Despite marketing issues, the remaining twelve ended up as part of the first season, which concluded its initial airing on March 23, 2009.

[1] Season one regular cast members include Shailene Woodley, Molly Ringwald, Daren Kagasoff, Kenny Baumann, Francia Raisa, Megan Park, India Eisley, Greg Finley II, Jorge Pallo, Mark Derwin, and Luke Zimmerman.

[4] The season focuses on the relationships between families and friends dealing with the unexpected teen pregnancy of character Amy Juergens, portrayed by Shailene Woodley.

Probably the last girl anyone would expect to suffer such a scandalous event, Amy's world begins to expand as she discovers that virtually every student at her high school deals with some secret or unexpected problems, from the religious good-girl Grace to the tough-kid Ricky and to clingy loving Ben.

Meanwhile, in a quest to lose his virginity, Ben Boykewich, sees Amy across the crowded hallway and is encouraged by his best friends, Henry and Alice, to ask her out.

New York Post praised the series for having a set of characters that are "...real and come from families of all stripes — from intact to single-parent households to one boy in foster care..."[26] The pilot episode broke the record for highest rated debut for ABC Family, beating Kyle XY, with 2.82 million viewers.