Teen dramas have been popular with viewers, old and young, for many years, and the 1990s and early 2000s were the genre's heyday. With networks dedicated to telling these stories, actors were thrust into the spotlight at a young age. These new stars were given a variety of topics to cover on their respective shows, from teen romance shows to supernatural teen dramas, and some of them have aged better than others. Of course, when watching a show from 20 or 30 years ago, it stands to reason that the narrative won't be the same. Still, it's important to talk about how some of TV's most beloved characters handled things.
While it is important to be able to express yourself creatively, some level of self-awareness and respect is crucial. Many teen shows wanted to be edgy, subversive, and tackled topics like LGBTQ+ teen representation, sexual assault, teen pregnancy, and gun violence. There is a danger in introducing such complex issues into a soapy setting, and inevitably many of these stories have not aged well. Then there's everything that happened behind the scenes. Sometimes pressing play on an old show isn't as pleasantly nostalgic as you might think.
10
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Dysfunctional families and many privileges
It might seem like a stretch to have issues with this beloved and oft-watched fan favorite, but there's actually a lot wrong with many of the relationships on the show. Leaving aside the deliberately shocking storylines, like Rory sleeping with a married dean or Lorelei dating her daughter's teacher, there's plenty more to explore. Mom Lorelei Gilmore (Lauren Graham) is introduced as the heroine of the entire show. Quirky, hard-working and charming, she may seem like she's always right, but the truth is far from that.
The problems with her parents stem not only from their controlling nature, but also from Lorelei's privilege and sense of entitlement. Her protectiveness of Rory is often incredibly rude, all of her romantic decisions are quite selfish, and she actually isn't as good a mother as one might originally think. Acting as a friend first and then as a mother towards her daughter backfires as they argue like teenagers instead of one person being the adult. Although the show avoids problematic topics, the lack of diversity, judgmental attitudes, and privilege seem to be brushed aside with a laugh rather than addressed.
9
Verônica Marte (2004-2019)
Illustrating the Big Picture
In trying to emulate the feminist icon that was Buffy Summers, the creators of Veronica Martecreated another resilient teenager trying to be a hero. However, placing it in the real world, as opposed to a fantasy world, brings with it a lot of real-world problems. It might seem like a charming idea to have a young private eye investigating high school mysteries, but aside from a few “mystery of the week” episodes, the show focused on more far-reaching plots that spanned the entire season.
One of them was having her best friend Lilt (Amanda Seyfried) have an affair with her boyfriend's father, several instances of sexual assault and even blowing up a bus. These risks seem very high and are not always handled in the most respectful way. Veronica's sarcastic nature can sometimes seem cruel, especially towards the people she is trying to help.
8
Young Americans (2000)
Very, very soon
The show didn't last long, in fact it only aired 8 episodes, but it was able to fit a lot of problematic content into that short space of time. Hailed as the next Dawson Creekthe production even set up a crossover event with the hit teen drama. It starred young Kate Bosworth and Ian Somerhalder, among others, and seemed to feel the need to be as edgy as possible. With the main themes covering potential incest and a class divide among the already very privileged, many of the stories sometimes felt tone-deaf.
There was also the introduction of a trans-inspired storyline, which the writers must have thought would give them the shock value they needed. It featured a female character enrolling in an all-boys school and developing feelings for her roommate. The language of how to deal with such a complicated topic clearly wasn't developed enough back then, and watching it all now feels wrong on so many levels.
7
Popular (1999-2001)
Unadulterated loathing
Popularity themes abound in teen shows and movies, and having an entire series dedicated to it was only a matter of time. The rival groups are represented in the most stereotypical ways, as a blended family leads their two teenage daughters into developing a relationship despite being on opposite sides of the high school food chain. Brooke McQueen (Leslie Bibb) is cheerful and popular, while Sam McPherson (Carly Pope) is the more goth and alternative person who avoids the superficial notion of popularity.
The show's writing is quite witty and biting, as it attempts to tackle subjects such as anorexia, teenage sex, and peer pressure. It's shocking to see conventionally attractive cast members being talked about less and bullied for their appearance, and as was prevalent at the time, the humor could be interpreted as cruel. The language lacks inclusion and the program had difficulty dealing with issues, especially those linked to LGBTQ+ issues. The program has many interesting aspects, but watching it nowadays requires a lot of preparation.
6
90210 (2008-2013)
Not exactly the same as the original
Just like its inspiration, this teen drama wanted to shock and delight, with bold plot points designed to keep viewers on their toes. Unlike the original, the show tried to make the cast more inclusive and tried to mix humor with melodrama. On some levels it was successful, but its use of popular tropes meant it lacked any originality that attracted so much attention. Beverly Hills 90210which was unique in its time. The nostalgic connection to the source material was quickly severed and the stories devolved into chaos.
