‘Teen Mom OG’ Season 8 Episode 18 Recap: A Florida Trip, a Fired-Up Instagram Rant & Failed Family Planning

When you realize you can get away with taking yet another spontaneous tropical vacation…

It’s time once again to check back in with our favorite baby machines, the stars of Teen Mom OG! This week is really more of the same: Maci‘s drinkin’ and bitchin’ about RyanAmber‘s rage-cryin’ and bitchin’ about Andrew, and Mackenzie’s making everyone talk about her relationship with Josh.

The one truly bright spot of this episode, though, is that Catelynn‘s going on a trip. And, no, not the Jenelle-in-her-She-Shed kind of trip, but a vacation. While Cate going on a vacation is nothing new (and actually, is usually part of every episode) this one is special because…she’s taking her mom April along! If you see ciggie smoke engulfing a car heading down the highway, you can be sure it’s ‘Teen Mom’s own version of Thelma and Louise. (Hopefully they were able to figure out a way to stuff a therapy horse or two into the backseat. Safety first!)

Let’s get on with this s**t show before someone has to go to jail/rehab/therapy.

We kick things off in Michigan, where Catelynn tells us she’s “been in a good place lately” (um, yeah…Hawaii!), but she wants to continue to work on herself by addressing some of her “core traumas with her mom.” Before Cate can lower the boom and tell April how much she messed her up, Catelynn starts with a compliment. She says that she and Tyler wouldn’t be able to “do half the stuff we do” (aka “go on half the vacations that we do”) if it wasn’t for April.

April grins from ear to ear, but Cate isn’t finished. She informs her mother that she’s taking her on an all-expenses-paid-for vacation to Key West! April looks confused (because she’s most likely trying to figure out what country Key West is in and/or if her previous trainwreckery has gotten her banned from that location.) April is excited for her surprise tropical (and possibly foreign?) vacation. 

“Key West? That ain’t one of the communist countries, is it?”

Catelynn says she plans to address all of April’s past crap-baggery mothering while on the trip. Apparently, nothing says, “You were a trashcan of a mother” quite like three days and two nights in Florida! 

We are then treated to some flashback clips of some of April’s finest moments, including when she, surrounded in a cloud of smoke from her trusty Virginia Slims, screamed and cussed at Catelynn for choosing to place her daughter Carly for adoption. 

“You’re irritating me, get out of here!” April screams at Cate in the 2009 clip. “You condescending bitch!”

“In 11 years I vow to have a better attitude— and better teeth…but probably the same bangs.”

I think need a therapy horse myself after watching those flashbacks. I feel like I now have some of those “core traumas” Cate was talking about.

The next day, Catelynn, Tyler and a rando friend are in the kitchen gnawing on some ribs, and talking about how far April has come in the last decade or so. Tyler said he’s completely shocked that April’s managed to become a decent grandma to their kids, considering what a diarrhea-stain-of-a-mom she was to Catelynn.

I think that’s nice…

“Honestly, I thought the only times we’d be seeing her were when she made the occasional appearance on ‘Cops’ or something…”

Catelynn and Tyler commend themselves for trying to break the cycles of bad parenting. 

Next, we swing over to Oklahoma to check in with Mackenzie. She tells us things are “going well” since Josh re-proposed (i.e. he hasn’t, um, “bucked” any bar chicks). She’s also been working at the cheerleading warehouse. Mack tells us that teaching girls how to have proper spirit fingers has made her feel more fulfilled than ever before!

“Raise your hand if you’re worried your husband’s bopping the neighbor lady while you’re teaching cheerleading? Just me? OK…”

Mackenzie’s mom, Angie, is still battling cancer, so Mack is trying to spend as much time with her as possible. They, along with Mackenzie’s sisters (the ones who didn’t get knocked up in high school) go out for dinner. Naturally, the dinner focuses on Mackenzie and Josh’s relationship, and their upcoming vow renewal. Mack says that Josh booked it without even asking her, so luckily she accepted the proposal!

That moment you realize that keeping it in your pants until you were married got you nothing but a free meal at a bootleg Benihana’s….

One of the sisters tells Mackenzie that she’s happy for her…in the least-happiest voice possible. 

Mack says she’s happier than ever, which is a big change from the “depressed little freak” she was for years. Mack’s mom agrees with Mackenzie about her freakishness. The sisters don’t seem to believe that all is well again with Mackenzie and Josh, since apparently Mack can’t forgive anyone ever. 

Mackenzie says she shattered all the photos of her and Josh because she was done with him and his on-the-road buckin’ bronco ways. She admits that she’s going to have trouble renewing her vows with Josh.

