This week, MTV announced that it has ordered a third installment of its successful Teen Mom franchise, this time culling the cast from the fourth season of 16 and Pregnant, which will premiere March 27.
Many wondered why the network didn't go ahead with a Teen Mom 3 after the third season of 16 and Pregnant, as has been the practice thus far. It continues to remain a mystery, but with Teen Mom star Amber Portwood's legal trouble—she was just released from "gel" last week after serving a two month stint for probation violation involving a drug arrest—MTV might be looking for backup series. A judge handling Amber's case has barred her from filming any scenes for the reality show once she has secured a place for herself in a halfway home. In turn, MTV promised not to sue her for breach of contract, meaning that the network might be moving on from her storyline. A new season of Teen Mom—which is set to air this summer—is filming right now but Amber hasn't filmed since Thanksgiving.
So who from the new season of 16 and Pregnant might get one of those coveted spots on Teen Mom 3? That remains to be seen, but there seems to be plenty of juicy story lines and invented baby names from which to choose. (One girl named her kid Nova Star.) You can watch the trailer to the left and make your own picks. We think that two shoe-ins are Mackenzie Douthit, the cute blond cheerleader, and Kristina Robinson, who's baby daddy died in a car crash while she was pregnant. You can read some more in-depth descriptions about the girls here.
A premiere date for Teen Mom 3 has not yet been determined.
MTV Orders Third Version of 'Teen Mom' [THR]