An affair with a priest, working as an escort and a hit-and-run all happened to one character, Annie (Shenae Grimes), and there are many abandoned plot points. The show had a good few years and viewers enjoyed returning to the famous zip code, but it fell into obscurity among the long list of teen dramas.
5
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Almost self-indulgent
From a nostalgia perspective, this might seem like one of the best teen shows of all time, and while there's a lot of good in it, watching it nowadays can have its problems. With four very strong leads, James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams, the characters had some of the relationships that defined '90s teen dramas. It starts with a parental affair that affects the (already self-centered) main protagonist and is immediately followed by a romance between students and teachers and racial issues.
Soapy in nature and filled with mundane situations that feel like life or death occurrences, the characters are all very dramatic at every turn. The dialogue was groundbreaking at the time, as Kevin Williamson's long-winded scripts were imitated by viewers around the world, but some of the pathos and seriousness feels a little off after all these years. Not to mention the choice to unnecessarily kill one of the most interesting and beloved characters in the series at the very end.
4
Joy (2009-2015)
The opposite of cheerful
Groundbreaking and incredibly successful at the time, it's hard to watch Happiness the same way now, after everything that happened. With behind-the-scenes scandals and three notable Happiness cast members passing away, there is an ominous feeling amongst all the perceived joy. First, there was Corey Motheith, who died of an overdose while the show was still on the air. He had his own dedicated episode, “The Quarterback,” which served as a form of healing for his castmates, but it feels unwatchable now. The drama between Lea Michele and the late Naya Rivera also adds to the experience, as the tension is palpable.
His attempt to address extremely complex issues through music and dance is also difficult to execute. While Jane Lynch's skillful performance includes enough of a mix of comedy and seriousness to justify her controversial character, the same cannot be said for Matthew Morrison. His relationship with the students seems almost inappropriate, and it's no wonder he didn't stick around for the entire show. The last few seasons have seemed to fumble it a bit, with more stunt casting and less substance. After such a joyful and happy beginning, after almost 10 years, Happiness leaves a bitter taste.
3
One Tree Hill (2003-2012)
Drama in front and behind the scenes
It wasn't set in a particularly glamorous city, the clothes weren't over the top, but the drama increased with each episode. The premise itself is problematic enough, with two rival sons who share the same father. One of them, Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) is less well-off, and his single mother, Karen (Moira Stewart) appears to have been ostracized by the teenage pregnancy that resulted in Lucas's birth. Meanwhile, his brother, Nathan (James Lafferty), lives the high life in his father's mansion and is the star of the basketball team. The reasons why there is so much hatred among this group of people seem very difficult to understand in modern society.
As the stories became more and more salacious, the main focus of the series was a love triangle between two best friends and Lucas and the many problems between the brothers. There was a distinct lack of feminist threads, and much of the focus seemed to be on the weirdest melodrama. Behind the scenes, another story was unfolding. With the creator (allegedly) making many of the female leads feel uncomfortable, and even seeing Hilarie Burton leave because of it, many negative stories have emerged since the show's end.
2
Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
Every parent's worst nightmare
There was a moment when gossipI reveled in its shock value and how offended some parents would be. An entire marketing campaign was structured around the outraged reviews, using cheeky images from the program, which was innovative and very successful. Some of the topics covered were obviously exaggerated for dramatic effect, with characters acting in strange ways despite supposedly being teenagers. Sex, drinking, gambling and drugs were never off the table, and its central theme, cyberbullying, was new.
However, knowing now who Gossip Girl really ended up being, there's a lot that doesn't make sense. The way Dan (Penn Badgley) was portrayed at the beginning does not correspond to everything that was necessary to be the famous blogger. Everything he did to his family and close friends would border on sociopathy, and the fact that he suffered no consequences feels wrong. Chuck (Ed Westwick) clearly wasn't intended to be such a hit with viewers, because having him try to assault several women in the first few episodes seemed to get swept under the rug quickly.
1
The CO (2003-2007)
A lot happened in Orange County
With Adam Brody's revival strong thanks to Nobody wants thatmany viewers may feel the need to revisit the show that first made him famous. While the show remains an important part of teen drama history, there are some things that need to be considered when watching it with fresh eyes. The debauchery and hedonism were meant to shock audiences and impress young viewers, but painting the character of Marissa (Misha Barton) as this wannabe heroine was quite dangerous. It glamorized every struggle she went through, which could have given viewers the impression that it was okay to self-destruct as long as there were people there to save them.
Some examples of tokenization could be seen across the show's four seasons, with some stories apparently introduced for ratings purposes. Most notably, the same-sex relationship between Marissa and Alex (Olivia Wilde) didn't seem to serve any purpose other than causing a stir. Most of the characters themselves were quite problematic in their behavior, which, considering how popular they've become, could be a problem. Even Brody, like Seth Cohen, had many flaws that affected those closest to him but were perceived as charming quirks that made him so magnetic.