We then dash on over to Los Angeles, but find no sign of Cheyenne there. In an effort to escape her shaky relationship with asparagus-loving Matt and also celebrate her sister’s birthday, Cheyenne took a trip to Thailand, from which she is soon to return. 

Not a care, nor a green vegetable, in sight…

Cheyenne says she doesn’t know where things stand with her and Matt, but both Cory and Taylor agree that if either one of them were to cancel the other’s vacation plans, that it would pretty much be a deal breaker. 

“You don’t mess with a person’s MTV-funded vacations… you just don’t!

And speaking of trips paid for by MTV, Cory is still talking about his “tough” decision to go on The Challenge next season and assuring everyone that Taylor will be completely fine while he’s gone, even though she’s about 12 weeks pregnant with his super sperm. 

“I promise not to make any siblings for you while I’m gone!”

While their producer gives them an almost genuine congratulations, Cory and Taylor reveal that the pregnancy was unexpected… Or as we like to say, they pulled a ‘Teen Mom’.

Cory and Taylor say they’re ready for the criticism to come, especially being that Cory still plans to go on ‘The Challenge’. More than anything, Cory says he anxious to see what Cheyenne will have to say. 

“Oh trust me, so am I!”

Next, we head to Tennessee to see what Maci’s up to. She and Taylor haven’t heard from Mackenzie or Ryan since Bentley’s weird Santa-themed party at the zoo (in October), but Maci assumes it’s because they’re getting ready to welcome their latest oopsie baby.

“Wait, what?! Who’s havin’ a baby? What do ya mean it’s me?!”

After that friendly reminder, Maci and Taylor book it to Maci’s doctor to renew Maci’s birth control for another three years. After her appointment, Maci talks to Taylor about how expensive her birth control implant was (even after insurance) and that she wants to get involved with an organization that helps cover those costs for women in need.

OK, is Maci’s storyline this episode just one giant screw you to Ryan and Mackenzie? As those two knuckleheads are getting ready to pop out another youngin’, Maci is out of nowhere on a crusade to help women in need prevent pregnancy. We’re on to you Maci. I mean, Ryan definitely doesn’t suspect a thing, but we do.

“What can I say? I have a passion for helping the Mackenzie’s, I mean women, of the world.”

Finally, we go to Indiana, where Amber— who is now on probation– is giving it the old college ‘Teen Mom’ try to stop bad-mouthing Andrew on social media and generally just simmer the hell down. However, when the infamous security footage of her verbally abusing Andrew is leaked online, Amber caves and hops onto Instagram Live in her floral robe (as you do), to slam the haters and make some threats. As a result, her probation officer is notified.

“Still kind of unclear on this whole ‘probation’ thing, not gonna lie.”

Over at Gary and Kristina’s house, Gary says this whole mess is getting old and he longs for the time when he could kick back in his recliner and not have to discuss the latest legal run-ins of his OG baby mama. 

“Ahh, those were the days.”

Producer David tells the couple that Andrew has decided he’s finally ready to film again and recline-time-deprived Gary isn’t having it. Gary says Andrew’s decision to film is clearly financially motivated (UMMMM?) and a way to keep “throwing gasoline onto a fire that’s burning” — that fire being Amber, of course, in the form of “dumpster.”

Gary says if Amber just listens to him, she’ll be good to go (as in not go to Gel). If she doesn’t, Andrew is likely to push Amber’s buttons and get her to snap again, resulting in her losing custody of baby James. (And, of course, if that happens it would be all Andrew’s fault for triggering her, y’all!) 

“Life Coach Gary, at your service: Do as I say, all while I lay.”

Next, we head to Florida, where April and Catelynn have strapped on some snorkels (and, let me tell you all…April in a snorkel is a whole loook!) and are “working on their relationship” via a private dive trip. 

“If Butch catches a gander of me in these swim goggles, he’ll be blowin’ up my Boost mobile!”

Later, Cate and April gnaw on assorted island foods, and April tells Cate she’s happy she got help for her depression. April says that, with her own mom, she was always “walkin’ on eggshells” so she couldn’t really communicate with her well.

Catelynn then launches into a speech about “generational trauma” and how they need to break it so that her own kids don’t become drains on society as well. Catelynn talks about all the stuff she’s learned about generational cycles during her many, many journeys to the Arizona rehab facility. 

“Just let me finish my curly fries before you get into all that psycho babble scrabble crap, OK?”

April says she used to get mad when she’d have to read about important things happening in Cate’s life on The ‘Gram, instead of Cate telling her herself. April says she’s not about that ‘Gram life, and that, even though she’d treat Cate like crap when she found out news she didn’t like, she’d always make it up by hugging her daughter (after the berating) and telling her she loves her.

