• by Ed Martin , June 17, 2010

Something about ABC Family's signature hit "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" reminds me of the kind of television I grew up with -- except for all the sex talk (not to mention the sex itself), which was largely absent from the family-centered series that dominated broadcast television in the pre-cable era. Putting all the sex aside -- if it's possible to do so, especially where teens are concerned -- it has a bright, colorful, retro feel to it. The characters are all shiny and attractive; they live in nice houses, attend a well-run school and, for the most part, have home lives and friendships that offer strength, shelter and security no matter the high-stakes peer drama at hand.

It's expertly crafted escapism, and it rarely feels like real life, but that's OK because "Secret Life" doesn't strive for overt realism. It seeks instead to entertain and, at times, educate, with stories that often offer important messages about the responsibilities and consequences of teen sex. "Secret Life" never preaches, but it does make clear that people of all ages have feelings, and that their emotional well-being should never be taken for granted, just as their physical well-being must always be respected and protected.

The series kicked off in 2008 with its central character, 15-year-old Amy, discovering that she was pregnant after losing her virginity to bad boy Ricky at band camp. In a story turn that is definitely the stuff of unreal TV drama, the pregnant Amy suddenly had two guys in her life who wanted to be a father to the baby - baby daddy Ricky and Amy's too-good-to-be-true boyfriend Ben. Season 2 was all about Amy's efforts to raise baby John while resuming her education (with a lot of help from her mom and dad), Ricky's struggle to be a good dad to his son (it had earlier been established that Ricky was abused by his own father as a child) and Ben's increasing feelings of isolation, which led to a budding romance with devout Christian cheerleader Grace (whose father was killed in a plane crash while she was losing her virginity to sensitive jock Jack) and a one-night stand of his own at the end of the season with Ricky's on-again off-again girlfriend Adrian.

Interestingly, the show's third season has begun with Adrian discovering that she is pregnant with Ben's child and choosing to keep the truth from him while she contemplates having an abortion. This dramatic development promises to be a very different take on teen pregnancy than the story of Amy and Ricky. Because this show is all about the importance of honesty and communication, I know that the young characters on its canvas will openly discuss this pregnancy with each other and, in many cases, with their parents, and that they will all benefit from sharing their feelings. Given the title of this show, it's interesting that there are absolutely no secrets among these kids.

This is as good a time as any to point out that while the young actors on "Secret Life" are hugely appealing (especially Shailene Woodley, Kenny Baumann, Daren Kagasoff and Francia Raisa, to name a few) the adults are also terrific and seem to be proving equally popular with the show's tween and teen viewers, to judge by the amount of screen time they receive. They include former teen-queen Molly Ringwald (as Amy's mom), soap opera veteran Mark Derwin (as Amy's dad), Josie Bissett of "Melrose Place" (as Grace's mom), Steve Schirripa (as Ben's dad Leo, a role completely different from his memorable turn as Bobby Bacala on "The Sopranos"), the always-welcome Jennifer Coolidge (as former hooker with a heart of gold Betty, now Leo's new bride) and Philip Anthony-Rodriguez (as Adrian's dad). They are all helping to make "Secret Life" one of those rare millennial-targeted series that baby boomers can appreciate, too.

When it comes to thoughtful, family friendly storytelling, series creator and executive producer Brenda Hampton is a master at narrative balance. She never lets the tone of one plot compromise the many others that are forever percolating, and there are always lighter stories to keep the heavy ones from becoming too weighty. Given the robust ratings "Secret Life" continues to enjoy, it is safe to assume that teens are responding to Hampton's handling of this subject matter.

You know, if I were calling the shots over at the Hallmark Channel, I would talk to Hampton about developing a series based on the network's recent movie "Freshman Father." (It's about time for Hallmark to enter the business of original series, wouldn't you say?) "Father" was based on a true story about a young Harvard student (played by Drew Seeley) who chose to raise his infant son alone while remaining in school after his overwhelmed wife left both of them. When compared to "Secret Life" it took a dramatically different approach to the sensitive subject of teen parenting, and an interesting one at that, in which a young father was forced by circumstance to carry all of the responsibility for his baby while trying to live his life. How often does that happen?