Do you ever miss high school and wish you could relive your teenage years? If yes, then you’re not alone. But, on the other hand, high school could have been a nightmare for some too. However, you loved being surrounded by the drama nonetheless. No matter what your age or gender, the charm of teen drama shows on Netflix is undeniable – it’s a guilty pleasure we approve of.
Teen drama shows are the perfect combo of sappy romance, intense moments, relatable humor, cringe, and surprise elements. They’re not always thought-provoking, but they do qualify for good (if not epic) entertainment.
Before we reveal the best teen drama shows to binge-watch on Netflix right now, prepare your supply of popcorn and uninterrupted internet service. Speaking of which, do you need a new internet plan for unlimited online streaming?
Connect with Xfinity via the Xfinity customer service phone number and get the best internet deals for your streaming needs. With this, buckle up for a dramatic adventure where you can revisit the high school feels, for better or for worse:
1. Gossip Girl
Were you the queen bee of high school or perhaps an admirer on the sidelines? The iconic Blair Waldorf from the Gossip Girl series is one to fall in love with at first sight. This teen drama series is all about scandalous affairs, fickle love, and an anonymous gossiper who knows when and how to spill the tea.
Gossip Girl highlights the stark contrast in the lifestyle of teens from the elite and middle class. Apart from Leighton Meester portraying the character of Blair, a few other prominent members of the cast worth mentioning include Blake Lively, Penn Badgley, and Ed Westwick.
2. 13 Reasons Why
13 Reasons Why is a teen drama series based on the young adult (YA) novel by Jay Asher. The story revolves around a high school girl named ‘Hannah’ who commits suicide and leaves behind thirteen tapes that reveal all the reasons for it.
The narrative of the book was covered in the first season, but the series has a total of four seasons that address other grave teen issues. While Hannah dies in the first season, the remaining seasons focus on the protagonist named Clay and how he helps his classmates avoid a fate as unfortunate as Hannah’s.
3. Wednesday
This show is the one everyone has been talking about since 2022. Jenna Ortega, cast as Wednesday Addams, has gained a massive fan following ever since the show was released by Netflix. Season 2 is still in the works and is expected to come out by the end of this year or in 2025.
If you’ve been a huge fan of The Addams Family animated series, this live-action version focused on Wednesday’s character will certainly be to your liking. The show ingeniously blends the creepy and funny theme with high school drama.
4. Sex Education
As the name suggests, Sex Education is a satirical take on adolescence and exploring one’s sexuality. The main character is a high school student named Otis whose mother is a sex therapist by profession. Despite having no experience of his own, Otis is incredibly knowledgeable on all topics related to ‘sex ed’.
Otis becomes an illustrious sex therapist on campus with the help of his friends, whilst navigating personal relationship drama. Aside from talking about standard teenage sexuality concerns, the series also emphasizes issues within the LGBTQ+ community.
5. Ginny and Georgia
This Netflix series is about an angsty teenage girl, Ginny, who always seems to be at odds with her young mother Georgia. Despite being an irresponsible teen mom, Georgia goes out of her way to give her children a normal family life.
However, Georgia has a past that she’s constantly running away from and Ginny doesn’t trust her. Ginny is overwhelmed by the drama at her high school and home; she believes that her mom is to blame. The show is mostly about the mother-daughter conflict, yet it’s entertaining with the many twists and turns.
6. Never Have I Ever
If you prefer lighthearted high school drama and like to avoid more intense teen topics, Never Have I Ever is right up your alley. The series follows the amusingly chaotic life of an Indian-American high schooler called Devi.
Devi wants to stay top of her class, get into Stanford, and be with the It Boy of her school despite having a questionable social status. This show is four seasons of somewhat relatable awkward situations, tantrums, blunders, and eureka moments in high school.
7. Heartstopper
Here’s another teen drama series for the LGBTQ+ community and their biggest fans. This show tackles the challenges of coming out and accepting one’s feelings to be attracted to an individual of the same gender. Heartstopper focuses on the love story of two high school boys. It starts as an unlikely friendship and then gradually develops into something more intimate.
8. Riverdale
Riverdale is based on the Archie comic series; you’re going to love this one if you ever pictured real-life versions of the Archie Gang. This series is a messy ride of love triangles, serial killings, and dark mysteries.
9. Elite
Elite is a teen drama set in an elite high school, which is naturally full of rich and snobby kids. Three teenage students from the working class end up here by chance, which leads to a clash of classes and then murder.
10. XO, Kitty
If you daydream about K-pop idols and K-drama actors more often than you’d like to admit, this show is a must-watch. An American teenage girl goes to a high school in Seoul as an exchange student to be with her long-distance Korean boyfriend; as expected, predictable high school drama awaits her.
Happy Ending
Modern teen dramas tend to keep the storyline more realistic, which is a great initiative by the producers of our time. Even though most shows are concluded on a happy note, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. High-school-inspired shows of today are designed to delve into controversial topics and send a powerful message to the young audience.