I can't blame my love for Teen Mom on my being in the thick of this stage of life. The baby craze stage. I enjoyed Teen Mom well before I was married and well before all the talking about, trying to have and actually having babies was everywhere I looked. That's because it's a good show.
For those who may not know what Teen Mom is (shameful) and who can't figure it out based on the transparent title, it's an MTV reality show about teenage moms.
Why is it so good?
There is the teen factor. The main actors in this real life melodrama (to whatever extent reality television can be called real life anymore) are teenage girls. The typical individual in this demographic, the teenage girl demographic, has superior hormone levels competing with inferior reasoning skills. The show documents these imbalanced people as they are thrust into motherhood. The wise MTV producers know that motherhood brings about an even greater supply of hormones and requires a whole lot of reasoning skills. As expected, chaos ensues. When the added element of camera crew and celebrity is tossed into the mix, the result is explosive.
This explosion captivates me (and other avid Teen Mom watchers, I know I'm not the only one...). It has the classic train wreck effect. The physical altercations, hysterical crying and high-pitched theatrics are unending. And all of this is happening in a variety of contexts: boyfriend/girlfriend, parent/child and friend/friend relationships. This season there is even a teen mom who spars with her boyfriend's parents. Thoroughly tumultuous.
Juxtaposed with the chaos and turmoil is the fact that these main characters are, again, teenagers. They are near babies themselves. They are largely inexperienced and unaware. As a result, while these girls can be irresponsible and obnoxious and egotistical they can also be endearing and fragile and sympathetic. At times it's hard not to root for them.
All of this and we haven't even touched upon the baby factor. Adorable, innocent babies capture a good portion of the show. They are usually the side plot, funny enough, but there presence can't help but bring comic relief or a just a cute moment of distraction.
If you disagree with me, fine. But consider this: the Huffington Post reported that each teen mother earns between $60,000 and $65,000 per season. Meaning, I'm not the only one watching.
For the record, in addition to loving Teen Mom, I watch political news each morning and enjoy independent film.
5 comments:
Totally agree! Did you see Baby High on MTV last night?
I am especially obsessed with teen trainwreck Jenelle because she lives in my town and even goes to the same (community) college as me. My head is on swivel whenever I walk by the GED corridor.
This may be my favorite post yet as I also love Teen Mom (2- lets give the original the credit it deserves, as we all strive to be as good a mom as Macy... for real). I must admit, I feel much more confident in my own (future) capabilities when I look at my own mom and compare her to, well, Mrs. Jenelle, especially.
It's interesting you mention the $$ they pull in as almost every episode shows some financial struggle. Does MTV hold out until they're legal or what?
I love Teen Mom because no matter how bad my day is, it's never as bad as theirs.
why is that one trying for social security with as much money as they are making
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