TEENAGE DRAMA
Does anyone do drama better than teens? The answer is clearly no. In that (impossibly posh prep school) spirit, Bethonie Butler and Sonia Rao list their favourite series about, but not necessarily for, teens.
DAWSON’S CREEK (1998-2003)
This soapy drama is a great choice for those who just finished watching Little Fires Everywhere, featuring a grown Joshua Jackson. Because to many of us, he will always be Pacey Witter, one of four teens — the others being James Van Der Beek’s Dawson Leery, Katie Holmes’s Joey Potter and Michelle Williams’s Jen Lindley — falling in and out of love in a coastal town.
Available on: ctv.ca and the CTV app
DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION (2001-15)
Degrassi is much more than the teen drama that introduced us to Aubrey (Drake) Graham. The Canadian franchise has existed, in various iterations, since the late 1970s, with each version offering a timely and authentic window into the lives of adolescents. The Next Generation — which premièred in 2001 and ran for 14 seasons — upped the ante on the show’s no-holdsbarred approach to topics including teen pregnancy, LGBTQ identity, school violence, sexual consent and mental health, while shrewdly incorporating social media and internet culture into Degrassi’s thoughtful plot lines.
Available on: Amazon Prime. Note: Degrassi: Next Class, the similarly excellent spinoff to
The Next Generation, is available to stream on Netflix Canada.
ELITE (BEGAN 2018)
This Spanish thriller revolves around the intensely competitive students at an exclusive prep school. The series combines typical teenage drama with murder, blackmail and revenge, creating a potent (and addictive) cocktail. Also, everyone looks like a model.
Available on: Netflix
EUPHORIA (BEGAN 2019)
This provocative, Drake-produced series helped Zendaya graduate seamlessly — and definitively — from Disney star to arresting drama lead. Creator Sam Levinson channelled his own experience with adolescent addiction for the series, which was adapted from an Israeli series of the same name. Euphoria, which has been renewed for a second season, earned both praise and criticism for its raw depiction of teen sex and drug use, explored through a decidedly gen Z lens (and lots of eye glitter). But the show’s bold choices largely paid off, and were elevated by standout acting by its stars and an entrancing score from British singer Labrinth.
Available on: Crave
GOSSIP GIRL (2007-12)
This CW series has re-emerged during quarantine as a wormsfor-brains meme featuring prep school socialites Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). The show itself is a top-tier source of rich people’s petty drama, and everyone’s questionable fashion choices — plus the impeccable music choices — will transport you to the late aughts. Regression has been a theme of pop culture consumption lately, so why not revisit this era?
Available on: Netflix
NEVER HAVE I EVER (BEGAN 2020)
Mindy Kaling’s latest comedy series — co-created by Lang Fisher — follows Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), an Indian American teenager navigating friendships and romances while dealing with the grief of losing her father. The show is especially notable for its diverse depictions of teendom and authentic portrayal of Devi’s relationship with her immigrant mother, Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan).
Available on: Netflix
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (2010-17)
This teen thriller follows a group of friends who find themselves tormented by an elusive enemy known as A. Adapted from Sara Shepard’s bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars quickly gained a following on Freeform with its intriguing mystery, angsty pop soundtrack and show-stopping, occasionally wildly inappropriate, fashion. In full disclosure, the show goes off the rails in its third season and there’s been a fair amount of debate over whether the series finale even makes sense. But it’s a fun ride (and that’s no lie).
Available on: Netflix
SKINS (2007-13)
This cheeky British teen drama goes a step further than its American counterparts and earned much acclaim for its exploration of “controversial” topics like teen pregnancy, substance abuse and mental illness. The first couple of seasons — after which the cast changes — are the strongest in both storytelling and tone, and boosted the careers of several notable young actors including Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel.
Available on: Netflix