Ever since I proclaimed it a Bad Idea of the Week way back in March of '07, I've been utterly fascinated with NBC's show The Baby Borrowers, which is finally set to premiere next Wednesday, June 25. The show takes teenage couples and essentially asks them to become parents overnight, as they care for babies, toddlers, preteens, teenagers, and, eventually, senior citizens. (Why not toss in a 47-year-old in the throes of a midlife crisis, while they're at it?)
The show is based on a British series of the same name, and I'm told that over there, it was a pretty educational and informative show. But from watching the previews for the NBC version, I can't tell what kind of tone the U.S. version of the show is going to have. Am I meant to laugh at these crazy kids and their predicament? Feel sorry for them? Be angry on behalf of the actual families of the kids and adults they're caring for? Take it as a poignant appreciation of the life cycle? The moral still seems to be "hey, kids, life sucks" — and watching even a single episode of that seems like it would be more harrowing than entertaining.
The show was originally supposed to air back in February, when our own LilSugar got freaked out by the concept. But the premiere got changed to the Summer, and so I'm wondering: If you've seen the previews, how do you feel about the show? To watch a trailer and a couple of shorter clips, just read more.
Photo courtesy of NBC
Chloﾎ
Pilgrim
Velvet
yeah it looks like an interesting concept and i'm probably going to watch it, but i really cant imagine why anyone would want to give up their newborn for the sake of reality television.
1yea i've been curious since i heard about this show too. it was filmed here in eagle,id and i went over and saw the neighborhood and set where it was being filmed. i tried to get a job on the show as a tech person but the hours were insane and the pay was crap. i might watch one show. i agree spazzydana, i was amazed that anyone would be willing to subject their child to this!
2Looks interesting but like spazzydana I don't know who would just be willing to pass their children to strangers for the sake of a tv show.
3LOL @ "It's not T.V., It's Birth Control"
so this is the medias way of attempting to create a
teen pregnancy PSA
Anyways, I'll watch it, it looks interesting
4If it's available online I might give it a look. The thing that bugs me is where are the parents of the teenage participants? If my daughter was going to do a reality show where she plays house and it looks like shares a bed with her boyfriend, I'd flip out. There's no way I'd let my kids put themselves on national TV like that.
5"It's not tv; It's birth control." Ah...really. I have so many problems with this show just from watching the previews that I don't even know where to begin. Teenagers "parenting" teenagers and senior citizens. Seriously. Sigh.
6yeah i dont really know how i feel about this show yet. i mean, its nice they are preventing kids from going out and having sex...but still its very controversial. i mean, i'll prob watch the premiere next wednesday......but im still iffy about it...
7I might check it out. I agree though, who in their right mind would give their infant over to stranger for the night?
8it is sort of ridiculous to have teens parenting teens that are the same age, obviously they aren't going to respect them. i'll check it out though.
9Yeah, the teens will just walk all over them. Kind of ridiculous. And even the elderly situation wouldn't really work. But, it will be fun to watch them with the babies.
10I saw that Jamie Lynn Spears had her baby today. I really wish she's had the chance to see The Baby Borrowers on NBC so she would have known to hold off on sex. It's making teens think twice about getting pregnant. They will watch this a run for the condom ailes.
11I'm really tired of teenage pregnancy all together! But ya the teenager thing is ridiculous but if its on and there's nothing to watch i'll prob. turn to it!
12I will be checking it out. I think it looks interesting and maybe some of the kids that wanted to have babies will have a different mindset after doing the show.
13how bizarre, tv producers never cease to bewilder me.
14I want all my single childless friends to watch this show! One of my BF's said that she now knows what I go through now that she is a mother...of a 4 month old. Umm..I have a 7 year old and 5 year old, you have no idea chick! Just like I have no idea what my life is going to be like when mine are in middle school. Like hell I imagine! I'll be watching this.
15It's all laughs and giggles until one of these teens acidentally kill a baby.
16I won't watch it, babies are boring.
17I can't wait to see it. After the supposed "pregnancy pact" fiasco in Mass., we need some TV birth control! I'm hoping it will make it seem like parenting is really tiring and gross in order to slap some sense back into these kids.
By the way, the parents and crew were watching everything via monitor in the house next door to see the teens' every move with baby/child. I don't know if that's any better, but it's not like the parents dropped their kids off with inept teens and picked them up after a week.
18I am so excited for this show! The senior citizens part of it is a bit much, but with the recent trend of teens moms being looked at as cool, this show should be part of the high school sex ed curriculums!
19I'm looking forward to this show as a social experiment. I know it isn't coming out til next week, so I've been watching video clips on NBC. I'll post the link in case anyone else wants to.
http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/video/#mea=262962
20I am looking forward to it. Check out the below clip... http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/video/#mea=266376
21June 25 at 9 pm on NBC.
I can't believe how much controversy this show has started. I thionk it's crazy how all this teen pregnancy stuff is all happening at once. Jamie Lynn Spears has her baby, the pregnancy pact craziness, and Baby Borrowers premieres next week. There are people seriously uppset about this show. I don'y get it. I think that all parents with teenagers should watch this show with their teens, especially if they are sexually active.
22In light of the recent news surrounding the teen girls making a pregnancy pact, this show looks pretty interesting and may give an inside look at the trial and triumphs of being a young parent. I'm excited to check it out on NBC on June 25th.
23I like the premise of the show. I know it is very controversial and I am looking forward to seeing why.
24http://www.nbc.com/The_Baby_Borrowers/video/#mea=266376
Does anyone know how long the show taped for?
25I think it takes course over like 2 weeks. 3 days with babies, 3 days with toddlers, 3 days with pre-teens, 3 days with teens, and 3 days with elderly is what I heard. In anycase I'm sure it was 2 weeks too long.
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