MTV’sTeen Mom has created a franchise around the lives of young moms, as the name implies. But that’s not to understate the role of the fathers in the cast of the reality series. Of course, there are absentee fathers on the show, as there are with mothers. But several regular Teen Mom stars are dads who’ve stepped up to the plate, though the name of the franchise often downplays their involvement.
The Teen Mom franchise has seen many spin-offs in the nearly two decades it’s been on the air. MTV has also re-branded the franchise, with the current variation Teen Mom: The Next Chapter reflecting a combined cast from Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom 2. Though it was once the best-rated series on TV, the franchise’s remaining shows continue to suffer from declining ratings. It’s clear Teen Mom needs a facelift, and another spin-off could do the trick. But MTV needs to think outside-of-the-box, like taking the focus off the moms for once, and giving the spotlight to the dads. Teen Dad, anyone?
The 'Teen Mom' Dads Offer Plenty of Content to Work With
If MTV wanted a spin-off about the dads, they’d have plenty to work with. The dads come with lots of interesting content for storylines, even if the moms aren’t involved in the new series. Look at Gary Shirley, who share teen daughter, Leah, with his ex Amber Portwood. MTV has been criticized for continuing to give Amber a televised platform given her controversial past, which include charges for domestic abuse. Gary has been Leah’s primary parents since toddlerhood, and the teenager has even expressed a desire to be adopted by her step-mother, Kristina, Gary’s wife. Gary’s family is already featured on The Next Chapter, but they could be given new coverage in a spin-off that takes focus off Amber, something both viewers as well as Leah seem to want to see happen.
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Of course, there’s also the option to start fresh, and simply leverage the show’s brand name and popularity. MTV could create a new cast, full of fresh-faced dads we’ve never met before. There was also a 16 and Pregnant reboot recently, so they could cast fan favorites to leverage their popularity for Teen Dad debut.
Why MTV Should Shine Light On the Dads
It'd be nice if a spin-off focused on the dads in a positive light, since there are a lot of understated male heroes of the franchise. But reality TV needs drama, and there are plenty of Teen Mom fathers who can bring that, even if their parenting is questionable. In fact, bad parenting decisions is part of what made the franchise so popular in the first place.
Jenelle Evans’ first baby daddy, Andrew Lewis, recently made headlines when it was reported he made contact with their son Jace, who’s been struggling with running away from both Jenelle and his grandmother’s home. Andrew has been absent for most of Jace’s life, but he seems to have a desire to be back in the spotlight, so he could be willing to sign on for a special feature. A move like this would definitely bring in the views.
It's unlikely MTV would want to, but it’d also be an option to partner with controversial figures like David Eason and Adam Lind, both ex Teen Mom 2 dads who left the show amid criminal charges – David was investigated for admitting to killing the family dog, while Adam has faced domestic violence and drug charges.
Literally, for over a decade, MTV has made Teen Mom about the moms. And, of course, they’re who made the franchise what it was. But they wouldn’t be here without the other stars, even if they were just “supporting characters,” like the kids and the dads. Giving the dads more of a platform, like a spin-off show, would offer a new perspective to the Teen Mom franchise, and could perhaps be the facelift it needs to boost ratings. MTV loves to create Teen Mom spin-offs, so if they’re going to do anything, then at least let it be original. The ratings prove that what they’re doing isn’t working, so shining the spotlight somewhere else could be a good change in strategy.
Teen Mom can be streamed on Paramount+.
