Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee pioneered one of TVs early nuanced portrayals of a gay teen.
Nathan and Lucas are forced to face each other, being in the same grade and both pursuing basketball.
Their lives become more entangled as Lucas and Nathans inner circles collide.
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One Tree Hillstands out for its authentic character development and wildly entertaining plotlines.
It portrays relatable, albeit melodramatic, teenage strugglesacademics, relationships, and family dynamics in a small town.
Brookes character development in particular is incredible, making her a fan favorite.
Throughout its fourteen-season run,Degrassiintroduced new characters, and it brought back familiar faces from pastDegrassiseries.
Degrassi: The Next Generationset itself apartby confronting the complexities of adolescence with honesty.
In contrast, other teen shows, especially of the time, tend to cast adults to play teens.
Veronica Marsis unique among teen shows for its blend of noir-inspired mystery with sharp social commentaryand emotion.
Clever and resilient, the teen detective Veronica is shaped by trauma yet unyielding in her pursuit of justice.
Langer), complicated by her romantic interest in Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto).
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Theshort-lived but powerful seriesexplored therawness of being a teenager without preachy lessonswrung from the plots.
The show marked a transition from soapy teen shows into ones grounded in the angsty reality of adolescence.
Its brilliance lies in portraying high school life as a journey of small, meaningful struggles.
3’The O.C.'
The O.C.is the ultimate summer show, set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Newport Beach.
But the seriesstands out for its understated comedywitty and self-aware.
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90210launched a new eraof teen television by weaving togetherglossy escapism and serious, socially relevant storytelling.
Tackling everything from substance use disorders to racism, it aimed to strike a balance between entertainment and reflection.
Buffy the Vampire Slayerrevolutionized teen televisionwith its unique supernatural elements combined with relatable teen and general human struggles.
Unlike several teen shows ofBuffys time, it holds up remarkably well and is as relevant as ever.
NEXT:Teen Movies That Are Almost Perfect
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