ABC Family’s new show The Secret Life of the American Teenager is worth the one hour homework break. It gives a realistic view into many of the problems the students in our school faces every day. Love, sex, pregnancy, friendship and family are all among topics in the roller coaster show that depicts teenage life.

Obviously as teenagers, many of us are faced with the decision of having sex and in the show it has the consequences of making the wrong choice. The main character, Amy gets pregnant at the age of 15 and throughout the show she has to make choices pertaining to the father, her financial status, the future and more. These are all things that need to be thought through and the program does a good job reminding us of that.

In addition to a good lesson learned, the show is a constant ride of drama and comedy that gives reason enough to watch the show that airs on Monday nights at 7.

So if you have a free Monday night, give The Secret Life a chance, not only for a good show but also a thoughtful outlook on our secret teenage years.
-Maddie Baum

The Secret Life of the American Teenager is anything but realistic. Let’s face it, although our school may have some similar problems as the characters do, our students are nothing like them. For example, I’m pretty sure that none of us would illegally get IDs so that we could attend our friends’ illegitimate wedding.

This show does an excellent job of blowing everything out of proportion. There’s a pregnant 15-year-old, divorcing parents, a kid whose father is in jail, and students with fake IDs and marriage licenses. All of these situations are happening at one time, within the same social network of family and friends. Sure, teenagers do get pregnant, but how often do they also run off and try to marry their boyfriend (who is not the baby’s father) before the child is even born? Talk about setting a bad example for viewers.

The actors are horrible, problems are blown off like they’re no big deal, and not one positive thing is happening in the plot. Now, you may ask, “Why do you know so much about this show if you hate it so much?” In all honesty, my little sisters watch it religiously every Monday night; I can’t get away from it. And, every Monday I ask myself why we all waste time watching such a bad interpretation of our teenage lives. This show says absolutely nothing good about teenagers. I don’t know what’s happened to TV, but when we’re watching lives falling apart and major, major legal and family problems, and honestly enjoying it, you know that something must be wrong.
-Jessica Payne