The shows are ranked based on their IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes scores.
GAP has revealed the top five young adult TV shows of all time in a new study.
GAP collated lists from EW.com, Cosmopolitan, and Time, comparing and detailing the shows which appeared on all three lists. These shows were then ranked by their score on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, creating an overall score to measure their re-watchability.
The shows include Friday Night Lights (2006–2011), My So-Called Life (1994–1995), On My Block (2018–2021), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), and Skins (2007–2013).
Comedy-drama Skins mixes the awkwardness of being a young adult and the challenges of growing up in a polarising world. Skins takes the fifth spot with a score of 78 out of 100.
While touching on some difficult topics of conversation, its realistic depiction of teen life has amassed the TV show a large cult following.
Vampires, evil forces, and a protagonist played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer takes fourth place on the list with a score of 82.5 out of 100.
For the nineties and early-noughties show, Buffy explores issues well ahead of its time, including sexuality, sexism, confidence, and more.
On My Block sweeps past nostalgic classics into third place, securing a score of 86 out of 100. The show explores the lives of four teens in a rough inner-city Los Angeles neighbourhood as their relationships are tested upon starting high school. With elements of comedy, On My Block, focuses on underrepresented communities – something that’s been missing from past teen TV shows.
With only one season to its name, My So-Called Life climbs to second place with a score of 89 out of 100. Despite being cancelled after one season, the show is critically praised for its acting and story.
Friday Night Lights follows the highs and lows of a high-school football team in Texas. Taking the top spot on the list as the best teen TV show with a grand score of 91.5 out of 100, this drama touches on some hard-hitting topics, including race, class, and drug abuse. So get ready for some challenging conversations.
The show’s finale episode, ‘Always’, is the highest-rated episode on IMDb.
