Following the success of 2007's award-winning movie Juno, TV shows navigating teen pregnancy dominated the airwaves. MTV did it best with their groundbreaking show 16 and Pregnant. Its spinoff, Teen Mom, premiered in 2009, documenting the highs and lows of several young moms: Farrah Abraham, Maci Bookout, Catelynn Lowell, and Amber Portwood.
Despite its huge following and its undeniable impact on MTV's programming throughout the 2010s, Teen Mom has a surprisingly low score on IMDb of 3.6/10. Compared to MTV's other reality shows, that's very low. Perhaps the drama is too real for some viewers, or maybe some reviewers are just bitter that MTV is no longer focused on music videos like they once were. Although it carries a low rating on IMDb, Teen Mom has had an undeniable impact on pop culture. Here's a ranking of the seasons that make up that low IMDb score.
Season 9 - N/A
Season nine is currently airing, and it's technically the lowest-ranked not because audiences hate it, but because it hasn't received any reviews yet. Although the season was shot during the pandemic, it's been entertaining so far as OG's Maci, Catelynn, and Amber, plus newer castmembers Cheyenne and Mackenzie navigate their lives as young moms, although none of them are teenagers anymore.
One of the most talked-about plotlines this season is the drama brewing between Maci, Ryan, and Ryan's parents. Judging by the trailer for the upcoming reunion, things are definitely going to get heated.
Season 3 - 3.91
The third season of Teen Mom is among the lowest-rated in the franchise's history. Fans thought the season was a lot of the same old storylines with much of the action revolving around Amber and Gary's tumultuous relationship.
Competition could have been another factor for the low score. When season three aired, Teen Mom 2 had just wrapped its debut season. With new storylines and new moms, Teen Mom 2 felt much more compelling in comparison. Perhaps it played a factor in how IMDb users perceived Teen Mom at the time.
Season 7 - 3.92
It's not surprising that season seven has such a lackluster score on IMDb, as this season was truly all over the place. For starters, the season was extremely long. Although MTV split the season into two parts, season seven had a whopping thirty episodes. That's more than twice as long as some of the earlier seasons—and then Farrah left the show in the middle of the season, which was a conflicting moment for many fans.
When the second half of the season aired, Cheyenne Floyd from MTV's Are You The One? and The Challenge joined the cast alongside Bristol Palin. Fans were unsure about Bristol Palin joining the cast. The casting shakeup signaled a different direction for the Teen Mom franchise, which up until then had never featured cast members outside of the 16 and Pregnant universe.
Season 4 - 4.16
Ahead of its premiere, MTV announced that season four of Teen Mom would be its last. Of course, it eventually came back, but, when it originally aired on television, fans thought the series was coming to an end. Regardless of that context, the season ranks low on IMDb.
At this point in the show's history, the moms were settling into adulthood, and some of the storylines felt repetitive. The show also took on a darker tone, with Amber's documented outbursts and legal issues landing her in rehab. In fact, she went to prison shortly after the season premiered.
Season 2 - 4.28
The second season of Teen Mom cranked up the real-life drama to the max, and it set the groundwork for how the rest of the seasons would play out. The season kicks off with Farrah calling the police on her mother and accusing her of assault, a storyline that would continue to play out for subsequent episodes.
Maci spends the season trying to lock down a custody arrangement with Ryan. Catelynn and Tyler struggle with their decision to put their daughter up for adoption, and Amber and Gary's relationship takes an extremely dark turn. All of these storylines become pivotal parts of the moms' journies for the rest of the show, which makes it a standout.
Season One - 4.57
When Teen Mom premiered in 2009, it was groundbreaking. It felt like a very different direction for MTV's programming as they went full steam ahead into reality TV and away from music. 16 and Pregnant had already been deemed controversial, so audiences weren't sure what to expect with its spinoff.
The show's first season introduced fans to the moms as they adjust to motherhood. Each mom brought a distinct journey and a unique perspective to share with audiences. But, with only eight episodes, it really only scratched the surface of their stories.
Season 6 - 4.67
Season six of Teen Mom premiered in 2016. There are a ton of impactful moments in this season, which is probably why it's one of the highest-ranked out of the whole series. Fans followed Amber and Matt's rollercoaster relationship, and they eventually call it quits by the end of the season. Maci finally gets married, and Catelynn reveals her mental health struggles. As a whole, fans found Season 6 to feel real and relatable.
Season 5 - 5.08
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, which may be why season five of Teen Mom is one of the highest-rated seasons in the show's history. MTV had initially announced that Season 4 would be the end of the show, so fans were excited when the show was revived under a new name: Teen Mom OG.
All four of the original cast members returned as seasoned reality tv stars, and it was interesting to see how far they had come since the cameras stopped following their lives. Amber had been to jail. Farrah had dipped her toes into the adult industry. A lot had changed, and the show felt fresh. All of the moms were in different places in their lives by this point, making the show more compelling than its previous seasons.
Season 8 - 5.30
Season eight introduced another MTV alumni into the cast, Taylor Selfridge. She's the current girlfriend of Cheyenne's baby's father, Cory. However, MTV cut ties with her after some of her controversial past tweets emerged. Despite that drama, fans found season eight to be engaging from beginning to end.
With an average rating of 5.30, season eight is IMDb's highest-rated season of Teen Mom. It makes sense because everything just works with this season: There was drama. There was romance. There were adorable family moments. This season had it all, and the show finally found its groove again after season seven's big cast shakeup.