A 'Teen Mom' Fan on TikTok Might Have Figured Out Why MTV Keeps the Franchise Around

There are some reality shows that MTV just can't seem to give up. One of those is, of course, Ridiculousness, but the other is Teen Mom. Even when the original show was canceled, the franchise melded it, along with Teen Mom 2, into Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. But one fan on TikTok thinks they figured out why MTV won't cancel Teen Mom for good.

Teen Mom originally premiered in 2009 after a successful first season of its predecessor, 16 & Pregnant. It gave way to Teen Mom 2 in 2011. Eventually, other shows popped up in the franchise, including the short-lived Teen Mom 3 and the more recent Young and Pregnant. But a handful of the original moms have remained part of the franchise over the years and there could be a reason why.

The TikTok user _Gabsnyc shared a video in January 2023 in which she explains why she thinks MTV continues to keep Teen Mom on the air, despite years of dwindling viewership numbers and low ratings. She says that at one point, the show was popular and successful for MTV. Any other network might have pulled the plug by now. But according to this theory, there's an obvious reason why it's still on.

She explains that Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra's first child, Carly, who they placed for adoption in their 16 & Pregnant episode, will be 18 years old in just a few years. That means she'll be able to make a decision herself if she wants to have a relationship with her birth parents or if she would prefer to keep the relationship as it has been, with letters, pictures, and the occasional yearly visit.

If the franchise holds out until then, viewers may finally see Carly on their screens again.

According to the theory, MTV producers may be holding out on a cancellation in the hopes that Carly decides she does want to see her birth parents and that she'll agree, as an 18-year-old adult, to be on camera for a reunion that would be a long time coming for the most devoted Teen Mom fans.

"I don't mean to use the term social experiment, but that's kind of what this is," the TikToker says in her video. "We've never seen anything like this."

She explains that Carly will be able to see the entire "thought process" behind Catelynn and Tyler's adoption decision and the moment they literally handed Carly over to the adoptive parents. The TikToker also says that she thinks MTV could give Catelynn and Tyler a special to show the reunion with Carly.

One user commented on the TikTok video with their own theory that MTV producers think one of the older kids who were born when the franchise first started will become a teen parent themselves. Maci Bookout's oldest child, Bentley, will be 15 years old in 2023. Maci was 17 when she gave birth to Bentley.

Jenelle Evans's son is also a teenager now. While fans aren't necessarily hoping for one of the Teen Mom stars' kids to be subject to the difficulties of being a teen parent, some do believe producers would be all over a storyline like that to revive the franchise.

Watch Teen Mom: Family Reunion on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on MTV.