If you spent any time on ABC Family (RIP) between 2008 and 2013, you know exactly who I’m talking about. Ben Boykewich. The "sausage king" heir. The guy who wore cardigans and spoke in that weirdly formal, staccato rhythm that made everyone in Valley Village sound like they were reading from a Victorian etiquette manual.
Honestly, looking back on Ben from The Secret Life of the American Teenager, he might be the most fascinatingly frustrating character in teen TV history. He started as the ultimate "Nice Guy." You know the type. He was the one who stepped up when Amy Juergens was pregnant with another guy’s baby, offering her a ring, a future, and a whole lot of Leo Boykewich’s money. He was sweet. Too sweet. Like, saccharine to the point of being suspicious.
But then things got weird. Really weird.
The Nice Guy Who Wasn't That Nice
When we first met Ben Boykewich, he was the foil to Ricky Underwood’s bad-boy archetype. While Ricky was the "playboy" who caused the mess, Ben was the hero who was going to clean it up. Or so we thought.
The reality is that Ben was deeply obsessive. He didn't just love Amy; he was obsessed with the idea of being her savior.
Remember the "wedding" in season one? They were fifteen. Fifteen! They tried to get married in a chapel because Ben thought that was the only way to "prove" his love. It was a red flag the size of a billboard, but because he was the rich kid who liked the French horn player, the show initially framed it as romantic.
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As the seasons dragged on, that veneer of the "Nice Guy" started to crack. He became increasingly jealous. He was insecure. He couldn't handle the fact that Ricky was always going to be in the picture because of the baby, John.
That Infamous Downward Spiral
If you want to talk about a character arc that just goes off a cliff, look no further than Ben. After his summer in Italy—where he supposedly "grew up"—he came back a completely different person. And not in a good way.
He and Adrian Lee ended up in a relationship that was basically built on spite and shared trauma. They got married because she got pregnant. Then, the show took a devastating turn when their daughter, Mercy, was stillborn. It was a heavy, dark storyline for a show that usually focused on who was "hooking up" in the band room.
But Ben’s reaction to grief was... messy. He started making terrible decisions.
- He accidentally (or was it?) burned down a school building.
- He became a weirdly aggressive manipulator.
- He basically tried to sabotage Amy and Ricky’s relationship at every turn.
By the final season, Ben wasn't the sweet kid from the butcher shop anymore. He was a guy who would look you in the eye and lie just to see if he could get away with it.
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What Actually Happened in the Finale?
The ending of The Secret Life of the American Teenager left a lot of people unsatisfied. Amy leaves for New York to pursue her dreams. Ricky stays behind to raise John. And Ben?
Ben is still there. He’s still pining.
In the series finale, Ben has this "epiphany" while driving Ethan to the airport. He realizes that maybe Amy wasn't actually his soulmate. It was a moment of growth that felt about four seasons too late. He decides he's going to follow his own path, but let's be real: the show ended with him still being the same intense, slightly delusional guy we'd known for five years.
Why We Still Talk About Him
Why does this character still spark debates on Reddit and TikTok over a decade later? It’s because Ben Boykewich represents a very specific type of person. He’s the guy who thinks that because he does "the right thing," he is owed a specific outcome.
He did the "right thing" by staying with Amy during her pregnancy, so he felt he deserved her forever. When life didn't work out like a fairytale, he lashed out. It’s a surprisingly realistic portrayal of how entitlement can mask itself as kindness.
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Ken Baumann, the actor who played Ben, has since left acting to become a writer and publisher. It’s almost poetic. He spent years playing a character who struggled to write his own narrative, and now he’s actually doing it in real life.
The Legacy of the "Sausage King"
If you’re planning a rewatch, keep an eye on Ben’s dialogue. It’s wild. The way he talks to his dad, Leo (played by the legendary Steve Schirripa), is peak 2010s melodrama.
"I'm a Boykewich, Dad. We're different."
Sure you are, Ben. You're the guy who bought a condo at 17 and almost went to jail for arson.
Ultimately, Ben is the cautionary tale of the show. He reminds us that being "nice" isn't a currency you can trade for love. You have to actually be a stable, functional human being.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re feeling nostalgic for the Grant High drama, you don't have to just sit there and wonder what the cast is up to.
- Check out Ken Baumann’s books. He’s a legit novelist now. Look for Solip or his work with Boss Fight Books. It’s a far cry from the scripts he was reading on ABC Family.
- Re-examine the "Nice Guy" trope. Watch the first season again and see if you still think Ben was the "good one." Usually, on second viewing, Ricky comes across as much more honest, while Ben seems way more manipulative.
- Stream the series. It’s usually available on platforms like Hulu or Disney+ depending on your region. Just prepare yourself for the dialogue. It's an acquired taste.
The show might be over, but the "Ben vs. Ricky" debate is eternal. Just remember: if a guy offers to marry you at fifteen because you’re pregnant with someone else’s kid, maybe just say "no thanks" and stick to the French horn.