
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Ashley and Spencer, respectively.

* VomitDiscretionShot
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Spencer and Ashley.

* [[spoiler:BabiesEverAfter: Five years after the series ends Spencer and Ashley are happily married, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and Ashley is pregnant with their first child]].]]

* AllAbusersAreMale (Averted with Carmen)

* DawsonCasting: The worst examples being Danso Gordon who was 26 and Aasha Davis who was 31.
** Chris Hunter being the exception. He was 18 when the show started playing senior Glenn

* ExecutiveMeddling: Forced the producers to tone down the lesbian content in Season 2.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Ashley's and Kyla's dad is played by Music/{{Poison}} guitarist CC Deville.
** Aiden dated [[Series/TheLWord Niki Stevens]] who seems to be obsessed with UCLA in season 3.
** [[TheCosbyShow Vanessa Huxtable]] is Clay's mom

* RomanceOnTheSet: Matt Cohen and Mandy Musgrave eventually married after being on the show together. Their real-life relationship may have been the cause for Ashley and Aiden's short rekindling in season 3.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: The show has barely seen the light of day outside America--Foregoing DVD in favour of iTunes was ''not'' a great idea.

** Aiden dated [[TheLWord Niki Stevens]] who seems to be obsessed with UCLA in season 3.

* TwoTeacherSchool

* ConvenientMiscarriage: Chelsea.

* CastingGag: [[{{Poison}} CC Deville]] as a Bret Michaels expy.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Ashley's and Kyla's dad is played by {{Poison}} guitarist CC Deville.