TVSquad

The other night I was watching a special on BBC America about all of the pregnant girls in the Gloucester, MA (where I was born) high school. That has nothing to do with this show, of course, but every time I see a show about a pregnant teen I think of that real-life story. I'm waiting for the inevitable movie that Lifetime will make about the situation.

Last night's episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager was about how Ben's preoccupation with sex is causing trouble with Amy. More than the trouble it has already caused, that is. Yo, Adrian!

Last night was the second season premiere of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, a show that's really superficial. That's not me saying that, it's Tom Shales at the Washington Post, who says that the show is "an unabashed throwback to soaps of ages past" and one that "makes no attempt to camouflage artifice and superficiality." And I think he likes the show (though it sounds like he hasn't watched a soap opera since 1976).

What did you think of the season opener?

A few weeks back, I enthusiastically reported the plans for One Life to Live's 40th anniversary celebration. Viki was going to have a near death experience and heaven; a classic OLTL moment would be re-created, the Iguaza Falls plunge; and in an elongated mini-arc, Bo and Rex would be transported back in time to 1968, the year OLTL began. It was an ambitious undertaking, but it was still nice to hear that they were thinking big, as opposed to General Hospital which did virtually nothing to commemorate their 45th anniversary in April.

So, now that Viki's visit to heaven -- which did not include Pearly Gates -- has concluded and Sarah and Cristian have gone over the falls -- and look to be dead -- I felt compelled to comment. First, Viki. I really, really like Erika Slezak. She's the Meryl Streep of daytime, able to take on all kinds of stories and make them work. Fortunately for Erika, she didn't have to sing any crappy ABBA songs like poor Meryl in Mamma Mia!

I don't know about you, but I was kind of ticked off that General Hospital decided that 45 years on the air wasn't a good enough reason for a special episode. They had a cake -- good for them -- but generally speaking, the media celebrated the GH anniversary more than the show did. Well, ABC and One Life to Live are doing just the opposite for four decades of broadcasting. One Life to Live will celebrate its 40th anniversary -- officially July 15th -- with three special, out of this world storylines. It all starts on July 21. How out of this world? Well, it will be celestial.

Headwriter Ron Carlivati told TV Guide that his plans, which are extensive, include sending Viki back to Heaven. Longtime fans will recall that in 1987, Viki "died" and went to Heaven, which was inspired by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and looked very sci-fi.