When Paradise returned for its second season, the most important query on everybody’s minds was: “What does the surface world appear to be?” In spite of everything, the massive reveal that it was really extra of a post-apocalyptic thriller than a homicide thriller is what made Season 1 of Paradise such a standout. These solutions will be discovered with Shailene Woodley‘s Annie, a medical pupil who manages to eke out a residing post-apocalypse by hiding in Graceland (sure, that Graceland) and encountering a wounded Xavier Collins (Sterling Ok. Brown) as he searches for his spouse. Earlier than she joined ParadiseWoodley had her breakout tv position in The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager.
The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager facilities on Amy Juergens (Woodley), who learns that her tryst with the rebellious Ricky Underwood (Darren Kagasoff) at summer time band camp has resulted in her turning into pregnant. Amy tries to navigate her being pregnantand her highschool life, and she or he begins a brand new relationship with Ben Boykewich (Ken Baumann). Issues aren’t helped by Ricky having really developed emotions for her, which precipitated a hurricane of teenage angst. Whereas it might need kick-started Shailene Woodley’s profession, The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager is perhaps one of the crucial complicated successes in tv historical past.
‘The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager’ Weathered Controversy & Poor Critiques
Whereas The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager seems like a typical teenage drama, it by no means discovered the tone it was searching for. A lot of the sequence usually featured characters extolling the virtues of abstinence or feeling like abortion is a horrible alternative for an adolescent who’s not able to be a mom. Typically it even felt like sequence creator Brenda Hampton was making an attempt to squeeze in all of the leftover ethical classes she did not use in seventh Heaven. On high of that, the sequence’ relationship drama is manner too sophisticated, even for one of these present. Amy and Ben break up as a result of Ricky’s presence, however Ben finally ends up impregnating Ricky’s former fling Adrian (France Raisa) and marrying her…earlier than continuing to chase after Amy following Adrian’s miscarriage.
If the precise content material of the present wasn’t sufficient, The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager acquired scathing opinions throughout its first season. The New York Instances known as it a “Prime-Time Cautionary Story“, and one other reviewer claimed that it was “the worst scripted present on tv.” But regardless of these harsh opinions, the sequence would proceed for 4 extra seasons, discovering new methods to squeeze the being pregnant angle. A key instance: after Amy has her child, her mom Anne (Molly Ringwald) goes by her personal tumultuous relationship and being pregnant, a mix of contrivance solely this present may cook dinner up.
‘The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager’ Formed Freeform’s Programming
In the course of the starting of its run, The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager was a scores hiteven beating out fellow teenage dramas like Gossip Woman. But it slowly started to say no in scores, retaining solely a sliver of its earlier viewers in its ultimate season. The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager would have a significant influence on Freeform’s future. All through the late 2000s and all of the 2010s, Freeform would greenlight extra teenage dramas like Fairly Little Liars, which might turn into one of many channel’s hottest reveals, and Switched at Beginningwhich options its personal insane idea: two youngsters studying that they have been… nicely, switched at start.
Shailene Woodley additionally noticed her profession take off following The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager, particularly in motion pictures. Towards the tip of the sequence, she had a significant position in The Descendants because the estranged daughter of George Clooney‘s lawyer. Woodley was enjoying one other teenager, but she managed to carry her personal in scenes with Clooney. The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager may not be one of the crucial groundbreaking tv reveals, however with out it, we would not be watching Shailene Woodley flex her dramatic chops in Paradise.