Caitlin's Way

Caitlin's Way (entitled as Just a Kid for broadcasts in Australia/New Zealand and British dependencies and Caitlin, Montana in French for broadcasts in Canada/France and dependencies) is a teen drama television series that aired from 2000 to 2002. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States and YTV in Canada. The series was co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Paul M. Belous.

Caitlin's Way focuses on Caitlin Seeger (played by Lindsay Felton), a troubled girl who lives on the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After being arrested, a judge offers Caitlin the option of going to a youth detention center or moving in with her late mother Katherine's cousin in the fictional town of "High River" in Montana. Caitlin chooses the latter. After moving in with her aunt Dori, her husband Jim and their son Griffen on their ranch, she experiences culture shock. Caitlin, still distraught from her mother's sudden death when Caitlin was just eight-years-old, seeks to adjust to a loving family and a permanent home.

Production on season one began in 1999. Filming for season two began in June 2000. The primary filming location for the series was shot in High River in southeastern Alberta, and additional scenes were shot in Calgary, Alberta where the C-Train is occasionally seen in the background.

Caitlin Seeger is a 14-year-old girl who has been in and out of foster homes since age eight, when her mother Katherine suddenly died. Her father had left when she was four. Caitlin, still angry about her mother's death, hides her grief in her tough-girl persona and gets into trouble frequently. She loves photography and is usually seen with her camera which once belonged to her mother. Her dream is to become a professional photographer. After getting in trouble and expelled from her Catholic school, Caitlin is given the option of going to a juvenile detention facility or going to live with her mother Katherine's cousin Dori Lowe (whom Caitlin did not even know existed), her husband Jim and their son Griffen in Montana by the judge that she meets with. Caitlin agrees to go to Montana. While there, she meets and rescues a stallion from wranglers whom she names Bandit. As time goes by, the Lowes and Caitlin learn to accept each other and Caitlin gets what she's always wanted: a loving family and a permanent home. She loves to read and her best subject in school is English; her worst is math. The locket that Caitlin wears 24/7 is the same locket that her mother used to wear and she is often seen listening to her mini CD player. Caitlin used to play soccer and she associates the sport with her mom because the last time Caitlin played soccer with her best friend was the day that her mom Katherine died. Caitlin's favorite color is black.

Dori Lowe is Jim's wife, Griffin's mom, the cousin of Caitlin's mother Katherine, and a veterinarian. She suggests that Caitlin come to live with them. Dori told Caitlin once that she and her mother never really had much contact which is why they did not know about her until recently. She has a home office and works with most of the animals in High River. As a loving mother, Dori tries to warm up to Caitlin by acting like her mother figure, which at times Caitlin resents since she doesn't want anybody taking her mom's place and causes her to push Dori away with her harsh words. Caitlin eventually learned the truth about her mother's death from Dori who tells her she died from an aneurysm that killed her instantly. Caitlin breaks down over hearing this and Dori says she assumed that Caitlin knew. Caitlin admits to her that nobody had ever told her. The two eventually become closer throughout the show and Caitlin finally accepts Dori as her new mother figure after Dori explains that she wants to be a mother to Caitlin, but not be one that replaces her own mother. In high school, Dori was on the girls' soccer team but wasn't very good so she had to work particularly hard to stay on the team.

Jim Lowe is Dori's husband, Griffin's father, and the local sheriff. Caitlin sees him as the only strong father figure she has had in her entire life since her own father left her. Jim is a loving father and husband, always willing to help his family out whenever they need him. When Caitlin first comes to live with them, the two of them feel awkward around each other, but they eventually come past that. Jim loves Caitlin as his if she was his own daughter and does whatever he can to help her.

Griffin Lowe is the 14-year-old son of Jim and Dori and Caitlin's second cousin. He is a very smart kid, always earning straight As. Griffin's hobbies include computers, riding his bike, playing the guitar, and singing in a band with his best friends Brett and Eric called Bad Hygiene. When he first learned that Caitlin would come to live with them, he wasn't too happy about it. The two of them often get into fights and Griffin will usually make cruel remarks about her past to anger Caitlin. Despite all the arguing, they eventually form a brother and sister like relationship and become each other's best friends. They will always help each other out, no matter what the situation is or how much trouble they get into. He is often the voice of reason for Caitlin and he's always there to give advice to her and has admitted to her that he never likes it when she is sad, but is always there to comfort her.

Bandit is a wild buckskin stallion whom Caitlin helps rescue from wranglers who later rescues her from a rabid wolf and the two soon bond. He belongs to Caitlin as of "Stray Part 3." Dori allows her to keep him after Bandit doesn't show any signs of rabies. Caitlin decides to name him Bandit, after a horse that was in a story her mother used to read to her when she was little. She rides Bandit every day, except when she is grounded. In "The Present Part 1,” Will and Sarah mistakenly believed Bandit was their colt that ran away, nearly taking him from Caitlin. However, in "The Present Part 2" Will sees how much Caitlin loves Bandit and appreciates the good home she has given him, leading Will to allow Caitlin to keep him. Bandit almost died at the end of Season 1 after he got his leg caught in a rusty old bear trap, but Dori saved his life.