Great Teen Dramas To Watch
One of the most well-known genres of television is the teen drama. For years, these types of shows, filled with steamy romances, the highs and lows of high school sports, fashion gods, and so much more, have been a major part of television. From some older options to some newer ones, there are plenty of shows out there for the teen drama enthusiast.
If you’re looking for your next binge, check out our picks of the best teen drama TV shows.
By Alexandra Ramos
(HBO)
Riverdale is the titular name of a small little town in upstate New York on this show from The CW, where everything seems normal until one person begins to dig a little deeper into the area's dark history, and murders start to pile up, creating plenty of drama for its residents.
Riverdale has certainly gone up and down in quality over the seasons, but I’ll always have a special place in my heart for its craziness. The characters are all so different, and the relationships are very entertaining to follow. It’s definitely a great murder mystery show and while it has its moments of utter strangeness - like those weird musical episodes - it’s still an entertaining teen drama.
(The CW)
Next up, we have a classic sports show, All American. This teen drama follows a young high school football player who transfers to Beverly Hills High after being recruited from South L.A. We follow his wins and losses, both on the field and off.
As someone who is a huge fan of sports movies, and loves watching football, I can confirm that this is an awesome show. I especially love that All American isn’t afraid to really dive deeply into hard to talk about topics that not a lot of older teen dramas really got into, such as racial injustice. The series is a lot of fun, and has great storylines filled with inspiration.
(The CW)
This international series on Netflix, Elite, is set in an elite secondary school, and follows the story of three working-class students who end up attending through a scholarship program, and clash with their wealthy classmates.
I’ve always felt that Elite is like the Spanish version of Gossip Girl, except I think the characters are a lot more personable and fun to follow. We follow some truly crazy storylines, and I also especially love that the school they film in really does look like an amazingly private prep school. The romances in this are also so much fun to root for as well.
(Netflix)
Next up, we have the HBO original series, Euphoria. While there’s a whole ensemble of characters, the main two that we follow are Rue and Jules, two young women, as they struggle through high school, and the social problems that surround them.
Out of all the picks on this list, Euphoria is definitely the most mature. I’d say it even teeters between teen drama and adult drama with some of its content. However, I do feel that it’s an important show to watch, as it talks about some serious themes such as sexual assault, drug abuse and addiction, gender transitioning, and more. Zendaya is brilliant in her starring role, but the whole Euphoria cast is excellent, as well. Truly a great hit for HBO.
(HBO)
Another CW show, The 100, follows a group of delinquents from a spaceship, who are sent back down to Earth to investigate if the planet is ready to be occupied by humans again, after a nuclear apocalypse. But, the kids find out that not only is the planet habitable - they are not alone.
I absolutely adore dystopian shows like this, but mix that in with some teen drama and it’s a winner for me. From The 100 cast to the storylines to its surprisingly great costuming and set design, it’s such a well-done show, and the lore is truly interesting.
(The CW)
Taking place more than a decade after Degrassi Junior High, this show, Degrassi: The Next Generation, follows the obstacles of being a teenager, whether that means having to deal with relationship problems, sexuality, bullying, or even darker themes like sexual assault, gun control, and more.
I’m going to be honest - Degrassi: The Next Generation was a little bit before my time of teen dramas, however, I recently binged it with a friend and I have to say, it holds up. The topics that are talked about are still relevant to today’s teens - if not even more so - and Degrassi: The Next Generation’s cast is full of talent and produced an entertaining show. I mean, the show even has Drake before he was super famous. It’s definitely worth a watch.
(CTV)
A classic CW show, Gossip Girl follows Serena Van der Woodsen (played by Blake Lively), a teenager growing up on the Upper East Side of New York City. We follow her daily struggles with schooling, her best friend, relationship issues and more, through six seasons of craziness.
As someone who recently just watched all of this for the first time, I can understand why it was so popular. The Gossip Girl cast is ridiculously skillful in their portrayals of these characters, and it’s no wonder why most of them went on to have very fulfilling careers. The storylines are intense and crazy, the characters easy to follow, and the fashion impeccable.
(The CW)
In this coming of age story, On My Block follows four friends, who live in South Central Los Angeles, following their stories through high school, their personal lives, and more, as they deal with the pressures of society.
On My Block is not only a great teen drama, but a great representation of Latinx culture in the United States. The core four of the series work so well together, and create friendships and relationships that are believable and seem genuine. With four seasons to binge, it’s certainly worth the time.
(Netflix)
Another classic teen drama, One Tree Hill, is all about the Scott brothers, Lucas and Nathan, half siblings who are competing against each other for spots on the basketball team, romances, and a lot more, in the town of Tree Hill, North Carolina.
I feel like everyone has heard of One Tree Hill. It’s such a great combination of genres within a teen drama, like having a sports storyline, including so much romance it’s almost impossible to keep up with it, and much, much more. Plus, the One Tree Hill cast is full of stars, such as Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie Burton, and James Lafferty. The show had nine seasons, so you know it was, at the very least, quite successful.
(The WB/The CW)
Pretty Little Liars follows a group of five best friends, but their lives start to fall apart when their leader, Alison, suddenly vanishes. A year later, the friends reunite when they are threatened by a person named ‘A,’ who is saying they will expose all their darkest secrets.
I feel like Pretty Little Liars is famous for so many reasons, whether it be for its drama, its romances, its dark twists and turns, or something else. The show became incredibly popular, and Pretty Little Liars cast went on to succeed in many different projects after the series finale.
(Freeform)
In this popular CW series, Veronica Mars follows the titular character as she moves from high school to college, while also working as a private investigator, thanks to her father, who is a detective. In each new episode, we get to follow Veronica as she takes on a new case, while constantly trying to figure out the bigger mystery at hand.
Starring Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars is the perfect example of a teen drama that can be entertaining for teens and adults. The mysteries that are involved are so much fun, but what really makes it such a great series is how, at the end of each season, it’s all tied to the bigger mystery of the season. And, how can you not love Kristen Bell as Veronica? She has that spunky personality that’s just impossible not to like.
(Warner Bros. Television Distribution)
Loosely based on the '80s film of the same name, Teen Wolf follows Scott, a seemingly normal high schooler whose world is turned upside down when he is bitten by a werewolf the night before his sophomore year, completely changing the course of his life.
This is an excellent werewolf show, if not for the costume design, then for the Teen Wolf cast. Everyone works so well together and helped create a truly entertaining fantasy series that’s full of lore, enjoyable characters, and really cool monsters. My personal favorite character from the series is Stiles. Definitely one of Dylan O’Brien's best movies and TV shows.
(MTV)
Lastly, we have the Netflix original series, Outer Banks. This series is set in the town of Outer Banks, North Caroline, where there’s a stark difference between the wealthy and the working-class, called Kooks and Pogues. We follow a group of Pogues, who are on a mission to find out what happened to their ringleader’s father, who mysteriously disappeared.
I personally think that this show sometimes dives a little too deep into teen drama tropes by making these romances as intense as they are. However, Outer Banks provides some awesomely fun adventure with its inclusion of mystery, mixed in with a warm feeling provided by the setting’s atmosphere.
(Netflix)There are plenty of amazing teen dramas. Here are the best.