'16 and Pregnant' finale: 10 reflections on an infuriating episode

Image Credit: MTVNot to sound like a deranged Care Bear or anything, but teen mom Kailyn really needed a big hug last night. Between her selfish mother, almost completely absent father, and her immature teen boyfriend, she was largely alone in life. But in stepped boyfriend Jo’s mom, Janet, who was basically the nicest woman alive. Am I being dramatic? Maybe a little….

Jo and Kailyn had been together nine months when they conceived, but as we saw in the show, Kailyn was living with Jo and his saintly parents. And largely, his parents were the only ones who gave a crap about her. Kailyn’s mom was busy finding a job, a home, and spending time with her boyfriend. It was as horrible to watch as it sounds. On top of dealing with the normal trials and tribs of pregnancy, Kailyn went to Texas to go meet her father for the first time, with underwhelming results. Let’s just say the father-daughter connection was as weak as a cell phone signal on the subway. But the night still produced some thought-provoking moments:

++ “I just look fat right now… I don’t actually look like I’m pregnant,” Kailyn claimed about the bulging belly she was trying to hide. Her friends disagreed. Reflection: What’s that thing they say about the Nile?

++ “Absence makes the heart grow fonder; so let me leave,” Kailyn’s mom said coldly to her daughter before after dropping the teen off so she could leave and spend time with her boyfriend. In response, Kailyn burst into tears and asked: “Why’s he more important than me?” Reflection: Parental selfishness makes the heart grow angrier. So let us all rant.

++ Jo’s parents giving him the smack down after he said having the baby was solely Kailyn’s decision. Reflection: Jo, your dad is huge and intimidating. Just admit you’re wrong.

++ Jo’s comment after sharing the sonogram photos with his friends: “It don’t got a face.” Reflection: Scariest mental picture ever. Thanks, Jo.

++ “I want you know that regardless of what happens, dad and I are still here for you… This is your bed now,” Jo’s mom Janet said to Kailyn after she and Jo had a giant fight. Reflection: This woman is amazing.

++ Kailyn’s words to her father after meeting him for the first time: “You are short.” Reflection: In the realm of meaningful first lines you could say to make a good first impression…

++ This is where I could make fun of Kailyn’s dad putting a lock on his fridge to keep his $200 worth of meat safe and secure. But as a Texan, all I can say is that’s what we do.

++ Kailyn’s horrifying (yet accurate) observation: “A crying newborn is basically the new soundtrack to our lives.” Reflection: I’ll stick to music from Glee. Thanks.

++ “You don’t pay for anything anyway. Shut the f— up,” Jo said after Kailyn scolded him for leaving the milk out. Reflection: Low blow.

++ “I couldn’t ask for a better mother even thought she’s not blood related,” Kailyn said of Janet. Reflection: I swear this is the last time I say this, but this woman was seriously fantastic.

So what did you think of the season finale of 16 and Pregnant, PopWatchers? Any reflections to share? Did you feel bad for Kailyn, too? And most importantly, did they really leave a hole in the roof of the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium so God could watch his team play on Sundays (wisdom courtesy of Kailyn’s meat-loving father)?