College is a rite of passage for many young people. It is the time when they become more independent and depend on their own skills and intelligence, away from an environment in which they feel so comfortable. Most people who go to college have just finished their senior year of high school, a time when they are part of the oldest groups at their schools and have their own rigorous routines. They had just spent four years cultivating a life that was the center of their universe. When you move to college, everything changes.
Or at least that's what it's supposed to be. When a TV show made for teens becomes popular, it inevitably gets renewed for more and more seasons. The problem is that teenagers get older and the decision arises of what to do when they graduate. Instead of breaking up the entire cast, replacing most of them, or replacing all of them, they often all seem to stay in the same place, or at least a short drive away. Fictional colleges are invented and some characters' life goals need to be rewritten to keep the show going.
10
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Rory didn't go to Harvard
The first three seasons of Gilmore Girls focus on Alexis Bledel's Rory Gilmore working hard to get into Harvard. She transfers to Chilton, a prep school that aims to help her achieve this goal she's had since she was a child. The amount of time the characters spend discussing Harvard covers much of the series, and there are even two specially dedicated episodes in which the university is the center of the story. Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and Rory take a trip to Boston, exploring the campus and even taking a class.
As the show gained popularity, the time came when Rory (and the writers) had to decide. Boston is a slightly longer trip, which would potentially put Friday night dinners and visits to Stars Hollow at risk. So Rory went to Yale. It became another bone of contention between the Gilmores. The idea was to keep the characters closer, but the change could still be felt. Putting more action outside of Stars Hollow's charm made the show feel different, and the sudden change of direction to a very driven character felt strange.
9
Saved by the Bell (1993-1994)
The magic stayed in Bayside
After many hilarious adventures at Bayside High, Saved by the bell was still at the height of popularity. After graduation, the decision was made to take part of the original cast to college and create another spin-off with completely new characters and actors. Only Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) and Screech (Dustin Diamond) remained. This became Saved by the Bell: The New Class; the show didn't have the shine of the original, but somehow ended up having 143 episodes.
Meanwhile, at Cal U, Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), Slater (Mario Lopez), Kelly (Tiffani Thiessen) and Screech embark on their college experience. Without the familiar backdrop of Bayside and Max's colorful walls, the new environment was designed to make the show feel more adult. The gang tries new experiences, dates new people and the general idea is to see them change. Unfortunately, this wasn't what the public wanted and the show only lasted a year.
8
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
Not quite West Beverley High
Beverly Hills, 90210 It started out as an exaggerated portrait of rich high school students with chiseled chins, fantastic outfits, and very adult problems. West Beverly High is a perfect microcosm for setting a number of romantic arcs, as well as more typical "teen" issues like sex, underage drinking, and bullying. There are even some academic feats and educational content to explore. The tone of the show was always meant to be soapy, but the high school setting somehow made it feel more natural, as everything seemed so much bigger than it actually was back then.
Since the show was still a ratings hit and the cast was extremely popular around the world, after graduation they all basically went to the same college. The University of California, or CU, became the show's new main setting. The plot points started to get increasingly weird, with the usually sensible Andrea (Gabrielle Carteris) getting pregnant, Kelly (Jennie Garth) having a drug problem, and Donna (Tori Spelling) in an abusive relationship. The introduction of Peach Pit After Dark was also a clear indication that the show was trying to move the group into the realm of adulthood.
7
Sister, Sister (1994-1999)
Even Roger finally went home
Anyone who liked The Parent Trap would have been attracted to Sister, sister. This quirky and colorful show was from the 90s and followed a set of identical twins who were separated at birth. They grew up with different parents and one day they randomly met on a shopping trip. The smart and ambitious Tia (Tia Mowry) was raised by a flamboyant, free-spirited mother, Lisa (Jackée Harry), while the more carefree Tamera (Tamera Mowry) lives in a big house with her straight-laced father, Ray (Tim Reid). . ).
When they realize what happened, the whole family moves together at Ray and Tamera's house, so the sisters can come together and make up for lost time. The first few seasons focus on families merging to create a cohesive unit as the girls navigate the intricacies of high school. As the show progressed, Tia and Tamera graduated and went to college, which completely messed up the dynamic of the show. A once wacky comedy with mismatched characters and a focus on their home lives has become more elegant and serious, with even the opening theme adapting to the change.
6
Smallville (2001-2011)
High school was a much simpler time
There have been a few forays into Superman's origin story, with every film and TV show at least mentioning his life in Smallville. However, the very premise of this show was to explore his adolescence even more deeply. Seeing this superpowered young man navigate the ups and downs of high school, as well as his developing abilities, brought a lot of interesting drama to each episode. Clark Kent (Tom Welling) stands up to football player bullies, shows promise in Torch, and explores his crush on Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), making the show truly special in its first few seasons.
