Says the basic-cable network’s executive vice president Kate Juergens: The Secret Life of the American Teenager has really struck a chord not just with our Millennial audience, but with viewers across the board. We’re delighted to announce the series will return. The success of this show goes directly to creator Brenda Hampton’s telling of this heartfelt story and is backed by the standout performances of our talented cast.

Those comments makes it pretty easy to tell just how much ABC Family loves the show and the ratings it’s earning: a whole lot. Congratulations to the cast and crew.

The Secret Life of the American Teenager air Mondays on ABC Family at 8pm EST.

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When the network’s freshman teen-pregnancy hit The Secret Life of the American Teenager went head-to-head with The CW’s upper-crust sophomore teen hit Gossip Girl on Monday, January 19, the newcomer ran circles around the more established show. And, when I say circles, I mean rings more than twice as big on some measures.

You have to read ABC Family’s understandably elated press release to fully comprehend just how well Secret Life is doing in comparison to Gossip Girl. The ratings data the network cites comes from final national ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research, not the overnight estimates typically used the day after programs air.

I gotta give it to Secret Life — no matter what critics say, the show is definitely kicking some major butt when it comes to its main and only direct competition on Monday nights. Follow the jump to see just why in the excerpts from ABC Family’s extremely enthusiastic press release:

“Secret Life” Routs the CW’s “Gossip Girl” at 8 O’clock, Towering Over the Flagship Series by 77% in Total Viewers, by 31% in Women 18-34, by 28% in Adults 18-49, While More Than Doubling Delivery in Viewers 12-34

“Secret Life” Qualifies as Monday’s No. 1 TV Program in Females 12-34 and Teen Demos, and as Cable’s No. 1 Show in Viewers 12-34 and Women 18-49

Season 1B to date, “Secret Life” is Cable’s No.1 Program Mondays at 8 O’clock in Total Viewers and Across All 18-34, 18-49 and 12-34 Demographics

Head to head against the CW’s “Gossip Girl” at 8 o’clock, “Secret Life” towered over the signature series this week by double digit percentages, including by an impressive 77% in Total Viewers (3.9 million vs. 2.2 million), by 30% in Women 18-34 (907,000 vs. 697,000), by 29% in Adults 18-49 (1.8 million vs. 1.4 million). Moreover, “Secret Life” more than doubled “Gossip Girl” in Viewers 12-34 (117%; 2.6 million vs. 1.2 million) and Females 12-34 (125%; 2.2 vs. 978,000).

Week to week, “Secret Life” climbed by substantial double-digit percentages, improving by 26% in Total Viewers (3.9 million vs. 3.1 million), by 22% in Adults 18-34 (1.2 million vs. 987,000), by 29% in Adults 18-49 (1.8 million vs. 1.4 million) and by 30% in Viewers 12-34 (2.6 million vs. 2.0 million).

This week marked the 10th time in eleven telecasts “Secret Life” has been the day’s No. 1 cable program in Women 18-49 and Viewers 12-34, while all 13 telecasts to date earned the No. 1 spot in Teens and Female Teens. Moreover, in Females 12-34 “Secret Life” has ranked as the day’s No. 1 in 12 of its 13 airings so far.

Impressive, no?

The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Gossip Girl both air Mondays at 8pm EST on their respective network.

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First and foremost, in the biggest “Duh!” moment of 2009 television thus far, Amy and Ben discover that — shocker! — their underage wedding with fake ids on the previous episode is not legal. What high school do these two go to?!

Also, Grace’s adorable brother Tom (Luke Zimmerman) decides he wants to marry his new girlfriend, as viewers saw at the end of Amy and Ben’s ill-fated marriage ceremony.

And, Amy and Ashley’s parents Anne and George get back together, if only for a little while.

A promo for the episode follows the jump, and it shows that Grace and Ricky’s relationship seems to be progressing, too. Later this week, I’ll have interviews with the two people who play the characters, Canadian actress Megan Park and California native Daren Kagasoff, whose casting on the show marks his very first television role. He’s doing a great job, right?

The Secret Life of the American Teenager airs Mondays on ABC Family at 8pm EST.

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Up tonight are new episodes of The CW’s Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill and ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, beginning at 8pm EST, as well as fresh Rita Rocks on Lifetime at 8:30pm.

Gossip Girl
In the Realm of the Basses

Dexter’s Desmond Harrington guest stars as Chuck’s Uncle Jack Bass, who arrives in town to first find Chuck and then help him get his act together following his father’s funeral. Elsewhere, Blair sets her sights on being admitted to a prestigious women’s club called Colony Club, and Jenny prepares to battle it out at Constance Billard with her rival Penelope. [8pm, The CW]

The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager

On the first-midseason premiere, Amy learns she has to find a job in order to take care of her baby financially, which leads her to make a hasty decision about her relationship with Ben. Duh! The episode’s title totally spoils what the latter is. [8pm, ABC Family]

Rita Rocks
The Girl Is Mine

Patty helps out when Rita catches a killer cold. (Where was she when I needed her about a month ago?!) [8:30pm, Lifetime]

One Tree Hill
Things A Mama Don’t Know

Peyton learns surprising news concerning Lucas, who in turn discovers that Julian has been hiding something about the movie. Meanwhile, Nathan has a hard time at his new job, and Brooke must deal with what happened during the attack as she searches for runaway Sam. [9pm, The CW]

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According to the 17-year-old actress, Amy has become “much stronger personality-wise” since we last saw her. “She’s learned to accept the fact that life isn’t going to be perfect and that there are going to be many, many obstacles that she has to go through throughout her life. She’s accepted the fact that she has this baby and she has to have the baby, and whether or not she’s going to give it up for adoption or keep it herself or whatever the ending might be, she’s accepted that it’s going to happen.”

