16 & Pregnant has been a cultural phenomenon since the reality series debuted on MTV in 2009. Chronically the lives of young women experiencing teenage pregnancy, the series launched a franchise that was once meant to serve as an educational tool. Instead, it spawned a reality television genre that depicted high-stakes drama through the difficulty of being a young mother. As the flagship series for Teen Mom, 16 & Pregnant, it was the introductory series to the women whose lives would from henceforth be documented.
But where did this concept come from? Certainly, being a young mother wasn’t a foreign idea. It was something that had plagued minds as something “bad.” Is it possible that 16 and Pregnant may have been inspired by a 1981 documentary virtually of the same name and concept? Narrated by M*A*S*H* star Sally Kellerman, Sweet 16 & Pregnant was a documentary that followed the lives of a few young, expecting mothers. For those who have recently stumbled upon the video, there is an eerie similarity between the documentary and the series that came nearly three decades later. Only the series was smart to drop “sweet” since its depiction was anything but.
The 1981 Documentary Shares a Common Thread With Its 2009 Contemporary
Sweet 16 and Pregnant is essentially a softened version of the MTV series that would come to be. Using similar digital effects, cinematography, and even notebook introduction elements, the 1981 film followed young women in a similar vein as 16 and Pregnant did. With a much more gentle yet persistent grasp on the subject matter, Sweet 16 and Pregnant very much felt like that video that would be played in high school health class to warn teenagers of the perils of life as a teenage parent. In the documentary, Kellerman shares with viewers that they are going to meet five teenage girls who got pregnant, who faced the difficult choice of having the baby, having an abortion, or giving the baby up for adoption. With a music score reminiscent of a nursery and a scrapbook of memories, each young girl had a moment, albeit brief, to discuss their experience. There was Carol, Jackie, Debbie, Renee, and Denise.
Related
‘Teen Mom’s Jenelle Evans Warns Ex’s Girlfriend “Stop or I’ll Press Charges”
“I’m so sick of him thinkin’ that he’s entitled to everything.”
Throughout the film, the documentary would give the teenage mother the opportunity to share how they found themselves in their situation, as others in their lives would provide their own commentary, opinions, and prejudices. Even Kellerman, in her narration, provides certain statements that still resonate today. Others provide a shock. “10 years ago, it would have been unheard of for a sixteen-year-old girl to bring her baby to high school,” Kellerman says as Carol carries her folded stroller and baby and boards a yellow school bus. This then leads to Kellerman saying that Carol attends a school that has a nursery that can hold up to thirteen toddlers, but the school has 20 teenage mothers on the waiting list. It’s moments like that that may be a shock to viewers, but the gap from documentary to MTV series, the warning guide has turned into entertainment.
‘Sweet 16 and Pregnant’ Is Different Yet Similar
The film does provide a range of experiences. Some of the young women have and keep their child, one decides to have an abortion, and another gives up her baby for adoption. And the cameras capture some of these difficult moments. Like its contemporary, Sweet 16 and Pregnant is told in documentary form and provides the trials and tribulations of life after baby. It’s a bit claustrophobic in its storytelling, but it shines a light on these young women and their experiences. It suffers through its own controversies about whether the purpose of the film is meant to inform or scare. As one mother parrots her boyfriend’s words, “It’s like a baby having a baby.” One may ask what is the point of watching a scene of a young, frustrated mother tossing her child onto a couch as she cries? Through today’s lens, it would be to earn those viral views and clickbait articles.
The portrayal in Sweet 16 and Pregnant may have a documentary lens, but place it in the 2000s universe of reality television, it would have been MTV’s pilot for the successful guilty pleasure. At only a short runtime, each subject receives a menial amount of screen time, but their impact is felt. As the New York Times wrote about the MTV series, it was like watching a series about “real-life Junos.” The series became popular because some individuals saw their stories represented on screen, while others may have felt it was that juicy “trash reality television.” Many have criticized the series for its inaccuracies about its representation of teenage mothers. Whatever the reason the MTV series was pitched, the clear similarities between the 1981 documentary should be acknowledged. Though, in the credits, one might gauge why Sweet 16 and Pregnant was sponsored by Bristol-Meyers Company.
This reality TV show follows the lives of pregnant teenage girls as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy, relationships, and early motherhood. Each episode provides an intimate look at their struggles, hopes, and the impact of teenage parenthood on their lives and families.
- Release Date
-
June 11, 2009
- Main Genre
-
Reality
- Seasons
-
6
16 & Pregnant is available to stream on Paramount+.
Stream on Paramount+
