There's much to be mined from mother/daughter relationships — just ask Gilmore Girls, the show that spent seven seasons exploring that particular minefield. That show, however, applies a fictional veneer to the coupling. Enter: Teen Mom 2, where the mother/daughter relationships are just as harrowing as real life.
Season 8, in particular, will depict the bitter custody battle between Jenelle Evans, a 16 & Pregnant alum, and her mother Barbara Evans. The two have been fighting over Evans's 7-year-old son, Jace. According to Us Weekly, Evans ceded custody to her mother in 2009. Now, the 24-year-old mother of three is fighting for custody — and here's where it gets interesting. She's willing to forfeit Teen Mom 2 for this particular war.
In the trailer, Evans informs her mother that she will not film with her, ostensibly referring to the show itself. It's a moment of metacognition for the reality show, and it demonstrates the severity of the situation.
"You do not wanna give me my son back. So I do not want to film with you ever again," Evans says, removing a camera as she speaks. Say what you will about Teen Mom 2, but the show plays with fire, and the flames are mesmerizing.
The trailer also teases Kailyn Lowry's marital turmoil, Leah Messer's love for her 6-year-old daughter, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and Chelsea Houska's impending pregnancy. The season promises to be a tear-jerker. (And perhaps a nice palate-cleanser after a cheerful weekend in Stars Hollow.) Watch the full trailer, below.
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