Ranking Teen Dramas

Without a doubt, teen dramas are my favorite genre of television. I’ll rarely sit down and start a new show that I haven’t already seen. That being said, I consider myself an expert when it comes to teen dramas, so I thought I would share my rankings. Not every teen drama is listed, as I haven’t watched every single one and might have forgotten about others!

12. The Fosters

To be completely honest I didn’t even watch this show, but my mom spent the majority of quarantine watching The Fosters in the living room. And, let me say, I hate this show with a burning passion. I could not deal with the exaggerated acting and random plot lines. Not to mention that their last name is Foster and they are in the foster system. Ridiculous.

11. 13 Reasons Why

This show was far from perfect, but at least the first season was watchable. I’ll admit that I binged this show back during spring break of 2017 just like anyone else; however, the show should have ended after the first season.

10. Riverdale

Riverdale is another example of a show that started off okay and went downhill, fast. The only reason this show is ranked higher than 13 Reasons Why is that when I watched some of the later seasons, I thought it was so over the top that it was almost satirical and funny.

9. The Carrie Diaries

From this point of the list on are shows I actually enjoyed! I did like this show, it was just a little bit boring. It was only two seasons, but I honestly don’t think it needed any additional ones (just an actual finale).

8. The Outer Banks

This show was obviously ridiculous, but I think if you go into a teen drama knowing it’s going to be crazy, you’re more likely to enjoy it. This show spiced up my quarantine, and it’s one of the only newer teen dramas that reminds me of the early 2000s (the golden age of teen dramas).

7. Teen Wolf

I’m actually in the process of watching this show for the first time, so I can’t be too sure about where to rank this one. It is taking me a long time to watch, and I find myself taking day-long breaks in between episodes. I really like the show, but it’s a lot, and it’s hard to binge. I do love Stiles though! <3.

6. Gilmore Girls

I love this show. I went to LA over winter break and visited the set, and (not to flex too hard) even ran into the actress who plays Paris. It’s a good comfort show that I like to have on, but a lot of the characters annoy me, and sometimes it can get kind of slow.

5. Glee

Ranking these shows is getting difficult. Listen, I LOVE Glee. It is the most absurd show in the best way possible. I truly believe that the show is a work of satire and that a lot of Glee’s covers are as good as, if not better than, the originals. If nothing else, this show is hilarious, but it is also capable of some pretty dramatic and upsetting plotlines.

4. The Vampire Diaries

I watched this show for the first time over quarantine, and I became slightly obsessed. I never thought I would like a TV show with supernatural elements, but this show does it well. The first couple of seasons were a bit ridiculous, but as I got invested with the characters, I forgot how weird the rest of it was. Also, this is a very unpopular opinion, but Stefan > Damon any day.

3. Gossip Girl

I couldn’t write an article about iconic teen dramas and not have Gossip Girl in the top three. This show was the first teen drama I binge-watched in middle school, and I have rewatched it so many times since then. The stories are crazy and super unrealistic, but there’s something about this show that makes me want to watch it over and over again. XOXO.

2. The O.C.

I feel like a lot of people haven’t seen this show, but let me tell you right now– it is amazing. Unfortunately, Hulu removed it back during quarantine, and I have been looking for a new place to watch it ever since. Maybe I love this show so much because I just love the NJB (nice Jewish boy) main character, Seth Cohen.

1. One Tree Hill

Anyone who knows me knows that this is my favorite TV show ever. I have rewatched it an embarrassing amount of times, and could most likely answer any question you have about it. The characters are so easy to love, and while some of the plot lines can get crazy, it’s not done in a way that makes it dumb or hard to watch. One Tree Hill deserves all the love, and this is a hill (haha get it?) that I will die on.