Generation Cryo: docu-series, 10 p.m. Monday, MTV.
Breeanna is 17 and wants to meet her dad, but first she wants to meet her 15 half siblings.
Her biological father wasn't a serial bridegroom, but he was a sperm donor and Breeanna's half siblings live all over the country.
In other words, she's not alone, but that's true in more ways than one. Thousands of younger Americans have been conceived with sperm donation, and although the number is smaller, many have been conceived through egg donation as well.
That's great, of course, except what happens when the children grow up and want to know more about their genetic heritage?
"Generation Cryo," a docu-series premiering Monday on MTV, follows Breeanna from her home in Reno around the country as she meets other young men and women who share the same biological father, known only to them as Donor No. 1096.
If the series were just about Breeanna looking for her biological father, it would be passably interesting. But her search also sheds light on a variety of issues that speak eloquently about the nature of a modern family.
Breeanna has two moms, who wanted a child and went to a cryo-bank for a withdrawal. Debra became her biological mom, but then she and her girlfriend, Sherry, split up. Subsequently, although Debra began dating men, she and Sherry have continued to be Breeanna's two moms.
Breeanna's first challenge, even before she begins looking for her father, is telling her moms about her plan. Debra is OK with the idea, Sherry has reservations, but they both realize the quest is important to Breeanna.
Breeanna's first stop is an Atlanta suburb to meet twins Hilit and Jonah, who have already met other half siblings. Jonah is all for finding out the identity of dear old Donor No. 1096, but his sister doesn't want to know about him, much less meet him, if the opportunity arises.
Breeanna is welcomed warmly into the twins' household, but her presence brings up some issues with the twins' dad, Eric. When he and his wife, Teri, decided on sperm donation because Eric is sterile, he had to come to terms with the reality that while he would love and care for his children as much as, if not more than, any father could, they would not be his biological offspring. Now, Breeanna's quest has resurrected those issues.
Jayme and Jesse, another set of twins, were raised by a single mom and, at 18, are legally entitled to reach out to the sperm donor. But donors have legal protection. The twins are welcome to write a letter to the donor, but whether or not he'll respond is up to him. Most attempts at contacting donors are dead ends.
Breeanna is brave and optimistic, but she's learning not only about how difficult her quest will be, but also about issues that members of the cryo-generation and their families have to deal with.
Inevitably, we put ourselves in her position, or perhaps in the position of a family member. What would you do if your daughter or son wanted to learn the identity of a sperm or egg donor? And what would you do if you were a donor yourself and 17 years later, heard from one or maybe 15 of your previously unknown "children?"
Good questions. Good series.
David Wiegand is The San Francisco Chronicle's executive features editor and TV critic. E-mail: dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV
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