I think that’s nice…

The next day, Cate has shelled out the big bucks to take April to swim with the dolphins. They kiss, cuddle and even ride the fins of the dolphins, much to April’s delight.

“Holding two fins at a time reminds me of that night I spent in Atlantic City with Butch and his buddy…aw, memories…”

Cate hopes that getting her mom all softened up with dolphin kisses and free burgers and whatnot will make telling her she was a terrible mother easier. First, though, Cate tells her mom that she probably won’t crap out another kid until Vaeda is “like, two.” 

I mean….she’d have to plan to get knocked up in between spontaneous tropical vacations so that could be tricky!

Speaking of babies, the conversation then turns to when Catelynn and April disagreed about Carly being adopted. Producer Kerthy pretends she didn’t watch Cate’s 16 and Pregnant episode— or the first three seasons of ‘Teen Mom’— and asks if April wanted Cate to keep Carly. 

We get to see another flashback clip of when April dragged home a baby bassinet she found ’round back the Wal-Mart and tried to use it to convince a then-pregnant Catelynn to keep the baby. (She had cleaned out the possum’s nest that had been inside of it and everything!) 

During April’s “Crypt Keeper” years…

April explains that, back then, she was fine with her pregnant teen getting an abortion or keeping the baby, but not placing it for adoption. Catelynn says she has no regrets, since Carly has a great life and, even though she and Tyler are now in a place where they could have raised Carly, back then they didn’t have anything to offer her except a lung-full of April’s ciggie smoke and a childhood of trauma.

April finally admits that she feels that Catelynn did the right thing by not keeping Carly.

“I’m glad you did what you did,” she says. 

“You paid for this whole damn vacation, the least I can do is tell you that you were right…once.”

In Indiana, we see Andrew sit down with a producer to discuss what happened between him and Amber. Andrew reveals he started recording Amber “every time I got abused” though he couldn’t say how many recordings actually exist. Andrew says he decided to speak out because he was never contacted or “given an outlet to share the other side of the story.” As for the allegations that he spoke out for financial reasons, Andrew denies receiving money from the press. 

“However, if you or someone you know are inspired by my story, I’m not opposed to GoFundMe or Venmo donations.”

He also speaks about mental health, says he “never wanted a broken family” and that his main focus is James. 

After the fiasco that went down online, Amber decides it’s best to “unplug” and focus on being the best person she can be… one that doesn’t treat Instagram Live as her own personal video diary. As a substitution, Gary comes over so she can voice her complaints to him instead. 

“Is that why I’m here?! Did I piss off one of the crew members or something? This is starting to feel real personal.”

Amber tells Gary when it comes to people with mental health disorders, there are limits as to what they can handle when it comes to online bullying and when she made her Instagram video, she had reached hers. Despite that, Amber says she feels disgusted and ashamed by her actions. 

Back in Oklahoma, Mack & Co. are going wedding dress shopping. Although she and Josh are just having a vow renewal, apparently Mackenzie wants to “do it up right fancy” by stuffing herself into a white wedding gown again.

She parades around a bridal shop in several full-on bridal gowns.

When you’re trying not to judge your friend– who’s already married and the mother of three–for wearing a white dress because you’re hoping to get a meal at that bootleg Benihana’s…

Later, Mackenzie goes to see her mother, who has just returned from her doctor’s appointment. Things have not been going well at Angie’s appointments and, due to her having low blood counts, she’s been unable to receive chemotherapy. 

After talking to her mother, Mackenzie realizes that a vow renewal ceremony— that she may or may not even want— is not very important, given the current situation. She tells Josh that she’s not ready to recommit to him.

“I feel like, when you walk down the aisle, you should know that this is it for sure and I just don’t feel that way right now,” Mack tells a brooding Josh.

Josh grunts that he wants to do things right this time. They decide to postpone the vow renewal.

Back in Los Angeles, Cory (still rocking his safari vest — fitting for the zoo of a life he’s created for himself) stops by Cheyenne’s house to casually chat about everything he has going on in his life. Considering Cory’s life consists largely of posting selfies on social media, hanging out with Ryder here and there and worming his way onto as many MTV shows as possible, Cheyenne should’ve known immediately that something was up. Still, she seems shocked when Cory announces that Ryder is going to be a big sister.

