Genre: Reality
Created by: Lauren Dolgen
Country of origin: United States
Language(s): English
No. of seasons: 2
No. of episodes: 9
Production Executive producer(s): Morgan J. Freeman, Liz Gateley and Lauren Dolgen
Producer(s): Kenda Greenwood
Running time: 60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel: MTV
Original airing: December 1, 2009
Chronology Related shows: 16 and Pregnant

Teen Mom is an American documentary television series that premiered on MTV on December 8, 2009.The series is a spin-off of 16 and Pregnant, and chronicles the lives of four of the original teenagers from that series as they navigate their first year of motherhood.In addition to teenage motherhood, the series focuses on themes of changing relationships; specifically, those of the family, friends, couples, and school.The series’ debut episode was the highest rated premiere on MTV in over a year with 2.1 million total viewers. The finale episode brought in 3.6 million viewers. MTV has picked up a second season of the show which will premiere July 20, 2010 at 10PM ET/9PM CT.

Cast

Cast Member: Maci Bookout
Age (During Season 2 filming): 18
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Biography: Maci is the mother of Bentley Cadence Edwards. MTV describes her as the classic teenage overachiever who is smart, athletic, and popular. She had aspirations to go away to college after she graduated high school. Her dreams are now on hold as she struggles to take care of Bentley, take online courses at the state college, and to keep her relationship with her fiance, Ryan, alive. She got a tattoo that says “bulletproof” on her right shoulder, as a symbol that she will remain the same person she has always been though adversity. Although a nice, patient mother and fiance, Maci gets fed up with Ryan after he doesn’t help her juggle parenthood, school, and work. Yet, they are faced with more challenges, which begins to strain their already rocky relationship. In the Season 1 finale, Ryan and Maci broke up. Maci 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. At the reunion, Maci and Ryan revealed they are still broken up, and Maci says she’s focusing on Bentley and school.
Cast Member: Farrah Abraham
Age (During Season 2 filming): 19
Hometown: Council Bluffs, Iowa
Biography: Farrah is the mother of Sophia Laurent. An aspiring model, Farrah is still trying to live life as a normal teen, but she soon realizes having a baby changes everything. Throughout the season, Farrah attempts to remain as social as possible with her friends and dates. She refuses the advice of her sister and mom and gets confrontational whenever someone questions her decision making. In January 2010, Farrah’s mother, Debra Danielson, was charged with assault in an Iowa court for hitting her. At the reunion, she stated she’s continuing her education at a culinary school, and has aspirations to own her own restaurant.

Cast Member: Amber Portwood
Age (During Season 2 filming): 20
Hometown: Anderson, Indiana
Biography: Amber 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. Amber’s parents cannot afford child support and now it is up to her and Gary to support Leah. She used to be a self-declared party girl, but now discovers she has little time to do anything besides take care of Leah. She 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 learns her anxiety is taking a major toll on her, but she begins to wonder if her relationship with her fiance, Gary, can survive. She eventually breaks up with Gary, and moves into her own apartment and gets a job at a beauty salon. At the reunion, Amber stated she was sorry for slapping Gary during the season, and revealed that they are back together and that she may be pregnant again.

Cast Member: Catelynn Lowell
Age (During Season 2 filming): 18
Hometown: Algonac, Michigan
Biography: Catelynn is the mother of Carolyn “Carly” Elizabeth, whom she gave up for adoption. Described as a smart and funny high school senior, she struggles to adjust back to her normal life after her emotional decision to give Carly up for adoption. 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 give her daughter up for adoption. During the season, Catelynn comes to terms with being a birth mother, moves in with Tyler and his mother when her mother moves away, and gets engaged to Tyler. She and Tyler both get tattoos in honor of their daughter. Catelynn said that “It was difficult because that’s my daughter. … I knew in my heart it was the best decision so I just went forward with it,” in regards to her giving her daughter up for adoption

Episode list
Specials

Ep number: S-01
Title: Catching Up With 16 and Pregnant: The Girls of Teen Mom
Airdate: December 1, 2009
Information: Before Maci, Farrah, Amber and Catelynn return as teenage mothers, the audience is presented with a look at the most significant moments from 16 and Pregnant.

Ep number: S-02 Title: Check Up With Dr. Drew
Airdate: February 2, 2010
Information: Dr. Drew Pinsky chats with the teenage mothers about their first year of motherhood and what happened since the cameras stopped rolling.

Ep number: S-03
Title: Unseen Moments
Airdate: February 9, 2010
Information: This episode shows all the unseen clips of episodes that were not aired during season one, and is hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky.

Season 1

Ep number: 101
Title: Looking For Love
Airdate: December 8, 2009
Information: Farrah starts dating despite her family’s objections. Maci starts wedding planning. Catelynn moves back home. Amber feels anxiety over being a mom.

Ep number: 102
Title: How Many Chances?
Airdate: December 15, 2009
Information: Maci thinks about breaking up with her fiancé, Ryan. Farrah begins to date a new guy. Amber learns how difficult it can be to get a GED with a baby. Catelynn misses her daughter since giving her up for adoption.

Ep number: 103
Title: Fallout
Airdate: December 22, 2009
Information: Catelynn’s family gets in a disagreement over her choice of adoption. Amber and her fiancé Gary’s relationship is on the rocks. Farrah discovers that dating is difficult for a teen mom. Maci tries to be both a mother and do schoolwork, while her friends leave for college.

Ep number: 104
Title: Moving On
Airdate: December 29, 2009
Information: Amber and Gary’s relationship finally seems over. Catelynn’s mother moves away, leaving her with a difficult decision. Maci has a change of heart. Farrah decides to get birth control.

Ep number: 105
Title: A Little Help
Airdate: January 5, 2010
Information: Catelynn attends a weekend retreat with other birth moms to learn how to cope with her decision of adoption. Maci and Ryan see a counselor to help with their relationship. Amber contemplates help from Gary. Farrah wonders if she should stay at home with her baby more.

Ep number: 106
Title: Standing Up
Airdate: January 12, 2010
Information: Maci struggles with resenting Ryan. Catelynn worries that her boyfriend’s dad might go to jail. Farrah focuses more on her daughter. Amber contemplates daycare for her baby.

Ep number: 107
Title: Baby Steps
Airdate: January 19, 2010
Information: Amber decides to move away from Gary to end the fighting. Farrah looks at apartments to move away from her parents. Maci finds it difficult to keep up with school, especially when her son starts walking. Catelynn and her boyfriend Tyler start planning for their future.

Ep number: 108
Title: Happy Birthday
Airdate: January 26, 2010
Information: Catelynn and Tyler receive news about Carly, and Tyler proposes to Catelynn. Maci and Ryan’s relationship struggles continue even with Bentley’s first birthday coming up. Amber plans Leah’s first birthday. Farrah spends more time with her baby and makes peace with her own mother along the way.

Season 2

Will premiere on July 20, 2010 at 10PM ET on MTV.