Secret Life of the American Teenager: Vol. 4

Sex has always been one of the popular themes in every form of storytelling found in the human experience. For a teenager it may be an all consuming topic eclipsing all others especially with boys. When I was a teen I attended an all male high school so the subject of sex was more theoretical than practical so most of us couldn’t get to second base with our imaginary girlfriends. This sensibility is completely foreign to the kids who are characters in the Popular ABC Family series ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’ for these teens sex is not only the dominant topic of conversation it is more prevalent as an activity than breakfast. These kids see more action than the Playboy Mansion during a party. The thing is many series geared towards kids this age are overly salacious and juvenile. They depict indiscriminant sex in a vacuum; devoid of any social, emotional or physical consequences. One of the man things about this series has working in its favor is how the stories consistently infuses the concept adult action comes with equally adult responsibilities. Kid want to demonstrate how grown up they are by engaging in sex; this is axiomatic. That this series explores is the repercussions of such activities. Watching it this show may seen to portray a parent’s worst nightmare but be realistic; this may be a bit more intense than many high schools but it is going on so watching this series may just afford an opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation with your teens. Just don’t push things after all the primary purpose of this series is entertainment and most importantly this show works as something enjoyable to watch for both the kids and parents. The current DVD release is occasionally listed as season four; this is incorrect. This current release is actually volume four consisting of the last eleven episodes of season two. The season began in June 2009 running until September taking a break before picking up again in January 2010. The episodes presented in volume four are those first aired then.

This series has an excellent heritage thanks to its creator Brenda Hampton. She was responsible for one of the most successful family series on television; ‘7^th Heaven’. It lasted 11 years becoming one of the most popular series for Warner Brothers. The look and feel of ‘American Teenager’ is extremely similar to ‘7^th Heaven’ right down to the incidental music, pacing and use of social relevance. Actors who have appeared on ‘7^th Heaven show up on a regular basis here including, in this set, Mackenzie Rosman who played Ruthie for the entire run of the previous series. The main premise of the series is founded on the repercussions of sex, pregnancy. The main character, Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley) got pregnant at band camp when she was just fifteen. She is now approaching her 17^th birthday with a son, John, trying to figure out life and balancing single motherhood with high school. As this season begins Amy and her mother Anne (Molly Ringwood) are off on a girl’s road trip. Anne just gave birth herself but is divorced from her husband, George (Mark Derwin) who made the incredibly stupid move of questioning whether the baby was his. While he is trying to figure things out problems crop up for both Amy’s boyfriend Ben Boykewich (Ken Baumann) and the father of her baby, Ricky (Daren Kagasoff). Ben is thinking of breaking up with Amy, thoughts exasperated by the unexpected appearance of Marie (Jordan Monaghan) who is anxious to have sex with him. Ricky is caught between his on again off again girlfriend Adrian Lee (Francia Raisa) and the Christian former virgin Grace (Grace Bowman) whose mother used to be married to Amy’s dad and whose own father died in an accident the night she lost her virginity. Confused yet? You do need a score card and flow chart to keep up with the ever shifting relationships. This does play out like a soap opera but at least it is a very well written one.

Life is even complicated for the second tier characters. One of Amy’s best friends Madison Cooperstein (Renee Olstead) gets involved with giving oral sex as a substitute for ‘real’ sex keeping in line with the producers’ policy of blending realistic issues into the mix. One strange way this manifested is between Grace and her mother Kathleen (Josie Bissett). During a mother-daughter conversation regarding sex Mom suggests Grace ‘take matters into her own hand. I don’t recall the topic of masturbation ever tackled in a family TV series. Before long this advice spreads to become a ‘do it yourself’ movement in school. This eventually pulls one of the more bizarrely crafted adult characters into the story; new school guidance consular Dr. Wilameena Bink played by former ‘Blossom’ star Mayim Bialik. She was fired from her last job for attending a prom with a student and received her doctorate online. In one episode most of the characters decide to skip class as Dr. Bink sits in her office trying to intimidate them via their cell phones. The really strange psrt comes in when she throws a mother-daughter dance that not only brings the generations closer but gets the mothers comparing notes. One of the better performances comes from India Eisley who plays Amy’s younger sister Ashley. Her portrayal takes a part usually left as a background character and brings her center stage. While Amy and her mother bond over the new babies Ashley grows much closer to her father. She is also discovering boys but doesn’t want to repeat her big sister’s path. Her performance is amazingly controlled a refreshing change from the typical flighty tween most series of this nature feel obliged to have. The series remains consistently well constructed and smartly presented making it one of the better family series on the tube.

Posted 06/12/2010