As we're now in March, it's springtime and the shows that began in the fall on the network side of things get more juicier at the ladder half of their seasons. And during what's been a most eventful first few months of 2020, reality TV is offering us some much need escapism: Season 40 of Survivor: Winners at War, Big Brother Canada north of the border, and the juicy drama down in Siesta Key which tonight wraps up the winter portion of season 3. And after we cover that on here this weekend, our focus will shift straight to The Challenge: Total Madness which begins in three weeks from now, and that will come as good news to a competitor on that season, which brings us to this...
In the midst of Women's History Month, next Tuesday Teen Mom OG returns as the franchise enters its second decade in its various forms, dating back to when the two generations of women the show has featured the past ten years were first introduced on predecessor series 16 and Pregnant in summer 2009. The first group of moms -- Amber Portwood, Catelynn Lowell & Maci Bookout -- will welcome back the MTV cameras once again as they navigate parenthood and life as adults in their mid-20's, ten years after their debut when they were at the rightful age of sweet 16 and as teenagers. Also joining them is Teen Mom 3's MacKenzie McKee, who joined this sorority last season, and where this spring we'll be seeing her deal with family tragedy as her grandmother Angie Doughit passed away over the holidays after a valiant and courageous battle with brain cancer.
With our almost total focus on The Challenge and other matters revolving around that show and related series, other than being featured occasionally in our episode coverage we've not covered Teen Mom since our introductory post prior to Cheyenne's October 2018 debut... it's OK since the franchise already receives extensive press coverage anyway. But if we got the chance to cover it more often (and with our deep respect to the other castmates who are special in their own way), then it's on just one condition that we only cover Cheyenne's universe. And after the jump, we'll have a look back at some of her journey (and Cory & Taylor's too), before it begins St. Patrick's Day next week.
When news of Cheyenne and Bristol joining the OG's on this cast, there was understandably a mixed reception. But given the controversial nature of the original fourth girl, their entry brought a much needed sense of calm to a series well known for making the tabloid headlines.
It's not always easy to welcome new people into any group who has lasted this long, and there was some rumblings that it may not be the case for the trio when their two replacements were announced. But when Amber, Cate and Maci met Cheyenne and Bristol for the first time in New York two years ago during the fall 2018 Teen Mom OG season, it was as if they had known one another for just as long. They were welcomed to the group with open arms (and later, MacKenzie last year) and by those who've been rolling with them and the TM family since the journey began... and it was so much the case that last year, the moms held their own girls' only weekend in Miami for Amber's birthday.
A major reason why Cheyenne joined the show was to help broaden the public's understanding of a rare disease that Ryder has had since she was born four years ago: the rare disease VCLAD where the body can't break down certain fats and limits the food that can be converted into energy. Cameras have followed the baby's parents to the appointments she's had to check on her health, and her mom teared up about her kid's condition on last year's reunion.
And when they went onto How Far is Tattoo Far? last year, the tattoo the dad gave the mom recognized the struggles she had of raising Ryder during that first year.
Just TRY not to cry during this reveal. 😠#TattooFar pic.twitter.com/newUzYBiJK— How Far Is Tattoo Far? (@MTV_TattooFar) December 26, 2019
Like pretty much everyone in the franchise, Chey has had her own relationship issues too. The first season saw her with boyfriend Zach, while her second season was with a different one, Matt. We'll see if the third one will be the charm this time around...
And of course, there's Cory, and it seems you can't speak about Cheyenne without mentioning him - especially with the specter of Taylor now in the picture.
Two weeks ago, the most recent season in the Teen Mom universe of Young & Pregnant wrapped up -- one that saw Bay Area native Ashley Jones get into it with fellow alum of that series, Jade Cline, on the reunion of Teen Mom 2, for whom Jade replaced Jenelle Evans last year after the events that surrounded her & her husband's sketchy behavior. Ashley has found co-parenting with daughter Holly's dad, Bar, more difficult as she became cozy with up & coming hip-hop star 600Breezy... and she looked to Cheyenne for co-parenting advice.
And on the topic of guest stars, we wouldn't do this post without mentioning something that hasn't happened on the Teen Mom franchise up until Challenge Nation joined the family. Cheyenne, Cory and Taylor are unique for that they have been on prior MTV Reality series before joining the Teen Mom family. As such, they are the only section of the Nation that has a slice of The Hills - and not just because they live out in Southern California: familiar faces have made cameos in the episodes since we saw them first out here. But unlike what we have with Speidi, Audrina & co., it's those who MTV fans recognize from past MTV series who are giving the threesome advice tackling life's most important challenge... something that others in their community are going through as well.
Among those who have made guest appearances on TMOG include those who've been on Cory's seven prior Challenges in Nelson and Joss, Tor'i from his Ex On The Beach season, and Cory's Real World Ex-Plosion ex Lauren - who by just mere coincidence had a pregnancy scare on his first MTV series. And that doesn't count the others who made guest spots in the background when Cory was the subject of the Teen Mom spinoff Being last year... and there will no doubt be more people being added to that list of guest stars this spring when we'll get to see (in its post-produced form) Taylor and Cory's baby gender reveal, which we covered here back in January.
Our theory back then in our story on the baby girl reveal was that they would schedule airing this Teen Mom season the same time that Season 35 of The Challenge would be airing... given the star-studded invite list to their gender reveal we were right dead on. Those who've been on MTV Reality shows with them were at that backyard gala, and six of them will be competing with Cory on Total Madness: Nelson, Tori, and Big Brother rookies Kaycee, Bayleigh, Swaggy C. and Fessy. When he posted his birthday Instagram pic last week, Cory announced that the baby girl is scheduled to make her entry on April 22... ironically enough, on Challenge Wednesday, and when he will be on MTV on back-to-back nights with that show and Teen Mom OG on Tuesday.
And below, more of Cheyenne's memorable moments from her two seasons on Teen Mom... and the journey continues for her, Amber, Catelynn, Maci, MacKenzie and everyone else next Tuesday.
- I AM DC
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