What is it exactly?

Why are tv shows centered around high school so damn appealing? Not just to youngsters but to viewers in their 30s and beyond?

I was thinking about some of my favorite tv shows and couldn't ignore how many of them were teen dramas...not only that I loved as a teen, but still enjoy now.

I'm sure there's something to the formula that works because it's something everyone can identify with (well, everyone who's experience high school), but it still seems strange that so many people of all ages find them addicting.

Not only are they guilty pleasures for many people, but some of them rank among some of the best tv shows period.

FREAKS & GEEKS

I love, love, love this show. I cannot fathom how it wasn't picked up for more than one season. Linda Cardellini rocked, and obviously all the male stars (James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, and Martin Starr) have gone on to find success in Judd Apatow's other creations (Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

MY S0-CALLED LIFE

Amazing. Again, how did this only run for one season!? Well, I guess it could've had something to do with the fact that most family series don't include child abuse, homophobia, teenage alcoholism, homelessness, adultery, kinky sex, censorship, and drug use, among their themes (okay, drug use has become pretty popular--wasn't it the backbone of the O.C.?) Still Claire Danes was brilliant, and I am still in love with Wilson Cruz for his portrayal of Rickie. Jared Leto...well, he was nice to look at.

POPULAR

I loved this show. Another that ended too abruptly, although this one made it past the one season curse, and actually got two! How can I ever thank them for introducing me to the amazing Leslie Grossman. Oh, Mary Cherry. I shall never forget you. Or you, Carly Pope.

BUFFY the Vampire Slayer

Obviously this is a drama set in high school with a twist. Um. Mainly the entire slayer/vampire premise. This show is such a cult-classic, I'm afraid to even discuss it. There's too much to dissect. I think one of the initial strongpoints that stood out right away in the first season was that the way the characters ineracted and spoke with eachother was much more realistic than the scripted manner we'd been used to seeing on television. Joss Whedon is a genius, there's no doubt about that.

Dawson's Creek

Though I'm not a big fan, obviously this show was huge. The 2nd coming of 90210. Crazy. But it did introduce music to these series in a new way that became a trend to follow. I can't imagine how many soundtracks were released by this show, and later "The O.C.".

90210

Totally 90's. Classic. Defined it's time. Probably ran a little too long. Yet, unforgetable. I'm a little horrified that they're bringing a new version to the CW.

SAVED BY THE BELL

Who in this country (and probably many others) would not know what you were talking about if you dropped the names, "Screech" "Zack Morris" "Kelly Capowski" "A.C. Slater" "Lisa Turtle" or "Jessie Spano". I like to think that everytime the Pointer Sisters song "I'm So Excited" plays, someone in the room re-lives Jessie's pill-popping breakdown in their mind, heehee.

DEGRASSI/Jr. High/High/Next Gen

It doesn't matter how this series comes back, it's always there. Like a constant source of weekly PSAs embedded in cheesy drama that you can depend on. As much as you like to make fun of it, you know you enjoy(ed) watching it, and you gotta give those Canadians credit for tackling some big issues in the early 80's.

I even started watching a new teen show this year...

SOUTH OF NOWHERE

I think this one was so interesting because it's the new generation of these teen shows. Even though it also dealt with the more stereotypical issues explored in other shows, but this show uses it's main characters to bring up the issues, rather than a guest character or the friend of a main character who only gets the spotlight for that specific storyline for an episode or two. The first season broke a lot of new ground, actually exploring a mixed race family from the adopted kid's perspective (as opposed to the families' and society's), and the "gay teenager" storyline wasn't devoted to a background character, it's practically the most central charcter of the entire show.

And again, though this show has already hit it's cult classic status among fans, and the obligatory "Save [insert show name here]" movements begun, the show will finish its final run this fall with a half season.


Conclusions: You know, I suppose the problem with so many of these good shows that get cancelled so soon is that for "teen" shows, they tend to push a lot of buttons (and boundries). Now that I think about it, these shows are probably also repsonsible for the most cast diversity on screen as well. So I applaud them, yet remain confused as to why networks cancel them after things get to risky...yet replace them with another teen drama the following year.

Secondly. All of these shows have great theme songs, that stick with you forever. I swear I heard the Saved By the Bell: College Years guitar sounds coming from another room the other day.


Honorary mentions: A couple family-centric shows, with teens.

Gilmore Girls

Even though this show was more focused on the mother-daughter relationship, the early seasons were still definitely that high school setting (a private one at that). Plus, the dialogue between Lorelei and Rory could have easily occured between two teens. But the timing and rhythm they created with their unique brand of humor was genius. The first season is still one of the best.

ONCE & AGAIN

Another short-lived series, but I found out this year that apparently the same team behind "My So-Called Life" was responsible for this favorite of mine as well. Which doesn't surprise me. It too dealt with serious issues in a serious way, where they're not brought out and wrapped up in a neat little package all within one episode *cough*7thHeaven*cough*.

The main thing I loved about this series was, I think, the fact that it captured relationships so well, and presented a realistic portrayal of families seperated by divorce. I could never identify whole-heartedly with "Step-by-Step" or other comedies that touched on the subject as a kid. But with this show, I completely understood what the characters where feeling watching their parents date, and living back and forth between parents, etc. It really went to the dark places of divorce, blended-families, and single-parenting. All the characters were real because they weren't good or bad, or black and white. Complex characters, and heavy intense relationsips. Sounds enough like high-school, even when talking about the parents.


Footnote: You may have noticed I mentioned "The O.C." twice (three times now), but that's because I felt obligated, and couldn't actually bring myself to write about it specifically. Really, what good did it do anyone?

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