Once the move to Metropolis University happens, the show begins toe the line between the farm boy viewers knew and the superhero they know he's destined to become. The big city setting takes away from the charm of rural Kansas, and the characters begin to deal with increasingly bizarre issues. Lana apparently joins a coven of witches at one point. Lex (Michael Rosenbaum), who is older than the rest of the gang, appears to be 15 years older, and visits to Smallville are few and far between.
5
Boy Meets the World (1993-2000)
Mr. Feeny would never leave
Teen programs tend to jump from high school to college, but Boy meets the world I saw the characters start in high school and follow their journey to university. What's a little strange about this is that they had the same teacher at each institution. Feeny (William Daniels) somehow manages to remain the gang's nurturer at every stage of life. The writers clearly knew the character was too important to abandon. Each jump came with its own additional problems, and characters were introduced and lost along the way.
Stuart Minkus (Lee Norris), who features heavily in the early stages of the show, disappears completely when the kids go to high school. He was hilariously brought back in one episode, with the implication that he was simply across the hall from the school. The one the camera doesn't see. When Corey (Ben Savage), Shawn (Rider Strong), and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) graduated, there was a lot of mental gymnastics to make sure they all ended up in the same place after high school.
4
The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
A kind of vampire academy
When TV audiences were introduced to the mystical world of Mystic Falls, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and her friends were all in high school. Dances, balls, and sports games seemed to be as important as supernatural events and romantic complications. This managed to ground the show in some kind of reality that was relatable and somewhat familiar to the viewer. The focus on the relationships between the characters remained in the foreground, as the challenges of the real world did not impact their daily lives as much.
After the teens (and vampires) graduated from Mystic Falls High School, the show went through its first big change. Even though everyone stays in or around the same small town, the dynamics feel completely different. This focus on trying to be more mature and an influx of new characters seemed to teeter on the chaotic and disjointed. Familiar figures began acting out of character, and what once made the show a hit with its audience lost its appeal.
3
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Dawson's Creek could have done a time jump
Capeside teenagers have been through a lot during their high school years. Best friends Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) got together, broke up, and then reunited. Joey and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) fell in love and created a wedge between lasting friendships. Jen (Michelle Williams) had her ups and downs with her grandmother (Mary Beth Peil) and went through a rebellious phase that even led to the death of her enemy. The most recent character, Jack (Kerr Smith), left and had to leave home so he could be himself.
The move to college created some problems. Joey, who had big ambitions to leave Capeside, goes to the fictional Worthington College, while the others attend Boston Bay University, which is conveniently located nearby. While Pacey has always been a loose cannon, seeing him take on very random jobs while following the gang to Boston is out of character. Finally, Dawson's love of film couldn't have taken him anywhere other than California, but having him separate from the main group for most of the last two seasons completely changed the feel of the show.
2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Sunnydale High is sorely missed
Sunnydale High was home to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the Scoobies for three seasons before the group formed. During this time, they face vampires, demons and Director Snyder. From a supernatural swim team that saw competitors transform into fishmen, magical cheerleading tryouts, and a near-killer prom, the teens' high school experience was pretty special. The juxtaposition of Buffy's extracurricular activities with some of the seemingly mundane issues she had to deal with during the day cleverly highlights the double life she must lead.
Since Willow (Alyson Hannigan) is a genius who could get into any university in the world, her decision to stay at Synnydale had to be explained by her desire to continue fighting the forces of evil with her friends. Xander (Nicholas Brendon) approaches his life as a bit of a slacker, while Giles' role also needs to be re-evaluated. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Ultimately, it struggled to make the setting as fascinating as it was in the first few seasons, and it's certainly different to watch.
1
The CO (2003-2007)
The reluctant graduates
The CO packed so much into its first season that there was little left to explore in the following years. The fact that the first part of Season 1 took place during the summer gave the series a lot of time away from school to explore a new group of characters. When Ryan (Ben McKenzie), Marissa (Misha Barton), Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson) arrive at Harbor, they have already been through a lot together. The school environment brings many new opportunities for drama and shows the differences between Ryan and his classmates.
The jump to college after the Season 3 finale might not be so shocking if it didn't also have to deal with the fallout from Marissa's death. Summer is a completely different person as she tries to lose herself in activism at Brown. Seth is still floundering as he tries to figure out his next move, and Ryan is in total darkness, trying to avenge his partner's death. Just as everyone started to heal and the show had the potential to get back on track, it was canceled.