There’s nothing like a heaping amount of angsty drama to fill the time. Often with any teen show of any genre, there are relatable themes of friendship, romance, and identity. Teen shows have been a staple of TV culture for some time, allowing viewers to appreciate a good coming-to-age story.
Teen TV has captivated not only its targeted audience but also many of all ages. The concept of mundane teen struggles with larger-than-life circumstances makes for enticing TV. Shows likeSex Education, andEuphoriareflect the universal challenges of growing up, often appealing to viewers young and old. Unfortunately,there are some teen series that go unnoticed and overlooked in favor of the bigger and bolder hits of the genre. This list showcases those hidden gems that hold the capability of captivating audiences just as well.
10’Star-Crossed' (2014)
Created by Meredith Averill
This underrated gem didn’t last long but left a lastingimpact on sci-fi lovers.Star-Crossedfollows an alien young man and a human girl, who, against the odds of societal tensions and opinions, fall hopelessly in love.
Star-Crosseddrew in a very loyal fan base.The teen drama unfortunately lasted for only one angst-filled season, due to varied reviews, leading the series to go unnoticed by many. Still, the teen sci-fi drama left its mark on the hearts of its audience with its heartfelt themes of acceptance and love.
Star-Crossed
Created by Tom Bidwell
A touching series that resonates with all those who struggle with self-acceptance and beauty standards.MyMad Fat Diarycenters arounda teen girl navigating her mental healthand her body image in the 90s. The series follows a young teen as she navigates new and old friends, family, and romance.
My Mad Fat Diarydidn’t get the love it deserved, mainly due to its limited international exposure. The series’ plot is honest, and its characters are especially relatable.My Mad Fat Diaryis an overlooked gem with enough emotional depth to move its audience.
My Mad Fat Diary
8’Surviving Summer' (2022–2024)
Created by Joanna Werner and Josh Mapleston
Surviving Summermay not be one of thegreats within the teen genre, but it is definitely entertaining enough to sit through. The series follows rebel teen Summer Torres (Sky Katz) hailing from “The Big Apple,” New York City, who is thrust into a new world as she is forced to live with family friends in Australia. There, young Summer discovers new friends, love, and a passion for surfing.
The entertaining series was angsty enough to appease its audience.Viewers often found themselves appreciatingSurviving Summer’s story and character growth, as it guided them through a captivating coming-to-age story. While fans are unsure if the show will ever get another season after its second, the season’s finale concluded the entirety of the show rather nicely.
Surviving Summer
7’The Society' (2019)
Created by Christopher Keyser
This is a series that met its end entirely too soon.The Societycenters around a group of returning teens from a school trip, who find their once-thriving town to be completely devoid of adults. The teens are forced to navigate lives without any kind of adult authority, as they attempt to find the cause of their strange predicament.
The Societyoffered its audience an intriguing story.The series gave an insider view of what is likely to happen if teens go unattended for too long. With its captivating narrative of moral dilemmas, the series left its impact. Unfortunately, the series met its end after its first season, leaving its fans with various cliffhangers, causing the show to go unnoticed and become forgotten.
The Society
6’Clone High' (2002–)
Created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence
Clone Highis a raunchy teen animated comedy. The show portrays the lives of clones of historical figures, as they navigate high school. The show takes a completely satirical approach to mundane teenage issues, using heavily exaggerated versions of historical personalities.
Clone Highoffered its viewers clever humor, developing a loyal following. There are many who appreciated the show’s visual gags and the bizarre premise. Though the show garnered a lot of attention after its first season’s debut,Clone Highfaced massive criticismand controversy for its portrayal of pretty influential figures. This caused the show to remove key characters after its revival many years later, which inevitably led to its downfall.
Clone High
5’Between' (2015–2016)
Created by Michael McGowan
Betweenis a show that, much likeThe Society, is deadly. The series stars a small town that is suddenly exposed to a terrible disease—anyone over 21 is doomed to die. With the majority of the town’s inhabitants being teens, they must navigate life trapped in their town and anxiously await their twenty-second birthdays.
Betweenholds a rather interesting premise.UnlikeTheSociety,the sci-fi series' deadly stakes keep it much more thrilling. Unfortunately, due to a few pacing issues and character troubles, some viewers found the series lacking. After its second season,Betweencame to an end and left fans with unresolved plotlines, leaving the show almost forgotten and overshadowed by newer and muchmore popular sci-fi series.
4’XO, Kitty' (2023–)
Created by Jenny Han
This teen drama is a gem that goes severely unappreciated.XO, Kittyfollows the optimistic young lady known as Kitty Covey (Anna Cathcart) as she journeys to Korea to fulfill her dream to learn more about her mother and be with the one she loves. Kitty is in for a rude awakening of turbulent and confusing feelings as she navigates her new life.
As a spin-off of the hit movie series, theTo All the Boysfilms,XO, Kittywas able to garner a reasonable viewership, andits cute story was able to turn those viewers into loyal fans. The series goes horrendously overlooked, despite its promising premise and relatable characters.
3’Never Have I Ever' (2020–2023)
Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher
There should be a lot more love and appreciation for a series such as this.Never Have I Everfollows the young Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) as she navigates her teenage life, not only after her father’s death, but also after she’s regained feeling in her legs, and is able to walk again.
Never Have I Everis a bag of fun and frustration for its audience. The show is probably continuously being overlooked due to the sometimes maddening character, Devi Vishwakumar. Once viewers are able to see pastDevi’s rather destructive behavior, they often fall in love with her character, finding her to be relatable as she begins to overcome her grief and find love.
Never Have I Ever
2’Derry Girls' (2018–2022)
Created by Lisa McGee
This chaotic series is horribly underrated.Derry Girlsis set in 1990s Northern Ireland, following a wild group of teenage girls as they navigate their adolescence during political strife.
Derry Girls’cultural references might have gone over the heads of international viewers at times, potentially causing the lack of global appeal, butthe show’s relatability to adolescent strife resonated well with audiences.Derry Girls' comedy is the highlight of the series, as well as the relationships between characters, touching its audiences with moments of a surprising amount of depth.
Derry Girls
1’School Spirits' (2023–)
Created by Megan Trinrud and Nate Trinrud
Thissupernatural drama TV seriesis definitely a thrilling mystery.School Spiritscenters around a teen who has lost her life and, after dying under rather mysterious circumstances, becomes a ghost who unwillingly haunts her high school’s halls. The young lady must uncover the truth of her death in hopes of settling any possible unresolved problems.
With a very intriguing plot,School Spiritsis a fresh take on the recurring theme of the afterlife. The series isn’t overly dark but is thrilling enough to captivate its fans. Unfortunately, like many mysteries, the slow-paced story can be a little
