Teen Mom 2 premiered tonight and I was Tom-Cruise-jumping-on-Oprah’s-couch excited (except less manufactured.) You guys, I love Teen Mom. I know people say that it glamorizes teen pregnancy (along with its companion series, 16 and Pregnant) but I have to wonder if those people have ever watched a full episode. Because seriously, it is TOO REAL and it looks like it sucks and is really, really difficult for these girls. I know they get outside financial assistance (good!) and they’re on the cover of Us Weekly but the show proves these girls are just barely scraping by sometimes. I really love this show, it deals with real problems and doesn’t involve putting a bunch of arrogant people together in a house or Spencer Pratt.

Leah
Leah is the teen mom who had twins, Ali and Aleeah, and is dealing with a rocky relationship with the twins’ father, Corey. Also, Leah is straightening her hair more, so her bangs will bother you less. At times she reminds me of original Teen Mom, Macy.

Leah, who is quickly becoming the most sympathetic girl on Teen Mom 2, misses Corey, who didn’t go to her graduation. Don’t worry, Leah, I saw the previews, I’m pretty sure you guys get married (and you go even blonder!) It also looks like Leah will get the short end of the stick, because the previews indicate that one of her babies has medical issues. I am 100% sure I will cry at that episode, and maybe every episode.

Leah invites Corey over for dinner on what would have been their one-year anniversary. After they argue a bit, she frosts a cake for them and spells out “Happy 1 Year 2 You” in frosting. This makes Corey cry, which makes Leah cry. She gives him a sweet card, and they both cry some more before Corey proclaims, “f*** my life,” and drives off with the girls.  I’m invested!

Kailyn
Kailyn also has baby daddy drama. She’s living with Joe, her baby boy’s father and her ex-boyfriend, and his family. They’re not really dating anymore, but Kailyn still relies on Joe for his car, and his family for a roof over her head. Joe thinks it would be best if they lived apart. (DUH!) Oh girl, this is tough. They’re trying to be civil to each other in front of their son Isaac.

Joe’s mom has offered Kailyn a room in their basement. I can’t really figure Kailyn out yet, but I feel bad for her because this is probably one of the most awkward living situations ever? Kailyn is making “new friends” at work (some dumb guy who wants to date her.)

Chelsea
Chelsea seems to be Teen Mom 2’s party girl (like Farrah.) Chelsea also had a very dramatic break-up with the baby’s daddy on her episode of 16 and Pregnant. Chelsea’s baby is really cute, by the way, and her dad is incredibly kind. Not that Chelsea cares about any of that, because she wants to date and be a teenager and move in to a house with her girlfriends. If you think this is glamorous, you probably didn’t get to the part where Chelsea’s baby daughter, Audree had explosive diarrhea all over everything and Chelsea forgot to pack clothes.

Chelsea’s dad is awesome, and he’s a refreshing character to see on this show. I feel for Chelsea, she’s going through a bad breakup (I remember how that felt in high school) and it would be even worse to have a baby to remind you of him every day. Still, Chelsea is trying to date again, leaving her roommate with Audree and Audree’s crazy diarrhea. The date does not go well, obviously.

Jenelle
Oh, Jenelle. She’s already in the headlines for getting busted for possession of marijuana, and that’s just the beginning of the dysfunction. Meet this season’s Amber! Jenelle and her mom, Barbara basically hate each other and scream most of their conversations. 

After a night of partying and mechanical bull-riding, Jenelle sleeps in as her mom makes a bottle for Jace, complaining loudly to no one. Later, Jenelle and Barbara continue to stress us out by arguing about changing Jace’s diaper, then yelling at each other about how Jenelle should behave (should she be a teenager or a mother? She’s BOTH! That is the entire crux of this show!)
Jenelle was upset at her mom for not letting her pick out Jace’s clothes, so Barbara disconnected the internet, and Jenelle re-connected it and pushed her mom out of the room. HARD. TO. WATCH.
Naturally, Barbara wants to take Jenelle to court over custody of Jace. More yelling. Jenelle quietly requests that Barbara return indoors before she spits in her face. Just kidding! She yelled and swore a lot, but the spitting-in-the-face part was true.

Here’s a preview of the rest of the season in which, Leah and Corey cry some more, Chelsea gets back together with Adam, and everyone takes everyone to court:

Teen Mom 2 – MTV Shows

What do you think of Teen Mom 2? Will you watch? Do you miss the original Teen Moms?

(image courtesy of MTV)

Carla Patton

Writer, BuddyTV

Originally from Seattle, Carla recently took a husband and moved to Austin, Texas, where she is finally using her television “problem” to her advantage. It’s sort of like Dexter, but boring and less murdering. Carla’s favorite shows include 30 RockThe Amazing RaceProject RunwayModern Family, anything with murder, and pretty much anything gross and weird (CSIThe BachelorToddlers & Tiaras, etc.). Favorite canceled shows include: Arrested DevelopmentVeronica Mars and Average Joe. In her spare time, Carla leads tours of downtown Austin on a Segway (don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!), blogs about Netflix Instant, and visits elementary schools telling children they don’t need math to succeed (just kidding, stay in school, kids).