Amy Juergens is a predominantly sensible and sweet fifteen year old girl. She is a good student, loving daughter, and loyal friend. Aspiring to play the French horn in the New York Philharmonic, she currently plays in the school marching band. However, one foolish night at band camp has resulted in her becoming pregnant by the school lothario, Ricky Underwood. Premise provided, various stories and subplots follow from the initial conflict.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is about to return on ABC Family, so it is time to be reminded of previous events and speculate what to expect.
What has already happened? Will any stories be resolved, and if so, how? Will this season be worth watching weekly?
Amy and Ben
The show opened with Amy learning that she is pregnant. She confides the details of her first sexual encounter to her best friends Madison and Lauren. Elsewhere in the halls of Ulysses S. Grant High School, Ben Boykewich is telling his best friends Henry and Alice of his admiration for school cheerleader Grace Bowman, but since Grace is dating football star, Jack Pappas, Alice insists that Ben shift his romantic attentions to someone else. Due to a trick of fate, Alice thinks of Amy, so Ben asks Amy to the school dance.
Being the first date for each teenager, they feel slightly unsure of how to behave, but they soon relax and enjoy themselves. While Amy is still in denial about expecting a baby, she and Ben begin to date regularly. Once he learns that Amy is pregnant, he proposes, believing that they can enjoy the same happiness as his parents, who were high school sweethearts. Having lost his mother, Ben hopes to rebuild his happy family. Although Ben’s father will consent to the marriage, Amy’s parents will not give permission.
Amy and Ben continue to date, but having faced the difficulty of telling her parents about the baby, Amy faces the choices of abortion and adoption. She decided she wishes to stay with her grandmother until the birth, but upon learning that her grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Amy is forced to face going to school through her pregnancy.
Amy’s Family
Complicating matters further, Amy’s parents are on the brink of divorce, and it is learned that Amy’s parents got married due to Amy being on the way. Also, the past and present relationships of Amy’s father cause the Juergens family to be interlinked to the families of several of the other students at Amy’s school.
The Bowman Family
Grace Bowman is the good-hearted Christian cheerleader of the high school. She is initially the girlfriend of Jack Pappas, but Jack’s desire for sex, leads to him being seduced by the temptress majorette Adrian. When his unfaithful behavior is revealed at the school dance, Grace and Jack break-up.
Heart-broken Grace begins to doubt her parents when she learns that her mother has been previously married to Amy’s father, so against the wishes of her parents, Grace forgives Jack, and dates him secretly for a time, until she develops feelings for bad boy Ricky Underwood, who begins to lead her on as the season ends.
Ricky and Adrian
Ricky and Adrian are trouble-making teens with individual personal issues. Ricky regularly seduces girls and dumps them afterwards. His behavior is somewhat explained by his having been sexually abused by his father, and when he learns of Amy’s pregnancy he seems to want to mend his ways by helping with the baby, which Amy does not want. However, he continues his old habits, having unclear intentions toward virginal Grace, and even attempting to seduce Amy’s friend Lauren, who it turns out is the daughter of his therapist.
Ricky also had a “casual” relationship with seemingly good-time girl Adrian, who often seeks to spoil the peaceful existences of others. She becomes sympathetic when it is learned that she is motivated by her loneliness, due to her mother usually being away, or preoccupied by dating men, including Amy’s father. Adrian fluctuates between being rivals and being friendly with Grace and various other characters.
Season Two
Set to premiere on Monday January 5, 2009, season two has much to resolve. Season one left many loose ends and a number of questions including: What will happen in regards to Amy’s baby? What will happen to Amy and Ben? Should Grace trust Ricky? Will either Ricky or Adrian be able to resolve their personal problems? What will happen to the many other characters?
Season two opens with Amy learning that her mother expects her to be responsible for her unborn child. Previously unaware of how much her life would alter by the arrival of her baby, Amy decides to elope with Ben, and the story continues.
Critique
This show got off to a good start. The strong cast actually looked the age of their characters, and many of the feelings and thoughts expressed exposed actual concerns of the modern-day teenager. However, as the show progressed, it descended into the realms of a bizarre soap opera.
Too many of the characters are interlinked through their parents past marriages and professions, and, although it is true that many teenagers have issues, it is unbelievable how many extreme sets of circumstances have shaped the lives of all these interconnected teenagers. It is also dangerously unrealistic to show a pregnant teen seeming to find true love.
The show is also facing the problem that when it began it was entertaining with a mixture of comedy and tragedy, but as Amy’s pregnancy progressed, it became understandably darkly serious and almost disheartening to view.
Time will tell if the show remains worth watching, but it is a premise with limited possibilities. The longer the plot is stretched out, the more likely it will become ridiculous and too diluted to be classified as comedy or drama.
