Teen Mom 2: "Taking Sides"

The episode was called "Taking Sides," but it seemed like the main focus this week was simple: communication. Over cotton candy at the county fair, on Jo's dad's "beautiful bench" or on Chelsea's toilet, the whole Teen Mom crew was having deep conversations. Even Kailyn's mom came out of the woodwork for a heart-to-heart. Though what they said wasn't always productive, everyone had something to say. Here's my two cents.

The Good:

• Megan. I told off Adam in my head when he suggested that if he had to pay rent, Megan should be subject to the same rules, so I was shocked and impressed when Megan brought it up on her own during her conversation with Chelsea. She's obviously not free-loading, and she gave her new roommate the old college try before deciding that she had to move out. Kudos to Megan for standing up for herself and making the decision to part ways with the "happy family."
• Kailyn. I like a girl who can think for herself, and Kailyn is one of those girls. I'm slightly sad to see her move back in with Jo's parents because, in a way, I think it chains her to a life that she doesn't want. But I'm glad she was at least honest with Jo and his mom and dad about her intentions for the relationship (or lack thereof). Kailyn did say last week that she still loves Jo, but, no matter what The Beatles say, love isn't all you need.
• Leah & Corey/Danny & Sandy/the poster children for "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade". Week after week, Leah & Corey stay strong in the midst of stress and disappointment. Ali's developmental issues would be enough on their own to put strain on any relationship, but Leah & Corey just sail through life like their biggest problem is a bit of mismatched camouflage. Normally I'd hate to see a young couple rush into marriage, but in their case, I'm excited that Corey bought a ring. I wouldn't be too upset if they waited a while to have Corey Jr., though.

The Bad:

• Barbara & Jenelle. For every bit of positive communication we got with the Goods, we saw the other side of the stick with Barbara and Jenelle. They couldn't hang crepe paper without bickering, and a simple conversation about Jace's birthday present, though hilarious, quickly turned into an argument. In my opinion, neither a Spiderman quad nor a silver cup is the best gift for a 1-year-old, but what do I know? Jenelle was genuinely proud of her gift for Jace, but Barbara just couldn't let her feel good about herself. Something I've learned in life is that it's important to be honest, but it's also important to pick your battles. You may think you're helping when you point out someone else's shortcomings, but a lot of times it's more self-serving than charitable.

The Ugly:

• Chelsea & Adam's 3-ring circus. Sometimes train wrecks are fun to watch. Other times you just have to look away and try to forget you saw anything at all. The longer I watch Chelsea and Adam on this show, the less I enjoy it. You have a spoiled-rotten, delusional girl, a lazy, abusive mooch of a boy and a dad who has created a monster and is powerless to stop it. Randy sits back and plays the concerned, helpless dad when what he needs to do is throw Chelsea in that red Beetle and park it back at his house, where she should be promptly chained to a desk until she finishes high school and gets her act together. Adam, AKA crab-ass, as Megan calls him, is obviously on the same wavelength as Chelsea and her sense of entitlement. And he definitely hasn't learned his lesson when it comes to sending nasty texts. The part-time construction worker, full-time video-gamer needs to get a reality check. But then again, why bother? He found a girl whose daddy will pay their way, and he can sit back and play "Call of Duty" all day long instead of taking care of diaper duty. Maybe Adam is actually a genius! ....Nah!
  

Quotable Quotes:

"Maybe you'll meet a nice guy."
"Dad, I have a boyfriend."
"I know, but maybe you'll meet a nice guy."


Did you enjoy the episode? Whose side are you on this week?