What's Going on With 'Teen Mom's' Ryan and Mackenzie?

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A lot of Teen Mom OG fans have been wondering if Ryan Edwards and Mackenzie Standifer will appear on the latest season of the show as it returns this week.

In recent seasons, Ryan and Mackenzie have brought on a lot of drama. For instance, Ryan was dealing with a dangerous drug addiction. In fact, viewers watched Ryan drive under the influence to his very own wedding. Many viewers were devastated and disturbed by the episode, and many grew angry when the couple blamed a lot of their problems on his ex, Maci Bookout.

In July 2018, Ryan decided that he no longer wanted to appear on Teen Mom OG. There were a few reasons why he no longer appeared on the MTV hit show. For one, many viewers were critical of his actions after he drove under the influence (and Mackenzie allowed a clearly intoxicated Ryan to do this on camera). Second, he spent some time in jail after facing criminal charges. Third, the couple claimed that MTV producers were more focused on showing Maci in a positive light than anything else.

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According to Mackenzie, she will not be returning to the show this season either. "The network told us they don't want to show Ryan as a recovering addict," she says.

Mackenzie also has another startling statement. She says that MTV wanted to make a contract with the couple to allow their new child to appear on camera. They wanted it to look like Ryan's parents were raising the baby, she claims. Ryan also claims that MTV has wanted him to appear uncaring and apathetic in the past.

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Ryan claims that he has been sober for a while now, but that his ex does not want to film unless he goes back to rehab. With Ryan claiming he does not need to go back to rehab, it seems there is a conflict.

Ryan and Mackenzie have two children together, and they each have one child from previous relationships. While the couple has faced a lot of criticism from viewers for having children while facing addiction, Mackenzie seems to have shouldered a lot of responsibility on her own.

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On New Year's Day this year, Mackenzie gave birth to the couple's second child, Stella Rhea. Mackenzie seemingly did not share photos of her pregnancy because she was worried about the criticism from people who watched Teen Mom OG. She brings attention to social media comments, saying "most of the comments on my pictures are ridiculously mean. . ." In fact, many of the photos have comments that dissect Mackenzie's appearance and her role as a mother.

Based on the criticism, many fans can understand why the couple has chosen to stay away from the cameras this season.