Although much further along in her pregnancy, Amy doesn’t give birth immediately when Secret Life resumes. That fact actually created a few challenges for Woodley, who, never having been pregnant before, had to learn how to play a visibly pregnant teen convincingly during later episodes.

“Once the belly started getting bigger and stuff, I had to do lots of research on what contractions felt like and how you’re supposed to walk when you have a baby in your belly,” she explains. “So, I asked a lot of questions to mothers who had previously been pregnant. I did research online as to what contractions felt like. So, I guess the hardest thing was resembling and reenacting what an actual pregnant woman would feel when I’ve never had any situation even close to what she would feel.”

Succeeding at that task would be difficult for any actress, but in Woodley’s case, there’s the additional factor that she and her character have very different personalities. As a result, while her initial reaction might be partially similar to Amy’s if she became pregnant at such a young age in real life, Woodley supposes she would handle the predicament differently in some aspects, too.

“I’m more of an extroverted [person], outgoing, where Amy keeps things to herself and is more of a quiet introvert. So, I definitely would have told my best friend right away. I’d tell my parents right away. I’d totally be just as scared and emotionally unstable as Amy was. But, I think I’d go a bit differently as far as the way I spoke to people and who I told. I’d definitely sit down and plan out what I want to do with the baby.”

Woodley is also quite aware that The Secret Life of the American Teenager has generated considerable negative feedback from people who disagree with the show’s sensitive subject matter and/or how it approaches the issue of teen pregnancy. Her response to those individuals is firm and confident.

“I don’t feel like this show glorifies pregnancy because if you see my character, she’s obviously not jumping up and down,” Woodley insists. “Definitely, there is an emotional spin on everything. Her best friend— They kind of grow apart because her best friend’s mom won’t let her come over. And she has a boyfriend, and she has the dad of the baby she can’t stand, and she has a mom that she’s dealing with, and her dad that’s she’s dealing with. If anything, I think it makes it seem like a very hard and difficult situation to go through, especially as a teenager.”

Moreover, Woodley elaborates that when the show returns, viewers will “see the other aspect of having a baby, like if [Amy] should get a job or not. The baby is actually going to cost money, and she’s actually going to have to take care of it herself. So, I don’t feel like [Secret Life] glorifies

. I feel like [the show] handles it in a very mature and real-life way, as far as if a teenager got pregnant and how she would react.”

Well said!

ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager returns with fresh episodes on Monday, January 5, at 8pm EST, starting with the midseason premiere “The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager.” Catch up on the show’s first eleven episodes beforehand during the network’s marathon of episodes 1–9 from 2pm to 11pm EST on January 4 and episodes 10 and 11 from 6pm to 8pm EST on January 5.

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Viewers can play catch-up before then, however, when the first eleven episodes are released on DVD this Tuesday, December 30.

Don’t be fooled by the packaging, though: while advertising claims the set is Season One, it’s actually just the initial eleven episodes that already aired on television last summer.

For the list price of $39.99 — and, of course, the 3-disc set will be on sale most places for substantially less — here’s what you get, along with French and Spanish subtitles:

Season One, Episodes 1-11

1. Falling in Love
2. You Are My Everything
3. I Feel Sick
4. Caught
5. What Have You Done to Me?
6. Love For Sale
7. Absent
8. Your Cheatin’ Heart
9. Slice of Life
10. Back to School Special
11. Just Say No

Bonus Featurette

Behind the Scenes with the cast of The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Considering that the boxed set costs forty bucks, more bonus stuff should definitely be included. Maybe they’re waiting for the second half to get around to all of that…

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The breakout hit about pregnant suburban high school student Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley) returns to the tube in just a little over two weeks, on Monday, January 5, at 8pm EST. Twelve episodes have yet to air during the second half of the show’s 23-episode rookie season.

On the agenda is Amy’s impending marriage to fellow student Ben, as well as learning the gender of her baby and making the ultimate decision: whether to keep the child or give it up for adoption.

Fans will also see Amy’s naughty baby daddy Ricky endure the arrival of his abusive father as he continues relationships with both Adrian and Grace.

There’s clearly a lot to look forward to on the series, and in anticipation, I have a few cast photos and an extended preview trailer after the jump. Ain’t no hiding that bump now, is there?!

NOTE: Click each image for the larger version.

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Created by Brenda Hampton, the same woman who brought the family drama 7th Heaven to televisions everywhere for an incredible eleven seasons, the series stars Crossing Jordan and The O.C. alum Shailene Woodley as Amy Juergens, a somewhat typical 15-year-old who makes the increasingly typical discovery that she’s pregnant in the pilot.

As huge a deal as that is, the series doesn’t revolve around Amy alone. There’s plenty of other people in her world, as well, all struggling with their own personal problems. For instance, her younger sister is a tad rebellious, her parents’ marriage is hurting, and her high school classmates demonstrate a variety of age-appropriate issues.

A plus for older/nostalgic viewers is a cast that includes familiar faces like Molly Ringwald (Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles), Josie Bissett (Melrose Place), and John Schneider (Smallville, The Dukes of Hazzard).

Much has been made in the media of Ringwald’s involvement in particular due to her status as the original angst-y girl in 1980s Brat Pack movies. Here, she plays the mother of one of her many successors, Woodley, so it should be interesting to see how the two interact on-screen.

Take a look at a trailer for the new show after the jump to get a feel for it.

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