Teen Mom
Encyclopedia
Teen Mom is an American
reality television series
that premiered on MTV
on December 8, 2009. A spin-off
of 16 and Pregnant, the series chronicles the lives of four of the teenagers from the original series as they navigate their first few years of motherhood. The series focuses on the challenges and struggles of teenage parenthood and changing relationships, specifically those of family, friends, and the couples themselves.
The series pilot episode was the highest-rated premiere on MTV in over a year with 2.1 million total viewers. This record has since been surpassed by MTV's version of Skins
, which had 3.26 million viewers during its first episode. The season one finale brought in 3.6 million viewers. The second season of the show premiered on July 20, 2010 and its finale pulled in over 5.6 million viewers. A spin-off titled Teen Mom 2
was announced for January 11, 2011. It was announced by MTV
that the third season would premiere on July 5, 2011. After the Season 3 finale aired, it was announced that there will be a Season 4.
, as well as Child Protective Services
. On October 20, 2010, The Today Show
aired a segment revolving around the depicted domestic abuse in both seasons. NBC's Dan Abrams
discussed the possible legal consequences Portwood could face under Indiana law, and under the maximum punishment, Portwood could be charged with three felonies (conducting abuse in front of a child under 14, domestic violence, along with several related misdemeanors). Police have searched Portwood's apartment, finding "evidence that requires further investigation", although they would not specify what had been found.
On November 3, it was reported that Portwood agreed to allow Indiana's child protective services to monitor her for up to six months in the wake of her televised assault on ex-boyfriend Gary, which sparked hundreds of public complaints questioning her suitability to be a mother. Portwood was allowed to maintain custody of their two-year-old daughter Leah. On November 18, after an extensive investigation, Portwood was charged with three counts of domestic violence for incidents of abuse inflicted on Shirley that aired on the reality show. The same day, MTV released a statement concerning the charges filed on Portwood: "We are cooperating with all parties and hope for a quick and fair resolution that allows everyone involved to move forward in a positive manner."
On June 15, 2011, it was reported that Portwood was considering a suicide attempt. This was confirmed by a 911
call made by ex-boyfriend Gary, who was concerned over Portwood's highly unusual behavior. She was immediately transported to a local hospital, where it was determined that mental problems caused the attempt. She currently remains hospitalized, and any official word has yet to be released as to whether or not she is in stable condition.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality television series
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
that premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on December 8, 2009. A spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of 16 and Pregnant, the series chronicles the lives of four of the teenagers from the original series as they navigate their first few years of motherhood. The series focuses on the challenges and struggles of teenage parenthood and changing relationships, specifically those of family, friends, and the couples themselves.
The series pilot episode was the highest-rated premiere on MTV in over a year with 2.1 million total viewers. This record has since been surpassed by MTV's version of Skins
Skins (North American TV series)
Skins is an American teen drama. It is an adaptation of the original British teen drama of the same name. The show premiered on January 17, 2011 on MTV in the U.S. and on Movie Central and The Movie Network in Canada...
, which had 3.26 million viewers during its first episode. The season one finale brought in 3.6 million viewers. The second season of the show premiered on July 20, 2010 and its finale pulled in over 5.6 million viewers. A spin-off titled Teen Mom 2
Teen Mom 2
Teen Mom 2 is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on January 11, 2011. The series is a spin-off of 16 and Pregnant, and sister show to the original Teen Mom. The show chronicles the lives of four girls from the second season of 16 and Pregnant as they navigate their first...
was announced for January 11, 2011. It was announced by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
that the third season would premiere on July 5, 2011. After the Season 3 finale aired, it was announced that there will be a Season 4.
