Top 10 Most Underrated Teen Shows
#10: "Marvel's Runaways" (2017-)
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A lot of comic book character arcs mirror classic coming-of-age stories, just with supersized challenges. "Runaways" is no exception, telling a tale of teenage rebellion and family strife, with all of the associated emotional rollercoasters - and then some. After learning that their parents are members of a supervillain team known as the Pride, a band of misfit teens band together to combat their own families. Marvel's television output has been hit or miss, so it’s a particular shame that this quality tie-in to the MCU hasn't gotten the attention that it deserves.
#9: PEN15" (2019-)
One selling point of any good high school show is authenticity. If it doesn't feel realistic or relatable, you’re likely to lose your audience. That's why creators and stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle stacked the cast with actual middle schoolers while playing youthful versions of themselves. Since they’re both in their 30s, it may take a few minutes for viewers to adjust to the age difference, but the writing is strong and funny enough to get over it. The two are essentially re-living their seventh grade year at the turn of the millennium, with the titular prank epitomizing the unexpected pitfalls of middle school.
#8: "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide" (2004-07)
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Nickelodeon isn't exactly known for subtlety. Its sitcoms for younger audiences are generally filled with broad performances and telegraphed jokes set to a laugh track. However, “Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide” was a horse of a different color. Young Ned has just entered seventh grade, and each episode focuses on a new survival tip he catalogs in a diary. Though the tips in the guide are fairly standard, the show still managed to subvert expectations, and fans praised it for its unpredictability. A proposed spin-off never came to fruition, but the show's strong cult following can catch up with its leads in shows like “Zeke and Luther” and ABC's “10 Things I Hate About You”.
#7: "Awkward" (2011-16)
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High school shows are at their best when they explore the tricky waters of teen life, but that often comes with heavy-handed, "Degrassi"-level soap treatment. Enter MTV's "Awkward", a show that never talked down to its audience and managed to keep things light. After aspiring writer Jenna has an accident mistaken for a suicide attempt, her social profile suddenly surges – something she tracks with a blog while encountering the typical cliches of high school. It's a rare, slice-of-life dramedy that addresses serious problems without getting maudlin.
#6: "All American" (2018-)
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"All American" is a kind of spiritual successor to "Friday Night Lights", both set in the world of high school athletics. But the CW show delves much deeper into race relations and class struggle at the posh Beverly Hills High. It follows Spencer James, an African American student from South Los Angeles who’s recruited from Crenshaw High School to play football to Beverly Hills High instead. His fish-out-of-water status leads to conflict with his upper-crust classmates, forcing him to navigate a complicated new life both on and off the field.
#5: "Clone High" (2002-03)
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Very little is off-limits for Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the duo perhaps best known for the hilarious “21 Jump Street” and “The Lego Movie”. But both of those titles came well after "Clone High", a show that deserves more recognition than it gets. The basic premise is that all the world's late leaders are cloned and attend high school together, with standard teen hijinks and humiliations included. Never a team to shy from controversy, Lord and Miller got in hot water over their portrayal of Gandhi as not all that humble. But a lot of the comedy comes from the contrast between the clones and their historical legacies.
#4 "Everything Sucks!" (2018)
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Being a teenager can be downright awful. You’re trying to figure out who you are and to fit in at the same time. It’s even tougher for those whom the high school status quo deems “misfits”. That's the case in Boring, Oregon, where AV Club member Luke sets out to make a movie about the trials and tribulations of teenagerhood. Set in 1996, the show tracks Luke's progress as he bonds with friends and learns just how deep relationships can be, struggling with mental health and sexuality along the way. It's a shame Netflix canceled it after one season, given its huge following.
#3: "American Vandal" (2017-18)
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If ever you needed an excuse to get Netflix, this is it. Parodying the "Making A Murderer"-esque docu-series that are so popular these days, "American Vandal" focuses on characters accused of much more banal crimes - like vandalism, or putting a little something extra in the cafeteria’s lemonade. It's a straight-up satire, but manages to really shed light on suburban America. Sure, it might not be for all tastes, but it’s often funny, and features characters you really come to care about. A spoof can rarely double as terrific social commentary, but "American Vandal" is the exception to the rule.
#2: "Freaks and Geeks" (1999-2000)
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The show that launched a thousand careers got canceled far too soon. It did however manage to snag three Emmy nominations and one win for it's one-season run. But we suppose audiences weren't ready for Seth Rogen's dry wit, James Franco's rebel attitude, or Jason Segel's lovelorn drummer persona. Like it’s successor “Undeclared”, it foreshadowed the comedy juggernaut that Team Apatow would become. With clever plotlines, compelling characters, and convincing realism, it managed to be both moving and hilarious at the same time - with mature, earnest writing that hits you when you least expect it. Before we reveal our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions: "House of Anubis" (2011-13) "Faking It" (2014-16) "The Carrie Diaries (2013-14) "Breaker High" (1997-98) "The Weekenders" (2000-04)
#1: "On My Block" (2018-)
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It's hard to do teen drama without slipping into melodrama, but Netflix's "On My Block" perfectly balances the charm and wonder of youth with hard-hitting realism. It's also a landmark for diversity, focusing on the lives of high school kids at an inner-city Los Angeles high school. Tackling the realities of being a teenager in underrepresented communities without ever flinching, it's a beautifully orchestrated coming-of-age tale. Deep down, it’s also about friendship, and how those tumultuous years forever alter relationships that, when you're young, you assume will last forever.