Author: E.Cherkuri, Megaphone Staff Writer

S Tier (Top Shows)

The Vampire Diaries (The CW): Elena, a teenage girl who lost her parents, finds herself in a small town filled with strange occurrences and a series of mysterious murders. As she struggles to cope with the loss of her parents, she unexpectedly meets a captivating boy who turns out to be a vampire. This revelation forever changes Elena’s life and plunges her into the world of the hidden supernatural. This show has a rich plotline, and with its iconic love triangle between two vampire brothers and well developed supernatural universe, it is a show that I highly recommend to others.

Derry Girls (Netflix): Stuck in a world of checkpoints and army patrols, Erin and her hilariously chaotic friends want to navigate teenage life – boys, bands, and avoiding their pesky relatives. This show is a laugh riot, packed with sharp Irish wit and spot-on cultural references.  Whether scheming to meet up or accidentally ending up at a loyalist rally, these girls get into all sorts of trouble!

A Tier (Great Shows)

Never Have I Ever (Netflix): Devi, a girl who just lost her dad, deals with the troubles of high school including her desperate need to date the most popular jock in school. With her sassy attitude and initially “crazy” behavior she makes the show more quirky and entertaining while also growing as a person and coming to accept herself and embrace her true identity. 

  

All American (The CW): Spencer, a talented football player, gets recruited to play at a Beverly Hills high school. But balancing his dream of going pro with the realities of racism and pressure is no easy feat. Plus, there’s a cute romance subplot to add to the spice of the show while also having several different forms of dramatic tension.

Wednesday (Netflix): Wednesday Addams, who has never been good at fitting in, is sent to Nevermore Academy where she is forced to live among misfits.  Wednesday is trying to navigate through adolescent relationships at a school unlike any other while trying to master her developing psychic skills, put an end to a horrific killing spree terrifying the community, and solve a mystical mystery that entangled her parents years before. This show was very well made with a unique plotline which distinguished it from other teen shows making it significantly more popular.

Gossip Girl (The CW): The original 2007 series was a pop culture phenomenon known by teenagers country-wide for its teen romance and fashion. The reboot has received mixed reviews, but the original show remains very relevant today as several teenage girls take inspiration from the main characters and are hooked in awe of this show’s  glamorous rich teenager lifestyle.

Maxton Hall (Prime): It became a hit because of the classic “poor girl meets wealthy man” storyline, but the romantic tension and drama took it to a whole new level of exciting! Although the show was short it gained immense popularity for its engaging plotline. 

B Tier (Enjoyable Shows)

One of Us is Lying (netflix): I watched the teen mystery show, and I loved it! The storyline is so engaging, and the romance elements add an extra layer of excitement. The murder mysteries from the “One of Us Is Lying” book series are gripping, and I was so hooked to see how it unfolded in the show. As a fan of the book series, the show did not disappoint in it’s production but is severely underrated!

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime):
The second season of this show received mixed reviews, with some people feeling that it had too many unnecessary scenes and boring family drama centered around reclaiming a summer house. On the other hand, the first season, based on Jenny Han’s best-selling book, was an instant hit, capturing the hearts of audiences and setting a new standard for love triangle trope teenage shows.

C Tier (Shows with Mixed Reception)

Ginny & Georgia (Netflix): The show was engaging overall, but it did have some unbearably cringy scenes. Additionally, the lack of character development for the numerous characters made it a bit insufferable at times. On the other hand, the plotline was very interesting and atypical for a teenage show which I believe attracted several people for viewing. 

Riverdale (The CW): Not everything in Riverdale, the picture-perfect town, is milkshakes at Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe. Star athlete Archie Andrews, who has a heart of gold, balances his desire to pursue music with a romantic triangle including the attractive Veronica Lodge and the charming Betty Cooper. But there’s darkness in Riverdale. A town is shaken by a murder, flawless facades cover secrets, and teenage drama. A twisting teen thriller with a splash of dark humor, scandalous romances, and an increasing number of bodies that will leave you hooked for the first few seasons. Later when strange, supernatural themes – that are frankly irrelevant to the show – emerge, they are dragging out the show.

 

D Tier (Shows with Generally Negative Reception)

XO Kitty (Netflix): This highly anticipated show was created by the renowned writer Jenny Han, known for adapting her award-winning books into successful shows and movies. However, the show received criticism for its perceived repetitive plotline and romanticizing Korean culture through a predominantly white lens and overall was rated pretty badly. Personally, I found that many of the scenes in XO Kitty were frankly incredibly unrealistic and it became pretty hard to watch some scenes, as they gave unbearable second-hand embarrassment. 

My Life with the Water Boys (Amazon Prime): I genuinely expected more from this show as it was so hyped up on social media but I believe this was only so hyped because it was parallel to other popular shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty, but the characters were way too cliche, and the plot was either frustrating or way too predictable. Also, it’s addition of several unnecessary romance subplots were often boring for me as well as majority of the audience.  

Legacies (The CW): A spin-off of The Originals, which is a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries. While it may feature teen romance depending on your definition, it generally receives bad reviews. The show had so much potential due to the depth of some characters but several of the episodes just included a new monster coming into school and the main characters fighting.