Cast
| Cast Member | Hometown | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County... |
Maci Bookout, the mother of Bentley Cadence Edwards, is described by MTV as the classic teenage overachiever who is popular, athletic, and successful in school. She had aspirations to go away to college with her friends after she graduated high school, but her dreams are now on hold as she struggles to take care of Bentley, take online courses at the local state college, and to keep her relationship with Ryan, the baby's father. Maci gets fed up with Ryan when he does not help her juggle parenthood, school, and work to her satisfaction. Bookout said the reason she did the show was because she wanted to get a good message across and stated: "I really just wanted to show girls how hard it was to be a teen parent, I wanted girls who might get pregnant to see there are options out there to move forward with your life and still have goals." She has gone back to college after dropping her online classes, and now is majoring in journalism and hopes to write a book about her experience being sixteen and pregnant. She also speaks at local high schools to talk about teen pregnancy. |
|
| Council Bluffs, Iowa Council Bluffs, Iowa Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across... |
An aspiring model, Farrah Abraham is the mother of Sophia Laurent Abraham. Sophia's father, Derek Underwood, was killed in a car accident on December 28, 2008, before her birth. In January 2010, Farrah's mother, Debra Danielson, was charged with assault in an Iowa court for hitting her. Due to the fight with her mom, Farrah and Sophia move into an apartment, then talk about moving into her mom's rental house across the street. She sees a therapist to discuss the rocky relationship with her family, as well as dealing with her emotions regarding Underwood and his death. Farrah eventually proves to Derek's family through a paternity test that Derek was indeed Sophia's father and was faced with a lawsuit by Derek's mom for grandparents visitation rights despite no previous contact with Sophia. | |
| Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,... |
Catelynn Lowell is the birth-mother of Carolynn "Carly" Elizabeth. Described as a smart and funny high school senior, she struggles to adjust back to her normal life after her emotional decision to place Carly for adoption. Catelynn has been kept on an integral part of the show, to let prospective teen moms know that there are other options and that one can go on and still be a "birth mom" while being completely mature and selfless. The adoptive parents are Brandon and Theresa. Catelynn moves back home with her parents, but learns that her stepfather, who is also the father of her boyfriend Tyler, is not over her decision to place her daughter for adoption. During the season, Catelynn comes to terms with being a birth mother, moves in with Tyler and his mother when her mother and her stepfather move into an apartment in another city, and gets engaged to Tyler. She and Tyler both get tattoos in honor of their daughter. | |
| Anderson, Indiana Anderson, Indiana Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is... |
Amber Portwood is the mother of Leah Leann Shirley. Amber's journey into parenthood has been tough; she struggles to parent Leah, and stay with her fiance Gary. She used to be a self-declared party girl, but now discovers she has little time to do anything besides take care of Leah. Amber dropped out of high school when she discovered she was pregnant, but now is working on obtaining her GED. She struggles to balance school and parenting, and her dream of opening her own beauty salon seems far-fetched now. She has many troubles with her baby's father, Gary. The problems have led to physical violence in front of her child, Leah. Amber eventually gets arrested for domestic violence against Gary. She had a younger sister, Candace, that died of SIDS, when Amber was 5. |
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Season Premiere | Season Finale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | December 8, 2009 | January 26, 2010 | |
| 2 | 12 | July 20, 2010 | October 12, 2010 | |
| 3 | 12 | July 5, 2011 | September 20, 2011 | |
| 4 | 12 | 2012 | 2012 | |
Season 1
| Ep # | Title | Viewers | Airdate |
|---|
Season 2
| Ep # | Title | Viewers | Airdate |
|---|
Season 3
| Ep # | Title | Viewers | Airdate |
|---|
Season 4
| Ep # | Title | Viewers | Airdate |
|---|
Specials
| Ep # | Title | Viewers | Airdate |
|---|
Portwood's legal issues
Footage of Amber Portwood's violent behavior towards the father of her child, Gary Shirley, prompted an investigation from the police department in Anderson, IndianaAnderson, Indiana
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is...
, as well as Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services is the name of a governmental agency in many states of the United States that responds to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as "Department of Children & Family Services"...
. On October 20, 2010, The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
aired a segment revolving around the depicted domestic abuse in both seasons. NBC's Dan Abrams
Dan Abrams
Dan Abrams is an American television host, legal commentator, web entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is currently Legal Analyst at ABC News Good Morning America , and a substitute anchor for the network. He formerly served as Chief Legal Analyst for NBC News, as General Manager of MSNBC and...
discussed the possible legal consequences Portwood could face under Indiana law, and under the maximum punishment, Portwood could be charged with three felonies (conducting abuse in front of a child under 14, domestic violence, along with several related misdemeanors). Police have searched Portwood's apartment, finding "evidence that requires further investigation", although they would not specify what had been found.
On November 3, it was reported that Portwood agreed to allow Indiana's child protective services to monitor her for up to six months in the wake of her televised assault on ex-boyfriend Gary, which sparked hundreds of public complaints questioning her suitability to be a mother. Portwood was allowed to maintain custody of their two-year-old daughter Leah. On November 18, after an extensive investigation, Portwood was charged with three counts of domestic violence for incidents of abuse inflicted on Shirley that aired on the reality show. The same day, MTV released a statement concerning the charges filed on Portwood: "We are cooperating with all parties and hope for a quick and fair resolution that allows everyone involved to move forward in a positive manner."
On June 15, 2011, it was reported that Portwood was considering a suicide attempt. This was confirmed by a 911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
call made by ex-boyfriend Gary, who was concerned over Portwood's highly unusual behavior. She was immediately transported to a local hospital, where it was determined that mental problems caused the attempt. She currently remains hospitalized, and any official word has yet to be released as to whether or not she is in stable condition.