Gratuitous Man Pics: Daren Kagasoff

Yum.

You’re about to be inducted into a fan club that, until now, was only for those silly or masochistic enough to watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

This is Daren Kagasoff. He plays Ricky, the guy who knocked up the titular American Teenager. His character starts out as a highly suspect, Grade A jerk, but has morphed into one of the sanest, most responsible characters on the show.

And, all the while, Kagasoff has portrayed him perfectly. Nearly every other actor, from Molly Ringwald to Francia Raisa, has had moments where they sound forced or cheesy. Kagasoff’s Ricky began on shaky ground, but now he has the character down. When Ricky is on screen, I am looking at Ricky, not Kagasoff. I am able to truly believe that this is more than a character, he is a person who has a life when he’s not on screen. He has strong convictions, his own moral code, deeply held fears and desires.

And by GOD, the man is sexy.

Secret Life: Teenagers Are Thick

from ABC Family

Subterfuge continues to ogle the indulgent wreck that is Secret Life of the American Teenager.

I missed writing up the last episode or two. First because it actually didn’t upset me, and then because I was so relieved, I stopped caring. Heh. Funny how that works.

Honestly, I now get a feeling of dread every time I see the show pop up on my TiVo list. Oh god, I think, What vile lunacy are they going to inflict on me now? This is in sharp contrast from Season One, when the show was a guilty pleasure I made time to watch. I enjoyed the fantasy train wreck, though I can’t really pinpoint why. A good deal of it had to do with the lineup of characters. But then everyone started getting tangled up with EVERYONE else, and now it’s a genuine soap opera, with complete assholery going unpunished. (I’m look at you, Reuben.)

I also need to write something about the other ABC Family shows airing now. But before I get to that, here’s this one.

What I Didn’t Write About Last Time

I’m still kind of reeling from Grace’s mom calling oral sex “gateway sex.” “It’s sex that leads to other sex!” Hilarity. She’s right, but it’s a hilarious way to put it. I’m even more amused by how freaked out she looked.

Plus, Ben gave Adrian a sort of promise ring, supposedly a real gem stone the size of someone’s eye. You can be sure that this jewel will be pawned off at some point in the future to fund something important. Misunderstandings and betrayal will ensue.

Secret Life: When did sanity show up to this party!?

Subterfuge continues its ongoing monitoring of the train wreck that is The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Season 3, Episode 10: “My Girlfriend’s Back.”

HOLY SHIT ON A BRICK! STOP THE PRESSES!

I made it through a whole episode of Secret Life without wanting to smack the living sense into someone!!!!

It was just teenagers being idiot teenagers! No one was a truly terrible person! No one plumbed new depths of sexism or racism! It was actually–*gasp* sweet, and reassuring!

Secret Life:

Subterfuge chokes down two more episodes of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Season three, episodes 8 (“The Sounds of Silence”) and 9 (“Chicken Little”).

Much like the show, this post is a giant dump of impetuousness. Read at your own peril.

For the first time in forever, Secret Life didn’t make me want to throw things. “The Sounds of Silence” had only one thing that annoyed me strongly enough for me to remember to write about it this week.

So, Adrian is having Ben’s baby. He accompanies her to her first OB/GYN appointment, with a doctor who specializes in teen pregnancies–this town must be putting something in the water.

“Wait, a male doctor?” Yes, Ben, a man will be taking care of all this. Ben’s mind sticks on this point, he makes a huge fuss about it.

The man who enters the room looks like this:

via ABCFamily

That’s the only remnant of the man I can find, which tells you something–no one cares. There’s nothing special about him, he looks like your average specialist, approaching middle age.

Secret Life: The stupid makes my head hurt.

Subterfuge reviews the ongoing saga of teen pregnancies that is ABC Family‘s The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Season 3, episode 7, “New York, New York.”

WHY, Secret Life, WHY are you doing this to me? Why am I still watching!? Because every episode ends with a question I want answered. So I sit through the rest of the garbage, get pissed, and am tantalized by the next tiny piece of the puzzle.

I’m going to TRY to see the season through. No promises. (If you would like to volunteer to blog about Secret Life for us, please, please speak up.)

Whew. Ok. Items of Note for this episode…

Adrian will cut off her nose to spite her ex-boyfriend

Attention, everyone! Attention! Yes, I’m having a baby. And I don’t care who knows about it or what you have to say about it. Oh, and it’s Ben’s.

Secret Life: She didn’t go thattaway.

"It's NOT Ricky's baby? Are you sure? You can tell me, I already know he gets around."

Subterfuge reviews the ongoing saga of teen pregnancies that is ABC Family‘s The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Season 3, episode 6, “She Went That A’way.”

Adrian’s gonna do it! She’s going to the clinic! She’s in the waiting room! She–she’s crying, and talking to someone.

Well, fuck. ABC Family has pussied out again, because Adrian has a big heart (so said Grace). Adrian’s decision to go through with the pregnancy is surprising, but it’s the way she behaves after making the decision that is pissing me off.

Have the baby, ok. But WHAT HAPPENED TO ADOPTION?! This girl wants to go to law school!

Secret Life: Adrian, you are cleared for take-off. Please breathe deeply and count to one hundred.

Adrian with Amy's son, John

Another week, another round of craptastic ABC Family programming! My TiVo’s already filling up.

So, Adrian is having the abortion tomorrow. Her father is still opposed, but he seems to have come to his senses by episode’s end. He’s no longer threatening to break the family up. Ben is still waffling about what his role in this should be. HIS father insists that he should go to the clinic. Adrian doesn’t want this (or says she doesn’t), but I know that if I were in her shoes I wouldn’t be keen on the idea, either. They weren’t dating, it was an idiotic one-off thing.

(Perhaps the show’s arguing that idiotic one-off things are how you make mistakes. Amy & Ricky? One time at bandcamp = baby. Mr. & Mrs. Juergens one-off divorce sex = baby. Adrian & Ben = baby. The only ones to escape this pattern are Grace and Jock Boy. But her dad died, so she got her comeuppance. Still waiting on his.)

TV Time: Secret Life Soap Drama

I just finished watching Episode 4, Season 3, of Secret Life of the American Teenager. I was already resolved to write about this show, and this episode, but I’m having trouble getting started. I’m still reeling from the next-to-last encounter.

Essentially, a father just told his pregnant daughter that if she doesn’t have the baby, he’s going to divorce her mother and dismantle their family.

If you haven’t been watching, Secret Life is a show on ABC Family that insists its intention is to depict teen pregnancy in a realistic light. I have watched from the beginning, because I was curious. I like the mix of characters, the writing and acting aren’t terrible, and it’s fairly funny. I also have a sick fascination with Hollywood’s ongoing aversion to abortion. The obvious reason for this is that a baby creates more drama than not having a baby. But doing so both panders to anti-abortion opinion and strengthens the idea that babies are better in the audience.