“Umm, please tell me you’re adopting a dog… “

After a quick congratulations, Cheyenne asks Cory if she can “ask a dumb question” (is there any other kind on this show?) and she proceeds to ask if the pregnancy was planned. Cory confirms that Cheyenne’s question is indeed a dumb one (after all, this is ‘Teen Mom’), and no, the baby was not something he and Taylor had planned. (Again, because this is ‘Teen Mom!’)

Later we see Cheyenne, or rather Ryder, share the news with Cheyenne’s mom and stepdad, who offer some standout reactions.

“Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show,” her mom says. 

We’re sure deep down this is David’s way of wishing you and Taylor all the best, Cory…

Meanwhile, Cory and Taylor hang out on the couch drafting their respective pregnancy announcements for social media. Before getting emotional, Cory runs his post by Taylor for approval, as he is accustomed to having his captions pre-written by either the brands who pay him to promote their products or MTV, who pays him to promote one of the seven terrible reality shows he’s currently on. 

“Is it b-a-b-y or b-a-b-b-y?”

Back in Tennessee, Maci makes her way to “A Step Ahead” to get some information on how she can help out and to suggest a candidate who may be in need of their services in the near future.

Raise your hand if you have so few usable storylines that they’re literally just making crap up for you to do at this point…

For her first act of philanthropy, Maci strips Taylor of his usual leather-pocket t-shirt, throws a semi-formal get-up on him and the two partake in a little pre-gaming (aka pre-drinking) before heading to a A Step Ahead’s very first all-women’s art show. While the cameras aren’t allowed inside the event, Maci slurs says in the car on the way home that her goal is to become a board member for A Step Ahead — especially if all of their events have open bars like this one did. 

That’s all for this episode! Until next week, practice your spirit fingers and stay off Instagram Live in your flowered robe, y’all! 

To read The Ashley’s previous ‘Teen Mom OG’ recap, click here

(Photos: MTV) 

25 Comments

  1. I just have to say that paragraph 2 is ROTFLMAO from start to finish. Hilarious! On a more serious note, the worst thing that ever happened to Cate wasn’t her family – it was learning the victimization mindset that she’s been dwelling in for years now, with no end in sight. She’s stuck and that’s where she’ll stay because she’s warm and happy in that pile of shit. Too bad!


    1. [* Shield plugin marked this comment as “Trash”. Reason: Failed Bot Test (expired) *]
      Don’t forget “stay lit”


  2. Giving Carly up was the absolute best choice considering the awful living environment CATE was in. However, I think the open adoption stipulation was a bit selfish. They wanted her to have a beautiful life, they should have backed out and left it to the parents and Carly to maybe some day meet by Carly’s terms.
    Look what she has to go through now, these annual meet ups, two little girls she’s told are her sisters, then they leave for a year ( or more) to live their best life making butt loads of money and spoiling the other girls. Carly’s mind will have to be fully matured before she can really understand all this… years to go. I wonder how she’ll feel one day knowing the messed up grandma fought to keep her and the grandmother in a position to help was the driven force of the adoption.
    All aside, I tip my hat to Brandon and Teresa for putting up with so much crap and for giving Carly the better life.


  3. I seriously can’t believe how Gary, the OG guy who got hit by Amber AS WELL is now suddenly on her side…you’re just enabling her as much as the producers or anyone else for that matter.

    There is a way for Amber not to lash out again. It’s called getting her anger in control and being a reasonable adult who doesn’t blame everything on mental health…Oh wait, she doesn’t believe it’s her fault anyway…


    1. Gary would really have no other reason to be on this show. It’s all fake for the cameras. Still can’t believe people watch this…


  4. I live for your captions, The Ashley, the one about April with Butch and his mate? Had to pick myself up off the floor!

    Please do this week’s episode recap….love to see your spin on Ambie’s d*ck of the month, Mr Belgium. And Catelin’s new career that lasts 5 minutes.


    1. Catelyn started a new career?!!!
      What did I miss?!
      I stopped watching quite a few seasons ago…
      LOL, fill me in !


      1. Catelyn wanted to be a vet tech until she found out it’s hard work and not an 8 hour shift of cuddling puppies


    2. @Bea—- thank you!! To be honest, I was particularly proud of that caption! 🙂 And, of course I’ll be ‘capping this week’s! Stay tuned! -The Ashley


