Pregnancy and parenthood present an arduous path for anyone, much less a teenager.
In a similar vein to MTV’s long-running “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” series, TLC’s “Unexpected,” now in its seventh season, shadows pairs of such teens across the country in the weeks leading up to and after the birth of their babies.
“The series captures the emotional highs and lows, financial pressures and evolving family dynamics, all while these young soon-to-be parents work to figure out their new normal amid the chaos unfolding around them,” a TLC synopsis says. “This season brings together a mix of new teen couples, ages 13 to 18, offering an unfiltered look at the moments that shape their journeys. From baby showers to births, to unexpectedly difficult decisions, grandparents step in, opinions collide and tensions rise as everyone pushes for what they believe is best for the baby.”
Jessie Kistler and Mia Quebedeaux were together about a year when the couple learned they were going to be parents.
This season, a Louisiana couple is in that mix.
Viewers first meet Mia Quebedeaux, 16, when she is 30 weeks pregnant. Her boyfriend of a year and four months, Jessie Kistler, also 16, sits beside her for an interview.
“It’s still so crazy to me. Even I think, ‘Oh, this baby’s about to call me Mom,'” Quebedeaux says on the show. “I’m 16 years old. I still call my mom Mom. It’s just so crazy. This little baby, it’s depending on me.”
The shock of learning she was pregnant sent the Denham Springs teen into a tailspin.
“When I first found out I was pregnant, I freaked out, and I cried and cried for weeks and weeks,” she also says in the episode.
The news that she was having a girl, however, was a joyful moment. Quebedeaux explains the show that her strained relationship with her own mom led to her wish for a daughter with whom she could forge a closer bond.
Kistler, also of Denham Springs, expressed similar feelings about his future fatherhood.
“I’ve always wanted to be a father, because I never really had one, but I always wanted to be one,” he says in the episode.
Also on the show, Quebedeaux goes on to say that her pregnancy is going well; she’s just gaining weight. She demonstrates by twisting and tugging a ring off her left ring finger.
Kistler gave her the ring, he says, “because I promised to marry her one day. I was the first person to say, ‘I love you.'”
As the season progresses, the two see that it’s not just about them, however, as a protective father and clashing mothers add to the drama.
“Unexpected’s” seventh of 10 episodes airs at 8 p.m. Monday on TLC. Catch up on all the previous episodes on HBO Max.
Casting calls
Caballero Casting LLC is searching for street performers and police officers for a Paramount+ TV series filming in New Orleans.
“Musicians, dancers, artists — if you perform on the streets of New Orleans, we want your authentic talent on screen,” the agency posted on Facebook.
Filming for both is set for Wednesday, April 1. Pay is $300 for adults 18 and older.
To apply, email [email protected], subject line: Street Performers. Included in the email should be: name, age, contact number, city/state of residency, height/weight, brief description of your act/performance type, one current headshot (chest up), one full body photo (head to toe), plus photos and/or videos of your performance art.
Those seeking police officer roles should email the same information as above, and also include their law enforcement experience. The agency is particularly seeking individuals with real-life experience in that field.
These roles pay $250/12 hours for those 18 and older.
For more info, go to https://www.caballerocasting.com/.
U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, standing, confers with President Gerald R. Ford during the signing ceremony for H.R. 6219, extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ceremony took place in the White House Rose Garden in August 1975.
In case you missed it …
Louisiana Public Broadcasting and Southern University hosted an Indie Lens Pop-Up screening of “The Inquisitor” on Southern’s Baton Rouge campus on March 17.
Those who didn’t make it to the in-person event can watch the documentary online at https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/the-inquisitor/.
“‘The Inquisitor’ highlights the legacy of U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, shining a light on how her public influence shaped U.S. politics,” according to a news release.
The screening was in partnership with ITVS and PBS’ “Independent Lens.”
“Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas representative whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, even as she privately faced struggles few ever knew about,” the release also stated. “While Jordan’s political legacy is the center of ‘The Inquisitor,’ the film also looks at her personal life, exploring Jordan’s intersectional identity navigating a landscape of politics and discrimination.”
Inspired by PBS’ longtime series “Independent Lens,” the pop-up program partners with local organizations for film screenings and community-driven conversations around the country. For more, go to pbs.org/indielenspopup.
Robin Roberts
More from Roberts
“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts, a former Louisianan and a Mississippi native, and her Rock’n Robin Productions have two more TV projects in the works, A+E Global Media announced March 4.
Both deal with 9/11 and its aftermath — one a documentary and the other an original movie — and airings will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
The two-hour documentary special “102 Minutes Inside the Towers” will air on History.
Roberts will tell the stories of the tragedy from an unprecedented point of view, that of firsthand accounts from those who were inside the Twin Towers.
“On Sept. 11, the world saw the tragedy unfold from the outside, but the experiences of those inside the Twin Towers have largely gone unheard,” Roberts states in a news release. “This documentary gives voice to those stories, capturing what people saw, heard and felt in real time from within the buildings. By sharing these firsthand accounts with care and clarity, ‘102 Minutes Inside the Towers’ helps preserve an essential historical record and honors the humanity at the heart of that day.”
Sherri Shepherd
The movie, “Angel in the Rubble,” is Roberts’ fourth project with Lifetime.
Based on Genelle Guzman-McMillan’s memoir “Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11’s Last Survivor,” the film stars actress, comedian and talk show host Sherri Shepherd as Guzman, a New York City transit employee who was the last survivor pulled from the debris at Ground Zero.
She was buried beneath the collapse of Tower One on 9/11 and trapped for 27 hours.
Shepard also executive produces the film.
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