16 and Pregnant

There's no need to belabor the premise of 16 and Pregnant: You get it. The first episode profiles Maci, who informed her mother she was pregnant via text message. Some online commentators have wondered whether 16 and Pregnant might glorify the baby bump, but unlike most of the teenagers who populate MTV shows, Maci  doesn't even try to seem older than her years. She's clearly scared, unsure, and immature. And her fiance, Ryan, is no prize—he brings Levi Johnston to mind a bit. Ryan is a taciturn grump who complains when Maci struggles to quickly get in and out of the car, takes her to ride four-wheelers when she's nine months pregnant, and tells her they wouldn't be together if it weren't for the baby.

Perhaps the best scene comes right after the birth of Maci's son, Bentley. As soft music plays, Maci and Ryan look lovingly at Bentley. But they're also clearly shocked and terrified. A shrill baby's cry interrupts the song: reality. 16 and Pregnant is an honest look at teen pregnancy that neither glorifies nor demonizes Maci. Think of it as halfway between Bristol Palin and Meghan McCain. "I always said we would just know what to do when Bentley came, but now I'm not so sure," Maci says before they put a diaper on their son backward. Kids will be watching that moment in middle-school health classes for years to come.