      1. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen teen Mom OG. I liked watching TM2 but I can say that I haven’t watched it since 2014. I’ve only kept up through The Ashley, since I discovered this site! Anyway, last year, January 2019, I gave birth to a set of twins. They were not mine biologically, I carried them for another couple. I have a 9 year old son, a husband and a 15 year old stepdaughter. I never in my life imagined to suffer postpartum depression. I didn’t have it after the birth of my now 9 year old, so having it after the twins, caught me completely off guard. Being that both pregnancies were beyond perfect, I did not believe I’m morning sickness, weight gain or much less, postpartum depression. I felt absolutely blessed! Nonetheless, I caught myself feeling unexplainable emotions and the doctor suggested I talk to a therapist. I was completely against it. This was never going to happen to me. I was in denial about whatever ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’ were. It was so overrated. After a while, I found I could not take care of my own kids, my husband, my family was falling apart. One day, I found myself planning out arrangements for my kids to have a good life ‘after I left them’. I cried. I couldn’t talk,all I could do was cry. I called the doctor as soon as I was able to pull myself together and realize my kids and husband needed me, probably more than I needed them. I wanted to be a part of them. In my own selfish way, I thought they would all be better without me. I put my feelings aside and decided to see a therapist. She did everything in her power to help me. I was told I needed medication and I was in denial. “this wasn’t happening to me”. After a while, I was not feeling good outside of the therapist’s office. I went to see someone else and I hated starting all over again. But I did it. I did it for my family and for myself. I took the first meds prescribed. They worked for a month, and then I felt depressed again. My therapist suggested a change of meds. She was a godsend. I wanted to try anything and everything at that point because I wanted to be there for my family. Ive been on my meds for almost a year. It’s been alot if work and I still have a ways to go! I cannot imagine using my “mental health” as a free pasa. I honestly cannot respect Amber and her fake tears saying no one understands… She needs to put her big girl panties on and seek help IF she wants to be a mother, which I honestly highly doubt is her intention. I seriously believe that she decided to go to prison to make everyone believe she’s tough and has changed. When reality is, she did the exact same thing she does today. Sit on her lazy ass! Amber, grow some balls and get your shit together for the sake of your children. You aren’t fooling anyone but yourself. You are not anything a child would look up to in a parent. If anything, you are a perfect example of what NOT to be.


  5. You should do a new “Teen Mom by the numbers” and include “number of vacations taken by cast members”.

    How are Caitlyn and Kail coping with lockdown? Poor things haven’t been on vacation in a whole month!


  6. Mackenzie does realize she is still legally married to Josh..right? She keeps saying she doesn’t want to go through with the renewal and “doesn’t want to commit”…girl…YOU ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO THE MAN and are in fact..LEGALLY MARRIED TO HIM. I find her aggravating.
    So Amber totally told her producer to ask Andrew how many audio recordings he had. That was all Amber. She wants to know how many more could potentially be released. I don’t believe for a second that was a producer driven question. Then when Andrew didn’t give a definitive answer JC says “so…a lot”? Lol


    1. Even if they weren’t married (the first time), they have 3 or 4 kids together so they would still be in each other’s lives.


  7. I haven’t watched in 3 years but LOVE your recaps. The pictures are the best! Thanks for making me laugh while I had 2am insomia!


  8. Good for Cate to work on her mental health, she doesn’t deserve the crap she is getting for it. So what if she can pay a more expensive therapy?


    1. Mental health can be suck a tricky thing to navigate, and we all know Catelyns done rehabs away from Tyler and her kids several times (not to mention her depression/suicidal issues and negligent behavior). I actually commend her for going away with her now sober mom (who seemed to be the source of the prior issues). It seems like maybe Catelyn was trying to get some closure about certain things to help her move on. I truly hope it was for that reason and not just for a storyline. But what about Tyler’s issues though? Is he seeing a counselor or is everything just about Catelyn?


      1. @butchesrattail.. I stopped watching about mid season last year. Tyler did get some really good counseling from a local therapist, she held no punches in basically telling Him that he needs to put his foot down already and stop letting Cate do whatever she feels with consideration to Tyler. She was admit that Tyler stop doing for everyone and to think of himself first as nobody else was. Tyler did listen and Cate was devastated.
        As I said, I haven’t watched so Don’t know if he’s stayed strong or not. I’ve been keeping up with the Ashley , it’s my opinion that Cate is probably most responsible for their enormous debt … no wonder the guy was so stressed.


  9. Boooorrriinngg!! Even the recaps are boring, and I know the Ashley is doing the best she can but my god there’s so little to work with! They’re just such boring losers…I’m sorry.


    1. I’m with you. I stopped watching years ago and only read the recaps. That show has become so boring and contrived that not even The Ashley can make it interesting. You know you’ve hit a new level of boring when The Ashley can’t make it funny. That almost seems like it takes talent to be THAT boring.


    2. Aw, that makes me sad—I absolutely agree about the show, but I find the recaps hilarious! “Trash-baggery” “Trainwreckery” Word. Art.

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