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THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER “Who Do You Trust” Review

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THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER “Who Do You Trust” Season 3 Episode 15 – The “previously on The Secret Life of the American Teenager” segment plays like a comedy montage. Then Adrian waddles down the hallway with a tonne of vegetables and fruit. Everyone is so happy to see Adrian. They squeal when they see her. That’s how you know they’re happy. They are also surprised about her baby bump. You know they’re surprised because their eyes widen and their eyebrows raise. This is the universal look of surprise. They probably have a chart of emotions just behind the camera so that the robots masquerading as actors masquerading as characters can push their facial features into the appropriate positions.

I just want it to be clear that I think this is an awful show. This is an evil show. This show should not be on the air, not when shows like Freaks and Geeks and My So Called Life barely lasted a year. O’Mally (or O’Malley), the new school councillor who looks like she’s seventeen, is confronted by Ashley who is supposed to be the dark centre of the show. Ashley is certainly the sulky centre of the show. The dark centre would require, I don’t know, darkness. Ashley does not want to go to school because she’s tired of it. Which is reasonable. So she will teach herself school.

This is the show where Amy tells her father that she asked her baby daddy to get tested for STIs so that they can have sex. I deserve a medal for keeping my eyes on the screen without dying.

Tom’s job is to listen to employees who then realise that they want to quit their jobs. This is ridiculously condescending writing.

Grace asks her mother’s permission to have sex with her boyfriend. Do these conversations actually happen? Do these people actually exist? The show is called “The Secret Life…” Where are the secrets?

Adrian and Ben’s baby will be a girl, which is the big reveal of the episode. That and Ricky’s mother returned home. We’ll have to wait until next week to find out the riveting news whether Ricky or the other characters on the show have STIs. Can you possibly wait? I know I can.

What did you think of this episode? Sound off in the comments below.

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Author: Ciara | March 29, 2011 | 4 Comments

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http://twitter.com/SarcasticLauren Lauren Hathaway

I would never pretend that the writing/acting on this show is of the level of FNL or My so-called life but speaking as a 20-something who shouldn’t enjoy it, there is a difference between loving it because it’s so bad, and hating it because it’s so bad. I usually don’t comment on the author/writing style of the recaps I read, but if this “negative nancy routine” is what I have to look forward to week after week, I’ll be googling another source. Yes, it’s a ridiculous campy show. But while I don’t think these types of direct parental convos happen in real life (think, because I’m about a decade removed), I do think their conversations with each other are indicative of the way real teens view sex (which is scary).

I was also skeptical of introducing the adrian/ben pregnancy last season but it has certainly brought a lot of emotional touchpoints to the surface in the form of adrian/ben, adrian/ricky, ben/amy, ricky/amy. They relationships they have with each other are based on different reasons, different human needs. I find this part of the show riveting, because of how relatable and true it is.
Liz

No this is not the way teens communicate about sex, whatsoever. They may think the way these characters do but their dialogue is so off target it’s ridiculous. I’m in my mid-20s and I have never EVER heard a peer use the term “oral sex” as often as these characters do. I understand the limited euphamisms that can be used on a family television series but come on — if the scripts weren’t so far fetched this show would simply be a horrible guilty pleasure and that’s it. But it’s inability to even remotely depict teens is appaling.

http://twitter.com/SarcasticLauren Lauren Hathaway

That’s what I meant, that the way real teens THINK about sex is how these characters TALK about it, with each other. It was most aptly shown in Ricky’s despair about getting tested and his disbelief that anything could happen to him & being scared of finding out if anything had. I just sat back and thought, oh my god they really think that way! Not just teens either, I’m sure plenty of my 20-something peers do as well!

Ciara

I respect your opinion but the problem with the show (in my humble opinion) is not the issues it explores, but the way it explores them. Secret Life would be a better show if it wasn’t so awful. But it is awful and therefore the issues are maligned by the poor quality writing/directing/acting. It’s fun to laugh at, but take seriously? Thanks, but I’ll watch My So Called Life/FNL etc.