Disney | 2008 | 516 mins. | Not Rated
As a woman in my thirties, I understand I’m not part of the target demographic for ABC Family’s hit series, The Secret Life of An American Teenager. After watching both DVD releases of the show, I truly don’t understand the appeal. The premise is absurdly unrealistic and shouldn’t be taken seriously as a real, dramatic look at how teenagers go about their daily lives. Created by Brenda Hampton, the same woman who brought us Seventh Heaven, that long running family drama with all sorts of religious undertones, seems to want to do the same thing here but with an edge.
As I wrote in my review of season one, Secret Life stars Shailene Woodley (Crossing Jordan, The O.C.), Molly Ringwald (yes, the Molly Ringwald from The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink), India Eisley, and Kenny Baumann (Riding the 9). Their performances anchor this otherwise melodramatic and cliché-ridden show in reality, offering characters that seem to have some depth to them.
Each of the characters on this show are built for massive melodrama. Amy Boykewich (Woodley) is a fifteen -year-old freshman who plays French horn in the band. She finds herself pregnant after a none-too-memorable one night stand at band camp. Ben (Baumann) is the male version of Amy. A nice band geek, who doesn’t seem to know his right foot from his left a lot of the time. While Amy and Ben are the “good” kids, Secret Life also gives us a promiscuous pair of teenagers. Ricky (Daren Kagasoff), who is so compelled to sleep with a succession of girls (he is the father of Amy’s baby) that he’s in therapy for it, and Adrian (Raisa), who wears lip-gloss like a tramp stamp, but underneath it all, you get the feeling she’s just a very lonely girl.
While Amy tried to keep her pregnancy a secret from nearly everyone throughout the first season, by the second season her secret is out. Season two begins with a ‘wedding,’ after Amy decides to marry Ben. As Amy deals with the responsibilities that raising a child will incur, she must also face her parent’s still crumbling marriage and the pressures of high school. She considers putting the baby up for adoption and struggles to maintain her relationship with Ben.
The Secret Life of An American Teenager seems to be trying to keep teens from having sex by painting it as an act with dire consequences. Since the words “Christianity” and “God” are used frequently, the shows leanings are clear; abstinence over safe sex. The show is a safe family drama that is likely shared by teens and their parents looking for an hour of television to watch together. As some critics have said, Secret Life is an hour of moralistic television; that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re a fan of The Secret Life of An American Teenager, season two won’t disappoint.
It should be noted that season one has actually been divided into two different volumes. Volume One is sold as Season One, while Volume Two is sold as Season Two. While marketing January 2009’s episodes, ABC Family stated new episodes were part of Season two. However, they quickly responded to the understandable confusion, saying that it was marketed as the second season for production reasons.
Here is an episode break down:
Disc One
1.The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager
2. Baked Nevada
3.The Father and the Son
4.That’s Enough of That
Disc Two
5.Chocolate Cake
6.Unforgiven
7.Making Up is Hard To Do
8.Money for Nothing, Chicks for Free
Disc Three
9.Maybe Baybe
10.Whoomp! (There it is)
11.One Night at Band Camp
12.And Unto Us, A Child Is Born
Secret Life Season Two comes to DVD in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio (which is how it is broadcast on ABC Family HD), and enhanced for widescreen televisions. ABC has provided a solid DVD transfer. The show is filled with rich, warm and pleasing tones and they are presented nicely here. Detail is very good throughout.
This set features a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound audio that delivers clear dialogue to the center channel and music to the front left and right The soundtrack does its job well.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season Two contains the following special features:
• Music Video – “Secret Life (You and Me)” Performed by The Strange Familiar – (3:54)
• Character Secrets – The Cast Reveals All! – (10:08) – The cast discuss the show. Standard EPK stuff.
• Cast Close-Ups – Visit the Set as the Cast Dishes in a Series of Personal Videos – Select your favorite character as a fan, Michaela, interviews them. Each runs about three minutes.
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